I drive the worst stretches of this road for work and it's honestly not too bad if you keep your speed down over rough patches. Big stretches without garages and many former stops are out of business. This means you need to be self contained for common problems. Have your vehicle in top mechanical condition before starting out, always gas up when you can and bring a good spare tire, not one of those small fake tires. If you are handy spare belts and a kit to take care of mechanical issues...and if you can fix these things you'll know what to bring. New vehicles usually leave me flummoxed and so I bring less than I used to, when I could take a real stab at repairs. My only two breakdowns where unfixable without spare parts but were close to a major center. I would have killed for a paper and pencil to send a message one time but instead I sent my 15 year old son. Worried about him the whole time, and wouldn't do that again.
If it's summer bring lots of water and some bug dope. A Sat phone with a good travel guide will help speed up rescue, as waiting on a good samaritan to deliver a message is a stressful experience. In Winter it gets more complex and I bring a big Arctic Sleeping Bag, a tarp and an axe with multiple fire starting tools. I also know how to spend a night out at -40. Usually traffic but sometimes not much in bad weather. I don't bring a First Aid kit but I guess I should. I remember a story from Ft Smith where a local gut got broken down and decided to hike to a highway camp 10KM down the road. Mr Black Bear shadowed him for 10KM and it sounded pretty unpleasant. So a firearm or spray might be a good idea though I don't bother unless hunting. Maybe should?
Most important thing to bring is a credit card with a good limit as a break down will be expensive. Does the AAA still cover towing charges? That can be a killer as it can be 3-500KM (or more) between competent garages.
Last edited by North61; 07/08/18.
