Coop's Corner: Snow, A Weekend Of

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Snow, A Weekend Of

The snow is one thing.......the blowing during and after the storm is what gets us.

Thursday evening and Friday evening started everything off, about 3" of the fluffy moisture combined and it was pretty when seen through the right eyes and from the proper perspective. I've got to be careful because I'm getting perilously close to losing proper perspective.

We all met in Red Wing for dinner after work on Friday and since no plans had been made for the hopefully lazy weekend other than getting Lauren to the airport so that she could get back to USC after her holiday break, we sat around all Friday evening and watched videos in the 'nice and warm'. I wasn't feeling the best anyway, so some hot tea and quietly watching the flat screen made for a comfortable evening.

There was talk of going out for lunch on Saturday to one of our favorite places down the river a ways, so by 9AM I was outside and had the plow truck warming up to open up our parking area and driveway. I was only on my 2nd (of very many) passes when the front wheels dropped over a substantial edge into some very solid, icy snow, the front blade hung up on a couple feet of previously plowed drift with my rear tires on the very icy driveway.

I was stuck. I was really very stuck.

The '46 Ford 9N wouldn't start, even with lots of prodding, the first time THAT's happened so I shoveled.......and shoveled......and shoveled. NPR's Car Talk was on in the truck and they were just finishing up their 11-12 show when the truck finally extricated itself. I spent another 45 minutes getting the rest of the parking area and the long driveway clean, tired but very relieved to have it all over with.

Saturday's version anyway.

We had another couple of inches last night with weather warnings of bitter cold and of course my nemesis, blizzardy winds for this evening and Monday. Those winds started late morning and I was out with a nice cushion of time to get the area cleaned once again before Peg and Ben took Lauren to the airport. Much of the driveway was level full of snow with the blowing and getting everything ready so that they could 'escape' proved to be another big task. Originally planning to be part of the send-off party, I elected to stay home so that with a half hour of warning, I'd be able to once again remove the drifts so that Peg and Ben could get back IN the driveway.

The large 'disturbed' area in the shadow between my hips and shoulders is where the truck was over the edge yesterday morning.

This is what 3 hours of blowing left us; the entire driveway was bare, side to side when they left.

Here's the Action shot.......

From inside The Beast up on the road, ready for another up-to-the-hood push of snow. Those spots on the windshield are mud from yesterday's stuckness. There are huge drifts on the lee side of the snowfence, again affirmation as to the fence's utility. The low spot (ditch) actually has remained drift-free this winter. If we get too much more snow, the fence will not be tall enough to do much good for the small area it covers.

I am feeling better today but not looking forward to tomorrow. Weather predictions for the day are dismal, both the temperature and the winds. But, tomorrow is tomorrow.

This evening I made reservations for a weekend riding trip.....that will happen in late August and mapped out some Routes on roads I've not ridden before.

Spring will arrive, hopefully in time.

14 comments:

VStar LadyJanuary 26, 2014 at 7:23 PM
Coop - you're right, it's the wind that causes the problem, not so much the snow itself...but without the weather what would we have to talk (complain) about all winter long (okay, so we could plan motorcycle trips ... good for you. Can't wait to here where.)
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Martha January 26, 2014 at 7:47 PM
I'm not looking outside until morning light. The wind came up early eve and I know what's going on out there...

I've lost one of my favorite dogs to walk- but this time he's gone to a new home in Minnesota! A brave and kind dog, an Alsatian. He won't mind your weather at all.

Take care.
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Erik RJanuary 26, 2014 at 8:24 PM
More and taller snow fence? A Caterpillar 980H ? You have a serious winter driveway issue.
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Coop a.k.a. CoopdwayJanuary 26, 2014 at 8:29 PM
I saw something the other day on the way home (Hwy 50 - Notorious for drifting) and that was that one of the farmers went out in to the field and essentially created 3 parallel driveways upwind of his real one. It looked like a very effective way of installing 3 snowfences, the ridges all catching the windblown flakes.

All of our driveway should be raised, like real roads so that the snow blows up and over. Maybe someday.
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UnknownJanuary 27, 2014 at 12:01 PM
Coop:

what a long driveway you have to clear and the wind ! Have never been in blowing snow. Our snow, when we get it, is too wet to blow.

August will be here before you know it. Hard to believe that one day, the snow will be gone

bob
Riding the Wet Coast
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SonjaMJanuary 27, 2014 at 1:35 PM
Some blowing snow that is. I am clinging to my cup of tea while watching this.
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TrobairitzJanuary 28, 2014 at 5:24 PM
Ick blah. I think I can handle cold and snow, but the damn wind is what gets me. Just one of the reasons we could never live at the coast - the wind.

Can't you just hunker down and stay inside? I didn't think so, life must go on even with that weather - or is that despite that weather?
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Scott GFebruary 1, 2014 at 8:33 PM
I'm sure you remember that I am a steelworker,with all the heat that entails.You will never ever hear me bitching about the cold.I can't say I love winter,but I hate being hot.Too many years of hardcore sweating!Although I never seem to lose my belly.Warmer weather is ahead my friend.Might post a RTE at the end of April sometime if my schedule permits.
Scott
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The Man straightened stiffly above the block of salt fixed to the stake and looked at the young cattle ringed about him. The pasture was holding out well and the stock was looking good. This bunch would be ready to sell in another month, maybe sooner if the market was right.

A stir among the cattle down near the river brought him round to face the swinging bridge he'd built years before. Someone was coming toward him from the bridge. Someone in breeches, but it didn't look like a man, somehow. What was a woman doing in his pasture this time of night?

He bent over the salt again; maybe if he paid her no heed she'd go on past and let him mind his own business. He heard her footsteps come nearer and stop. "Good evening," she said.

Her voice was smooth with book learning but friendlier than most, and somehow almost shy. When he made no answer she went on, "I've been sitting on your swinging bridge....I thought I'd like to say thank-you...." Her voice stumbled a little, then she tried once more.

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As the very proud father of three former ponytail wearers, hopefully I can get away with this....."For the past few years it's been fashionable for young women to wear ball caps and to snap the strap on the back under their ponytails. I like the looks of that, their shiny ponytails jauntily swinging, but it's hard not to think of the rear ends of horses. There's a piece of harness called the crupper that goes just under a horse's tail to keep its nose down. If the horse lifts its head to look for a way out of whatever predicament it's in, the crupper tightens and hurts the horse. But it's foolish for parents to think that a ball cap might keep a young woman from running away. Anybody can see they're made for running." ------Ted Kooser, Local Wonders

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