The morning was bright and beautiful, but so far from warm. When I woke up, I swore I could see my breath. Stacy and Dale had hit the road just after seven, and by eight, I was showered, dressed, and sitting in a sun-warmed chair at the breakfast table with the rest of my family, wrapped up in two hoodies and a blanket to beat the cold. 

On the table, among plates of bacon, omelettes, warmed venison sausage, and hashbrowns, were several maps of various towns and roads within reasonable distance from the cabin. And, of course, it wouldn't be a Nibbe family breakfast without bluegrass, Euchre, and Busch Light. 

Outside, it was windier than ever. Dust and glistening snow frequently blasted past the rattling windows, and the cabin was kept cold by a constant, freezing draft. The stubble grass bowed violently with each passing gust, and the distant trees were getting the hell beat out of them. The sun didn't do a damn thing to warm the place up. Neither did the furnace or kitchen stove.

"Well... unless this wind lets up, we're not gonna be doing a whole lotta hikin'." Wes growled. 

"According to my weather app, it's just gonna get worse as the day goes on." Junior scowled, "Winds 25-35 miles an hour, with gusts occasionally over 50-60 miles an hour, with a high of 42 degrees. Oh, and there's a good chance for more heavy snow throughout the day."

"Great..." Quinn rolled her eyes. 

"Breckenridge looks quite a bit better..." I trialed off, scrolling through my weather app, "Winds only 15-25 miles per hour, with light snow showers and a high of 45."

"Isn't it like May 30th or somethin'?" Wade chuckled, "It should be a helluva lot warmer."

"Not at 10,000 feet apparently." Jess shook her head. 

"Well, it gets much better for every 1,000 feet we go down." Troy said, "Maybe we oughta check out Central City or Idaho Springs. I heard there's a lot of cool abandoned mining shit down there. And, it'll be a warm 60 degrees down there."

"That's pretty far away though." I replied. 

"Well, it's better to be warm down there than freeze up here." Junior shrugged, "Even if it takes us a couple hours 'r so to get there and come back."

"I mean, we do have all day. Literally." Liz added, gulping down the last of her coffee. 

"Well, I'll ask the boys what they want to do." Jess said as she headed upstairs to ask her sons what they wanted to do. 

A moment later, she came back down to tell us my younger cousins would rather freeze in Breckenridge than endure a two-and-a-half hour car ride to warmer, calmer pastures. Plus, we could buy some warmer clothes in Breckenridge anyway. So, Breckenridge it was!

I helped Jess and Liz clean up the kitchen and put away leftovers, while Wade and Junior braved the ferocious cold to put the trash outside and salt the porch and stairs. Upstairs, I could hear Wes arguing with his sons that shorts and T-shirts were not appropriate attire for that day, unless they literally wanted to turn into giant popsicles.

Something, something, boys will always be boys.

Just before we left, I dug around my backpack hoping to discover gloves or a warmer hat, but there were none. The warmest clothes I had were the ones I was already wearing, and yet, I was still cold as ice. Nervously, I gazed outside at the freezing cold, and wondered how I was gonna survive the long, 45 second journey to the car. I was not, at all, looking forward to going out there, especially considering how exposed to the elements we would be. In fact, I was honestly getting pretty anxious just staring out the window as the distant trees whipped back and fourth, and waves of snow howled past. But, I refused to show it, and hid my fear behind a stoic expression.  

"Well... We better get out there 'fore too long." Troy shivered as he rushed inside from the cold, "Who's ridin' with who?"

"Wes and the boys'll ride with me." Jess declared. 

"Liz and I will ride together." Junior replied. 

"So, that just leaves Dad and Maya..." Troy pondered. 

"I don't care who's car I ride in." I said, "As long as it's warm."

"Oh yeah." Troy nodded, "All the cars are already running and warmed up for us. And, Quinn's already in our car."

"I guess I'll go with Junior and Liz." Wade said. 

"Alright." Troy nodded, "In that case, you're comin' with me, Maya."

I was hesitant to go out in what was basically a snow-icane. But, it was either I braved the bitter cold for a short time with family by my side, or I spent the entire day freezing my ass off alone in the cabin. I stood by like last time and waited for everyone else to head out before I did, when Troy draped his arm across my shoulders and dragged me out there with him. Right as Troy pulled the front door closed behind us, a huge gust came by, spraying us with stinging snow and dust and partially blinding me. 

"Fuck this!" I shouted as I dug my heels into the floor, bowed my head, and shoved my hands in my pockets. 

Troy said something back to me, but I couldn't quite hear him over the wind. Still, he kept his arm across my shoulders, pushing me along till we got down to his heated Honda Civic.  

The car was warm as a sauna when I clambered in. Within just a few minutes, I felt color and warmth return to my stinging cheeks, and I regained feeling in my hands an feet. On the radio, "Unapologetically Country" by Hardy was playing quietly in the background as Troy wrestled the driver's side door from the wind's grasp. 

"Jesus, it's miserable out there..." Troy sighed as he reached for his sunglasses, "Y'all stayin' warm enough now?"

"Yup." 

"All good!"

"Perfect." Troy said as he put his 2WD shitbox into reverse and backed out of the icy driveway. 

Wes and Jess were already at the end of the driveway, ready to lead the Shitbox Brigade to Breckenridge. Or, so we thought. 

When we got to the end of the driveway, Wes rolled down his window and beckoned Troy to drive up next to him. 

"You know where we're goin?" Wes shouted over the wind. 

"Breckenridge, right?" Troy replied. 

"Well yeah. But do ya know how to get there?" Wes asked, "Our phones are frozen solid and won't load."

"Oh yeah." Troy nodded, "We've got Maya with us. She can get us there."

"Alrighty!" Wes shouted, "We'll follow y'all."

"Hope you're alright with that." Troy grinned at me, rolling up his window. 

"I mean... I can try." I mumbled, "I can't guarantee shit though."

"Good 'nuff." Troy shrugged, "We'll find our way eventually."