April (snow) Showers, Lost Dogs & Missed Opportunities

Today was the inaugural Chippewa 50. I missed it.
Last night as we approached our house Jen and I noticed a small ball of fur in the ditch. (As I look back on the last 15 hours I've realized this was the beginning of what would soon become the missed opportunity.) We slid to a stop in the nearly eight inches of fresh, very wet snow that had accumulated on our road. As the fur ball shook the snow from it's back we realized it was probably another unwanted pet that someone had tossed out on our remote dead end road. We had found a cat like this a few months ago and that turned out to be a pretty bad experience. So as Jen and I stepped out of the car to corral the beast I was silently wishing I had the ability to just pretend I'd never seen this small, wet, shivering dog. Catching her was not a difficult task given the she was only about 15 pounds and the snow was so deep she couldn't really move very far. Once we caught her we piled back into the car and continued our slow progress home. We made it to our driveway without getting stuck but that was when our good fortune and good traction ran out. We immediately came to a stop in the sticky snow that's covering the sticky mud hidden underneath. After almost 30 minutes of shoveling and trying to move the car we gave up and carried the now dry and seemingly content dog the remaining 100 yards to the house. After introductions to our zoo and some debate we decided it was too treacherous to go back out looking for the fur ball's home so we settled in the evening. By this time it's nearly 9:00pm. I was hoping to be heading to bed by this time but I still need to get my clothes and gear ready so I can go run the Chippewa 50 the following morning. I'm planning on being up by 3:00am and out the door by 4:00 so I can make the nearly two hour drive to the race. As we're having dinner Jen and I discussed our options for the following day. We have one car stuck half in the drive, half in the road and another in the garage. It's still snowing heavily and the wind is getting stronger. We've called the local man that plows our drive but it's unlikely he'll get to our house before mid-day tomorrow. Once I've eaten I head back out into the snow to see if our second car can pack down enough of a path to allow our other car to make it up the drive. After another 40 minutes, a few trips up and down the drive and some digging we manage to get both cars safely into the garage for the night. I'm set! My gear is ready, I'm tired and heading for bed. It's almost 10:30pm. Jen and I get the dog trio settled down and ready to sleep, we're in bed and ready to sleep. Just as we begin to relax a little my sister calls to update me on our Mom who is beginning her third battle with cancer. I get the update, begin to relax again just as my nephew sends a text message to inform me just how badly I'll lose our bet. (if you don't know about the bet, read the earlier post "What do you want to bet?") So now it's 11:00. My alarm will go off in four hours. I'll drive at least two hours in the snow so I can run 31 miles. What feels like a few minutes later I hear the alarm. I grudgingly climb out of bed and head downstairs to make some coffee. The fur ball has decided she needs to go out so I rush to get dressed. As I step into the kitchen ready to take her out into the snow I smell pee. Excellent! Just what I was hoping for. I toss her into the nearest snow drift knowing she doesn't really need to go any longer but feeling she deserves some fresh air and I head back in to clean the pee off the kitchen floor. Eventually I make it out the door with all my gear and coffee. As I'm sliding down the drive and into our still unplowed road I begin to realize it's unlikely Jen will be able to get to work this morning. The dread begins to set in. I decide I'll keep driving south hoping the roads will clear and I'll be able to somehow justify making the drive to indulge myself in something as selfish as an entire day spent running while my wife will probably be spend her day trying to dig our car out of the snow so she can open our business. I find the roads to be almost entirely drifted over with some slushy stuff underneath. I'm unable to go more than 45 mph. Joel called to check in around 4:30. It sounded like his drive was going better than mine with little snow and mostly wet roads. I told him my dilemma and let him know I'd check back with him when I came to some conclusion as to whether or not I'd continue. After another 15 minutes I decided it should be my priority to be sure Jen and I could get our business open on a Saturday. As disappointed as I am I knew the running had to take a back seat today. I called Joel and turned around and headed back home.
The dog? We stopped at a house nearest to where we found her last night and were pleased to learn that is where she belongs. They were as thrilled to have her back as we were to give her back.
It's going to be a rough day for us. We're both very tired from the stress and lack of sleep. I'm really disappointed that I was unable to make it to Chippewa but I did what needed to be done. I know there will be many more opportunities.
I hope Joel had a good race.