My Christmas Eve task is over, now it’s time to spend three days relaxing and enjoying the presence of my gals.
Christmas morning rolled around and as is so typical, I’m the first one up. In my normal household setting it’s no issue for me to get my coffee brewing and fire up the MacBook to check email and other things online. But today, at this apartment, Geoana is still snoozing in the living room area so I extra-quietly start my first K-cup and surreptitiously fill the two stockings waiting under the tree. (In my last entry I neglected to mention that after the offloading Geogal assembled our Christmas tree. We’ve had this artificial arbor for a few years now and given I had plenty of room for cargo it was no problem for me to bring it along so the Minnesota apartment could have more of the Christmas feel.)
Finally everyone’s up and we enjoy emptying the stockings. No wrapped “presents” this year, given the whirlwind nature of my journey and the stress of maintaining two households, if only for a short time. I suggested, with tongue-in-cheek, we have our Christmas gift exchange in early June, at which time we hope much of the dust will have cleared. Geoana’s response indicated my spouse and I should just “go away somewhere” for our Yuletide present. (Should that happen, I vote for Nashville.)
After church and the midday Christmas meal (ham with all the trimmings) the afternoon and evening felt, to me, a bit odd. Not so much that I was not at “home” but rather the feeling of being cooped-up and subsequently restless. “Not to worry,” I kept telling myself: “Tomorrow you will have the chance to get out and see some of this town.”
And I did. On Thursday Geogal and I (plus our 18-year-old home-from-college child) met with our buyer’s agent, who took us through a couple of houses for sale and added in a leisurely tour of the area. Friday the Geofamily went to Baxter and spent some money at Mills Fleet Farm then when evening hit Geogal and I had an early anniversary celebration meal at A.T. The Black & White. I recommend the almond-encrusted walleye sandwich—to die for!!
Then Saturday arrives and with it, time for me to hit the highway back to Kansas. I’m scheduled to return to work on Monday and wanted the extra day to relax and do laundry.
I planned to depart just as soon as I awakened which for me is always early. Sure enough, I leave at 4:30 a.m. I’m taking a different route this time given a winter storm is predicted to cause some concern for roads in the western part of the state. Take 10 to St. Cloud then meet I-94 to The Cities. From there on south it’s I-35, much to my dismay. While there’s nothing wrong or objectionable about 35 I have traveled it so many times the past six years it now has a boring sameness.
The starting leg proves to be no problem. Gas up at Petro in St. Cloud, then it’s accelerate to interstate highway speed. In my headlights I see very small snowflakes. However once I pass Rogers the light snow turns into rain. Then the rain begins freezing on my windshield. Hit the washer fluid to clear my sight. Intersect I-494, which I plan to take around the west edge of the metro area to avoid unnecessary city traffic, even at this early hour.
Then my plan hit a snag. Or should I say a slide. As in my Suburban beginning to lose traction and slightly move in directions against my desire.
Nice way to phrase my immediate concern (actually closer to terror) with the road conditions. Seems the pavement was just cold enough to turn the rain into a skating rink. I’m proud to say I kept my head, eased off on the accelerator and then carefully and slowly took the next off ramp, hoping there would be a 24-hour restaurant specializing in breakfast. You know—Perkins, IHOP or even Denny’s. Unfortunately this exit offered only a Holiday gas station/convenience store. I settle for a banana and a protein bar and grab my library books to pass the time. Again, another benefit of a Suburban is the large interior space meaning I can recline my seat to a non-driving position while I wait to see what will happen both meteorologicaly and road-wise. Will crews be out with salt or other types of treatment? If so, when?
I also remind myself, for the first of several times this day, that I’m so thankful to not be pulling a U-Haul trailer.
Fortunately the rain stops yet the temperature remains around 29 degrees. After an hour the sky is dawning and I decide to head out and see if I can make progress.
Back on 494 I notice the vehicles in front are kicking up what looks like slush. All right! If I drive slow and stay in the already-traveled lanes I might just get through this. Then another mile or two I see numerous taillights in the distance.
That can only mean an accident ahead. I decide to stay on the road and just endure the wait, however long it takes. Being surrounded by other cars and trucks easily eliminates my feelings of loneliness but I’m starting to get restless by sitting in this traffic.
Getting through the bottleneck (turns out it wasn’t an accident but rather several larger trucks having lost traction on a slight grade which blocked about three lanes) takes between 75 and 90 minutes. Finally I’m through and again making progress on 494. Still taking it slow and steady I reach the I-35W junction in about 15 minutes. South on 35W was much the same and I kept telling myself that once I cleared Burnsville and the 35E split the conditions might improve as I’d be leaving the metro area.
Sometimes you get what you hope for! I pull off at the rest area south of Owatonna for a potty and stretch-the-legs interlude. Checking the weather app on my phone I see that my direction calls for rain but not snow. Yes!
During the next few miles the ice even on the road shoulders lessens. Crossing into Iowa I decide my next stop will be Ames. To keep my mind occupied I listen to the Camping World Bowl, hearing Iowa State get bested by Notre Dame. Once in Ames I decide to splurge on lunch and go to Five Guys. When you’re mentally and physically tired sometimes there’s no beating a hearty burger and fries!!
Re-energized, it’s back to 35 and finish up Iowa. Weather continued to be a mixed bag of heavy rain, light rain and medium rain. No matter—still beats ice.
Next state is Missouri and I decide instead of skirting the northern edge of KC and taking the Kansas Turnpike I will exit at Cameron and go west on U.S. 36 until it intersects K-99, then head south through Frankfort, retracing the route I took on the 24th.
36 is a well-maintained four lane highway all the way to St. Joe, which is good because that is when the sky decided to open up and drop massive sheets of rain on this part of the Show-Me State. Visibility is extremely poor for a stretch and now daylight is diminishing.
Yet my fear of heavy rain combined with darkness never becomes reality. Crossing into Kansas I’m able to keep the road in sight with minimal effort and after Hiawatha there are patches of fog but no further raindrops.
Even though I know it’s coming I had to wonder if I would ever reach Highway 99. Of course it arrives just as it should and I know I’ve hit the homestretch. The road is in decent condition as the temp is above freezing yet the fog still comes and goes. Passing by Rock Creek High School I encountered a big patch of pea soup.
Then finally…it’s home. Familiar subdivision and I feel as if I’m on autopilot.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see my front door. I text Geogal that I made it and unload only what I need for tonight from the Suburban. All the rest can wait ‘till tomorrow.
I also joked (via text to my wife) that I was ready for a belt of whiskey. While I did pour myself a small amount from a bottle of Buffalo Trace (one of my birthday presents), I chose to sip the libation rather than gulp it down.
Stats for this day: Total time on the road—15 hours. Distance—662 miles.
No one had to rock me to sleep that night.
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