unchained
The idea was a quick, snowy get-away with kids and grandkids at the end of Christmas vacation. But the trip got off to a rocky start. Dave and I had the car packed with our gear for the long weekend and drove to our daughter’s house. As Meredith’s family pulled ahead of our car to lead the way, her husband Ben noticed that Dave and I had a flat tire. This necessitated an hour and a half delay while we located a tire shop that could slip us into their busy morning.
After that the day went smoothly enough. There was no real weather, and there were wide-open roads. The terrible storm predicted didn’t materialize until we were within a mile of the exit to Mammoth Lakes. There, lined up on the side of the road was a brigade of men to help with chains. Unfortunately, the gentleman who put on our chains had been out in the cold and snow for twelve hours and was so ready to pack it in for the night. I’m not sure whether he was delirious from the continued frigid labor, had never seen our particular type of chains or was just careless, but less than 100 yards down the road we started hearing flapping and slapping. Just a bit further on it became louder and sounded like metal banging on metal. Sure enough, we pulled over to discover one of the metal straps holding the chains had come loose.
Meredith and Ben circled back, hoping to find the team of guys who had installed them, but they were long gone. So, Dave and Ben stood out on the shoulder of the freeway jerry-rigging the remaining chains, in hopes that they would get us the six miles to our destination, which they did… tired and hungry, but safe. However, when the historic snow finally stopped and the roads and driveway were plowed so that we could drive to a tire store for a remedy to our broken chains, we learned that the tire size on our car doesn’t qualify for chains at all! The good men at the garage in Mammoth fitted us with tire “socks” so that we could limp our way out of town at the end of our stay.
We planned to leave the night before the kids and the arrival of the next snowfall, but then on Saturday one of our son-in-law’s chains slipped off of their van and had to be removed. It seemed prudent that we all leave together the next morning and caravan down the mountain! A wise move! The socks, stretched to fit our tires even though a size too small, were much harder to peel off than we anticipated. And we were there to keep watch on Ben as he removed his chains with freeway traffic whizzing by. Never have I been so appreciative of dry pavement as I was when we saw the last of the snow.
But all of this was worth it when I hold in my mind the picture of the smile on my son’s face as he followed his daughters and nephews to their second lesson with one of Mammoth’s ski instructors. He looked like the happiest man on earth, sharing his passion with these little ones. And they all loved it, including three-and-a-half year-old Everett.
It was an adventure from start to finish, full of adversity. Overcoming adversity might make the best and funniest memories. Or sometimes it’s just hard.
Love, Liz
photo by Kimberly McFadzean
