White. Out.

Since Lefty and I started dating, we’ve gone somewhere every month.  They aren’t always far away trips, but getting out of town and seeing our province is a priority.  This weekend we drove, two friends in tow, to Kamloops and Sun Peaks.

The last time I did a winter drive like this one was when I lived in Edmonton and I was heading down to Calgary with an ex for an interview. Our rental car had about 8km on it when we got it, and off we went into the great white winterland.  We almost got to Red Deer when a passing semi left us in a white out.  We had just passed a jeep that was swerving around.  We were at the front of a caravan of cars. But when the semi blew by, we saw nothing.  Danny tried to hold the wheel straight, but there was a curve in the road and we went off.  We were lucky.  No damage to the car, despite an ice-crusted layer higher than the hood. Someone saw us go off the road and pulled over to drive us into town. Despite a towing ban due to the terrible weather, we were pulled out.  We got the last, way overpriced, room in Red Deer. We made it to Calgary the next morning and made it back home a day later. But for days, all I could see when I closed my eyes was white.

This weekend felt too similar.

Blowing snow, semis, and a stretch between Kamloops and Merritt that I never want to live again.  Maybe taking up skiing is a bad idea?  Traveling in the winter doesn’t sit well with me.