It's a Blizzard

Last week I commented that travel had been pretty routine. No canceled flights. No lost luggage. Not even interesting and/or unique people to share. Well, that all changed this week when I was scheduled for Iowa and Omaha.



I started out on Monday, headed up 35 with the destination to be Cedar Rapids, Iowa. First I planned to go to David and Debbie's and have supper with them at this great little German Restaurant in Story City. It was 68 degrees in Kansas City when I left at about 2:00 About Cameron the temperature dropped to 45 over a 10 mile stretch and the fog rolled in. The fog lasted about 40 miles, then the temperature dropped to the mid thirties and the fog cleared. The road was fine, but there sure were lots of cars in the median and ditches as I drove through southern Iowa. About Des Moines, the fog came back and as dusk came upon me, I decided that I would skip dinner and go on to Cedar Rapids. Fog isn't fun in daylight, but I sure didn't want to be in a foggy dark any longer than I had to. The German Restaurant will be there next time.



I arrived in Cedar Rapids around 6:30 and made myself fill the car up before I went to the hotel. When I checked in, I discovered I was at the wrong Holiday Inn Express. I was at the one they usually scheduled me to be at, but for some reason this time the reservation was at the OTHER Cedar Rapids Holiday Inn. Fortunately, they called and negiotated for me to stay where I was.



I completed the visit and left early because it was starting to snow and 8-10 inches was predicted. Well, it arrived. I drove across Iowa on I-80 in the middle of it. What should have been a 4 1/2 hour drive at the most ended up taking 7 hours. There were times I though I should stop and find a hotel, but finding the exit and changing lanes seemed scarier than just staying in my lane and moving along. Des Moines was the very worst. The snow was heavy and there was a lot on the road already. I couldn't see the lane markings on the road, and was nervous about making the exit East to Omaha. Then add all those semi's into the equation and I was gripping the steering wheel with both hands and praying for steady nerves.

I arrived at the facility in Omaha around 9. When there I usually stay at a guest room at the facility instead of a hotel. Remember.....it's Super Tuesday. I get to the room and find I have NO TV!! Actually, I do have a TV. It's an elderly one, with a twist knob to turn it on and rabbit ears for reception. (Elderly TV in an elder care facilty....get it?) Unfortunately, the only channel I can come close to receiving is CBS with Katie, and she really annoys me. I did try to watch her, but that channel kept fading to snow, so I just gave up and went to sleep.

Heading home the next afternoon, the sky was blue and the roads were clear. It's is just amazing that we can erase such a storm so quickly.