I don't know how many bullets I have in my this Sunday. I'm still traumatized from the drive back home.
In the past two decades of driving in the ice and snow, this was probably the worst it has ever been. And I most certainly knew better... iPhone told me the road was going to be shit, I just chose not to listen. I think that after my life is over, I shall make a list of the stupidest crap I've ever done, and this day will be in the top ten.
• Beginnings. Things started out good enough. Just a bit of light snow that wasn't even sticking to the road...
• Slush. But then things went terribly wrong once I made it through Monroe. The snow turned to rain which made the snow already fallen turn to slush. Scum-sucking slush from hell that pulls your car from the road and makes you lose control. Several cars were pulled into the ditch, and many of the people one the road with me turned around and went back. People far smarter than I.
• Calm. Then, as if by magic, the rain stopped. Heading up the pass, there was only light snow and cleared roads. I breathed a sigh of relief that my drive home wasn't going to be as difficult as I had first thought...
• Storm. It was too good to last, of course. Once I topped the pass, the roads turned to shit, the snow was much heavier and wetter, and freezing winds blasted the highway. And this wasn't even the worst part. The wind made the wet snow freeze to my windshield wipers. I had to constantly reach out my window, grab the wiper, then slap it down against the glass to break the ice off... otherwise, they couldn't clean the window. I tried to stop several times because I couldn't see, but there was no place to do so. I had to just use The Force and keep going... taking advantage of little clear spots that would pop up from time to time. It was horrible. I expected that the roads would be plowed better once I made it to Leavenworth, but I was wrong. My car was all over the road as I struggled to get home on roads completely covered with snow.
• Wrecked. Once I finally got home safe and sound, I was so mentally and physically exhausted that I could barely function. I was totally wrecked, and just wanted to climb into bed and forget that the day had ever happened. Of course, this was simply hoping for too much. I had a massive pile of emails and work to get to. Life is harsh that way.
And that's a wrap! Fortunately, weather conditions are predicted to improve later in the week before I have to fly out again. Not that I put much stock in weather predictions, but it never hurts to be hopeful.
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Glad you made it back and safe. That was quite an accomplishment in those conditions and it was as bad as can be. I drove in somewhat similar last January across Snoqualmie (a State Trooper was on the news later that night and said it was the worst in his 24 years) and it was gut wrenching. Hiway 2 is worse in those conditions. Congrats, & the Force was with you, Dave2!
It’s so scary to drive through weather like that! When I was living up in the mountains last year it happened all the time – terrifying! I’m glad you made it home safely!
Well, thank goodness you made it. I mean, you could’ve ended up on the side of the road with the others in the blizzard and might’ve had to do the “Donner Party” thing to Bad Monkey. Yum, monkey brains!
Good to read you made it home safe.
Those photos are both beautiful and haunting, reminding me of a favorite Kubrick classic … The Shining!
Please turn around next time! Or teleport.
I had an experience like yours (but to a lesser extent) last Monday. My drive home from work takes about 45 minutes – the drive home on unplowed roads with gigantic snowflakes pelting my car, limited visibility and the fact that it is dark by the time I leave work made things worse. On top of that I seemed to be the only person who wanted to go slow so I was the leader of a caravan of impatient people. Oh and I slide off the road onto someones lawn at one point because the road was apparently ice. And I wasn’t going that fast.
Stupid snow!
So glad you made it home okay.
Wade’s right–those photos DO remind me of The Shining!
how horrible!
The white knuckled, heart racing, oh my god when will it end Winter Drive. That I do not miss.
Glad you made it safely home. That is why I only visit Washington State now!
GAHH! I got down to the last bullet “Wrecked” and thought you actually got in one! Whew!
Of course, I would be more upset that my astrological reading for you this week would have been wrong.
Wheew! I’m so glad that The Force was with you.
And this is the reason that when I married my wife (I’m from Georgia, she was from Ohio) we stayed in Georgia. It’s 70 degrees out!
Dave, I am happy to hear you made it okay. Driving in snowy weather is so scary 🙁
So, that’s better than I-90 would be? I mean, the scenery is amazing…..but “all over the road”? I think you should stay put.
Reminds of a Sunday last year when my dad was bringing me back up to college (yes, no license yet, I am a loser!), and the conditions were pretty bad. My dad also had to do the windshield wiper slap, and ice was piling up on his windshield. Luckily there was an Advanced Auto Parts on the way, so he could get some new wipers. They helped a bit.
Then this morning, some friends were working on a documentary (we’re video geeks) until 6 in the morning. One of them had to drive home and said it was pretty bad.
You must have scores of angels (or other good spiritual equivalents) watching over you!
Don’t the words “State of Emergency” mean anything to you?
Glad your safe.
Even gladder your iPhone was able to photographically document your peril.
Yuck – I hate driving in weather like that. Unfortunately I live in Ottawa, so we’re pretty much gauranteed weather like that at least once or twice a year…
And yet you still took the photos? Silly man – turn around next time! Weather like that reminds me of why I don’t miss New England winters.
Just glad you got home safe, even if you did still have to work.
that’s what our roads look like right now too. fucking SUCKS.