The Road Less Travelled

is an unploughed street.
(picture courtesey of The Toronto Star's Bernard Weil)

First Feb 2008 - first major snowstorm that hit us this winter. I looked out our window this morning and I saw tiny pellets of snow the size of iodized salt on your shaker. They are coming from everywhere, errr,, more like it's a going every direction, depending on how you look at it.

The snow drifts in no particular direction (bad sign for those driving this morning), and from the looks of it, it has been relently pouring since 2 AM, an accumulation only a snowboarder or a private snowplough contractor would love to have. It must have been a sight to behold for Kev when he woke up this morning -- alas! powdery, dry snow, whooopeeee! Too bad, Kev is working today, else he's off to Blue Mountain.

I heard school classes are suspended and the weatherman expects more of the powdery stuff as the day rolls on. I headed to work, very slowly almost crawling like Addi, that's how I'd describe it.

On an uphill road nearing a small bridge (BRIDGE ICES FIRST BEFORE THE ROAD, you hobo read your roadsigns will you?), a truck almost hit my car with his rear as the driver changed lane but slipped sideways instead. I'm glad I invested on some four snow tires,and an Anti-lock breaking system (ABS).

On my way home this evening, road conditions got worse, though the city had been ploughing all day it just could not keep up and they forecast for more snow and a mixture of ice pellets and stinging freezing rain tonight. And before the night is over, we will have more snow covering the ice on the ground tomorrow which will make it a lot more difficult to tread and drive. I passed by some oriental store and picked up some veggies -I will cook near-authentic pakbet on Sunday. I engaged the parking break as I parked on an incline - the lot was not clean shaven and a bit slippery.

Done shopping and back to the parking lot. Whoaaaaaaaaaa! I could not move the car. I struggled to do a gas and brake and a rock to and fro trick but the car just would move every direction but forward - more on sideways like a tailspin. Cars zipped by me though, and I was wondering what the heck was wrong with the space my car happened to be. I had made the car moved to about 10 metres (I did it sideways, mind you) and on snowcleared surface, but still the car wouldn't go forward. I had never experienced driving sideways nor I am licensed to drive sideways ... it was scary, AND frustrating!

Damn the breaks!!! Quite literally, indeed. I was cussingly frantic when I my right hand hit the parking brake. I Still had the parking brake ENGAGED, wa ha ha! stoooopeeddd me with a capital S %?&@(#$%!!!!! By the way, watch for Part Two of this memorable day.


Kaninang umaga ay nagsimula ang unang snowstorm dito sa lugar namin.... AKALA ko e nagsimula na ang spring, bakit ganun? Enihuuuuu, nabalitaan ko na kanseld ang klase at pagtingin ko sa bintana e nagliliparan ang snow na singbutil ng asin. Eto na kako yata ang snowstorm, ang kinaiinisan ng mga motorista -- yung nagdi drift ang snow at kinokoberan hindi lang isang side ng kalye, actually LAHAT ng sides. Kaya ang right window at left window ng kotse pati side mirrors ay unti unting natatakpan ng snow, kahit umaandar ang kotse.... mabagal na mabagal siguro mga 20 kph sa 60 kph zone dahil nga sa kumakapal na accumulation ng snow na nagsimulang bumagsak siguro mga 2 kaninang madaling araw. Eto yung kundisyon ng weather na gustong gusto ni Kevin para magawa nya ang kanyang peborit na wintersport, SNOWBOARDING. Kaso, pur Kevin, may pasok pa sya ngayong Byernes, kung hindi e sigurado kong umuusok ang Blue Mountain ski and snowboarding resort sa pagbisita nila ng mga kaibigan nya.

Sabi pa nga ng wederman, the worse is yet to come -- anak ng tipaklong, buti na lang weekend bukas. E mantak mong mixture of freezing rain at ice pellets, arukodyosko ang sakit humampas noon sa exposed skin mo.

Mabagal ang usad ng kotse ko kaninang umaga, sadyang binabagalan namin ng mga iba pang motoristang kasabay ko sa kalye, hindi pa masyadong nag plow ng snow ang city, o hindi talaga sila makaagad sa dami ng snow na pumapatak. Aba e isang truck driver ba naman ang bigla biglang nagpalit ng lane kung saan nandoon ako, muntik na nya akong mahampas ng likod ng truck nya kasi umislayd ng sideways -- MADULAS ANG KALYE damuho ka @$&%*#&$!!!!! Bukod dyan, malapit tayo sa maliit na tulay at may nakapost na sign: NAGYEYELO ANG TULAY UNA PA SA KALYE!!!! Pwede ba, magbasa ka ng mga roadsigns? Buti na lang gamit ko ang apat na snow tires, at saka meron ABS ang kotse ko. Naranasan ko nang umikot sa madulas na kalye kasi wala akong snows, naging leksyon na sa akin yan tuwing winter.

Dumaan ako sa oriental store ng pauwi na ako sa bahay. Bumili ako ng mga gulay kasi magluluto ako ng "parang" tunay na Ilokos Pakbet.... paborito kong lutong gulay. Makapal pa din ang yelo sa parking lot at hindi pa halos na plow. Pag park ko ng kotse, sinet ko ang parking brake para kako wag dumausdos.

Natapos na akong mamili at pinaandar ko na kotse. Kaso, baket ayaw umusad ng kotse? Tinapakan ko ang gas, naku ang kotse patagilid kung umusad, pakonte konte syang umusad pasulong. Ni-rock ko ang kotse (gas-and-brake, to and fro teknik) para makaalis ako sa slippery spot ng kalye. Naka 10 metro siguro ako ng paganun-ganun, at ang kotse ay umaandar ng patagilid (sideways), pa-atras, pag tinapakan ang gas -- kaso ayaw pasulong! Ang dami ng kotse na nakalampas sa akin, baket kako ayaw sumulong nito?

Sa frustration ko, natabig ko ang parking brake! AYSUSSSS santamaryang batang ire, sabi nga sa Batangas! Hindi ko pa pala naaalis ang Parking Brake.... tangeeeeeeeengotttt ko!!! &*&#&$*@!!!! E paano ako makakaalis noon? Susko day!!!!

Nekst taym, kukuha ako ng draybers laysens na patagilid ang takbo ng kotse para sa ganun pag nangyari ulet sa aken ito at may pulis na sumita sa aken e meron akong maipapakitang lisensya na samakatwid e CERTIFIED akong magmaneho ng patagilid.

(Hanggang ngayon, umuusok pa ilong ko sa inis!!!) Syanga pala, merong Part To ito.