Posted by Teddog/CO on 1/3/07 10:46am
Msg #168826

OT/ A chuckle for all you folks in CA

South west of Trinidad, CO was just hit with a 3.8 earthquake. No reports of the damage yet. Hummm Two killer snow storms in two weeks, more expected on Friday. Now an earthquake. Anyone want to move here? lol "God I'm really sorry for any and all discretions, past , present and future." That's just in case I'm the cause of it all, or could this be Global warming.

Happy New Year

Reply by Blueink_CA on 1/3/07 11:25am
Msg #168836

We've had tornados in CA this past year (and lots of us don't have basements). What's next, flooding in AZ? Oh, and I just found out, it SNOWS in HI! It just goes to show you, there's only so much we (as in people) can control. Antie Em, Antie Em!!

Reply by Bonnie_CO on 1/3/07 11:26am
Msg #168837

That's about par around here! How ya doing T-dog?

I figured out last night that no matter how prepared for an emergency you are, it can still sneak up and bite you on the bottom! We did go snowmobiling yesterday, only took 1 sled since we were just going to the big play area at the trailheads. Still had it filled with the tools, hand warmers, bottle of water and a MRE. It was my oldest son's 1st time on a snowmobile. About 2:00 yesterday afternoon, he was playing at the far end of the play area, I was fixing sandwiches for everyone else and all the sudden I realized I didn't hear the snowmobile anymore, so my husband and I started looking, couldn't see him anywhere which was wierd since this is just a huge flat area so we started walking to the other end which wasn't too hard since the snow was packed pretty good and you could kind of walk across it fairly easily, got to the end and he's no where, so we start yelling, nothing. The others that had come up at the same time as us, came down about then, they went back up looking and yelling, still nothing. We lost the sun at 4:30 and the temp plunged, even in layers and snowmobile clothing I was freezing, all we could do is walk the play area and yell, when we tried to go anywhere else we'd sink in powder about chest deep (on my 5'5 frame), the other sledders came back, no sign of him, the AA and C trails had not been groomed since the last storm through there and no one could get their trail sled up them. We called 911 at 5pm. Custer county got there at 5:30, it was already pitch black. Search and rescue were still an hour out, coming in from Westcliffe. at 7:15 the first sled came in, the others at 7:30. They found him at 8pm. Brought him in. His pants were frozen to his skin, he was beyond the shivering stage. Couldn't get his clothes off to put dry ones on so bundled him in the back with the heater going gave him hot chocolate that my aunt had sent up with my daughter and waited for the ambulance. He's gonna be ok. Never have I been so scared.
We have drummed the dangers of the mountains into these kids since they were tiny. One mistake here can be fatal as Justin nearly found out.
Thanks for letting me vent a little.

Reply by MistarellaFL on 1/3/07 11:29am
Msg #168840

Bonnie how frightnening

We are so glad for you he was found.
I'll bet it was a lesson he won't forget anytime soon.

Reply by Teddog/CO on 1/3/07 11:50am
Msg #168844

Bonnie

Good grief Bonnie. And people wonder where parents get all their gray hair and wrinkles from, not to mention a slight case of shakes. Thank God Justin is OK. He'll have quite the story to tell his children. 2007 and Colorado is still able to humble us as mere humans.

The one and only scare I had was when I first moved here. Went to feed my friends' horses and in 15 mins. it was a raging blizzard and only 2 miles from home. You could'nt see your hand in front of your face. So I backed my car (VW rabbit) off the road and waited. Some ten hours later I was found and spent the night at a total stranger's home. It was two days before I got home. It took about three days to get warm again. You better believe I NEVER did that again. Now when they say bad weather is coming I "batten down the hatches" hustle all the animals inside and wait it out.

There's no doubt in my mind that our weather kills. Glad that Jason is going to be OK, lucky boy he lived to tell the tale.

Stay safe out there.

Reply by Bonnie_CO on 1/3/07 1:14pm
Msg #168860

Re: Bonnie-addendum to this story

Don't mean to offend anyone that doesn't believe in a higher power. This was " wierd" though.
When we couldn't find him, it was time to call 911. I always carry my cell, even though I've never been able to get any semblence of a signal up there, but it has a gps tracker on it, so I leave it on. Without thinking about it, I just picked up my cell and dialed 911 and got a dispatcher. Custer county sheriff arrived and asked where I had to drive to in order to call. I told them I called from right here. She said,"You couldn't, this is well known as a cell dead spot". I said "it may be, but this is where I called from". She said she couldn't believe that, I HAD to have gone down the mtn, even some sat phones wouldn't work back there. So I pulled out my cell, it had 3 bars signal strenghth. Somebody was watching out for him. They had to call all the Search and rescue people and all the cops over and show them I had a cell signal, nobody could believe it. Once they brought him down the mtn. I no longer had a cell signal, no matter where I walked to, no signal. That was weird, but thank God I didn't have a delay by having to drive down the mtn to call. They said much longer and they'd have been bringing a body down.
Thanks for all the well wishes.

Reply by ColleenCA on 1/3/07 1:48pm
Msg #168866

Re: Bonnie-addendum to this story-Wow Bonnie!

Truely amazing! I believe that there are many paths to god, and you all were definately being "watched over". I read this story with tears in my eyes and I am so happy all ended well. I'm sure you have already given him plenty of hugs and kisses, but give him a few more for good measure. Your story is a prime example of never taking those we love for granted.

Reply by Bonnie_CO on 1/3/07 3:54pm
Msg #168896

Colleen..

That was just so strange! I told him that somebody up there figured he had something more impt to do here so put everything into place for a quick rescue!

Reply by JanetK_CA on 1/4/07 1:57pm
Msg #169051

Bonnie...

I'm not sure which part of your story gave me the biggest chills - thinking of all that snow or the cell phone bars - but I've got goose bumps all over and I don't think it's the weather here...! Wellllll, I just checked and currrent local temp IS under 60... (That counts for cold in my neck of the woods.) ;> So glad this ended the way it did!

Reply by BarbaraL_CA on 1/3/07 6:24pm
Msg #168909

Re: Bonnie- Wow!!!

This is a story you should write & submit to Guideposts magazine's "His Mysterious Ways"

Here's a link: http://www.dailyguideposts.com/CustomerService/writers_guidelines.asp

Reply by John_NorCal on 1/3/07 11:58am
Msg #168845

Re: Glad you had a happy ending to your close call Bonnie n/m

Reply by Ernest__CT on 1/4/07 8:03am
Msg #168978

Wow! Glad he's safe! n/m

Reply by Gary_CA on 1/3/07 3:31pm
Msg #168891

Nobody ever froze to death in an Earthquake...

Y'all scare me with that CO weather... I'll take a shaker now and then any day.

Anything under 6.0 is just good clean fun (I hate to break it to ya, but the only "recovery" after 3.8 is straightening the pictures.)

Glad ya found your boy...and that everything came out good... I'm guessing he's ready to go out snowmobiling again already, if he can convince mom.

Reply by Bonnie_CO on 1/3/07 3:52pm
Msg #168895

LOL! Gary...

You hit the nail on the head! Wants to go up and get the sled! Told him I'd go get it later, HE wasn't going anywhere, especially since he can't hardly stand on his feet! Waiting for him to get well enough for me to ring his neck for scaring me!

Reply by JanetK_CA on 1/4/07 2:05pm
Msg #169054

Re: Nobody ever froze to death in an Earthquake...

I'm with you, Gary! Besides, a 3.8 around here may warrant a raised head or shrug of the shoulders but not much else. Although at one office where I worked (in the San Fernando Valley) shortly after the Northridge quake (was it '93?), we used to take bets on the aftershocks to see who guessed closest to where they would fall on the Richter scale... However, I'm a complete wuss when it comes to cold weather!