In a Fog

New Brighton, MN

Hello,

We got up early expecting to leave by 6:00. Leroy’s sister informed us that it was foggy and slick in some places. Loading the last things in the car, helped us to see just how little visibility there was. For a change we decided to be sensible and wait an hour when the sun would be up hopefully lighting the way a bit more clearly.

As we left it was indeed easier to see. Fortunately there was no slickness that we noticed. The fog varied from thin to such limited visibility that we wondered if we were alone in the cocoon.

Leroy had carefully scraped off the ice without damaging the new metal windshield wiper piece. Just think that plastic piece was replaced by metal; who knows, it might even outlive the car. At one point I noticed that the radio antenna was flapping wildly. After a bit pieces of ice flew off and back over the car. Ice was still at the top. The layer would gradually build back up followed by wild shaking and the middle section of ice flying away. There was no ice on the windows or the hood that we could tell.

In the mean time we are driving though this fog that at times was so thick. The question is what speed should one drive? On the two lane road Leroy drove the speed limit and one person passed him. On the four lanes he mostly drove the speed limit with some reductions from time to time as it swirled more thickly around us. Many people passed us. We did come upon a slow car that had their flashers on. Is that safest? It was scary to think of being so slow that someone might plow into the bumper before they would realize that we were there.

We dropped some bags off in Ely at our next temporary home. On the county road we did see some cars in the ditch. On this two lane road it was much slower going through some of the thickest fog yet. I started driving at that point. About 40 miles later we came to a much lighter fog so I thought it was all over, but then we were again enveloped in a fog so dense that I twice had to ask Leroy if he thought there was someone in front of us. He agreed that there was a car there.

We were surrounded by the mist for four and a half hours. At that point it was almost the abruptness of coming out of a tunnel into the bright sun. Leroy called it a wall of fog. We drove in the sun for two hours. Then Leroy said, “Look ahead.” There was a bank of tan fog or smog. We passed through the wall and for that last hour we were again in the fog, not as seriously as that to the south, but enough that we both felt the urge to keep scanning the road ahead for any unusual event. It certainly helped Leroy to stay awake.

I can certainly understand how those multi-car pile ups happen with people driving the speed limit or more when they can only see a few yards in front of them. They are trusting there will be nothing to impede their progress.

We are grateful to be here. Brian is indeed hurting. I was wrong it is his thigh muscle not his knee.

Sophia was excited to see me and Logan is adjusting and coming closer all of the time.

Paula