Today, Saturday, has been crazy.
Lloyd drove down to Missouri after school on Friday to visit his dad and mom, and I stayed here since I had to work late on Friday and had some company coming into town on Sunday. I knew that icy weather was supposed to hit early Saturday morning, but I had some things I needed to do in Lincoln. I followed a foolish impulse and Pricelined a hotel room so I could do half my shopping Friday night (south of town), stop and sleep, finish up (north of town) Saturday morning, and be home before the worst hit.
I did not make it.
At 9:00 everything was just wet, but around 10:30 we had icy roads and slushy snow on top. Dang it! I drove very, very slowly behind the nice snowplow on Highway 34, then it had the nerve to turn and drive north and leave me and the truck in front of me alone. We both drove very slowly – not even 40 miles an hour – and I did my best to keep a big distance and follow his tracks. Then I hit ice and drifted a little left, then a lot right – over into the ditch, stopping with my right bumper bending the barbed-wire fence at the sod farm.
Dang it. Dang it. Dang it.
This is the first time I’ve ever been off the road, and much like when the truck broke down before, I had no idea what to do. I called Lloyd, who was – as you remember – in Missouri.
Lauren: “Guess who’s off the road?”
Lloyd: “Ummmmmmm…..”
Lauren: “I guess you can’t come get me, huh?”
Lloyd: “Guess not.”
Then I called Kate. Lloyd said I should ask her to come get me, but I didn’t want to ask anyone to come out in this weather. I was actually thinking that I could just start walking (by the fields, not the roads). I’m a good walker, and hey – it would just take a day, right?
Then suddenly there was a car that had stopped, and a young man asked if I needed a ride. Turned out that he and his brother were headed into Seward to their work – five blocks from my house. I was exceedingly grateful.
Once home, I tried to track down the company that was coming to my house to warn them that the roads were very bad. They are friends from my hometown who came to Seward for the Concordia Christmas Concert. They also got the extra bonus of experiencing terrible Nebraska winter weather. Yay! They came into town around 3 and we all agreed that they should just stay overnight here at the house instead of trying to drive back to Lincoln in the dark. Next, I offered them some of the delicious snacks….. that were in my truck.
Lauren: “Would you like some Dr. Pepper? Ginger ale? Wait, that’s in the truck. Pretzel chips? Cheese? Wait, that’s in the truck.”
Sigh. I guess I’ll go get my truck tomorrow.
Oh, and the fridge is still out back. Turns out it is a handy snow-measuring device.
I, too, managed to go off-road today. Mine was between Seward and Columbus on 92 (Darn railroad crossing on a curve, didn’t plan that one quite slow enough).
Two different vehicles saw me go out of control, and both stopped to assist. It turned out that wasn’t necessary, though, as I was able to back myself up a bit and then drive in my own tracks back onto the highway.
I arrived home in quite high spirits and not at all unhappy with the events of the day–but I’m sure I would have felt quite different had I been forced to abandon my car in the ditch!
I am so glad you’re ok! It just happens so fast, doesn’t it?
I didn’t try to get out – that fence wire is pretty bent and I didn’t want to make it worse. We’ll see how digging it out goes later today.
It’s so weird to see snow there. It was pretty mild here yesterday… mid 50’s. I’m sorry you had the inconvenience and loss of snacks. I think the loss of snacks would hit hardest.
And hooray for the kindness of strangers!
Mom and I were really hoping for a picture of the truck. Dad wanted a picture of the fence. We’re all glad that you are not dead or seriously uncomfortable.
Hooray for chivalry! It is not dead after all.
Your story plus Bekah’s makes me have hope in neighborliness. Or maybe that is just those good Nebraskans?
Ice is the absolute worst! That’s how my son totalled my car a few years back. So glad you are fine…that’s the most important thing! And I’m with Lloyd & Lloyd’s mom….I’d like a picture of the truck….in the ditch.
Hi
So sorry we had your good help but we enjoyed his visit very much.
He was exactly where he needed to be. 🙂