I presume, my purchasing a 97 Dakota 4x4 was the cause of Victoria
(Vancouver, Seattle etc.) getting hit with a 75 year snowstorm.
It started with about a foot of snow over several days and then, the night
before last .... 40+ mph winds plus two feet of west coast powder over
night, followed by freezing rain, then rain. I have six foot drifts in the
back yard. Now we have two feet of heavy wet slop everywhere.
Next to nothing moved yesterday. The army was called out to help the civil
authorities for the first time since 1916 ... that's no typo,
nineteen-sixteen. Roofs caving in all over the place.
Well, mother was visiting from Vancouver and had bad case of 'Cabin Fever'
and wanted to go home. Over the past two days I dug the truck and the
driveway out.
Every bit of construction equipment has been mobilized clearing parking lots
at shopping malls ... need those boxing week bucks you know! Of course,
Victoria has only three snow plows! The rain will melt the snow before my
street sees a plow.
So, I thought I'd try it. Nothing has moved on my steet, except my neighour
who services oil furnaces. He dug himself out yesterday made tracks to a
passable side street. I only had to go 132 feet (uphill) to become mobile.
After getting stuck twice (high centered), I discovered that I could build a
trail (ok, it doesn't snow here very often) by plowing forward, then backing
up just before getting stuck ... it worked like a dream.
Lucky for me, two neighbours and good friends had shovels and helped dig.
My other neighbour stood by and had a good laugh .... a real A-hole. But
then, I did the grocery shopping for my good neighbours. A-hole walked to
the store in the rain by himself (A Chev man ... afraid to take his pickup
out when it snows ... keeps piling it up).
To make my long story a wee bit longer, what I want to say is how impressed
I am with the abilities of the Dakota in the snow.
Happy New Year to All.
Rob Agnew
ragnew@islandnet.com
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada
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