Saturday, February 2, 2008

WINTER SCENES

Made a trip to Grand Rapids in a blizzard the other day and I am so glad I used the facilities before and during. WHEWWWWW!!! I believe I drove the entire route with fingers clenched so hard it would have taken a tire iron delicately utilized to peel them off the artificial leather or applied to my noggin until I lost consciousness. I also believe my butt did not sit firmly in the seat but instead was suspended about 3 inches above the seat-apparently that helps keep the car on the road. I am not questioning logic that worked!

You know that teeth baring grin that people display on roller coasters as they are spun sideways and upside down. Rather an attitude: I am really having fun; I am not scared; look I am smiling grimacing, screaming internally very very very loudly. Well that is probably the look on my face as I slid majestically past wrecked semi-tractors and tiny little cars that weigh, oh I don't know, maybe 200 lbs. Great on gas mileage but absolutely worthless in a bad weather driving situation. And those fancy 4-wheel drive and SUV monsters that roar past only to wave sadly to the less adventuresome from the ditches into which they have decided to take a scenic detour. Do not make eye contact or you will have to stop. Which, by the way, may not have been possible with the wind and generally icy pavement passing beneath my wheels.

Particularly exciting were the trucks perched on the side of a steep and curved piece of highway much like metallic traffic cones daring unwary drivers to attempt the newly created obstacle course. No doubt they sat in their cabs with stopwatches and clipboards rating both skill and timing as cars negotiated the "truck moguls" that appeared on our highway ski hill. Zero points of course awarded to the wipe-outs, spectacular as they may be.

I love Michigan! By the next afternoon I was cruising 75 miles per hour on the way back on dry pavement.

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