Shan Robinson Eagle Whisperer Manigotagan Manitoba

Kite Surfing Manigotagan Manitoba

Alrighty.... the whole story! [By Janis Netzel]

So I was heading to Kelowna to meet some friends for a couple of days. The plan was to go for dinner that evening and it was +12 in Kelowna so I was thinking it will be warm enough to wear capris length short/pants and not wrinkle my dinner pants during the drive. Since I was going out for dinner and it was supposed to be a nice weekend, I packed my nice heels and was wearing some sandles... can't drive in heels! Both of these dress code violations will come back into the story....

So I hit the Duffy Highway at 10:30. The road was beautiful... perfectly maintained and clear of snow and ice... was like a summer road. The temperature was warm - above zero. The road report from that morning said it was good. So I am driving along at the speed limit - 80km/hr - on this beautifully maintained road and came around the corner that marks the boundary of maintenance contracts to see the road is covered in snow and ice and barely plowed. I had time to to say **** and then the back end of my truck started to slide. The truck slid to the outside of the corner (opposite lane) and then down into the ravine.

I went down about 30' until the truck hit a tree and came to rest in a little gulley. I could see nothing but branches because the tree I hit had snapped off and was lying over the top of my truck. The first picture shows my truck completely covered in the trees... see if you can find it!

So the wind had kind of gotten knocked out of me and my neck, right boob and arm stung... but there was no real damage. So I gathered up stuff - suitcase, cell phone and insurance papers and went to get out of the truck... Then I realized I was still wearing sandles... so I had to change my shoes and my only choice was the heels! I got out of the truck into the most prickly spruce tree ever, had to push and yank on it to get the truck door to close. I then had to climb over branches and stumps to get to the road (keep in mind I am still about 15' below the road surface.)

I start to climb up and it is sooo slippery that I slide back down a number of times... under the snow is super sharp rock that shred my bare legs. I almost get up to the top when the plow truckoes past... plowing all the snow and ice off the road onto me! Since Iwas right at the boundary of the contracts, I knew he would be turning around and heading back so I tried to get up to the top of the road before he went past... I slid back down again... He went past with his window open and I was screaming help... he heard me but didn't see me...he should have noticed my skid marks but he looked like a kid andprobably not that aware. Anyway, he didn't stop... it was at this pointI started to cry.

However, I am not a quitter... and I don't get defeated ever! So I told myself to smarten up and I made it up to the road - after tossing up my purse and suitcase (did I mention they are giraff print?). I was up on the road for about 5 minutes and in that time I attempted to flag down three cars... no one stopped, made eye contact or even slowed down. Not sure if it was because I was crying, bleeding, wearing heels and shorts, had a giraff suitcase... but no one stopped. After the last car went past I was out in the middle of the road crying again... and when I turned around I saw a maintenance truck from the Sea to Sky side having lunch about 100m down the road. I had passed them about 10minutes before my crash - they were fixing road signs. I trudged off towards them... in high heels and shorts, pulling a suitcase and carrying a purse! What a sight I must have been! So they made room for me... gave me tea and called me a tow truck. They stayed with me until the truck arrived.

The tow truck driver climbed down the ravine and took a bunch of pictures... I am hoping to get them soon. He couldn't get the truck out on his own and needed a second truck and a chainsaw. So he drove me back to Pemberton and I called the insurance company to report the accident... then climbed in my car... and hit the duffy again. I stopped and took a couple of pictures on the way over and some on the way back. The truck didn't get out until Sunday when they had to shut down the highway for a couple of hours.

So that is the full version.... hope you enjoyed my story :)

Janis

Climbed a mountain out in BC. A good friend of mine shared the adventure and took the picture for me.

e-mail: dean@deansplace.ca

Type at you later...

Dean