Travel Update

So, for those of you who may not know, I had plans to drive to Portland on Monday to spend a week before flying out to see B&J. And then the weather hit. On Monday, I-5 was closed north of Yreka because Siskyou pass is at, oh, 4300 feet and it was a bit snowy. Up until I left on Tuesday morning (and so was unable to check CalTran info), chains were required on those last 10 miles of California. I hit the road anyway, prepared for the worst, but hoping I have a window of opportunity.

I make it though fine. No chains required. Roads clear. A little slush the last 10 miles, but soft, mostly-gone, and sand-filled slush. All fine. I think I've got smooth-sailing to Eugene. (Where I planned to spend the night, because even "clear" roads can develop black ice after sunset.) And then I hit the snow.

Ergh. Oregon did a bad job clearing sections of I-5. There was a good 10 miles worth of hardened ice about 30 miles south of Eugene (at Cottage Grove, if you're playing along on Google Maps). I was going a good 5mph. The last 30 miles, which should have been about 20-30 minutes worth of driving, turned into an hour and a half. And then Eugene roads weren't much better.

Now they're calling for more snow and rain today. I could probably make it through. Actually, I probably could have if I had left at 6am, but I was asleep at 6am. And the roads were crappy yesterday and it's been nothing but cold. The precip is due to start falling at any time, and I really don't want to get caught out in I-5 in nowhere-ville when it hits. Sure, I can drive in the stuff -- all those winters in Maine come in handy, but I also know enough to know that I don't have snow tires on my car, and that does make a difference. I also know that all the SUVers out there insist that they CAN drive in snow just because they have an SUV. I do have chains, and I do know how to use them, but they are a pain in the ass. And if I learned one thing from M&D (besides to watch out for the drunks and fools), it's that discretion is the better part of valor where snow is concerned; or, it doesn't take much to become a "fool" yourself.

So, I'm sitting in my friend's duplex in Eugene. (She is also a reader of this blog. Hey M! You're the best!) Gonna kick it here to today, see what tomorrow brings. NOAA is saying more snow, athough yesterday it was supposed to be clear tomorrow, so obviously the weather system is a bit fickle.

Well, at least I'm not sitting on my couch in Salinas. It's really boring there. And I am save and alive with no recent accidents to my credit. I'm just 100 miles from where I was planning on being.