Part 6: Did we make it?

Next unfolded the dramatic scene in the parking lot first described in this narrative.

There was to be no rest for the weary here. We thought of calling AAA but Job's, excuse me, I mean Jon's, cell phone wouldn't work in the deep valley we were in. Service was simply unavailable. 

We would have to walk or hitchhike to town. Alanna had never hitchhiked before so this was a first for her. We decided on an old hitchhiking gambit. It worked beautifully. The women all got a ride right away, leaving the men to be picked up shortly thereafter by Joseph G. Chivell II, a lieutenant with the Lincoln police, and his sidekick. They had been dispatched from town after receiving a report of 6 guys with headlamps wandering around on the Kanc., only they didn't know it was a gambit.

We were happily and noisily reunited at McDonald's where we proceeded to devour 18 cheeseburgers, 10 pounds of french fries, 20 liters of Coke and 1 bowl of cream of broccoli soup. This 4th stage of the group life cycle, transformation/celebration, went exactly as described in the AMC handbook. What the handbook doesn't mention is how bone-weary and dog-tired the group often is at this stage, but the older among us were just that. It took a major effort of will power for them to shuffle from the booth to the restrooms.

On her arrival at McDonald's, Claudia had called Caroline in Concord. Caroline asked, you mean I have to drive the van all the way to Lincoln?  Claudia closed her eyes, the suggestion of a smile on her lips, and replied, Yes Caroline, you do. 

At 10 Caroline still had not arrived. The burgermeisters were starting to close up shop. We looked outside at the snow banks in the parking lot and thought to ourselves, well, how bad can it be if we get tossed outside? Just then Caroline showed up, making the thought an idle one.

Now began an agonizing process of retrieving the cars and driving back to Concord. The convoy moved slowly, Jon not daring to push the Silver Slug's successor, or himself, too hard.

Ed felt marvelous when he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes at 1 am. It had been one long but memorable day from beginning to end.


Even then, the trials of the trip were not yet over. The next day Claudia drove the van down Fisk Road after work. When she stopped at the bottom of the hill, two pairs of cross country skis shot forward off the roof and onto the road. Sparks flew off the steel edges of Ed's skis. Claudia just shrugged it off. She easily passed this last test of her patience and sense of humor.

Below: The stats