2/18/2011

zero visibility

Last night I drove out to Providence to watch a volleyball game.  The weather wasn't the best causing traffic to stick to about 80-90 km/hr.  But by the time I heard on the radio that highway travel was not advised, it was too late to turn around.  So committed and focused, I made it to my destination in an hour rather than the normal 45 min.

Unfortunately, conditions didn't seem to get any better throughout the evening.  In fact, they went as bad as it could get.  As we were getting prepared to leave, people were coming back into the gym saying that they had already tried driving out and turned around.  In fact, there was one caravan of cars being led by a group of people running along in front to see the lines to direct the cars (um, dangerous??).  My group and I waited it out for a few hours in hopes of it dying down.  Eventually, by midnight, we decided to caravan it out in order to not have to sleep on couches all night.

Zero visibility.  I couldn't believe how blind we were.  We didn't seem to break 25 km/hr.  I had my eyes peeled on the line directly outside of my window giving directions.  The tricky part came when the gravel road became our final stretch: no lines to follow.  Again, the eyes were parked on the road directly below my window...except this time on the drifts that usually indicate the sides of gravel roads.  Again, I indicated the nearness to the ditch with my directions...except a little more severely: "Get left! Get left!... OTHER LEFT!"

Finally we arrived at our destination in one piece (and we weren't one of the hundred cars that littered the ditch).  What normally would have taken 10 minutes rounded out to a solid hour trip.

I camped out for the night despite me having to work the next day (I gave my manager a heads up, don't worry), but I did end up able to leave in the morning in time to get to my afternoon shift (although I was a bit late...).

But not before a midnight bowl of chicken noodle soup to warm and sooth the situation (I didn't have a glass of milk with it though........).

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

BUT YOU HAVE TO!!! but you don't if you don't wanna....

ummmm....WHY the heck were you DRIVING OUT IN THE COUNTRY yesterday?????????? didn't you look outside!?!?!?!

Unknown said...

um. i hope this was a drastic learning opportunity for you... don't drive in a blizzard when there are more cars in the ditch than on the road! stay safe, k

Jennie P said...

yay for unplanned sleepovers! I love those!

Luckily i'll warm you up at a "dunk competition" tonight you lucky thang. (Yes, i just watched "sweet home Alabama"