There I was....

Most of you know I have a 14 year old son that I go to Colorado to pick up on various holidays and whatnot. I live in Wyoming--land of the horizontal snow. The vehicle I drive is a 2005 Avalanche which I baby like a newborn puppy. Here's a photo of said Avalanche:




So, there I was---yesterday (Sunday) I, my wife, and my son just driving out of town to make the 200 mile trip to return him to his mother's. Two days ago it snowed and the roads were icy and the wind was blowing at about 20 knots--that's not much for here--we've been having winds exceeding 60 and 70 knots for the last week. You have to understand that this is normal for this area, and I've been driving in the particularly crappy weather that happens here for over 30 years.

Having just filled up the tank and ready for a road trip, we settled in and I put the truck in 4 wheel drive "just in case." As a side note, I tell people that I'm much more comfortable flying--there is much more space and the air isn't full of idiots who can blunder into you on a whim. At least as pilots we have training. Anyway, as I said, there I was....

We were about 3 miles out of town when suddenly I saw something that wasn't right. We were approaching the area of the road where the two lane traffic merges into single lane traffic. We, still being a couple of hundred yards from the merge, were still in the left lane, with a slightly slower vehicle in the right lane just ahead of us. Suddenly ahead of us I noticed a vehicle traveling at a high rate (easily 60 mph) toward us in our lane backwards! Remember the roads were completely icy--no exposed pavement anywhere. The vehicle ahead and to the right noticed at the same time and hit his brakes. I did the same and brought my truck in behind his, my attention now divided between not rear-ending him and trying to get as far over to the right as possible without hitting the rail. Meanwhile, the backwards sliding truck started drifting into the right lane and now started a slow spin counterclockwise. The car ahead and I were now at almost a complete stop--less than 5 mph anyway. The errant vehicle clipped the rear of the car ahead of me.....and nailed us. I'm really glad he hit my door and not my son's, who was sitting right behind me. I only had time to do 2 things---to yell, "Hang on!" and to think that this was going to make that terrible sound you dread hearing. This all happened in a matter of 4 seconds.

The terrible sound happened and broken glass flew. The seat belts worked. Just like on TV all 3 of us were saying, "Are you OK? Are you OK?" I made a quick assesment of them both and determined that they were indeed alright, looked ahead at the other clipped car, in the mirror at the truck that hit us, and then out my now shattered drivers side window. I didn't even realize that the impact had knocked off my sunglasses and thrown the hat I was wearing into the back. My wife called 911 and they asked all the pertinent questions--asking if we needed an ambulance or firetruck. "No," she said, "we should be able to get out," and we were informed that the HP was on the way. Then I tried to get out. No dice. My son could push his door a little, and probably could have forced it, but I told him not to because there was no way I wanted him outside with these icy roads in case some other idiot wanted to repeat the ordeal. My wife couldn't get out because we were pinned up against the rail. So we had to call 911 back and tell them that we maybe did need a firetruck. In hindsight this was stupid because we were OK and climbing out the windows would have been easy.

The HP came and assessed, the firetruck came and did the same, as did the ambulance crew. My wife, who works at the hospital, knew most of the firemen and we both knew the med crew. We sat there and joked a bit---me lamenting my now broken truck. Of course, liability issues and all, they wouldn't let us just crawl out the window. If we did happen to be injured the activity could just make it worse. So out came the Jaws of Life....

The sound of my door being ripped off its hinges almost made me cry. I clambered out to see this--my son took these with his phone--I'll have more photos tomorrow after I get a rental car and take my own....







I'll make the rest short. We had called my friend, the captain that works opposite shift with me, and he came to help me empty out the truck and take us to Colorado. I spent the next 1 1/2 hours with the HP going through the paperwork dance. When I got in each of their vehicles I informed them that I was carrying (I always carry, and yes, I have a concealed permit) and joked around with them for a while. We towed the truck to a shop, where the initial assessment was that it was totaled--but an estimate would be forthcoming. Insurance calls were made today, I get a rental, and now I must gear up for that pain in the ass job of searching for a new vehicle.

The good thing is that we are all OK! OH---wear your seatbelts!!!