Replacing wrenches, picking up our radio!

Our light-bar made it to Portland, and I picked it up from FedEx will call on Monday. Thank you 4-Wheel Parts!!! It is the N-Fab unit pictured here. The light bar came without any of those pesky instructions to get in the way, so I called them today, and soon had a set of instruction in my inbox. We'll get the light-bar and lights on by this Saturday.

I had some good news from Verizon on Tuesday: Judy in customer service is adding Canada to my friends and family plan for the duration of the Alcan, and waiving the upcharge. I had planned to rely on a prepaid phone card, so this is quite a surprise! Thank you Judy!

The picture below is of my 'new' 3/8" and 1/2" drive, Craftsmen ratchet-wrenches, artfully posed on my grandfather's old air-force mittens, and my new Cabelas parka. I hope never to have to use them all together, (or the wrenches at all,) while on the Alcan.


I brought my old 3/8" and 1/2" into Sears tonight, because the ratcheting action on each was wonky. I have literally been putting this off for years. My friend Nicole, (who used to work for Sears,) repeatedly told me that all I had to do was bring them in, and they would replace them no questions asked. She was absolutely correct. The guy at the counter had a drawer full of refurbs that a guy on site rebuilds. He didn't have the right 1/2" drive, so he pulled a new one off the shelf and gave it to me. I should have done this a long time ago.

Also on Monday, I stopped by Event Rental Communications to pick our radio from Jay Pomeroy, their special projects manager. Jay is loaning us a Motorola VHF mobile radio to use for the Alcan. When I got it home that night, I did a radio check and all was well. When I install this antenna, I'll keep loops out of the wire, (Thanks August!)

Next: Light-bar/light install, VHF install, finalize load plan!