U-Turned

It didn’t snow very often, however when it did, it caused lots of driving problems. The situation was no different the day the five of us piled into the bus for the trip home.

On the bus were Peggy Gensaw, Debbie Wolcott, Vicki Billy, Shirley Baldwin (our driver) and myself.

We were climbing up the hill towards Klamath, when we found ourselves in a heavy, wet snowfall. The road was slippery and so we were unable to continue.

We were jus’ south of the first big corner, before coming to what the locals called the 30 mile-turn. 30-mile turn was a sharp curve with a sign that warned drivers to reduce their speed to a recommended 30 miles-per hour, especially when wet.

It was also one of the most accident prone spots between Klamath and Crescent City. It was at this point that California Highway Patrol Officer Johnny Jones instructed Shirley to turn the little yellow van around and head back to Crescent City.

As she turned the vehicle, a Ford F-150 coming from the opposite direction, appeared from around 30-mile corner. The driver saw the mini-bus as it straddled the roadway, but it was too late.

The truck slammed headlong into the school bus. Shirley’s door popped open and for a second I thought she was going to get tossed out of the vehicle.

However she had her seatbelt on and that kept her inside the van. The three girls in the back seats were bounced from where they sat.

One girl, Debbie Wolcott sailed towards the front of the van.

It dawned on me that she could strike the windshield if she wasn’t stopped. So I put my hands out as if I were going to catch her.

However, the top of her head slammed into my face. I felt my nose pop and could see blood on my shirt as the vehicle finally came to a rest in ditch, in a semi-upright position.

Other than a few scrapes, bumps, bruises and one bloody-nose we were alright. The people in the pick-up truck were unhurt.

I spent the night with my friend Danny Ross.

The next day Dad came and picked me up. That’s when he learned that the brand new glasses I had jus’ gotten that day, had been broken during the accident.

It would be nearly two weeks before I’d get a replacement pair.