The Long Road Home~

I-25 Heading North

Unexpectedly, I found myself heading back home.  It was mid-day & I hadn't even checked the weather report.  I called Butch & told him I planned to make Sheridan my destination - but since I had no idea what the road conditions would be like, the plan was to go as far as I could.  If I couldn't - to stop & spend the night wherever I ended up.  I could see a gray pall in the air up ahead, as I traveled north.  Soon, light snow was flying through the air.

Wyoming State Line!

It didn't last long & by the time I was at the state line the sun had reappeared!  Traffic was light after Cheyenne.  Soon though, I started hitting patches of ice.  One section was several miles long & I was the only one on the road.  I slowed the Bronco Way down & luckily ran out of it just before Chugwater.

South of Chugwater

Just a few trucks were coming south, I could see clouds again up ahead.  I called my Aunt, she had checked the road reports & said I was due to come into a very bad area.  She was right!  From shortly after I took this photo - all the way to Douglas - the highway was covered with a deep layer of ice & snow with slush on top.  Bitter cold too. Northbound was down to just the right lane, a long line of trucks & cars trying to stay in the ruts, treacherous doesn't describe it.  As Douglas came up I needed a break & decided to go ahead & top off the tank.  The exit ramp was a solid sheet of ice.  Pulling into the Broken Wagon Wheel truck stop I  was amazed to see the outside of the Bronco!  The wheel wells were full of frozen slush!  So frozen that I couldn't knock it off.

Frozen Slush

I talked to the people working inside - who told me it was only going to get worse all the way to Casper, north of that the roads were reported clear!  Back on the road - the sun was setting & the sky turned pink & purple!  Amazing colors, but I was way too busy staying on the road to get any photos.  I carefully re-entered a line of cars & trucks - that went on for miles.  White knuckle driving - Casper couldn't come up quick enough.  Wyoming weather is so changeable & just as I'd been told, as we entered the edge of town, the sun set & the roads cleared!  I called my Aunt to tell her that I was going to continue on.

Traffic thinned & I had Sheridan in my sights - it was a relief to turn onto I-90 & finally be heading west!  Auntie was keeping dinner warm & said she'd be waiting up.  I didn't want her waiting forever so didn't waste any time.  Taking the Sheridan exit I decided to gas up.  Getting out was like walking into a deep freeze!  12 degrees!  Yikes!  There was never a more welcome sight than seeing my Aunt watching for me from the living room window!  Her esp is still working! :-)

The afternoon after!

Dinner never tasted better!  Sleeping never felt better - I was instructed that my husband & my Aunt decided that I was not going anywhere for at least a full day!  :-)  No way was I going to complain!