Dreaming of a White Christmas?

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:45 am

greener wrote: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 learned to drive in the late 40's in a 40 Pontiac. of course it was a manual, there were very few automatics after the came out in the late 40's. My grandfather had one of the 1st in town in his 1947 Oldsmobile and if memory is correct that was the 1st year for GM ind Olds and Caddie. I believe the Dynaflow and the Powerglide debuted in 1949. I think your percentage is a little high, my opinion is 25% and of course there are another 25% that do not really know how to drive on any surface.

greener · Post by **greener** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:54 am

Ok, I was trying to be generous with the number of skilled northern snow drivers.

My youngest drove a majority of the 700 miles yesterday. I'm not sure she has ever driven while it was snowing. She decided I'd feel better if I were driving. We stopped moving right after the switch. She said she learned a lot about when you put the transmission in park.

Hakaman · Post by **Hakaman** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 9:18 am

Michigan is the 3rd biggest loser of people in the country.
Biggest Losers: Where Americans Aren't Moving
by Les Christie
Thursday, December 24, 2009 provided by CNNMoney.com
The state a total of 1,686,583 residents, more than anywhere else.
3. Michigan
Net loss: 87,339 residents
Not only is Michigan third highest in the nation for net migration losses, it also has this dubious distinction: 0.88% of the Great Lakes State's nearly 10 million residents left last year, the highest ratio in the nation.
The big problem, of course, is the ailing auto industry. Michigan's unemployment rate was the highest in the county in November, at 14.7%.
Haka

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 9:47 am

We actually had a white Christmas this year in DFW area. The first one since the 1926 according to the record books. The snow came on Christmas eve and made a mess of the roads. As usual I had to drive ~80mi to the in laws for Christmas. It just happen to be where the most snow fell. There were wrecks every where, since the cities do not remove snow, just sand/salt the over passes and bridges after they freeze. Then of course there are drivers that hit the brakes ever time they see an ice patch, accident waiting to happen. I get around them pretty quick because I do not want to be caught up in their accident. Most of the accidents I saw involved pickups about 60% of the time, the light rear end gets away from them. By the end of Christmas day moat all of the roads were clean but my van is mess from all of the sand they dumped on the roads.

bgreenea3 · Post by **bgreenea3** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:09 pm

most folks in the frozen north with 2wd pickups throw about 100lbs of sand in the back......if you get stuck you can throw the sand under the whreels for traction.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:23 pm

bgreenea3 wrote:most folks in the frozen north with 2wd pickups throw about 100lbs of sand in the back......if you get stuck you can throw the sand under the whreels for traction.

Do you ake it out of the bag first?

Post by **Bullseye** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:42 pm

Another trick I used to use when living in the snowbelt was to let a few pounds of air out of the drive wheels for a little more traction during the snow months.

R,
Bullseye

greener · Post by **greener** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:33 pm

Just threw the sand bags over the rear axles. Sometimes I used watersoftener salt. Break open the bags for sand. I carried an entrenching tool in the Ranger. I don't recall getting stuck in the snow more than once in about 8 winters.

Mid-20's and a nice afternoon for shooting if someone's magnetic key card had worked.

Went out to dinner and a movie. 11F when we went back to the car. Finally put a coat on. Loverly weather in Lansing. They've had half the snow we've had in Virginnny. Headed back tomorrow so I can warm up.

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:58 am

You have to remember here in Texas the PU is just a status symbol for the city folks. Most do not carry any thing in the back. Some do use them for pulling trailers, mainly boat. I drive a front wheel drive van so I have plenty of weight for traction. Before that I normally had 4x4 Bronco's and Cherokee's so I could go just about any where I wanted to. I have a PU but its torn apart for restoration/paint. If I get some good weather this spring I will have it painted so I can start putting every thing back together.

Most drivers here don't realize that since they got moving fairly easy they forget they have to stop and that when they get in trouble. They slam on the brakes expecting to stop and off to slip slide and away they go......

We actually got some more snow here yesterday, but it did not stay around. The temp was too warm. We are expecing some more Thursday or Friday. All for the Global Warming Crap.

My dad used a rail road iron for weight being the rear wheel along with sand bags. He now uses the weight on his tractor's front end for ballast when handling the big bails.

I use to do work for the Alaska pipeline, so cold nasty weather is not new to me. I still don't like it though, will take 50-70 deg any day over -30 - -50 deg and below. But unlike most here, I do have artic gear.

Hakaman · Post by **Hakaman** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:25 am

greener
Master contributor
Mid-20's and a nice afternoon for shooting if someone's magnetic key card had worked.
Went out to dinner and a movie. 11F when we went back to the car. Finally put a coat on. Loverly weather in Lansing. They've had half the snow we've had in Virginnny. Headed back tomorrow so I can warm up.

It's that cold in Virginia ??? I thought it was always summer there?
Haka

bgreenea3 · Post by **bgreenea3** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 2:30 pm

don't know about a white Xmas but had a white new years at work.....was out by the lake michigan shoreline this morning and was plowing snow with the front bumper of my cruiser.......stepped out to clean off the headlights and the snow was up to my knees. drove 5 miles inland and there was clear skies.... 14deg and sunny (4deg windchill)

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:03 pm

bgreenea3 wrote:don't know about a white Xmas but had a white new years at work.....was out by the lake michigan shoreline this morning and was plowing snow with the front bumper of my cruiser.......stepped out to clean off the headlights and the snow was up to my knees. drove 5 miles inland and there was clear skies.... 14deg and sunny (4deg windchill)

That does deter the crime wave, does it not. BG's do not like that weather.

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 3:38 pm

A balmy 30F here with winds running about 20. So pleasant I'm going out and try to find the leak in the windshield washer fluid reservoir. It died on the way back from Michigan and the windshields got a might dirty.

The first two weeks in January are supposed to be the coldest in over 30 years in NC and parts of VA. Of course that means it won't get much above 35.

Y'all enjoy the snow, we had our annual average the week before Christmas. Hopefully, that means no more.

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 4:42 pm

greener wrote:
The first two weeks in January are supposed to be the coldest in over 30 years in NC and parts of VA. Of course that means it won't get much above 35.

Y'all enjoy the snow, we had our annual average the week before Christmas. Hopefully, that means no more.

If it was that nice I would have picked up my Remington Nylon 66 this morning slapped the scope on it and headed for the range. Was single digits and a smakk one with a large one for the wind and the chill was WAYTOODAMNEDCOLD, so I told that I would stop out next week.
Decided I don't really need a Marlin 1894CB in .45LC after all, not a used one in sight , the only place that has one in .45LC and in .44Magnum/.44Special is Gander Mountain, on sale for $674.00, special sale as normal price is $75.00 higher. No way do I need one that bad, can take that money and roll a lot of .38's for TAZ and shoot them all.

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 4:53 pm

the Nylon 66 would look pretty good. I've been looking at used in .45LC, but like you, didn't see any. New ones look darned good, but are a bit out of my price range. Not seeing any used .357's either. Mebbe some at the gun show next weekend.