Adventures in blizzards...

["James A. Gardiner" <jg140@prism.gatech.edu>]

Along the lines of the "bad scirocco days" thread, I thought I'd add a
couple things.  Kinda long, sorry.

	Last week was spring break for Georgia Tech (Atlanta), and having
only 10 days, I decided to drive home to Boston (I'll take the plane next
time).  This is an 18 hour drive over approx 1200mi.  So day One I drove
to D.C. with 2 friends, yes...3 people in the scirocco for 600mi...never
again!!!  No probs that day, nor on day Two, until I was 10 miles from
the Penn-NY border on I-81.  Coming down a hill, passing a car, my radar
detector goes nuts...a friendly State Trooper just nailed me coming down
a hill at 82 in a 65, SH!T.  This is my first time being pulled over for
anything...  First thing the trooper says, "May I see your licsence and
registration please, was that a radar dectector I saw hanging there?"
After pleading my case a little, I got a $143 fine.  Ooops.  By now I'm
paranoid and being really carefull not to exceed 10mph over the limit.  I
do fine until the Mass border, when I get pulled over again!!!! What the
hell??!?!  I know I wasn't speeding, I saw the trooper hiding in the
distance.  Turns out I made an improper lane change twice!?!?!?!  You
gotta be kiddin' me!!  Don't you have one eyed Buicks to pull over? So, no
fine, just a warning.
	I got home no prob after that.  The next day I got the
emmissions/safety test done.  The car failed 'cause of an exhaust leak! I
knew it was leaking and was gonna replace the manifold/downpipe with the
dual kind come this month.  THis would've been the perfect time, 'cept I
can't get the parts and get everything fixed, plus get
reinspected by April 1st!!  So I end up having to replace the manifold
gasket...for $400!!!!! Sans new performance parts!  Now I can enjoy the
weekend.
	Mon, April 1st I left home for D.C. at 8am.  The Nor'easter was
coming and it was pouring rain until it turned to snow in Conn.  I kept
going hoping I could drive through the storm as I got further away from
the coast.  It just got worse.  I-84/I-81 near Scranton NY was whiteout
conditions.  I had everything electric in the car "on", EVERYTHING!!  I'll
tell you one thing, driving 20mph on an interstate in the middle of a
blizzard is not fun.  I was just straining to see the tracks of some
unseen car in front of me.  Only one lane was open, I should say packed
down.  I couldn't see the pavement, or 15 feet in front.  The highway was 
closed, but I never knew that.  I actually went
off the road at one point, I just followed the tracks of the guy in front,
realized too late where they were leading...then "bump."  The left side  
was stuck in mud and a snow bank a foot deep, the right on semi-packed
rutted snow. I had visions of me hiking down in road looking for shelter.
Somehow I dug myself out with an ice scraper after 15 minutes.  I made it
another 5 miles 'till I hit the biggest traffic jam I've ever seen.  THis
was the one on the news, 400 cars, the National Guard was even called out
to rescue people!!  After being stuck for 5 hours traffic moved again and
everyone headed for the first exit.  Anyway, I spent the night in an
emergency shelter with a lot of other stranded motorists.  To say the
least, it was not a fun experience.  
	The car was flawless!! It didn't stall, get stuck, spin out,
slide, etc!  I'm always amazed how well the scirocco handles in the snow.
So after driving 900 miles yesterday and missing the 1st day of classes,
I'm back in Atlanta soaking up the 70 degree sun.  Thank God.  

Now to wash the car,
Later,
	
James


James A. Gardiner
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
Internet: jg140@prism.gatech.edu

'85 'rocco 


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