A fantastic snow adventure

I woke up yesterday to radio traffic reports telling people to stay home if they could. The reports also said that the plows hadn't been out and venturing out on the roads wasn't worth it. I called Odum and we decided it would be better to wait to leave until about 8:30 after the plows had (hopefully) been out. I opened the garage and saw about a foot of snow and I wasn't sure if my car would make it over the snowbank in my driveway. I left my house at 8:35 and slid down the hill... when I got to the street below, my back end fishtailed and my wheels just spun. I'm not exactly sure how, but I managed to make it from the bottom of my hill to 9400 South.

Once at 9400, I had a decision to make. Play it safe, hang a right and go to 1700 East, or be a daredevil, hang a left and try to make it up the hill to get to Odum's house. Seeing how I wasn't having much luck at this point, I decided to play it safe. I waited to pull out until the only car I could see was a safe distance away. I stepped on the gas and not a lot happened. After flooring it, I finally made my way onto 9400 heading west and crept up to the light at 1700 East. I was trying not to stop and to be able to roll through the intersection, but oncoming traffic dictated otherwise. Once I was able to turn, I was worried my car was going to get stuck in the middle of the intersection on 1700 and 9400 in the way of oncoming traffic. I somehow made it through and made an immediate left onto Sugarloaf Dr. Keep in mind at this point that not one of the roads I've traveled on has been plowed. On Sugarloaf, my RPMs were up around 4 and my speedometer said I was going 40 mph. In all actuality, I was doing 5! My tires were spewing snow at all angles and snow was coming up and over the hood of my car. I finally made it to the front of Odum's driveway and he got in the car. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of riding in the car with Odum, know that he is a nervous Nelly.

Once in my car and safely belted in, I put the car in drive. Did we move? No, not so much. After a little coaxing of my wheels, we started in a forward motion. I decided I'd rather try to slide down the hill toward 9400 than to go back the way I had come, seeing how it was so successful. I safely made it down the hill and the car struggled to get to the end of the street. I knew from previously pulling onto 94th that it would take a lot for the car to get going, so this time, I waited for an even longer clear path. As I pulled out to make a left, the car got what I'll refer to as "sidetracked." It wasn't sure if it wanted to go left, right, or anywhere for that matter. Meanwhile, Odum is screaming, "Just go to your house, just go to your house!" I think I floored it all the way across five lanes of traffic and got back to my road.

We worked our way down Peruvian (the road I came from earlier) and got closer to my circle. I figured there was no way my little Solara was going to make it all the way back up the hill, so I was going to try to make it to the park. After passing my circle, and consequently, the entrance to the park, we went around the block that's northeast of my house. Keep in mind, the roads still have not been plowed and I'm in about a foot of snow. Once again, I was flooring the gas and snow was being kicked up at all angles from below, as well as coming up and over the hood of my car. Could I see? Not so much. There were a few stop signs in the neighborhood, but since no cross-traffic was coming, I wasn't going to stop. Right before the last stop sign we came to, there was a rather large dip in the road, which I had forgotten was there, and obviously couldn't see. Let me tell ya, I think we got air! If we didn't, we at the very least, bounced really hard.

At this point, we're now back at the junction in the road where I can turn left into my circle or right into the park. We already established I wasn't making it up the hill, but could I even see the driveway to get into the park? No! So guess where we went? Down the road that heads west from my circle. Yeah, I know. I was going to turn into the little cul-de-sac a couple of houses down, but a big truck was coming and my car wasn't cooperating. I did make it to one of the neighbor's driveways that was plowed and sat there for a minute. By the way, as I'm trying to maneuver the car, my mom called. Also keep in mind, Odum is intermittently shrieking. We sat in the driveway for a minute so I could collect my thoughts and then my mom called back. Hello? Didn't I just tell you that I'm having an EXTREMLY DIFFICULT time driving, and you're calling again??? She suggested parking my car somewhere and she'd come pick us up in her Tahoe. I backed out of the driveway and got the car into the cul-de-sac across the street from where I was. And guess what? I left it there! Yep, in the snow bank, off to the side, away from anyone's driveway. Odum and I put our coats on, got my crap out of the back and started our trek.

Remember: nothing has been plowed at this point. We were both in our work clothes. I had boots on, but Odum was wearing his nice shoes. We decided it was better to walk down the middle of the road in the tire tracks than it would be to walk in a foot of snow. Then, naturally, another car came down the road and we had to get out of the way. Luckily, Cort Heiner's family and their neighbor had snow blowed their sidewalks so we were able to get through. At the end of the sidewalk though, where the park begins, the snow blower had stopped and we had to jump in. We walked for about 30 yards in a foot of snow until we got to the driveway across from my circle, then made our way across the street and up the hill. My mom and dad were mad because they said they'd come get us, but at that point, I told them it was just easier to walk.

So, the rest of the morning was spent shoveling, snow blowing and salting the driveway and sidewalks. Remember, my car is still in a snow bank down the road. It stayed there until about 3pm when Sandy City had plowed the parking lot at the park. Had they plowed my circle, hell no. But they plowed the park. I made an attempt to get my car up the hill at this point, but it was a no-go. So, I moved my car to the park parking lot, then went home and took a nap. At about 6pm my dad said they had finally plowed our circle and I went to bring my car home. I only had to attempt the hill once and I made it up successfully.

Kind of a boring story, I know, but I was honestly afraid to get in the car again for the rest of the day. I think I'll be seriously considering buying an SUV with 4wheel drive next time I get a car!