In the upper Dakota, we are accustomed to rapidly changing weather conditions. It is in the double digits below zero one day and a balmy 45 degrees the next. A week’s time can bring extreme wind to no wind, freezing rain, snow and ice. Road conditions range from seasonally good to wet/slush, snow-covered, ice-covered to “no travel advised.”
Do North Dakotans like this crazy wintery mix? I would guess it might be a unanimous “heck no,” or maybe a “yeah, no” or a “no, yeah.” Ope.
We may not enjoy the weather extremes, but they connect us like a badge of honor we proudly wear “up north.” Weather stories also make an excellent conversation topic, icebreaker or help illustrate a point.
Allow me to share one of mine.
I took a 5 a.m. flight out of Bismarck in early December. My commute to the airport was perfect: no wind, snow or rain and an on-time departure. By the time I deplaned in Minneapolis, the reports from home relayed that good, uneventful weather quickly turned to “no travel advised.”
My wife, who often substitute teaches, and my younger kids, who have an earlier start time, white-knuckled it to school. Meanwhile, my older boys, one of whom is a teen driver, were still at home when notifications rolled in from the school: a late start, then excused weather-related absences, to pretty much everyone “stay put.”
We live in a rural area on the outskirts of town. Not being home, the last thing I wanted was for my boys to venture out in dangerous conditions, or for my wife to have to get them later. I did my best to parent from afar: “Everyone stay where you are, for now.”
I breathed a sigh of relief and boarded my connecting flight. When we reached cruising altitude and I connected to Wi-Fi, I had a notification from a family location sharing app. It appeared my sons were driving the country roads near our home. A family group text ensued.
Me: Where are the boys going? I see they are driving somewhere. Is everything OK?
Wife: Don’t worry, they should be at home.
…
Non-driving son: Since we don’t have school, we decided to take a little cruise to scout deer. We saw a buck.
Me (typing aggressively): There is a reason you are not in school. It’s because you shouldn’t be driving or “cruising.” NOW GET HOME.
Wife: Stay home, boys! It’s bad out there, and there is no one to help you if you are in the ditch. Please, this is nothing to mess with.
Boys: OK, chill. We are fine. We are going home.
Me: AND STAY HOME!!
I used this story recently to illustrate a point: When there’s a void of leadership and judgment, things can go sideways fast, whether it’s on icy roads or in life. But if your eyes are rolling like my kids, I hope this story made you smile on a winter day.
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Josh Kramer, editor-in-chief of North Dakota Living, is executive vice president and general manager of NDAREC. Contact him at jkramer@ndarec.com.
