Sunday, March 8, 2009

my own personal planes, trains, and automobiles experience...

Last weekend was my best friend Mels birthday. We had been planning a visit and it seemed at the last minute everything was kind of falling apart. I pushed forward though... sometimes I should just give in, but no, not me, when the universe starts telling me "No"... I turn around and say, "hit me again, I am still moving forward."
Mel lives in Susanville, Ca... 8 hours away from Portland. Originally it was supposed to be a whole family trip, at the last minute B had to work, they had a crazy inventory the week before and he had to re-do it. Sucks... I really wanted to be there for her b-day so we decided I would still go, without B. In the midst of this, we are packing our house, I have another set of samples to get done, 2 meetings this week for spring orders and two dress orders to get done for shops. I am stressed, to put it lightly. But I wanted to go, so go I did.
We did fine getting there. The boys did really well, we had a great visit the first couple of days, we had 4 kids between the two of us, and that is quite a handful, but it was fun.
I originally was going to leave on Monday, but decided to stay till Tuesday. Tuesday we woke up to snow. 8 inches of snow. I didn't know what to do. We decided to wait it out and hope that Wednesday it would be better. It wasn't. But I had to get home.
This was my ride home:
  • Left Susanville with chains on, had mapped out an alternate route that didn't go as high into the mountains but in the end took me 2.5 hours out of my way
  • After a half hour of driving with chains on the wet pavement, I made the executive decision to take them off.
  • Should have left the chains on.
  • Was hit with more snow and icy roads.
  • Was praying and having the kids pray for us to make it off the mountain safely.
  • Slid off the road into a snow bank.
  • Cried
  • Got myself back on the road, after some more tears.
  • 5 hours later had made it out of the snow. YAY...
  • Was so close to my destination, Medford, when I got stopped 20 miles south of Ashland, Because of ice, chains were required on all vehicles.
  • Cried.
  • Finally found a spot to pull over amidst all the semis and other cars trying to get over the pass to put chains on my car.
  • Successfully chained up the car.
  • Stopped to tighten the chains and broke one of the pulleys, had to find a trucker to help me rig it to get me pass the chain check point.
  • Driving with chains on sucks.
  • Made it to Medford, what normally would take me 3 hours took me 9.
  • Had a nice visit with Jeff and Shannon in Medford for the night.
  • Loaded up and headed to get gas for the drive home, and realized somewhere along my horrible roadtrip the day before I had lost my bank card.
  • Had to unload tired, cranky kids and take them into the bank to get some money so we could get home.
  • Made it home.... was so happy.
  • Next morning woke up with a sore throat.
  • Friday night ended up in the E.R. with a severe throat infection, 102 temp after taking advil, and lymph something (my throat was almost swelled shut)...
  • I am done road tripping for the rest of this year.


1 comments:

Tiffany said...

What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger...small consolation, huh? Sounds like quite an adventure. Glad you made it home okay! Next time, listen to the signs =)