We were supposed to drive from central WI to Sheboygan today for our main family Christmas; probably my only chance to see my niece and nephew for a while, so if I don’t get there today, I don’t know when I’d be able to give them their presents. (My sister, her hubby, and my mom are supposed to come here for Christmas Eve, but the kids will be with their dad. I know I could just send the presents home with them, but I wanna see them, dammit!)
Unfortunately the weather seems to be conspiring against us. Mr. S swept off the cars and deck last night so we’d be able to see the overnight accumulation, and there hasn’t been much. But we’re in the middle of the state, and nowhere near Lake Michigan. Also, the weather report is looking scary: not much more snow, but lots of wind, and blowing and drifting of what’s already here, and HOLY COW the wind chills! And there’s a lot of open country between here and Sheboygan. (We’d be on Highway 23.)
We do have two reliable vehicles to choose from. Then again, it’s a 2-hour drive on a good day; do we want to spend 6+ hours in the car today? (Staying there overnight isn’t really an option for various reasons.)
How’s it look out there? Think we could try it?
Dammit, we should probably stay home. Poop. 
I’m south of Shebtown, on the lake, and it is Windy!!! And Drifty!!!
We’re hunkering down today. I took an experimental drive in our 4wd out to the main road, and got stuck a few times, over 1.5 miles. We’re not gonna get to church, that’s for sure. The Mrs. was supposed to play music for our Unitarian fellowship, but it’s not gonna happen.
East-West roads are bad.
Local churches are closed anyway.
What route would you take?
Just south of Madison here–so perhaps not helpful. It’s cold, windy, but drivable. I’m going shopping in a bit.
I live in Antigo very cold and windy indeed make sure You put a bottle of heet in your gas tank, Don’t want to break down in the middle of nowhere.
About 20 miles SE of Madison, so also not much help. The thermometer says -8 and I think the wind chill is something like -20 to -30. I have a drift across my driveway, so I don’t know if I will be able to get out. I am willing to pay the neighbor youngster $20 to snowblow my driveway.
Okay, my youngest daughter just drove up from Milwaukee along I-43. She said the highway was mostly 1 lane, frequently afflicted by whiteouts.
She made it into southern Sheboygan county, and parked at the highway exit as she knew her car couldn’t handle the county roads. I went out to retrieve her, and with the 4wd managed to make it to her and back intact, a typical 6 minute trip that took 45 minutes with side roads drifted shut, often with only one lane minimally navigable.
5 below here on the lake with winds gusting to 45 MPH (I have a weather station) for wind chills into the -50’s.
The lake is starkly beautiful. Once we dig out our snowmobile masks, we’re hitting the outdoor hot tub!
But I would advise strongly against driving along Lake Michigan’s western shore at the moment.
Eh, we decided to stay home. A big factor was that we have nowhere to leave the dogs for as long as we’d have have been gone except outside; they have nice doghouses and lots of bedding chips to snuggle into and heated water dishes, but this is Just Too Cold. My sister doesn’t allow dogs in her house (and didn’t offer to make an exception when I called her, and I didn’t expect her to).
So I’ll see the adults on Christmas Eve; then my mom will stay here for a few days, and I’ll take her back to my sister’s on Saturday. The kids will be there then, so that’s when I’ll have my kid Christmas – without Mr. S, because he works that day, but oh well.
My sister and family went to church today (kids’ Christmas service), which means they had to drive out to Plymouth. Yucko.
Qadgop, we’d be picking up 23 in Princeton and taking it straight through FdL to Sheboygan. So due east the whole way. If the roads are that bad, I think we made the right decision.
But we’re out of milk, and Mr. S wants to brave the 5-mile drive to town. He sure is nuts about his daily latte!
Thanks for the reports, everyone. I think you confirmed that we made the right choice. (And I can use the time to get some work done – both billable and around the house!)
I just got back from the grocery store and almost froze. It’s -27 with the wind chill. The streets are extremely slick because of blowing snow.
Winter, don’t be mad baby.
I-43 is closed, north and southbound by Belgium, Wisconsin at the moment, due to a 12 car pileup. Our house is shuddering from 50 mph wind gusts. Temp’s up to -2 so there is that consolation.
We’re giving ubertubbing a miss, a brief sojourn outside to help a stuck neighbor resulted in nearly frozen noses in less than 2 minutes. Besides, there’s a 3.5 foot drift between the bedroom and the tub, all of 10 feet away.
A friend stopped by last night for a visit, then spent the night due to drifting. We’re not sure when/how she’ll make it home. No biggie, except she has to fly out of town tomorrow, and would like to get home to pack! But I dasn’t drive her to Sheboygan yet, even with 4wd at the moment. And her car is no match for our drifts…