Day 3 of stuck inside of my house with the Memphis Blues again

[stoney321]

I think we just won't have school for the rest of the week. The ice is so thick, we don't have things like de-icer for the street in this part of the country, so eh. We'll just tack on a few extra days at the end of the year, I suppose. I saw a cop parked outside my neighborhood blaring over his bullhorn for idiots to "slow down" driving, as the streets are covered with 2 solid inches of ice. Hey Texans? I love you, you know I do. But y'all have no idea how to drive on icy roads, just admit it. It's not weak, it's honest. Just because you have a truck doesn't mean you're automatically good at it, it actually is a bit worse.

I lived in Utah and Wyoming for a good... 7 years? That's about right. I lived on the north side of a mountain for a good year of that time, at about 5000 feet. Snow and ice were present for a good 2/5 of the year, if not longer. I was taking care of my grandma, who had had a debilitating stroke and needed round the clock care, so if we needed to get out, there was no other option. Besides, all of those people up in the mountains had their cars outfitted with snow tires, ice chains, etc, because to not meant you were trapped in your house until Spring Thaw. You learned to drive in bad weather, in other words.

The most frightening experience of my life, and seriously, EVERYTHING pales in comparison, and that includes emergency surgery for my child, was having to drive home over the Point of the Mountain in a white out, because I couldn't leave my Grandma home alone. I had been in SLC in a typical snow storm getting supplies, etc., and knew that I had to head out and get back to her home in Lehi before nightfall. Seems like a good thousand other cars thought the same thing. (Geographically speaking, Lehi is a 'burb of Provo, south of SLC, for those who care.)

The Point of the Mountain is essentially a four lane stretch of highway with no guardrails that wraps around.... wait for it... the point of the Traverse mountain (Wasatch Front) that divides Lehi from Draper. (Remember in Big Love when Bill said something about that big federal building in Draper? That's coming up.) It's actually a famous site among para gliders, because it's ALWAYS WINDY LIKE A MOFO there. Good for paragliding, scary as shit for a Texan driving in a blizzard. The north-bound side hugs the mountain side. The south-bound side (where I was) hugs thin air. And there's a good 1500 foot drop waaaaaaaay down to the valley below, and that valley is filled with razor wire fences, because that valley also is the site for the Federal Penitentiary, where Ted Bundy was incarcerated. Fun little fact for you.

So. It's about 6:30pm, and as I climb the highway up to the point, I slow to a crawl of 10mph because I literally cannot see my headlights, the snow is so thick. And if I can't see my headlights, that means I can't see the road. And if I can't see the road... You see where I'm going, I'm sure. Good, because I couldn't. Now, I had driven that route so many times you have that feeling that "I know where the turn is, I know where blah blah blah" but when you can't see it? GAH.

Oh, and for those of you thinking, "Well, why didn't you just pull over?" AND WHERE WOULD I, I ask. On that edge with no barrier? The edge I couldn't see? And what made it more fun was that cars were passing me left and right, because I guess they all had sonar built in their cars, I have no idea. I had a big Semi blaze past me, blaring its horn for me going so slowly. OH I AM SO SORRY, Mr. WHITE KNIGHT OF THE ROAD. A 10 minute drive took me well over an hour, and my poor Grandma was sitting up in the kitchen, terrified that I had been killed. I just inched along that road correcting my trajectory anytime the wind blew enough snow around that I could see the road.

Completely white, the air, the road, everything, it was like I had been sucked into the monolith of 2010.

White-knuckles, man. I have also been driven off the highway in Arizona by a trucker who didn't stop and put on his mandatory snow-chains, and skidded out on the highway (where he was EASILY going over 70mph) and fortunately drove into a snow-filled ditch. I'm anti-trucker in inclement weather, I'll just put that out there.


I've got a pot of 15 bean soup with andouille sausage, shredded chicken, veggies, and a pan of cornbread in the oven for us to snack on all day. This is when an Apocalypse Pantry is your best friend, I could make meals for DAYS. YAY!

For those who follow them, my latest recap for Jersey Shore is up at Hey, Don't Judge Me. And any future TV recaps/reviews will go up there from this point forward, that includes Big Love. You know what would be great? If you added it to your reader, then you'll always know when something new is up. :)

OK, I think we're going to have a round of Guitar Hero to keep us all from going stir-crazy. YAY VIDEO GAMES.

Oh, lastly! That movie I filmed last summer with Tony Hale (Buster from Arrested Development) WUSS is having its official premiere at SXSW this March, so that makes two of my films in the festival. NICE.

Comments

[captainofidiots.livejournal.com]

I'm anti-trucker in inclement weather, I'll just put that out there.

OMG. Yes. This. I used to make the drive over Snoqualmie Pass very often and the truck drivers terrified me. I learned how to drive during the winter, and have been doing it for some time, so I feel fairly comfortable but I don't want to be near anyone else on the road. Gah! That sounds like such a scary drive. I've been through a couple of those. Yikes.

Stay inside, play those video games and eat that comfort food.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Yes, Ma'am! And I'll have one of those coffees in your icon, while I'm at it.

[ryokomusouka.livejournal.com]

Nebraskans, who HAVE a winter, don't know how to drive on snow. Stupid pickups zipping past me on ice, roaring up behind me and flashing their lights LIKE IT'S GOING TO HELP.

I'm driving a minivan with two-wheel drive up a steep hill (or down, depending on the direction). No, I'm not going to drive highway speeds just to let you get to your accident faster.

(Learned to drive in Alaska. Fo sho.)

[anniemare.livejournal.com]

Hey, I know how to drive in this weather - LOL!

But yeah, the people in their big 4x4 trucks PISS ME OFF.

It's like:

Dear Asshat,

4WD will help you get moving on this shit, bit it will not help you STOP. Quit driving like a moron and SLOW THE HELL DOWN!

No Love,

Me

[ryokomusouka.livejournal.com]

Hey, fellow Smart Person from Nebraska!

Yeah, I always snicker to myself when I see a 4WD vehicle in the ditch.

And semis - oh.my.gods. I know the drivers are the souls of kindness and wouldn't do anything to deliberately endanger us smaller vehicles, but their trucks are demon spawn.

[stephanierb.livejournal.com]

I'm anti-trucker in inclement weather, I'll just put that out there.

I don't blame you. I know these guys do this for a living, but isn't truck driving one of the deadliest professions out there? Don't they often fall asleep at the wheel? That makes me nervous in the best of conditions, let alone what you're describing. Thankfully, while we get plenty of snow in the NE, I don't see a lot of truckers on the road. Not sure why, but I'll take it.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I bet they avoid the roads there BECAUSE there is so much snow and ice, you know? Like cut down to I-40 to avoid the inclement weather?

[risingtofall.livejournal.com]

Oh god, while I wasn't on top of a mountain a few feet from a hundred foot drop, I was recently driving on a dark highway in an area I wasn't familiar with and at another point during the same drive, in the same snow storm I had to go over a bridge that my friend had just been telling me was in like the top 20 WORST in the WORLD. It was so scary, I can't ever remember being in a scarier snow storm. And it's like an optical illusion because you need to find something to focus on so that you aren't focusing on the snow that's flying in your headlights like warp speed on Star Trek.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

OMG, you get total laser vision on those snowflakes, right? NOT HELPING, AUGH!

[mosrael.livejournal.com]

Apparently in Finland, where everyone is maniac good at driving, six of your driving lessons have to be on a wet course, learning how to spin out. Oh, and it takes you three years to get a full license. Honestly, given the number of deaths and injury each year from inexperienced or reckless drivers, this sounds like a way better idea to teach driving skills.

[ryokomusouka.livejournal.com]

My daughter is of an age to get her learner's permit. The thought scares the bejeebus out of me.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I think this is BRILLIANT and will require my child to learn how to do it, too. I had a class on how to do this, with simulators, but it's not like the real situation.

[menomegirl.livejournal.com]

I've never driven in snow or ice. And never plan to.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

There's just no need for the vast majority of us. Take the break, people, enjoy your house and your lack of needing to work, it'll all be there waiting when the ice is gone!

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

I would have literally had a heart attack and died on that mountain. Actually, I just would have left grandma high and dry, I have to admit. I cannot handle heights OR driving in a blizzard. OH HELL NO.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I have thrown myself out of airplanes more than once. And that driving experience was the MOST FRIGHTENED I'VE EVER BEEN.

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

In other news, the sex scene in Bourne Identity is still one of the hottest I have ever seen. It's so fucking hot, wow. Then in the next scene he's wearing one of those military sweaters with the shoulder patches. IT'S LIKE I MADE THIS MOVIE.

[jerusha]

I HATE SEMIS IN SNOW. It's really awful in Nebraska, driving along I-80, because there is nowhere to stop in western Nebraska unless you want to freeze to death in your car. And the wind whips up the snow so it's a white-out even when it's not snowing that hard, AND THEN THE SEMIS BLOW PAST YOU AND MAKE IT WORSE. HATE THEM.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

WHITE OUTS ARE THE SCARIEST THING EVER.

[minstrel666.livejournal.com]

You know how you said to add your RSS? Consider it added. *bam* Would add twice if I could.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Thank you kindly!

[secondalto.livejournal.com]

I am so ready for spring. I just spent TWO HOURS hacking away at the ice on my car. But I'm glad that I did it today instead of finding out how thick it was five minutes before I had to leave for work tomorrow.

All of our roads our pretty good, but it's the parking lots that are crazy.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I keep looking at pictures of flowers to remind myself it's coming, it's coming. WAAAAH.

Yeah, that was smart of you to think ahead like that. Ugh, parking lots always seem to get attention last, right?

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

The last time we had an ice storm here in Austin there were 500 accidents! People are completely clueless and scary.

I have a pot roast bubbling away. Aren't pantries and freezers and fridges full of food awesome?

What's the second film playing SXSW this year? I hardly hit the film festival, but I might venture forth if we don't have the house guests in yet.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

The movie is "WUSS" - I've not seen the final cut, but the scenes I've seen were pretty funny and creepy. It's more creepy than ha ha, overall.

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

I completely misread that - I thought you had two this year! Creepy? I can do creepy.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

No, I am just horrible at wording things, durrr. This will be the second film in my CAREER where I've had one show at SXSW, only one this year. :D

[ladycyndra.livejournal.com]

Dude many Texans can't drive in the RAIN! When it does, confusion sets in and for some reason, this is a signal for them to drive FASTER! The number of accidents that happen in the space of an hour on 281, 410 and 1604 is just amazing. o_ov

I'M HEADING THERE TO TAKE YOUR ICE.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

I never want to experiance anything close to your white knuckle, white-out drive.

Glad you and your are snug as bugs.

[tabaqui]

Yes, the worst part of winter driving is the crazy people who assume it's *just like regular weather* driving. It is not! Jayzus. I once had some dipshit pull out *literally* directly in front of me from a parking lot. Looked right at me and just hit the gas. He got about three feet and started spinning his tires and even though i was going slow, i had to tap my breaks and steer *away* and ended up doing this lovely revolve across the road.

Didn't hit anything, didn't end up in a ditch but oh, i wanted to smack him. I was *right there*. What an asshat.

Semi trucks just plow right on through and there's nothing more terrifying than having the air-wave of one hit you right before the rooster-tail of slush/ice/rain does, and you're not only blind but your car is being rocked right off the road. Awesome.

Stay warm! We have no school again tomorrow - that's the whole week gone.

[elizardbits.livejournal.com]

I've got a pot of 15 bean soup with andouille sausage, shredded chicken, veggies, and a pan of cornbread in the oven for us to snack on all day.

I didn't even know there WERE 15 beans with which to make this possible, dude.

Also I think I have been on that road, although in springtime, and it was pretty awful even then.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Some are technically peas: Pinto, blackeyed pea, navy bean, large lima, baby lima, small white, red kidney, great northern, speckled lima, green baby lima, black turtle, whole green pea, yellow split pea, pink bean, cranberry bean, anisazi bean, small red, lentil, green split.

Fartastic.

That it's the main highway makes it even crazier.

[elizardbits.livejournal.com]

GASSY NOW THX

[denelian.livejournal.com]

it baffles me that i live in Ohio - where it snows EVERY YEAR - and yet there are two laws. Laws. of physics, it seems

1: the more "warning" that is given of snow and/or ice, the less pre-precipitation work will be done. this latest round? we knew about for OVER A WEEK, and yet the FIRST TRUCK with salt and sand? didn't go out until THURSDAY. snow started tuesday MORNING. like, i was still awake from MONDAY early.

2: the longer a person has lived in Ohio, the worse they will drive in snow. i swear to you, people who have lived here their ENTIRE LIVES are the absolute WORST drivers. [people are shocked when i drive "Buy your from California!" "I'm pretending i'm driving in a flood"]
my friends from even snow-ier states can't drive for laughing at Ohioian drivers. sigh