It was New Years Eve Day, 1968, and not a typical day in Russ and Anita Streit's lives. In Wisconsin it can get COLD, and on that day it was 30 below with a wicked wind chill. continued........
Russ was employed to clear the roads of the twelve inches of snow that had just fallen. On this day before he started the task, he brought Anita over to Joe and Kay Nowak's home on Novak Road. He moved snow all day and then picked up Anita in the evening and proceeded to take Rustic Road 622 home to the resort they owned,The Wilson Bay Lodge. But wait......... this is where the real story begins. Russ had cleared many roads that day, but he had not yet cleared 622 which was the road their 2-wheel drive pick-up was going to take them home on. They turned from 203 onto 622 and proceeded on 622 close to the Lynch Creek Wildlife Viewing Area when their pick up had other ideas!!! Sometimes the driver has no control over a vehicle! They were now in the ditch with no one to pull them out and a gas gauge needle that was closer to empty than full. There was only one alternative............an aerobic exercise had not been in the plans for New Year's Eve. Poor Anita didn't have the appropriate winter attire on for that type of walk, but there where no alternatives. They trudged thru the twelve inches on snow and at one point Anita said, "let me rest for awhile". Russ knew that they needed to keep moving and they did. It was a four mile hardship and there was never a better sight than to see their home and to get inside. Anita did not say too many words once inside, but the words she did say spoke volumes. She said, "get me a tub of warm water to soak my cold feet, and a Manhattan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
We all know the moral of this story, Always be prepared and get your
vehicles ready for Winter!!!!!!!!!!!!
