Ok. I apparently haven't updated since I was at the truckstop in Cross Plains, Tennessee.

Well this is going to be a rather long entry.  I got up that morning, looked at a blanket of snow on the parking lot, but wasn't about to not at least get ou there on the Interstate and see what's going on.  

It was actually not that bad.  Yes there was sludge on the road, snow on the side, but it wasn't icy so I went with it.  It started snowing somewhere outside of Nashville and it was making the windshield clog up with sludge.  

I don't even remember to be honest where the real nasty stuff started and the highways were covered in snow and ice, but I drove hundreds of miles through that nastiness.  At slow speeds, I knew I wasn't making it home that day - two days ago/Monday.  I passed 100 cars and trucks stuck on the side of the highway or had slid off the highway into the center median.  

Even a snow plow had slid out and state Troopers had shut down the passing lane, apparently waiting for a wrecker to come pull him out.  When I saw that, I started thinking about whether I really wanted to drive in this stuff. I've never seen a snow plow like that before.  They're usually weighted down with salt in the bed and off road style tires that have better grip on snowy/icy roads.

But, I kept going. It was miserable driving.  Just on edge the entire time, I wanted to go home but how bad did I need to get home versus fighting with this weather, driving conditions and traffic?  Well, I drove out my 8 hours, I didn't want to stop but it's a mandatory rest stop for 30 minutes.  The exits were covered in snow and I could only imagine what the truck stops must look like.

I was right.  JJ's truck stop near Little Rock, Arkansas was a horror.  It's a huge place but it's not paved.  The entry ways were covered in ice and snow.  A truck had jack knifed trying to get into the place.  Trucks were having a pickle of a time getting out of the parking lot.  Seeing all of that changed nothing for me, I had to stop, I had no choice.  Well I got in there easy enough, started pulling up a  hill and right at the top I had seen an empty spot to pull in.

As luck would have it, 2 people went trudging through the snow right when I was going to pull in - walked right in front of, I had to stop.  Stopping meant losing momentum, and of course I got stuck.  So, I backed all the way down the hill, looked at my clock and just stopped there.  Out of the way, I took my break there. Half an hour later, I was ready to roll, trying to at least make it back to the Texas state line where I know several places I could stop.  

The brakes were frozen.  In just that short period of time, the brakes stuck to the drums and rotors.  I knew I'd be stuck there for a long time. The place has a shop - but it was closed.  I talked to our mechanic who said try this and that - none of that worked but I tried for 2 hours anyway.  After that, I got a hold of our company's road repair line.  After giving them all the info, I went into the store again. I had gone in earlier for a cuppa when I had first pulled in there and told them I was stuck there, sorry, I'm trying to get someone out to fix the brakes.

Well, when I went in the second time, they were on the phone with a mechanic company.  They then informed me that they don't allow "outside" repair companies on their property, they only allow the shop that they authorize.  Whatever, I don't really care who fixes the thing.  They offered me a free cup of coffee, asked me to please not get mad at them for forcing the issue.  I didn't really care. At that point, I'm on break down pay and those brakes freezing up in that icy cold weather was none of my doings.  I told them as such - I'm getting paid good money to do nothing, I don't care how long it takes, I was resolved that I was probably not leave there that day.

It was hours before that showed up.  By then, it was night time, the temp outside was in the teens and it was cold.  But, they got out there and started beating on all the brake drums and the rotors.  When that didn't work they brought out a torch and started heating everything up.  An hour plus of that they finally got the brakes to release, only to find that I was stuck.  It wasn't even that deep, maybe 3 inches, but it was solid ice and my tires just sat there and spun.  It wouldn't rock, it wouldn't do anything.

So, they took their truck, hooked a winch up to it and with my putting the truck in gear and them pulling it, the truck broke free.  I backed all the way off that hill, got moving and rolled up it this time clearing the top. The only place left to park was in a snow filled, angled spot.  I just pulled in it, they followed, took my company 2 hours to pay them, when they were leaving, they laughed and said we'll be here tomorrow to pull you out!

NOOOOO, I thought.  Next morning, I locked all 4 axles in and tried to pull out.  Yup, it wasn't letting me. But, I could back up, so I kept going back and forth until it finally cleared the front bump and struggling, got me out onto the driveway.  I dreaded trying to pull out of there, I had watched truck after truck trying to get out and making several attempts before finally making it.  I said to myself, screw that, I'm getting a running start the first time - barely cleared the top, the tires started losing traction.  

Got out on the miserable highway, drove 10 miles to the Love's, got in there, wishing I could have bypassed it but I needed fuel.  It has like an 8% grade entryway about 75 - 100 feet to the bottom and to the pumps.  Well obviously, going in was a breeze.  Trying to come back out? First try I was moving pretty good until  a truck came to the entrance forcing me to stop.  Nope, it wouldn't go.  Backed back down and then on the level part, back as far back towards the store as I could go.  The second try I was moving good with the axles locked in, it was a breeze getting up to the top and out of there.

The highway was bad.  But I was intent on getting home yesterday.  It stayed bad for - 50 miles? I don't remember, but all of a sudden, the entire Interstate was cleared.  Like magic, I was able to go full speed.  I cruised like that all the way to the Texas state line - where the roads went bad.  A few miles into Texas, I get off and onto Highway 59 - it was absolutely HORRIBLE.  I took a video of that and had it on my Facebook yesterday.  I didn't stop, just kept driving clear back to the yard, 30 miles per hour max speed.  

The yard? Horrible as well. A foot of snow on the ground, the truck started spinning out trying to get into a parking hole.  After that, my SUV? Was caked in snow.  Got that running, got the snow off of it and spent 10 minutes trying to get it out of the parking hole.  Then I spent 5 minutes trying to back up from the truck.  I finally got out of there, but the towns? ridiculous.  

I was traveling slowly.  Please, just get me home! I didn't buy all terrain tires for that vehicle, I had highway only tires on there. My trips are mostly back and forth to work, we don't get weather like this, old timers have never seen anything like this here.  I was on highway 80, outside of Hallsville, when it happened.  The vehicle just started going sidesways, I lost all control of it.  Nothing I tried changed the direction it was going - sideways, off the road and down an embankment.  I've never had that happen before, it was a rather - strange - experience. 

My vehicle didn't run into anything - tho another 50 feet and I would have slammed into a guard rail, it stayed up right and I was fine.  But I was also quite stuck.  But, this is Texas and people take care of each other.  I just sat in there discussing what to do with Taylor.  A man stopped, got out and asked do you need help> Yes PLEASE!!! Is that truck 4 wheel drive? Yes, I think I can pull you out of there.  Ok.  2 minutes later,  diesel dually 4x4 also pulled up, a bunch of young men got out and offered their help as well. 

I was amazed, really, they all just stopped out of the kindness of their hearts.  The first truck hooked a strap up to my trailer hitch, got in and started pulling and pulling, my SUV went sideways instead of up the embankment, but he kept on trying. The other guys said they would hook up to him if needed and pull the whole train forward.  But, it wasn't necessary, the smaller truck eventually got me up the hill and onto the roadway again. I pulled out some cash and said thank you.  I don't want your money. Are you sure?  Yes, he replied, I'd like to think if something like this happened to me someday, somebody would do the same kindness for me.  Yes, I thought, the Lord will be there for that, I believed anyway. 

I said thank you again and - got home with no further problems.  This town is shut down.  We went in James truck today to see about getting some stuff - James just wanted out of the house, he was becoming stir crazy.  His truck has 4 wheel drive so driving in this nastiness was no problem.  The Walmart was half empty, I mean product wise, especially the grocery store part.  We didn't go there for food but I ended up getting some supplies, plus the throw rug I wanted. Put it on the new carpet so I can have my office chair in here without destroying the new carpet.  Nice looking rug, complements the new carpet.  

So, while putting stuff back - the house is still in a shambles and today is the first real day I've had to start dealing with my stuff - Sheila/dispactcher texts me. Do you feel like you want to go out tomorrow? Uhhh, noooooo.  I told her about running off the road, the road conditions here in town, the fact that these town don't have snow equipment - we never get stuff like this here or if we do, it melts the same day or by the next morning.  Further, that another driver had reported that coming up from Brownsville, he spent 2 plus hours going the 70 miles from a town down south back to the yard.  She said don't sweat it, I wouldn't go out either but we have to ask.  

I got on the driver group text and asked if anyone was going out tomorrow? No, resounding theme from every single drive on there.  They all started going on about how bad the roads are and no, it isn't worth having a Fed Ex moment like you saw on the footage of that horrible 100 plus vehicle accident that happened in Fort Worth.  Yesss, I thought, at least we are all on the same page. Driving in this stuff is just plain horrible.  The road aren't being cleared, that's the problem. I saw yesterday a couple of graders cleaning up the highway up south of Texarcana, but that was it.

It did make me wonder why they couldn't just get a bunch of graders out there instead of snow plows? They could rent them from construction companies or just hire the companies to come out and clear the roads?  I mean, it's going to be below freezing until Friday and then, it's only going to get up to 35 degrees.  That isn't warm enough to clean up these roads. Saturday it will get warmer but geeze, if they don't start clearing out these roads, these towns are going to be shut down until moma nature says ok, I've given them enough, bring on the warmth and sunshine!

I'm not stir crazy, it's the first full day I've been home. But everyone else here is, including the boys who have been in my hair the entire day, only getting a break from them because they were put down for a nap.  They're good kids but they aren't allowed outside right now, it's too cold.  Schools are shut down, of course, along with everything else.  So I'm having a bit more patience with them than perhaps I normally would.  

Well I'm in the middle of getting stuff done, it's time to get my room back in order regardless of the rest of the house.