Day Sixteen - Snow Storm

Looking out the window of the motel the next morning I was greeted by wet blowing snow coming down at a forty-five degree angle...better get moving.  I packed up quickly then dashed down to the breakfast room for a bite where, needless to say, no one looked very happy about our weather predicament.  The television was tuned to a weather station that was forecasting winter storm conditions all across the prairies.  But there was a tiny highlight...the motel had the same great little wraps as always and they were delicious as ever; I ate two and grabbed another two for the road.

Loaded my luggage and cleaned the snow off the car then went back to the motel lobby to get a coffee to go.  Out of the parking lot and onto the bypass road then exit onto the Trans Canada Highway heading west.  The driving lane had a few tires tracks but the passing lane showed no signs of traffic in the four or five inches of fresh slush...the visibility was about half a mile at best.  Hmmm...this was not going to be a fun day on the road but, I'd driven in worse, so on with the show.

The drive from Moose Jaw to Swift Current usually takes a little over an hour and a half on a good day but since this was rather a bad day it took over three hours.  Along the way I passed by a couple of semis that were jack-knifed in the ditch, came upon a few overly cautious drivers, was passed by a few lunatic drivers as well as half a dozen semis that kicked up so much wet snow that I couldn't see a thing for several seconds (that's always frightening) but I made it to Swift Current and in one piece.  It was still snowing and blowing...nothing had changed in that respect.

I didn't need gas but always feel safer getting back on the road with a full tank.  After filling up I picked up a burger at a drive-thru, which I ate quickly, and got back on the road.  About ten miles west of Swift Current I tuned into a local radio station that informed me that the highway between Swift Current-Moose Jaw-Regina-Indian Head had been closed until further notice.  "Missed me by that much!" as Maxwell Smart used to say.

During the next hour the road conditions improved slightly.  When I reached Gull Lake there were several police cars parked alongside the bypass roads on both sides of highway and I never like the look of that.  There hadn't been an accident so there was only one thing they had in mind and that was to close down the highway.  Thank you again Max!

Not far west of Gull Lake the wind calmed a little as did the snowfall but this was not the time to get overconfident (like the guy in the ditch I just passed).  Being somewhat stressed out from the day's drive plus a lead foot never make a good combination.  Slow and steady wins the battle so I understand.

Over the next hour there were vast improvements in the weather and road conditions.  I passed by the Maple Creek exit...only about sixty miles to go.  Conditions steadily improved and within half an hour everyone was traveling at the speed limit or more.  Checking local radio again the highway was now closed from the Maple Creek exit all the way east of Indian Head.  Luck was with me.  

By the time I was home and unpacked the snow was again coming down heavily (as it did for the next two days).  After an attempt at a short nap it was time for supper...there's a great little take-out pizza place only three blocks from my place.

My last long road trip of the year was over...and it was nice to be home.

No photographs were taken on October 23, 2022.