Living in Alaska: December 2010

Today, Mike and I planned a fun trip out to Chena River Recreational Area. Our destination was Angel Rocks and then on to Chena Hot Springs for a dip in the outdoor hot spring. With loads of fun in mind, we drove out Chena Hot Springs Road, passed two moose and sang Christmas carols.

As we drove along singing loudly, somehow we drove right past the turn for Angel Rocks. Mike, using his wisdom, saw a side road (I personally thought it looked as if it had not seen a plow all winter) and decided to use it to turn around. Protesting under my breath, trying hard not to offend my well-meaning husband, I was lurched forward upon the first hit of the snow bank. Mike floored the pedal and we sat still. He gunned it again and again we sat motionless.

Trying to embrace every situation, I smiled and said, "Hey, I think we're stuck."

Mike turned to me and said with a frown, "Yes, I know."

With my quick thinking, I jumped out of the car and said, "Hey! I'll push us out!" Before he could protest, I had closed the door and was at the front of the car ready to save us from certain tragedy. Mike put it in reverse, I dug in my heels and pushed as hard as I could.

Would you believe me if I told you that I pushed us right out of that snow bank? I didn't think so. So, I pushed and I pushed and Mike didn't move. The tires just spun and spun with snow flying everywhere.

Mike, growing rather frustrated, decided he would push and I would drive. Compliantly, I got into the driver's seat. Mike went to the front of the car and began to push. I pushed on the pedal with the same results. We didn't move. We were definitely stuck.

I rolled down the window and told Mike that he was going to have to dig us out. Thinking that a former Eagle Scout would always be prepared, I assumed we had a shovel and/or other important tools with which to deal with any winter emergency. Well, we had no shovel or any other tools. The best we had was a hiking pole and our hands.

Again, trying to be supportive, I grabbed the camera and started taking pictures. After a few shots, I realized the look on Mike's face said something like this, "If you know what's good for you, you'll get out here and help me."

Rushing to save us from certain tragedy, I flashed out of the car and began digging with my hands. I have never seen so much snow under a car in my entire life! In fact, I couldn't even see under the car. It was all packed with snow!

Mike and I dug and we dug. We used hiking poles to break up the ice and snow and then we would dig some more. Finally, Mike decided that maybe, just maybe, it was enough to get the car out of this disastrous situation. He got in, put the car in reverse and accelerated. The tires spun and threw snow everywhere.

Again, feeling like a heroine, I offered to push. He said that it would do no good. Insisting that I give it a try, I jumped over to car and gave one big push. In a split second, the car ran over my foot and crushed every bone. Oh, just kidding! In a split second, the car was out of the snow bank and we were home free!

Yeah!!!! Now we could enjoy a hike at Angel Rocks. I wish I could say that our hike was as adventurous as our driving into a snow bank, but it wasn't. We hiked up and we hike down.

After 2 hours in sub zero temperatures, we drove over to Chena Hot Springs for a soak in the spring and dinner. Again, nothing very exciting or adventurous happened, just a very frosty time in the hot spring and a mellow dinner.

I hope that one day you can experience being stuck in a snow bank with your spouse. It really does give communication a good work out!

Kristie pushed hard to get the car out of the snow bank.