You could say he really hasn't left yet, only a couple more months of this.

-10 here this morning.
I wonder what Dwight, Dr Dave, and Wood have to report.

I was going to hunt the goose club at Braidwood but after checking the temperature this morning I went back to bed. Must be getting old

Heat wave here, I was 14* higher than Brettski this morning. We're expected to have those temps tonight.

It is cold here, but not that cold. We have snow cover, but not a lot, the big storms missed us. It is beautiful looking out at the lake (which froze early this year) because the snow stays white here. Go out of the sub and it looks yucky, all the salt and road dirt makes it look dirty.
The city tried some brine solution instead of the sand with some chloride in it. The sand fills up in the storm drains and weights down the crap they didn't vacuum out - and makes it yucky, like tracked into the houses and garages. Can't say that it really worked though, maybe it will be trial and error, at least they are trying something different.

Next door in Maine, they use a chloride solution before storms on the roads. The worst crap ever, it sticks to your car and windshield. Try to remove it while driving and you'll use a reservoir full of windshield antifreeze, a real hazard to visibility. When the temp drops below 10 degrees it forms a sheet of glare ice on the road surface.

Here in NH we use salt and sand mixed. At least when temps drop below the melt point of the salt you still have the sand for traction. Admitted it's messy, but at least safer.

Thanks Scruffy (love the name):
They use lots and lots of road salt here, but not in our sub of 6 lakes with storm drains going into them. I did not know the sand they use had any choloride/salt in it until now. We have very high saliinty in our lake. We have a drain from out of the sub coming in our lake.
I appreciate the info, this stuff looked like windshield washer fluid.

Last time I was in Mass they didn't allow salt on some roads. I do remember a well off the toll road in New York was contaminated with road salt. The restaurant said they couldn't offer water because of that.

Michigan doesn't have a budget for salt Even with the SALT mines around the SE side. Heck, we even have salt water underneath. Hit the Marshall up here, it is quite saline. Not too far from here, you can hit saline waters quite above the Marshall. Michigan Geology is pretty cool. Hit the Marshall around Grand Haven on the west coast to some 30 miles in. The best darn water you will ever encounter.

When I moved into my place some twenty years ago. The state asked to cut the big pines in front of my house because the salt use contaminated my neighbors well across the street. To me it was a blessing because these trees were huge, and I diidn't want to deal with the expense. You wouldn't beleive the up roar it caused in this small town. The new guy in town had the nerve to remove those stately trees.

A new power line upgrade just happened out front. In fact there are still vehicles out front. I wish they took out the front line of "stately" pines so I would not have to pull them away from their infrastructure. Tree co. said, no can do. If the tree was not marked with a dot or "X" with a specific blue paint, they could not touch it. Try go buy that shade of blue, probably with an identifier. The big pines probably wont be that bad with my big Bobcat, but that White Oak, I am going to have to hire a pro in.

I want this totally cleared to the road so I can start from scratch and build a somewhat controlled environment. It is woefully overgrown.

That is right JBK (Michigan Contingent member):
We have no budget for anything do we? They are saying they can't vac out those storm drains cause of money. Funny what there is money for you know?

We're already back down to 0*, but I have found the cure.
Sipping a hot cup of Joe from my man-sized SDSU coffee mug, sitting on the couch with the laptop, cruising PB forum and watching the TD-athon on the TV between GB and AZ.
Yeahhh....warm contentment.

Thanks 2cat, they vac up everything around this town and compost it (I live about 8 or so miles out of town). 6 bucks a yard for three year old compost 'cept it might not be the cleanest. Couple of milk gallon rings in it. Grand Haven is trying to contemplate how to melt the snow on all of the sidewalks with the Coal Fired Electric Plant as Holland has done, 'cept, GH wants to beat Holland.

I really am glad that I moved out of these areas a few years ago.

As far as budget, that is up to locals to fill the needs and requirements, that you basically agree and live with. And it is up to the County and State to clean the roads.

BTW, I don't live in a town, but within a postal zip code of Fremont, MI.

We have been well below normal for weeks. I am afraid Jack's big brother Freddie Deep Freeze has come for a visit and he will not leave willingly. --

What we've been dealing with here in Nebraska...

Looks like it's time to break out the cross country skiis!

We're looking almost the same except we didn't have the drifting snow, and it's soft enough so you sink thru it.

Thats what we were like for the past several years. Glad we don't have it right now. Snow gets pretty old, fast, especially if you have been hammered for a few years. The warmer weather becomes too short, because you remember the more difficult times, and that makes it drag on.

Nice pic's however.

The snow was really inconsistent. You sank half the time and found solid footing the other half. Made for an interesting walk in the woods.

Ok, I'll stop complaining about the temps being in the teens here in Alabama now. The snow looks beautiful but I know it's a nightmare to live with. Stay warm!

It is beautiful from a distance. I spent 18 month in Valdez, Ak. 30 ft. of snow per year average. 43 ft. the winter after I left in Oct. 99. Early every morning, the slow removal equipment was my alarm clock.

JKB:
I checked out where Freemont is on the map, nice area over by Lake Michigan. I just went to Muskegon for the first time last fall, I like it over there. I'm stuck here in urban stepfordville in Troy.

North Muskegon and on further north is pretty nice. I live about 1/2 mile north of the Muskegon River. Quite peaceful but you have to get use to not having the city in your back yard. A trip to the store is about 9 or so miles. My dog loves it, she has lots of room to run and chase squirrels. Plus I can have my hobby farm. Not many jobs around and I doubt they will get cable or DSL in any time soon. Cell phones are almost a waste of money, but that is ok. I would never move back.

These shots were taken in March 2008. We had 112 inches of snow that year. TG it hasn't come to this yet, but we still have more winter to get through and most of the snow comes in Feburary and March.

Looking at the tractor and garden/pond sheds. The pond is to the left of the small shed. There is a three foot high stone wall under the snow.


A photo out our front door. The fence on the far left is 5 feet to the top of the pickets.

Nice photo's scruffy, isn't it fun living in trenches.

It's been mostly quiet here for the past week, the website that tracks snow total up by the cabin says we've had 75.9 inches so far, but we average between 200 & 300 by the end of the season.

Beautiful:
JKB, are you interested in joining the Michigan Lakes & Streams organization. It is only $35 per year, you get a magazine and an annual conference and a regional conference. That Muskegon River flows to Lake Michigan doesn't it? They are trying to get new members. I'm trying to get my friend who moved to the Norton Shores development on Black Lake to join.

I get a kick out of the dog in the above pictures. Anyone notice kids love playing in water and dogs love playing in snow?

My dog who's breed originally comes from northern snow areas of Japan is right at home in the snow. She would stay out there for hours if I let her.

She does love the snow. She'll fetch in any scenario, but it's hilarious watching her go nuts in the snow. I'll have to get it on video some time. It's pretty fun to watch.

These photos were taken on the Bellwood Subdivision, between Seward and David City, Nebraska on the BNSF RR. Seward is about 25 miles west of Lincoln , on the Ravenna Sub. A few blizzards and sub zero temperatures coupled with moderate winds made for a beautiful, but, flash frozen environment. A freight train was snowed in at David City and a rotary snow plow was sent to clear the track of drifts that varied from 6ft or less up to 12ft in spots!! The photos were taken on Jan. 8th through Jan. 10th.

EXCELLENT SEQUENCE, Omaha. Very cool.

Now THAT'S what I call a snow thrower.

But in a few years they won't be needed.

But in a few years they won't be needed. [/quote]

AP, why is that?
(i'm that kid in school that says, go ahead and throw that eraser,
Mrs Krabotnull isn't looking)

If I told you why Mrs. Krabotnull would send me to the VICE principles office.

Very cool photos! Thanks for posting them.

We had to snow blow the roof of our warehouse the other day. It was crazy. They had to use the forklift to get the guys and snowblower up there first, then managed to inadvertently bury the forklift with the snow they were throwing off the roof. And enormous, I'm talking man size, pieces of ice they were chipping off.

I'm guessing the low man on the totem pole got that job.

Personally, I would have loved that job. But I'm a little nuts. You're right though. Two of the newer guys got to take that on.

Thanks for the pics. A friend is a train buff and I'll send him the link.

I tried to find an actual like to the pics and story, but couldn't find one. Was trying to avoid posting all those pictures.

Here's the video.

starts with one pull

Some details...

Only with your massive forearms.

Don't tell Sunil...he might go off and get all McGwired.