White out
So, I think I'll make a couple of posts either today or over the next few days. This one relates to my last drill weekend. The one where I missed Mardi Gras. Boo. However, it's not really about drill so much as what came after; specifically, the weather. Seriously.
As I had already missed Mardi Gras, there was no way I was also going to miss watching the Super Bowl. Of course, anyone who knows me well can tell you I could give a deuce about professional sports, but I consider the Bowl to be more of a social event, not to mention the fact that the commercials (usually) rock. As to the commercial bit, I'd honestly have to say this year was pretty lame with the exception of the ginormous carrier pigeon commercial. You know the one I mean. Commercials aside, the most amazing part of the Super Bowl for me was getting there. I decided to watch the bowl with Kyle and Tyler over at Western, which necessitated what should have been a 45 minute or so drive. I really don't know how long it took me; all I know is that after I made it about 15 miles, I hit white out snow conditions. To top it off, the snow was covering road signs, so I thought I had missed a turn and ended up doubling back, only to realize that I had actually NOT missed the turn and had been on the correct road the whole time. Time wasted, at least 30 minutes. Somehow I managed to make it to Macomb alive and even navigate through town to the trailer where they guys live even though I'd only been there once before and that was last spring.
Okay, so get there, watch game, drink some beers, sleep in, yadda yadda. Now it's Monday and I have to get to St. Louis. Only visibility is still nill because fog has mysteriously appeared from nowhere. Or from all the snow since now it's warming up outside. I wait fruitlessly till noon and decide I can waste no more time and am forced to do 30 miles an hour for a LONG time down highway 67, an unfamiliar 2 lane highway that offers the most direct route back to the Lou. I don't hit my first clear patch (of only about 100 meters) for 2 1/2 hours. Incidentally, at most times I could only see about 2 center lines ahead on the road, and at times it got so bad I could only see the one I was next to and the one coming up. A while after the first clear patch, things seem to be clearing up completely when much to my dismay there appear "road closed ahead" signs accompanied by a cop waving little orange flags to direct traffic down some side road. I proceed as indicated and eventually pull off to consult my Illinois Atlas/Gaza-teer. This provides me with direction as there are no major road to be found... I am in the complete middle of nowhere. I end up driving down lane 1/2 wide, barely marked, country roads with bizarre turns and hills and the fog keeps coming and going in patches. Somehow I made it through without any run-ins with bigfoot, alien abduction, roaving packs of dogs, or shot-gun toting rednecks. When I finally make it to the next town (where I find the other end of the road closure) I am able to ascertain from the gas station that there was apparently a large accident in the fog, so, at least I wasn't part of THAT. Oh yeah, and then it became beautiful and sunny for the rest of the drive, and it was 75 degrees when I got to St. Louis. But by then it was almost dark and the temp was about to drop drastically, so I had no chance to enjoy it. Bah.
As I had already missed Mardi Gras, there was no way I was also going to miss watching the Super Bowl. Of course, anyone who knows me well can tell you I could give a deuce about professional sports, but I consider the Bowl to be more of a social event, not to mention the fact that the commercials (usually) rock. As to the commercial bit, I'd honestly have to say this year was pretty lame with the exception of the ginormous carrier pigeon commercial. You know the one I mean. Commercials aside, the most amazing part of the Super Bowl for me was getting there. I decided to watch the bowl with Kyle and Tyler over at Western, which necessitated what should have been a 45 minute or so drive. I really don't know how long it took me; all I know is that after I made it about 15 miles, I hit white out snow conditions. To top it off, the snow was covering road signs, so I thought I had missed a turn and ended up doubling back, only to realize that I had actually NOT missed the turn and had been on the correct road the whole time. Time wasted, at least 30 minutes. Somehow I managed to make it to Macomb alive and even navigate through town to the trailer where they guys live even though I'd only been there once before and that was last spring.
Okay, so get there, watch game, drink some beers, sleep in, yadda yadda. Now it's Monday and I have to get to St. Louis. Only visibility is still nill because fog has mysteriously appeared from nowhere. Or from all the snow since now it's warming up outside. I wait fruitlessly till noon and decide I can waste no more time and am forced to do 30 miles an hour for a LONG time down highway 67, an unfamiliar 2 lane highway that offers the most direct route back to the Lou. I don't hit my first clear patch (of only about 100 meters) for 2 1/2 hours. Incidentally, at most times I could only see about 2 center lines ahead on the road, and at times it got so bad I could only see the one I was next to and the one coming up. A while after the first clear patch, things seem to be clearing up completely when much to my dismay there appear "road closed ahead" signs accompanied by a cop waving little orange flags to direct traffic down some side road. I proceed as indicated and eventually pull off to consult my Illinois Atlas/Gaza-teer. This provides me with direction as there are no major road to be found... I am in the complete middle of nowhere. I end up driving down lane 1/2 wide, barely marked, country roads with bizarre turns and hills and the fog keeps coming and going in patches. Somehow I made it through without any run-ins with bigfoot, alien abduction, roaving packs of dogs, or shot-gun toting rednecks. When I finally make it to the next town (where I find the other end of the road closure) I am able to ascertain from the gas station that there was apparently a large accident in the fog, so, at least I wasn't part of THAT. Oh yeah, and then it became beautiful and sunny for the rest of the drive, and it was 75 degrees when I got to St. Louis. But by then it was almost dark and the temp was about to drop drastically, so I had no chance to enjoy it. Bah.
posted by TeddY2K at 6:35 AM
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