My 17 yr old daughter and I wanted to combine my attending mother's birthday party in Republic, MO with college visit to Conway AR last weekend. We had a map, a rental car, some fruit, and a stack of library CDs. Ray Charles, Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, David Grisman and co, I salute you.
Usually we buzz down I44 from St. Louis in four or five hours, with a lunch stop in Rolla and maybe another rest stop to stretch the legs, not lingering otherwise.
My mother started calling days in advance to warn that there was possible snow in the forecast, which I naturally disregarded. That morning, 1-2 inches was predicted, which I naturally sneered at.
The first flakes began to fall 30 min or so NE of Rolla. Ten miles outside of Rolla, traffic slowed dramatically in the slow lane while cars whipped by us on the left. Minutes later, we saw a car ahead and one behind spin into the ditch and then traffic stopped. There was still no more than an inch of snow on the ground, but it must have been some very special snow. Many semis, SUVs, other cars in ditches on both sides.
Two hours later, we crept into Rolla, had lunch at the excellent Panera Bread Company south of the interstate on US 63, and started off again, figuring that the obstruction would by then have been cleared. Seven miles and many minutes later, we sat another long time in front of an Army Surplus store on the north access road while I told Hannah stories about surplus store finds from my distant past.
Traffic started creeping again, optimism bloomed. At the rest stop, we talked it over with our fellow motorists and finally realized that we would not get any further that day. I called my brother, who found us a room at the Day's Inn, we turned around at the next exit and waited another half hour for tow trucks to pull a semi from the median. Almost no traffic was coming from the SW.
We retuned to the Army Surplus store, since we were no longer in a hurry, and realized we had entered a survivalist and militarist haven. My favorite of the bumper stickers had a US Marine Corps insignia and "When it absolutely positively must be destroyed by tomorrow." The aisles were full of intent looking men in various shades of camo. I bought a Norwegian Army blanket in grey wool for $18, and Hannah finally decided against a wool flight jacket for $7.95.
In the motel room, Hannah, who never watches it except for major sports and political events, switched on the TV. Rush Limbaugh's unmistakable voice boomed forth. I turned away and tried to concentrate on finishing London Fields. She switched to America's Top Model, then back to Rush, who was succeeded by a man from the NRA equating gun ownership with freedom. In my book, the apocalypse seemed imminent. It all seemed of a piece.
Supper was two doors down at the cheap and very good Lucky House Chinese restaurant. We headed for the campus of MO U of Science and Technology, looking for some action, and lucked into the last basketball game of the season, complete with very talented cheerleaders making pyramids of themselves.
The next morning dawned clear, and fortified with bad coffee we set out again. Ten miles later, we were on packed snow, passing more vehicular abandonment, and stopped for another recent wreck. Luckily, our family on the other end checked with highway patrol and found that we only had another 30 miles before it would clear.
Around that time I remembered the salmon I had marinated to grill at the party and left in the Days Inn refrigerator. Sorry, family; you'll need an emergency main course.
Let me just say that no one should attempt a road trip without plenty of 60's and 70's music to shout along with. Usually my musician husband is at the wheel and controls the tunes; singing along is frowned upon. Hannah and I belted out one after another, all the way into Arkansas and back. I Got a WO man! Hit the Road, Jack! No Woe man No Cry!
Snowstorms and magnolias: a short trip through the scary heartland
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25 responses; most recent on May 22, 13 at 08:18 PM
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Glad you made it safely. I live in New England but I don't like driving in snowy conditions esp when other drivers don't know how to drive in snow. Sorry about the salmon.
Sounds like a wonderful trip with your daughter, you will remember it for years!!!
Yes, dfrostnh. Thanks. My brother regretted the salmon a lot, but whipped up a fish bisque instead.
And thanks, nelsonian. You are both very kind to read it.
stokebailey:
The problem is often those drivers who do not know how to drive in snow poster dfrostnh. Amen.
We were on the same I-44 close to Conway, MO and that special snow that had ice pellets mixed in caused our vehicle to be rear ended and totaled out due to one of those big semi-trailer trucks going much to fast for conditions. We were blessed to walk away from a terrible accident. I-44 was shut down in both directions for a long time.
This was a fast moving storm of which St. Louis received nothing. You were very lucky to only have been delayed on your journey.
Sandy
SandyBrit, SO SORRY. That must have been horrifying.
I tend to like truckers generally, with some egregious exceptions like the one who did your car in. Saturday I picked one whose style I liked and then followed him at a safe distance as long as I could. Sunday morning I was grateful for one with his flashers on who held the passing lane to 30 mph for many miles until we got past the worst.
That snow waas very special indeed. Zillions of tiny ice pellet ball bearings would account for it, now that you mention it. The snow-packed roads reminded me of some I've seen in northern NM mountains and never on interstates.
THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE GIANT BILLBOARDS AND INTO THE LAND OF MAGNOLIAS
Refreshed after a family brunch we headed south on US 65 through Branson.
The billboard and entertainment industries do what they can to prevent you from noticing the beautiful countryside. Huge grinning photos of The Baldknobbers, Yakov!, the This Family and the That Family drowd the sky. Hannah and I mull over the whole Branson phenomenon as we breeze through.
Northern Arkansas is beautiful and we are suddenly mercifully free of billboards. Ice storm damage from last month still leaves many trees disfigured. The road gets windier and more mountainous. Lots of 35 and 45 mph curves and a couple hairpin. We switch to Bluegrass CDs: You Are My Flower! Keep on the Sunny Side! Through the Buffalo River valley with whitened knuckles.
Conway AR is a lovely town of 52,000 with 2 colleges and a university. We like the Hendrix Campus a lot. A student gives us a tour of their fancy new athletic center, complete with exercise bikes where you can surf the net as you pedal. One night at the Days Inn, $50 on Priceline and much nicer than the reviews had led us to expect. We split a salad at Taco Bell for supper that hit the spot.
The next morning at Hendrix we could see that the forsythia, saucer magnolias, and bradford pear were all in bloom, along with lots of daffodils. Hannah likes it there a lot, but was underwhelmed with their fledgling dance dept.
We cut across to US 67 north that afternoon for the trip home.
Very good highway for awhile, petering down to a narrow and slow road for a long time afterwards but still mercifully flat and straight after the Ozarks terrain yesterday. We switch to flamenco guitar and a Brazilian woman singer with some very fine tunes.
Through Corning AR, the site of my one lifetime drunkeness at age 17, whereupon I decided I didn't like it, and then across the state line into MO.
I had been following a pickup truck who was going just slightly slower than I liked for many miles. 5 miles north of the state line a car turned left directly into his path and there was a violent crash, airbags popping and objects flying onto the road. I had kept a safe distance, stopped 10 yards away, and quoted Alec Baldwin's line in State and Main: "Well, that happened!"
I did my health care professional thing and determined no one was hurt, over Hannah's objections. She didn't like the looks of the liquid leaking from the truck, or of the bystanders who had come out of the roadhouse to gawk, or of the drivers probably. They were both unhurt, though the pickup driver and his massive belly had to be squeezed out of the passenger door. I handed him a note with my name and phone # for witness purposes, and we edged around the remains and headed carefully north.
Poplar Bluff MO is some of my old stomping grounds, and we always have to stop for supper at Haydens (World's Best Bar-BQ). Then north on 67, windy dark highways with lots of dimmer switch use. Bluegrass comes in very handy here, with enthusiastic singing along: Further along, we'll know all about it!
Late coming back into St. Louis, and finally across the Meramec River. Ray Charles, Bonnie Riatt, Van Morrison, you got us home. Thank you.
I am just loving this !!
I grew up in the South and you brought back a few memories ... and I wonder why I left LOL
I love the Singing along with the radio .. this is very entertaining.. thank you.
And now, you may continue
LOVED your trip report! My daughter and I are heading from Kansas City to Nashville next weekend; I hope our trip is MUCH LESS eventful than yours. We will also be traveling with much music...the only way to go!
You are both very good to say so!
musicfan, there's lots of beautiful country between you and Nashville. Hope you have a smooth and lots less eventful trip with your daughter.
Scarlett, I'm reminded of just ONE more lyric,
Take me back to the place where I first saw the light:
To my sweet sunny South take me home.
Where the wild birds sing me to sleep every night.
Oh, why was I tempted to roam?
Though you are in the sweet sunny really south. Thanks!
My goodness Stokebailey, you certainly packed a lot of adventure into one tiny little weekend.
Thanks, Toucan.
DIdn't we? I had to rest up a but afterwards.