It's okay, I'll blaze the trail for us......oops!

Well, that was fun! 

The wind blew, the snow flew, and my FJ Cruiser went in the ditch......how embarrassing.

Miss Elizabeth's Yukon was left sitting in the garage as we loaded up the cars.  I insisted we take my FJ since it's the "go anywhere" vehicle, and we sure don't want to get stranded.  After all, this was the blizzard of 2011, and it was nothing to mess around with.  The wind was howling 40 miles per hour and the snow was falling at the rate of 1-2 inches per hour......Wait a minute, why are we even thinking of getting out in this mess?

Unfortunately, we had a family funeral to attend and there was no turning back.  Here we go.  Just in case the unthinkable might happen, I threw in some boots, coveralls, coat, hat and gloves.  "Better to be safe than sorry" I said....it's the old boy scout in me.  Never really expected to have to use those things.....purely precautionary.  Did I mention that we live on a ranch.....way out in the country....off the beaten path....well, we do.

My eldest son was here from Wisconsin, and even he was concerned about the way the snow was piling up.  He was driving his own SUV, but he would be following me as I blazed the trail.  Fortunately, the service was a mid-morning event, and the brunt of the storm was yet to arrive. We were sure that we would be safely back home before things became totally impassable....In retrospect, that may have been wishful thinking.

We arrived at the church with plenty of time to spare, and no significant issues with the roads.  We did, however, decide to postpone the graveside services.  A quick glance outside confirmed that the decision was the right one, so we were back on the road home before noon. 

It was a delightful drive.....

Drifting snow can be deceptive.  Especially when the snow and ice on the windshield, combined with blowing snow, reduce the visibility to basically the front of the hood. Regardless, we made it nearly all the way home without incident, then a large snowdrift appeared.....a really large snowdrift....right in the middle of the road......no problem.  I'm invincible in this here FJ Cruiser, and we'll plow right through it.  Blaze the trail, if you will....Oops.

This car is equipped with a skid plate to protect the undercarriage from rock damage, and  it does a great job.  It also (much to my chagrin) creates a wonderful bobsled effect when the car is launched into the appropriate amount of snow, which is evidently about the size of the snowdrift we encountered.  Suddenly we were on top of the snowdrift, sliding right along in my newly converted FJ bobsled....right into the very large ditch alongside this desolate, untraveled stretch of rural road....Oops, again.

Thank goodness for Rural Mail Carriers, who will not let a "paralyzing blizzard" keep them from their appointed rounds.  Neither rain, snow, etc, etc....and all that stuff.  It was great to see that little red jeep bouncing down the road.  "Need some help?".  "Yes........ma'am".

A short time later the red-faced FJ, and its owner, were headed for home....rescued by a jeep, and the mail lady!  That's something that may be hard to live down, but then, what do I know?