I am a motorcoach:
Two Seven Four here, with a story from eastern edges of adventure. But first, a word of clarification is necessary about this business of being a motorcoach. You probably are aware that there are regulatory measures related to hours of control of a motorcoach. Well, in the case of this particular story, motorcoach Two Seven Four is a shared identity. The journey began in Belleville, IL, where I picked up 53 passengers headed for Washington DC and the 2016 Right to Life march. Remember Henry? (Yes, that Henry, none other than the instructor who trained me on what it is to be a motorcoach.) From Cambridge, Ohio (roughly 12 hrs from Belleville including meal stops) Henry took over and Two Seven Four continued on to DC. That’s how it works.
Now, on with our story: Our 53 defenders of the pre-born were delivered to their destination in uneventful fashion. But even as they disembarked in our nation’s capital, things were getting interesting . . .
MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .
News of Jonas: No one wants to hear that a storm with a name is headed their way. Heavy rain showers are not given names. Freezing temperatures do not inspire a name other than “winter.” A storm with a name is prediction of weather with broad destructive impact. A week before the Right to Life march on DC the forecast was for rain. Talk of snow began three or four days before the event (much preferable for marchers). Two days out there was concern about a pretty tough looking winter storm experts expected to grow in severity while moving south to north along the Eastern Seaboard. Jonas was coming.
News of an accelerated timetable: On January 21st, the day before the Right to Life rally, snowfall was anticipated to begin in the evening hours of the 22nd, soon after the conclusion of the march. But the morning of the march brought reports of earlier than expected arrival – 2:00, maybe even 1:00 in the afternoon – starting with light snow fall. Plans were made to move the Belleville group’s departure time from 7:00 to 4:00 to get out of the area ahead of the heavier precipitation.
News of gridlock: Not only did Jonas arrive early, but the blizzard also had a more inland reach than initially expected. Two Seven Four made it out of Washington DC in good time and was on the Western edge of the storm. Snowfall was heavy, but the highway was in drivable condition when progress stopped on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A tractor-trailer rig had jackknifed on a hill up ahead. The accident shut down a 35 mile stretch of highway. While waiting, snow continued to accumulate, ultimately by the foot. Below freezing temperatures were accompanied by winds up to 40 miles per hour. It would be 26 hours before motorcoach Two Seven Four resumed movement.
News of heroes: Along with the many other buses, cars, and trucks, stranded on the highway, there were four other motorcoaches from our Mid-American family in that situation: 249, 259, 271, and 272. People from nearby cars were allowed on the motorcoaches to get warm, use the lavatories, and share some of the meager food supplies. Many of our passengers joined others in shoveling vehicles free so they could move out of the way of emergency help trying to get through. The local fire department delivered light snacks and water. The National Guard helped dig out snow-bound vehicles, delivered military MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), and removed concrete barriers so vehicles could get off the highway and be routed back eastward to the town of Bedford. The Red Cross in coordination with the city of Bedford secured meals and cots, and housing for all the stranded travelers at the Bedford middle and high schools and the Bedford United Methodist Church. Passengers aboard Two Seven Four cheerily endured the ordeal, glad for an opportunity to direct attention to defense of the unborn, whatever the cost or inconvenience.
News via the news Media:
WTAE News in Pittsburgh with a harrowing story about the accident that shut down the Turnpike.
http://m.wtae.com/news/
The Belleville News Democrat ran a report on the situation on the turnpike as it unfolded:
http://www.bnd.com/news/local/
KMOV was part of the welcoming crowd at our group’s arrival back home in Belleville:
http://www.kmov.com/story/
Selfies
Day two on the turnpike
Comfortable shelter in challenging circumstances.
Being dug out by the National Guard
Back on the road home
Back home, post-saga: time for a bath!
Quote Of The Day samples
“A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.” – G K Chesterton
“Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere.” – G K Chesterton
And here’s a first: I received a quote from the Belleville group at the end of the trip.
“An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.” – G K Chesterton
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Praise God that everyone arrived home safely! Don’t you know their was “a balcony of witnesses ( unborn babies) in heaven” cheering on the marchers for their faith and perseverance!! Thanks for the emergency personnel, the drivers, and Mid-American for taking care of the saints.
One of our students used your last G.K. Chesterton quote , ” anything worth doing is worth doing poorly”. To her grade school teacher who was telling her and the class that we never should have gone. The kids were listening to your quotes.
Thanks for sharing Russell