As the day of our departure for vacation nears, I've been plowing through my to-do list. It's been epic. Now, a good part of that is because there were some things I'd put off till after Christmas, but also because Lent begins two days after we return. So it was not only a matter of what had to be done while I was gone, but also what should be done so I didn't have to start working the moment our plane touched down at Dulles!
But, two weeks of intense to-do-list-ness later, I left the office Friday afternoon with a few things to do today, worship (and preaching) and our first one-session new member class Sunday, and then, well, packing and flying.
The snow was falling this morning as I headed into Frederick, but even the couple I was scheduled to do premarital counseling with canceling did not disuade me from at least knocking out a few errands for the trip. In fact, I reasoned that if I stayed in Frederick a bit longer, surely the roads would be better and cleared!
I wasn't even dissuaded by nearly being slammed into by a sliding pick-up truck. So, I ran my errands (driving gingerly), got gas (good call) and headed home. Sure, driving on 340 was slow, but I was surprised by the dearth (cool word) or cars slipped off the road. I can always count on Washington Co. roads crews to have Harpers Ferry Rd. cleared, so I knew if I could get to Keep Tryst Rd, then Harpers Ferry Rd., I'd be in good shape.
Well...you know what happens when you assume. By the time I made it to Lock 34 (still 3 miles from home), there was an accident and the road was completely closed. The fire fighter at the flares/turn to Hoffmaster Rd directed me to go up Hoffmaster Rd. But my 4WD Explorer was having none of that. A little sliding an a guard rail later, I was pinned against said guardrail, and the helpful firefighter has walked back (out of sight) to the wreck. After a concerned call to my husband, another fire fighter came back to attend to the flares and helped me get off the guardrail (in the end there was no more damage to the Explorer than if a shopping cart had hit the wheel well in a parking lot).
Now began the real fun. I made it back to Sandy Hook, where I sat, parked, for a half hour while my husband and our camp maintenance director conferred over my chances of getting home the long way (Scott, our maintenance director, had to drive that way to get to camp, so Chris had a better idea once Scott got to camp). Decision made, and with me practicing breathing techniques I learned in a book about how people survive crisis situations/disasters, I headed back to 340, and up 67.
I took it slow, and a few roads, turns and passing a number of slid-off-the-road vehicles later, I made it to the last and worst part of that drive--the long hill down and up past Sawmill Creek that comes to our driveway. By that point I was praying, singing (a song I learned as a kid, from Psalty, called "I Cast All My Cares Upon You")...and still practicing my breathing techniques, trying to stay calm. I can't tell you how anxiety-ridden I was at that point. I knew Scott had slipped there-and only slipped there. But 4WD is an incredible thing, and I kept the tires in snow instead of the half-plowed-now-freezing other lane.
And then there it was. Our driveway. Pulling in there was one of the best feelings in my life.
Okay, so this perhaps makes this whole drive sound a lot more epic than it was...but boy did it feel epic. It reminded me that for all our technology, mechanical genius and such, there are still times that weather predictions are WAY off, there's only so much a 4WD can help with, and sometimes, yes sometimes, the mountain will...just...win. It sure gave me a good whooping today.
Most of all, as my sister told me, Someone was certainly watching over me. A know (because I saw) that a lot of people were not as lucky today. I can only hope that a few banged up cars is the worst of it. Stay safe out there everyone!
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