This morning I packed a crochet project in my craft bag (I have started crocheting a cowl hood in merino wool :) and headed out to meet friends, who are visiting the area from the East Coast. We planned to meet at Multnomah Falls Lodge to have lunch.
While the weather was fine at our house and I had checked the forecast on my phone before I left, I did not know the Columbia River Gorge had an ice storm last night!!!
Soon after I merged onto the roadway to the Falls, I came upon a very long line of trucks pulled off on the side of the road to put on chains. It confused me in that the sun was shining. But soon I found myself driving on thin ice. White knuckle driving. Reminding myself to breathe deeply. Praying without ceasing. Praying for whoever was in an overturned crushed black pickup, and others whose car had spun out and another vehicle whose right front bumper was smashed.
My friends called and I was able to poke my phone on speaker mode and tell them not to drive to the Lodge and that when I could stop to turn around I would call them back to make other plans. I ended up driving all the way to the Falls parking lot before I could safely stop.
I got some beautiful photos. I made it back to a restaurant near home to have lunch with my friends. We had a great visit. But oh how I wished I had called my friend, Teresa, before I left home to see if she was volunteering at the visitors center at the Falls today. She would have warned me not to try to drive to the Falls today; I am certain!
Being alive at home near our hearth typing to you prompts me to be sooooo grateful. I want to crochet and knit and stay cozy and warm and safe!!!
Are you safe?
I pray you are.
xx from Gracie
Are you safe?
I pray you are.
xx from Gracie
Oh my, sounds like a horrible journey, thankfully you were ok.
ReplyDeleteI love snow but hate driving in it - I used to live further north here in the UK and we used to see rather a lot of the white stuff.
Helenxx
How horrible for you, I'm terrified of driving on icy roads. I'm glad you managed to meet up with your friends somewhere a littel safer to get to. They are beautiful photographs though.
ReplyDeleteGlad you and your friends are ok. I hate driving on Icy roads, I had my car spin out of control one Christmas, not fun! Your photos are fantastic though. I was wondering if you were friends with Teresa once I read you were heading out to Multnomah Falls, and then two paragraphs later - tah da ... there it was :)
ReplyDeleteOh how scary.
ReplyDeleteGood decision to turn around, have a lovely hooky weekend.
Wow looks beautiful but sounds 'Hairy'. I drive but I do not like it, I like it much much less in snow and ice. The colours in your first photograph are gorgeous. You stay safe by the fire and enjoy the beautiful yarn! xxx
ReplyDeleteSuch beauty can create such danger, I am so, so glad you made it home safely. Your hands must be hurting today from gripping onto the steering wheel, nothing helps that like a hot cup of tea to hold and warm yarn to run your finger through.
ReplyDeleteHugs to you Gracie and stay safe.
MEredith
EEek, that's really scary! Glad you got home safe & sound again. Beautiful pics of Multnomah Falls though - it was sunny when I visited them too... just a lot warmer, I'd imagine!
ReplyDeleteGood idea to stay in and knit/sew :-) Take care & have a lovely weekend,
xx
Gracie
ReplyDeleteThankfully I am safe and sound. It is supposed to get icy last on my drive in to work.
YOUR IMAGES are always so amazing. I happen to LOVE the colorway for your crocheting that you posted today.
GOd is such a good listener Eh??? ALl through a long bus ride in MExico, I kept telling myself: I dont know where in the world I am, but GOD knows so its okay....it helped
So glad you are alright. Wow, the photos are lovely, but ice storms are some really nasty stuff. We get them here in KY from time to time. I love your latest project, what yarn is that, the color way?
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings being sent your way .
The yarn is malabrigo, worsted weight, 228 SNOW BIRD :) After a few more rows last night I realized I had an unwanted twist so I will start the cowl again, but I love working with the colors! Thanks for your hugs and blessings !!!
DeleteBeautiful yarn Gracie. xxxxx i am safe too ... glad you are! x
ReplyDeleteOh My Goodness Gracie I am so thankful that you are safe and sound. DH and I are safe and sound and thankfully we haven't been affected by floods as have so many. Photographs are beautiful though. Take care Love Anne x
ReplyDeleteGracie.. please feel free to call me next time the weather is dicey and you want to know how it is out here. We have vicious east winds that make it much colder here than anywhere else. I'm glad you were able to change the plans for lunch as it would have been dangerous walking to the lodge, too! Oh my.. glad you made it home safely. I look forward to seeing you again soon. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're okay! Oregon is a land of many micro-climates, isn't it? Not unlike Scotland. Your photographs of the frozen falls are very beautiful, but not at any price. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteGracie, that is so scary! I am so glad you made it back home without incident! Looking forward to seeing more of the cowl you are making!
ReplyDeleteI am safe and warmly tucked up in the cabin, hoping for snow tonight!
XO Kris
So incredibly beautiful during and after an ice storm but definitely no fun to drive in! My white knuckle driving experience was many years ago---and involved my parents newly bought car, a wrong turn on a country road, no studs or chains and a mountain road with lots of curves. Yikes! I am glad we both arrived home safely after our winter drives:)
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Sunday!
Blessings,
Aimee
Wow Gracie, how awful for you. I don't know how you managed to drive to the Falls and get back home. I am so glad you are safe. Please, please from now on, check with someone before you take off.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Sharon
Crikey! That sounds like a scary drive! I am so glad that you are safe and well after your adventure...
ReplyDeleteI love the yarn you are knitting with,the colours are gorgeous - stay safe!
Oh my goodness Gracie...what a scary adventure...and surely a lesson learned. I love the snow and wish we would see some of all that lovely white but without all the worry that comes with it! I am to working on something new since we have been living in the "dark" for weeks now.
ReplyDeletestay warm...Shari!
Before I read your post, I saw the photos and KNEW where you were. I also wondered, "What was she thinking???" Don't drive the Gorge if there's ice on the trees. I'm glad you are safe!
ReplyDeleteI'm SOOO glad that your safe Gracie. I heard that forecast Friday morning and thought how glad I was that I didn't have to begin my drive home that day! Little did I know that you were out there braving that stuff. Apparently 8 inches of snow fell at our house last night, but Dennis and I are safe and sound at the coast, (Lincoln City) tonight. We'll head home Wednesday. Take care and I'm looking forward to seeing your completed cowl.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
I'm so glad you're alive and well. Sounds like a scary, exhausting trip. You did capture some beautiful photos though! Love that yarn.
ReplyDeletexx
jenny
Safe and sound this end dear Gracie, although goodness what an adventure you have been on. Sounds a little hair raising for my liking though.
ReplyDeleteGlad you made it home in one piece.
Happy new year to you. Hope its a good one for you.
Sx
Gracie I am so glad you are safe. What a horrible experience but wonderful pictures. I hate driving in icy weather.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you got back safely, Gracie! What a frightening experience! Times like that certainly do make you appreciate just being alive and safe....and all the simple pleasures that life has to offer. Wishing you a very happy 2013!
ReplyDeleteHelen x
Glad you were Ok Gracie - sounds very scary. Reminds me of this time last winter when we got stranded in the forest in a snow storm. It was 10.30 at night though so could not take pictures. No phone signal either. Think it was high on the list for the most scary ever for me. The Falls and area look beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYikes! That's a scary way to get such beautiful photos! We are having an ice storm here at the moment but I'm knitting by the fire and hoping the power stays on.
ReplyDeleteHi!!! I found you, then somehow lost you when my old laptop was replaced by a MacBook Pro. Thanks so much for visiting, and thus reconnecting me to your blog. I look forward to catching up with your news : ). xx from Gracie
DeleteWow, what a scary drive! I totally understand the praying without ceasing... Thank goodness you made it safely, sweet Gracie. Love to you, my friend!
ReplyDeleteOh goodness, so happy to read you survived unscathed, and a bonus, you came away with some gorgeous images!
ReplyDelete