Rule Bending

Technically I have to park in the brighter spots.

I woke up early and headed out to work 2 hours before I needed to be there, hoping to avoid the crazy rush hour traffic in the inclement weather. Luckily I missed out on both. A smooth 20 minute drive into work with low traffic and only one near collision (a moving truck broke down instantly ahead of 2 trucks trying to merge into one another's lane in front of me) without any of the wintry mix that was currently wreaking havoc West of us.

Since it was still warmish (aka above freezing) outside when I drove in, I feared we'd get hit with freezing rain more than snow and didn't want to have to chisel through inches of ice to get back into my car, so I bent the rules. The Slumlordess and H. know that I don't break the rules of the parking garage. I don't cut the corners and I don't speed (it's way too crowded, limited sight distances, and full of pedestrians who have no walkway as it is) much to the chagrin of all the other drivers. There are just too many tight blind turns where an oncoming car or an unsuspecting pedestrian can be hidden behind, so I follow the rules. Today I bent one though. I'm supposed to park outside on the roof, but I parked a few spots inside under the cover of the top level.

I worried about it all morning, feeling guilty I'd stolen someone else's spot leaving them to have to dig/chisel out their car from the oncoming wintry doom.


Walking to the car after work I expected to see a parking citation, instead I saw a get out of jail free card. They had closed off the roof access after the mix started as conditions became too slickery to safely navigate the ramps. We were "encouraged" to park in the shelter of the second to the last floor. Proving me insightful and retaining my non-rule breaker status as it was allowed due to the conditions. Whew, hypocritical bullet dodged.

Backcountry Dog Researching

Getting home after a short 6 hour workday, I had enough daylight left to get outside for a wintry hike with the pups. The girls trail rode their horses with us for a lap and change too. I used it as a chance to trail run with the overly energetic pup and to walk some of the new singletrack lines I'm wanting to start cutting. It was also a good chance to clear up some of the deadfall for when the ground dries up enough to get back out there with the bike. The terrain of the back offers just enough steep hills to get the legs burning and minimal underbrush to allow for wide open exploration and myriad trail opportunities.


I'm waiting to hear whether or not work is canceled tomorrow. Funny how a little wintry mix can shut down a city, mostly from fear, though the twisty narrow mountain roads and lack of plowing infrastructure does make the relatively mild conditions dangerous to drive in. Let alone the goofs here who not only don't know how to drive in it (aka SLOWING DOWN), but don't even bother to clear off their windows. Walking to the car I had 3 cars nearly clip me pulling out of driveways as they hadn't even scraped off their side or rear windows of the deep snow. Each one opening their driver's door and telling me "Sorry, I can't see out my windows" then driving off again. Idiots. I saw many more out driving like that on the interstate, changing lanes in their winter tunnels on wheels unable to see. Gotta love Southern drivers in a snow storm.