Rider on the Storm

Shelly%20in%20Salt%20Lake%20City.jpgA winter road trip sure is fun! Although I was supposed to be in Yellowstone this evening, I am hunkered down in Idaho Falls for the night hoping the Mormons won't take offense at the Darwin fish on my car. This morning I awoke to 14F temperatures and brushed roughly five inches of snow off my Subaru. Favorite accessory on the new car--windshield wiper defrosters!

After leaving Cedar City, it took me about an hour to drive out of the storm. Jim Morrison, Billy Collins, and U2 provided me with good company. Salt Lake City had clear skies--a brief reprieve. I met Shelly, YA staff and friend who was visiting her brother, for an enormous lunch at Marie Callendar's. I'm lucky that passenger vehicles don't have to stop at weigh stations or I would have been cited for a heavy load after my gluttonous meal (Shelly ate a lot as well).

Car%20Wash%20Girl.jpgSince my black car now appeared white from driving through miles of snow and dirt, Shelly and I decided to give it a makeover. What a smart idea--washing one's car in 25F weather! At least it stayed clean for a couple of hours, when I encountered the next snowstorm in Idaho. After passing three accidents, I decided to call it a night.

Perhaps I am just trying to psyche myself up for my new winter-centric existence, but driving past snow covered mountains and expansive valleys of white evoked a wonderful meditative peace. I had forgotten the sublime beauty of true winter.

Wish me luck tomorrow on the final stage--the forecast calls for 4-12 inches of snow in Idaho. My 'New England driving in crappy weather' upbringing will definitely come in handy.