Once Upon A Snowy Day...

Ok, this  picture is as close as I can come to a blizzard or white-out conditions in the mountains. :)

It was the winter of 2005  after we had celebrated an early Christmas with my son, that I had to take him to the airport in Salt Lake City, Utah. He had been able to come home on leave to be with us for a week or so in November. (I hope I am getting the story right, my chemo-brain is still here).

The trip is about an hour and a half on a good day. We left early in the morning. It wasn't too bad going to the airport. So we got there in one  piece. Saying good bye was so hard. 

I went back by way of Parley's Canyon, which some of you may know is quite exciting in the winter weather. Actually that part of the trip was a piece of cake.  Everyone was going 30mph on the freeway. You don't see that too often on Utah freeways. I got to the overpass near Heber and it was soooo hard to see. White-out, almost. After a little ways on it cleared a little. I didn't have any trouble with sliding around. Whew! That was good. 

As I was getting off the freeway, about 45 minutes later, I fish-tailed a bit down the ramp. I was driving our big ol' Ford 4 wheel drive truck, Big Blue. :)

I got into town and called my husband from the grocery store.  He said it was bad out in the mountains where we lived and to be careful. I think he said that he couldn't even see the gate at the entrance to the property just a block or so down the road. He was very worried.

This part of the trip was scary.  There are many curves in the road, horrible winds on the flats, and a few places where you can drive off the road, down the hill and into the river. This drive takes about half an hour on a good day. I said another prayer and headed out of town and into the mountains. Just a side note: town is in Wyoming, home is in the moutains of Utah just over the border, sorta south of town. :)

I don't remember if I passed any cars at all.  I might have been the only brave or dumb one on the road that day. lol   The Wyoming side of the border was relatively mild, weather-wise. It was the Utah side of the border that was scary. We lived  just one mile into Utah from the border.

I was just driving along, minding my own business, when all of a sudden I couldn't see a thing.  It lasted about 10 seconds. Not long but when you are driving you can cover a good bit of road in 10 seconds. When it cleared I was on the other side of the highway. Oh my goodness!!  This kept happening so I slowed down a little. And said, biting my lip 'Heavenly Father please don't let me be on the other side of the road every time.' This went on for about 5 minutes or so ( I was driving slowly). Then I was just about a 1/4 mile from home. I was thinking YAYYYY. 

Then from the other direction I saw 3 lights coming towards me. Ok, I thought, there can't possibly be 3 people crazy enough to be driving motorcycles in this weather with the roads like they are. Oh my goodness, again!! Snowmobiles, on the highway! Oh no! If I end up on the other side of the road at the time they are going by...ah... well....

So another quick prayer and a couple minutes later we passed each other. WHEW!  A white-out moment before and after they went by. How would it have been if I had gotten all the way through Salt Lake City, up the canyon, through town, across the border, only to wipe out within a few blocks from home?  

From the gate I don't remember seeing the house.  But I was home safe and sound. But oh my what a wild ride it was.

Take care everyone have a wonderful day.