The follow-up

So, it's Sunday and I've found time to blog for a little bit. I think I'll go back to the beginning.

This is the Seattle skyline from the ferry to Bainbridge Island that Emily and I took. You can't see the needle, but it's to the left. Had some good times. Went to the Sci-Fi Museum and the Experience Music Project which are co-located and both owned by Paul Allen, who is silly rich. They used the Zune as their music player in both museums, which was the first time I had seen one, which explains the popularity of the IPod. We drank beer at this place, after getting a car to take us up there and back which was a few bucks but worth it so we could get our drink on and not have to worry. Good beer. And fun was had by both of us.

Flew back on the red-eye through an awful storm and then took a nap and then drove up to Maine. So here's what happened. Driving in heavy snow on 295, going the speed limit which had been reduced down to 45, and the car begins turning left. I try to get out of the spin by turning the wheel right. (Note: You're supposed to turn into the skid, but what with the oncoming traffic I wasn't sure if that was the wisest.) So sure enough the Explorer comes around to the right, and then I go too right. And now I'm sliding out of control and about to broadside the snowbank on the right side of the road.

This song starts playing in my head.

Seriously, I was really like "I guess we'll just see how this turns out. "

So I hit the snowbank, huge amount of snow kicks up and I'm slowing down. I think to myself this isn't that bad, and as if God had an awesome sense of humor, the Ford goes over onto the driver's side. And the driver's window breaks and snow floods into the cabin. That was probably the only time in the 7-second event I was really scared. I was thinking about that older couple every year somewhere that go off the road and aren't found and need to survive by drinking frozen snow and eating Lorna Doones. Except I think all I had were Altoids. And then the car was on it's roof, and then the passenger side, and then somehow the wheels again.

So I come to rest about 45 feet from 295, perpendicular to it. The engine is running, my hands are clenched in some sort of death grip on the wheel, there's snow all over my lap, and some awful Maroon 5 song is blaring, in some way mocking the seriousness of what just happened. I get out via the passenger door, call 911 and have no idea where I am. I use my Garmin to tell the dispatcher where I am. And the rest is basically history....well they come, the car is totaled, the Maine Emergency Management Agency totally looked out and were amazing. I did teach the class I was supposed to the next day, because what else was I supposed to do.

Funny last thing: When your car rolls completely, it's amazing the crap that squirts out of whatever hiding place it's been in for the last 5 years. I found 2 EZ-Pass transponders. Both active. So that means my car has three active transponders. God knows how much I've been paying for tolls these past years. The MassPike should send me a Thank You card. Seriously.

I'm going car shopping and have some stories. But that's for another post soon.