Salt Saskatchewan
Well, my wife is back!
Here’s the scenario. For almost a year she has gone without a haircut. Her perm has lasted the year, but of course things grow out! In the meantime we have moved. She wanted to go back to the old hairdresser at least one more time. Just to get instructions for a new hairdresser.
Then, of course, our daughter lives in the area and a friend volunteered to put her up overnight. The scene is now set.
Except for the scene of the morning she is to leave. After the worst of winter – the warmest winter ever – spring arrived on March 20. On the second day of spring, Wednesday, the worst roads appear! Snow is blowing and the salt is not able to melt it fast enough. Instead snow begins to pile up and form a layer of ice.
Sheer ice for the first 100 kilometers. No faster than 80 kilometers and more often 50 kilometers. For the metrically challenged — no faster than 50 miles per hour with some stretches at 30 miles per hour.
White knuckles and strained eyes were the order of the day for almost 2 hours.
Today, Thursday, the intrepid adventurer headed back.
Actually we used to drive an Intrepid – now it’s a Concorde – well actually its a combination of an Intrepid and a Concorde – we call it a Contrepid.
No problem. Set the cruise control on the Contrepid. In no time she was home without encountering ice or snow.
The car, though, was a sight to see. Salt had been liberaly sprinkled for the last few days. All over the road. Thick. White.
And the car was white!
We hit the car wash immediately.
Please understand. I was born on the prairies back when the winter was very cold and the spring came literally overnight. Salt was not needed.
But I’m beginning to believe in global warming. The curse of Toronto with melting and freezing has come our way. So salt is eating up the roads and the cars.
Oh, for the days of -40 degrees.
Did I really say that??