Saturday, February 6, 2010

Snow accumulation is at 18 inches

Out here in the country, with no vehicle and general heat of congested areas, we get whoppers. Being at the base of the Short Hills doesn't really help that, unless they sheild and push the storms off down the Potomac or South into Leesburg.

I've plowed the driveway twice, after each 8" snowfall span. It's supposed to make it easier on the equipment than trying to push all 18-24: at one time. It is now 0112 Hrs, and I'm tired. No more pushing tonight.

My friend, Hoodathunk, has a report on the total snowfall required to put us in the record books.

As of the 18" outside, I think we just passed the 100 year mark...and another 8" of the white stuff will put us into unchartered, never-been-there territory.

Saturday: Got up this AM, and discovered all my work last might was for nothing. All of it filled in with drifts from the wind. I did go out and extricate the Monk Mobile to assure a path for the power cable to the onboard generator, should we lose power.
Snow stopped for the evening, and I cleared a path wide enough to get to the tractor which is now lodged in a 5 foot snowdrift. All told, I think the actual finished total, devoid of drifts, was 32".

Sunday: Freed the tractor and swapped out the plow for a good old fashioned bucket attachment. The snow now has to go up and over the 32" sides. I have either shoveled or "bucketed" around 600 feet of driveway. That does not count the 300 feet of paths leading to the dog's room, the barn and the lower fields. I'm pooped, but I discovered I'm pretty fit for a 50 year old man.

Monday: I think I pushed somewhere around 700 feet today. I scraped my driveway down to stone, so it'll actually melt in the direct sunlight. I actually stepped out onto the State Road out there. Of course, it still had 4" of snow on it, packing down. So, I'll definitely need 4x4, and maybe toss those destructive studded tires on for added advantage..

Tuesday: Had the smow on the run out here, and driveway was clear right up until the 35 MPH winds–and 40 MPH gusts. It filled the driveway up at a low spot between my passes. Went out, got groceries last night in preparation… so I’ll just chill today and attack it tomorrow after the winds die off. State road has a particularly nasty trough in it anyway, and I guarantee that what is 40″ on top of that cut is easily 85″ inside the trough. We’ll need a little bit more than a tractor to move that.
If I can secure a skid loader -- I'll attempt it on Thursday.

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