I have been visiting my in-laws for Thanksgiving in Newcastle, WY. My Cousin Ray lives about 50 miles away in Moorcroft and I went to visit him. My parents were there for 2 days for Thanksgiving, I wanted to touch base and give them Zac for the return trip back through Utah then Nevada.
During the trip as I get to Osage there is lots of snow and wind. It was like driving through a mini-blizzard and it was like that through Upton too. It all cleared up as I got to Moorcroft. We visited and about 2 1/2 hours later I left for the return trip, alone.
Once I hit Upton the snow and wind started, though the wind wasn't as strong as before. It was snowy all the way to Osage, visibility was low and I was driving about 40mph on the highway. The snow stopped once I passed Osage so I thought it would be smooth sailing the rest of the way.
The road was slushy and icy. All of a sudden I start to fishtail. I counter-steer but couldn't seem to straighten out, then a big spin and I end up on the shoulder on the other side of the road. Stuck. Couldn't get out. A car pulled up along side of me and asked if I was OK and needed help. He said he had a tow rope and 4-wheel drive so he may be able to get me out.
He had Indiana plates and I commented that he was a fellow Hoosier. He was from the Bloomington area, I explained I was from the South Bend area. Well, he got the rope hooked up and slowly we made our way out of the ditch/shoulder. Woohoo! I told him thanks and that he was my savior.
So I get to Newcastle, call my parents to tell them that I made it safely. Then I drive up the dirt road to the lane where my in-laws live. At the bottom of the hill I wonder if I can make it up because I wasn't sure how icy the dirt road was, but I didn't have cell service there and I should have called the house when I was were the dirt road met the highway. Also, I had to pee really bad and decided to drive up the hill.
I didn't even get halfway up when I hit a slick spot and lost momentum. I tried and tried. I decided that I should just back down the hill and either try again or drive out to the highway and make a call. The minivan slips and slides as I back down the hill. I end up veering into the side of the hill, I'm glad I didn't go off the other side of the road and down the hill.
I get out to walk part way up the hill to Larry & DeeDee's place (I still had to pee so I make a pit stop). DeeDee drives me up to Jim & Mary's place. Jim gets his pick up truck with the plow on the front. He plows the road as he goes down the hill, picks up Larry and they both go off to work on my minivan. With a tow rope, lots of slipping and luck they were able to back the van down and park at the bottom of the hill.
So while I had the 2 mishaps on my drive home, I am thankful for the prayer of safety we had as a family before I left Ray's house. You might think that the prayer didn't work, but it did. I am thankful that I wasn't injured, crashed the car, hurt somebody or something. I am also thankful that there was somebody to help me out so that I didn't have to spend the night out in the cold on the side of the road.
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yep. All good things. I always try to remember that it could always be worse and we probably get blessings all the time that we aren't even aware of. Glad you made it back safely!
ReplyDeleteWhat an adventure. You could have added that you had no coat on and that you had low shoes with no socks....BUT I am glad you are safe and sound.
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