Respect Winter

I've been planning my week trip to my Dad's house for awhile. I wanted to do this towards the end of September but got assigned to a project so I had differ to this week.

My plan was leave today. Just in time for a snow warning.

Yesterday it was 16c and sunny.

I had to pick up the rental today. I woke up and it was raining. The forecast was the rain would turn into snow eventually. On my walk to the train the rain shifted to wet snow. I'm happy I had my umbrella as winter hat or toque wouldn't have helped you today. They gave me a Dodge Charger. I asked them if the cars had snow tires. Apparently none of them. Though they said the check the thread & pressure every time it's returned.

Well the trip home was fine. I foolishly thought this isn't bad. Not factoring in long stretches of open highway with blowing snow.

Well when I got to HWY 1, this pick up truck that was in the lane next to me was spreading water like crazy. It hit my windshield and dosed it completely. I then turn on to HWY 22 then I hit what I should have known would happen.

The snow was more slush and drifting snow was crazy. The speed limit is 100km. Everyone was going closer to 60-70km. Expect one idiot that passed a car when you couldn't see the road. You couldn't see the dividing lines. The Dodge had grip issues a few times. I was trying to stay in the tracks of the people in front of me. Well then I was in front and you could no longer see road. This time the slip was bad. I took my foot off the gas and tried to steer into the curve. There was so much slick slush that I almost wound up nose first in the ditch. I came to a stop and I was stuck blocking the lane. Lucky for me a lovely family of 3 was in a pick up behind me. They helped push me out. I get out then slid facing the other direction. At this point I figured a call to road side was going to happen. Yet again lovely family helped me out.

I knew I was not going to continue. So I stayed slow and steady & headed back to Cochrane where I checked into the Ramada. I had thought to head home but thought HWY 1 and the on ramp to HWY 1 was probably super slippery.

So here I sit at the Ramada. I booked a 2nd night too as I want to play it safe. More snow is coming & temperatures are dropping. The last thing I'll attempt is fresh snow on top of frozen slush. Plus temperatures return on Tuesday and I've seen a plow out.

I went to get something out of the charger and slush was starting to freeze on the trunk.

The more I think about it the moment I saw the warning I should have stayed at home. I know Dad would never had head out in this. Dad had an incredible driving record 60 years of driving accident - a car T-boned us at an intersection. Cars fault. I still remember it. I was 5 and remember waking up on the floor of the truck we were in. He once got a ticket for a u-turn that wasn't allowed. So what I should have done & will now do is ask myself would Dad drive in this.

So today I am incredibly grateful for good Samaritans and the good Lord keeping an eye on me.