Weather Change at Every Exit

          Driving to Canyonville should only take 11 minutes according to Google.  Though I have arrived at the school in less than 20 minutes, I generally allow myself at least 30 minutes on the road and arrive to the school just a few minutes early which allows me time to store my belongings in the staff room.

          When I start to approach exit 101 and see I have plenty of time, I will take the ramp that leads to Stanley park and avoid the 99 exit.  Sometimes I have missed the exit and will take the off ramp at 98 – which is where the school is located just on the left hand side.  But it also requires turning left onto Main Street (which can get busy during certain hours) and make another left into the parking lot.  Google maps, the GPS and other sources will always have car exit 99 and drive through town. 

I left the house earlier than normal yesterday morning as Roland mentioned that it was cold and foggy.  I entered I5 at the 106 ramp, and it was foggy.  Three miles of thick fog.  I was focused on the broken white line until I got to 103.  I could see the fog was lifting.  It would have been nice if it had to have that for the rest of the drive.  Just as I neared exit 102 – the sun taunted me with its blinding rays.  Oh, please.  Slow the car down.  I can’t see. 

I had to get off exit 101 as I know I was going too slow for the freeway.  I like the drive when I feel like I am the only car.  However, it felt like the longest stretch of yesterday’s drive.  I finally arrived at Main Street and was able to turn without any problems.  Many of the drivers that use exit 99 – particularly the trucks, don’t seem to go beyond the truck stop or the casino.  The road I travel after exiting 101 brings me behind the casino on the left-hand side.  Then I make my way into town.

Whoa!  I had left the house much earlier than I thought.  Surely that’s what it was.  I can’t imagine I had been speeding during the fog and I know that I slowed down to barely moving once the sun glared in my eyes.  I played on my kindle for 20 minutes before walking up the hill to help monitor the first ten minutes of “before school starts” recess.  And then I went to class.

I had worn a jacket as some of the classrooms get really cold.  I think Canyonville School has the oldest building of the five that are in the district.  The ventilation says it is anyway.  In the morning I had my long green coat scarf and hat in addition to the jacket.  By lunchtime I had just my jacket – sometimes my hat – depending on whether I was standing in shadows or not.  Just before school let out, I had removed my light jacket.  The air had gone from 39 degrees to 63 within four hours.  That isn’t very nice.  I think the weather change needs to happen more gradually.