Driving home through a storm

Driving home through a storm

We had been away to a meeting

One hundred and fifty miles from home

We had an early start the meeting was timed to begin at ten thirty; three hour driving we calculated; allow four in case of delays - Half past five ?

Make it six o'clock off the roads will be quiet.

We had an uneventful drive and arrived with time to spare

A wind had developed by time to drive home plus spots of rain

It was forecast to reach seventy miles per hour over high ground

As we left for home it was beginning to rain, blown by a strong South Easterly wind

Over the high moorlands the wind had become a gale

Blowing across the road

It had become a fight to keep in the nearside lane

Speed was now down to under forty miles per hour

We pulled into a lay-by, have a rest, drink of cold coffee

Time to push on but it was down hill and even harder to steer

Going uphill the front wheel drive helped just keep it pointing where you want it to go

Downhill rolling with no driving power you had to brake to keep control

The wind became less ferocious as we descended

Until back on low ground there was little wind

Back to normal speed

We arrived home almost one hour behind the expected time

Wild Rose 2020

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

remembrance of a trip I made to NC...during the night...there had been tornadoes at the spot from which I left...and for hours I felt like I was just barely outrunning them....
kept debating whether to pull off the road but thought...mmm, might be a sitting duck if I do that.
Nature pretty much takes decisions of life or death out of our hands...
tempestuous write...I felt every bit of this.
j.

[Wild Rose]

We often have to drive across country > Coast to Coast
That means crossing the Pennine moorlands - Where you can get any type of weather

[Great Aunt Astri]

Interesting poem. The narrative , with graphic detail seems to build up, and I was expecting some catastrophe. I had to smile when all that happened was that you were an hour late!!!!!

[Wild Rose]

I am pleased that you were given a bit of apprehension What was going to happen?
Sorry if it went flat
It was a cross country journey - Forty miles across the open moors With a fierce cross wind. Once over that section it was just a strong wind - A journey we have made so often. There is one section - downhill(steep) with twists where you change direction and have to be ready to adjust.
we have seen cars blown into the central barrier

[Great Aunt Astri]

Actually I thought it was a very good poem. I love work that has been taken directly from life events. Your poem 'sounded' like a journey!

[Unspoken poet]

Wow, this is very good as well as very descriptive, love the imagery you write with

[Wild Rose]

Thank you Kay-T
I attempt to convey the conditions, feelings and worries (Are we going to get blown off the road/stuck in snow

It was/is a cross country journey [coast to coast] over high level open moorland

[Neville]

My word... you mentioned how the thunder roared in your parts... the storms up there sound ferocious...

a true tale told to tempt tourists elsewhere or the truth and nowt but the truth.... nice one WR :)

[Wild Rose]

Had a few hairy crossings of the moors between Scotch Corner and Cumbria, specially as we are always in a high sided vehicle
Get a calm day with little wind; Cruise control on > It is driving heaven

[Neville]

I love Cumbria..

[Wild Rose]

We do > We used to live on the border between Lancashire and West Yorkshire
Managed to get a job and retire here

[Neville]

I need to visit Millom and pay my respects to a very dear and long departed friend Bob