Don’t go toe-to-toe with winter weather

Though I’m writing this on a balmy 40-degree Monday night, chances are we will be waist-high in snow by the time these words reach printed paper. Winter is heaving her last sighs, and for at least this week we have to deal with icy temps, chilled extremities and snow-packed roads.

If you’re like me and have been born and raised in the Midwest, you’re no stranger to winters like these. When hills and roads pile with the dreaded white stuff, we don’t blink an eye. Instead we defrost our windows, turn on our 4-wheel drive and show the snow who’s boss. We know when we’re in dangerous conditions, but we also know how to handle ourselves, so our worries are minimal.

I had this mindset as I was leaving Cheyenne, Wyoming, last Friday night after a day of Captain Marvel and shopping with my boyfriend and his brother. When the rain started to freeze I was concerned, but I knew if we left soon we’d be all right. What I didn’t know was that the interstate was already coated with icy slush. The conditions worsened as we drove, and it quickly became apparent that we were not in a good situation. I was white-knuckling the steering wheel and going 35 in what’s normally a 70 mph roadway, and even that seemed too fast. Visibility was reduced because of the freezing rain, and slush was piling up faster than I could handle. 

I hit a skid of ice and felt my steering wheel move without my control. I tried to correct myself but I over-corrected, sending us spinning into the other lane. There was no time to scream, or even blink; the only thing I felt was my heart thudding and my brain telling me we were about to die.

My car came to a stop in the median, resting just a few feet off side of the left lane. Just as we stopped, a semi came barreling through that same lane. If we had only been a few feet closer to the road, we would have been hit.

With the exception of a few frazzled nerves, we were all unharmed. A quick inspection of the car showed that it, too, was fine, and within minutes a man from Scottsbluff came and helped get us out of the ditch. My boyfriend took over the wheel after that, and what was normally a one-hour drive took us three. 

Through what I believe was divine intervention, we made it home safely. I learned many things in that drive and had my faith strengthened, but above all I was reminded that winter weather is not to be taken lightly. When we place ourselves in the elements, we are not completely in control anymore, and it’s up to us to recognize what we can handle.

In the days and weeks to come, I know we will still be dealing with winter’s effects. Use good judgment when it comes to going outside and traveling in this weather. Check the forecast before you go anywhere, and prepare adequately. Take it from a Nebraska Sandhills girl who learned the hard way.