Evil Winter

You might remember my posts last winter when I reported on the epic snowfalls MD received in February. We got something like 18 inches of snow, and I was out of school for a week, which I like to remember as "pre-spring break" or "spring break part 1".

Well, this winter is proving to be just as evil. Not as much snow, but twice as much hassle and heartbreak.

On Wednesday, I went to work in Baltimore like an idiot. It had snowed a bit the night before, but was raining at the time and the temperature was above freezing. We were expecting another big storm that night, but I wasn't worried about it at the time. It rained during my drive from Bethesda to Baltimore and turned to snow once I was near work.

I stopped paying any attention to the weather around 2:00 p.m. Using it as an excuse, I ducked out of work around 4:00. I should have left at noon. It was raining in Baltimore when I left. Thankfully, I filled up my tank and headed out. The rain turned to snow once I got out of Baltimore. I decided to take the backroads home as there was already congestion on the main highways. By the time I got onto a state highway that runs parallel to the major interstate I usually take, the snow was so thick that I went sideways off the on ramp and almost got in a wreck. Horrible incident #1. I inched along on this road for a few miles. It slowed to a near standstill a mile or so before my exit for the next state highway that would take me west to my county. On that exit ramp were several stalled cars. In my attempt to get around them, I got stuck in a snowbank and had to rely on all my inner poise and strength to remember how to get out. Horrible incident #2. Thankfully, last winter I got stuck in snow in a parking lot and some nice gentleman told me how to get out. I used those skills and was soon free. Though, I must admit, that I contemplated googling how to get out of a snow bank on my phone. By this time, I really had to go to the bathroom, so I made a quick stop in the next town. What should have been a thirty minute drive had taken me two hours.

But, then the story got worse. I headed out on a small two lane highway heading west. The drive is only about 10-12 miles from where I stopped to home. About two miles in, I slipped and got my back tires stuck in a snow drift. Horrible incident #3. This time I knew how to get out so I was quickly back on the road. About two miles later, I came to a dead stop. The next two miles consisted of waiting and inching forward. For three to four hours!

Horrible incident #s 4-12. It turns out that I was approaching two evils: a massive bend in the road with a drop off on the other side and a huge, huge hill. The combination of these evils, stalled cars, massive amounts of falling snow and quickly iced-over roads was what made this section of driving so horrible. Essentially, one car at a time from either direction was getting up or down the hill. By the time it was my turn, I had to be pushed twice as I could get no traction on the ice to move forward. I was sliding all over the road. It is a miracle, seriously a miracle, that I did not hit another car, drive off the road, or slide into a tree. Seriously, I can't put into words how grateful I am that I'm here to tell you about this. I was honestly scared every time I had to move my car. I didn't know what would happen. I was torn between being terrified to move and desperate to be home. I know it sounds dramatic, but that's honestly how I felt.

Once I made it over the hill, the road was clear of traffic, somewhat clear of snow, and the only snag I hit was another hill down the road where I had to wait for the plows and salt trucks to come through. I have never been so grateful to see police directing traffic, giant plows, and trucks full of salt that totally sprayed the side of my car. About an hour after my scary hill experience, I made it home, only to get stuck in the parking lot! Horrible incident #13 (ah, I lost count how many horrible incidents there were). After being shoveled out, my car was parked and I was inside, fed and in bed by 12:30.

So, the long and short of it? I was in my car for SEVEN HOURS! My commute is usually less than an hour. But SEVEN! By the fifth hour, I was thinking of all the places I could have gone to (or gone to and come back) in the same amount of time. Some people trying to leave DC were stuck for 12 hours! All routes getting out of DC were at a complete standstill. The highways weren't plowed and every exit required cars to go one at a time, if at all. You couldn't stay on the main highways because they weren't moving, but it was terrifying to exit and not know what you would find. While I was waiting to go up the scary hill for three hours, most people were just sitting on the highway going nowhere. At least I got to move eventually.

I hate winter and snow now. And, if I'm suppose to drive anywhere with even a threat of snow, I must just stay home. Or, I might move to Florida.

Sadly, the story of this evil winter gets worse. I checked my work email this morning, from home, only to discover that a co-worker of mine was killed in a car accident yesterday morning on the beltway in Baltimore. She was 24. This news really saddens me. I didn't know her personally, but I remember her from work. I'm so sad for her family and friends and everyone at my office who did know her well. But, I'm also so much more aware of how lucky I am to have made it safely home.

To all who might read this blog, if any, I want you to know how important you are all to me and how grateful I am that I have such an amazing life. Sometimes I know I take it for granted, but news likes this puts all my trivial angers and annoyances into perspective. Hug your friends and family today. Because this second is the only one you're guaranteed.