Dreaming of a White Christmas?

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:29 am

Snow sees to be the standard Christmas prop. Ads with snow, cards with snow, cars with bows in the snow... So what happens with it snows in Virginia?

The Gov declares a state of emergency before the first flake. Churches cancel Sunday services on Friday before the first flake. Long lines at the grocery stores in panic mode buying. National Guard called out in Western VA to check for people in "abandoned" cars on the interstate. VDOT and the police telling everyone to stay home. Cars in ditches. Local radio and TV using their prime time personalities to cover the disaster.

We got 7"-10" last night and another 1"-8" expected today. Guess I won't put a bow on my '93 Ranger and do donuts at the high school lot. I usually go shooting on Saturday morning. Guess that's out. Besides, it would be hard to police brass in a foot of snow. So who is dreaming of a white Christmas in Virginia?

Ripsaw · Post by **Ripsaw** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:30 pm

Here in the upper midwest we have snow. No need for quaint Christmas pictures, it's for real. We shovel it, move it off fire wood stack, sweep it off cars and scrape windows.

It's not all that it is cracked up to be. It'll be around till April. I've seen plowed parking lot snow piles on the north side of buildings, still there in May

Ripsaw

ruger22 · Post by **ruger22** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:16 pm

I'm in the Virginia snow. Eighteen inches outside, and the snow stopped this morning, thank goodness. I can't see the wheels on my car. Debating when to go shovel, but all the neighbors must have same idea. I don't see anyone doing anything, and it's 2:30 PM.

TV says lots of people being rescued from cars on Interstate, that were stuck all night. Governor has National Guard out. I feel lucky, being home and warm, but the snow won't shovel itself !!

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:50 pm

Fun watching the folks who get big warm fuzzies over the thought of snow and then panic when the first flake hits. We ended up with about 14". Just went out and broomed most of it off the cars and boat. I can get out of the driveway and it will be gone by tuesday.

I lived in SW Michigan for 21 years. Didn't mind the snow, but I've enjoyed Virginia where we get to panic over a flake every couple of years.

Downeaster · Post by **Downeaster** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:04 pm

I grew up in central Michigan and currently live in coastal Maine.

When I was stationed in Pensacola, Florida, they had a "once in a decade" snowstorm. It actually snowed about a quarter of an inch, but it the ground had previously frozen, so it didn't melt on contact and actually stayed for several hours.

I about busted a gut laughing at the panic it generated. They closed the base, and they weren't going to let me drive the two miles home. I talked/bullied my way past the gate and started heading down the road.

I actually got pulled over by an Escambia Country deputy and he commenced ripping on me about what a damn fool I was, risking my life driving in such conditions.

While he's leaning in the window ranting at me, I was rummaging around in my pockets and hauled out my wallet. I pulled out my Maine driver's license and held it up to him.

You could literally hear the "CLOP!" when his mouth slammed shut. After about 10 seconds of dead silence he said "Oh. Well, be careful, and go straight home..."

I durn near wrecked anyway, I was laughing so hard I couldn't see where I was going...

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:28 pm

Living in Michigan for all my years and just made it 77 of them the first part of the week. Snow comes and goes, comes in December or usually November and goes about April or sometimes May. Thats why we drive SUV's, just put the little handle in all wheel drive and if it gets worse go to high lock and the center differential locks, after that you can go to low lock, really useful for climbing tall buildings if you can get enough traction.

Hakaman · Post by **Hakaman** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:04 am

Well, this is my opinion of snow. It's nice looking the window at, but other then that, you could pack it all up and send it somewhere else. Good luck finding your carry gun in a hurry, it's buried beneath 8 layer of clothing. Driving in rush hour while it snows is a real treat too

. Mix that with folks talking/texting on their phones and it really stinks. How about the salt on the road which gets on your car, beautiful. Lastly, if you've been to Michigan you know you really don't have to go out west to the grand canyon, here we have potholes that big!
Winter, I love it, yeah right.
HakaGrinch

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:14 am

Haka, I have to agree with everything you said for sure. Winter carry for me is normally 2 guns, 1911 under the jackets on the strong side and the P3AT in the outside upper jacket pocket onthe other side, it might not be big, but is readily available.

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:36 am

There's a good reason I live in TX..

We normally end up with freezing rain more than snow. Which makes all of the roads ice skating rings. And most of the people here have no earthly idea on how to drive on it. So I just stay home and warm. Normally in 2 days it will be gone and 70 deg.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:44 am

blue68f100 wrote:There's a good reason I live in TX..

We normally end up with freezing rain more than snow. Which makes all of the roads ice skating rings. And most of the people here have no earthly idea on how to drive on it. So I just stay home and warm. Normally in 2 days it will be gone and 70 deg.

Driving without being challenged must be boring. Up here we have snow and ice and a lot of people that drive like idiots no matter what thw weather is like.

Tigerbeetle · Post by **Tigerbeetle** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:14 am

BOAM, It sounds like you just celebrated a birthday.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

I really feel for sorry for you. Your birthday was almost at Christmas.

I always thought I was extremely lucky because my birthday is in June.

Hope you had a good b-day. TB

greener · Post by **greener** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 12:25 pm

Wandered out to WalMart this morning. Seems they didn't believe in doing much in the way of snow removal. Really wet and slick at that Wally World.

Chip on my windshield decided to crack half way across the window. It was exciting enough that I had a quick thought that I wasn't going to make Len's exalted advanced age.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 2:15 pm

Tigerbeetle wrote:BAOM, It sounds like you just celebrated a birthday.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

I really feel for sorry for you. Your birthday was almost at Christmas. I always thought I was extremely lucky because my birthday is in June.

Hope you had a good b-day. TB :Lil:

Yes we did, when you get older you just get your birthday toys when you can find them, no need to wait for an excuse.
When I was a kid , yes it was a bit of a bummer, but as we get oider it does not make that much difference, turned 77 on the 15th. My brothers wife has a birthday coming up, the 24th, now that is realty close to Christmas.

stork · Post by **stork** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:31 am

The first time I experienced panicked southern winter drivers was in 81 (I think). My first trip to the Shot Show, in Atlanta that year. They had freezing temps and a little rain. What a comedy of drivers. Bear in mind I'm coming from North Dakota where in January 30* weather is tshirt temps and a little bit of ice just meant you didn't drive like a bat out of He**.

I finally got tired of waiting (hour & a half) for the transit bus to take me from the show to my hotel (about a mile away) and walked the distance. In retrospect I probably shouldn't have been in certain area's but evidently all the miscreants decided the weather was too bad to be out.

It was hilarious to watch everyone just driving, or trying to, like nuts. Go pedals just crammed to the floorboards and slipping & sliding all over the roads. Transit buses just sat there & spun their tires not having a clue. I had my Bus license at the time & had spent my youth driving the farm grain trucks over a lot worse roads. I was tempted to offer my services but knew it couldn't be accepted, and to be honest the show was too good.

FWIW

greener · Post by **greener** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:40 am

I learned to drive in the snow in a 1950 Chevy in eastern NC in the early '60's. I've never had much problem with snow driving. My guess is only about 50% of the folks who live in the north actually know how to drive in the snow.

I'm taking my annual winter trip. Spent Christmas with my in-laws in NC (3" of rain) and then drove from Hickory, NC to Michigan. Made it to Jackson before an inch of snow caused me to decide to spend the night in a motel. We saw a few flakes of snow and then a bit of a flurry and I94 turned into a parking lot. Spent over an hour watching the truck in front of me not move. It was closing in on mid-night and I decided to spend the night an mush the last 60 miles this morning. Must have been a southern driver, not all those guys from Michigan who figured they could do 80 at 28F and a shiny road.

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Dreaming of a White Christmas?

Dreaming of a White Christmas?

Winter drivers in the South