Shoveling Sucks! [Archive]

OBIO

February 22nd, 2011, 19:35

Yesterday and last night we got a heavy snow....6 inches to 8 inches of fresh white snow. Pretty as all get out...but after last week's fiasco of having the existing snow melt just enough to refreeze into a solid sheet of ice 8 inches thick and us being trapped in our driveway and not able to get out for 5 day....I was not going to risk it. So, I donned my sweat shirt, my jacket, a nice comfy hat, my boots and out I went to shovel. With one of those el cheapo plastic crap pieces of snow shovel. I know that many of you have to shovel your driveways....but my drive way is about 300 feet long, uphill. That's a whole heck of a lot of snow to remove by hand.

The main part of the driveway...I just did the areas where the tires on my van go.....I left the center strip alone....reduced my work by a bit.

The farther up the driveway I shoveled, the deeper the snow got...don't you just love snow drift? The upper third of the driveway had 12 to 16 inches of snow on it. And the last few feet, up by the road, was even deeper and partially iced due to the plow trucks throwing the salted mess from the road into the driveway.

When I got the left side tire track shoveled to the road...I felt like Neil Armstrong stepping onto the moon. One small step for mankind, one giant step for mini-van kind.

OBIO

Willy

February 22nd, 2011, 19:42

Although we get more snow here in Tennessee than where I was raised on the Arkansas/Texas state line, I'm still so glad to live in the South.

Allen

February 22nd, 2011, 19:46

You know that the moon landing were filmed on a set right?

I keed, I keed or do I?:jump:

robert41

February 22nd, 2011, 20:07

Same here up in WIS. But the snow is not the problem. It is the drivers who still do not know how to drive in it. The usual types that fly up to an intersection, and can stop until they hit something, or those that have to pull out in front of you and just sit there and spin.

OBIO

February 22nd, 2011, 20:19

OBIO

February 22nd, 2011, 20:20

You know that the moon landing were filmed on a set right?

I keed, I keed or do I?:jump:

I know....and you should have seen me ACTING real happy to finally be at the top of the driveway.

OBIO

mfitch

February 22nd, 2011, 20:40

We bought a house with a short driveway to avoid extensive shoveling. We only get 6 feet of snow per year on average, but that is enough for me to want to avoid it. We have little grass as well, because I don't like mowing any better.

Daveroo

February 23rd, 2011, 08:26

OBIO

February 23rd, 2011, 09:43

Daveroo

Thanks for the link. While not a real German half track, it is close enough. The MG42 mounts will be an added bonus..I can mount some 42s up there and park the track in the drive way and spend the day with the German "Buzz Saw" getting rid of the Starlings that hog up the bird food I put out for the native song birds.

OBIO

Emil Frand

February 23rd, 2011, 10:32

Considered a snow blower last year, 7 or 8 hundred bucks, then hit craigs list, for $30 two guys in a plow and snow blowers do our drive and walks in about 20 minutes...............deal

robert41

February 23rd, 2011, 17:42

I just bought a new snow blower this year. Cost about 1000 bucks for a good two stage, self propelled, electric start blower. This makes number three that I have had in thirty years.First one was one of those old machines that could throw snow across the neighbors yard to his neighbors yard. Worked good until the engine blew. Next came a modern electric start machine. Eight hp B/S, never did run right. Worked ok till this year. Went out and got one of the newer OHV machines. So far so good. Getting a good work out this year.

Navy Chief

February 23rd, 2011, 17:45

We won't be getting the snow here from that front, but WILL get thunderstorms tomorrow night, I believe.

Haven't had thunderbumpers for a while now......

NC

aeromed202

February 24th, 2011, 05:54

I thought my shovelling was bad. You got me beat OBIO. But at least this storm I didn't need a city plow to carve me an escape from a scene.

CH_OldZeke

February 24th, 2011, 07:49

Deb said that next winter I will not have to shovel...she has given me the green light to buy a snow removal device of some sort during the summer, when prices are much lower. I am either going to get a fully restored German half track with a hydraulically controlled snow blade or a Toro self-propelled, electric start snow blower...which ever one I can get the best deal on.

OBIO

A HT with blade would rock!
I bought a troy-built 24" 2 stage snow blower instead last fall. 6 forward/2 reverse gears, 120V, "house current" electric start. Honestly though it has auto compression release so hand cranks realy easy, I only used the electric start once to make sure it worked.
Only prob I had was we never got more than 6" to 8" of snow at one time so ain't got to try it out full bore.
Had fun with it though and IMO beats a shovel hands down :)

dogknot

February 24th, 2011, 10:59

A thread thats appropriate to my day. Just came in from shovelling and plowing the good ol' snow. S'posed to get down around 5F tonight. Oh joy, cold too!

Two years ago I bought a 60" Glacier snowplow for my ATV. One of the best purchases Ive made. It's almost fun.......almost. LOL!

Last night, my wife and I looked at each other and said in near unison..."Let's go see Nick and Marcie!" Our youngest son and wife, who live in sunny Phoenix, Arizona (Goodyear, to be exact). It's a done deal! We're heading out of this winter-locked mess next wednesday and taking a couple of days to meander down their way. Nick has already got his crawler jeep all ready for some rock-crawling in-your-shirt-sleeves desert fun. Yippee!!

Oh! And I get to go to Cabela's!!! LOL!!

OBIO

February 25th, 2011, 16:12

Last night we got hit with another 8 plus inches of snow. I parked up at the top of the hill in the neighbor's driveway..which is nice and flat...and still had to dig the van out enough just to get stuck again. There was no way I was going to shovel that insanely long uphill driveway again....twice in one week is more than any man should be asked to do. So, I called in the plow man. $75 and he moved mountains of snow...some of which was 16 to 18 inches deep. He did a bang up job and earned every penny of the $75.

OBIO

middle

February 25th, 2011, 16:47

Believe it or not, we got a who;le bunch of snow here in California last night and looks like more tonight. As long as the power is working, I don't mind but if the power goes out we have no water(electric well pump), no heat(Propane w/ electric igniter) no lights and it gets pretty cold for California. The weather service says a Hard Freeze is coming tonight and tomorrow so hopefully we're gonna stay inside where it's warm!!! Cuddle up to the dog....and the wife...

Allen

February 25th, 2011, 17:01

@middle

Cuddle up to the dog. The dog will let you pet it. The wife...Not change in he!!.

Fibber

February 28th, 2011, 10:51

Next time shovel downhill!:icon_lol: I sympathize, my driveway is 100 feet long and I start at the top seems psychologically easier to do.
Although I must admit, in full disclosure, that I have one of those "old" twostage Toro snowblowers that is 30 + years old and still going strong. Change the oil every 8 hours and at end of year, change belts, grease joints and has outlasted all my neighbors who have new modern superduper machines that can't throw a dogpile one foot and have part breakages galore!
I actually do some of their driveways for them! Get some real good bottles of first class wine and Vodka for that! On astute business owner friend actually started to use a driveway service as he told me it was cheaper!:icon_lol:
In things like you describe we also got hit with. I pushed the snow to small pilles then used the blower to put it off the driveway. Would clog with the slushy stuff when moving it. PITA to unchoke every 8 feet or so.