Used up all my sick days. Today I'm calling in dead.

It's Friday morning in late February and a heavy sierra snow storm in moving in fast. This particular storm is projecting 18-22 inches of sierra powder and should hit the resort around 1:30pm. I load up my 2002 Grand Cherokee (96K miles) and call in sick for the day. My wife is a shredder on the snowboard and she wraps up her last client at 10:00am. We leave at 10:06am and I jokingly tell her that she is 6 minutes late for our weekend adventure.

The rain has yet to begin in the city, so we are feeling pretty good being ahead of the weather as we make our way through the rolling the Oakland hills, Castro Valley, over the the Altamont down into the San Joaquin Valley and back up again into Jackson. As we pass through Jackson the sky darkens and the rain beings. I have made the drive along this road hundreds of times. Highway 88 is no picnic as there are plenty of blind turns and scampering wildlife along this next stretch of 45 miles. Throw some rain and snow into the mix and we've got a party.

As we move past Cooks and Ham's Station we are at 6000 ft and the snow is relentless. Chains are required, but since I have snow tires I am able to ramble along at a range of 10-25 mph. Highway 88 bends and twists up and down, left and right. The heater is blasting, radio cranked and we are both smiling from ear to ear knowing that we are about to have one of the best powder days to date.

We make our way through the Carson Spur, known for it's avalanches and loop around the Silver Lake basin that reaches 9640 feet. I am now driving in second gear. Engine breaking, I have found works better than grinding your brakes in these mountains. The speed limit reads 55mph and I nervously chuckle and glance down to check my speed-- 25mph. It is dumping snow

As we descend into the meadow, I am fully aware of one last maneuver- a right hairpin turn that is notorious for loss of traction and accidents. I am coming in too hot and my first instinct is to simply over shoot the turn and double back. As I begin my approach, my back two wheels lose traction and I am sliding downhill at 1:06pm into one of the most gnarly turns in the Sierras... quarter turn... 180... sliding backwards... another car exiting the meadow...ANOTHER CAR EXITING THE MEADOW... SHIT! Time slows, I hear my wife... I see the whites of the eyes of the driver in the departing vehicle.
TBONED!

Thank the powers that may be that nobody was injured. Insurance declared a total loss on my Jeep.

The check went directly to this new ride. Thanks to all of you at TW for finding me.

http://taco2010.shutterfly.com/

Pictures of Mods coming soon.

 

So did you get to ride The awesom Conditions or what?

Lol. Nice truck

 

YEP!! That could of turned out allot worse!! Enjoy your new ride!!

 

Too bad. The Quadra Trac/Drive on those Jeeps is pretty fucking sweet. I'd love to have it on the Taco.

 

Yeah- I managed to get in two killer days of riding!

 

Great story. Congrats on the new Taco.

 

Good story, nice taco man.

 

First three mods:
FJ' rims wrapped in BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO 265/75R16 tires
Leather interior
Supercharger
http://taco2010.shutterfly.com/

 

I like the way you think.

 

Man what a frikin story!!! I have never drivin in the mountains, And now I really don't.LOL Congrats on the new Taco, And glad ya'll are ok.