Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays [was: Happy Holidays]

[Bill Vermillion]

> Yo, homey, in case you don' be listenin', Steve Wiltsie done said:

> > At least you weren't in some of the hundreds of cars and
> > trucks that got stranded on the interstates and secondary
> > roads in Indiana and northern Kentucky. It took up to 24
> > hours to get all of the people out of their vehicles and into
> > a shelter.

> I never do the holiday travel thing. Seems nuts to get caught
> up in the crowds and snarls and such even in -good- weather.

You can get caught in traffic and snarls here anytime from 6AM to
midnight :-)

> > Let's see, complaining about 8 to 12" and not concerned about
> > those of us who got 2.5 feet. Sounds right to me. Or maybe
> > just ridiculous. (That's "ridiculous" with a capital "Jerk").

...

> Actually,, it could have been 0.25". What really killed us was
> the ice underneath it, as it started out as rain, then sleet,
> then finally an ice storm both before and after the actual
> storm.

That's the problem when areas get snow that doesn't happen that
often so people don't learn the art of snow driving.  I grew up
when you could be sure of driving on snow from December thru March
and sometimes from Novebemr to April.   

One year it was really bad and the snowplow and the single
engine pushing it [a 2-6-6-4 if I recall correctly - for you steam
fans] was derailed about 10 miles away.  They had to get a second
plow, go west, south, east, and north, and I think through 4
states, to get to the other side to open the tracks.  Of course
the highway was closed for awhile.  That road was a nervous drive
in the summer as if you went through the guard rails it was several
hundred feet down.  In the winter you were driving in a tunnel
with 15-20 foot snow banks on each side.

The ONLY time I was ever in any car that had any problmes was when
a frined from So.Cal stayed with me over Christmas and we drove up
to the pass.  About 1/2 way there we slid off the road into one of
the snowbanks.  It was funny to see the inside of the engine
compartment packed completely with snow.   No damage to the car at
all.  Snow/ice driving is a skill bordering on art.  I had more
than enough snow to last a lifetime.

> It was blowing from one direction and I remember walking into
> the living room and asking Kelly what was making this weird
> crackling sound--were our computers okay? It was ice hitting
> the windows out there. Doh. If it hadn't been for the ice, the
> snow probably wouldn't have even been a factor here.

Snow is just soft ice :-)

Merry Chrismtas one and all.

Bill

-- 
Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com