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Schools were delayed for two hours, plows were deployed in force, salt/sand trucks were everywhere, we followed two of them over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
Up to an inch ...
Heaven Forfend!
Mind you, I like preparedness as much as the next guy but the Marylanders seemed to go overboard with it. Still and all, better than my home town up in Vermont did last Thanksgiving. Six to eight inches of snow fell Thanksgiving Eve into the morning of Turkey Day itself. Nary a plow was to be seen. Slid down the road from our hotel. When we hit the state owned highways, the roads were actually plowed.
So yes, kudos Maryland, you should bring the town council from my hometown down to the shores of the Chesapeake and show 'em how it's done.
The snow never amounted to much, a picture Tuttle sent us of our youngest grandson in the snow showed about an inch, no more, maybe a tad less.
But boy howdy was it cold down there! Average temp was about 30-ish during the day, though on one day it actually soared to the 60s! Frolicked outside we did. But mostly high 20s to low 30s at night and maybe high 30s during the day.
So of course, Little Rhody is supposed to be "Arctic cold" this weekend.
Of course, the folks who advertise that don't really know what that means. Not a bloody clue. When I was younger (during the last Ice Age) we saw temps drop to minus 40 (which is the same Fahrenheit and Celsius, so don't harass me with your French Revolutionary ideas and all that metric stuff). Now that was Arctic cold.
Anything above zero ain't Arctic, ain't even close.
And I'll leave you with that. My butt is sore from a long day in the saddle. We'll pick up the WWI story later. No, really, I promise.
¹ Which was the first Beatle's album that I didn't like, not at all. Particularly that song. Left a mark that one did!
Plowing on a holiday? That's extra pay for the drivers Sarge, last two inch snowfall here the truck dropped chemicals on inclines, didn't plow. Glad you made it back safely.
ReplyDelete5th of December wasn't a holiday. No overtime for you!
DeleteYeah, we got back yesterday.
This California boy has driven on/in snow a grand total of, I think, 4 times. Certainly no more than 6 times. That's more than enough. No, I don't own chains. Chains? In Coastal Southern and Central California? Oh, sure, we would, about 1 winter in 3 get enough snow on Palomar to be seen from Vista, but by the time we got to the weekend to drive there, the roads had been thoroughly ploughed.
ReplyDeleteDriving in snow takes practice. You should see Denverites every time it snows, they don't remember the last time it snowed. Of course, many of them aren't from there!
DeleteLet It Be was a disappointment. It was in some ways rather pretentious.
ReplyDeleteVery.
DeleteThe Beatles were my Coming of Age Band aka the Band that Mom let me buy an album and play it. Let it Be was that album and I played the heck out of it.
ReplyDeleteLed Zeppelin was the next album. That one didn't go over so well! ;-)
juvat
My first Beatles album was Rubber Soul. Mom liked it, Dad, not so much.
DeleteIn defense of snow paranoia below the Mason-DIxon line, those folks don't get much practice driving in snow. Snow is not too bad, but in those fringe regions they often get a rain/snow mix where freezing temps will ice up the roads with black ice, even though there is but a trace of white stuff on the grass. That makes it a really bad combination for amateurs, so best to go "full Arctic" with the snow plows/salt and sand shakers at the first hint of "snow." That and powerful govt worker unions eager to snag some extra overtime if there is a plausible excuse for being called in. But, yeah, they are much appreciated when there actually is any ice or snow.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a safe and fun trip. The next big holiday is only 18 and a wake up, so we expect you to do it again in a couple of weeks.
Make sure Santa leaves an extra jug of rum for the Muse, she's earned it lately.
JB
We shall be southbound in time for Christmas. I get the reasons for the early prep, found it amusing but greatly appreciated their being proactive!
DeleteThe ability of drivers to forget that weather returns every year at the same time seems to be a national thing. It rains? In Winter? Again? Who knew?
ReplyDeleteWe are supposed to enjoy an "Atmospheric River" tonight and tomorrow; we used to just call it Winter.