detour
Posted by Sherry on November 30, 2008
The sun was shining brightly when we left our plush accommodations shortly before noon. We wanted to get a jump on the other vacationers who we figured would be hitting the slopes one last time. We zipped along Interstate 70, even as light snow fell outside the comfort of our car. Right about Vail snow fell in earnest. Before long we were part of a vast parking lot. We laughed at our joy from getting to inch forward. An electronic sign estimated one and a half hours to the Eisenhower Tunnel, eight miles away. Dusty, who had returned early, coached us via BlackBerry, encouraging us that after the tunnel we’d be able to drive 10 MPH!
It wasn’t to be. Four cars ahead of us the road-closed gate crossed the highway, and we were forced to exit at Keystone. Along with multiple thousands of other travelers. On the busiest travel night of the year.
I’m not sure at this point how our adventure will end. It’s snowing heavily, but get this. We have the blessing of a three-bedroom condo here in Keystone, made available to us by a simple phone call to Quinn and Dusty’s friends. So we have a place to be until travel opens up. Our flight back to Portland isn’t until around 9 tomorrow night. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
I have just finished talking to our SoCal kids who were inching their way toward the Grapevine with millions of their friends, to travel over the hill into the LA Basin. They are 100 miles from home and hope to make it by midnight. Oh, the joys of holiday travel. So glad for your place to stay!
Love, Marcile