Vehicles? Is the winter really an issue. (Billings, Missoula: school closings, closing)

[Reziac]

If you don't have a block heater, you can hang a light bulb inside the engine compartment. Won't work very well outdoors, but certainly helps a garaged car that's not exposed to the wind. Doesn't work as well as a block heater, but is enough to get it up to the point where it will start reliably.

[caution]

interesting you mentioned the light bulb, when I was at Ft. Meade on a different assignment (mid 90s) I used a work lite with a 100W bulb to keep my HD warm in the shed out back. this was an older bike and hated cold starts. we also used that trick during a particularly cold visit to MO one Christmas...

good points all -- thanks -- i checked on the block heaters, and that seems to be the kicker

even if I don't get the interview in MT (too early to tell), I did get a hit in Bismark ND, one in ID and another possible in SW IN (not as cold there though lol) so the info will help

take care 'yall and enjoy the warm weather when it shows up

[MontanaGuy]

I did get a hit in Bismark ND, one in ID and another possible in SW IN (not as cold there though lol) so the info will help

This is just my opinion but Bismarck, ND is a freezing, flat as a board, hell hole of a town. If you have a possibility of a job in Idaho that would be a good choice. Idaho's economy is doing well, particularly in Boise which has been rated as one of the best places to live in the nation. I would really hold out for a job in a city that is actually a desireable place to live. Good luck.

[Hawkeye48]

Also make sure your windshield wiper fluid is the good stuff. Otherwise it could freeze up and your wipers will be useless.

[MontanaGuy]

I had a very strange experience once near Bozeman when there was a very severe cold spell. I was driving my van and the freezing wind blowing in through the grill caused certain parts of the radiator to freeze up even though I was still driving. This reduced the amount of liquid that was available to cool the engine and the remaining liquid actually boiled over because there wasn't enough of it to keep the engine cool. That's the only time it's ever happened but it was one of the oddest things I've ever had happen when I was driving.

[Reziac]

Good thought re the wiper fluid. Mine is usually empty so I never think about it.

Block heater is definitely best, but the ol' light bulb trick will make do, yup

That's weird re the radiator being half-frozen, half-boiling! -- I have a transmission cooler on my truck, and the thermostat is dead (on purpose -- if it's working, it'll overheat if I get stuck in traffic for a long time) so the whole shebang runs well down on the cool side. (Gets better gas mileage and has more power that way, too.) I have to put cardboard in front of the radiator in sub-zero weather, or it'll never get up to running temperature at all.

As to Bismarck ND -- I lived there as a kid and loved it. Yeah, it's largely flat, but it's pretty around there (and go north a couple hours and you're into beautiful hill country), and if you're into hunting it's hard to beat ND. I haven't been thru there since 1972, but at the time it was a lot like a cross between Great Falls and Billings. Bismarck used to have all elm-lined streets, just like Great Falls did, before the Dutch Elm disease got 'em all.

I have a picture, taken in 2000, of the house where I lived in Bismarck, 1958-1960... can't find the scan offhand but when I do I'll post it somewhere. 40 years later it still looked pristine. They sure take better care of things in farm country than they do in California!

[caution]

Rez, thanks for the read on Bismarck. I'm just looking for good work (Federal), and my field in the Military/Government is mostly concentrated around the Washington DC area. I want to stay in this field but get out of DC -- so I'll go where the positions open -- as long as it ain't west of the rockies or in a big city.

[darlaglibbery]

Hi,
Just read your post, and it IS a good thing that you have a 4X4. You will indeed need it. They barely plow here! I live in Great Falls, on Malmstrom AFB. I am a Montana resident and have lived here all of my life. The taxes in MT are relatively low, and there is no sales tax.....so there is not alot of $$$ for snow removal in the winter. They only plow the main thoroughfares. I just laugh at all of these airmen out here who think they are so cool with their low-to-the-ground "Pimpmobiles" and race cars, and then winter hits and they are sliding all over the road. So you will be right at home with your jeep. Good choice in vehicles, I might add. Have fun on all of our AWESOME backroads with that jeep! If you buy a map and make friends with the locals, you will reap the benefits, because they will show you the best places to go off roading.
Darla

[Reziac]

Did they stop winter plowing since I lived in MT? through 1984, even the back roads out in the middle of nowhere got plowed -- in fact any road that was a school bus route was ALWAYS plowed, probably as a safety precaution. (Mail routes were not necessarily plowed, tho.)

Most city streets also got plowed with some regularity. Of course half the time you couldn't tell, because it would snow again right away, or people had already been driving around and the snow was packed down to where it's not really plowable. And the downside of plowing residential streets is that your car often gets buried, sometimes literally beyond recovery until the next chinook.

Funny story: I used to live about half a mile west of the Bozeman KMart, out on the flats where it drifted in pretty good. This was a private road so the county did not plow it. I lived about halfway down the road, and needed to be at school by 7am. The guy at the end of the road had a plow, and he'd get up early to make sure the road was open before anyone needed to leave for town. (How's that for neighbourliness?) He often complained that I was already gone before he got the morning plowing done.

Some nifty photos from Spring Cleaning along the Beartooth Pass:
http://mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/beartooth/opening.shtml

[GiftShoppeGuy]

Ya know what is really really neat about Missoula?

Is when they spread sand/gravel over the top of the snow on the streets, and then 2 hours later (or less), come along with a plow and plow it all off.... leaving the gutters filled with gravel.

I don't understand why they just don't plow the streets in the first place...... might even save them a little money