After finishing packing and getting our house ready for the next owner, Julia, Cally and I stayed at Uncle Bill's. On March 28th, I picked up my two friends, Adam and Anil, and we left Saskatoon at about 5:40am. The van was towing the biggest UHaul trailer that was loaded all the way full. We even had to spend about ten minutes figuring out how to get Adam's golf bag into it before leaving. The van is only classified as being able to tow 2000 pounds, which was what the trailer weighed empty. Needless to say, we were very concerned about whether or not the van could tow this thing over any sort of incline and also whether we could control it going down a hill. We would find out that it had just enough power to make it.
I had done a lot of research about what the roads were going to be like in Saskatchewan, Montana and Wyoming. It looked like most of the roads going south were unadvisable for travel, and several roads were closed in Montana, after the border. The first leg of the trip was okay, some slippery sections but we made it to Rosetown in just over an hour. As soon as we turned south to Swift Current, we had second thoughts. I drove about 60-70 km/hour to Swift and it was very scary. Anil and Adam were regretting their decision already. Most of the highway was a sheet of ice. It took over 2 1/2 hours to finish that leg, and it was mentally draining.
We filled up at Swift Current, and were going to eat but did not find a place along the Trans-Canada, so we said we'd wait. My friend PJ helped us along the way by providing us up to date highway conditions for our next leg to the border. He said that there did not look like there was any favourable conditions in Saskatchewan or Montana and to try to go south from Medicine Hat. We took his advice and went south through Cypress Hills. The roads were great for Adam on the Trans-Canada and we were hopeful as we turned south. The conditions turned incredibly bad. There were huge snow drifts, some reaching over ten feet along the highway. They highway turned to mostly packed snow and one lane mostly for the next two hours. Adam's hands cramped from gripping the wheel so tight, and his face became bright red from the stress. He also did not have sunglasses and was squinting the entire time. Anil wanted to turn around. Then we reached the US border finally.
They talked like they were going to make us drive back. Very unfriendly border patrol. I admit, it looks fishy when a van with three men towing a large trailer into the US. How could I get them to believe that one of us was not planning on moving there illegally? I produced all the paperwork that they required. They were not at all concerned with Anil or Adam. They were grilling me: about my program, why I did not get into a program in Canada, why didn't I apply to the US, where is my wife and child, when are they coming down, what is stopping them from living illegally in the US, what is my plans with the van, etc... They even went so far to insinuate that the person in the backseat, Anil, was really my wife. WHAT? They were crazy. They didn't make us open the trailer, which we were just hoping they wouldn't search it and make us pack it up again. After about half an hour of explaining and getting a lot of sarcasm and flack from the border they let us through, and boy we were hungry!
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The roads were never again an issue after the border. We made it to Havre, MT and ate Subway. Our spirits were high and we completed the next 11 hours without a hitch. We made it to Pocatello, ID at just after midnight after a very long, eighteen hour drive.
The next day was long, but much less stressful. Adam drove the first five hours past busy Salt Lake City. Anil drove the very mountainous, 6 hour leg just before we hit Arizona. And I drove the last five hours through the descent past the Grand Canyon and up again through Flagstaff and finally into Phoenix. On one pass, when Anil was driving, the van barely made it up the hill and I don't know what we would have done had it not make it. When it was my turn to drive it was late afternoon and Anil decided to buy some beer to celebrate that his turn was over. Adam and Anil guzzled three beers each in about fifteen minutes, all the while telling me how good it tasted. Jerks. And I was nice to them by stopping at the side of the road near Tuba City, so they could relieve themselves. They deserved beer for what they had done for me.
We got to Phoenix at about 10pm. The original idea of unloading the trailer was quickly put to rest after we came inside and enjoyed some more cold beverages. We needed a long sleep.
I can never repay Adam and Anil for helping me along this journey, I can only thank them and I hope that they know they can come down to our home in Arizona anytime they wish, free of charge.
friends are precious !!! lucky you :)
ReplyDeleteThanxs for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a Canadian winter driving horror story. I'm so glad you made it safe and sound. I look forward to hearing of your experiences living in the Caribbean.
ReplyDeleteWow, cool story. I can't picture Adam's face turning red from stress, that's funny. I can relate to your story though, we travelled through what sounds like the same conditions on the way down to Las Vegas except we had a flat tire half way through it, it's a good thing that Ashley and her sister Ailish were sleeping. I think you and Anil would make a great couple, I won't tell Julia.
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