This was quite an undertaking for these young fellows. The word got around about their departure plans, and they were surprised at the interest and the number of friends and family from Lugerville, Phillips, Park Falls, and even Ladysmith that came out to the airport to see them off.
While this adventurous trip has been long forgotten by the community, mainly because many of the family and friends involved have now passed on, still, I thought the readers of My Price County would enjoy this story from 50 years ago.
Jerry Niebauer, a Park Falls native and cousin to Dennis, was 26 at the time, and even though he had a history of motion sickness, he was gung-ho when Dennis approached him about this adventure.
The following paragraphs are his recollection of the trip: Even before reaching Aberdeen, SD we were enveloped by massive, dark clouds and being tossed around like a feather in the wind. Duane Grant and I were sitting in the back while Dave Tarcon was upfront in the right seat serving as the co-pilot/map reader. I couldn’t hear anything over the plane engine, but could tell Dennis was praying out loud for safety.
One of the most unforgettable moments happened when we were flying into Edmonton, Alberta. The Aberdeen airport was small with small airplanes. This airport was large, and I was fascinated by the large planes. I watched as Denny began the descent, and as we approached the landing strip, I could see something was wrong. I could tell something was happening that was making Denny and Dave quite excited. All along Denny was speaking with the tower as we were heading down for our landing, but again, because of engine noise, I couldn’t hear what messages were coming over the radio or Denny’s responses. I vaguely remember that at some point before touching down I understood that we were in communication with the tower for another airport. Yes, we were headed straight toward a landing strip at a major airport that wasn’t expecting us, and worse yet there was another airport somewhere in the city that had heard Denny announce that we were heading in for a landing, but we were nowhere in sight. Thankfully, before the wheels touched the ground, Denny and Dave realized this strategic error and Denny abruptly pulled the nose of the plane up and veered off to the right…or...left.. I couldn’t tell you which way or what happened after that.
Our planned route was to follow the Alcan up to Fort St. John in British Columbia and then fly into Watson Lake in the Yukon Territory before flying on to Alaska. We made it to Fort St. John before our *best-laid plan* hit a snag. A weather system moved in and since we were relying on visibility and not equipped with radar, we were forced to hunker down - and for 3 days we did. We spent long hours visiting with other stranded pilots, checking the weather, and playing cards. We slept in our sleeping bags on the concrete floor in a large hangar. I don't remember if we could buy meals from vending machines, but I do recall we shared a tea bag way too many times to really call it tea.
We, along with several other pilots, did attempt to leave Fort St. John and fly up a river valley beneath the clouds into Watson Lake. We were able to fly quite a distance, but eventually, the valley wall got higher or the clouds came down farther, and we hit a wall of thick, white fluffy clouds. This entailed a fast banking swoop to the left following the other 4 or 5 other planes. It also entailed the pulling out of the long plastic bag. I didn't have to use it, but I did feel green.
But that was when Denny and three other pilots decided to put together a plan to fly east around the weather system rather than following the Alcan. The positive part of this plan was that we could fly east to Great Slave Lake and then follow the mighty Mackenzie River up to the Arctic Circle and Inuvik, Canada.
The sky was clear and the sun shined brightly as we flew east to Great Slave Lake. From there we flew to Ft. Simpson. I don't recall where the airport was located, but I remember that landing well. We were the second of the four planes to attempt a landing. As Denny tipped down and approached the runway, he animatedly called our attention to the airstrip. It was not grass or hard-packed sand, but MUD, lots of it….Deep, soft, dangerous MUD. Denny quickly had me and Duane pull out the sleeping bags behind us and place them between us and the front seat. Obviously, Denny wasn’t sure how this landing was going to turn out. The plane in front of us hit the mud, lost control, and spun off to the right. We were next. We made it and were safe, but the airplane did not fare as well.
* This is what Dennis recorded in his journal about this landing: Thankfully, the Apache didn’t flip, but the nose gear retraction link was bent because of the mud. From that point on there was a loud bang every time the landing gear was retracted. Needless to say, the takeoff from there was one muddy mess. He also noted that while the hold-up in Fort St. John and the messy landing at Fort Simpson were not fun, the friendships made there were wonderful.
Both Jerry and Dennis agree the rest of the northerly trip up the magnificent Mackenzie River to the small Eskimo village of Inuvik in the Northwest Territory, Canada was uneventful and the scenery was awesome. They arrived around midnight in the land of the never-setting sun to find the whole village outside and wide awake. The adults were congregating in groups talking, and the dogs and kids were running around playing games and making lots of noise like children do everywhere (just not at midnight). They put up their tent and tried sleeping with the sun shining and zillions of mosquitoes buzzing around the tent door.
From the Inuvik, they flew diagonally to Fairbanks, then on to Talkeetna, Alaska. Duane Grant was 16 at the time, and he recalls this being one of the highlights of the trip. Someone drove them to a place on Fish Creek owned by a lady named Evil Alice (named such because she was a fighter against corruption in government). The Salmon were running, a sight none of the fellows had ever witnessed. They had a blast using landing nets to scoop up a ton of fish and the next morning they enjoyed a breakfast feast prepared by the owners of the Talkeetna Motel who graciously cooked up the catch from the day before.
Unbeknownst to the guys at the time, Dave’s parents had been notified in the middle of the night by an FAA official their plane had been reported as missing. This was 1972, years before cell phones and the Internet, so the fellows had no communication with home until they arrived in Anchorage. The call had come from a former Kennan native, Fran Balsis, who was an official of the FAA in Eau Claire. He must have gotten on this immediately and tracked the guys down because neither Dave nor his sister, Cindy, remember their folks being traumatized. Dennis remembers the error came because a Canadian air controller failed to cancel a changed flight plan.
A highlight for all of the guys was flying close to Mt. McKinley, presently known as Denali. An incredible view few people will ever enjoy.
When I asked Dave Tarcon what he remembered about this trip he humorously wrote: The trip was either too uneventful or too traumatic to think about. I do remember meeting Tennessee Ernie Ford in the terminal restroom. He was using the urinal next to me, and we discussed the fishing vacation he was on. He was shorter than he looked on TV, but he was a real gentleman. *Only Dave!
He also wrote this: FYI, the Piper Apache is unique in that it does not require a "key" to start the engines. Unfortunately, we experienced this fact after we took off from Homer Airport with the "keys" hanging from the baggage door lock. We enjoyed our second visit to Homer on the same day.
Another mishap occurred after one of their stops that was a little disconcerting. They had no more than gotten airborne when the door flew open on the Apache because they failed to lock it on takeoff. Dennis wrote in his journal that it was all they could do to manage to get it partially shut and keep the aircraft under control. So he circled around, landed, shut the door, and took off again.
After visiting Dave’s relatives in Anchorage for a few days, they headed back to Phillips. All in all it had been a great trip. Despite the delays and mishaps, the guys had a great time, and several weeks after their return over 60 people gathered at the Lugerville School to watch their slides and hear all about their adventure.
This Alaskan adventure changed the direction of Dennis' life forever. On March 30, 1973, he recorded these words in his journal: Well, my friends, as I pen these words, I am no longer an employee of the Price County Highway Dept. However, I feel that the good Lord is with me 100%, and I look forward to whatever befalls me with a courage that is great and strong, and I pray I will never falter.
He left for Alaska on April 24, 1973 to follow his heart. He never looked back or regretted that decision. I will be sharing more of his Off the Road Again stories in the Off the Road Again Column on My Price County.
My Price County is pleased to announce a new column, Off the Road Again, (click the link to see all the stories and then click on the story you want to read), which will be written by Sandy Onchuck. Much of Sandy’s column will describe the adventures of her husband, Dennis.
She said, “Our family often jests about how his travels put him ‘On the Road Again,’ but if his life were put to a song it would be titled, 'Off the Road Again.' Dennis is a man’s man with deep faith. Perhaps it’s this trust in his Creator, God, that gives him the courage try where others dare not go. My goal is to share his real-life adventures and other family-related and inspirational stories that will bring smiles, and maybe even a few tears, but hopefully all will serve as an encouragement to the reader.”
We appreciate Sandy accepting our offer to publish her stories on My Price County and hope you all enjoy them as much as she enjoys writing them and Dennis enjoys sharing his life through her writing.
On Sunday, May 28, 2023, a home on Hwy. 13, north of Boyer Road in Park Falls, was reported as being on fire around 12:10 p.m.
Fire personnel arrived and discovered no one was inside the home and no injuries were immediately reported. However, the home was engulfed in flames.
Vehicles were asked to detour down Hwy. 70, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transporation. Around 3 p.m., emergency service vehicles cleared the scene and traffic resumed.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
According to Detective Sgt. Ryan Rossing, a structure fire was reported on Pine Street in Eagle River, WI on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at approximately 4:17 a.m.
The fire department was able to contain and extinguish the fire.
There were no injuries reported but about twenty people were displaced from their apartments due to the fire. Various agencies are helping those people.
Preliminary investigation shows the fire does not appear to be suspiciousin nature, but the Eagle River Fire Department is performing an investigation.
The Vilas County Sheriff's Office, Eagle River Fire Department, Conover Fire Department, Three Lakes Fire Department, Eagle River Ambulance, Eagle River Police Department, and Eagle River Light and Water all responded to the scene.
On Monday, May 22, 2023 at 1:42 p.m., the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center received a wireless 911 call reporting a tipped over canoe on Black Oak Lake in Land O Lakes.
Upon investigation, the witness saw a man, who was not wearing a life jacket, sinking below a canoe.
Emergency crews responded to the scene and a large search was began. Searchers worked until dusk but could not find the man.
On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, the search continued and the body of the man was located at approximately 11:45 a.m. The cause of the drowning has been determined to be an accident.
The Vilas County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind everyone to have and wear appropriate life jackets while enjoying all water-related activities.
Land O Lakes Ambulance Service, Land O Lakes Fire Department, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Newbold Search and Rescue, Vilas County Medical Examiner and the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident.
According to Lieutenant Dale Soltow, there was a structure fire on Saturday, May 20, 2023 in Vilas County.
The fire was reported to dispatch via a 911 call. The caller reported flames coming through the roof of Bear Hugs Wood Carvings located on USH 51 in Arbor Vitae.
It was reported that a wood carving started on fire.
No injuries were reported but the business received extensive damage.
Responding to the fire were the Arbor Vitae Fire Department, Woodruff Fire Department, Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, Oneida County Ambulance MED5, and WPS.
According to Lieutenant Blaine Peterson, on Thursday, May 18, 2023, the Phillips Police Department received a report of a stolen vehicle from the Dollar General located at 715 South Lake Avenue in Phillips, Wisconsin.
The vehicle is described as a 2004 black Pontiac Grand Prix with a Wisconsin license plate reading ALW5014. There are sparkly rhinestones around the license plate. The vehicle has a cracked front bumper that was repaired with black electrical tape. There is a blue and metallic sticker on the driver's side of the windshield which runs vertical and reads "Bad Bitches Only." The back window has a sticker regarding Medford Figure Skating.
The vehicle was taken between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. The direction of travel from the City of Phillips is unknown.
If you have any information, contact the Phillips Police Department at 715-339-3847.
On May 6 and 7, 2023, Olivia Negri, daughter of Jeremy and Missy Negri, competed in the Miss Wisconsin Teen USA pageant in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin at the Performing Arts Center. "It was absolutely beautiful when it was all set up," Olivia reminisced.
She said that not much changed on the physical side of how the pageant was set up and the events of the day. What did change was her confidence and feeling like she was ready to give it her best. "Stepping into this year's pageant and preparing from last year, I was a wreck. I was nervous, I second guessed myself on if I truly wanted to compete again this year, and let me tell you, I am very happy I decided to compete. Leading up to [the pageant] my nerves were scrambling, my heart was racing every second I was on that stage, but I knew if I gave it my all and thought to myself 'I made it,' I knew I would do good."
And beyond "good" she did. There were three main events that led into the semi-finals, which included an interview, active wear / swimwear competition, and a gown competition. "Lucky for me, I made it into the semi-finals!....When I got called as the first person in the top 10, my heart was relieved. I was so thankful for the opportunity to be given another chance to show my performance. I remember the second my name got called, I looked at my family in the audience thinking 'Guys, I did it.'"
Her mom, Missy, was proud of her achievement. "Hearing Olivia’s name called,....emotions were on high. Seeing that smile on her face and holding back her tears had all of our hearts beating faster of joy."
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After a night of rest, semi-finals took place on Sunday with the top ten girls. All scores started from scratch. The girls again competed in active wear and gown competitions. "Then, the nerves started to go for me. It was time to chose the top 5 girls to advance to the Finals." Unlike the prior day, Olivia's name was not the first one called. "When the girls were getting called for the top 5 and my name wasn’t getting called, I felt like my chances were over. But then when I heard my name, I was in so much shock I didn’t believe it. I made it to the Top 5 in the Miss Wisconsin Teen USA pageant! I had so many emotions running through my head; everything just kept going blank."
However, Olivia didn't have time for things to go blank, as she had a question to answer, which would count as 1/3 of her score to decide who would get crowned. Olivia's question was, “What are you most proud about your generation?" Olivia thought back on the past few years and realized the pandemic greatly affected her generation. "The pandemic has slowed down my generation in learning, our mental health, social media, and many other things. I felt like we have overcome so much and have stayed strong through it and not let it bring us down. This is what I was most proud about my generation."
Olivia walked away with a 4th runner-up finish. She said her experience at Miss Wisconsin Teen USA 2023 will forever be memorable. "Everyone this year was amazing and so welcoming."
Photo Credit: Missy Negri
Missy said, "I can’t even begin to say how extremely proud of Olivia her family, friends, sponsors, and her pageant followers are of her. Olivia really shined up on that stage in front of the audience and live TV. Wow! I don’t think I could have done that even once, but she did it Saturday and again on Sunday." She also added a few thoughts for her daughter, "Continue to be the best part of you and never let anything get in the way of your dreams. Well, besides me telling you 'no' about something but then just ask dad," she joked. "I love you, and, again, can’t tell you how proud each and every one of us are of you. Congratulations!"
As for Olivia future in pageantry, Missy said Olivia is making it her top priority to continue as the Price County title holder for years to come. Olivia added, "There are a few pageants we have been looking into for the next year to get prepared hopefully for next year's USA pageant. I am hoping to participate in the Miss High School America pageant in Little Rock, Arkansas and also participate in the USA National Miss pageant." For being able to have these experiences, Olivia gives credit to her amazing sponsors who have supported her on her pageantry journey.
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The 3rd annual community-wide garage sale weekend will take place on June 15, 16, 17, and 18, 2023 for anyone with a Phillips address, both in the city limits and in the country.
"There were seventeen thrift sales the first year and twenty thrift sales on My Price County's list last year," said Lynne Bohn, event organizer at My Price County. "Other sales popped up at the last minute during both years, and we estimate there were over 30 sales each year. We hope that everyone interested in having a sale this year will be able to get their sales on the list. The listing is free. My Price County promotes the event and the list of sales, so getting on the list should greatly increase traffic to each sale. We have had people remark that the community-wide garage sale weekend brings them the most shoppers they see all year at their sales."
My Price County is offering free advertising to residents who would like to have a garage sale on that weekend. To participate, reserve your ad spot by submitting your first and last name, full address of your garage sale location, the days (Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday) and the times you set for your garage sale, along with a short list (25 words or less) of some of the items that will be at your garage sale. Either message My Price County on Facebook or send an e-mail to Contact@MyPriceCounty.com with "Garage Sale" in the subject line. The deadline for submitting your garage sale is June 9, 2023. Please note, you will need to place your own garage sales signs and do any additional advertising that you choose.
"The busiest days are Friday and Saturday," Lynne added, "but we will accept sales for Thursday and Sunday, as well. Anyone who hosts a garage sale can choose their days and times; no one has to host on all four days unless they want to."
The community-wide garage sale weekend is being held to help promote the community. Please help us make others aware of this event by sharing this article's link or the Facebook post. You can also invite your friends to the Facebook event page.
Sales will be posted by the morning of June 15, 2023 at https://www.mypricecounty.com/sales.html. Save that link but realize there are no current sales listed there yet, and the full list won't be published until June 15th.
Note: If other communities in Price County have garage sale weekends, please send that information to Contact@MyPriceCounty.com so the event dates can get listed on the community calendar.
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