I dropped the boys at 8 and and by 8:30 was about a football fields distance away from the tunnel when it all stopped. After sitting in traffic for 45 minutes and checking an app on my phone, I realized (thankfully before everyone else) that the highway would be closed for 6 hours or more. Being in the right lane, as I always give myself an out, I pulled onto the side of the road and drove up past all the cars to the tunnel. One idiot saw me coming and pulled out as if to block me like I was going 100 yards just to get in front of him. I gracefully pulled further on to the shoulder, gave him a friendly look along with a nice hand gesture and pulled into the hazardous truck parking lot at the tunnel. Without stopping I went up and over the service road that actually goes over the lanes of the highway and in two minutes was headed down I-70 back to Frisco with me being the only car on the road.
Cars were backed up for ten miles with people standing outside their vehicles not knowing what kind of wait they were in for. I did tell the young couple behind me before I decided to make my move and they followed me and were so thankful.
Once in Frisco I stopped at the pet store for dog food and then at Whole Foods. When I came out Lori called to tell me Vail Pass was closed, also due to avalanches. So now I was stuck. After assessing the situation, which wasn’t good, I headed towards Steamboat which was one of my two choices. I planned on driving past Green Mountain Reservoir and then was hoping to take a dirt road that was about 25 miles from Highway 9 over to State Bridge on the highway from Wolcott to Steamboat. A guy behind me asked me if it was open and I said I didn’t know but said he could follow me and if we get into trouble (meaning him in his economy car) I’d pull him out. Luckily only a couple other trucks, looked like local ranchers, knew of this shortcut and I made it with no problem. So finally by 2pm I was home.
Today I’ll try it all again and it’s already snowing a bit by the tunnel. I need to get down and up by 1:30 if possible. Wish me luck.
Jag went to lacrosse with limited gear but it counts as a practice as he needs five according to district rules before he can play in a game. He’ll travel with the team to Aspen tomorrow as that counts as a practice.
Not much else except I need to get everyone moving as the earlier I leave the earlier I’ll get back. I’m sure you all saw the avalanche on the news. Really not that big of a deal but you know the news, everything is sensationalized. I’m almost over my cold, at that coughing crap up stage, not fun. Oh I almost forgot, I slipped and fell on the ice the day before yesterday, nice. My hip and forearm are pretty bruised but nothings broken. Good thing I workout as much as I do as I think that helped. God Bless.