Snowbound...

The weather appeared to have improved since yesterday, the snow had melted and the sun was shining. I was due to come home today anyway so I packed suitcase while I was waiting for the kettle to boil. Then I unpacked it as I decided I will drive home dressed. My sisters house was in the middle of being renovated, a job I would have got had I not moved so far away. The only room fit for habitation was the box room and that had no carpet. It was cold before I fixed the leccy heater. I slept on the floor with the radio as my only company. Must fix that kettle the next time I'm in Ashton.

I made a coffee and filled the flask then packed the car with everything I had brought and more. I put my favorite skirt and top on the empty passenger seat, to change into later.

Put on the warpaint just before leaving the house and locking the door. I made sure no one was around and kept my head down until I got in the car. Goodbye house, goodbye Ashton-under-Lyne. I parked in the furthest corner on the huge Snipe Retail Park's car park to put on my skirt and top. I loved driving in these shoes.

I got on the new motorway link in Ashton and headed home to bonny Scotland. My latest purchase a blonde wig sat comfortably on my head with the occasional reminder that it was still there as the hair clip tuft touched the roof of this little car making me smile to myself. At the

Denton filter lane a truck filtered on as I sped past, a quick glance at the driver saw that he had seen me. He put his foot down to take another look and I did not speed up as his interest made me tingle. Then I thought has he 'made' me as he drew alongside. I didn't look anywhere other than where I was driving but I could see he was staring out of the corner of my eye.

I did not change speed and just acted normal (well what I thought was normal), his indicator flashed as he slowed down and filtered of at the Stockport exit. He continued to stare as he got further and further away. He is on a different road now I thought and I looked in his direction and smiled. He saw me smile and still just stared. So I was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen or he 'made'. I cheered myself up with the former choice, as it was a long journey to be down about such matters. Passed Preston, passed Lancaster in such a pleased with oneself type mood when I realised the traffic was getting thin and the road conditions were deteriorating.

Some ten miles further on and it was Arctic. My heater on full, my wipers on full, my lights on full and my speed down to 30mph. Such an incredible change in such a short space of time never mind distance. I moved into the fast lane just to pass the slowing trucks. 2 miles on and I wish I hadn't. It was frozen. In lumps cut up by heavier vehicles that had past earlier. I heard the exhaust impacting against the ice packs. The truck queue stretched forever. Now I am not going to do myself any favours here but, I thought it was a fuel price protest and the trucks were there just to block up the motorway. The reason I concluded that was there was not a single car in the queue for the last 4 miles. Looking back I was a dumb mare.

I persevered until I caught up with the first car I had seen in ages, one of those people carriers. This slowed my down even further just under 15mph I was starting to feel vulnerable, miles and miles of high sided trucks made me feel insignificant, small in comparison until I finally came to a stand still.

I reached over to lock the doors and looked up at those truck drivers. My adrenaline started to pump through my veins in fear of being 'made' and stuck. The car in front tried to filter in for half an hour until a space was given and the car took it. I was not going to sit around here, so I set off at a slow pace for another mile or so when a snowplough came into sight. I'll follow his tracks and did so for another few miles. I had never seen such bad weather even in the remote part of the highlands where I live. What brought it home to me was on the south carraigeway the trucks were lower than the ploughed snow. I had never seen such volume. The truck drivers didn't give a toss about me, they were more concerned as to what was their fate.

A second plough came into view in the middle lane! Things were looking up. I saw no signs but I worked out later that the 2 rows of endless trucks were filtering of to the Westmoreland services.

I ventured forward behind the ploughs leaving all them trucks behind. The motorway north was clear of any other vehicles. The snow had stopped and the sun was out.

It wasn't long before I hit another queue of trucks. It was 5 hours since I left sunny snowless Ashton just 100 miles back and thought I ain't getting home tonight. I could see in the distance landrovers at right angles to the trucks. More organized protest makers. The ploughs pulled over and I thought the road is clear and it was. So I put my foot down and said goodbye to the truckers. I moved into the fast lane and passed the first landrover and just as I passed the second I saw to policemen run into the middle of the road waving in my rear view mirror.

I just put my foot on the break and came to a controlled stop. I looked backward and could see them beckoning me back. OH shit!

I am dressed to the nines in the middle of I don’t know where. 2 policemen are waving their arms and one billion truckers are saying 'what a silly person I am (the polite version). This is it girl. I have never trembled so uncontrollably before. Get a grip girl I screamed to myself. So I composed myself ready for a serious bollocking from the boys in blue and put the car in reverse.

I took it slowly as I tried to create a plausible reason for what I have done and the way I am dressed. But what bothered me most was it happening in front of all those truckers. I'd die! As I approached the officers they indicated I should get onto the slip road off the ice track. I looked at them and they just shook their heads 'stupid woman'.

One trucker must have took pity on me as an opening appeared on the slip road between to big trucks and pointed that this space is for you dear. Well I took it, smiled and waved to the trucker and drove off up the hard shoulder.

Wow that was close, and scary, and....