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anxiety
February 2008 
First Snow
Posted on Jan 29th, 2008
by 
Steve
Steve
The days of fog had lifted.
It was the first real test of the early winter.
In a span of 20 miles the 60 mph road changed into a snow covered question mark.
Stuck behind two vehicles ahead of me, I began to wonder if the rest of the day was to be like this. I had not been late for a long while. Not the end of the world to be late, but it is part of the goal for the day. The ditches were deep along this stretch. My tires were new. I was tempted. After a couple of fishtail incidents, one which I watched, one which I participated in, I decided that 35 would do just fine. Past experience had showed me the drivers in this stretch were pretty good.
Three hours into a two hour drive the snow came down harder. The area was different now, not as much snow was on the road. It was a more forgiving terrain and but worse drivers. There were 9 miles before the next stop. We were traveling at a rocketing 15 miles per hour. I knew we could do 40 easily. We were going to slow for the snow to blow off. It began to accumulate on the windshield, annoying.
The people in the area were heading home from work. They had not had the advantage of 2 ½ hours in this stuff. I was relaxed and confident, my sea legs were steady now. They were all seeing this for the first time this year. It was dark now. I was at the back of an eight vehicle convoy.
By now I was an hour late and about to lose another half an hour. I was tempted to start passing. We traveled a ways and one of the cars turned off to the right. Lucky devil, I thought, he’s made it home. I looked, he had turned into a farmers access to a field. He had bailed out, lost his nerve. That can happen, once it does, it happens more easily the next time.
As I drove that day, getting used to the mindset of the first snow, I kept thinking of your words to me. BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS. I listen to you, and I listen to the healing songs and sing with them, as is my way.
It was the first real test of the early winter.
In a span of 20 miles the 60 mph road changed into a snow covered question mark.
Stuck behind two vehicles ahead of me, I began to wonder if the rest of the day was to be like this. I had not been late for a long while. Not the end of the world to be late, but it is part of the goal for the day. The ditches were deep along this stretch. My tires were new. I was tempted. After a couple of fishtail incidents, one which I watched, one which I participated in, I decided that 35 would do just fine. Past experience had showed me the drivers in this stretch were pretty good.
Three hours into a two hour drive the snow came down harder. The area was different now, not as much snow was on the road. It was a more forgiving terrain and but worse drivers. There were 9 miles before the next stop. We were traveling at a rocketing 15 miles per hour. I knew we could do 40 easily. We were going to slow for the snow to blow off. It began to accumulate on the windshield, annoying.
The people in the area were heading home from work. They had not had the advantage of 2 ½ hours in this stuff. I was relaxed and confident, my sea legs were steady now. They were all seeing this for the first time this year. It was dark now. I was at the back of an eight vehicle convoy.
By now I was an hour late and about to lose another half an hour. I was tempted to start passing. We traveled a ways and one of the cars turned off to the right. Lucky devil, I thought, he’s made it home. I looked, he had turned into a farmers access to a field. He had bailed out, lost his nerve. That can happen, once it does, it happens more easily the next time.
As I drove that day, getting used to the mindset of the first snow, I kept thinking of your words to me. BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS. I listen to you, and I listen to the healing songs and sing with them, as is my way.
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