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was the day the blizzardstruck
Th e date was Wednesday, January 29, 1986. The time 11:05a.m White death stalked the land. The Blizzard of '86," as some southerners called it, was about to make Lynchburg history
Everything was calm — but cold. Heading to classes, we knew therewas somethig inthe air.Thecloudsloomed dark and foreboding. The north wind blew The tension mounted
Thensuddenlyithit.Theflakes began theirdescent,landingon the unsuspecting Liberty campus. Screams from native Californiansechoed throughoutthe land Frightened Floridians ran to take shelter.What was this that was happening? Was it really — really — snowing in Lynchburg?
You bet your "Canadian hoser hats" itwas
Some students stoodsilently Otherof themore macho mentalitywatched with cross-eyed excitement as innocent snowflakes died on their outstretchedtongues. And still others simplyfoughtfor dear life as they trieddesperately to keep thierbalance on treadless loafers
The city panicked. By noon, City Hall declared a "state of emergency" — and the town of Lynchburg closed Many Liberty classes,to the utter dismay of the students,followed suitas teachers stayed snugin their warm houses. Cars crept along in the mounting white stuff The snow had alreadyaccumulated to a terrifying two inches — and still itcontinued!
SPPPLLATTT! The first snowball found itsintended mark. Soon othersnowy sphereswereflying through the air, directed at whateverlookedthemost inviting — a passing car,an open window,the back of a head
The LUslopeswere spattered withbodiesridingthesnowydescentson anything from plastic bags to "borrowed" mattresses. Motorized vehicles "donutted" and "fish-tailed" in ecstacy to their drivers' content. Liberty campus was transformed into a white, winter wonderland of frolic andfrenzy When would it allend? Was thistobe theend ofthenesting place of young champions? Would a lull in the nightmare ever come?
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Itwas 7:00 the next morning when we glanced out ourwindows The world lay calm and lifeless under a melting three inchesof snow. A curtainof blue closed upon thehorizonending the drama of the preceding day
Outside, salt and sand scrunched beneath the shoes, staining the leather Slushy sidewalks soaked the unsuspecting. A lonely snowman dripped lifeless The horror was over Southerners peeked out from beneath their blankets Northernersjustlaughed It was a time that would be remembered
Perhaps we could all learn a lesson from this traumatic experience.W e should never underestimate the ragingunpredictabilityofLynchburgweather.
Next time, we bestheedthe warnings When the clouds loom dark — and the north wind blows — and the"fearof the flake"isseen inthe southerners' eyes, beware and remember — theBlizzardof '86.
Shane
The blizzard of '86covered campus with itsthree-inch blanket (below), sending §? students plummeting down the Liberty slopes(farleft),inching along icy sidewalks (leftabove), and holding banisters as they used thestairs