All this wintry weather got me thinking back on my driving experiences through bad weather once upon a time. When I was going to Lassen College in Susanville, I took off for Christmas break in 1968 to go to my parents, who were living in Stockton at the time The roads were covered with snow all the way down Highway 395 to Reno, where I got onto Interstate 80 to cross over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I was driving my old 1963 Ford pickup with a 6 cylinder engine, no 4 wheel drive, before the days of cell phones, leaded gasoline and bald tires with chains on the rear tires. When I got up on Donner Summit the snow was so deep it had to be hauled out by trucks because the snow blowers could no longer blow it over the berm that must have been 20 to 30 feet high. About this time my engine started sputtering and finally died. It was snowing hard as I sat in my truck with no heat thinking this is the end. All of a sudden a tow truck pulled up in front of me and started hooking my truck up. When I got in the tow truck I asked the driver how he knew I was there. He said that is all he did during the storms was drive the summit looking for stranded vehicles. He took me to a nearby gas station where he poured a can of fluid in the gas tank that would prevent vapor lock in the carburetor. It worked, the engine started back up and off I went on my merry way.
On another occasion while going to Lassen College in the winter of 1969, is when I was driving over Fredonya Pass, between Westwood and Susanville on Highway 36, when I lost control going downhill and purposely drove into the snow bank on the uphill side of the highway to avoid going off the road on the downhill side. A few minutes later a state snow plow truck came by and pulled me out.
One of the most terrifying experiences was driving over the passes between Canyonville and Grants Pass on Interstate 5 in a snow storm in the late 1990's in my 1994 Ford Escort wagon with poor visibility, packed snow and no tire chains. It was a white knuckle experience gripping the steering wheel I will never forget.
Now a days just the thought of driving in the snow is out of the question. Home by the fire is the place for me now.
In areas where there is regular snow and ice, people seem much more able to tolerate and handle the situation. Some of us valley and metro Oregonians just don't have enough experience or training to deal with it. I'm with you, Mike. Stay home, warm & dry ... and don't venture out unless you absolutely have to! And if you do have to go out, be prepared, have survival equipment, and please drive slowly and defensively!
ReplyDeleteYes Mike, do what Joe says. We prayed for snow, & someone must have hit the extreme button. A little sun would be nice. Be Careful Mike
ReplyDeleteI have lots of snow driving experiences including doing 360's in the middle of the interstate and once on a bridge in Minneapolis when my Dad was driving. The only thing I am driving for the next few days is my recliner!
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing these amazing memories!!
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