Crickett and the Storm at Weldon Springs State Park

Crickett, the tri-colored Corgi, is out walking in sunshine with her daddy and mommy at their favorite spot, Weldon Springs State Park. When the weather finally got warm enough they all ran to the car so they could go for their first walk of the year. Being cooped up most of the winter is hard on all of them but Crickett mostly. She absolutely loves the snow and spends more time playing in it, eating it or grabbing chunks to bring home so she can chew on them on the rug by the door (the only place she’s allowed to) then she does actually going potty. Today is no different with the only exception being her taking chunks of ice home. Not that she doesn’t try. There were a few times her parents thought she would carry the chunks of snow all the way back to the car but it always seemed a bit too far for her to carry so she would stop and gobble them up before heading down the trail again.

When they had started their walk the weather was clear and the sun was out thawing the snow just a tad. Making the walk more muddy then usual but no one really minded since it was such a beautiful day.

Then it happened at the furthest point from their truck the weather changed drastically. Where the day had been sunny and warm a moment before it quickly turned cloudy and cold then it began to sleet hard. None of them were completely prepared for such a shift in the weather, at least Crickett is double coated, which keeps her nice and snuggly, and her parents had on boots and heavy coats. With the sleet though Crickett quickly becomes weighed down first with the sleet as it melts on her fur but then ice begins accumulating on top of her fur as it begins to freeze. Her parents had the same thing happening with their blue jeans and their shoes eventually getting wet then freezing to their legs and feet.

Crickett’s parents know that there is no cover nearby and there wouldn’t be good cover again until they reached their truck but there may be some further along the trail in one of the buildings. It will take them time to get there though but if they are remembering correctly they will come to a barn eventually. So her parents try to draw their coats closer to their bodies and put their hoods up. With the sleet coming down in sheets blocking their view and slowing their momentum it will take time to get back, almost too much time. Crickett’s daddy, Joshua, looks around frantically trying to find some sort of shelter for them to stand under until the sleet stops or at least slows down enough for them to see where they are going. Unfortunately all he can find is a massive oak tree but it will have to do. They rush to the tree to wait until they can see where they are going and get out of the sleet even if just a bit.

They wait and wait but the sleet does not lessen but turns into snow mixed with big flakes and small ones. That wouldn’t be so bad but the snow is also falling fast and it’s heavy. They know they have to move now or they may not get back to the truck at all and maybe not even the barn they are planning to hole up in.

With the decision made they step out from the safety of the tree and as soon as they step completely out from under the protection of the tree their hearts sink. The snow had fallen so quickly that two things have happened. First the path is completely covered and with the grasses dead around the path to begin with it will make following the path all that much harder. Secondly it has gotten so deep that poor Crickett will not be able to move through it easily, it is already as high as her back. After a little discussion Crickett’s mommy, Sonya, picks her up and carries her for as long as she can.

As much as Crickett really doesn’t enjoy being held, she knows to be still so her mommy can safely carry her. She realizes that the situation is dire if her mommy, who knows she doesn’t like to be held for long, is picking her up and carrying her. They start out shortly after that and unfortunately the trek is a slow one.

“Josh? I can’t hold her anymore.” Sonya says pleadingly to her husband. They stop long enough to make the switch then off they go again. They walk on as best they can before having to stop again for a breather. They find another tree to rest under for a few minutes before starting again. Again as they step out from under the tree the snow is even deeper than it was before making the trek even slower and harder than it was before but they have to keep moving. They have to find some better shelter than the trees.

To their relief one of the buildings that is on their walk comes into sight. Exhausted they quicken their pace as best they can and make it to the building, an old barn missing more of its original walls then it had but it had most of its roof and some hay inside that will help keep them warmer than they would be outside. After some looking around they found the perfect place to wait out the storm. There is a big massive pile of old hay that blocks most of the wind and snow but it also means that they could not safely light a fire in the barn. So they would have to huddle up together to stay warm. No one minds that though.

As the day progresses Joshua begins to worry about them being able to get back to their truck and then to the warmth of home. Unsure if he will have enough signal to call 911 for help from inside the barn he turns to Sonya and says, “I’m going to step outside to see if I can call for help. I’m not sure if the storm is going to let up or how long we will be able to stay out in it before we begin to feel the effects.” He didn’t add that he was worried that they would all die if they stayed outside much longer. He didn’t want to worry Sonya; she was already stressed enough without having him voice what they both already feared. So he bundled up as best he could and just before he put his gloves on and stepped outside he dialed 911.

Joshua held his breath as he stood outside the barn door and waited for the phone to ring then he prayed to be answered. After what felt like an eternity but was really probably just a moment, the phone was answered. “911 what’s your emergency?” a voice says on the other end of the phone.

Joshua is so happy he could sing but instead he reins himself in and says, “Thank God. Please send us some help. My name is Joshua, my wife Sonya, and our dog Crickett went for a walk at Weldon Springs State Park then the storm hit and now we’re trapped. We are on the “Weldon Springs Old Farm Trail”. We are in one of the big barns on the trail. We had already passed the biggest barn by the time the storm hit.” Joshua said all of that in a rush and while he was starting to panic he did his best to give as many hints as he could to where they were.

The operator replied, “I have dispatched a rescue team and sent word to the rangers at the park to start to look for you. Don’t worry sir we will find you and your family and get you all home safely. Can you go back into the barn and still talk to me? I don’t want you to be out in the elements any longer than necessary. If not, don't worry about it, your safety is more important. We are on our way.”

Joshua said he would try, then he walks back inside the barn to let Sonya know the news and to snuggle up to his wife and dog. “Sonya love rescue is on the way. We will be out of here soon.” he said as he made his way to his family to wait. When he glances at his phone again he sees that call has indeed been dropped so he places the phone in his pocket to wait it out. He has to conserve the phone's battery as best he can in case he has to call again. They snuggle up and wait hoping rescue will arrive soon and that they will be able to get home once it does.

They aren’t sure how much time had passed since Joshua had returned, the cold is taking its toll on them and their understanding of such things, but they could swear they could hear someone calling out to them. Joshua detangles himself from his family, missing the warmth as soon as he does, then goes to the door to look out. After a moment he steps into the snow in front of the door and begins to call out into the storm, hopefully alerting the searchers where they were. To his relief he received a return call letting him know that help was indeed on the way to them.

Around half an hour later they are safely back at their truck thanking their rescuers profusely for all their help. They sit in the truck a minute or two just getting warm, then once they are ready to leave they follow the police cars that are following behind the snow plow to begin the slow crawl towards home. The plow and police lead them the whole way home and wait until they are inside the house before leaving themselves.

That is one adventure they will not forget anytime soon nor do they want to repeat it. On their next walk they tell themselves they will be prepared for anything that may come their way. While the walk had ended scary they were together and in that way they felt fortunate.

THE END