Spring is right around the corner

mikea said:
..It's so heart warming when you see even the national weather maps and note that your house is smack in the middle of the red highest snow area. It's coming down hard now and they're saying 14 inches.

My thought is to go out in it and try to blow off the layer that's there to get a jump on it. I did venture out last night to prepare a fresh gallon of 2 cycle gas mix for the snow blower. :(
Click to expand...

I got a call from my roof/gutter guy asking me a second time if I want them to plow. I said yes. :P

That gallon of gas may go rancid.
 
mikea said:
If youse guys would just stop exhaling I wouldn't have to dig out tomorrow! :mad:
Click to expand...

Maybe Chicago should stop sucking? :dunno: :D ::quickly ducks::

The reasons stated in this thread are precisely the reason that I moved to the South.
 
Could I just sleep until June?
 

Attachments

  • feb-snow IMG_0172.jpg
    feb-snow IMG_0172.jpg
    407.6 KB · Views: 11
Went out this morning and got off the 3-4" inches of wet heavy stuff with my big ole snow blower. It was bogging down a couple of times. The road was still covered and 4 plows went by and barely made a dent. Karen headed out a few moments ago and took another 4" off of the driveway. Still lots of snow on the roads.

I am very worried on how I am going to get the M-roadster home from the service shop tonight. I leave for Florida in the am tomorrow and the car is not set up to drive in this stuff.
 
smigaldi said:
I am very worried on how I am going to get the M-roadster home from the service shop tonight. I leave for Florida in the am tomorrow and the car is not set up to drive in this stuff.
Click to expand...

I have found BMWs to be some of the worst cars on the road when it comes to driving in snow.

If you can get some better tires, that'll help, but otherwise just make sure you remember how to drive, and you should be fine. Forgetting how to drive seems to cause a lot of accidents. :)

By the way, Scott, I like the avatar.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I have found BMWs to be some of the worst cars on the road when it comes to driving in snow.

If you can get some better tires, that'll help, but otherwise just make sure you remember how to drive, and you should be fine. Forgetting how to drive seems to cause a lot of accidents. :)
Click to expand...

Try a rear-wheel drive Mustang with well worn wide low profile 17" tires and the high ratio rear end and a manual.

It's parked until Spring.
 
Having owned two 5-liter Mustangs in the past, I can attest to the wisdom in Mike's post. Currently driving a RWD Benz with ESP, and it's always been just dandy in any kind of weather so far. I hope you are joking about the BMW b/c that's next up. I assumed it would be as decent as the MB in the snow... seeing as how it's 50-50 front/rear balanced, auto-traction (whatever their term is...)
 
Just be quiet. I mean it.

The official village turnaround, AKA my driveway, is mostly clear. My guys used an ATV with a plow. The street is in sad shape with no salt left in the village. I'll post pics tomorrow when I can get daylight shots.

While we were at it. I snow blowered the walk down to bare pavement. Minutes later the snow had drifted a replacement 1-2 inch layer.

I also shoveled out a tunnel in back for Pancho. She ventured to the undug area - for about 10 seconds. The snow goes over her head.

We have a hard freeze coming. No above freezing temps in the 7 day forecast. Saturday is supposed to be clear, I'd go flying if I wanted to deal with temps in the teens.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0173.jpg
    IMG_0173.jpg
    362.7 KB · Views: 5
  • IMG_0174.jpg
    IMG_0174.jpg
    233.2 KB · Views: 8
  • IMG_0176.jpg
    IMG_0176.jpg
    264.8 KB · Views: 10
  • IMG_0177.jpg
    IMG_0177.jpg
    253.7 KB · Views: 12
  • IMG_0179.jpg
    IMG_0179.jpg
    319.3 KB · Views: 7
Last edited:
Ted DuPuis said:
I have found BMWs to be some of the worst cars on the road when it comes to driving in snow.

If you can get some better tires, that'll help, but otherwise just make sure you remember how to drive, and you should be fine. Forgetting how to drive seems to cause a lot of accidents. :)
Click to expand...
BETTER TIRES!! The ones I have on there cost $250 a piece! The problem is they are not winter tires and I normally do not drive the Roadster until it is warmer. The tires are not supposed to be used at less than 32F plus it is a high performance vehicle. It does not like snow at all! But I was having some work done on it and it just happened to be a snow day. They did not finish it today anyways so I might not pick it up until Saturday.

Ted DuPuis said:
By the way, Scott, I like the avatar.
Click to expand...
Eye like the before the last one better :(
 
Paying more doesn't necessarily make something better. :) I don't pay more than $125/tire (mounting and balancing not included), and I've always been happy with the results. Kumhos have been my tire of choice in most cases - economical and good performers. Even the Kumho MX tires (their max-performance summer things) I've had have generally been decent in the snow. This was on my '82 Jag XJ-S (rear wheel drive) with low-profile 17" wheels. Not much better than a 5.0 Mustang. I never had any problems with them in the snow. I've had a set on my Jeep (which made the thing unstoppable in winter), another set on my old GMC diesel (also very good performers - even for a 4x2 truck)... they have yet to disappoint me.

I haven't driven any Mercedes in the snow, but the BMWs I have driven in snow or rain I have been very unimpressed with. They tend to be much more oriented towards summer performance, which doesn't help in the snow. I don't really like BMWs in general (go figure). The ones I've driven have had their good points and do handle well, but their performance in bad weather hasn't impressed me. By comparison, my old XJ-S did great in both rain and snow. I've handled the BMWs just fine, I just don't think they're as impressive as most people say they are. Probably a personal preference, though.

Personally, I can't stand vehicles that have ABS, traction control, ESP, whatever. I've found those things to get in the way of me driving the car, and 99% of the time do exactly what I don't want them to. No matter what vehicle it's been (including all of those newer, high-end ma-gigs), I've always found that hitting the "OFF" switch on those devices has made me happier with the car's performance. My mom had a 2003 Infiniti G35 - that was the worst vehicle in the snow I've ever driven, period! Open differential, rear wheel drive, summer tires (from the factory). Going up even a slight hill, the traction control was so awful it would kick in and make the car actually go backwards! Only way to get that car up a hill in the snow was to turn off the traction control and go manually about it. Sure, these devices may help some people, but I've yet to find one that helps me, which is more my point.

Right now, I'm driving the Excursion since I won't take the Jag out in salt (plus it's on jack stands while I'm doing the winter maintenance and upgrades to it). That thing is phenomenal in any low-traction situation. It even pulled a 5500 lb trailer up my steep driveway last weekend when the driveway was a complete sheet of ice. I did put it in 4x4 for that, though. I wish the thing didn't have ABS, but otherwise it's got my favorite traction setup: rear wheel drive normally (and 4x4 with that little switch) with limited slip differential in back and good tires. I have yet to need anything else.
 
You folks in Wisconsin might have gotten more...but I'll bet you don't have a snow cliff.

I worked underneath this thing..then I realized that it would probably not be fun when a couple hundred pounds of snow lets go and falls on yer head.

The last one also shows what kind of blowing we had. The Mustang is under roof.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0180.jpg
    IMG_0180.jpg
    230.1 KB · Views: 8
  • IMG_0182.jpg
    IMG_0182.jpg
    260.6 KB · Views: 7
  • IMG_0183.jpg
    IMG_0183.jpg
    222.2 KB · Views: 2
  • IMG_0185.jpg
    IMG_0185.jpg
    232.8 KB · Views: 7
  • IMG_0190.jpg
    IMG_0190.jpg
    292 KB · Views: 7
  • IMG_0191.jpg
    IMG_0191.jpg
    315.6 KB · Views: 7
Last edited:
Oh. I think the neighbor across the street is vacationing somewhere warm. His is the last house before corner where the school bus's stop.

The kids and moms were walking in the street, which has a couple inch layer of hard packed snow.

The first thing this morning I dragged the snow blower over and cleared the sidewalk and part of his driveway.

The best reward was as I was doing mine, I watched a girl with a backpack use the path and launch platform I cleared.

Where's the halo smiley? :)
 
Last edited:
Around the corner? Can't prove it by me on February 07. Suffice it to say I'll not go out onto my 2nd floor deck to hang out the wash.

HR

Revision: As the photo was uploading I'm suddenly blinded by a bright sun coming through the falling snow.
 

Attachments

  • Storm_1 020708.jpg
    Storm_1 020708.jpg
    448.8 KB · Views: 6
It was -58F (official) and -70 (unofficial) in parts of Alaska yesterday.

We chose to go to our shooting range and qualify with our weapons. -31F there in the afternoon.

Why I make the big bucks :yes:

If I'm ever in Pennsylvania Punxsutawney Phil better watch its back.
 
Last edited:
Springtime... Volunteer peas sprouted 2 weeks ago and are an inch tall in the garden surrounded by small reddish buds on the trees. Too bad it's so damn cold & wet!
 
KSGR 071953Z 25013KT 10SM CLR 21/07 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP172 T02060067

:D
 
OK, we are now three weeks away from the time change. Which officially is the beginning of spring. (according to me).
 
We were supposed to get another 14 inches of snow, same pattern, same place. We're just getting rain now, but it's supposed to turn to ice and sleet.

Spring ain't never coming.
 
smigaldi said:
I'd prefer a red. But no problem on the rest. Where in Paris shall we meet? Some where on the left bank perhaps in the Latin quarter?
Click to expand...

And when? I arrive from Copenhagen this coming Friday afternoon. :D

Oh, and rich? My company is paying for this trip. Work, not play.
 
I actually managed to get up yesterday for over an hour, befure the weather went down the cr@pper again today. Increased my 210 time by almost 70%, and increased my landings by 200%. Luckily, there was an instructor who wasn't yet checked out in the 210 but wanted some time in it, so I was able to have someone else watching out for traffic as I played with the avionics. I admit that I am not anywhere NEAR as comfortable with them as I need to be for a trip like Chicago to Anchorage! Talk about a license to learn! :eek:
 
smigaldi said:
I'd prefer a red. But no problem on the rest. Where in Paris shall we meet? Some where on the left bank perhaps in the Latin quarter?
Click to expand...

I'll just get the wings with Dom at Hooters and raise a glass to you.
 
mikea said:
What say us rich folks jet to Paris and drown our sorrows about the rebate in a couple bottles of Dom? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

smigaldi said:
I'd prefer a red. But no problem on the rest. Where in Paris shall we meet? Some where on the left bank perhaps in the Latin quarter?
Click to expand...

Ghery said:
And when? I arrive from Copenhagen this coming Friday afternoon. ....
Click to expand...

Can you believe it? BOTH Gulfstreams are in the maintenance hangar! :mad:
I mean, what is the point of buying two to avoid having to go through this?

I guess I'll call NetJets, but I mean.... :no:
 
Rain is expected to move in Monday afternoon and change to snow and sleet in the late afternoon, according to forecasts. The greatest accumulation is expected to occur overnight, said Eric Lenning, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

By the time the snow stops as expected Tuesday, accumulations could range from 3 to 9 inches,

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/weather/chi-chicago-snow-storm-webfeb26,0,4810940.story
Click to expand...

Very accurate, except for the rain part. It started as snow. It will end as snow...eventually. Glub. glub, glub,.... :mad:
 
Yeah, it got cold again here too - it's only supposed to be a high of 62 deg today.
 
For all that Chicago is a great town and has a lot to offer (including great people) - there's no way I could handle the winters. We're having rain/fog and may even see a little ice this weekend - but spring's definitely around the corner now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top