No time for recovery

Kathryn Yao

Yesterday (Mon., Feb. 8), I ventured out into the world again. The snow stopped late Saturday and the cities and counties have been working to clear the public roads again, but somehow they're falling short.
 
In my neighborhood in Potomac, people were shoveling snow from behind/in front/next to their vehicles and dumping the load onto snow piles already several feet high. If you read my previous blog about the snow, you'll know I spent many hours shoveling. Of course, surprise, surprise. I found my car, again, surrounded by snow piles. So, I had to take time to dig a bit before leaving the parking spot--unfortunately between two other vehicles.
 
Without completely clearing every single snow lump, I gave it a go and my trusty will dinker was able to back up and go.
 
Exiting the community I live in was interesting. There were three trees that had fallen in front of the community's road directly connecting to the main road so I had to go into the nearby gas station to get out.
 
By the way people are driving, I can tell they're freaking out for themselves--super cautious for their own vehicles and livelihood while bypassing others.
 
I went down Seven Locks Road and got on the 495. The freeway was slow from the beginning. And I thought it'd be nothing because it was noon on a Monday. Wrong. This was real traffic. I wasn't crawling at a constant slow pace. I was stopping for minutes at a time and then inching forward. These were the two options at irregular interval I sat through for about one hour. There was also strips of hardened, packed ice; thick enough to make my car lose traction to make me feel like I'm doing some serious off-roading. But, the sun was baking my face and left arm. Nonetheless, I was excited to be out of the house. Slowly, the cabin fever was dissipating. Reminder: I didn't have electricity and my landlord was losing it.
 
I got onto 66. It was either construction or trucks clearing the snow off the freeway that caused the turtle's pace. After the Nutley exit, car sped up and they were passing the flashing arrow signs that pointed left. But the vehicles were passing the flashing signs on both sides. One county worker honked his horn when vehicles went the "wrong" way. Another worker was walking in the middle of the freeway, waving his arms ("the the left" like Beyonce's song)--his face heavy with frustration and upset.
 
I happened to change onto a lane that had random patches of ice and even at 50 mph, I had to slow down and try to change onto a smoother lane. Cars zoomed by me and when I finally was able to get out of that uneven hellish lane, the ice strips had ended too. Just my luck.
 
My exit was Fairfax. Finally! The adventure wasn't over yet. Going into Virginia wasn't fun. One block would have no snow or even ice and then after the next light, the off-road experience began again and speeds had to be dropped. FYI: I don't have four-wheel-drive. Many times my steering wheel took up a life of its own and that was fantastic. Magical, really.
 
I didn't have wi-fi at the house so I made Panera my temp home yesterday. Doing work from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
 
I stayed at a friend's last night because it was dark and most likely unsafe to drive all the way back to Potomac.
 
The neighborhood hadn't been cleared so I had to park in a shopping center for the night. The walk to my friend's house took about 30 minutes--good workout if we're looking on the bright side of things.
 
This morning, around 7:30 a.m., I drove to Tyson's Corner. Not bad at all. Roads were much better from the shopping center to the 66. Though, ice hills took up entire lanes, making vehicles merge into one lane and slowing everyone down. When I have to stop at a light, for example, it makes me nervous because I don't know if I'll be stuck when I try to lightly step on the gas again. I've learned that my car's a definite trooper.
 
Not happy about another foot (or two?!) coming in starting this afternoon into the night. Gotta think of Plan B, Plan C, etc. We've barely got it together from this last episode. We're getting pounded. Like my classmate, Juan said, "When does it end?!"
 
Ironically, Vancouver hasn't gotten any snow and they're having to have the stuff shipped in for the Winter Olympics. They should move it to D.C. We have plenty snow for the entire country.
 
Now, time for life, blah or not, to continue. More later.