The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-12-17

could be started, Its wheels and transmission were frozen locked by the cold,
 The Army Is beating this and most of the other driving prob. lens along he road by keeping Its truck conveys running 2S hours a day right through from Dawson Creek, B, O., southern terminus of the road. to Fair banks, 1880 miles away. One operator drives 0 few hours north, turns his truck over to the next man. Then he waits for q south. bound convoy, takes Q truck back over his route,
 This short-run driving system has the advantage of familiari2ing driv- CTS with the road. That's important, because unless you .now the road thoroughly, its easy to miss seeing Snow-eov:red rough spots, Surprised by thehm, even driving within the comparatively slow spede limit set by the Army to conserve gas and tires, the unwary driver can easily hounc: or skid Into a ditch, l did, more than once.
 PARTS ARE SMOOTH
 It's easy enough to plough back onto the road In four'wheel drive Army carry-all, but the poor family buggy would be stuck for fair. It's q long, bitterly cold walk for help that may be miles away,
 Driving along tho road now, you marvel that it's as good as 1t is. For miles on end you whiz along smooth, two-way boule- ward, During these stretches, the only enemy Is cold - particular. ly on feet, which are in constant contact with cold-conducting steel redals and wooden floor-boards. Even q heater won't entirely whip this menace.
 At present the Alcan is [ he highway without hamburger stand, There are camps Of ore sort or another every fifty miles or so, but food and living quar- ters vary widely. The Army main- tains 24-hour k..chens for It's driv- CTS along the route. Great crooks ot chilli and commee simmer over field ranges in tents or barracks.
 ROADSIDE FEAST"
 The Public Roads Administration, boss of the civilian contractors (ooth American and Canadian), who are doing much of the construction work now tha the break-through has been made, also maintains camps and kitchens. As a cold and tired Alcan traveller, can vouch that A midnight meal of ham. fried potatoes and coffee in 6 rough FRA kitchen can taste better than the finest beefsteak dinner in a metro politan hotel. There's a pioneering cameraderie among tn. cooks in thse camps. Drop in anytime There's always food here If you're hungry" said the Swede we routed out just as he was going to bed. Sleep is where you find 1t. Your own sleeping bag is must for highway travellers. Even then, II 3 tent is your lodging, you find that | the cold creepS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS through the thick, quited folds oi the at-first warm sleeping-bag.
 HOLIDAY HIGHWAY
 Aside from Army and FRA camps an occasional Indian village or trad. ing post offers the only sign oi civilization. You might be surprised at the degree of civilization you dc find. One trading post hardly 100 miles from here. for example. is run by an elderly widow who possesses arnong otty.r things, a Ph. D. degree from New York's Columbia Uni' versity.
 scenically the route will rival any in North America. Twisting through the Canadian Rockies criss crossed with rivers, gen. erously sprinkled with lakes abounding in game. the Alcan VII someday me ideal for a summer hol. iday. But today, when cold. tired and uncomfortable. you pass a sigr near here reading: 'Los Angeles City Limits" your wry smile Is mol of ayntlsanaent--hut of longing.