Well, isn't that the truth? I had planned on writing about my adorable yet horrible puppy, Zima, this week, but after today's bout in the blizzard, I have decided to mix it up a bit. (And my husband claims I can't be spontaneous. HA!)
I first started my job as a traveling sales rep in February 2011. Winter was mostly over, and though I was on the road a lot, I didn't have any weather related problems. The winter of 2011-2012 was so mild that we didn't even have snow on the ground for Christmas, and we were having temps in the 90's by April. That was also not a problematic winter.
2012-2013 and 2013-2014 have been a BITCH. I am SO thankful for having learned to drive in poor weather conditions, and thankful I know my car well enough to know what it can and can't do in inclement weather.
Two weeks ago this past Friday, I was in Des Moines for work, and picked up the boys after school in Johnston to bring them back to Cedar Falls for the weekend. It was misting in Des Moines, but just north of the city, the mist was freezing on the roads. I always take the diagonal (Highways 65/330/14) between Des Moines and Cedar Falls because too often I-35 is closed due to weather or there are accidents that completely stop all traffic and usually cause additional "gawker" accidents. The diagonal has some drawbacks, but having less traffic and MANY outlets off the road, even if it is gravel, is worth it to me.
So right about where Highway 65 turns directly north and 330 continues diagonally, all traffic slowed to about 45 miles per hour. It was SLICK. And it was 33 degrees. I hadn't expected the freezing to be so severe, since many times, the salt and brine help make the roads passable in colder temps.
We basically skated home. It was very slow going, and we ended up having a very late dinner, but we made it home safely.
One week later I was in Des Moines for work, and on my way home, I stopped at my friend Nikki's in Ankeny to help with some fabric-as-art questions. It started REALLY snowing just before I left. I didn't think it would be too bad. I was wrong.
This is looking east from the Quik Trip on 1st Street in Ankeny.
I decided to take the diagonal again because I assumed it was bad up north as well, and Highway 20 is known to be terrible in this weather. 1st Street leads through Bondurant and to the diagonal. There were white out conditions just as bad as Highway 20 on the way. I couldn't see the car 30 feet in front of me at times, and we were traveling at about 20 MPH. Once I got to Highway 65 and turned north, a few miles down the road, there was a big white cargo van that had flipped on its side and rested to the right of northbound traffic. The sheriff was already there when I passed by, and it looked as if the van had been traveling south and crossed the median and flipped. I couldn't have been too far behind this happening. It scared the hell out of me.
Once I got to Melbourne, the weather cleared and roads were dry the rest of the way home.
Now, today, I knew there was supposed to be a blizzard, but it didn't look bad in my neighborhood at all and I thought maybe I could beat it for my halfway point drop off in Albion with the boys. Again, I was wrong. Mother Nature really is a vindictive bitch this year.
Grundy Road to Highway 20 was OK. Highway 20 to Highway 14 was kind of OK. Highway 14 was a complete white out to the point of not being able to see ANY of the road AT ALL. I don't think I have ever experienced anything like it. At times I was driving 10 MPH and still had no idea where the road was. We finally called the boys' dad and I turned around when I saw a sign indicating a county road was coming up. It happened to be the turn off the Holland that we normally take. We turned around, I rolled down my window to get the snow off, which caused a great amount of snow to blow in the car since the wind was coming from that direction, and then we headed back home. 14 wasn't as bad heading north. Highway 20 got worse though, as this picture Jake took on my phone shows, and Grundy Road was SO MUCH worse than it was the hour previous. What would normally take about 50 minutes round trip took 80 minutes instead.
Jake wanted to show the juxtaposition of the dashboard. This is Highway 20 looking East. You can sort of see the road, right?
Once we got home, I peeled my hands off the steering wheel, and I don't plan to go back out until tomorrow. I am just waiting to see if Johnston closes school, or delays it, or if they are having a regular school day. As long as the roads are OK, they still have to go to school despite their wishes.
As for work, I have started scheduling appointments in Sioux City on February 20th with a Snow Day scheduled for the 27th if the first date doesn't work out. I don't want to have to schedule snow days. I don't want to have to cancel and reschedule appointments. I REALLY don't like getting caught in a winter storm of one sort or another, while driving 100 miles away from home . One day, I fear my good luck driving in this crap will run out.
(Sidenote: As I sit here and type this, wind whipping at my house, and making my brand new windows whistle, I am very thankful Cedar Falls Utilities are underground right now. I'm not sure they would make it in this wind.)
Well, this picture is for YOU Mother Nature. UP YOURS TOO!
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