Blizzard 05 - whiteout

Garth Herrick · 01-23-2005, 06:16 PM

So that October can become better aquainted with January

, I've added a few pics to show that it's radiant and sunny here too!

Here's the view down to my corner of the alley. The mountainous lump in the center is my old Peugeot, after the drifts and neighborhood kids had their fun with it.

Currently at 5:00 pm it's a toasty 16 degrees F afternoon high, fast dropping to 5 (and 59 inside). I'm sure things are more severe for Terri and Sharon.

Keep warm,

Garth

October Reader · 01-23-2005, 07:06 PM

Terri, I remember being in NYC a few years back when there was THE bad winter storm of the decade and sewer was left accumulating for days on sidewalks because garbage trucks couldn't get to them... hope that's not going to be the case where you are!

Garth, urrrrrr, 16F?! I guess I'm spoiled by being out west. To me, 16F comes with grandiose mountain views, big sky or endless expense of open space....

Sharon, sadly, my cats (Persian) will never know the fun of tippy toeing on fresh powdery snow....

With the exception of Cyntia & Michele, I'm sending some green your way (Chuck included, sorry CA will miss you)

Cynthia Daniel · 01-23-2005, 07:09 PM

Well, this joke a friend sent me seems appopriate:

As a trucker stops for a red light, a blonde catches up. She jumps out of her car, runs up to his truck, and knocks on the door. The trucker lowers the window, and she says, "Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load."

The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street. When the truck stops for another red light, the girl catches up again. She jumps out of her car, runs up and knocks on the door. Again, the trucker lowers the window. As if they've never spoken, the blonde says brightly, "Hi my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!"

Shaking his head, the trucker ignores her again and continues down the street. At the third red light, the same thing happens again. All out of breath, the blonde gets out of her car, runs up, and knocks on the truck door. The trucker lowers the window. Again she says, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!

When the light turns green the trucker revs up and races to the next light. When he stops this time, he hurriedly gets out of the truck, and runs back to the blonde. He knocks on her window, and as she lowers it, he says...

"Hi, my name is Kevin, it's winter in Iowa and I'm driving the SALT TRUCK.

Jean Kelly · 01-23-2005, 07:46 PM

Virgin Snow!

Jean

Garth Herrick · 01-23-2005, 08:13 PM

Cynthia, thanks for that SALT TRUCK joke!

During the famous blizzard of January, '96, my wife and I foolishly made a trip home from Maine, down I-95, throughout the entire blizzard! We drove that same old Peugeot in the picture below (it certainly was no Jeep though), It took us nineteen hours of non-stop driving. Leaving NYC and entering the top of the NJ Turnpike, at first we attempted to straddle the deep tracks of some 18-wheeler, which was not easy. Eventually through the whiteout haze, as through a tunnel, we saw some faint light ahead. Catching up to that light, it turned out to be a diagonal bank of six plow trucks clearing two lanes of the highway at once at about 10 mph. Soon a dozen or more 18-wheeler trucks ganged up behind us and bullied us to disappear so they could bust on through the plow truck bank. Within minutes this actually happened, and we were once again alone crawling behind those plow trucks.

After another half an hour we got the nerve to bust through them too, which made for some VERY dangerous driving. It soon became apparent we were in fact the ONLY passenger car still running this turnpike highway, for the entire length of New Jersey! There were NO oncoming headlights at all, ...how strange! Well we hobbled on down to the junction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I pulled out the $4.00 to pay the toll-taker. The toll-taker opened his hatch, looking a little perplexed. He told us there would be NO TOLL as the NJ Turnpike is CLOSED! Furthermore PENNSYLVANIA IS CLOSED! We were told we could park and leave our car in the toll booth! How strange!!

I asked the toll-taker about another entrance to Pennsylvania, the Ben Franklin suspension bridge into Philadelphia from Camden. He said he did not know if it was open or not, but drive down and find out if we wanted! So we did.

Exiting the Turnpike (for free) to Rt. 38 toward Camden, we passed numerous motels and hotels, each with their entrances plowed over 4 feet high! The road itself was a mere 8 1/2 feet wide plowed canyon, barely wide enough to navigate. Eventually we found a path to the Ben Franklin Bridge. The toll-taker there was astonished! He said where in the heck did we come from? In over three hours he had seen no one! He restated that the State of Pennsylvania was closed, but if we stayed to the main city streets, he would wish us well on our illegal adventure into our home state. So we did....

Entering Philadelphia as the ONLY vehicle on the streets was indeed strange! Only the main artery, Market Street was plowed, but however with two foot tall packed plow-line barriers across each intersection. The traffic signal lights were all red, but we did not care, and I proceeded to rev the Peugeot up and ram it's way through each successive plow barrier, block by city block.

To make a very long story abbreviated, it took us another four hours to reach the next ten miles home, whereupon it took us an hour to dig a hole to park our car. At this point the snow was a mere 30 inches deep, and every other parked car was completely concealed under a smooth mantle of snow. The day was January 8th, 1996, my birthday. My wife and I slept through the next day and a half, only to be awakened by angry frustrated neighbors, who were upset we did not help out in the group effort to dig open a grand canyon opening down the street. Even that next day, we STILL had the only car that was essentially dug out! I tried to explain the circumstances; that we had just driven down from Maine through the entire duration of the blizzard. Did anyone believe us, and our seemingly absurd story? Well, NO!

It was an unforgettable blizzard driving experience!

Keep warm,

Garth

Allan Rahbek · 01-23-2005, 08:33 PM

My two cent of Danish snow.

Allan

Garth Herrick · 01-23-2005, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allan Rahbek

My two cent of Danish snow.

Allan

Terri, October, Jean, and Allan: Thanks for those beautiful pictures.

Allan I think your's is especially artfully composed.

Garth

Allan Rahbek · 01-23-2005, 08:59 PM

Thanks Garth,

I thought this would do for a value practice.

Allan

Heidi Maiers · 01-23-2005, 10:30 PM

You've all made me miss the snow. I really can't even remember what cold feels like. I had to stick my head in my freezer to refresh my memory.
Beautiful photos.

Terri Ficenec · 01-23-2005, 08:37 PM

Good one Cynthia!

Garth, what an experience! Makes me want to amend my earlier comment about loving wild weather... to add when watching it from safe at home!

Sharon, glad to hear it... where you're closer to the coast, was concerned you might be getting some of the ocean effect snow that the Cape was seeing.

It does look nice there October! .