Stranded in Utah

We could have our own stranded at Christmas themed Hallmark movie made this year. It could star Alicia Silverstone as Marika and Adam Levine as Nathan Gillis in a role that would combine his acting skills with his musical talent because, of course, the movie would feature original, never-before-heard rock'n'roll music. Blake "the voice" Shelton could make a cameo appearance singing "Sober and Saved" which would immediately skyrocket to the top of the country music charts. It could happen. It is Christmas, after all.

Safe and Sound

The road trip was treacherous and more than a little stressful but, thanks to Nathan's calm and cautious driving (despite my panicky anxiousness) and with the help of the studded snow tires, we finally made it to Boise safe and sound last night. We witnessed a couple of accidents and saw more than a few cars sitting in snowbanks on the side of the road. The scariest moment came when the truck driver who was following too closely behind us moved abruptly into the left lane to pass and instantly did a 180 and ended up in the median facing the opposite direction.

We are thankful to have made it safely and are completely content to spend today indoors!

Travel Quotes

Nathan prepares his defense in case he is pulled over for speeding:

"Well, officer, there is no cruise control and if you take the control away, all you're really left with is... cruise."

Later, after the weather had gotten significantly worse and the roads were caked with snow, Nathan eyes the SUVs that careen past us on the interstate.

"Some people don't let the sight of three emergency tow trucks and an overturned SUV worry them," he comments, ironically.

Christmas Travels

Nathan and I have begun our journey to Boise for Christmas.

We started off this morning (and by morning, I mean afternoon) under clear skies in Colorado Springs. The predicted snow had not yet arrived.

It wasn't too long before our good luck changed.

Just outside of Fort Collins, the snow that was layering the land next to the highway became white streaks whipping across the road. A few miles further down the road the snow was curling into fast, swirly circles across the highway, making us feel like we were driving on a street of powdered sugar. At it's worst the powdered sugar snow rose in small windy hurricanes that circled our tiny Mirage, and created a blanket of white that seemed to cover the windshield. Everywhere I looked, all I saw was white- white road, white sky, white land, white clouds. While beautiful, it was mildly stressful.

Later, we stopped in Middle of Nowhere, Wyoming to take a quick bathroom break. The quick walk into the building gave the piercing wind enough time to whip through my bones and settle into my blood vessels. Running in and out of the building, my hair thrashed across my face like tiny whips and my fingers and nose quickly became numb. My jeans were stiff with cold as I bent to crawl back into the car.

Looking up at the night sky during the following stretch of our trip, I noticed with surprise that the clouds had dispersed (mostly) and the cold, night sky was crisp and clear with tiny stars twinkling down on us. As the car raced forward on the highway, I stared up at that night sky from my little window and thought about the stars and the blackness around them. I thought about that tool belt that is floating around somewhere between all those stars. I thought about the windy, piercing cold and the long stretch of empty interstate in front of us.

And I felt very small in this big world.

Tonight we are safely tucked into a cozy hotel room in Rawlins, Wyoming.

Tomorrow morning, Boise is expected to get 6-12 inches of new snow.

Running Errands...

...one of my least favorite things to do. Nathan dropped me off at work this morning so he could get started on the first errand- having snow tires put on the car. After last year's scary (and, as it turned out, expensive) drive home from work coupled with this morning's disappointing reminder that my district rarely delays or cancels school, I didn't want to spend any more commutes slipping and sliding in my four-wheel-drive free Mitsubishi Mirage. Snow tires might not be the answer, but I'm thinking that they probably won't hurt.

At 4:00, Nathan pulled up to school on those shiny new snow tires. You would have thought the car had a new coat of paint or a brand new stereo system the way it perched, haughty, on those studded rubber tires. I climbed in the car and as we pulled away, the tires clinked and clanked over the asphalt, the sound reminding me of the last time I poured a packet of pop rocks onto my tongue and listened with delight as they sizzled and popped. (This was three weeks ago.)

The radio was off.

We sheepishly glanced around the busy parking lot. "Do you think it sounds as loud to them as it does to us?" I asked, rolling down the window. Immediately we knew the answer. Pop rocks on steroids. I quickly rolled the window back up and sunk down into my seat.

"Well, the next time it snows, we'll be glad for the tires... I'm sure of it."

We headed on to the post office. Standing in line waiting to use the automated machine, we discussed life, relationships, love, and family. Yes, it was a long line... and it's not like we had really talked in the car. When it was finally our turn I quickly mailed my book to the lucky Paperback Swap recipient (seriously, you should look into it), and we headed on our way.

Next stop, the bank drive-through. Another long wait- this one uneventful- and I pulled my book out of my over sized Target purse and read until I had my cash in hand.

On to JCPenny. While Nathan got his hair cut at the salon inside, I headed across the street to Target. Either I was getting used to the noise or the deafening crackle of snow tires on asphalt was fading. At Target, I stocked up on gifts for a special package for a special someone. Shhh, don't tell. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), Target was out of New Moon, or the small fortune I always spend at their fine establishment would have been about $10 more. (This is the second store that has been sold out of that book). And, inevitably, my time in the store was marked by the characteristic run-in with a former student. My attempt to evade her ended in vain when she and her mom slid into line behind me to check out. (Please, don't think poorly of me. I don't always avoid former students. I just couldn't, for the life of me, remember this one's name.)

I returned to JCPenny just as Nathan was settling the bill for his haircut and we headed to the window treatment department to visit a friend who was working. (Now this was a chat I willingly participated in!)

After devouring a botched order of Culver's butter burgers and with a second cup of their specialty caffeine-free root beer in hand, we finally headed home, the noise of the snow tires merely a whisper by now.

Singing carols in the car with Nathan, the twinkling lights streaking past the car window, and the tiny moon sliver sitting in the company of Venus and Jupiter, I finally felt the first glimmer of excitement for the holiday season.

Mustang

There was a bit of a snowstorm last night (No, I didn't get a snow day or a delay, but somehow I survived). Nathan drove me to work this morning. He's much calmer driving on the snow and ice than I am, despite having me in the passenger seat next to him, with a steel grip on his arm, yelling through clenched teeth, "Slow down... slow down..... I said SLOOOOW DOOOOOWN!!!"

As we were getting closer to the school, the yellow school buses began appearing on the roads. One was driving just behind us as we approached a stoplight. A very smart owner of a very red Mustang decided, in what I can only assume was a moment of brilliance, to go ahead and pull out of a parking lot RIGHT IN FRONT of the school bus, completely cutting him off as the bus driver was slowing down for the light. I guess he figured if he didn't get in front of the school bus, he would be stuck driving at speeds (like the speed limit) that are simply unacceptable for a Mustang.

After a short wait, the light turned green. As I watched from the mirror on the passenger side of the car, the Mustang tried to pull itself forward. The back wheels spun and spun against the ice while the front of the car slid closer and closer to the curb of the road. The Mustang was unable to gain any traction on the ice. The school bus driver waited patiently for the car to slide out of his way and then calmly drove around him. The Mustang became a small red dot in the rear view mirror as we continued on our way.

"Oh look," Nathan said, " the pretty red Mustang got schooled by the ugly yellow bus!"

Snow Day?

Nope. Business as usual, despite the perilous roads... and the delay at the nearby military base. Everybody knows that the little kuddies (and big school buses) in the community can brave the snow and ice! But, let those big, strong military men wait it out.

I'm a wimp. I made Nathan take me to school today. After yesterday's homebound adventures, I was still pretty spooked. He doesn't know it yet, but he might have to drive me all week!

Snow... again.

It was a rough drive home today. The weather got bad this afternoon. And fast.

Five minutes before they were supposed to arrive, the mother of the boy I tutor on Mondays called to say the roads were pretty slippery and we'd better just cancel tutoring.

Unconcerned, I finished up the e-mail I was sending and then began to gather up my bags (one for school, the other for tutoring) and my purse. As I walked outside I was mildly surprised by the amount of snow that had accumulated since I had last been outside (an hour earlier).

Still not worried, I brushed the snow off my car and headed out of the parking lot. It was when (stopped at the light at the end of my school's road) my car wheels refused to push my car forward on the frozen blacktop that I began to panic a little.

Swerving this way and that as I attempted to make it through the light before it changed back to red, I was forced to let my car go where the ice took it until I was able to recover control and get back on the road.

Further down the street from school, a hill (one that had strangely never appeared on my ride home from work before) began to emerge from the road in front of me. Perhaps these hills are inconsequential during the bright, sunny days of spring or even the windy, colorful days of fall, but on a darkening winter night with snow falling for miles, a hill like this looming in the distance becomes a terrifying endeavor.

In a flash of brilliance, I quickly decided to take a right turn and travel down a different street to the warmth and comfort of my home. This road, I deduced, was flatter and busier thus making the usual hassle of traffic a bit of a comfort. For surely the roads more traveled would have less ice.

Wrong.

Two near accidents, four phone calls to Nathan, and one run-in with the roadside curb later, I pulled into my back driveway, tears of relief streaming down my face. As I laid my head against the cold steering wheel, I thought of the valuable lesson I learned today... Sometimes the back roads are safer simply because, when you really don't want to spend the night at work and you have no choice but to go where the ice takes you, it's better to let it take you where there are fewer cars to crash into.

Ignoring my school bags in the back seat of the car, I turned off the engine, grabbed my cell phone, and hurried inside to wait anxiously at the back door for Nathan's safe arrival.

Snow day tomorrow?

(Sadly, this is not a dramatization.)