Tuesday 10/22/2002 Day 54 / Day 4 of 4th leg
start mileage (our truck) 95948 / end 96293
(rental truck) 75826 / 76172
Snow!
Saw some rain last night before going to sleep so we expected snow as forecast. But, when I peeped out the window in the early a.m. I happily reported ‘no snow’, and still no snow @ 6:00am when David prepared to take the dogs out. Turns out I didn’t have a good view since he opened the door to the outside and was hit with a face full of flakes! Sort of put the brakes on our departure plans…
Talked to my dad for the latest weather update (I feel bad that I delayed calling them because they were worried about us).
David brought the dogs back & reported very chilly temp—20’s. Went back and brought Tig in from the truck (he was fine) and I warmed him up next to me under the sheets. My hubby also gets points for bringing my *African Violet into the motel room last night, so perhaps it will survive even if all the plants toughing it out in the Volvo don’t.
There’s a certain morbid curiosity involved in seeing the outcome of a car full of *houseplants and outdoor plants going on a cross country trip through multiple climates, from direct sun blasting to 20*F overnighters…
Went for a dog walk & recon about 9:45, and determined there was enough snow melt on side streets and activity on the highway to warrant our departure. No use waiting around for everything to freeze up again tonight.
So, we bundled up, tracked back & forth through the slush from the room to the trucks and loaded up. We gulped a cup of coffee, took our vitamins, and hit the road at 10:30.
At first the going was decent, with a lot of visible pavement. Then, some blowover patches that covered strips of road. Visibility was poor for both of us due to frozen wipers and dirty, icy windshields. Once a giant truck roared by and I had 0% visibility for 3-4 seconds. I only resisted panic because I knew the dogs are counting on me to keep them safe.
A couple hours later we were driving in more serious road conditions, and the snow was blowing horizontal north to south which was slowing David’s giant rig even more. I’m sure that our calm, focused driving and steady pacing kept us safe. I kept my eyes on the road (not like now) and especially ignored the cars & trucks that had slid off.
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| Cold, cold, cold. Road was a sheet of ice. |
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| Why aren't both my hands on the wheel? |
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| Poor Volvo... Check out the $1.54 gas price! |
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| David did a hell of a job keeping his rig & trailer under control in the snow. |
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| It was as awful as it looks. |
Next stop was a brief fueling of the rental truck, then back on the now-clear roads. Weather update via Dad & Elsie is that Sioux Falls is forecast for snow turning to rain.
6:00pm (Central Time) I feel awful for the people in the Virginia & WA DC area that are exposed to the danger of the sniper. I can’t begin to imagine how they feel or how they manage to conduct their daily lives. And how terrible for the innocent victims and their families. Iraq seems so far away compared to this threat.
On a completely different subject, I realize I didn’t journal yesterday’s incident with Tig:
It was last night, and we were circling the trucks through a Denny’s parking lot to get access to an intersection. It was dark, and I was just able to maneuver around obstacles. Tig was up front with me, and all of a sudden started making that unmistakable pre-vomit noise.
His head was aimed over some CD’s & such in the front seat, so I knew I only had 3 seconds to decide what to do. Oddly enough, I chose to stick my cupped hand under the ensuing fountain of chunky, warm goo. First thought: YECKH! Second thought: I need to shift gears, and my right hand is full of vomit.
Third thought: I’m getting really close to that car there. Fourth and final thought: Oh, he’s going to vomit again and he’s leaning over my childhood *Teddy!
Action: Quick dump goo in full trash sack (most of it gets in…), hold steering wheel with wrist while left hand reaches over to switch gear, grab nearby towel with right hand and shove under Tig’s face while left hand steers sharply away from oncoming vehicle.
I was roaring with laughter the whole time, and seriously ignoring potential for disaster. Sadly, this joy-filled moment was to be followed by the “eyeglasses incident” earlier detailed.
Well, it’s 7:00pm. We stopped for fuel a couple miles back, and now we’re in Sioux Falls to get a motel room. Weather: partly cloudy, very cold.
Ended up at a ‘Days Inn’. Walked over to ‘Torpedo Subs’ for dinner—David: spaghetti, Tina: baked potato w/chili. Just right! (and cheap) Talked to Dad & Elsie one last time to give them our status so they won’t worry. Sounds like Pav is doing great. Vince & Tessa are playfighting—quietly! So adorable.
*African Violet: I had purchased this plant in the late 80's for one of my Seattle apartments. It survived and thrived through years of changes, lasting until 2010 and leaving behind a healthy 1st generation plant.
*houseplants: In addition to the usual houseplant collection, there was a tall potted plant (umbrella?) that I bought the same day as the african violet. It survived being struck by debris in one of the Seattle earthquakes we went through (a story for another post), and still lives today, currently in our living room!
Once again, David sacrificed for my green friends, and had the potted plant stuck in the passenger side of his truck cab. Do you have any idea how hard it is to see past a bushy green plant to your sideview mirror, and not break the branches trying to keep it out of the way?
There were also two large potted plants shoved into the very back of the big truck, taking their chances in total darkness.
*Teddy: I have ALWAYS had Teddy (and still do)
There were also two large potted plants shoved into the very back of the big truck, taking their chances in total darkness.
*Teddy: I have ALWAYS had Teddy (and still do)
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| My Teddy Bear |
Fuel: White Lake, SD
rental: 9.5 gal / $15.00 / @250 mi
Fuel: Sioux Falls, SD
ours: 331 mi / 96280 / 47.00 / 30 gal
rental: / 76159 / 64.00 / 39 gal
End of Entry
They closed I-90 out of Rapid City soon after we left. If we had delayed our departure we would have had to stay another night. We had a house closing scheduled and had to be in Ohio on time!
ReplyDeleteI can't say enough about Tina's attitude and skill for taking on such a monumental task as this trip. And proving to herself that she could do it! I had no doubts.