Let's start with the latest installment of Greyarea's Fun With Winter Driving Conditions. (an earlier installment can be found here, at the bottom)

So, December 26th, it came to pass that Junko and I left Las Vegas at around 4 am and drove north. She was driving. Her driving aggravated me as usual, but it was a rental car and only she was authorized to drive the thing. Besides, I really hadn't gotten enough sleep to be driving.

After some time, we found ourselves at or around Scipio, Utah. The roads were covered with ice, and it was snowing intermittently. The car began to slide. Junko responded inappropriately, and the car began to slide more. Suddenly we were approximately perpendicular to the direction we wanted to be traveling, moving rapidly towards the median area between the northbound and southbound lanes. We smashed over one of the metal reflecting posts and slid further down a slope, finally coming to a stop.

We weren't hurt at all. Fortunately we had only been going about 30 mph when we started sliding, and we didn't collide with anything solid. I tried to open my door to get a look at what if any damage was caused by hitting the reflector post (it hit my side of the car), but I couldn't open it due to a pile up of mud and snow on that side.

Then I called AAA (that's the third time in three years I've used their roadside assistance- it's a good thing to have, kids!) and someone came out and dragged us back on the road and we continued our journey. There was a pretty good sized dent in the car, but fortunately Junko had paid extra to insure it, so she won't have to pay for the damages.

I remember the moment when I realized we were sliding off, watching as we moved inexorably towards that unlucky post. What I felt, actually, was nothing other than a profound sense of resignation. "Well... Okay then. Guess we're sliding off. Just have to deal with it." I was not frightened or anxious. I'm pretty proud of that. Of course, I also did not feel I was in any imminent danger and it turns out I wasn't. So I don't know if this serenity would show itself again in a more dangerous situation. But anyway, I was calm throughout everything, and I think I helped Junko stay calm, as well. That's good, I think.

I ended up flying back to Vegas, and found that it had actually snowed here the very morning I arrived. There's still a little left, actually.

Eh, you know what? Let's end here.

Let's just hope I don't die in a terrorist attack tonight, hmm?

Though I guess it's bound to happen eventually. My dying, that is. Oh well! It'll happen when it happens. Nothing to get hung about, if you know what I mean.

till then,

greyarea

Diaryland