Monday, December 22, 2008

Snowed In

We live most of the way up a hill, at about 400 feet in elevation on a six hundred foot high hill. The consequence is that we have limited choices of how to get around. The safest way is to go the rest of the way up the hill to the main street, and then go down.
It's that whole getting up to go down thing that doesn't work so well. I have a route that goes around to a gentle slope to get most of the way. Unfortunately it is on back streets, and we have about a foot of snow, and I don't think I have enough ground clearance in the HHR. The street at the end of the block is plowed, but steep. I do not have chains or studded tires. But front wheel drive with new tires is almost as good, and we do fine if we can just make it to the main road.
We managed to make it in to town on Saturday to get groceries.
Just like every other living soul in the area. It was a madhouse. It took us about four hours to make three stops, most of it standing in checkout lines.
Unfortunately I have run out of smokes and beer.
Oh well, now is as good a time as any to quit.
Both local tire stores have sold out of studded snow tires. I figured I would slide down off the hill today and get some tires, but that idea didn't work out so well.
The snow is supposed to stick around for another week or so.
Mrs A is getting cabin fever already. Our son drove up from Utah, and she worried the whole time he was on the road. He is on his way over here, and will be staying with us for a couple of days, through Christmas. Then will be going over to help his dad with some kind of project.
Three day cooped up with him and his wife and three kids will be quite enough thank you.

2 comments:

Rick said...

I'm in the same boat. Spent most of the day yesterday shoveling a space to back out and turn around. The hill, however, is still covered in a foot of virgin snow. I'm about to attempt plowing downhill in the four wheeler with chains on all four tires. T-intersection at the bottom, oughta be exciting.

Al said...

Rick: I went out today and once I got to the main streets, everything was fine. Getting TO the main streets was an adventure.
Hope your trip wasn't too adventuruous.