I slept well and warm. I woke up early, I was nervous about the drive home. There is a storm today. I woke up to my car covered in snow and powder still falling beautifully, such a pretty sight. I started at 7am, had tea and packed. I was happy to discover the microwave works. I ate pumpkin soup and veggie cranberry ham. 
I watched what others did, drive on the snow and ice without chains. It didn’t occur to me they all had new car. There was traffic up Heavenly parking lot and a 2 door Benz got stuck on the snow up the hill, all traffic stopped. I too had to stop. This car had snow chains too. I didn’t and when it was okay to go, my car couldn’t, a Heavenly staff helped to push my car and my wheels swiveled to the right and left. I was skidding, but I didn’t know, I was on first gear, it was scary. I burned my car. It was totally scary. And yes I know nothing of skidding on ice and snow, can’t even register or identify it.
The snow was falling. I needed my goggles. The snow was fresh soft powder. I felt like I was gliding on frozen butter. It was wonderful, so much fun. Today I successfully did a left to right zig-zag down the slope, very satisfying. I only had time for one run. I had to go back down for my ride home. The ride down the tram, we almost hit the tower because of the wind, a bit scary.
I didn’t want to make any stops so I kept driving. The traffic started on the road way before chain control check. I waited to get chains before the chain control. I pulled over a gas station where most people did too to put on their chains. I pulled up to 4 Indian men from Fresno taking a smoking break to ask them to help me with chains. They were precise by the books kind of guys. They were the right ones to watch and learn from. They too are new at this. They did not have proper snow gear on. One of them had shopping bags for his tennis shoes to stay dry in this condition.
They had just read their instruction for putting on chain and just did so on their own car. So they followed instructions for chains word by word with mine. Four men were on their hands and knees on black ice in the parking lot without snow clothes, gloves, or snow shoes. I was super grateful, relieved, and happy that I forgot to hand them food or something as thank you.
The restroom was a long line. Lots of families not equipped for the snow were all waiting for the restroom. This was the last place for the restroom until after the mountain passes and in this snowy condition, it may mean hours.
I began my drive with chains on up the mountain to reach Echo summit, slow like everyone else. I have no idea what I am doing. I saw the signs for $30 to put up chains and $20 to take off chains. My chains cost $60. I pulled over at the off chains sign and asked 2 men with their girlfriends to help me remove my chains. They got on their hands and knees reluctantly in front of their girlfriends. I am grateful. I again forgot to thank them with something. I felt I had survived the hardest part so I sat and ate the rest of the spanakopitas. Little did I know the driving lesson has yet to begin for me. Eight miles in on the road after the take your chains off sign, cars were going 2 miles per hour bumper to bumper. My car slid and skid to the right. I didn’t know what it was about. I wondered if my breaks weren’t working, then finally the car was able to stop, by the use of snow pile by the edge of my lane facing the mountain, fortunately facing the mountain. In these mountain pass it’s either the mountain or down the mountain. Not knowing what that was about, I pulled out continued driving with wheels, breaks, engine on. I then skid to the left, fortunately no incoming car approached. I stopped as the wheels forked to the left all the way. Still, puzzled, wondered if my power steering was in trouble and proceeded to check that it was still working. I got on the lane again and inched a few feet, I skid to the right and turned the wheel to the max to stop skidding to avoid smashing into the mountain. I was super freaking out now. Again, not knowing what was going on, what I needed to do, I pulled the car back on the lane. I was at a complete stop for a long time in traffic. This really saved the stupidity in me from continuing forward and saved my car and life and other people too. I noticed no one else was putting chains on so I didn’t think I needed them. I did not notice they all were SUVs probably with snow tires on. I wondered why would they tell us to take our chains off if we needed them? Finally a Caltran truck rolled by and told me to put chains on again, that conditions changes in the mountain at any minute. I told him I needed help and he said, “good luck” and rolled off.
I pulled to the right to park my car, I got out and turned around and headed for the 1st car behind me to help me. He was a young man with a female driver in a T-Shirt, I asked for his help, he said he didn’t know how to put on chains and so I insisted I knew what I was doing just isn’t strong enough to hook up the chains. Perfect that he agreed, and in reality I have only seen it done once just 10 miles back from four Indian men who read instructions off a piece of paper. But I paid close attention so I was sure I could recall all the steps, at least I hoped to. He was kind to put on clothes and get on his hands and knees to reach the inside hooks of the wheel for both tires. He got all dirty and blacken his hands and clothes in the process of helping me. I did the outside hooks. He helped to secure the bungee chords, which I was not strong enough to stretch and hook up. I was so grateful I handed him grapes as thank you. Forty miles later, I insisted on completing my driving in the snow lesson and removed the chains myself.
It turns out in the summit, the slow traffic was due to a car accident of two cars without chains on ice, not visible to the eye that was covered underneath the fresh powder snow flurries falling from the sky. Both cars were brand new Benz. Fortunately these two cars saved me, I would have been driving much faster if not for this hold up. That would have been me or worse. I would also have hit on coming traffic with all the skidding into on coming traffic mountain lane if not for their accident to block all on coming traffic. So I came home and watched skidding and learned everything I can off You Tube with driving in the snow.
