Dealing with snow? (home, living, club)

[TughillTina]

Snow and cold is tough on bodies too. My hands and feet are like blocks of ice throughout the winter and there is only so many layers of clothing I can put on. I also seem to get alot of tension headaches and sinus problems with the cold. My muscles tighten up and wham-o headache. There is always poor souls who lose their lives shoveling snow and breaking bones while falling on ice. No I am not a fan of snow or cold. Yes its pretty to look at but I'd rather see it on TV or on a postcard thankyou. Show me the warmth I say.

[plaidmom]

Everything negative people posted about snow is true.

But you asked:

Is there anyone out there who actually enjoys the stuff?

Me me me! I'm the dork out playing in the snow at 9 p.m. I still call my mom (in TX) everytime is snows (she grew up in MN so she just laughs at me).

I was born and raised in So. Cal. and lived in TX for years n years, so it's a treat for me. I've lived in the snowy Midwest for ~6 years now.

I XC ski and I love to run trails in the snow. MTBing in the snow is good slippery fun too. I'm a kid at heart. Perhpas I'll tire of it when I "grow up" (around age 90 or so?).

Cheers!

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by tallrick

Here's an idea, would it help to have your cars in the garage , and keep a skid loader in there to dig your way out to avoid the hand shoveling? I guess that it's no problem until you have to go somewhere. Maybe if it was bothering me I would think of Miami traffic, rude drivers and out of the world expenses.

Skid loader to push snow?!?

Someone's got to have a picture of a snowblower!

We have a nice one, don't know how many horsepower but it's LOUD (like 5-10 gas lawn mowers) and it works well.

They have a spinning auger on the front and kind of looks like a miniture combine (farm machinery) Snow blowers can often cut through ice (if it's not too thick) and snow, pick it up and through it in a big "rooster tail". Our blowers arc goes about 10-12 feet high and throws the snow up to 20 feet away in whatever direction we have this snow stack (don't know what it's actually called) pointed.

Our blower won't get our driveway perfectly clean, but it will get it down to 1/4-1/2 inch deep with a few bare spots. It doesn't work very well unless there's a minimum snow depth of maybe 3-4 inches.

[JenM]

I love the snow, but hate the "cold". Really, it's not that bad here in MIchigan. At least I don't think so. Yeah sometimes it can get icy on the roads, you just drive slower or wait until the salt trucks come out. Owning a snowblower is a good thing as well as some rock salt for your driveway and walkways!

[Racelady88]

When I lived where it snowed we had an old pick up truck with a plow attachment (you can buy one at Tractor Supply). We backed into the garage and plowed our way to the road. We had a LONG gravel driveway and the city plow would bury the end of it on each pass.

[tallrick]

Originally Posted by ColdCanadian

Skid loader to push snow?!?

Someone's got to have a picture of a snowblower!

We have a nice one, don't know how many horsepower but it's LOUD (like 5-10 gas lawn mowers) and it works well.

They have a spinning auger on the front and kind of looks like a miniture combine (farm machinery) Snow blowers can often cut through ice (if it's not too thick) and snow, pick it up and through it in a big "rooster tail". Our blowers arc goes about 10-12 feet high and throws the snow up to 20 feet away in whatever direction we have this snow stack (don't know what it's actually called) pointed.

Our blower won't get our driveway perfectly clean, but it will get it down to 1/4-1/2 inch deep with a few bare spots. It doesn't work very well unless there's a minimum snow depth of maybe 3-4 inches.

Well I figured that if I can clean the debris after a hurricane with the skid loader, it should work for the snow? The snow does seem like fun, making and throwing snowballs, building a snowman, and yes, of course cranking up the snowblower when necessary. I am so stressed out fighting the tax assessor here, and dealing with rude drivers. In the hot weather it's almost intolerable, and the cramped conditions of South Florida are driving me to go postal.

By the way, doesn't the ice stick to the pavement, or freeze underneath and tear it up?

[elfyum]

tallrick - just a suggestion...Why not try a state like GA or TN or AZ first? Someplace cheaper than FL (that's really a shame to leave Key Largo - I'd meditate on it for a good long while if I were you! ) but not in snowzone...Then you can transition to the big time if you're ready & willing, or you can stay put & not deal with that crap!

[tallrick]

Originally Posted by elfyum

tallrick - just a suggestion...Why not try a state like GA or TN or AZ first? Someplace cheaper than FL (that's really a shame to leave Key Largo - I'd meditate on it for a good long while if I were you! ) but not in snowzone...Then you can transition to the big time if you're ready & willing, or you can stay put & not deal with that crap!

Those states, GA TN are in my list of places to go, but all places are open to my consideration . Just trying to prepare myself if snow in in the future. Well I could try and ride the atvs in it too!

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by tallrick

By the way, doesn't the ice stick to the pavement, or freeze underneath and tear it up?

Ice can stick or freeze anywhere, even under a roof. I'm confused. Tear what up?

Are you talking about the auger? It's usually about as thick as a lawnmower blade and it's formed into a corkscrew shape with a diameter of maybe 1-1.5 feet. They're generally pretty strong. Unless you go crazy with a snowblower, it'll probably bog the motor down some before you'd get close to serious auger damage.

I don't know if the newer blowers are as loud (or fun) either.

Ours is a walk-behind unit that's probably at least 25 years old. You have to wait until a certain time in the morning to use it, because it will wake all the neighbours up. It's louder than your typical garbage truck.

The motor sounds like a MONSTER; Harley's have nothing on my snowblower!
(I still prefer to wear earplugs when I use it though, lol)

[politikally]

I love the snow! I grew up in Wisconsin and I've principally lived all over the Upper Midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan).

I really like the snow Ice scraping and snow shoveling while not fun, is so ingrained in the people around here that you don't really think about it. When I was living in Marquette, Michigan (Lake effect snow from Lake Superior) I was used to shoveling my way out of my house in the morning and shoveling my way back in at night! If you want to see some pictures of some heavy duty snow - check this out (National Weather Service Marquette, MI): http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mqt/gallery_snowpics.php

Here's some Ice for you


I find that most people who complain about the snow are people who didn't grow up with it. I really don't mind the shoveling, or the scraping, the plugging in my car at night, or using iso-heat in my gas tank. All part of what you do up here.

I think every place has its downside. When I went to Florida a few years ago, when I got off the plane I hated every minute of it. It was hot, humid and pure swelter. You guys have gator problems, hurricanes, swamps, rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, and no defined seasons.

To each his own I guess Just remember there's plenty to do in the snow, it's not just sitting indoors. During most winters I make an effort to ski, go snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice skating, watch the dog sled races, cross-country ski (birkebeiner), and good old fashioned sledding. Not to mention joining your local polar bear club