The Drive Home

So the much dreaded ice storm finally hit this past Thursday. The weather folks had been predicting this a week out and I was doubtful - they've been wrong so many times and they seemed fueled more by memories of the ice storm from two years ago and last month's blizzard and the hunt for high ratings than they were by a desire to be accurate; the further out your predictions, the more likely it is you'll be wrong. But they weren't wrong this time.

Thursday morning started out as rain. Schools were already closed but I went into the office anyway. By noon, things were getting a little icy. We called it quits by 3:00. I was smart this time and parking with the Sequoia's butt end to the north and my wipers jutting out from the glass windshield. Clara had bought me an awesome ice scraper after the last blizzard and it made short work of the ice on my windshield and windows. I blasted through the staff's cars as well - hey, that's one of those untaxed fringe benefits, isn't it? - and sent them on their way before returning to my car. By then, the heater and the rear window defroster had taken care of what my ice scraper hadn't. I checked in with home and headed out.

The going wasn't bad, much easier than driving through last month's blizzard. There was no blowing snow, no white out conditions, my wipers and heater stayed on top of keeping the windshield and back window clear. The roads were covered with sleet - not too slick and it made for steady, if slow, going. Still, I saw two wrecks on the way home, one where the car had left the road entirely and the EMS folks had just arrived and were picking their way down the slope to the unlucky soul still in their car. I hope they were all right.

Pretty bleak weather though. And fairly crowded. I kept a close eye out as I got my iPhone out and up and fired off a few pictures:

Watch out, I'm really gaining on that car on the right!

I made it home in only a little more time than it normally takes. Fortunately, Clara had planned ahead and had laid in supplies the night before so I didn't have to hit the store on the way home or go right back out. We buttoned up the house after I got home and hunkered down, ready.