Well, just having returned from Hot Springs, AK yesterday, just in time to be caught on the road in this season's hardest showfall, the issue of my antennas has become seriously moot.

There's at least three feet of snow on the roof at present.

I had just taken over driving to relieve a friend who's been traveling with me when less than a mile down the road the vehicle I was carefully keeping in sight suddenly disappeared from view! We were instantly enveloped in a "whiteout!" I loudly exclaimed "I can't see!" The next thing I know we found ourselves stopped in the center grass median throughly stuck in a snow bank.

We tried calling several tow companies, but their response was that the Illinois State Police were forbidding any recovery vehicles from operating on I67 until conditions improved. We also called 911 to report our distress and within a half-hour a truly kind State Trooper stopped and offered us a ride back to a Denny's, who had graciously offered to act as an emergency storm shelter, which we gladly accepted. Obviously, we weren't the only victims of the horrible weather. The staff provided us with coffee and allowed us to order anything on the menu at no charge! What a wonderful gesture that was. While riding back with the Trooper, I noted that we were far from the only ones who suddenly found theyselves off the road, many of whom had serious damage to their vehicles!

There was a Jeep parked in the lot that was obviously set up for off-road recovery, what with a winch on the front bumper as well as a tow strap. The owner was having lunch with his eight year old grandson. He was a fellow Army veteran within our same age and service group. We offered to pay him $100 cash to pull my car back onto the Interstate. About a half-hour later conditions improved so he gave us a ride in his Jeep and did finally manage to get us pulled out of the snow bank. Meanwhile the same Trooper showed up and provided our new friend with a block while he worked. A kind big-rig trucker provided additional blocking during the recovery, so our hero had the entire four lanes of the highway at his disposal.

After getting us back on the pavement, he refused to take our money and simply said "Pay it forward to another in need, and that we could repay him in heaven if we wished. Ultimately, what should have been a 11 hour drive turned into a 22 hour drive. I believe we only managed to average about 20 miles per hour to complete our return to Hammond, IN.

Luckily, the snow bank protected my car from any damage. Conditions haven't improved all that much yet, so we are a bit concerned about us driving back to my new home in Arkansas day after tomorrow with all my earthly possessions.

My god Bill what a horrific journey. Thankfully you are safe.

We are so spoilt in the British Isles. Yes, in some locations we can get hefty snowfalls but nothing like you experience. And now I'm in the Channel islands, much further south, snow is very rare indeed. 

 

 

 

What a lovely story, Bill. Despite the horrendous situation that you found yourselves in, it is heart warming to hear about all of the selfless help that you were given.

It's nice to see that good people still exist - they just never get the coverage.  Glad you and your friend are okay!

Whiteouts are scary - but a fact of life for us "northerners"...  

Glad you made it okay. Very rough out there. Freezing rain here, and stuck at home for now in the safe zone.Bunkie is right, There are some wonderful folks out there during times like these.

Thankfully, I was only driving around 15 miles per hour when the car left the pavement, otherwise we'd likely not been so fortunate!

Bill -  Sounds like you picked a heck of a time to move.

  When I was a kid, my mom took us kids to stay with some of her friends and, while we were there, they took us to an outdoor play thats quite the local legend I understand. You might want to be on the lookout for it.  a Passion play I believe.  It was very well done when I saw it decades ago.  

3 hours ago, sightseer said:

You might want to be on the lookout for it.  a Passion play I believe.

Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to check it out.

As for the timing, all of January was snow-free and sunny. Thus far, February not so much... <sigh>

Winter finally hit Roswell Fr. Bill.  It was only 7 degrees this morning and we got about an inch of snow.  It did get up to 26 this afternoon and the snow is mostly gone.  It doesn't melt here, it sublimates in our low humidity.  It was our first (and probably last) snow of the season.

Noel

 

9 hours ago, n4gix said:

Thankfully, I was only driving around 15 miles per hour when the car left the pavement, otherwise we'd likely not been so fortunate!

There is a reward Fr. Bill for all those prayers over the years!  Glad you came out OK!

2 hours ago, birdguy said:

It was our first (and probably last) snow of the season.

I was astonished when I saw just how big this storm was. It extended from the far southwest on a diagonal through Indiana and all the way up to the New England area!

3 minutes ago, n4gix said:

I was astonished when I saw just how big this storm was. It extended from the far southwest on a diagonal through Indiana and all the way up to the New England area!

And it is not over by any means!

The full length of Illinois was encompassed by Winter Storm Landon. We had just entered Illinois on I-57 when our adventure began.  Total snowfall in NW Indiana was 16" that fell in less than 24 hours.

It's been a weird winter.  For the second year now we have not been getting our share of snow.  It snowed a bit overnight here but it's just about all gone now.  According to Weather Underground we are starting a warm up for the next ten days.

But the Midwest and the Atlantic Coast are catching hell.  

Pauxitawny Pete saw his shadow yesterday so you have six more weeks of it.  Maybe we do too.  Go figure.

Noel

Glad to hear you are safe, be careful winter moves are always hard. I used to say I know that it is going to be snowing on the 15 of next month, because that is my moving day. Doesn't matter what day you pick to move in the winter rest assured it's going to snow