Stranded...sort of...

[Jim/Wa]

Last friday, after a week of roaming around Idaho mostly in the upper Salmon country, I was heading home when my truck blew 2 injectors and left me stranded on the roadside. I was very lucky that I was in a pocket of cell coverage so I was able to get towed 55mi into Boise where I had to leave the truck until Monday at the earliest when the diesel shop opened. I then rented a car to travel the 400+ miles to back to home and await the prognosis. Had this happened pretty much anywhere else in the past few days I'd have been many miles from the nearest cell coverage and in a heck of a mess. So, it got me thinking about back up plans of which it seems there a few reliable options. I do have an Inreach that I could use to message my wife to call AAA. Is AAA even reliable that far from civilization? What do other people do for back up plans in remote areas? With the number of back country hunter types on this forum I'm sure there's plenty of experience with stranded vehicles. Thoughts?

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

what about a satellite phone , spendy but there made for the remote and adventures individual, but then again if your life or anothers was on the line what is the price you could place on that

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

Yup, sat phones are a good option... A delorme would also be good. Was it a ford?:hump:

 

[esracerx]

Get rid of the diesel. Smelly things anyway. Problem solved

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I'm getting inreach for this kinda situation exactly. I know that some tow companies will go pretty far back but I don't really think there is a fast or easy way to deal with breaking down 50 miles back in the woods.

 

[Paul in Idaho]

I also carry an InReach for emergency communication in areas without phone service. It might be worth calling your auto insurance company and asking about towing coverage on your policy.

 

[Jim/Wa]

Nope, not a Ford. This was a 2005 Dodge Ram with 250K that has never so much as hiccuped in the past. I was averaging just under 20 mpg with the truck camper loaded on this trip. Turned out to be a #4 fuel injector port that blew and took out the #5 line along with it. $200 fix not counting the $300 tow from Horseshoe Bend and the $200 rental car. Anyhoo, good to know the Inreach is the tool of choice. I'm heading down tomorrow to pick up the truck with plans to returned through the Owyhees and Steens Mountain area so I can scope out some Chukar country for this coming year. It will give me a good chance to test the Inreach out in some remote areas.

 

[oldschool.06]

Better then the $4800 the dealer raped me for to replace all 8 of my Duramax injectors . I'll still never own a gas truck again