I had checked conditions on Vail pass, typically the most treacherous portion of the drive through Colorado on Interstate 70. The forecast was clear, as were the live webcams, so I figured I'd be just fine in my front wheel drive Elantra. I didn't bother to check the approaches to and from The Eisenhower Tunnel.
That was a mistake, though to be fair, many people would have taken that route anyway, rather than going North through Wyoming, or South through New Mexico.
A great deal of sand had been laid on the approach to the tunnel, so traffic was still going about 50mph even though it was snowing, and there was some snow on the road. Often, conditions will be different on the other side of the tunnel, as it's on the other side of the Continental Divide, but tonight that was not the case this fine evening. It was still snowing when I came out of the tunnel, and a great deal of sand had been put down here too, so everyone was still going about 50.
The unexpected part came as I was alongside another car. I heard a sudden, loud sound, much like a gunshot, followed by the sound of glass ricocheting around the passenger compartment. Immediately after, I felt a 50mph, 20 degree wind, and the unique crinkling sound of more glass, as it fell from the window over the plastic interior.
It took me a few seconds to realize that I hadn't been shot, that it was just a rock thrown up by the car next to me. It was very fortunate no one was with me, as we would surely have had to head to the closest emergency room. I was hit by some glass, but didn't get cut too badly. It wasn't long after that, that I realized I was in trouble, as I still had seven hundred miles to go, under potentially highly variable conditions. And that's where the preparation came in.
I pulled over as soon as I could reasonably do so, put on my coat and gloves, and started the process of sealing the former window with gaffer's tape. While certainly inconvenient, it certainly beat the alternative of driving in freezing cold temperatures with no jacket or gloves. Even without the tape, I still would have had a coat and gloves to wear, because I was prepared.
You should be prepared too, and with Winter coming, it's even more important. You should have a survival kit in your car at all times, because so many things can happen. Just one slip of the wheel, and you could be in a ravine overnight, or worse, for several days. It doesn't need to take up much space, either. Here's what I have in my kit:
- Small backpack - everything should be able to fit in this backpack, so it's easy to keep everything together. And you can take it with you easily if you have to walk.
- Jacket or coat
- Plastic poncho
- Hand warmers
- Flashlight
- Socks
- Toilet paper
- Whistle
- Quarters
- Small mirror
- Matches
- Gloves
- Blanket
- Sunblock
- Folding knife, as long as it's legal in your state
- Non-perishable food - several thousand calories, such as emergency protein bars, fruit rolls, tootsie rolls, beef jerky, and raisins. Replace it every year.
- Tape - Gaffer's tape, which is like duct tape but doesn't leave a residue. It's expensive, so you can use duct tape instead, or even hose tape, but have something.
- Compass - this one won't do you any good unless you know how to use it, so learn.
- Band-Aids
- Neosporin
So why do you need all this if you have a cell phone? It's continually amazing to me how many back roads in the US, and even some stretches of Interstate, have literally NO cell service, despite what those ridiculous maps tell you. So you may not be able to use your phone if you get stuck, and even if you do, what about when it runs out? You need to be able to depend on yourself to get out of a jam on the road. If you're the kind of person who calls 911 if you get a flat tire, then you should really engage in some self-reflection.
Then again, the kind of person who thinks their cell phone will always save them is not the kind of person I'm trying to talk to. I doubt I'll be able to reach you.
