LAST winter, on February 18, I posted the following on Facebook:
Sure can't complain about the weather this winter but thought I'd share this little story. It's been 4 weeks since the night I drove home from work in freezing rain. I slowly but surely made it the 30 miles until I turn off SR 37 onto Portie Flamingo Road where, from that point on, no salt truck ever goes. I managed to slip and slide another mile with very poor traction and I was still on the flattest, straightest part of the road. I stopped. Opened the door. Put my foot down on the road and it was solid ice. I knew then that I had two choices. Drive on, put my car in a ditch, and walk home. Or park the car as soon as I could, put on my boots, and walk home. I chose the Parking option. I took my field trial beating stick to use as a walking stick and started walking. There was no walking the road. I had to walk in the ditches and baby step across driveways. Never saw a person. Never heard a dog bark. All I heard was the sound of freezing rain hitting my jacket. It took me two hours to walk 2.5 miles! I got home at 3 am. I took this photo of my jacket covered in a thin layer of ice. My purse looked the same!
Freezing rain had formed a thin layer of ice on my jacket as well as a thick layer of ice on the road
On Facebook, Linda Sullivan of Nebraska replied:
Get a pair of "yak trax" to store in the CRV--if you ever need them, they slip on your shoes or boots. With any luck you will never need to use them but they are absolutely wonderful if you have to navigate ice on foot.
I did not buy a pair of Yaktrax last year. But THIS winter, with another Facebook prompting from Linda, I did. I went online and found Yaktrax on sale at Amazon. I figured they would also come in handy when road walking my dogs this winter so for a few dollars more, I got the somewhat better, sturdier Pro version.
Well, tonight I had occasion to use them for the first time. I could not believe how effective they were on the ice-covered porch, sidewalk, and driveway! Wow! If I had have known these things existed, I would have gotten a pair years ago! They are easy to use, comfortable to wear, they're not sharp or spiked (so you can walk on the floor okay to get to the door), yet I eventually got the distinct impression that it would be impossible to slip or slide in these things. I say "eventually" because at first I did not trust them and kept walking like I was walking on...ice. Before very long, though, I was striding along like the ice didn't exist. Great invention!
Thank you, Linda, for telling me about Yaktrax - and telling me again!
Well, tonight I had occasion to use them for the first time. I could not believe how effective they were on the ice-covered porch, sidewalk, and driveway! Wow! If I had have known these things existed, I would have gotten a pair years ago! They are easy to use, comfortable to wear, they're not sharp or spiked (so you can walk on the floor okay to get to the door), yet I eventually got the distinct impression that it would be impossible to slip or slide in these things. I say "eventually" because at first I did not trust them and kept walking like I was walking on...ice. Before very long, though, I was striding along like the ice didn't exist. Great invention!
Thank you, Linda, for telling me about Yaktrax - and telling me again!
