Christmas Eve 2006...
We decided to celebrate with the Kirstine family in the Sierra snow. Our original plan was to go skiing on Christmas day, but the storm was coming and we did not want to get stuck...
Jim Kirstine is the #1 man this year at Soda Springs, so that was our destination. Karen placed a quick call to Jose' to see if cousins Zoe and Danika were going to meet us for snow-play...
Snow fell last Thursday so we knew the conditions were good...
I was prepared to load the truck with winter essentials: shovel, the winter kit (tarp, matches, gloves, blankets, snowball makers, tire chains, chain installation gear), water, food, games, etc... when I mentioned to Karen that I planned on getting new tires soon...
In a split second, Karen became a tire tread expert, inspected my vehicle and made the executive decision that we would not be using the truck for the trek...
Instead we would be driving the Benz because it was "safer". Apparently, Karen purchased new snow tires recently and figured her vehicle was better prepared to assure our safety...
In fairness, she just became the rightful owner of the vehicle that we leased for 5 years, has a (relatively unused) ski rack installed, new tires, four wheel - no, all wheel drive and she needs snow experience...
No problem, I'll enjoy the view...
Now, the last time we used this rig in the Sierra during winter, I was driving... Madelyn came down with a sudden fever and I was hurrying the family home from the North Shore of Lake Tahoe after midnight in a snowstorm...
As I turned on the wipers over Mt. Watson summit, I realized that the windshield fluid in the reservoir was pure water... The windshield was quickly turning to ice... in fact the hose delivering the water to the windshield froze too...
No problem, I'll enjoy the view...
We hobbled home by stopping every few miles to grab snow, clean the window and allow the defroster to "clear my view"... I kept mumbling that this rig was a toy and ill prepared for Sierra winters...
So this time, I couldn't help to poke fun at Karen's car and ask her the requisite question, "Is the wiper fluid freeze proof?" She said yes...
No problem, I'll enjoy the view...
We arrived at Soda Springs - barely... Oh sure the roads were clear and the traffic was minimal... but as we approached, there was a minivan that overturned in front of us and quickly became fully engulfed in flames... (turns out, it was some of Jim's staff - nobody was hurt)
If that wasn't enough, as we get to the town of Norden, we approach the train tracks... the front tires are on the track when Karen realizes that there is a train approaching less than 100 yards port side...
Karen slams the vehicle in reverse as I watch the guard coming down on top of the car... Feeling like I'm in an action movie, my senses are sharpened... As the 100th car passes left to right, we see another train coming from starboard...
No problem, I'll enjoy the view...
We arrived, got dressed, got lifted, made one ski run and it was snack time... two runs later, we were through... Jim made some family friendly additions at Soda Springs this year that included a tube run, a tube carousel and a kid-sized snowmobile track... Madelyn and Zoe took turns on the snowmobile... (see movie clip below)
Later, we hiked around, looked for bears, made snow angels, took pictures, threw snowballs, exchanged gifts, said goodbyes and drove home...
No problem, I enjoyed the view...
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Snowmobile Fun This 14 second file is 3.3Mb.
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