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Yeah, but they didn't plough my street. It took an hour to clear a way out for my car from the garage to the road. On the road I got stuck and had to rock back and forth between 'D' and 'R' to get moving. The next street was worse but by this time I had momentum and I just had to take it real slow. I do at least have front wheel drive and snow tires. Most folk didn't make it into work today. All the local schools are closed. I guess that means all the local kids are out shoveling the neighbourhood and old ladies driveways (unfortunately they are all at home on their video games....). My kids did finish off the driveway for me 🙂
Almost full moon here this evening shining down on the snow covered mountain nearby, looks amazing and surreal but it's well below freezing so i'm staying in. Josh Ritter sounding good on the hifi and a good view from the window, i can't complain.
It rained here all night last night, then started snowing this morning. I loaded up a bunch of stuff, went to the gym, then took all the stuff out to an old modular home that I am using for a warehouse. Under the minimal snow was muddd, and lots of it. There was water standing in all the usual low lying areas that was just starting to freeze. Walking across the grass went crunch, crunch as I walked.
About 3 PM I made a return trip. The dirt road to the property was ice covered making the up hill trip a bit tricky in the Element. I grabbed my trusty old SSE amp, without tubes, as I would be storing it in the trailer for a few weeks. I opened the door of the Element and stepped out on to rock driveway as I have been doing all winter. Unfortunately, this time the driveway looked more like an Olympic style luge course, and I just launched! The SSE went bouncing off to my right, and I landed on my back, slid all the way down the driveway, across the dirt road, and into a snow drift.
Fortunately, I was not hurt, but the SSE is no longer rectangular. The construction workers that were working on our house all got a good laugh, and I won't be doing that again!
About 3 PM I made a return trip. The dirt road to the property was ice covered making the up hill trip a bit tricky in the Element. I grabbed my trusty old SSE amp, without tubes, as I would be storing it in the trailer for a few weeks. I opened the door of the Element and stepped out on to rock driveway as I have been doing all winter. Unfortunately, this time the driveway looked more like an Olympic style luge course, and I just launched! The SSE went bouncing off to my right, and I landed on my back, slid all the way down the driveway, across the dirt road, and into a snow drift.
Fortunately, I was not hurt, but the SSE is no longer rectangular. The construction workers that were working on our house all got a good laugh, and I won't be doing that again!
Ya gotta watch out for them "snow snakes"!! They just sit there, all camouflaged and invisible, until you put a boot down on em. Then they wrap a tail around each ankle (yeah, they got TWO tails!) in a few microseconds and pull your feet in opposite directions.
I'm disappointed by the unprofessional behavior of those workers for laughing and making jokes about your misfortune. Usually it's just the ice that makes some insulting cracks.
Dale
Nah, they don't like the cold either, so they pack themselves together into the tread of your boots until the tread is full, then they won't let any more of their little friends in to join the party. They all carry a polar charge like a magnet, repelling the snow on the ground, forcing your feet into the air!
Even I thought it was somewhat funny. It was one of the workers who made the "Olympic luge tryouts" comment.
Sherri had started out of the vehicle then remarked about how slippery it was, so I said I would come around and help her.
I had hold of the SSE amp in one hand by the power transformer so I was already somewhat off balance. I wasn't watching where I was walking and put one foot in the rut created by all the truck traffic on the driveway, and woosh, I was off.....all the way down the ice rut, following the curve onto the rut in the dirt road for maybe 50 feet total. I'm glad that there wasn't a car coming down the road at that time....
Usually I am wearing a T-shirt, jeans and flip flops when I go out to visit my house under construction, so I watch my step carefully and stay on the rocks, The house is currently heated to 70 degrees because the flooring is being installed.
Yesterday I had to spend some time in the unheated trailer which was probably 20 degrees, looking for some tubes, so I had my mud boots and a thick padded jacket with a hood, so I wasn't hurt by the fall.
Just returned from 3 weeks the UK (Lon) and was amused by the Brit TV weather people's constant use of the phrase, "bitterly cold", when the thermometer is at 1 deg C.
I found myself walking about with no hat, scarf or gloves and my coat unbuttoned and the locals were done up like Canucks.
I have had Finns complain about english cold. When its damp, foggy, overcast and 2-4C the cold does go right through you. compare with a midwest winters day of -10C but with bright blue skies I know which 'feels' bitterly cold.
20 degree wind chill is another matter tho.That I do not miss.
20 degree wind chill is another matter tho.That I do not miss.
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Joined 2009
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It's definitely cold today.
I was back in Old Blighty at Christmas and it's quite true, even if above zero, the cold cuts right through you. A key difference is the humidity, in Ontario when it's really cold it's also really dry.
Still, a few valves in the living room will keep you warm....🙂
I was back in Old Blighty at Christmas and it's quite true, even if above zero, the cold cuts right through you. A key difference is the humidity, in Ontario when it's really cold it's also really dry.
Still, a few valves in the living room will keep you warm....🙂
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It's -18C (-2F) here right now. Lots of additional snow on the ground after Friday's and Monday's snow storms, another 15cm (6 inches) on Thursday. They're expecting another 60cm (24 inches) within the next 10 days..
The MBTA does not seem able to keep the trains running or the subway functioning normally. Hundreds of stranded passengers on the red line, two train fires also on the red line, and commuter rail issues.
Here's a taste of what it's like in my neighborhood..
The MBTA does not seem able to keep the trains running or the subway functioning normally. Hundreds of stranded passengers on the red line, two train fires also on the red line, and commuter rail issues.
Here's a taste of what it's like in my neighborhood..
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There ya go, now that is what I call a nice winter scene!! Looks like you are on par with my brother who lives in Marathon Ont (Lake Superior)
I figure Marathon probably gets it worse in the average year, but we're definitely holding our own. Maybe somewhat more than a meter since last Tuesday, and it is all coming in big storms..
Cal, we thought the weather pundits were off their rockers until literally a week ago as we had not had any significant snow. We had one relatively minor snow fall a couple of weeks ago, most of which had melted by last Tuesday when the fun began.. LOL All of what you can see has fallen in a week..
Looks like you do get some good ones from time to time.. 😀
Looks like you do get some good ones from time to time.. 😀
Shan't soon forget '96 hereabouts - 48" in two days
As seldom as we get much snow here, when we do, it can be quick and heavy - literally by the metre/ yard
"Victoria is the only Canadian city west of eastern Ontario to record more than 50cm in a single day - 3 times since official national record keeping started in 1898, and in 1880 (24") and 1887 (36")"
As seldom as we get much snow here, when we do, it can be quick and heavy - literally by the metre/ yard
"Victoria is the only Canadian city west of eastern Ontario to record more than 50cm in a single day - 3 times since official national record keeping started in 1898, and in 1880 (24") and 1887 (36")"
Tubelab,
I hate to say it, but it's time to transition out of the Florida mindset and get some shoes with vibram soles that will grip on the snow and ice. I came to Cali from Ithaca, New York, where vibram soles and a 6-foot scarf were essential articles. Since Ithaca is in a glacial notch, its roads and sidewalks are all up-and-down. With the vibram soles, I could beat cop cars with chains up the steep brick roads near my neighborhood. Vietnam war surplus army boots didn't cut it on the snow and ice (I found out the hard way) - vibram is the ticket. Since it's been about 30 years since I've been out Ithaca - way, maybe shoe sole technology has advanced. Back then, though, vibram was what you needed.
I hate to say it, but it's time to transition out of the Florida mindset and get some shoes with vibram soles that will grip on the snow and ice. I came to Cali from Ithaca, New York, where vibram soles and a 6-foot scarf were essential articles. Since Ithaca is in a glacial notch, its roads and sidewalks are all up-and-down. With the vibram soles, I could beat cop cars with chains up the steep brick roads near my neighborhood. Vietnam war surplus army boots didn't cut it on the snow and ice (I found out the hard way) - vibram is the ticket. Since it's been about 30 years since I've been out Ithaca - way, maybe shoe sole technology has advanced. Back then, though, vibram was what you needed.
I saw Marathon during the summer about 50 years ago, during a family vacation when we circumnavigated Lake Superior with a travel trailer.
My memory may be confused but I believe we camped for a couple of nights at Marathon. The Provincial Park was built on the site of a WWII-era POW camp. Some of the buildings and fences were still there. I recall an interpretive tour where a historian explained that this camp had housed senior officers and other prisoners who were considered especially loyal to the Nazi regime, and therefore likely to attempt escape. The location had been selected in part because in 1940 there were no roads out of Marathon - you came and went by boat or train. And the surrounding terrain and climate were notably unfavorable to the survival of any escapees.
To my pre-adolescent mind it sounded like a great place to live, especially in winter. In fact, I eventually DID live for 4 years on the Lake Superior south shore but I still want to see the north shore again, possibly experiencing the full cycle of seasons there.
Dale
Ya 1+m of snow in Marathon is the norm for sure. I watched Halifax news last night, the whole eastern side is getting belted this year.
Dale, funny that you know of the POW camp during the war. An old neighbor in the city, Toronto, who was of Austria decent, was in the Marathon camp during the war and it was isolated but it was a nice experience for him at least. Simiilar to what they did with the Japanese people even though it was really unnecessary but everyone was a suspect in there minds, much like today 🙂
Once the pulp mill got going did they cut the trail for the trans- canada #17, as the only auto route was highway #11 which was out in the bush.
The park that you describe is just north of Marathon, not sure if it Neys or the other one called Red Sucker Point reserve.
The north shore drive is one of the nicest drives in Canada, but do it in the summer 🙂 Summer is short, I think they were lucky to get a few days in the 70's this past summer. Fishing is well, the best. We went fishing on Steel lake, caught some blue Pickerel which is very rare and only found in a few Lakes in Ontario and Quebec.
Now a days with the mill closed, the gold mines in Hemlo, down the highway towards White Lake are the few things keeping the town alive.
My aunt is trying to sell her house = basically have to give it away = sad situation.
Stay warm northern folks, a light dusting of snow today, but temps are supposed to drop again tonight.
Dale, funny that you know of the POW camp during the war. An old neighbor in the city, Toronto, who was of Austria decent, was in the Marathon camp during the war and it was isolated but it was a nice experience for him at least. Simiilar to what they did with the Japanese people even though it was really unnecessary but everyone was a suspect in there minds, much like today 🙂
Once the pulp mill got going did they cut the trail for the trans- canada #17, as the only auto route was highway #11 which was out in the bush.
The park that you describe is just north of Marathon, not sure if it Neys or the other one called Red Sucker Point reserve.
The north shore drive is one of the nicest drives in Canada, but do it in the summer 🙂 Summer is short, I think they were lucky to get a few days in the 70's this past summer. Fishing is well, the best. We went fishing on Steel lake, caught some blue Pickerel which is very rare and only found in a few Lakes in Ontario and Quebec.
Now a days with the mill closed, the gold mines in Hemlo, down the highway towards White Lake are the few things keeping the town alive.
My aunt is trying to sell her house = basically have to give it away = sad situation.
Stay warm northern folks, a light dusting of snow today, but temps are supposed to drop again tonight.
9ºF this morning and sunny.
No one (least not the tenors) came to choir practice last night -- we all knew the heat wouldn't be on.
No one (least not the tenors) came to choir practice last night -- we all knew the heat wouldn't be on.