My Winter Odyssey
Winter Break. Teachers look forward to this time off just as much as their students do and I am no exception. I decided that I would drive out to Minnesota and visit my friend Chad for a few days before heading home to spend the Christmas holiday with my family. I really needed to get away from it all for a few days and a change of scenery would really do me some good. So, I packed up and headed west to Mankato, Minnesota.
I've always enjoyed a good roadtrip, but traveling alone can get to be pretty boring real quick. However, between my 8 hour audio book, my selection of cds and the few stops to fill up on gas, time seemed to pass fairly quickly. Of course my driving 85 mph for much of the trip probably helped as well. When I finally arrived in Mankato, I was greeted abruptly by the crisp, refreshing Minnesota air. The 1 degree Fahrenheit temperature made the 45 degrees I left in Columbus seem balmy, but I didn't care. I was just thrilled to be away from home.
It was great seeing Chad. He immediately set to work and spared no expense in finding interesting ways to keep me entertained during my visit, like allowing me to accompany him to Owatonna while he went to the dentist and visited the clinic for his flu vaccination. (Just kidding Chad, I didn't mind tagging along at all.) However, when I found out that he had never seen the classic comedy-- Planes, Trains and Automobiles, I insisted that we watch it before I had to go home. Even knowing everything that was to happen, I still laughed my ass off throughout the movie. Little did I know the irony that would be set into play.
My time in Mankato came to an end much too quickly, as time often does when one is having fun, and I was soon packed up, loaded (not in the inebriated sense of course, I'm a responsible driver) and heading down the familiar stretches of highway as I began my trek back to Ohio. I of course had to check in with my mother who, as most mother's do, worried about me driving all alone. So, being the dutiful son and not wanting to be on the receiving end of a lecture when I went home for Christmas, I kept her informed of my whereabouts. She warned me that Ohio was supposed to be getting hit with a major snowstorm and that I should be extra careful. I brushed it off as her just being overly concerned and reassured her that I'd be careful. I then spoke to my roommate later on, who told me that it was sleeting pretty badly in Columbus at that time. Hmmm. Maybe there was something to be concerned about after all. Naw, I'd driven in some pretty lousy weather before and figured everyone was just overreacting to the first snowfall of the year. Besides, how bad could it be? Everything in Minnesota, Wisconson and Illinois had been just fine weatherwise.
I was just leaving Chicago (Finally!)when my roommate called to let me know that we'd just lost power. Apparently, a transformer had blown or something and the whole neighborhood was without power. It wasn't until later that I learned that most of Columbus and many outlying regions were also without electricity and HEAT. I didn't encounter snow until halfway through Indiana. That's when I began to take the weather a little more seriously. I also realized that one of the half dozen things I'd forgotten to bring with me to Mankato was suddenly gonna be important-- my cellphone charger. I had forgotten to use Chad's charger to fully recharge my phone before leaving Mankato that morning, but hadn't been too concerned since I figured I had just enough to get me home. However, if something happened and I didn't make it home as planned I might be outta luck. Thankfully (it kills me to actually say that) there was a Wal-Mart at one of the exits ahead of me, so I stopped and bought a charger for in my car.
Plodding on, I continued driving and was happy to see the Welcome to Ohio sign as I crossed the state line. I was finally in the home stretch. Then the snow started coming down much more fiercely. I had real reservations as to how wise it would be for me to return to Columbus using the same route I had taken. It was shorter, but the roads were far less heavily traveled and there was a greater chance that they wouldn't be in that good of shape, so I decided to add some more time to my trip by taking a longer route home, but by staying on the major highways, I felt much more secure. Sadly, the major highways weren't any better.
Now, this isn't going to mean much to those of you unfamiliar with the highways of Ohio, but I decided that my best bet was to take 75 south to 70 west, which would run right through Columbus and past my house. 75 proved pretty treacherous and the more I drove the harder it became for me to even see where I was going. You see, the sleet had begun to accumulate not only on my windshield wiper blades themselves, but also at the base of my windshield. I also had begun passing car that had become stranded and ultimately abandoned on the side of the highway as well as in the median. It also looked like the exit ramps might prove difficult to see let alone get through as many didn't appear to have been plowed.
I finally decided that enough was enough. As soon as I could find a decent exit that appeared heavily enough populated I was going to call it a night and get a hotel room. I managed to exit just north of 70 which oddly enough I had been to before because an old friend of mine used to live in that area. I saw a sign for a Holiday Inn and pulled into their lot. A car ahead of me was stuck and some people were trying to push them on through. They got through then I followed. The car behind me got stuck, so I helped push them out, but they ended up getting stuck again, as did I when I tried to park my vehicle. We all made it into the lobby, tired, frustrated and annoyed, only to find out that the family ahead of us had gotten the last available room. The hotel called the Travelodge across the street and had them hold a couple rooms for me and the couple behind me. I knew they were gonna have trouble getting across to the other hotel, so I offered to give them a lift over if they helped me out, which they gladly accepted. Oddly enough, I'd stayed at the same Travelodge for my friend's wedding and almost ended up in the same room.
The next morning I found out that 70 had been shut down, so I caught some more sleep, helped push a few people out and waited around for a little while before decided I'd had enough of that. I filled up with gas, got some hot food and started down 75 again, surely 70 would be open by now, right? Wrong. And, the lines of cars just waiting for it to open up was staggering to say the least. I certainly had no desire to get stuck in the middle of that with no idea how long I'd have to just sit there. So, I decided to take 75 all the way down to Cincinnati where I could then catch 71 north and go to Columbus that way. It would be and extra couple hours but in the long run I figured it would be quicker than waiting on 70. Besides, 75 was in pretty good shape. I called Chad again to keep him updated. I know he felt bad for me, but I was cool with it, I didn't regret making the trip to Mankato at all. I let him know that everything was looking up and that the worst was behind me---"Knock on wood," I joked, as I gently wrapped a fist against my skull. Man, I couldn't wait to get home.
The next time I called Chad I prefaced our conversation with "Guess where I am now." He said, "You finally made it home?" "Well, no." I replied, "I'm stuck in a snowbank in the median about an hour away from home." I'd lost control while changing lanes, fishtailed a bit, spun out and landed in median, just 6 feet from the road. I'd almost made it back out. What was it with me and getting stuck just over an hour away from home, anyway? "But, the good news is, my head isn't made outta wood," I laughed. I called him three hours and two tow trucks later (The first tow truck's cable snapped trying to pull me out, I was wedged in the snow that badly.) and Chad asked what I was doing now. I replied, "Making snow angels." He laughed thinking to himself that I had finally lost my mind, probably picturing me lying in the snowy median strip making a snow angel as I waited for the tow truck to pull me out. I let him off the hook and proudly announced that I was again on the road and driving home.
I called all of my friends with whom I had been chatting throughout my ordeal and let them know that I was finally approaching Columbus. I called my mother and let her know I had made it home safe and somewhat sound. Then, I was greeted by my overly exuberant beagle, who I am sure was certain I was never coming home to him, and a candlelit home. I told my roommate that although I am sure he missed having me around, the candles were a bit much. We laughed and then he caught me up to speed with what had been going on. He was gonna spend that night bundled up on the couch under layers of blankets, but tomorrow he was heading to his brother and sister-in-law's home, since they had heat and electricity. I decided that another couple hours on the road wouldn't kill me, so I grabbed my unwrapped Christmas gifts, my dog and his bucket of travel supplies and headed north again on 71 to surprise my parents (primarily my mother). We pulled into my parents' drive sometime after midnight. I may not have been at my own home. In fact, I didn't make it home until the following Wednesday because we didn't get our power back until Tuesday night. However, my odyssey was over. I'd finally made it home.
I've always enjoyed a good roadtrip, but traveling alone can get to be pretty boring real quick. However, between my 8 hour audio book, my selection of cds and the few stops to fill up on gas, time seemed to pass fairly quickly. Of course my driving 85 mph for much of the trip probably helped as well. When I finally arrived in Mankato, I was greeted abruptly by the crisp, refreshing Minnesota air. The 1 degree Fahrenheit temperature made the 45 degrees I left in Columbus seem balmy, but I didn't care. I was just thrilled to be away from home.
It was great seeing Chad. He immediately set to work and spared no expense in finding interesting ways to keep me entertained during my visit, like allowing me to accompany him to Owatonna while he went to the dentist and visited the clinic for his flu vaccination. (Just kidding Chad, I didn't mind tagging along at all.) However, when I found out that he had never seen the classic comedy-- Planes, Trains and Automobiles, I insisted that we watch it before I had to go home. Even knowing everything that was to happen, I still laughed my ass off throughout the movie. Little did I know the irony that would be set into play.
My time in Mankato came to an end much too quickly, as time often does when one is having fun, and I was soon packed up, loaded (not in the inebriated sense of course, I'm a responsible driver) and heading down the familiar stretches of highway as I began my trek back to Ohio. I of course had to check in with my mother who, as most mother's do, worried about me driving all alone. So, being the dutiful son and not wanting to be on the receiving end of a lecture when I went home for Christmas, I kept her informed of my whereabouts. She warned me that Ohio was supposed to be getting hit with a major snowstorm and that I should be extra careful. I brushed it off as her just being overly concerned and reassured her that I'd be careful. I then spoke to my roommate later on, who told me that it was sleeting pretty badly in Columbus at that time. Hmmm. Maybe there was something to be concerned about after all. Naw, I'd driven in some pretty lousy weather before and figured everyone was just overreacting to the first snowfall of the year. Besides, how bad could it be? Everything in Minnesota, Wisconson and Illinois had been just fine weatherwise.
I was just leaving Chicago (Finally!)when my roommate called to let me know that we'd just lost power. Apparently, a transformer had blown or something and the whole neighborhood was without power. It wasn't until later that I learned that most of Columbus and many outlying regions were also without electricity and HEAT. I didn't encounter snow until halfway through Indiana. That's when I began to take the weather a little more seriously. I also realized that one of the half dozen things I'd forgotten to bring with me to Mankato was suddenly gonna be important-- my cellphone charger. I had forgotten to use Chad's charger to fully recharge my phone before leaving Mankato that morning, but hadn't been too concerned since I figured I had just enough to get me home. However, if something happened and I didn't make it home as planned I might be outta luck. Thankfully (it kills me to actually say that) there was a Wal-Mart at one of the exits ahead of me, so I stopped and bought a charger for in my car.
Plodding on, I continued driving and was happy to see the Welcome to Ohio sign as I crossed the state line. I was finally in the home stretch. Then the snow started coming down much more fiercely. I had real reservations as to how wise it would be for me to return to Columbus using the same route I had taken. It was shorter, but the roads were far less heavily traveled and there was a greater chance that they wouldn't be in that good of shape, so I decided to add some more time to my trip by taking a longer route home, but by staying on the major highways, I felt much more secure. Sadly, the major highways weren't any better.
Now, this isn't going to mean much to those of you unfamiliar with the highways of Ohio, but I decided that my best bet was to take 75 south to 70 west, which would run right through Columbus and past my house. 75 proved pretty treacherous and the more I drove the harder it became for me to even see where I was going. You see, the sleet had begun to accumulate not only on my windshield wiper blades themselves, but also at the base of my windshield. I also had begun passing car that had become stranded and ultimately abandoned on the side of the highway as well as in the median. It also looked like the exit ramps might prove difficult to see let alone get through as many didn't appear to have been plowed.
I finally decided that enough was enough. As soon as I could find a decent exit that appeared heavily enough populated I was going to call it a night and get a hotel room. I managed to exit just north of 70 which oddly enough I had been to before because an old friend of mine used to live in that area. I saw a sign for a Holiday Inn and pulled into their lot. A car ahead of me was stuck and some people were trying to push them on through. They got through then I followed. The car behind me got stuck, so I helped push them out, but they ended up getting stuck again, as did I when I tried to park my vehicle. We all made it into the lobby, tired, frustrated and annoyed, only to find out that the family ahead of us had gotten the last available room. The hotel called the Travelodge across the street and had them hold a couple rooms for me and the couple behind me. I knew they were gonna have trouble getting across to the other hotel, so I offered to give them a lift over if they helped me out, which they gladly accepted. Oddly enough, I'd stayed at the same Travelodge for my friend's wedding and almost ended up in the same room.
The next morning I found out that 70 had been shut down, so I caught some more sleep, helped push a few people out and waited around for a little while before decided I'd had enough of that. I filled up with gas, got some hot food and started down 75 again, surely 70 would be open by now, right? Wrong. And, the lines of cars just waiting for it to open up was staggering to say the least. I certainly had no desire to get stuck in the middle of that with no idea how long I'd have to just sit there. So, I decided to take 75 all the way down to Cincinnati where I could then catch 71 north and go to Columbus that way. It would be and extra couple hours but in the long run I figured it would be quicker than waiting on 70. Besides, 75 was in pretty good shape. I called Chad again to keep him updated. I know he felt bad for me, but I was cool with it, I didn't regret making the trip to Mankato at all. I let him know that everything was looking up and that the worst was behind me---"Knock on wood," I joked, as I gently wrapped a fist against my skull. Man, I couldn't wait to get home.
The next time I called Chad I prefaced our conversation with "Guess where I am now." He said, "You finally made it home?" "Well, no." I replied, "I'm stuck in a snowbank in the median about an hour away from home." I'd lost control while changing lanes, fishtailed a bit, spun out and landed in median, just 6 feet from the road. I'd almost made it back out. What was it with me and getting stuck just over an hour away from home, anyway? "But, the good news is, my head isn't made outta wood," I laughed. I called him three hours and two tow trucks later (The first tow truck's cable snapped trying to pull me out, I was wedged in the snow that badly.) and Chad asked what I was doing now. I replied, "Making snow angels." He laughed thinking to himself that I had finally lost my mind, probably picturing me lying in the snowy median strip making a snow angel as I waited for the tow truck to pull me out. I let him off the hook and proudly announced that I was again on the road and driving home.
I called all of my friends with whom I had been chatting throughout my ordeal and let them know that I was finally approaching Columbus. I called my mother and let her know I had made it home safe and somewhat sound. Then, I was greeted by my overly exuberant beagle, who I am sure was certain I was never coming home to him, and a candlelit home. I told my roommate that although I am sure he missed having me around, the candles were a bit much. We laughed and then he caught me up to speed with what had been going on. He was gonna spend that night bundled up on the couch under layers of blankets, but tomorrow he was heading to his brother and sister-in-law's home, since they had heat and electricity. I decided that another couple hours on the road wouldn't kill me, so I grabbed my unwrapped Christmas gifts, my dog and his bucket of travel supplies and headed north again on 71 to surprise my parents (primarily my mother). We pulled into my parents' drive sometime after midnight. I may not have been at my own home. In fact, I didn't make it home until the following Wednesday because we didn't get our power back until Tuesday night. However, my odyssey was over. I'd finally made it home.
posted by Chris at 10:39 PM
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