One of those situations....

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Zomb1fied

One of those situations....

Post by Zomb1fied »

Hey fellas. In honesty it's a miracle I am even writing this. One of those times I feel super grateful to be alive.

So @ 1am on the 3rd (thursday) I left Ohio, way against my better judgement.

I wanted to put it off a couple of days because of the weather but I didn't want to cause any shit with my room mate and tbh I just wanted out.

So I left.

The first hour of the trip was pretty bad. It was snowing still so using high beams was out. Every time you turned them on it lit up the snow rushing toward you and whited out anything else around me. All I can describe it as was the part in star wars where they warp the ship and you see the stars all flying inward.

Scary shit. I managed to do about 40 tops and pretty much had to lean forward and squint the whole time to see where I was going, I made two wrong turns in Ohio alone and had to turn around and get out to wipe the snow from the roadsigns.

About three hours in I finally got out of Ohio, which should have taken 1.5 hours. Here is where it got so bad I was nearly in tears..

Crossing into WV was something I was dreading. According to the weather radar before i left here was going to be the worst. And right as I did so and started climbing the moutains my fears were realised. A snow blizzard hit completely covering the road with snow, and I couldn't go any faster than 10 mph. I had a panic attack and started to hyper ventilate, really wishing I hadn't done it.

So I pulled the car over for about 30 mins and tried to relax before pressing on. That was a bad idea too, because my windshield washer motor froze stiff and I then had no wipers, they had also frozen solid to the windshield so I was in theory blinded by the salt all over the windshield.

After doing 10 mph for 3.5 hours the weather relaxed a bit (I could now do 30) and I made it to a gas station and bought some washer fluid.

I poured some all over the nozzles, trying to thaw them. Didnt do anything. I filled up the reservoir because it was empty, didnt do anything. Even the squeegee in the gas station had frozen fluid all over it (this stuff is rated to freeze @ -20f).

So i had to keep stopping all the time after thinking I had gotten frostbite in my fingers. No word of a lie they hurt with a stabbing pain for three solid hours after trying to get my washers working in vain.

I got lost four times due to not being able to see the road signs (snow covered) or read them (white out windsheild) and ended up doing 520 miles before I finally got here a complete nervous wreck. It is supposed to be a 468 mile drive and take 8.5 hours. It took me 14 hours give or take an hour and was quite simply the most terrifying experience of my life.

My car suffered but did admirably well, but right now it's going to take about three days of detailing and cleaning before it even looks like a car again. Right now it looks like the wreck of the titanic, see pic.

Image

What made it worse was the window defrost on the heater would melt the ice and then it would run down, condensate and freeze on the inside of the windshield. So I had to stop periodically and scrape ice from the INSIDE of the windshield. The only way to stop this happening as I figured in the end was to open the window and at that point all that salt shit ran down the interior and made a mess of the door cards, I also have white stains all over the carpet, I wish it was from wanking.

I am here safe though, god I cant keep saying that enough I feel fucking lucky man.

Here is my view. Now it's cold here in MD but compared to what I have seen and done over the past 48 hours it feels like fucking hawaii !

Image
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stipud
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Post by stipud »

Sounds like your typical drive in Calgary then. Glad you made it through alive! I definitely know what you are talking about with the warp effect from the snow coming down. Normally in that case I just hug the rumble strips until I can find a semi truck to chase. Those bastards sit up so high that it doesn't phase them at all.
Francious70
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Post by Francious70 »

What is this "snow" I keep hearing about?
Boomshackalacka
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mr tibbs
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Post by mr tibbs »

Yep, I make a trip similar to that at least once a year. Not quite that long, but the snow is exactly the same. I kinda like it, but then again I am usually in a 4x4. :lol: What's life without a little adventure now and then?!! :lol: :lol:
Zomb1fied

Post by Zomb1fied »

I've had enough adventure for a lifetime in honesty Tibbs :lol:
gridracer
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Post by gridracer »

Welcome to my life I drive in that crap all the time no big deal you get used to it.
Zomb1fied

Post by Zomb1fied »

It wouldnt be so bad but for a few things.

My car has super stiff suspension with 50 psi lo profile tires. It is not and never was designed for snow so reacts like a linear rollerskate.

In other words you are at the snow's peril. Whichever way it has been taken by the plow is the way you are going, like it or not :lol:

It is (atm) loaded with all of my belongings, making it feel super heavy and cumbersome..

As an example to how bad it is... I was driving uphill @ around 15 mph in WV. I had the music on pretty loud to try and take my mind off the situ when all of a sudden I felt this vibrating.. It was coming and going...

I turned off the music and it was my engine hitting the rev limiter as my tires were losing traction on and off.. At 15 mph :shock:

The night before I left I lost it doing 20 down main st where I was living. I spun a full 360 and just prayed that I didnt bash a wheel into the curb. Luckily I managed to finish the spin without hitting anything.

But yeah, ultimately it is one of the best cars I have ever had the pleasure to drive in the dry, the handling is utterly awesome.. But, in the wet or snow? forget about it :(
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