Mega-Storm Walk
A huge snowstorm is sweeping across Michigan. As it drew in, the forecasts became truly scary. Although the students at Wherever were hoping for a snow day (when don't they?), the storm wasn't going to arrive until late afternoon, so school was in full session.
I kept a nervous eye on the storm. I have a 50-minute commute and didn't want to get caught in it, and it was set to arrive not long after school got out. The moment I was able, I dashed out the door and sprinted for home. No sign of snow when I pulled off the highway in Ypsilanti, so I stopped at the store for a few things and encountered the usual pre-apocalyptic crowd of people who were convinced that their survival depended on grabbing every gallon of milk and loaf of bread they could get their hands on. I just wanted bananas and a frozen pizza so I wouldn't have to make supper!
The snow started just as I was pulling out of the store parking lot. Big, wet, sticky flakes.
Throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening, the snow really ramped up. It was BAD snow, thick as oatmeal. And we got a LOT of it and very quickly. I was glad to be at home!
Darwin, who doesn't go into the office on Fridays, and I had a nice, cozy meal while outside, the storm continued to gain strength. We saw lightening and heard crashes of thunder--thundersnow. This is a new phenomenon in Michigan, and exists thanks to climate change.
Then the lights flickered. They recovered, then flickered again, and then yet again. I dug out flashlights and candles, just in case, and immediately afterward, the flickering stopped. You're welcome, everyone!
At around 9:30, my phone blared with a message from the emergency messaging system. We were being advised not to drive, as the roads in the area were all but impassible. Wow.
It was too dark to see out the windows, and wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so I pulled on my heavy boots and my winter gear and headed outside for a good tromp.
The weather didn't disappoint. Wet snow swirled around, blown by a gusty wind. Every tree and limb was covered in white. The street in front of my house and the main road nearby were both nearly shin deep, and it packed into a slippery mess underfoot. No sign of a snowplow anywhere.
I tromped down to a dirt road leading to farm country. Everything was white and windy. A few ruts through the snow showed some people were foolish or desperate enough to drive. I heard sirens in the distance. The wind was powerful, but between my practical winter gear and the exercise, I was toasty warm. I wondered how someone from Hawaii would handle this.
Ahead of me was a pair of car headlights. As I got closer, it became clear they weren't moving. A bit closer, and it became clear the car was stuck. A woman was inside, tapping on her phone. My Midwestern helpfulness genes kicked in, and I approached. She didn't see me. I tapped lightly on the window, then stepped back so I wouldn't be looming over her. Startled, she rolled her window down.
"Do you need a push?" I said.
"I've called a tow truck," she replied.
"That'll probably take quite a while. I could give you a push and we could probably rock you out of here."
"No, thanks. This is the third time I've gotten stuck, and if I get back on the road, I'll just get stuck again. I'll wait for the truck so it can just take me home."
"Okay, then," I said with a wave. "Good luck!"
I tromped on.
At one point, I turned off the road and onto a sort-of trail that leads through a stand of pines. They're TALL, and at this moment, they were covered in snow that pull their branches downward. They stood like a line of white giants gearing up for war. The scene was both beautiful and eerie.
I wanted to see what the nearby graveyard looked like, but I noticed I was starting to feel a bit tired--walking through deep, wet snow is hard work--and I figured I'd better head back. It wouldn't be a good idea to exhaust myself and still have a mile or more to walk. So I turned around.
The lady and her car were still stuck, but just as I emerged from the trees, a tow truck bustled past and pulled up to her. The driver got out to do tow truck driver things and was industriously doing them when I arrived.
"Hey!" he said when he saw me. "How's it going?"
"Busy night for you, I'll bet," I observed.
"I'd way rather be home!"
And I continued on my way.
Finally I got back, a little wet, but not at all cold. A brisk Michigan walk! I made hot chocolate and toasted some home made bread and celebrated being warm and inside again.
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I kept a nervous eye on the storm. I have a 50-minute commute and didn't want to get caught in it, and it was set to arrive not long after school got out. The moment I was able, I dashed out the door and sprinted for home. No sign of snow when I pulled off the highway in Ypsilanti, so I stopped at the store for a few things and encountered the usual pre-apocalyptic crowd of people who were convinced that their survival depended on grabbing every gallon of milk and loaf of bread they could get their hands on. I just wanted bananas and a frozen pizza so I wouldn't have to make supper!
The snow started just as I was pulling out of the store parking lot. Big, wet, sticky flakes.
Throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening, the snow really ramped up. It was BAD snow, thick as oatmeal. And we got a LOT of it and very quickly. I was glad to be at home!
Darwin, who doesn't go into the office on Fridays, and I had a nice, cozy meal while outside, the storm continued to gain strength. We saw lightening and heard crashes of thunder--thundersnow. This is a new phenomenon in Michigan, and exists thanks to climate change.
Then the lights flickered. They recovered, then flickered again, and then yet again. I dug out flashlights and candles, just in case, and immediately afterward, the flickering stopped. You're welcome, everyone!
At around 9:30, my phone blared with a message from the emergency messaging system. We were being advised not to drive, as the roads in the area were all but impassible. Wow.
It was too dark to see out the windows, and wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so I pulled on my heavy boots and my winter gear and headed outside for a good tromp.
The weather didn't disappoint. Wet snow swirled around, blown by a gusty wind. Every tree and limb was covered in white. The street in front of my house and the main road nearby were both nearly shin deep, and it packed into a slippery mess underfoot. No sign of a snowplow anywhere.
I tromped down to a dirt road leading to farm country. Everything was white and windy. A few ruts through the snow showed some people were foolish or desperate enough to drive. I heard sirens in the distance. The wind was powerful, but between my practical winter gear and the exercise, I was toasty warm. I wondered how someone from Hawaii would handle this.
Ahead of me was a pair of car headlights. As I got closer, it became clear they weren't moving. A bit closer, and it became clear the car was stuck. A woman was inside, tapping on her phone. My Midwestern helpfulness genes kicked in, and I approached. She didn't see me. I tapped lightly on the window, then stepped back so I wouldn't be looming over her. Startled, she rolled her window down.
"Do you need a push?" I said.
"I've called a tow truck," she replied.
"That'll probably take quite a while. I could give you a push and we could probably rock you out of here."
"No, thanks. This is the third time I've gotten stuck, and if I get back on the road, I'll just get stuck again. I'll wait for the truck so it can just take me home."
"Okay, then," I said with a wave. "Good luck!"
I tromped on.
At one point, I turned off the road and onto a sort-of trail that leads through a stand of pines. They're TALL, and at this moment, they were covered in snow that pull their branches downward. They stood like a line of white giants gearing up for war. The scene was both beautiful and eerie.
I wanted to see what the nearby graveyard looked like, but I noticed I was starting to feel a bit tired--walking through deep, wet snow is hard work--and I figured I'd better head back. It wouldn't be a good idea to exhaust myself and still have a mile or more to walk. So I turned around.
The lady and her car were still stuck, but just as I emerged from the trees, a tow truck bustled past and pulled up to her. The driver got out to do tow truck driver things and was industriously doing them when I arrived.
"Hey!" he said when he saw me. "How's it going?"
"Busy night for you, I'll bet," I observed.
"I'd way rather be home!"
And I continued on my way.
Finally I got back, a little wet, but not at all cold. A brisk Michigan walk! I made hot chocolate and toasted some home made bread and celebrated being warm and inside again.
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