The freeway. Snow – beautiful, white, soft – still coming down hard. Plowed, sort of. Little traffic.

Drive. Rapt attention. Not too fast. Stay in control. Not too bad.

Drive. Drive. Drive. Enjoy.

But ahead? Lane obscured?! Not plowed!!!

Brakes.Brakes.Brakes.Too late?Too much?

Frontendcatching!Tailcomingarround!Countersteer,countersteer,countersteer!Fulllock!

Facingwrongway-headingforditchslidingbackwardsohnoohnoohno!

Impact.

Snow poof.

All quiet. Wipers make pass of windshield.

Car still running. Take stock of situation. Too dangerous to leave car. Stuck?

Traction control off. Shift to second gear. Wait for gap in traffic. Ease on accelerator – gently, gently.

All-wheel-drive struggles, then forward motion. Sharp turn to right; back in the flow.

Pull over on ramp ahead. Check car. No damage. Sigh of relief.

Drive on.