Woodfords family there in a pinch

Woodfords Auto is much more than a towing company. It is a family business, a community church, and historical buildings.

Bobbie and Margie Stephens began the business as an auto repair shop in 1980. Within four years their newlywed daughter Cami and her husband George Chavez joined the Stephens in the auto repair business. George and Cami completed several terms of college in Modesto before Cami convinced George that she "had family here, grew up here, and that the whole world is here in Alpine County." The young couple moved into the log cabin across from the business, "with no running water in winter and snakes in the water," added Cami.

Chavez was approached for a contract with AAA for towing, and the business evolved into more of a towing operation with some repair jobs. The Stephens and the Chavez family became partners in the business in 1994.

The Woodfords Auto property is located on 2 1Ú2 acres on Old Pony Express Way, at the junction of Highway 88 and the turnoff to Markleeville. The stone wall around the property and all buildings within were built by Caltrans in 1920. Where the shop is today was the original Caltrans storage and mechanics shop. The small white house at the entrance was the kitchen/dining room for Caltrans workers. The larger white house served as home for the Caltrans foreman.

The Stephens and Chavez families donated the foreman's house to Alpine Christian Community Church in the late 1990's. For 25 years, the church members had met in various homes and schools. The church used its building fund to transform the house into a tasteful modern facility, complete with kitchen and modern plumbing.

The church yard and shop enjoy a park-like setting, with lawn and mature chestnut trees. It is a perfect place for a customer to relax while waiting for a vehicle, and Cami told me that, "one time a man had nowhere else to go so he camped on the lawn for a few days."

Bobby Stephens retired in 2001, but remains a guiding influence on the business. Today the business runs a fleet of four modern tow trucks, two flat beds and two recovery vehicles. The latest purchase was a 2007 International extended cab truck. Chavez explained that "because we operate in a rural area with no taxis, an extended truck is necessary to transport people from the tow scene."

All drivers, including Dave Woffinden and Jason Lyons, are trained to handle accidents and emergency road service. Most have completed emergency responder courses.

Besides towing for AAA, Woodfords Auto tows for the California Highway Patrol, Alpine County Sheriff, Geico, All-State, Farmers, USAA, as well as Cross-Country - an agency associated with new car towing coverage. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. Auto repair is available 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Services include tune-ups, brakes, tires, and engine services. The telephone number for towing or repair is (530) 694-2916.

The entire Chavez family pitches in to help with the business. Cami is the dispatcher and bookkeeper, and mother of four: Rose Marie, 22, Stephanie, 19, Tyler 17, and Nicole, 15.

From time to time, each family member has been asked to help with the labor involved with retrieving cargo from a truck accident. Cami remembers, "hauling 700 bags of decorative bark up a steep embankment." Truck roll-overs frequently happen in the mountains, leaving cargo such as heavy pipes or bales of hay at the bottom of a steep slope.

The Chavez family holds high expectations for their children. Each child is required to adopt a highway for clean-up duty when they reach the age of 16.

All four children can jump start a car, change a tire, and manage the essentials of auto maintenance.

The family is part of the church and part of the community. Other family hobbies include horseback riding, volleyball, snowboarding, mountain biking, boating and wake boarding, and Frisbee golf.