[Chaplain Scott]

OK, this happened to my wife and I back in mid-90's up in Alaska. We had been salmon fishing (she caught the largest one-50 lb King). We were returning home to Fairbanks when we stopped at the only rest stop on the 6 hour stretch of road. (Real out-houses--Rest Stop Alaskan style) My wife goes to the outhouse while I walk the trash to the dumpster about 75 yds away. This pickup pulls in and I wave at the 3 guys in it (I'm totally in "White", aware of their presence but friendly). They drive past me to the dumpster and I walk back to the Suburban--my wife climbs into the truck and I got into the outhouse. While I'm in the outhouse, the pickup comes back--the driver jumps out, opens our driver side door and partially climbs into our Suburban--my wife plasters herself against the door--the loaded .44 is right beside her, but she is too startled to pick it up. He looks her and the truck over, then asks her, "Do you smoke?" She stammers out "No!" and he leaves and they drive off. Meanwhile, I am sitting fat, dumb and relieved in the outhouse. I climb into the truck and she relates the story to me. I think its really wierd, but I haven't had much contact with the forces of the dark side, and while my sub-conscious is trying to tell me something I'm not listening real well.

So, we take off North for home. As we drive thru the mountains there, we can see the pickup ahead of us a mile or so, but there's only ONE road, and no cell coverage, and I'm still not listening real well to that little voice..........

We are headed north, we come over a rise and see the pickup parked on the other side of the road, opposite an empty, parked vehicle on the north side, and the driver of the pickup (the same guy that climbed into our truck) walking across the road and breaking into the parked vehicle. AS I pass, I get angry and say, "I'm going to get that turkey's licence number!" So I go up, turn around and head south to get his plate. He passes by us, with him again headed north towards Fairbanks, and between the my wife and I, we get his plate. I drive to the parked vehicle and get their plate number as well, then turn around and head north again.

As we are driving along, ALL OF A SUDDEN, I get this REALLY, REALLY strong sense that "something's not right here." (fortuneately, I listened this time) I drove up over a hill and the pickup is parked next to the road waiting for us. AS soon as I saw the pickup, I floorboarded the Suburban as he pulled out in pursuit. The next 60+ or so miles go by pretty fast as I buried the speedometer of my wife's Suburban and the guys behind me chased us the rest of the way into Delta Junction, but they never made up the initial lead I got on them. I pulled into a crowded resturant and then called the State Troopers (who by the way, apparently never did any investigating, as I never received a call back).

It wasn't long after that incident that my wife and I both had our Alaska CCP and we learned some really valuable lessons about SA.

 

[SteveinNEPA]

thank god you both survived AND learned a significant lesson about SA and the anytime anywhere rule.

- Steve

 

[obxned]

I'm sure you now realize just how lucky you were.

 

[Chaplain Scott]

obxned I'm sure you now realize just how lucky you were.

Oh Yeah!! Our Guardian Angel was working overtime that day..........

 

[pcon]

Yikes...that sounds really scary. Especially with how remote of an area you were in.

 

[Bark'n]

Wow... sometimes it's amazing that we survive the close calls we get into.

Well, you had a moment that changed your life it seems.

Not only that, but I'm glad your wife is also a proponent of ccw! +1 on that!

Glad things worked out that night.

Bad things which happen in remote locations are especially terrifying because you are on your own for sure!

Ain't no Trooper just going to happen to be driving along that remote stretch of Alaskan Highway.... At least not when you needed him!

It's also good thing he didn't snatch up your loaded .44 pistol as he was getting out of the truck. At least he left you still armed and dangerous if it came down to it.

 

[RETSUPT99]

Just because the police didn't not contact you, doesn't mean that they did or did not find something or make an arrest. Did you ever call and ask?

Not much backup in those remote places...that's why many Alaskan's carry 'heavy duty' tools.
We lived in AK for 7 years...it's not just the two-legged varmints that one may have to defend against if there is a breakdown between towns, or out where you may live.
Moose, bear, and wolves are nothing to underestimate.

 

[Chaplain Scott]

RetSup:

Oh yes--I went back in the next week (the incident took place on a weekend), went to the Trooper office in Fairbanks, walked in and asked to speak directly to a Trooper. I then re-told the whole story, giving plate numbers, descriptions, etc. The trooper was kind of surprised by the story and that in the two or 3 days between my reporting the incident by phone and my being in his presence, that he had not heard anything about it. I had a friend on post who was in CID, who ran the plate on the pickup and ID'd the guy for me and he did have a rap sheet............

I never did receive any followup from the Troopers, but since I gave them all the info (twice actually), I figured that I had done my part. The next thing on the agenda was inceased SA and CW classes.

 

[Thumper]

Yes, you were VERY lucky! :yup:

 

[ExSoldier]

I thought Alaska was one of those states like Vermont where you don't need a permit to CCW? Or is that for open carry? I don't believe in "luck." So it is plain to me that God's not finished with you yet. In fact, it is quite possible, even probable that it all happened to you for the very reason that you can spread the word. HIS word, which also endorses self defense. Just an idea.

 

[Snub44]

...yeah, and just when he thinks he's gonna get a vacation, you go and pin on a BADGE!!!

Oh Yeah!! Our Guardian Angel was working overtime that day..........

 

[Chaplain Scott]

I thought Alaska was one of those states like Vermont where you don't need a permit to CCW? Or is that for open carry? I don't believe in "luck." So it is plain to me that God's not finished with you yet. In fact, it is quite possible, even probable that it all happened to you for the very reason that you can spread the word. HIS word, which also endorses self defense. Just an idea.

Back at the time this happened, you did need a permit. The laws have been changed since then.

The LORD has been VERY, VERY gracious to me: In addition to this story, let's see now;
I survived a float plane crash in Alaska,

had another near crash,

fell thru a crevasse while climbing Denali (Mt. McKinley),

survived High Altitude Cerebral Edema at +17,000' on McKinley,

was once climbing another peak, and crossing a glacier in a dead white-out blizzard, the wind cleared for about 5 seconds--just long enough to see that I was standing in the middle of a snow-bridge about 3' wide spanning a 20' crevasse--had not even seen the crevasse (we turned around at that point :embarassed,

had a really bad jump one night--when the opening shock came, I was hanging upside down with a foot twisted up in my risers--the next morning, in addition to the concussion, I had a perfectly clear, very red nylon burn exactly 2" wide (from a Riser) all the way across my throat,

was climbing a vertical frozen waterfall and as I was reaching up to clip my rope into an ice screw I had just planted, my crampons popped out of the ice face and I fell 15-20 feet, and I fell straight down, and hit the belay rope on my inner thigh, which broke my fall enough to not break my ankles or legs (I was pretty sore though).

[on edit] Just this week, had a 1,200 lbs. steer decide that he thought he could go down the alley (cow chute) through me or over me--he didn't get me, but when I tried to jump UP onto the pipe rail fence, all I did was throw myself INTO the pipes--still a bit sore from that one......

--I've got a few others, but those are the ones that stand out in my mind.

:gah: Its no wonder that my wife just shakes her head....:yup:

 

[Eagleks]

Travel a lot alone, and have had many interesting experiences.... and one reason I'll never travel unarmed.

 

[nontechguy]

Chaplain Scott: I would say that HE is still not quite finished with you.