The Driving Experience

Learning to drive was a fantastic experience, one I will never forget; the power you have behind the wheel of the car is exhilarating. But the first long-distance trip you drive by yourself, that is unforgettable. The feeling of independence surges through you, and you feel invincible, but I quickly learned that you are most certainly not unshakeable. You are pretty vulnerable driving at the mercy of the road Gods and their will. It was on that first trip that I learned that knowing how to handle the car and actually handling the vehicle in a hazardous situation are two entirely different things. Diligence behind the wheel coupled with extreme attentiveness can make all the difference between a near miss and a miss.

It was just me, my first car, and the open road; I felt the adrenaline high. Ninety miles stood between me and my destination. The sun was still not up, and the darkness was eerily still. A light frost covered the ground as I headed out to Cooper Lake for my first solo deer hunt of the year. The two-hour drive to my grandmother’s land in Cooper required that I start before dawn to make it to the tree stand by daylight. Unfortunately, I had overslept a little and was running late, but I figured I could make up the time and speed a little to arrive at the perfect hour with no other travelers on the road.

The ride was very dull, with very little scenery to entertain the mind. I clicked through radio station after radio station to keep my mind alert. Most of the trip was a four-lane highway that opened up to six lanes in some spots, but the last few miles were a narrow, winding country road lined with trees on both sides. I should have anticipated the wildlife moving about, but I did not. I took my eyes off the road for a brief second to find my breakfast bar. Just as I returned my sights to the road ahead, I saw her. A beautiful full-grown doe stared right at me as she paused in the middle of the road gazing into my headlights.

I dropped the breakfast bar, and both hands flew to the wheel as I slammed my foot onto the brake pedal. The car started to skid and slide on the dew that covered the road. I gripped the wheel even tighter and braced for impact. It was either the doe or the ditch, and I was not sure which held my fate. Driving sixty-five miles per hour on a dew-covered road was risky, but taking my eyes off the road for even a brief second was just not brilliant. As the doe’s eyes seemed to meet mine, I wondered if this was her end. It was not the way I wanted to get a deer today. I preferred to use my shotgun in the sporting arena of the woods. The road Gods blessed me as I skidded to a halt, and she bounded off into the woods.

My heart was racing, my knuckles white from the death grip of my hands squeezing the wheel. I stopped in the middle of the road, skid marks down the slightly icy road behind me; I took a minute to reflect and catch my breath. That very morning could have been my first and last solo road trip, but today was not my day to go. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and said a small prayer to thank the road Gods that spared me. Then, whispering to the doe who stopped for her morning encounter, “may we meet again, but on my terms next time.”

Just miles from my destination, I regained composure and continued to my stand. I did not see a doe that day or any buck either. It was like she was taunting me. Her eyes will be forever ingrained in my brain with the lessons she taught me.

I will never forget her when I am driving in the dark. Animals own the earth, not cars. I should have gone the speed limit rather than rushing to get to my deer stand. Nothing is more important than road safety. Taking my eyes off the road was not a good choice. It only took a blink of an eye for the doe to appear in the roadway. If I had not been so blessed that day, it would have only taken a brief second to wreck my car and potentially take my life. Staying alert even when you feel most secure is a huge lesson I learned behind the wheel that day that will stay with me as long as I can drive or ride in a car. Take nothing for granted, especially when driving; I know I will plan for the unexpected and be ready for anything.