News reports this morning warned us of an impending fierce winter storm. But I was prepared. I specifically made a point of going to REI to make sure I had the proper gear, the proper clothing, adequate supply of hydration and nutrition. I was prepared to a tee. Nothing would stand in my way; not even a blizzard.

We pack up the car with our gear and jump in; the heat is already cranked up and blasting through the interior vents. As we argue about who has prepared the better road trip iPod/Spotify playlist…..the freezing rain started.

Again, we can’t say that we didn’t know in advance to expect the unexpected when it came to the weather tonight. In fact, one of our pals even backed out of the trip while mentioning that we should, “be rational”. Pfffft. Rationality is for suckers. We, of course, decide to go ahead without him. #byefelicia

The closer we got to our destination, the more intense the wintry precipitation got. At first, it wasn’t alarming us how icy the backroads were becoming as the freezing rain continued to pour and the temperature continued to nosedive. By the time we arrived, the entire trail leading up the mountain toward our campsite was coated in a half-inch layer of solid, slippery ice.

For the first time that entire day, I felt unprepared.

It was 11:30 p.m. when we finally completed the tiresome 2 mile hike from the trailhead to Maupin Shelter. Did I mention that the trail was coated in solid, slippery ice all the way there? Do you know how difficult that was for us to do? And don’t even get me started on how miserable it was to use the bathroom in the freezing cold! We deserve a metal. Or a plaque. Maybe a trophy. Either way, it was the first time ever that it required a full hour to complete a 2 mile hike. So, when we arrived at the shelter at darn near midnight, we were more than ready to hit the hay (sleeping bag, that is).

If there is one word I could use to describe the next morning. It’d be “snow”. Holy, glorious, beautiful snow blanketed the entire earth around us as we sat and enjoyed our breakfast cereal. The storm had passed.

I may have learned a lesson or two about “being rational”. But I’d still do it again.