So how did all that snow-fretting work out for me, you’re wondering? Well, here I am in Vancouver, where it snowed a few inches last night, without my car which I had to abandon in the parking lot at the university across the water. I abandoned it reluctantly — but it was the obvious move in the near white-out heavy snow that hit the hillside, shutting down the campus and turning the uphill road leading to it into a trap for those of us without chains, winter tires, or 4-wheel drive. I managed to keep moving in second gear, but was very close to getting stuck by the top, and the 90-degree turn onto campus was slippery-slidey even in 1st at a very slow speed. I gratefully negotiated one more 90-degree into a parking lot that required me to edge cautiously downhill — luckily only very few cars offered me their bumpers!
Of course, having managed to make it to campus, I barely got in the door before being told that we were shutting down and exams were being re-scheduled. I knew there was no responsible way I could try driving the car DOWN the hill — plus getting out of the lot and onto the road would be tough given all the vehicles that were getting stuck partway up — a long line of slipping, sliding, frustrated drivers was already making conditions worse. Luckily, a colleague with a 4×4 offered me a ride, so I grabbed my suitcase, e-mailed my students, and headed out. As the truck easily moved over the snow, able to bypass the tangle of lesser vehicles, we passed an RCMP standing besides his flashing vehicle, supervising the chaos of several minor collisions, and a few blocks later, a van that had slid deep into a ditch. Within two or three kilometres, though, we were out of the snow zone. If only I’d known about the conditions up the hill and taken a cab to school and back, I’d have my car with me for the weekend — turns out, though, I’m better off without it, as we’ve got a dump of snow here in Vancouver that will make the bus a far better option for heading back tomorrow.
Meanwhile, my students’ exam has been arbitrarily re-scheduled to Monday evening, which is a big pain for me, but apparently an even bigger one for my students who have been e-mailing me to tell me all about their other commitments. Yikes! Did I mention I don’t like snow?
That said, I’m going to head out for a walk with Pater in the winter wonderland, and I might bring my camera to capture the prettiness. Plus the same boot sale that cheered my spirits in last year’s early-December snowstorm had a fab pair of Fiorentini & Baker flat, knee-high, boots — 50% of the original price. I tried them yesterday but resisted — they wouldn’t hold them and I wasn’t sure, but if the 37s are still there today . . . .
As long as that leaves room in the budget for some winter radials!
It sounds like a wild experience. I hope you were able to do everything you wanted to this weekend.
What happened with the boots?
Ooooohh – F&B boots for 50% off?? I hope you get them and it cheers you properly!
Oh, I love the sound of silence that you get when it snows. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we get some next week in Germany.
The boots sound V tempting..
After all that drama, perhaps you’d like to unwind by writing a few paragraphs to forward a collaborative narrative. Details are on my blog (Dec 14 date).
Thanks to netconferencing many where I work just stay home rather than risk highways where some people insist on driving full spped anyway. You definitely did the right thing leaving your car.
I spent a good part of Saturday night watching surprised people trying to drive up the hill outside my friend’s apartment. Snow was fun then. Then I came back to Victoria to discover all the taxis had decided to stop driving. Snow = fail.
enc: all’s well that ends well (which might apply to the boots as well — more on that later . . .)
jillian: see cryptic remark above
alison: I do love some aspects of snow . . when I don’t have to be driving anywhere. Friday’s storm was the worst possible scenario — well, I guess it wasn’t really since I never got hurt, the car never got dinged, and I never hurt anyone else . . .
Miss C: I’ve been watching this project and will have fun joining in . . . just give me a few days.
Duchesse: Yes, this is one aspect of my work I don’t like. We have flexibility in many ways, but when there’s a class waiting for you to show up, you’ve just got to show up! As I will tonight for the re-scheduled exam, despite icy, icy, hilly roads. Cross your fingers for me.
Thomas: Now that’s just crazy! No cabs? No way!
I just spent an hour walking around Valencia looking for the snow capped mountains I have heard people rave on about. Not so much snow capped, more snow sprinkled.
LBR: We’re feeling pretty snow-dumped right now, so sprinkles would definitely be preferable!
Oh dear, what an ending to all your efforts. It does sound like quite the adventure and it does sound like you were trying to consider the alternatives — hard when there are unknown variables.
Anyway, a walk sounds nice, as does the prospect of a shoe sale. I will wait to find out the results.