The Thanksgiving Date

My boyfriend and I were headed to a friend's place for Thanksgiving. We both needed the get away. Ozzie was glad to have us come and provide some relief from the limited companionship of the back country in an Alaskan winter.

A quick phone call confirmed I would bring deviled eggs, cookies, and some other supplies he requested. I looked forward to getting away from my job for a couple of days. Ozzie lived approximately five miles from the nearest actual road. It would be fun to spend time with Jeremy and get away from civilization, and it's demands.

November can be a little tricky getting around in the bush of Alaska. It's the in-between time when the creeks have ice on them, but it's not always thick enough to drive on. Ozzie is unable to get to town for about 3-4 weeks in the fall, and again in the spring during break-up.

“Jeremy, will the ice be frozen enough for us to reach Ozzie's for Thanksgiving?” I asked as we set out for Ozzie's after dark on Wednesday evening.

“The Jeep has a snorkel. We'll be fine,” he answered. I shrugged and finished loading the food, small amount of winter gear, and dogs. The dogs jumped in with enthusiasm. They always enjoyed getting out to stretch their legs and run along the snowy banks of the river as we drove to Ozzie's.

The road out to the Butte is all paved, and the roads were good. After that we were on two-track, or off-road vehicle trails. Jeremy was skilled, and we had been out with the Jeep many times, so though I am nervous about a vehicle in water, he was confident.

He broke the ice through the mud holes, most not too deep or serious. It's a wide and commonly used trail, so while the mud holes were frozen over the trail was plain. Neither one of us wanted to get stuck in the dark with the food in the back. Jeremy drove more conservatively than usual. We reached the creek without any major troubles.

I was relaxed and sleepy until we got there. I looked at the iced over creek. “Are you sure this is a good idea? Ozzie said he was using the other trail...”

“We’ll be fine,” Jeremy said as he studied the creek before us.

“It looks high.”

“You worry about everything.” He drove forward, inching his way along following the crossing we used throughout the summer. It could have changed with high water, but it was as good a guess as any. I sat up now, tense in my seat. There was nothing to do except sit quietly and not distract Jeremy. I gripped the door handle until my knuckles were white and prayed for a safe crossing.

We reached the sand bar in the center and I took a deep breath. Jeremy kept the Jeep moving slowly forward across the ice. Stopping was more dangerous than movement. We hit a thin spot in the ice and fell through. The Jeep hit bottom with a thump and the ice and water sloshed around us. The ice scraping the sides of the Jeep. I gasped as Jeremy cursed.

The current wasn’t strong enough to push us down stream, but the water was deep enough it began trickling in around the door jams. I quickly counted my blessings. At least we wouldn’t be swept into the main river. That was a death sentence.

That happy thought drowned swiftly in the cold water that continued to rise inside the Jeep.

“I’m gonna get out and use the winch to pull us out.” Jeremy said. He was on the upstream side of the Jeep. “Slide over here, and when I get it hooked put your foot on the gas and keep the engine revved to about 3.5 RPM’s.

“You’re getting out? In this water? You'll freeze.”

“We aren’t going anywhere if I don't.” Jeremy rolled his eyes at me. “This ice will tear us up.”

I swallowed and started praying again silently. Jeremy got out and waded through water that was chest deep. I watched him through the watery light provided by the headlights. Jeremy pulled the cable out of the winch and went in search of something on the bank to hook it too. There weren’t any trees, or rocks close enough to reach that I could see.

While he was doing that I looked in the back seat. The dogs were still dry. The water was about an inch short of the top of the seat now. The food was in the far back and up high enough that I didn't think it was getting wet either. Everything inside was fine for the time being. I kept my knees pulled up around my chin, trying to stay dry, but the cold dampness was seeping up through the seat.

Jeremy found a log frozen into the bank and hooked it with the winch cable and waved at me. He shouted too, but I didn't hear anything he said. I crawled across the center of the Jeep and placed my buns in the wet driver’s seat. The water was now deep enough that the seats were wet. I made sure the Jeep was in neutral, and regretfully sank my foot and leg into the ice cold water. At least I could be thankful the Jeep was an automatic transmission, so I could hold my left foot above the water and keep it dry-ish.

The worst part of dropping your foot into ice cold water is when the water rises over the top of the boot and rushes downward to seep between your toes.

With the engine revved, the Jeep began moving slowly forward, crawling at the speed of the winch. Ice gathered before the Jeep as it rolled. The hood of the Jeep rose, though the water level didn't change inside. The Jeep banged down again as the ice broke before it. I held my breath while I kept my eyes glued on Jeremy, and my foot on the gas. He gave me encouraging head nods, and shouted if he thought I let up on the gas in the slightest. I kept the RPM’s up.

It took half a lifetime to get the Jeep on dry land again, at least it felt like a lifetime. I was ecstatic it was still running and the engine had not flooded. We still had miles to go before we reached Ozzie's.

Jeremy and I agreed that reaching Ozzie's was a good idea. He was soaked to the skin. “Do you have a change of clothes?” I asked.

Jeremy shook his head. “Ozzie will let them hang in the house to dry.”

I sighed. I didn't have extra clothes either and my pants were wet. The heater in the Jeep was working overtime. At least we hoped to stay warm the remainder of the trip, though we now knew the ice wasn't thick enough to support the Jeep.

Jeremy turned left, away from the main river, toward the back trail. It was harder driving with more mud and ruts, but had fewer deep stream crossings. There was only one more deep crossing. Jeremy and I were both a little nervous this time, though he wasn't admitting to it. There was a drop into this creek, about one length of the Jeep across and then a climb back up.

I prayed the ice would hold, and that we'd have enough traction to get back up the far side. Jeremy eased the Jeep down onto the ice and kept a slow, but steady pace as the hood of the Jeep began to climb the frozen mud of the far bank.

I held my breath as the Jeep climbed steadily upward. The rest of the trip was muddy, and chilly. Jeremy concentrated on the area illuminated by the headlights as he struggled through the icy ruts. It was a long trip. We didn't drive fast but the heater kept pumping warm air and the Jeep kept moving forward.

When we arrived, Ozzie's house was warm and he quickly put on coffee and herbal tea. The Jeep was parked, and Jeremy borrowed clothes while his dried overnight.

We were in the Airstream camper that night. Ozzie turned on the heater for us, while we stayed in the house where it was warmer to change. I made Jeremiah change first because he was soaked, while I was only damp.

The dogs were happy and warm again. It was a relief to get dry clothes on and drink a cup of hot tea. Jeremy and I, both huddled together on a bunk that was only made for one short person that night. Neither of us was short, so it was close quarters, but we managed.

The next morning was Thanksgiving and I was thankful. Thankful for the safety of both dogs, Jeremy, and myself. We were all dry and warm. I wondered how we would get out, but that wasn’t anything that had to be solved until tomorrow.

“Don't worry about it,” Jeremy said when I asked. “Ozzie will call a couple people.”

“The Jeep will fall through again.” I protested and Jeremy rolled his eyes at me. I gave up and decided that the men could worry about it. I just wanted to stay warm and dry.

Ozzie made breakfast and was all set with a big dinner. The turkey and all the fixings were under control. I wasn’t able to help, so Jeremy started up the Jeep. We would go play for a bit, and be back to help with the last minute preparations.

Except the Jeep wouldn’t start. Water had gotten into the starter last night and froze. Thawing out the starter was the first order of business. I was now much more worried about getting out... I needed to be back at work. I stayed inside and watched the food while the guys worked on the Jeep.

Once it started and warmed up, Jeremy and I went for a fun little drive. We went down to the runway, and traveled a trail I didn’t remember, but Jeremiah said I had been there.

We got away from the mountain and came across some tracks. We jumped out to get a better look. Wolf tracks! I took Jeremy’s pack of cigarettes and laid them next to the track and took a picture. The tracks were as long as the cigarette pack, and wider. That's one big canine! We followed the tracks along one of the side channels of the creek. It was pretty, and I enjoyed the cold, fresh air. It was fun to see all the tracks and follow the animals, learning about their habits and lives. The dogs enjoyed a break from being in the Jeep as well.

We drove on and Jeremiah played in the slushy snow as we headed back toward Ozzie’s place. Snow flew in the air as the tires spun, and the Jeep slid around on the wet and ice. We laughed and enjoyed the ride.

Then we hit a deeper spot and got stuck, again. It sapped the fun out of the morning for me. When we weren't moving we both hopped out into the slushy snow, and got wet to the knees. Again.

Jeremy went for the winch. It was frozen, as could be expected. Next, we hunted through the back of the Jeep and found a folding camping shovel. Thankful again, I was glad we had almost everything, including the kitchen sink, in the back of the Jeep.

Jeremy dug us out and used some spruce boughs under the tires to get us going again. He was soaked when we got back to Ozzie’s. Thanksgiving dinner was one of the best I've ever had. I had so much to be thankful for.

The remainder of our date weekend was anticlimactic. We got back across the creek with the help of some friends. The dogs and I walked across. The ice was really thin and I worried, but it held. Jeremy's friends fhooked up the winches to the Jeep before they started, so when the Jeep dove through the ice a second time, it wasn’t too big a deal getting it across and onto solid ground.

It was a great adventure and one that will live in my memory for years, but mostly because for the rest of that LONG COLD winter I used a gas camp stove to thaw the Jeep's starter before the engine would turn over. Then I could start the Jeep and let it warm up. I t took a month or more for the seats to thaw and dry out. The worst was being at work, where I was supposed to dress nice, and then crawl in the snow under the Jeep. Good clothes aren't warm. And warm clothes aren't good. I was very happy when spring came!