Old Ironmaker Posted February 12, 2016 Report Posted February 12, 2016 We got a dusting of snow yesterday and this morning. Late this morning I drive out to the Rez to meet the Friday coffee club. About a 25 or 30 minute drive. I head home around noon. The closer I get to the lake the more the wind is blowing, it starts snowing horizontally from the south west. Now with the snow and wind I can not see through the white outs. I can't see the front of the hood on the truck. I can stop and pull over and wait until a 53 foot trac trailer hits me going to the steel plant or oil refinery, crawl along and wait for a loaded truck heading back to the highway. There isn't much you can do but to crawl along. I know a guy that pulled into a farm laneway and got hammered by a tractor one day. It took me almost 1 1/2 hours that usually takes 25 mins, not fun. It doesn't need to snow to get white out conditions. The wind blows the snow from one farmers field across the road to the opposite field, then blows it across again the next day. I'm thank full the wind has died down as my wife is driving home from work along the same route. Get home make a nice stiff Vodka and diet Coke and watch in amazement as I see a wall of snow a few hundred feet high come across the lake doing 30 naughts. It was here and gone. Of course I don't take a picture. That was neat to see. How do you folks handle getting caught in a white out? If you might say stay home if it's windy I would never go out. It's not a co incidence they put 1000 wind turbines here. An oldtimer neighbour here Mr. Mills told me it gets windy around April 1stand doesn't die down until the end of the next March.
cheaptackle Posted February 12, 2016 Report Posted February 12, 2016 Whiteouts gotta be about the most scary winter experience! Not only are the roads slick and unpredictable (as are the rest of the vehicles) now the element of being able to see is removed - yuck! If I don't gotta be out in it I ain't out in it. But of course there'll be times when choice ain't an option, they can blow in while you're not at home etc. I guess I do what most would - slow down and keep back from anyone in front of me, find a parking lot (hopefully with a restaurant in it!), pull over or find a sidestreet if no parking lot and it's possible, make sure the headlights are on (not just the daytimers) and in all instances hope ta heck it blows over quick! Might make me sound wimpy but guess what? I'm still around to sound wimpy! Michael
manitoubass2 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Posted February 12, 2016 When I worked at weyerhaueser in ear falls you shoulda seen some of the conditions I drove in on the 502. Brutal highway regardless. Throw in a snowstorm and its a nightmare. Bout a 4 1/2 hour drive from home and a few times it took me 8 hours lol. On my days off id drive home after a 13 hour shift too, in a 2002 dodge intrepid nonetheless lol
Joeytier Posted February 12, 2016 Report Posted February 12, 2016 Vodka and coke? What did that steel mill do to your taste buds?
Old Ironmaker Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Posted February 12, 2016 When I worked at weyerhaueser in ear falls you shoulda seen some of the conditions I drove in on the 502. Brutal highway regardless. Throw in a snowstorm and its a nightmare. Bout a 4 1/2 hour drive from home and a few times it took me 8 hours lol. On my days off id drive home after a 13 hour shift too, in a 2002 dodge intrepid nonetheless lol I had the exact model year Interpretor I leased and bought out. The worse car I have ever owned in my life, absolutely garbage. I hope you had better luck than me Rick. I had the transmission communication computer module go on me 3 times at 1000 a pop. After the 3rd I drove a nice shinny car into the scrap yard. Vodka and coke? What did that steel mill do to your taste buds? Diet Coke and Doctor, very popular in Hamilton. I call it a "frozen furnace". Yea I know it doesn't sound good but with some of the top shelf Vodka we get from ???? you need Cola.
manitoubass2 Posted February 13, 2016 Report Posted February 13, 2016 I had the exact model year Interpretor I leased and bought out. The worse car I have ever owned in my life, absolutely garbage. I hope you had better luck than me Rick. I had the transmission communication computer module go on me 3 times at 1000 a pop. After the 3rd I drove a nice shinny car into the scrap yard. Diet Coke and Doctor, very popular in Hamilton. I call it a "frozen furnace". Yea I know it doesn't sound good but with some of the top shelf Vodka we get from ???? you need Cola. I loved that car lol. It was my first car of my own and it drove really well. But I only had it for two years lol. Once weyehaueser was sold I quickly went mining out west. I returned with so much cash 3 days before xmas it was rediculous! Only to find my house destroyed and my kids being neglected, garbage up to the roof, everything smashed. Turns out the x went crack head while i was gone and never paid a single bill! Next day my car was repode. Unreal
Old Ironmaker Posted February 13, 2016 Author Report Posted February 13, 2016 If I don't gotta be out in it I ain't out in it. But of course there'll be times when choice ain't an option, they can blow in while you're not at home etc. Michael There have been more than a few mornings Michael when I looked outside and told my wife you aren't going anywhere today. The tricky part is getting home as a storm kicks up at quit time. More than once I told her to enjoy your evening in Hamilton with my Mom and Dad. Rick that was a bad time for you. Look what you have now. I can't imagine how I would react, it's all worked out. I actually hope she is better now, you still share kids.
manitoubass2 Posted February 13, 2016 Report Posted February 13, 2016 (edited) ... Edited February 13, 2016 by manitoubass2
Joeytier Posted February 13, 2016 Report Posted February 13, 2016 -33, feels like -45 this morning, and I get the privilege of standing on top of a 3 storey building with a tiger torch thawing out gas lines...giddy up
Rod Caster Posted February 13, 2016 Report Posted February 13, 2016 Got -36 on the gauge this morning. That's W/O windchill!
cheaptackle Posted February 13, 2016 Report Posted February 13, 2016 Grabbed groceries on the way home yesterday as the main point of a very crafty and well thought out plan of action to address this cold spell. Looked out the window early this morning and again just a moment ago, saw lots of new snow, and not very many portable huts at all out there (usually see lots by now!). From this I have determined that the plan so far is well supported and born out by the weather forecast actually being pretty darn close. Seeing one's plans actually working is quite satisfying. Oh, the plan you ask? It was a very intense and detailed effort designed to maximize my personal comfort, ensure my surviveability, and guarantee that I'll have no worries. It also addresses the fact that I am STILL recovering from the accident back in August and don't have full use of my right arm yet, so I don't need or want to put myself in any situation that would require full use if needed. I am hibernating until Tuesday when I go back to school. Not going out, not even opening a door! Yup - the wimp in me is a survivalist fer sure! For those of you venturing out please be safety conscious - I wanna talk TO ya not ABOUT ya! Michael
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