We all have a "how I survived the snowstorm of '08 story". Yours may involve a stranger lending a hand…or a shovel. Or, maybe you were one of the many stranded at an airport, or on the road.
My story began as a business trip last Tuesday. WQMX morning show co-host Shannon Alexander and I were set to leave for Nashville for the Country Radio Seminar (CRS); a 4 day convention. CRS was to kick off Wednesday morning with a breakfast session with Garth Brooks, but we wanted to get in Tuesday night for a party Warner Brothers was hosting that included an intimate performance by Randy Travis.
It may be hard to recall, but that Tuesday (before the Friday snow began) we had another weather event. Rain was turning to ice and snow and we had winter weather advisory in effect. That morning we learned our flight was cancelled. Our staff meteorologist Tony Jackson from the weather channel tracked the storm for us, however, and he assured us once we're south of Akron, the driving for our route was good, so Shannon and I decided to make it a girls' road trip. Our co-workers thought we were crazy to drive, but we looked smart when we got there by Tuesday night and made it to the party…while flights out of Cleveland were cancelled or delayed for the next 2 days. Our boss Nick Anthony didn't get in until Wednesday night.
We had an amazing 4 days of music, fun and, believe it or not, learning how to improve our craft via educational sessions and seminars along with the wonderful experience and hanging with some of country music finest (but that's for another blog). The survival story came when it was time to go home.
The storm that was about to hit was making national news. Interestingly, its projected path from the south was pretty much our exact path—from Nashville to Akron. In Nashville, warnings started Thursday nigh when the local news told viewers to get to the store and stock up to prepare for 3-5 inches of snow, the most they'd seen in years. Being from Northeast Ohio…we scoffed. 5 inches? Ha! But they have no snow removal equipment, no salt, so 5 inches was a big deal in Nashville. Heck, they cancel school at the mere prediction of a snowflake! The real story, however, was what was brewing from Columbus to Cleveland.
By Friday night the predictions were bleak. Some left early to catch a flight, and that may have been smart. By Saturday the snow began and all flights to Cleveland were cancelled. In fact, they were cancelling Sunday's flight as well, and Cleveland's airport was closed. Most travelers to Cleveland didn't make it home until Monday night.
Shannon and I figured we made it down safely so darn it—we'd make it back. Besides, we had driven my trusty RAV 4 SUV there, so we had no choice but to drive it home. Nick decided to join us because 1) his flight was cancelled and 2) I think he was worried about us and felt there was safety in numbers. So off we went.
The first 5 hours were fairly smooth. The roads were dry and he skies clear. Sunshine accompanied us all the way until, not surprisingly, we crossed into Ohio. We hit the bad weather like a wall during that long flat expanse of nothing on I-71 between Cinci and Columbus. We began to look for motels, and everything was booked.
The highway began to look like a junk yard, with spun out cars, pick-ups and semis strewn everywhere in positions we had to contort our heads to figure how that happened. We couldn't go a mile…often less with out seeing another vehicle in the median, or on its side past the berm. The semis were the scariest sight…because it was clear once they lost control on ice there was no regaining it…and they took anything in their path along for the ride. It looked like the road hadn't seen a plow, but I think they just couldn't keep up.
We finally got lucky and got the very last room at a dump about 30 miles south of Columbus. They called our room a "suite" but it was actually a meeting room with a grungy couch and one of those pull down Murphy beds coming out of the wall. Shannon almost screamed as she pulled back the bedspread to expose the yucky stains. Nick ordered a roll away bed…which had a metal bar strategically placed down the middle of his back! Once we were settled in, we decided we'd like to kick back and have a beer before we turned in, but as luck would have it—we were in a dry county! Instead we copped a sugar buzz when we loaded up on chips, twizzlers, hostess cupcakes and pop.
Sunday morning we hoped the plows had time to clear I-71, but there was only one snowy lane, and we crawled. We hadn't gone a mile before we saw a semi overturned, still smoldering…the snow black from the charred remains of the fire. 10 minutes later we watched a Jeep Wrangler hit ice and spin out—somehow gaining control in the path of a semi…who never hit the brake. It was one close call after another on the longest 4 hour drive of my life.
My hands still feel numb and like they will be in that curled position for days. I had to pry them off the wheel when I finally turned into my driveway, where I immediately got stuck. 500 miles in the snow in the worst weather imaginable and I got stuck in my unplowed driveway once home.
But I was home.
Safely. Thank God.
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