DAY THIRTEEN, part one: Monticello, UT to Four Corners Monument (CO, UT, AZ, NM)

DAY THIRTEEN, part one: Monticello, UT to Four Corners Monument (CO, UT, AZ, NM)


It was so cold last night! But I slept. I think I slept 12 hours. I needed it. I was getting defeated.

Just as we suspected we were snowed in. The RV owner told John he would plow us out but it would take an hour or more. We ate waffles and bacon as we waited for the guy to use his snow blower and his ATV with a plow to clean the lot. We had hoped to leave by 8. We pulled out after 10:30.

The roads in Monticello had been touched by a plow at some point in the night. But the snow had regained its strangle-hold on the road. As we left Monticello, the snow started with a vengeance. And mother nature began to take a full-blown snow laden dump on the Roberts family.

There are no towns along this stretch of road. There is no breakdown lane to pull off in, and in white-out conditions, if you do, a plow can be your demise. We had no choice but to keep on keepin on. More often than not we couldn’t see the road. We watched the car in front of us go off the road into the deep snow of the shoulder. They’re not getting out any time soon. We passed at least 3 semi trucks, and three more cars. Shortly after we came to a car in the ditch (being rescued by a cop and a tow truck) we saw 2 plows on the side of the road. We had to stop as the further one was making a 3-point turn to head back and plow the northern route. We pulled up next to the second plow and asked if he was going to be plowing in our direction. When he said yes we were thrilled. I told him we were going to follow him.

The plow was a blessing and a curse to follow. Yes, his flashing lights and enormous orange body made it easy to see where to point the RV. But the snow he kicked up, when coupled with the right winds cused a complete white out. We were forced to stop numerous times just to regain a visual of the road. I even had to hang my head out the window to grab the wiper and clear the ice from it. I felt like Ace Ventura. I had checked the weather and found there were snow warnings all the way to Tucumcari. At least in Amarillo the snow *should* be done.

The stress and fear wreaked havoc on John and I. He made seemingly ridiculous demands of me (help me see the road, when does the snow end, etc) and I was a complete back seat driver scraping his last nerve (slow down, you’re following too close, etc). When the road was come semblance of clear we bid adieu to the plow and stopped for gas. John and I both think the past couple of days took years off of our lives. I have been amazed that we have not been at each other’s throats. I am trying to keep in mind the close quarters and the front row seat our kids have to our relationship right now.

When we left the gas station and headed further south (and down) the roads cleared and I saw a glimpse of blue sky over the mountain. I can’t tell you how happy this made me. I am ever so hopeful the worst is behind us. It certainly can’t get worse!