Gillettians (sp?) Please shovel your sidewalks (Gillette, Mills: house, schools, living)

[emeraldsky]

At least in the neigborhoods, particularly around the schools...

I know Wyoming folk don't care for people moving into the area telling them they did such and such in wherever... but the towering snow-filled sidewalks are bugging me. We had about 24 hrs to clear them in Colorado.

I know it's not easy for some people to get out there and clear their walks, but they should be the exception, not the rule. And we can help each other out... Besides, it's good exercise.

When I first moved to WY I heard people complaining on talk radio about them testing children in the schools for being overweight and all... a bit controversial.

I just think, let's make it easier for the children, and the rest of us for that matter, to get out there and walk when we can.

On the way to school this morning (we were driving) my son asked me when we could walk again. I told him when the temp reaches high 20s again in the morning (we're only about 5min walk away), and when we can spot the sidewalk again, so he's not forced to walk in the streets...

I saw a little girl trudging along in the snow banked sidewalks with her little brother, both in tennis shoes. Just bothers me. Some kids don't have snow boots or are afraid they'll lose them in the mudroom...

Anyway, just my 2 cents about the issue.

[shadowwalker]

When I lived in Mills,wy. I was on the main street that alot of kids walked. I tried to keep the walkway clean and free of ice if I could. What made me angry. Was that the snowplow a day or two AFTER the snowstorm. Would come by and push a few feet of snow up on the sidewalk. I removed this by shoveling. So the usually hard frozen piles pushed up just stayed until I could work them better. Sometimes many days.
The wind is another factor. Ever had the wind in a hour or maybe just a few minutes. Totally fill up what it took you a few hours to clean out? That gets pretty old fast, too.
Some people work in the winter conditions 8,10,12 or more hours a day and long days/weeks. When you get home the last thing you want to do is shovel snow and be out in it again.
And from a "old timer" from wyoming. If you seen that town in the 70's and early 80's. You'd be happy just to have a sidewalk to walk on when you could.
Living conditions in general have made great improvements in Gillette. And it is all due to the people that make it home. Oh, and all the mineral money.

[emeraldsky]

Good point about the snowplows. They are good about clearing the streets around where I live, so that is probably part of the problem. Especially on the main road we walk on. Didn't think of that, thank you. Makes me feel more understanding. And that ice those snowplows can kick up... yikes.

True, about people's schedules and work conditions. I try to shovel most of my neighbor's walkways when it seems like they haven't had time, and they've in turn done the same for us. (My husband is off to work early and I don't mind shoveling.)

And good point about the sidewalks being there at all. I will be more grateful for my sidewalks... I appreciate your input shadowwalker.

[shadowwalker]

Thanks for not taking it as a attack. I have lived around wyo. and for winter I have had elderly neighbors that couldn't do it, I have paid kids to do it, I was single and away from home for days/weeks at a time,my first wife was lazy and I was away from the house for days/weeks at a time, I didn't have sidewalks, I once had a snow blower and I used it alot-and on others sidewalks. That is most of the reasons.
The thing I like best is the mailman that delivers. He/she will go all over in winter. In all conditions. BUT. If I failed to get the snow off my sidewalk to my house. They would bring the little pink card that says they cant deliver the mail. Because of the snow to my mailbox on the house. And walk on that bad sidewalk both ways to deliver the card. Now that's a hoot. And the government in action.

[emeraldsky]

too funny about the pink slip...sigh