Shortly after 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon we headed up CA-18 in route to Pinecrest Christian Conference Center for a few of my boys to spend the weekend at the Southern California District Kid's Winter Camp. Since none of our girls were attending, and I had arranged for a perfectly capable cabin leader for the boys, I was only dropping them off on the mountain. Once they were registered and settled into their cabin, I stayed only long enough to enjoy a few minutes of the fresh snow falling (it was chunky like dippin' dots!).
Around 4:45pm, with light snow, I began descending the mountain. Little did I know the trouble that was ahead...
I couldn't have gone a mile down the 18 when I came around a curve to see a Volvo caught in a snow embankment on the side of the road. Coming the opposite direction was a Fire truck who was stopping to help them. The two vehicles created a narrow pathway for me to drive through. As I was trying to determine my best way through, I hit black ice (presumably the same cause of the Volvo's predicament) and began to lose control of my vehicle. Without the ability to stop myself, my next priority became not hitting the other car! It's a difficult decision to consider if it's worse for me to collide with another vehicle or a boulder - especially since I had all of about 3 seconds to make up my mind. Thankfully, I hit neither. I was, however, caught in a great deal of snow with my tail end significantly sticking out in the road. Seeing what happened, the Fire truck drove up the road a little ways, I assumed to turn around.
Within a matter of minutes, a fireman was at my window. He checked that I was okay and informed me that they had southbound traffic blocked off up the road. His assessment of my little Ford Focus was that I would never be able to get out by myself. How encouraging. I had already discovered by this point that I had no cell phone reception, so he offered to call a tow truck for me. Not long after that, another fireman was at my window. I got the impression that he had seen me make my crash landing. He told me I did well in not hitting the other vehicle. His instructions were similar to the other fireman: Wait here, stay in your vehicle, a tow truck will be here shortly.
An hour and a half later....
No tow truck was to be found. Traffic had long been let through and cars were having to carefully make their way around me, taking turns with oncoming traffic. Flares were burning on the road, but it was still a sketchy place for driving. Other cars were slipping and struggling. I was certain I was going to be rear ended by at least two vehicles at separate times. Although I was patient enough to wait for someone to safely pull me out, I had one problem: I had to pee!
In the Volvo were 3 Brazilian gals, the driver of which came to my window after the first fireman to thank me for not hitting her car. I also remember her saying something about us being strong women who will get through this. With her thick accent and beefy form, I didn't know whether to be encouraged or intimidated. She was older and the other girls appeared to be my age. I saw them briefly when they decided to get out and take pictures of the predicament. Only the driver spoke English. At the point of waiting an hour and a half, my bladder could wait no longer. I approached their window with a favor. Between our bumpers was a gap large enough for me to walk through. They agreed to hold up some extra jackets while I crouched down in the embankment. Relieved, I returned the favor. My new Brazilian friends and I had each created a little yellow snow! Back in our vehicles, we sat waiting...
....and waiting.
Throughout the experience I was very calm and level headed, until I had been waiting for two hours. By that point it was very dark out, the flares had burned out and it 
began snowing very hard. Since there was still no sign of a tow truck, and my phone could not keep a signal long enough to call, I felt completely powerless. Text messages were able to go through, but sporadically. So I was at least in contact with a few people, with patience. When headlights weren't passing on the road, the darkness felt eery. The whistling wind gave me goose bumps. I was worried. I felt powerless. I felt abandoned.
About that time, another man stood at my window - this time a CHP officer. He assumed he was arriving at the scene of an accident. "Is your vehicle drivable?" he asked. I told him it was and explained this situation. As far as I knew, I was stuck and couldn't back out myself. "I need you to try for me, ok?" he told me. I agreed, putting my car in gear. With his guiding voice, and minimal struggle with my tires, I was out! My car could make it after all! The officer reassured me that road conditions would get better the lower I got. As I wished my new Brazilian friends luck, I was on my way. Road conditions were scary for the next several miles. With white knuckles and the use of my e-brake when needed, I eventually made it down the hill safely. A trip that ordinarily takes 25 minutes in good weather, took me nearly 3 hours!
Perhaps the time I spent "stuck" on the side of the road kept me from experiencing worse dangers up ahead. Or perhaps it helped prepare me for the other sketchy spots on the drive. In any case, one thing is certain, that as I pulled away I immediately began to consider the spiritual or emotional implications of what had occurred.
Caught in snow I sat waiting, helplessly, for someone to come to my rescue. I believed that if I waited there long enough, someone would pull me out. When in actuality, I needed someone simply to guide me out. It was good that I never tried to back out on my own since I could not see well enough to ensure another car wouldn't be coming. But I also believed I could never get out of there on my own. My sense of abandonment came when there was no one there to rescue me. Except I had the power in my foot all along - I just needed someone to encourage and empower me to do what I was already capable of, but just afraid to try. The same can be said for other dilemmas in life. While it's true that I cannot save myself from all things (it's why I need a Savior), there are some things which I am capable of digging myself out of, with the help of a guiding voice, making me stronger and better equipped for the journey ahead.
I may have a few scratches on my bumper, but I learned something significant about myself in the process. And I'm thankful for the experience.
