Sheer Terror

[slowp]

For me, is this time of the year, during cold snaps, when I have to go up a road that has an inch or more of ice, and I know I have to come down the same grade.

My hands get sore from gripping the steering wheel and I find myself desperately hoping to NOT meet any snowmobile trailer hauling crazies. If I crash, there will be endless paperwork, lectures, explanations and unpleasantness. If I don't go up, the logging is delayed one or more days, and I have guilt to deal with. So, up the slick ice I go, and after I do my work, I creep down. Even with studded tires, I creep.

I remember the crucifixion of a guy who did go off the road on the job. The criticism was endless. "He should have been chained up!" "He should have been in four wheel drive!" "He should not have been in four wheel drive!" I think this debate still goes on today amongst the few of us still left.

Knowing such discussions have happened make it even more terrifying. Ice. I hate it. Please pass the salt.

 

[floyd]

The man that used to live above me came down the hill in reverse while car was pointing foward. Said it slowed him down enough he coud control his slides a little better.

 

[RPM]

Better slow than upside down...

Slowp ... no one will remember that particular day or week you crawled up and down those roads, but go off the road as you mentioned and you'll never hear the end of it!

Better slow than in the ditch. Stay safe!

 

[056kid]

weight in a pick up is the best thing for it. .

 

[madhatte]

Ice ain't nice!

 

[MacLaren]

Just what the hell do they expect you? Your driving on ice.
Studded tires, 4x4 I don't care. There's not a whole lot you can do about driving on ice.

 

[bigbadbob]

Crappy to put on,,, but nothing beats chains, even the cable ones.
Once you do it a few times its easy.
When I was working we did the big trucks alot 15-20mins after you did it a few times.
Planning ahead to put them on is a must.
I have very little use for the white stuff myself.
I laid in it yesterday and changed the transfer case im my pickup,,,YUK!!!
One great solution is to take your vacation now.
Retirement is even better, then you become an observer, great sport.
Bob

 

[slowp]

.
Retirement is even better, then you become an observer, great sport.
Bob

I am looking into that idea!

The logger was trying to figure out how to get his equipment lowboyed up. I imagine the ice may be gone by now. Or going.

I'm home recuperating from another root canal session. The numbness has worn off..owie. I will return to the icy place, which I am hoping will be melted, tomorrow.

 

[Gologit]

One great solution is to take your vacation now.
Retirement is even better, then you become an observer, great sport.
Bob

Yup. Retirement, what little of it I've seen, is good. Semi-retirement is even better...you can pick and choose and that's just downright fun sometimes.

 

[371groundie]

chain up. the foresters here run chains like they wear boots, every day. get some V-bar chains and learn from an old timer how to put them on correctly.

a buddy of mine recently learned the hard way. the boss told him to stop out at the suchnsuch job since he (the boss) wouldnt have time to get there. well the boss ended up with some extra time and decided to swing by afterall. boss was headed in and my buddy was headed out. blind corner, glare ice, they both got on the binders, cut right, and clinched eyes, hands and butt cheeks.they totalled both trucks. and damaged both batteries so the radios wouldnt work. no cell coverage for 40 or more miles in any direction. they had to walk 4 miles to the jobsite to steal a skidder and clear the road.

im still waiting to find out what the towing bill was they were 100 plus miles from pavement.

 

[slowp]

This is not the scary stretch. Our PNW Global Warming has melted most all of the icy glaciers on the road. What is left is either this or slush. The really steep grade had soft snow which made it hard to get up the road, but going down was not slick. No chains needed.

 

[ChrisF]

You lucky bastards actually get global warming?! Haven't seen a sign of it here.

I'm even more envious now.

 

[slowp]

You lucky bastards actually get global warming?! Haven't seen a sign of it here.

I'm even more envious now.

Yes. Our fickle climate is why we have a hard time using the wax cross country skis. The weather and temperature is always on the go. One time I had klister on and things cooled off. I hobbled back to the car on platform skis.

It is trying to snow here this morning. Then we are supposed to have another ice age for a while. The glaciers will grow again and I'll be creeping again. Always an adventure...

 

[Ramblewood]

Yes. Our fickle climate is why we have a hard time using the wax cross country skis. The weather and temperature is always on the go. One time I had klister on and things cooled off. I hobbled back to the car on platform skis.

Have you tried the high floro waxes ? They work well at the 32 degree "cusp" and don't ice up when you hit a bit of water . I have used Maxx Waxx over my regular wax on transition snow with mixed results . Try Eagle River Nordic website . I have bought two pairs of skis from them and they are the best . Ever . Lots of wax types and great info for x/cers .

 

[slowp]

I just use my fish scales. Speed doesn't matter anymore and they are fine. I might go tomorrow.

PNW snow conditions change so much, especially up on the passes. I have successfully waxed on the more inland areas, and in Wisconsin, but still used the waxless skis the most.

Ah, must return to logging talk...the weather heads are talking massive snow for mid week. We may have to ski. The loggers will need to move their cat down lower to avoid wallowing--also known as floundering...

 

[2dogs]

Wow 2 X-C skiers on this forum. I make it 3 now. The Sierras don't allow wax because of our California winter temps. When I first started skiing 30 or so years ago I was using waxables. I remember sking in the shade in the morning and hitting a sunny spot and my skis stopped and I didn't. After 1 winter of this I switched to waxless and never looked back.

 

[slowp]

I entered a couple of races. Got a red ribbon from the Klister Kaper. There were only 4 people in my age class and that was eons ago, when I had time to do such things.

I entered a marathon. It had to be moved because the snow was melting. I put Klister on my skis. Halfway around the first 7 mile lap, my one ski wouldn't glide. Did I stop and check it? No. I did the push with it and glide on the other ski. The serious racers were lapping me. I got back, exhausted to the pit area and quit. I looked at my ski and I had a wad of string stuck to it.

I think I have hit the ideal wax a half dozen times. Waxless will get you to where you want to go just as fast because you don't have to fiddle around with getting the correct wax on and then reapplying it.

Hmmm. We have white ground here this morning. The glaciers will be moving back down the roads.

 

[logbutcher]

Hey, add another to the XC crowd. Snow has been only OK here in northern Maine so far.

There's a couple of 50k marathons in New England, the Birkebiner in Wisconsin (?), and plenty of 10k and 20k smaller racing. I'm still in the Classic school; the skating blows my thighs up hills.
We hold the international Biathlon Championships up in Ft Kent on the N.B. border. Great facility, but I still can't control the breathing completely on the range. Easier squeezing rounds in the prone position, difficult in the standing firing. The kids now have the breathing down for firing.

We hate klisters; it's time to break our fishscales for anything over 0 C. Those are the toughest conditions to wax for in longer races. Then the two wax system comes out: wet or dry.

Maybe a thread on XC and logging .