While doing thesis research, Brian found out the list of the top 20 steepest hills in Seattle. The steepest one is 21 percent!The one behind our house (Roy from Bellevue to Melrose) is on the list. It's an 18% grade. We've gotten pretty good at parallel parking on that street. It's a one lane road (but cars go both ways) and you park facing uphill.

We did have a heart pounding moment last week though. The hill is often wet from something draining from the forested area near it. You can often hear tires spinning out on the wet road. The pavement under the parking spaces stays dry though.

We were leaving to go snowshoeing and the road had frozen over. There were cars in front of us and behind us. Brian tried to pull out of the spot but as soon as the tires hit the iced over road, the tires just spun. He realized we couldn't make it up the hill so he tried to make a few turns to get us pointed down hill. It's a one lane road and on the other side of the road is a fire hydrant. As soon as we were perpendicular to the parked cars, the front tires let go and we started to slowly slide towards the parked car below us and the fire hydrant on the other side of the road. Somehow, we stopped, inches from the other car's headlight. We panicked for a moment and realized there was nothing we could do. We could leave the car there but if we got out, would the car start sliding? So Brian counted to three and let go of the breaks. Somehow we skidded around the car and then got traction and made it to the bottom of the hill.

Horray!

A few days later, I saw a pickup truck stuck in the same position a little lower on the hill. It was just inches from the car below it. They left their emergency flashers on and took the bus to work that day.