Our story starts in Colorado. Myself in Lakewood, just a few minutes from Red Rocks, our CEO and CFOs Luke and Mason Stetler in Durango, and Tristan Crowson, our CTO, everywhere from Highlands Ranch to Ouray. All of us at CES grew up in the Centennial State, and it is the state that we all call home. The majestic mountains, great people, and of course, snow. That white, powdery stuff that we all have grown to love and cherish. I distinctly remember my first-time skiing at Copper Mountain when I was five years old. Learning the difference between pizza and French fries, the pride you feel when you don't have to ski on the bunny hills anymore, these are experiences that make Colorado so great.
Anyone who has been to Colorado knows, there is a lot that makes our state amazing. But there are also dangers we all face as well. Our CEO, Luke Stetler, knows this firsthand. On a snowy winter afternoon in Durango, Colorado, he loaded up his snow blower and some shovels into the bed of his truck and set off to pave his customer's driveways. Unfortunately, on his way, his truck got stuck. The heavy load in his bed, and the poor traction from his two-wheel-drive meant that he couldn't get out. After two hours, and the help of a neighbor, Luke was finally able to get his truck unstuck. Unfortunately, he was two hours behind schedule, and received an earful from his angry customers, whose driveways hadn't been paved.
I have a similar experience as well. I was driving home one day from soccer practice, on a back road near Dinosaur Ridge, when my car hit some ice and spun out. I desperately tried to get back in control, but to no avail. My car careened into a ditch and got stuck. I had to shell out almost $100, and my parents were understandably upset.
The common theme here is that both accidents were avoidable. If Luke and I had snow tires on our two-wheel-drive vehicles, we could have saved ourselves time and money, not to mention a great deal of stress. While our accidents were relatively minor, the costs and damages of not having snow tires can be immense. No one likes the constant I-70 traffic to get to ski resorts, and accidents are a further delay. However, the fallout of a car crash is often far more serious than an extended wait time. These crashes can be fatal. Last ski season, "The Colorado Department of Transportation recorded 426 crashes involving passenger vehicles. Another 156 vehicles were involved in slideoffs or spinouts or had mechanical issues, CDOT data shows." In addition to all of this, a new law has just been passed that will require all two-wheel vehicles to comply with traction laws on I-70.
So, from one Coloradan to another, I implore you, please consider investing in a pair of snow tires. Not only will they save you time, and a potential fine, but they might save your life as well.
Citations
https://www.denverpost.com/2019/04/24/i-70-colorado-winter-driving-traction/
