My Adventurous Journey Home

Can I just tell you how much I LOVE vacation! I have enjoyed sitting around doing pretty much nothing for the last week (or so). I am also VERY grateful to be alive and to have actually made it to my parents house. I almost didn't make it here alive. Let me tell you of my adventures home.

Last Thursday morning at about 8:30 am, Asa, Claire (Asa's friend who had been visiting Asa and staying with me) and I all headed for Richland, WA. The drive home typically takes between 9 and 10 hours. We decided to leave fairly early so that we could make it through the one major mountain pass (Blue Mountain's Cabbage Hill) in the daylight hours. It was snowing when we left Provo, but we knew there were clear skies ahead (or at least that is what the weather stations were reporting). The roads weren't too bad, but traffic was crawling at a snail's pace. I had considered stopping by and visiting my friends at the Dirge, but had decided to just head home, trying to get ahead of the storm and make it home sooner. However plans changed when it took us 1.5 hours to get from Provo to Midvale (about 35 miles). It was ridiculous. Claire needed to use a bathroom so I decided to stop by the Dirge and say hi.

It was great to see everyone. I really miss all of my great co-workers there. They are such funny and fun people. I don't really miss the work at all, but I really miss my friends there. They are really a part of my family, after all I worked with them for over 4 years.

We finally got back on the road again about 11am. The roads continued to be a little snowing until about the Salt Lake county line. Then the skies cleared and the roads were dry. We took advantage of the dry roads and clear skies and made really good time to Boise, the 1/2 way point. I then turned the wheel over to Asa. I needed a break from driving. We kept on driving and the skies and roads were clear. I was talking to Abe on the phone and he was asking me how the roads where and I said great. I hung up with him and as we rounded the next bend, it was almost a complete whiteout. You could barely see the reflectors on the side of the road. I called home to get the weather forecast for the roads up ahead. We made it to Baker City then pulled over to clear the windows and decide if we were going to forge ahead in the crappy weather. We decided that we would continue on to Le Grande and then assess the situation there. We inched along on our way to Le Grande (I took over the driving once again.) I was a wreck with Asa driving in the snow. I had a Kung Fu Death Grip on the door and my seat. I know Asa is a good driver, but I was freaking out because I wasn't in control, but I was still responsible for getting Asa and Claire home safely. Plus, let's be honest, I am a control freak. We finally made it to Le Grande. It took forever!! We decided that if we were going to go for it (the Blue Mountains & Cabbage Hill were in front of us) we would need chains. We drove around Le Grande looking for the Walmart and got some chains. The special highway radio station said that the winter storm would pass through by 9 pm. Since it was about 6:30 I suggested that perhaps we find something to do in Le Grande (watch a movie, eat dinner, something) until 9 pm and then continue on our way. Asa and Claire both wanted to continue on. I hate driving Cabbage Hill in the summer, in the middle of the day with perfect weather conditions. I told Asa that if we were going to do it, he had to drive. We topped off the gas tank, said a prayer and away we went.

The weather was not great, but it wasn't awful. We drove about 30 mph and made our way safely down Cabbage Hill and into Pendleton. We were now in the "home stretch." The worst part of the drive was over. We were 70 miles from home and been driving for over 11 hours. Just as we were beginning to relax and I had relinquished my Kung Fu Death Grip on the tire chain case, a semi pulled out in front of Asa. Asa braked and the semi went back to his lane. As Asa braked we started sliding straight for the under belly of the semi. I was within inches of my face meeting the back corner of a semi, when Asa got us out of the slide, but over corrected, which sent us off in the median on the other side of the road. I am not sure that any of us knew what had happened. We were okay and the car was fine, but we were stuck in snow up to our knees.

We climbed out of the car and got busy trying to dig ourselves out of the snow bank. We keep at it for about 30 minutes, when decided we had better call mom and dad to have them come and pull us out. (I tried to take pictures, but unfortunately my camera battery had died :( ) As we were talking to my parents, a snow plow pulled over to see if we needed help. Unfortunately he didn't carry any chains to pull us out, but he called a tow truck for us. We waited and waited while he waited to see if someone could come and get us. After about 30 more minutes he had to go take another lap. He told us that someone should be coming, but no promises. We called a few towing companies on our own and were told that someone was on their way, but that if we didn't hear from them in 30 minutes to call them and they would come get us. Thankfully We had filled up the tank and so we had plenty of fuel to keep the car running and the 3 of us warm. Just as the 30 minutes were about to expire, a pair of Russian Semi-drivers ( we'll call them Vladimir & Lenny) pulled over to see if they could help. Bless their hearts, they had no clue how to pull a car out of a snow bank. They wanted to hook up to my wheel and try and pull me out sideways. Thankfully "Big Bubba" pulled up in his truck next. Big Bubba embodies WT. He was wearing a Coors coat and had two (or maybe even 4) front teeth missing. He had a tow rope. While they were all trying to figure out where the pop out where you screw the tow hook to my frame was, another guy, 'No-Name John" pulled up on his tractor (we are talking John Deere kind of action) with a plow on the front. Before I knew what was going on John had hooked up Big Bubba's rope and had us out of the snow bank. It took about 60 seconds. It was now 11 pm. We had left Salt Lake 12 hours earlier and we still had 70 miles to go. We continued to inch along thanks to the fog and black ice. We finally made it home at 1:30 am (MT). It took us 15 hours of drive time, averaging just 46 miles per hour. It was torture, however I am VERY glad that we made it here safe and sound, thanks to our new friends, Lenny, Vladimir, Big Bubba and John.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and safe holiday travels!

Merry Christmas!