I’ve never been in the snow before. I have been where snow has fallen but never when it is falling or is freshly fallen, still a pristine white.
I looked out the hotel window last night and snow was falling. Tiny little bits of snow. I was so excited. I put my shoes on, grabbed my keycard and went for a walk around the block in it. It was very light.
I watched it off and on all night then finally fell asleep around 3 am. When I woke up at 6, I looked out the window and saw about a 3 inch accumulation of snow outside. And much to my surprise and delight, lots of big snow was falling! I couldn’t resist it so I put on my boots and my jacket and went for another walk around the block. It was soooo amazing. It’s very quiet out there. Hardly anyone is out. Even now, at 9:30 am, there is no one out. Very few cars and fewer pedestrians have ventured out in it. As I walked in the snow, I could hear the crunch of my boot on the snow. I felt it was such a shame that my foot was the one to defile the beautiful white ground cover. I ended up trying to walk only where someone else had walked. I must have looked pretty dumb walking in a strange kind of non pattern, just to avoid being the one to disturb the virgin snow.
Now I am sitting wondering how I am going to get to my appointment this afternoon. I think I have time, lots of it. I first have to head for the tire store to get chains for the rental car and hope that they can tell me how to put them on so that when I get to where I need them I can put them on. I was told there is not place where I am going that will put them on. No gas stations or auto parts stores or tire stores. Fun. I guess I will allow lots of extra time to get to my appointment. The “fun” part will be coming back. By the time I head back it will be dark.
Although it is a bit daunting, it is an adventure. I am doing new things. I am doing them by myself.
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Comments: 30
Next step: Head to a large parking lot and whip some shitties just to get the feel of it. Driving in snow can be fun!
Where are you, anyway? We haven't so much as a flake here in Minnesota. In fact, we've been having thunderstorms all morning.
I'm in Ashland, Oregon, heading toward Klamath then Chiloquin. It is still snowing. I won't leave till noon and it is 10. I am allowing four hours to get to where I am going which is normally an hour and forty-five minutes away. I don't want to miss it. I drove eight hours to see this doctor!
Auntie, your reaction is like mine would be. Of course, I lived in Minnesota for 11 years, and people just drove around in 18 inches all the time. I never missed a day at the Post Office-no snow days-even if it took me two hours to get there. So now in Michigan, where it does snow a bit, I just pooh pooh it. It's nuttin... but it's all in what you're used to!
It's fun for us northerners to watch sunny clime denizens try to drive in snow. Every year the news stations up here show footage of southern drivers trying to navigate in a freak snow storm. I suppose it makes us feel smug.
Good luck on your trip! I hope it is pleasant & uneventful.
We will see what happens on my adventure!
Madame Donna C...That is encouraging. I hear there is only one restaurant and I am hoping to get there early enough to sit and relax before I have to see the doctor.
I'm not sure if I should be scared or excited. I think I am both.
Who's throwing out the first bet on whether or not she made it to her appointment?
There, there, dear... Take your time. You're safe now. Are you OK? Did you go into the ditch or something? What happened to the car's heat?
Then your last comment. I'm concerned! And disappointed that your adventure went so awry. Please let us know what happened.
I had no choice but to go on. I made it to my doctor's appointment with 45 minutes to spare. I proceeded to call AVIS and they said EMERGENCY roadside assistance could not get to me for 24 hours!! So I had to spend the night but there was nothing available in town. The closest was 36 miles away. I started out and got about 18 miles when the cable on the other side came loose and got tangled in the axle. I couldn't go on. I did have a cell signal there. I called AAA and they came out but it took them three hours. So I nearly froze in that car, not to mention that the furthest off the road I could pull over was still almost in the lane of traffic so that was pretty scary.
I was towed to a hotel, had to spend the night there then I had to wait for another AAA tow from there to Ashland today. I just got into my Ashland hotel and am still waiting on Avis. Do not rent from Avis. Now they are telling me that the damage will not be covered by the very expensive insurance that is supposed to cover the full value of the car.
And I am still shaking. This has been such a humbling experience.
I'm glad to hear you made it back safely, I was worried that you might have gotten into a bad accident. Well, you kinda did, but only with yourself - at least it didn't involve another vehicle. What kind of car did you rent, and weren't there any 4 wheel drive SUVs? I'm sure it was awfully cold waiting for AAA if you couldn't start the car & run the engine for heat. That's why I recommended taking a blanket, but even that doesn't help much if it's a long wait.
Now give that insurance policy a good going-over to see if this kind of damage is really excluded, or if they're feeding you a bunch of bull. If you have your own auto insurance policy you should also explore that option.
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976850936
sometimes it takes those survival experiences to make us strong, i suppose.