Fairy Dust (Continued)

“Magical” was just the word!


This morning when I posted that the snowfall we’d had was magical I was right. Unfortunately, I was also right when I said that the commute would be a bad one! The roads were indeed covered with a thin layer of snow almost all the way to the office. Well, to the train…


My anti-lock braking system came on a few times while driving in to the train station for my ride into town. The light snow still sparkled on some of the side roads, but on the major roads, some were icy, some were clear; the trouble was telling which were which!

At one point, a row of about five cars were all driving along Morrison Road (35 MPH Speed limit) going about 30 – it was easy to see that much faster would be ill-advised. That did not stop this one idiot in what the locals here sometimes call (derisively) “a California God-Mobile” from passing us in a no-passing zone easily going forty or fifty. The strategy of going slower was soon vindicated. We caught-up with the idiot at the intersection of Morrison and Alameda. He was standing outside his vehicle (which was facing the wrong direction) and staring at the wheel that had hit the concrete curb of the median while talking animatedly into his cell phone.

A “California God-Mobile” is a super-sized SUV being driven by idiots who apparently believe themselves, by virtue of the vehicle they are driving, invulnerable. Whenever you see an idiot driving one, especially if they seem to think they are exempted from the basic laws of physics, almost invariably it has a California license plate! “I’m a Californian in a Hummer! Friction! Pha! I Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Friction! The law of conservation of linear momentum does not apply to me!”

I guess I feel bad for the guy… Nah!

The “Magical” part of the morning (besides seeing that idiot get his comeuppance) was the fact that as bad as the roads were west of the interstate, it was like someone had flicked a switch. There was not a single flake or icy spot east of the interstate.

Downtown was lovely (cold, but lovely) and the morning eventually dawned clear and brilliant.

Wherever you are today, I hope you’ve had a lovely Day!

Don Bergquist – December 17, 2010 – Lakewood, Colorado, USA