Thursday, October 27, 2005
The First Storm
As the Pastors & Spouses Retreat drew to a close on Tuesday, the lovely snowflakes began to fall. They were large and pretty dense but the temps were still warm enough to not cause us to worry. The blanket of snow began to collect on the vehicles and it was pretty to look at. Some of the pastors from the northern area of the district decided to start home. Even though we, too are in the northern area of the district, we decided to finish the retreat and then begin home.
As we got on the highway at 6:30 PM we discovered that the snow was not going away. It was already very thick on the roads and traffic was moving slowly. We kept going. The snow was coming down heavy enough to be bothersome to our eyes and actually looked like we were in a Star Trek episode with the flakes looking like the stars in warp 9 mode! We kept going.
We stopped at a rest area and there was a state trooper there. I asked his opinion about what route we should take to go home. He suggested that we should be ok to go back over the mountains through Lake Placid, the way we had come on Monday to the retreat. We asked if he was sure that would be ok, and he said it was a good bet.
As we pulled out of the rest area a plow truck pulled in and was cleaning off his headlights. Ken asked him his opinion and he said with alarm, "Stay off Route 73! It's a mess!" So we kept going north on I87.
As we looked around on the trees and the grass on the sides of the road we noticed how heavy the snow was laying on them. This storm wasn't going to let up soon. We kept going. We had to follow vehicles ahead of us to know where the road was, trusting that they wouldn't go off the road. We kept going.
I was praying quietly as Ken drove, and I had to cover my eyes at several places because of my nerves. I wasn't in control of the vehicle and occasionally it felt like he wasn't either! Ken began to pray out loud. He praised God for how awesome He is. He praised Him for the protection we had. We kept going.
After 2 hours on the road we had only gone 47 miles. Ken prayed for a motel. A motel with vacancies. We saw at exit 33 a sign for a hotel. We got off. So did the vehicle in front of us. We headed up a hill on a 2 lane road and slipped and struggled but made it. The we went sliding down the other side and began to ascend the next hill, a bigger one. As long as the vehicle in front of us kept moving, we felt we could, too.
As we went up the hill the jack-knifed tractor trailer came into view. The vehicle in front decided at that moment to stop and ask if the driver was ok. They stopped, so we stopped. They started going again, with 4-wheel drive, and we were stuck. Now here we are, in the left lane trying to go around the truck and we are stuck. Cars began to stop as they were coming down the hill in the lane we were in.
The driver of the first car got out to assist in pushing us out of the way, but not before he shared he opinion of the situation. We got the truck out of the way and the traffic went on. After a few moments of trying to move and discussing options, we decided to try to back down the hill. So that's what we did!
Ken walked behind (or in front) the truck as I backed it down the hill. We got to the bottom where it was flatter and began to attempt to turn the truck around. At that moment a plow truck came down the hill clearing enough snow away that I was able to get better traction in the left lane. We completed the turn around (a perfect 15-point turn!) and continued back the way we had come. We decided to stay off the highway and head for the town that was 4 miles north.
The snow on the road was at least 6-8 inches deep. The tires on the truck were pretty well past their life span. The combination wasn't very good. We got into the town of Keeseville and located a motel that had vacancies. The lady was very nice and the room was large and clean and had TV.
As we settled in and watched the news at 11 PM, we found out that the highway we had been on had been closed at the very exit we had gotten off of due to 2 tractor trailers jack-knifing. The road with the hill we had backed down was now also closed due to a tractor trailer. (not sure if it was the same one.) We praised God for His protection and guidance for making the right decision to get off the road.
When we called the kids to tell them we wouldn't be making it home that night, Cressalyn had a bit of a meltdown. I had her get the map out and talked her through our location, where we had come from, and the route we would be taking in the morning. It helped her to see where we were. She collected herself and was able to go on to bed.
It was difficult to really rest. Ken was still shaky a couple hours after we were at the motel. It was the worst driving conditions he's ever been in.
We began the journey home on Wednesday, Ken's 38th birthday, and discovered that only a few miles north and west it was as if there had been no snow! It was amazing!
We are glad to be home! The kids were glad to see us! Sasha was glad we were home! We are now going to be ready for the next storm to hit! We also know what we need to have in the truck with us all winter!
Today we went to Watertown and had new tires put on the truck. Whew!
As we got on the highway at 6:30 PM we discovered that the snow was not going away. It was already very thick on the roads and traffic was moving slowly. We kept going. The snow was coming down heavy enough to be bothersome to our eyes and actually looked like we were in a Star Trek episode with the flakes looking like the stars in warp 9 mode! We kept going.
We stopped at a rest area and there was a state trooper there. I asked his opinion about what route we should take to go home. He suggested that we should be ok to go back over the mountains through Lake Placid, the way we had come on Monday to the retreat. We asked if he was sure that would be ok, and he said it was a good bet.
As we pulled out of the rest area a plow truck pulled in and was cleaning off his headlights. Ken asked him his opinion and he said with alarm, "Stay off Route 73! It's a mess!" So we kept going north on I87.
As we looked around on the trees and the grass on the sides of the road we noticed how heavy the snow was laying on them. This storm wasn't going to let up soon. We kept going. We had to follow vehicles ahead of us to know where the road was, trusting that they wouldn't go off the road. We kept going.
I was praying quietly as Ken drove, and I had to cover my eyes at several places because of my nerves. I wasn't in control of the vehicle and occasionally it felt like he wasn't either! Ken began to pray out loud. He praised God for how awesome He is. He praised Him for the protection we had. We kept going.
After 2 hours on the road we had only gone 47 miles. Ken prayed for a motel. A motel with vacancies. We saw at exit 33 a sign for a hotel. We got off. So did the vehicle in front of us. We headed up a hill on a 2 lane road and slipped and struggled but made it. The we went sliding down the other side and began to ascend the next hill, a bigger one. As long as the vehicle in front of us kept moving, we felt we could, too.
As we went up the hill the jack-knifed tractor trailer came into view. The vehicle in front decided at that moment to stop and ask if the driver was ok. They stopped, so we stopped. They started going again, with 4-wheel drive, and we were stuck. Now here we are, in the left lane trying to go around the truck and we are stuck. Cars began to stop as they were coming down the hill in the lane we were in.
The driver of the first car got out to assist in pushing us out of the way, but not before he shared he opinion of the situation. We got the truck out of the way and the traffic went on. After a few moments of trying to move and discussing options, we decided to try to back down the hill. So that's what we did!
Ken walked behind (or in front) the truck as I backed it down the hill. We got to the bottom where it was flatter and began to attempt to turn the truck around. At that moment a plow truck came down the hill clearing enough snow away that I was able to get better traction in the left lane. We completed the turn around (a perfect 15-point turn!) and continued back the way we had come. We decided to stay off the highway and head for the town that was 4 miles north.
The snow on the road was at least 6-8 inches deep. The tires on the truck were pretty well past their life span. The combination wasn't very good. We got into the town of Keeseville and located a motel that had vacancies. The lady was very nice and the room was large and clean and had TV.
As we settled in and watched the news at 11 PM, we found out that the highway we had been on had been closed at the very exit we had gotten off of due to 2 tractor trailers jack-knifing. The road with the hill we had backed down was now also closed due to a tractor trailer. (not sure if it was the same one.) We praised God for His protection and guidance for making the right decision to get off the road.
When we called the kids to tell them we wouldn't be making it home that night, Cressalyn had a bit of a meltdown. I had her get the map out and talked her through our location, where we had come from, and the route we would be taking in the morning. It helped her to see where we were. She collected herself and was able to go on to bed.
It was difficult to really rest. Ken was still shaky a couple hours after we were at the motel. It was the worst driving conditions he's ever been in.
We began the journey home on Wednesday, Ken's 38th birthday, and discovered that only a few miles north and west it was as if there had been no snow! It was amazing!
We are glad to be home! The kids were glad to see us! Sasha was glad we were home! We are now going to be ready for the next storm to hit! We also know what we need to have in the truck with us all winter!
Today we went to Watertown and had new tires put on the truck. Whew!
// posted by Ken and Judy Davis @ 10/27/2005 10:25:00 PM 
