OT Cabin fever and the weather

[Nath]

Well now we have had a few days of warm sun and blue skys and cold still frosty nights (which has saved a couple of fox's by stopping me from going out). It kills me stuck at work when I could be out and about but today I was thinking of you guys stuck with the heavy snows and how after a while it must get on your wicks etc. Our weather over the next couple of days is set to go colder and we will lose the sun but should brighten up for weekend again only this time with a wind, hmm roosting pigeon
The good news is the nights are drawing out now as we gently tip towards the sun again so don't despair much more guys.
Now tell me all you folk snow bound how is life? What is it like driving in it?
Is there any livestock issues? How do the kids deal with it?
Regards, Nath.

[Noah Zark]

. . . Now tell me all you folk snow bound how is life? What is it like driving in it?
Is there any livestock issues? How do the kids deal with it?

Winter life here in north central PA means the onset of snow as early as mid-Oct, or as late as 1 Dec. We live ESE of Lake Erie, so we do get "lake effect" snow where cold dry air from Canada pulls moisture off the lake and then precipitates it over the Allegheny Mountains as snow. Until the lake freezes over, you get up to 1/2" to 2" of nightly deposit to shovel off the driveways. Now and again we get pretty good dumps of 4" to 10", with a 24" to 36" huge dump every few years when conditions are just right. Allow an extra 15 to 30 mins in the morning for shoveling, depending on the length of your driveway. Sometimes it's worth shoveling every couple hours during a big dump, so it's not so taxing trying to eat the elephant all at once when the snow stops.

Driving in snow is not much problem as long as you have decent snow tires. Many people use whatver came on the vehicle, the so-called "mud + snow" (M+S) tires, which if you have front wheel drive or four wheel drive are usually OK unless there's sleet or freezing rain. Think of sleet as shot-sized ice balls, or a "Sno-Kone." You learn to start out in 2nd gear if your auto trans allows it, go light with the throttle, go slower, and don't follow as close to vehicles in front of you. Also, STAY OFF THE BRAKE in turns. If you tough the brake in a turn, the front wheels lose what traction they have and just slide. Slow down BEFORE the turn.

STOPPING is usually the problem in snow. That's where good SNOW tires are essential. To me, a set of high-traction winter radials on all four corners is a good insurance policy against needing to file a claim against your auto insurance. Winter tires help immensely in being able to stop and turn. There are so-called "ice compound" tires with lots of siping (thin slits in the tread) that open and grip ice, as well as the rubber itself which is compounded for a better coefficient of friction on ice. I have "ice" type winter treads on all four corners of my Outback wagon and it goes where it's pointed, and stops when I want it to if I'm not driving stupid.

If the plows haven't done their job and snow is just "mushed" around by vehicle tires, that snow can and will throw your car around, and throw the steering wheel around a bit. You usually have to go slower.

Winter is sloppy, and each time you stop for fuel or even a cup of coffee, it's a given to take the windshield washer squeegie and give the windows, headlights, mirrors, and taillights a pass, saying that it's not cold enough to freeze the liquid in the bins next to the gas pumps. That happens.

Snow and high winds are dangerous, making for "whiteouts." Was in one this past Sunday. I couldn't see one car length ahead of me, and people were stopping in the road, off the road, whatever. Very dangerous. I turned around and went back, driving out of the worst of it after about a mile and a half.

My pet peeve is scraping ice from windshields. I hate it, especially when the ice is 1/8", 1/4" or more. It'll take 15 mins to clean all the windows off while th car warms up, and some windows might need a second scrape before the defroster is really toasty.

With over 40 years of driving experience in snow and ice, my best advice is: 1) Buy and use GOOD winter tires, 2) Always take the time to clear your windows, taillights, and headlights, 3) STAY HOME if you don't have to go anywhere.

All that said, we do like the changing of the seasons, it'd be monotonous after a while to live in San Diego, IMO. But San Diego sure looks good from PA on 13 Feb!

Noah

[Bigahh]

Nath,

It is fun to a point, but now it is hanging with us too long. The kids love it, they get days off school due to the snow, and this year even the cold. When our weather here in Wisconsin hits to the dangerous point below zero, schools shut down. 10 days so far this winter. It takes a little to get use to driving in it. You have to slow down to be able to stop when needed. Our snow Banks at the ends of the driveways are 5 feet high. I plow snow this time of year, and since December 1st have not gone 4 days without a snowfall. I am on a mini vacation right now with the wife, so all is good. We are expecting about 5 more inches of snow tonight/tomorrow. It is what it is I guess, I am ready for spring though.

[nemhed]

Nath, my part of the midwest (Indiana) has some pretty dreary winters. Today is a perfect example, light snow on the ground, cloudy to partly cloudy with a high temp of 27 degrees ( F of course ). Yesterday we had a freezing drizzle that turned to a light snow overnight but not enough to really cover the ground. The overall sunless, snowless, damp nature of our winters is what wears on me. A little more consistent snow with lower temps wouldn't be a bad thing to me. I live out in the country but don't have livestock. The kids love it when we get a good snow but they do get tired of being couped up. A person gets used to the winter driving conditions after a short learning curve. The highway departments use a lot of salt on the roads to melt the ice and snow. Being born and raised here in the midwest I do appreciate the change in seasons

[KirkD]

Well my lane is about 140 yards long and I've had to blow it out twice today, and am pretty sure I'll have to do it again in about an hour. I wouldn't bother, but people need to get in and out. I don't mind at all. The people in the cities have to wait until the city cleans their streets. I can clean my own lane and I like that. If the county doesn't snowplow the road, that's fine with me. My 4x4 Chevy Suburban can still make it through. The bad news, is that there is a bitter cold North wind that is causing the drifting, which takes all the enjoyment away from shooting. I decided to wait until tomorrow. On Friday, my wife and I and three of my kids take off for Scotland, where I'll be all next week .... work related. The following Friday, we're heading down to Newcastle, also work-related. However, Saturday night, my son and I are going to a soccer match, Newcastle United vs Manchester United where we will hopefully witness Newcastle defeat Manchester (I like to be optimistic .... besides, I like cheering for the underdogs). If there are any levergunners near Edinburgh or Newcastle, let me know and maybe we can get together for coffee.

[AJMD429]

We live on a piece of land that's an old farm with a chunk of steep hills and ravines (the area was free-range hog farms 150 years ago), and an ox-bow of riverbottom (corn and soybeans). Grandma used to come down with her father when he'd rent a room from the neighbors and go fishing or hunting. That was in the 1890's mostly. Then when she grew up and married, she and her husband bought the place and rented the house out. Eventually they moved into it, raised their children there, and died there. My father wanted to buy the farm next door, and just before he died, he bought the farm (no pun intended ) and my mom asked us kids did we want to stay in the city in our rental house, and sell the farm he'd just started to buy, or move out there (saving rent) and try to make a go of it. We did (the corn/soybean work was always done by a neighboring REAL farmer on a split basis), and I grew up (not really all the way though) there. After umpteen years of college and so on, I moved back. So it's a precious place to me, bad weather or not; like an old, old friend with memories far into the past.

Coldest it ever got was 36 below, around 1989, and hottest maybe 102. Generally rarely below zero and rarely over 100. This winter seems about middle of the road. Snow varies - every few years we get about a foot, but usually 3 inches typical, and seldom covers the ground more than 10 days without melting. That's hard on the smaller animals, to have cold and frozen ground without the cover/insulation of snow.

When my mother died, I got the high ground since we'd built a house right next to hers, and my brother got the field since he's interested in farming and lived elsewhere. We have goats, chickens, a llama (protects the goats from coyotes and wild dog packs), and a couple barn cats and dogs. Fencing is in the woods, so limbs down all the time, but we use high-tensile wire which generally sounces back up once you get the trees off it. Power outages are not fun though. Two weeks ago, we had no power and it was bitter cold and my son and I walked the fence with our 'chore guns' (a Siaga and a 10/22 both with mounted lights and red-dot sights), and heard/saw coyotes scuttling off in the dark. Fortunately no fence was down, and the goats were staying up by their shelter away from the fence. Wild dogs will 'try' a fence, but the coyotes seem more timid, and don't know the power is out thankfully.

Lots of frozen troughs (heaters break, etc.) and hauling (on an old riding lawn mower with cart) of hay (13yo son and 10 yo daughter do it, and he takes his chore gun when they go far from the house). It is nearly kidding season, so coyotes and dogs are probably salivating at the thought of little morsels, but we have the llama and two great pyrenees and a dalmation stationed to protect the various pens. There is only about 5 acres fenced in, but it is stretched over a 15 acre space, due to swampy ground, steep hillsides, and stuff you just can't fence, plus we didn't really 'plan' things from the beginning or we'd have positioned things differently. (LESSON there for homesteaders!)

When a good snow hits, we have a sled trail that goes up the hills onto the neighbor's property, and you can sled nearly 1/2 mile without stopping! That is really fun and has us hoping for snow sometimes.

Lever-gun-wise, we hunt here with the Marlin's (.44, .357) now that it's legal here for deer. We hunt nothing else except raccoons when they get into the chickens, or the wild dogs/coyotes. We let hawks get a few chickens without anger. Parents and all four kids shoot some, but middle two (boy and girl) and me are the real enthusiasts. We'll get on the coveralls and grab whatever gun hasn't 'gone for a walk' lately (they DO get jealous you know) and just walk up in the woods when the weather is bleak, just because we CAN. It reminds us we're fortunate not to be disabled, or live in a place with no woods.

We reload, chronograph, constantly swap scopes and stuff, and winter is just NOT AS FUN since we don't really shoot off the cold old bench then. Nor do we take pictures as much. We will hopefully add to the 'gun' posts this spring/summer when we do those things more.

Driving isn't much of an issue (truck is 4wd) here, except ICE - I learned years ago I can start moving well due to 4wd, and even steer a little better, but NONE of us can STOP well on ice. Too many other drivers (I go 30 miles to work) haven't clued in on that yet.

We garden alot, so winter is also time to plan planting out. We'll usually have the chickens on the garden eating seeds, weeds, and bugs, until we get the peas started, then they go back under the fruit trees for the summer.

Sorry if the long post is boring, but hopefully that gives an idea of ONE part of the U.S.'s dealing with winter.

[Nath]

What fantastic in sights, thankyou and no not boring. Kirk, You will be a fair bit north of me Sir but I sure will be thinking of you all. Have a safe journey.
We don't seem to get the snow we did when i was a kid. We seem to just get the odd scittering. I use to like it because it was a change and I could track stuff to see whats about etc. I allways like the woods in snow bacause you can see really deep into the timber.
Yes driving skills are rubbish over here too when any kind of foul weather comes in, I get the impression that people use the brake pedal as a panic button and can not think any farther than 50yds
Thanks for sharing, Nath
(they do get jealose, the 94 is calling and I have a fox to get )

[Slick13]

. . . Now tell me all you folk snow bound how is life? What is it like driving in it?
Is there any livestock issues? How do the kids deal with it?

Winter life here in north central PA means the onset of snow as early as mid-Oct, or as late as 1 Dec.

This is the first winter I can remember not having snow before Halloween in Crawford County. This winter has been slow in getting here, and easy for the most part. That being said, I'm sick of it and ready for spring!

Looks like below freezing temps for most of the rest of the month though.

~Michael

[Bigahh]

I think KirkD touched on the reality of winter quite well. he didn't come right out and say it, but I know what he meant. The snow is a part of winter that we all who live in the North cope with,and actually enjoy somewhat, but the bitter cold is what makes it tough! I am currently at my cabin in the North woods of Wisconsin with my wife. We have been riding around the area on our 4 wheelers warming up in either our ice shanty on the lake, or at the cabin itself. The temperature is in the single digits, but warming up tomorrow with the coming snows. Hope to do some shooting tomorrow.

[don Tomás]

...my best advice is: 1) Buy and use GOOD winter tires, 2) Always take the time to clear your windows, taillights, and headlights, 3) STAY HOME if you don't have to go anywhere.

Noah

Amen, brother, and I would add a couple of things:

Make sure that your grill is clear: it may be freezing, but you're still going to over heat if there is no air flow through radiator.

Clear the top of the car: nothing worse that making a stop and having all that snow slide down the windscreen and bonnet (yo hablo English english )

Major thing to remember is you don't do anything suddenly; i.e., you have a stop or turn coming up, you start preparing for it way before you get to your stop or turn.

Tom

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[Charles]

Ahh.. Life in deep South Texas. No snow, no ice, no endless grey days, and no cabin fever. Today I cut the grass and am watering it as I key this in.

[KirkD]

Ahh.. Life in deep South Texas. No snow, no ice, no endless grey days, and no cabin fever. Today I cut the grass and am watering it as I key this in.

You don't know what you're missing, Charles. Last February, my wife and I headed to Grand Cayman for 10 days. By gum, after about a week, I couldn't stand the nice weather anymore. One night, my wife and I were walking down the beach and talking about how we missed the snow and the cold. We figured future holidays should be spent in a snowbound cabin in the bush.

[Charles]

Ahh.. Life in deep South Texas. No snow, no ice, no endless grey days, and no cabin fever. Today I cut the grass and am watering it as I key this in.

You don't know what you're missing, Charles. Last February, my wife and I headed to Grand Cayman for 10 days. By gum, after about a week, I couldn't stand the nice weather anymore. One night, my wife and I were walking down the beach and talking about how we missed the snow and the cold. We figured future holidays should be spent in a snowbound cabin in the bush.

Uh-huhh! You wouldn't pull a fellers leg either!

[KirkD]

Ahh.. Life in deep South Texas. No snow, no ice, no endless grey days, and no cabin fever. Today I cut the grass and am watering it as I key this in.

You don't know what you're missing, Charles. Last February, my wife and I headed to Grand Cayman for 10 days. By gum, after about a week, I couldn't stand the nice weather anymore. One night, my wife and I were walking down the beach and talking about how we missed the snow and the cold. We figured future holidays should be spent in a snowbound cabin in the bush.

Uh-huhh! You wouldn't pull a fellers leg either!

Nope. It's nice for a week, but both of us have been born and raised in four seasons. Each season has its own beauty and the older I get, the more I find myself enjoying the beauty that each one has to offer. A lot of folks fight winter and, as they grow older, the more they hate it. The secret is to embrace it for what it has to offer. I love those winter nights, socked in by a blizzard, a few candles burning, family sitting around working on hobbies, reading books ... all quietly engaged in their own activities, but also quietly enjoying one another's company, while the snow piles up outside. Another secret is to enjoy the activities that winter offers .... cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, tobogganing, snow-mobiling, ice-fishing, down hill skiing.

[ohwin94_61]

Its snowed all day here yesterday. just got home from work gotta go move some snow

[Nath]

Spot on Kirk, you did not mention the fools lantern (TV)

[KirkD]

Spot on Kirk, you did not mention the fools lantern (TV)

Nath, I had a problem with our TV about 6 years ago and didn't get around to fixing it for a few weeks. Then it dragged on into months. We enjoyed not having a TV so much, that I never did get it fixed. Everybody took up reading, hobbies and other activities. However, my mother-in-law lives with us and she has a working TV in her room. For something special, we all pack into her room and watch.

[Rusty]

Winter in Central Fla. can be a bummer too ya know. The problem isn't the snow, it's the snowbirds. They come from all over in their whinniebagos and pulling their travel trailers. The problem is they leave their turn signals at home, where ever that is. Then we have folks that build stuff everywhere trying to entice more snowbirds to come like trailer parks and RACETRACKS, JEEZE LOUISE ya should see Daytona right now. I had to go to Jacksonville last night and here I am running up the interstate doing 60 MPH in a tractor trailer in a driving rain with a 15 MPH cross wind and these"SNOWBIRDS" are passing me doing 80 in a pack of 10-15 of them and all of them nose to tail like they're drafting down the homestretch on a sunny day.
I have a brother in law left in WV and I think he actually got it right when he said the only two times of the year he wants to visit Fla. is in Oct. and March.
and another thing... they call it tourist season , but we can't shoot 'em. Not fair, not fair at all.
Just Another Perfect Day In Paradise,

Rusty <><

[Nath]

I generally put a few pounds on at this time of year but I usually lose it again come spring because of logging next winters fuel in fact I am itching to get logging. It is becoming part of my body annual clock, not so much a chore but more of a natural event. Piles of logs outside to dry in the summers sun is like a pile of £ or$
Another spring event is a walk around with Rob and his 270 and me with my little carbine taking pot shots at critters at silly distances and comparing misses against each other Last spring he had a go at a crow at something like 400yds and was way down. I was about to try on one that did not fly (we were on high ground) and a fox appeard that had been hiding in the hedge we were near and ran to our right crossing a field at full pelt. Do you know that little carbine flew to the shoulder just like a shotgun. I gave to much lead and my shot was just infront of it and then Rob chimed in and his went just underneath it! Good fun, come on spring.
Nath.

[Old Time Hunter]

This is back in '05:


This back in '06:


I'd show you '07, but it would not look any different. 'Cept I do not think it went away and we are fast approching 100"'s for the season.

Good thing it has warmed up, made it up to + 9F today...that's about - 13 C. Real warm spell Nath.

First time in years got my car stuck in the snow today, hope I did not burn out the trans, but sure played heck on my brand new tires. Parked in the only open spot at one of my cutomers, turned out to be a buried ramp fill with snow. Looked nice going in, plow had just scrapped off the top layer, turned out to be almost a meter deep. Had to climb out the passenger window the snow was so deep. Broke two shovels, broke two chains, and wrecked a brand new pair of slacks. Next time I'll call a hook!

All in all winter here sure is refreshing...good excersize, fresh breeze (windchill yesterday when I was shoveling for the fourth time was a balmy -45F, Nath, that is almost -43C). Planned on going to the range this afternoon, but the snow drift in front of the range office is up over the roof. Kids said they would try and tunnel this weekend, right after we find one of the dogs. He is an American Eskimo so he is as white as the snow....we know he is still alive because we put a bowl of food out every night and it is empty when I get home from work.

[Noah Zark]

This is back in '05 . . . This is back in '06 . . .
I'd show you '07, but it would not look any different . . .

LOL!

Loved that post; almost hosed the screen with coffee!

Noah

[2ndovc]

Nath, my part of the midwest (Indiana) has some pretty dreary winters. Today is a perfect example, light snow on the ground, cloudy to partly cloudy with a high temp of 27 degrees ( F of course ). Yesterday we had a freezing drizzle that turned to a light snow overnight but not enough to really cover the ground. The overall sunless, snowless, damp nature of our winters is what wears on me. A little more consistent snow with lower temps wouldn't be a bad thing to me. I live out in the country but don't have livestock. The kids love it when we get a good snow but they do get tired of being couped up. A person gets used to the winter driving conditions after a short learning curve. The highway departments use a lot of salt on the roads to melt the ice and snow. Being born and raised here in the midwest I do appreciate the change in seasons

Man that nailed it on the head. Being a couple hundred miles East doesn't change much.

No sun for what seems like weeks at a time. Not enough snow to have any fun with. We live right on the Western edge of what we call around here the " Snow Belt" I can watch the storms forming out over Lake Erie and see them move on down the lake. We'll get a few flakes but most of it hits Cleveland and East.

But I love the summers here and not planning on going anywhere. Just counting the days until I can get the boat back in the water!

[Nath]

Wonderfull insights fellers. KD you are so lucky to be able to have your in-laws stay with you. Personally I would have hang my self if my monster in law wanted to stay but thats another story.
When I was courting the present Mrs Nath I owned a Land rover and all dressed up I decided to go off roading late at night after a dance in a snow blizzard (ignorance of youth). Any way I was doing all right untill some black mud squirted through the holes in the floor all over my intendeds dress
Nath.

[don Tomás]

When I was courting the present Mrs Nath I owned a Land rover and all dressed up I decided to go off roading late at night after a dance in a snow blizzard (ignorance of youth). Any way I was doing all right untill some black mud squirted through the holes in the floor all over my intendeds dress
Nath.

...and she chose you anyway after you spoiled her posh frock??? Now there's a keeper, Nath...
Tom

[Blaine]

In my little corner of the Pacific Northwest, we don't get (very much) lowland snow or much cold weather. Temps on a clear day might range from a bit frosty in the morn and a high of forty something, and a bit warmer when raining. But: One need only drive an hour to get into snow measured in yards of snowpack.

[jnyork]

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/U ... undeclared

[Nath]

Blain, thats similar to here and jnyork is in paradise for the next few days

[horsesoldier03]

Definately right on the cabin fever. Kansas has had more snow and ice this year than I can remember in a while. Getting kind of old if you ask me. Although I did get to go out once and shoot in the past month. Things have been pretty busy at work and with my family, not sure when I will get a Saturday or Sunday that I can have the time but once I get the time I think I will dawn my carhart bibs and go regardless of the cold. I JUST HOPE IT DOESNT RAIN! My youngest daughter has been asking to go squirel hunting again, sounds like I need to take some action

[Old Time Hunter]

Nath,

Here is some more...looks to be improving, starting to think of spreading the manure to get the grass a deep green!

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... 2&map.y=99

[Nath]

Today and tomorrow is the time to get that muck out, before that snow comes Old timer H. Wet ground soon drys with a wind blowing but I guess yours is frozen any way. My neighbor is spreading three year old horse muck on a field this week. Take care.
Nath.

[marlin shooter]

NathWe have had a lot of snow this year. I don't really mind it (can't change it). You certainly have to be careful driving in it. I have found a mode of transportation where driving, steering and stopping are a breeze. Just don't get caught on the road'sMy most recent trip with my father and 2 friend's. My wife and I leave Mon for 5 day's of this .Karl

[marlin shooter]

I don't know why those pic's are side by side nor do I know how to fix them.
Karl