After teaching a 2-day class in Fergus Falls, MN I head for home. To get to Fergus I flew into Fargo, ND on the 28th as it was closer than Minneapolis. By flying out of Flint, MI I managed to save $400 on airfare. But getting home has proven to be the bigger adventure thanks to a winter storm in the plains that made the news due to a 100-car pileup on I-94 west of Fargo.
12/30/2010
4:00pm - Left Fergus Falls, MN for home. Bad weather expected all throughout. Decided to drive to Fargo, ND (65 miles) through falling snow instead of Minneapolis, MN (195 miles) through snow and freezing rain.
4:30pm - Visibility on I-94 reduced to 1/2 mile due to drifting and blowing snow. Going about 40mph behind a Minnesota State Trooper.
4:45pm - I pass the State Trooper and pick up my speed to 60mph. I've settled in now, but in the back of my mind I don't like the driving conditions that much. I already know that I-94 is closed west of Fargo; just a matter of time before they close it east of Fargo as well.
5:15pm - I've been on the road for over an hour and I've only covered 35 miles on an Interstate highway. Visibility is down to zero. Let me explain zero visibility. It is dusk, so sunlight is scarce. It is overcast, with falling and blowing snow. That means everything outside is the same bluish-gray except for the red tail lights of the vehicle in front of me and the pavement under it whenever snow isn't drifting across it. As long as I stay behind the red lights and between the lines on the road whenever I can see them I should be fine. Top speed at this point: 15 mph with the occasional burst to 20.
5:45pm - Finally arrive in Fargo. Got off the freeway because I'm at my exit and because the "Road Closed" barrier is swung across the freeway. I can't see the hotel, and drive a half-mile too far. Made a U-turn and barely see the hotel sign through the snow. Pulled into the gas station to fill up the rental vehicle and to buy some food for dinner; no restaurants are open. Walking into the convenience store to pay for my gas I noticed that the ground is covered in an inch of ice. Not good. Get back to my car and go out the side driveway to the hotel. Bad move. That driveway wasn't plowed and now I'm stuck in snow.
6:00pm - After rocking the vehicle for 15 minutes, three teenagers walk up and offer to push me out. They can't.
6:10pm - I walk across the street and check into my hotel room, leaving the vehicle running. I then ask for a shovel and head back to the car and start digging. The temperature is 4 degrees Fahrenheit with a windchill of -22. Another man pulls up and helps to free my wheels. He then pushes me and I'm unstuck, but still not in the clear. Another 10 minutes of carefully rocking the vehicle up the driveway and I can now turn it around, go out the main entrance of the gas station and around to the hotel.
6:35pm - I drop my stuff in the hotel room and head down for the Manager's Reception, catered by Famous Dave's. Nice touch. It's a bit crowded; I suppose many of the folks here tonight were forced to alter their travel plans when I-94 was closed west of Fargo. I now find out that I-94 has also been closed east of Fargo all the way to Alexandria, MN (60 miles past Fergus Falls).
7:00pm - Back in the room I change and repack the suitcase. A quick check of my flight itinerary shows that the 7:05am flight has been pushed back to 7:45am. I call Delta and they tell me that the Airbus is on the ground in Fargo. As long as we can take off in the morning before the next storm hits (scheduled for 3pm 12/31) I'll be good.
12/31/2010
5:00am - Alarm clock goes off.
5:10am - I get out of bed, get dressed and pack up. I check one more time with the airline and find out that the 7:05am flight has been CANCELLED. Next earliest flight they can get me out is Sunday afternoon. Not good; I ask about alternatives. They confirm a seat on a flight from Grand Forks at 11:00am. That's only 80 miles away, but the interstates are all closed. I look at a map and find an old US Route that could get me there. But with the road conditions, 25mph winds and drifting snow I'm not sure I can. I call back and they get me a seat on the 11:00am flight from Fargo.
6:30am - After breakfast I head out to the car. Irony - while the path to my vehicle is clear, there are snowdrifts in the driveway blocking either exit. I wait and watch in amazement as snow removal vehicles show up and begin moving the snow out of the way. Soon I'm on my way to the airport.
8:15am - I arrive at the airport and turn in the vehicle. I go to the ticket counter and find a line of standby passengers from earlier flights waiting to be helped by the only Delta employee who made it in - a baggage handler. (Note: In the smaller airports it is not uncommon for airline employees to be trained to cover multiple tasks.) He was able to print two of my three boarding passes. The one that didn't print? Yup, the Fargo-Minneapolis leg. He assured me that when his supervisor got in she would be able to do it.
11:15am - Boarding pass in hand I walk down the jetbridge to board the first flight to Minneapolis. If I can get out of Fargo before the second blizzard hits, I should be able to get home in time.
12:30pm - In Minneapolis, waiting for the 3:20pm flight to Detroit. I should get in at 6:00pm to make the 7:30pm flight to Flint. There have been lots of families with kids and kids without parents travelling today. It's been fun to watch the nervous looks from parents who see me wearing a suit. I assure them that I've travelled with three kids of my own. As soon as I say that they relax a bit and let their guard down.
3:30pm - In the plane, heading over to the deicing pad. I fall asleep.
5:00pm - I wake up to find that we are still on the deicing pad. Apparently there was some ice found inside the engine and they wanted to get a closer look at it before clearing the plane for takeoff. Wow.
7:25pm - Landing in Detroit, I run to the next flight only to watch as the jetbridge is pulled back. No gate agent at the counter and the door is closed. I have officially missed the last flight to Flint.
7:45pm - I head over to the SkyClub and share the events of the last two days with the Customer Service Agent. She immediately swings into action and secures vouchers for meals and two taxi rides - one to get me home and another to bring me back to the airport in the morning. I head down to the taxi stand and get a ride home.
9:00pm - Home, finally. Time to party with the family!
1/1/2011
12:00am - Happy New Year!
12:01am - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
6:00am - Alarm clock goes off. I wake up, get dressed and have Basma drop me off at the airport. I skipped the free cab ride to spend some time with my wife.
8:00am - Cleared security; used the meal vouchers to buy 6 croissants from Brioche Doree. The family is going to have a special New Year's breakfast!
9:45am - Landed in Flint; picked up the car.
10:40am - Arrived home. Finally.
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