Ice, Snow Close Grapevine, Schools, Mountain Roads: We take our hats off to the people of your town, say stranded visitors

  • Winds and snow brought a telephone pole down, closing off Highway 138 as an alternative to the Grapevine, which was closed for almost 24 hours Sunday, Jan. 2 to Monday, Jan. 3. Over 100 people were stranded in Lebec with nowhere to stay.

    Image 1 of 5
    Winds and snow brought a telephone pole down, closing off Highway 138 as an alternative to the Grapevine, which was closed for almost 24 hours Sunday, Jan. 2 to Monday, Jan. 3. Over 100 people were stranded in Lebec with nowhere to stay.

  • Cars stopped in the middle of Mil Potrero Highway after skidding on ice. Those equipped with four-wheel drive and snow tires or chains were able to navigate slowly, but safely.

    Image 2 of 5
    Cars stopped in the middle of Mil Potrero Highway after skidding on ice. Those equipped with four-wheel drive and snow tires or chains were able to navigate slowly, but safely.

  • Travelers were stranded in Lebec when the Grapevine closed. People slept in the Flying J truckers lounge and Dennys lobby. Visitors were touched by the hospitality of Dennys staff and that of residents who brought them blankets.

    Image 3 of 5
    Travelers were stranded in Lebec when the Grapevine closed. People slept in the Flying J truckers lounge and Dennys lobby. Visitors were touched by the hospitality of Dennys staff and that of residents who brought them blankets.

  • Mike and Dorris Riccomi sent this photo with Disneyland's Goofy, daughter Sarah Dutra, their 11-month-old granddaughter Hazel and son-in-law Vic Dutra. The family was stranded in Lebec when the Grapevine closed down, and all available rooms were taken. They called from San Jose after they finally got home on Tuesday, Jan. 4 to thank those who they said had been so hospitable and compassionate to them.

    Image 4 of 5
    Mike and Dorris Riccomi sent this photo with Disneyland's Goofy, daughter Sarah Dutra, their 11-month-old granddaughter Hazel and son-in-law Vic Dutra. The family was stranded in Lebec when the Grapevine closed down, and all available rooms were taken. They called from San Jose after they finally got home on Tuesday, Jan. 4 to thank those who they said had been so hospitable and compassionate to them.

  • About 60-70 storm refugees were invited by Dennys Manager John Hoyt and Pilot-Flying J to stay warm and spend the night. Local families brought blankets to those who were stranded.

    Image 5 of 5
    About 60-70 storm refugees were invited by Dennys Manager John Hoyt and Pilot-Flying J to stay warm and spend the night. Local families brought blankets to those who were stranded.

‘We take our hats off to the people of your town,’ say stranded visitors

By Patric Hedlund with Don Eubank, Community Reporter

The first day of the New Year dawned with a bright, sunny sky. At Disneyland, the Riccomi family of San Jose happily shared the sights with their 11-month-old granddaughter, Hazel, including the simulated snow of the Matterhorn. But it was Goofy and Pluto who made the big impression. She nibbled Pluto’s whiskers and kissed him on the nose.

As the family turned toward home on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 the weather was sly, slipping clouds across the mountains, then beginning to rage with high winds, working itself into a fierce snowstorm.

By the time they approached the Grapevine, Mike Riccomi was getting nervous. Traffic was backing up. By noon, at Gorman, it was bumper to bumper. Little Hazel’s mom rolled down the window to catch a handful of snow for her.

With a baby in the car, Riccomi didn’t want to take a chance. He knew he had enough gas to get to Bakersfield under normal driving conditions, but not to idle in traffic. It had taken two hours to move one mile.

California Highway Patrol cruisers were still conducting escorts across the Grapevine, but the careful grandfather decided he better get off in Lebec to find gas. They fueled up at the Chevron, then stopped at Denny’s for lunch. By then it was 2:30 p.m. While they were eating, the family learned that CHP had decided conditions were too hazardous to allow further traffic. The Grapevine was closed down.

Suddenly the Riccomi family— along with over a hundred other travelers—found they were refugees with no place to stay.

No Room at the Inn

Over at the Holiday Inn Express, Trenton McCracken, 22 was staffing the front desk alone when about 50 people flowed through the doors, asking for rooms. Some tried to get reservations online using their cell phones while they stood waiting, but the guests who were already in rooms had priority, and the reservations didn’t go through.

McCracken reports he talked to his manager on the phone, who was at home in Tehachapi, snowed in over there.

The youth said he was told to invite people to get a cup of coffee in the lobby so they could warm up, but that they would have to leave by 6 p.m. if they were not Holiday Inn guests. McCracken tried to find rooms in other local motels for those waiting, but those were full too. At 6:15 p.m., some people got angry, McCracken reports. He says he followed his training, stayed polite, and called sheriff’s deputies to escort those who refused to leave.

Kern County Deputy Jeff Eveland said that when he and Deputy Moretti arrived there were only about eight people still lingering. The deputies were told that fire regulations prevented the hotel from allowing people to stay in the lobby. Eveland said the deputies helped get tows for those who were stuck in the snow and gave rides to the Flying J to a couple who did not feel it was safe to drive. The truckers lounge at the Flying J was hospitable and warm, Eveland said, and seemed like a safe option. CHP cruisers were also finding people in stranded cars along the I-5 and bringing them to Flying J for safety.

Denny’s and Flying J

Manager John Hoyt at Denny’s Restaurant will always be remembered by Mike Riccomi and his family: “John was wel coming people in and the smile never left his face. They didn’t turn anybody away whether they were customers or not.”

The unplowed roads kept many regular workers away, leaving the restaurant short-staffed. Those who were there were overwhelmed but always warmhearted and empathetic, Riccomi said.

Denny’s became like a refugee center. “People were camping everywhere. Some were even sleeping on the floor in the lobby,” employee Donna Crow recalls. Her husband, Richard, was using his F150 4×4 truck like a snow shuttle, helping Donna’s co-workers get to work. He took some travelers into Frazier Park to buy chains.

Riccomi’s family called The Mountain Enterprise to praise the kindness his family saw: “Your community deserves a big pat on the back. It’s something I haven’t seen in a long time.

“We were there from 2:30 p.m. Sunday until 10:30 Monday morning. John and his staff worked through the night. He turned lights off and went to each of the booths, loosened the light bulbs where people were sleeping on the booth benches. Some of the local people from Lebec helped people with rides to go in and and get chains. Some took sandwiches and blankets back to people who were stuck in their cars.

“We were there from 2:30 p.m. Sunday until 10:30 Monday morning. John and his staff worked through the night. He turned lights off and went to each of the booths, loosened the light bulbs where people were sleeping on the booth benches. Some of the local people from Lebec helped people with rides to go in and and get chains. Some took sandwiches and blankets back to people who were stuck in their cars.

“I called Denny’s corporate office and told them I wanted to nominate the whole crew for a customer service award. There are a lot of people home safe today who were not stuck in their cars freezing. My hat is off to your town. The people there are awesome!

Ice, Snow Close Grapevine, Schools, Mountain Roads

For those who life here, Monday, Jan. 3 was an unexpected bonus day added to the New Year’s holiday. Ice and snow on surface roads as well as the Grapevine kept many away from their jobs. It also kept all public schools in the Mountain Communities closed. Schools didn’t open again until Tuesday, Jan. 4.

Those who did venture out often had unexpected adventures. Don Eubank tells this tale: “I was doing OK in my 4X4 Blazer until I got to the stop light at Monterey. I was going slow, I applied the brakes, the wheel locked up and I slid all the way through the intersection. And then of all things I looked over to my right and there was the Sheriff. I waved to him and he gave me the courtesy of no ticket. I pulled over to the side and caught my breath.”

Leslie Long writes that she and her husband, Dave, saw four accidents occur as they walked down East End Drive to Frazier Park Market from their home on Texas Trail.

“Trucks were sliding backwards, unable to stop and slamming into cars trying to make it up the hill or parked on the side of the road.”

Long’s note about road safety:

January 3, 2011

Dear Editor:

Fortunately there was a county snowplow driver on East End Trail Monday, Jan. 3 trying to warn people who were coming around the curve that the road was dangerously icy.

We actually had to jump out of the way of two trucks sliding backwards.

The county roads worker eventually made a call to get a county truck up there. On our way back up the hill from our walk to Frazier Park Market, they were spreading aggregate over East End.

I mentioned to the county roads worker that this was a problem every year. He said that if he saw extremely hazardous conditions he could ask for a truck to come up.

I told him that TXI donated aggregate material last year to the community. He said the county has to get its aggregate from Lone Pine “because TXI charges too much.” Seems like it would be a lot easier for the county to strike a deal with TXI.

The snowplow driver suggested that we contact Ray Watson. I told him that I have every year, but that my requests to get something done falls on deaf ears.

Lastly, the folks at 3520 Montana Trail (at East End Drive) came outside this morning to find out that someone had demolished the front end of their car by sliding into it, didn’t bother to leave a note.

That is just wrong.

Leslie Long
Frazier Park

This is part of the January 07, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you.