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I know we have had all of the master minds in the government working on this Global Warming issue, but I am beginning to doubt their techniques. I do however really hope that they get it all figured out because I have had about all of the Global Warming I can stand here in Oklahoma.

As I got things wrapped up at work on Christmas Eve and headed home, we were experiencing some heavy snow fall. With 40-55 mph winds, the visibility was near zero. Judy was still out in the delivery van trying to get the last of the Christmas flowers delivered to customers before Christmas. They were really having to fight the weather as conditions worsened.

I was headed west on I-40 when I saw the dreaded glow of many brake lights in the distance. I quickly changed my course and turned north up the Kilpatrick Turnpike. I made it safely to the Wilshire exit and ventured across country. Moving slowly and using caution, I arrived without issue.

Judy and Chris (the delivery driver) called after they had delivered the last order and were headed to the house for me to take them back to the shop. I fired up the old Camo 4x4 Chevy pickup and had it warmed up by the time they arrived.

We safely made our way around all the stalled and stuck vehicles and arrived at our destination. As soon as I got Chris dropped off at home we headed back for the homestead and the fire.

As the storm continued to pound central Oklahoma, we had company drop in. Matt, Jenny, Riley and Kash stopped by for a Christmas Eve visit with my Dad and Step Mom that were in from Missouri. As we all set cozily around the fire we were shaken by a phone call. It was our youth minister’s wife and she was panicking. Doug had left to try to rescue his parents whom had gotten stranded and now he was stuck. Well, what you gonna do?

I put on the coveralls as did Matt and Jenny. Why not head out for an adventure? Just to be on the safe side, I fired up the Camo truck and Matt and Jenny hopped into the little red Jeep YJ. Now I know what you are thinking. Why not take the Big Jeeps? Well, let’s think about that for a moment - temperatures of 22 degrees with blizzard winds of 50 mph? I don’t know for sure what that makes the wind chill but it is cold. So with no tops or doors on the DragonFly and Big Yeller, they just did not seem like the best choice.

As we departed our location on Britton, which is an East-West road, the drifts were building. The farther we traveled the deeper the drifts got. After about 3 miles we were busting 3 foot deep drifts. When I would plow into the drift I would lose total visibility for about 20 seconds. After stalling a few times and having to have Matt pull me out backwards, I would hit the drift again to bust on through. After having success with this method 3 times our luck ran out.

With Doug’s car now in sight I hammered into the one last drift between us. Just like the several times before, I failed to get all the way through the drift. As we were hooking the YJ to the rear of the Camo truck Doug walked down to our location. We were hooked up by the time he arrived, but this time our luck ran out. As Matt and the YJ pulled backwards they slid into the ditch. Now both rigs were buried. We ran the winch to the rear of the Camo truck and attempted to winch the YJ from the ditch but it would just continue sliding along the ditch and would not pull its self back onto the road. After a couple of hours of digging and winching it was determined that we were in trouble. With 14” of snow the 50 mph winds continuing to build the drifts deeper around us, we continued to work frantically. Finally we decided that it was time to make a decision. We could spend the night in the vehicles because there was no help coming tonight or we could walk and fight the blowing snow, freezing temperatures and 4’ snow drifts the 1 ½ miles back to Doug’s house. At least there we knew we would be safe and have heat, food and water.

We warmed ourselves up in the rigs for a few minutes and then ventured off. I realized that it was a very serious situation but the longer we waited the worst it was going to get. It was a very rough trip for this old fat guy. Matt and Doug had to help me get up out of a couple of the drifts as my legs were completely out of strength. Finally we reached our destination and climbed out of our winter clothing and started warming by the fire.

After some time we received word that Doug’s parents had been rescued from the east and they were taken home. Finally we knew that our group was now warm and safe but that left us with our next issue, that being we were still 5 miles from home and it was Christmas Eve. Riley and Kash were safe at Nana’s house but the mood was dismal with this being Kash’s first Christmas and Mom and Dad were stranded and not with the kids.

As we continued to warm ourselves Matt remained on the phone seeking a solution. Now who did he know that was a good enough friend, had a big 4x4 rig and was crazy enough to get back out in the Blizzard to try to help us get home? When the cards were about all played, our good friend Adam rose to the challenge. Adam would give it a shot. Now, Adam lived over near El Reno, Ok. which was about 20 miles away. He said the north bound highway 81 was open and he could get to Northwest Expressway then travel east toward Oklahoma City. We thought he could get close to us on a south bound county road. Our hero headed off into the blizzard in our direction. About an hour later he had made it to within 2 miles and was turning south. We put on our winter gear again and headed out for another 1/3 mile stroll through the blizzard. Finally we had a chance of making it home for Christmas. We successfully made the connection and were safely in Adam’s big Ford. We then started the journey toward our house. Choosing our roads carefully and still busting through some very large drifts, Adam pushed the big Power Stroke Ford forward. Through the drifts, through some ditches and even through some yards we pushed onward. At last our hero had succeeded. At midnight on Christmas Eve we had Kash reunited with his mommy right as his first Christmas began. As for the status of our hero of the night, Adam (being unmarried and having no children) chose at this point to spend the rest of the night with us. His family would be celebrating Christmas the next afternoon and we hoped things would look better in the Day light.

On Christmas morning reinforcements arrived. Andy and Brad arrived and we got the DragonFly out of the barn. We piled into the Power Stroke and the Dragon Fly and we all headed back out to try to rescue the rigs. After about 3 hours we retrieved the red YJ and finally retreated home for dinner and presents. The poor Camo would just have to spend another night in the snow on the lonely and deserted snow drifted road.

On Saturday after a full day at work of getting mail trucks unstuck, I returned home. We again headed out to attempt to recover the Camo. We went loaded for bear this time. We stuffed tools, shovels and straps into the Dragon Fly and Big Yeller. Judy and Sabrina would follow in Brad’s Dodge 2500 4x4 that had been recovered from a drift the night before.

Finally, 2 hours later with the Camo hooked on backwards behind the Dragon Fly, Brad gave one final jerk and back down the fence line we came, Brad in the Dragon Fly slinging snow and busting drifts, me in the Camo truck driving backwards while trying to stay out of the fence as we bounced and slid through the drifts. Finally we had the last rig recovered and sitting on solid ground and we could head back to the house and the fireplace.

We are very thankful for a safe end to a very adventurous Christmas weekend. It will definitely be a Christmas that we will remember for a long time. Sadly there were some stories from the weekend that ended more tragically. There were a few fatalities from exposure and accidents in the area. One young man was found dead in his car the next morning with his car completely drifted over by snow. We pray for these families that lost loved ones to this brutal force of nature. This sadly will also be a Christmas that will never be forgotten by them.

Yes, I must confess that I have enjoyed about all the Snow Wheelin' and Global Warming I care to for a while.

God Bless You and Yours
David Austin