The girl from the Flatlands meets her mountain

It's that time of the season for the Civic to stay in the valley.

Here is a photo of the Teton Pass between Jackson Hole and Idaho this afternoon shot from the WyDOT Web cam.

Today I went over into Idaho for an interview about a guy going to India for medical treatment as part of a medical tourism feature. I almost didn't make it back across the Pass, which is a 12 mile stretch across the Tetons that ascends up 10,000 feet and back down.
The sky was clear on the way over. I looked out the window during the interview and could see storm clouds clustering between where I was in Victor, Idaho, and home in Jackson.
I hoped it was only rain. It was, for the first few miles. Then it turned to sleet and snow. The Civic chugged up the snow-covered pass at about 5 mph. I cursed the lack of chains and tire spikes. I pulled over for a minute and tried to call Jason, and realized that I didn't have any cell phone reception. A surreal moment of freak out and adrenaline gripped me. Twisting the steering wheel for traction and flooring the gas to keep the momentum, I moved on at a snail's pace.
The little car slowly climbed upward. At the top I released the breath I was holding, knowing gravity was a good friend in this situation.
No more mountain driving until the spring.

For the record, Jason advised me to do the interview over the phone, but knew that arguing with a girl from the Flatlands is its own metaphorical uphill battle.