{"id":10085,"date":"2020-01-28T12:42:35","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T20:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mvlresort.com\/?p=10085"},"modified":"2022-01-07T16:15:00","modified_gmt":"2022-01-08T00:15:00","slug":"stuck-unprepared-with-my-baby-and-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mvlresort.com\/2020\/01\/28\/stuck-unprepared-with-my-baby-and-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"Stuck, Unprepared, WITH my baby and dog"},"content":{"rendered":"

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AKA\u2026\u00a0 Winter Driving \u2013 problem solved!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Read on for a great story OR scroll to the bottom for Quick Tips and Links<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Are you one of those people who are terrified of winter driving?\u00a0 Just the thought of what MIGHT happen brings cold sweats to your brow?\u00a0 Well, not me.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 I was that person who felt like superwoman. Yep, invincible.\u00a0 I could handle anything.\u00a0 You know that person; young and knows everything?\u00a0 Uh, huh.\u00a0 That was me.<\/p>\n

Until I learned my lesson.\u00a0 The hard way.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

We lived high up<\/strong> in the mountains of South Western Colorado; the tiny remote town of Telluride.\u00a0 Population approximately 1000.\u00a0 I drove our 1979 Mercury Capri, in the snow, without chains all the time.\u00a0 I put on the chains when I needed them.\u00a0 It was fun and it was easy.<\/p>\n

One Christmas Day,<\/strong> I set out with my 3-month-old baby and our dog to a lovely Christmas party.\u00a0 I was dressed in jeans with a coat.\u00a0 I was wearing tennis shoes.\u00a0 I had a diaper bag.\u00a0 The Champagne, of course, and some gifts.\u00a0 My baby was in his car seat covered with a his blanket.\u00a0 And, I always had my chains with me.\u00a0 I took the road I had always known to go.\u00a0 Right up the hill past the new airport that they had just started to build.\u00a0 It was closed due to the holiday.\u00a0 It was a beautiful winter day.<\/p>\n

And then the snow got deep.<\/strong>\u00a0 I didn\u2019t even think about whether it had been plowed\u2026 or IF it would even BE plowed.\u00a0 I was several miles from town, up on an unmaintained back-road by then.\u00a0 We went that way in summer; why not winter?!\u00a0 I stopped, got out my chains, and set to work.\u00a0 I tried rocking the car, going forward and backwards.\u00a0 That car was NOT going to budge.\u00a0 I even tried to push it myself.\u00a0 Digging just got me in deeper.\u00a0 No way, Jose!\u00a0 And, of course, no cell phones in 1986.<\/p>\n

I packed up my baby,<\/strong> wrapped him in his blanket, grabbed the bag and my dog, and set off back down the snowy road.\u00a0 No backpack, no frontpack, just my arms for everything.\u00a0 It was cold, but I was on a survival mission at that point.\u00a0 At one point, I fell.\u00a0 It\u2019s amazing how our instincts kick in.\u00a0 I spun to my back and both mama and baby were no worse for the wear and tear.\u00a0 My little guy was a happy baby but he needed to eat, too.\u00a0 What about diapers?\u00a0 I followed the side road down to the airport under construction thinking that there must at least be a phone booth.\u00a0 I was close! Or so I thought.<\/p>\n

Nope<\/strong>.\u00a0 Nothing.\u00a0 Closed up and locked tight.\u00a0 No phone booth.\u00a0 But I found an open electrical closet under construction and ducked in.\u00a0 Fed him and changed him and set back out on our way. \u00a0\u00a0It was a little reprieve for us both.<\/p>\n

It was getting dark now.<\/strong>\u00a0 I started to worry about coyotes or wolves, thinking that my dog would either scare them off or attract them.\u00a0 But I was glad to have his company.\u00a0 My baby went to sleep in my arms bundled inside my coat and I continued on.<\/a>\u00a0 Eventually, I reached the highway and, for the only time in my life, I put out my thumb.\u00a0 After two cars passed a woman holding a baby with a dog on the deserted side of the road in the snow, a person stopped and we got a ride back into town on that dark, cold Christmas night.<\/p>\n

People were out searching for us.\u00a0 We were all over the radio. We\u2019d made it back.\u00a0 But I was changed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll still find me ready to set out on a snowy adventure, AND you can bet I\u2019m prepared!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Winter Driving \u2013 problem solved!<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s very crowed over on the West Side of the mountains, but over here on the East Side we travel with ease, mostly.\u00a0 The DOT takes really good care of the mountain passes and our highways in Washington State, and Chelan County takes good care of the county roads.\u00a0 In addition, Lake Chelan folks out here are used to driving in the snow and under somewhat treacherous conditions.\u00a0 The experience allows us to be less fearful, less reactive and more prepared.\u00a0 This makes it easier for all of us; YOU included!<\/p>\n

BUT, be prepared!\u00a0 Here is my list of \u201cNever Leave Without\u2019s:\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n