Well, we're only about 5 hours later than I expected for our arrival.
We left home at 12:45. Hours and hours earlier than I thought we would originally because a nasty storm was headed for our destination. Our entire trip in Illinois -- pouring rain. Lovely. And the rain continued well into Wisconsin.
Rain, I can deal with. Rain, really not so bad.
Farther and farther north we headed. Around 4PM I stopped for gas. Only 45 minutes in normal weather from our destination. I filled the tank, settled the kids and we got back onto the roads. Now, dealing with leftover rain and snowflakes the size of a small fist.
Fine.
We drove for awhile and we were still able to travel at about 45MPH. Which really, isn't bad if you've ever traveled the interstates in Wisconsin during a snow storm.
And then, and THEN, the lady in front of me had some sort of wiper malfunction. And in the middle of the lane -- she stopped. Yes, she stopped. And if it hadn't been for the fact that she was doing just 20MPH when I came up behind her. And if I hadn't put on my flashers to warn the semi behind me that things weren't kosher ahead. And if I hadn't pumped my brakes a few times in warning -- my cute little car would have been crunched by a large semi and it's trailer.
But yes, this woman stopped. In the lane. She didn't even have the foresight to pull onto the side of the road. And I got stuck sitting behind her keeping her safe with my flashers on. And I laid on my horn. And I shouted things and phrases the kids probably did not need to learn. Then, her husband/boyfriend/much needed bodyguard against her stupidity -- he drove. We went on our way.
Things were fine then. For awhile. Until I tried very unsuccessfully to rid my own wiper blade of thick, wet snow by reaching my hand out the window and thwacking it.
Yes, I did this. Driving in the snow, I thwacked the wiper against the window while still driving the vehicle. And I broke the wiper. Completely. It was useless.
I could still barely see. So, I followed that stupid woman and her whatever for awhile and then -- they took off too fast for me to follow. And then, I couldn't see at all. I mean nothing. Between the blowing snow and the wet and slush on my windshield -- I could see nothing.
At this point, I know I'm a complete hazard to traffic behind me. I hit my hazards again. I tap the breaks. And I head for the side of the road. I tell the kids to hold on because I have no doubt I'm about to ditch my first car once I hit the deeper snow that's accumulated all along the sides of the roads.
I'm swerving all over. Because I can't see of course. And I'm completely freaking out. And the kids are sort of freaking out. And when my car finally stops -- when I think I've actually made it to the shoulder -- I realize I'm actually ON the exit ramp. THE EXIT RAMP! In some miraculous twist of fate I've ended up on an actual, honest-to-goodness exit.
I brave my complete lack of visibility for the gas station at the top of the ramp. We just barely get into that parking lot and we sit. It's 5:15. Our destination {the hotel} is 10 minutes away in normal weather -- keep this in mind.
The kids eat chocolate and high sugar juice for dinner while we wait.
My mom (bless her for it) wanders out into the blizzard to buy me a new wiper blade and come to my rescue -- sorta.
Sometime after 6PM she arrives. And if you can believe it -- she now has a defunct drivers side wiper blade and HER car is undriveable. Yes folks, I can't even make this up.
While I was waiting for her, I'd gotten my blade "functioning". Not great, but it was at least clearing the window. And so after sort of hemming, hawing, debating and whatnot -- we brave the storm together in my car. Leaving hers to sit and catch snow flakes in the back parking lot of the gas station.
We get back on the interstate. It's not pleasant. Snow is falling fast and furious.
I miss our exit. My wipers go defunct on me yet again and I can't see the exit well enough to manuever the car. Next exit it is. By this time, I'm basically driving blind. My mom is trying to clear my windows with the scraper from her car while I'm driving. {I'm sensing we have a lil redneck in us.}
The next exit is a fun one. One of those curve around at 30MPH kinda things that can tip semi's. Lovely. I can't see. My mom can't see.
I make it. Don't know how. Don't care how. I make it. We stop at yet another gas station. It's now almost 7PM.
My brother calls. He's noticed my Facebook update that I'm relatively stranded and having issues. I'm pissy and give him attitude, but he remains cool and still offers assistance. Since we aren't far from him -- we brave more driving instead of him coming out to meet up with us. Driving in the city is just fine. And so we make it to his house unscathed with no further issues. He changes my wiper blade. Not that my car makes that easy since the broken one is frozen to the blade arm. Of course. It's that kind of day.
We go to leave. I get the car stuck in his driveway. Yes, yes I do. And thankfully, he's much better at getting unstuck, so he drives and my mom and I? We push. Oh yes we do. And my sister-in-law is so wishing she'd had a camera -- I heard her shout it as we ran behind my car down the driveway.
I get my mom home on the other side of town. She gives me snacks for the kids. Who at this point, about 8PM, have had enough car time to last for about the next 6 months. The kids and I head to the hotel. Back on the side of town we just left.
But, we got checked into the hotel by about 8:30PM. And the girl at the front desk was like the nicest, friendliest, most awesome and helpful front desk clerk I've ever met. And, I think I'm in love with her.
I got the kids some cartoons. I changed out of my soaking wet pants. I got the kids a snack. I unpacked a bit. And here we are. Completely fine, but a little travel weary.
The roads suck. Winter sucks. Traveling in a blizzard sucks.
Good night.