Bad #2 - Not so happy today

On 02/03/2015 at 03:29 PM by Ranger1

Linked to Article Series: Blog a Day (BaD) 2015

Woke up to another five foot snow drift between me and my car and no hot water this morning. I have cold water, but nothing comes out when I turn on the hot water tap. I think the pipe from the water heater to the inside of the cottage is frozen somewhere. I borrowed a space heater from my landlady and went down into the scary crawl space and turned it on, but it doesn't seem to be helping so far. I'll give it another hour and see what happens and go from there.

I also had to take my car in for an oil change first thing this AM. I didn't have time to shovel, so I snowshoed over the five foot high snow drift to get to my car. I had to drop it off, they're really backed up after losing a couple of days due to weather. I figured I'd just bring my snowshoes with me and come home through the woods. Easier said than done: after two aborted attempts to make it over the seven foot tall snowbank to get to the trail with my snowshoes still on my feet, third time was the charm. However, 40 inches (101.6 cm) of powder is not the easiest thing to move through, even with snowshoes on, especially since no one had broken any trail out there what-so-ever since the blizzard last Tuesday. Once I got to the intersection with the trail that leads out to the condo complex, it got a little easier, but I was still the first person through after the storm yesterday. So I got a really good lower body workout this morning. Who needs a stair master with 40" of snow?

Well, I need to go out and clear a path to the driveway, which will be my upper body workout, and then snowshoe back to my mechanic and get my car. Hopefully the space heater will do the trick and I'll have hot water soon. I'd really like a shower and be able to do my dishes.

Hooray! I'm a much happier little ranger now, I once again have hot water, and Michael gave me a ride to pick up my car. The snowdrift between me and my driveway has been removed, and tomorrow morning I'll tackle the path out to the compost pile. As for the rest of today, I'm gonna go play ToX2. I think I deserve it.

Super Step Contributing Writer

02/03/2015 at 03:35 PM

Well that took a turn at the end. Glad it was a good turn!

Ranger1

02/03/2015 at 03:38 PM

They may have heard my yell of elation all three miles into downtown.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

02/03/2015 at 05:33 PM

you do deserve it, goddammit, that's some serious snowshoeing.

02/03/2015 at 05:45 PM

I'll post some pics on Facebook later. If I manage to get them posted to Flickr, I'll add them here.

02/03/2015 at 05:53 PM

cool, they'll have to do for ranger pics. Which I miss!

02/03/2015 at 05:55 PM

Two more months, Matt. Two more months.

Cary Woodham

02/03/2015 at 07:38 PM

After all that, you're going to be totally ready for your next snowshoe race!

02/03/2015 at 07:45 PM

After that, running in teeny snowshoes on a packed trail is going to be gravy!

Aboboisdaman

02/03/2015 at 08:08 PM

I don't know if I said this before... but, I used to live in Washington state. It snowed like 8 feet sometimes there. I can't really say I miss it that much. Hooray for hot water!

02/03/2015 at 10:32 PM

I'm still in "I like snow" mode. The woods are gorgeous at this time of year, and I had them to myself this morning. And yes, hot water is under-appreciated, until you don't have it.

mothman

02/03/2015 at 08:35 PM

Have I told you lately you're a crazy woman? I guess if you slipped and broke your leg there'd be a Saint Bernard with a keg under his chin to rescue you.

02/03/2015 at 10:31 PM

Forty inches of powder, there's no slipping. It's like falling into a pile of feathers. And it was safer than trying to walk home along the road, where there's no shoulder, just snowbanks.

VisuaLIES

02/03/2015 at 11:33 PM

Glad everything turned out OK. I think I would have just stayed in bed. Seriously, if we got the smallest amount of snow here in New Orleans, the city would shut down.

02/03/2015 at 11:43 PM

Those 40" inches came over the course of three big storms in six days. The big problem was the wind. And the wind may be the reason the pipes running from the water heater to the cottage froze. Whatever. I had to get up, I'd already rescheduled that oil change once due to the snow storm last Friday, and I was out of milk for my coffee. Not to mention the shoveling...

C.S.3590SquadLeader

02/04/2015 at 11:10 AM

Well at least everything ended up kind of okay. And yes you deserve it after all that!

02/04/2015 at 02:40 PM

Just another day in a northern New England winter. I got the freezing issue with the hot water pipes figured out - I know where the problem was and I think I have a solution to prevent it happening again. At least I hope so...

goaztecs

02/04/2015 at 12:09 PM

HOLY FREAKING COW! 40 INCHES OF SNOW? Wow. I don't know how you folks on that side of the country do it. Props to you my friend for not getting in a workout but doing normal tasks when I would be like "forget this" and probably go back to sleep.

02/04/2015 at 02:39 PM

Chris, that was just in the last week. Snowiest seven day stretch on record for the city of Portland (the original , not the one on Oregon). And I will admit to being effing sick of shoveling. I wish the paths would do themselves so all i have to do is play. And another storm on the way tomorrow. Oh, joy, more shoveling.

GeminiMan78

02/04/2015 at 09:43 PM

We had a pretty harsh winter down here last year, and it was still a cake walk compared to what you are dealing with up there. I like playing in snow, but not enough to live where it actually snows.lol I have come to really love winter here and dread when May starts to creep in and we get instant summer. I suppose its the flip side of the same coin. Glad everything worked out for you, it was starting to sound like you were having a Murphy's law day.

02/05/2015 at 12:20 AM

I'll admit to wanting to start throwing things for a little bit there. It's amazing how under appreciated hot water coming out of the tap is until you don't have it.

KnightDriver

02/05/2015 at 02:20 AM

I love snow, but now that I have to drive around in it for work, I don't anymore. As long as I don't have to drive a compact car around in it, I'm fine with it.

02/05/2015 at 07:39 AM

I've what we're now referring to as a "Maine Tank", which is any of the all-wheel drive wagonor SUV style Subarus. I also have snow tires on it. Subarus are the second most populat vehicle in the State of Maine after Ford F-150 pick-up trucks.

But yeah, I HATE driving in snow!

02/07/2015 at 03:26 AM

I'd get something snow worthy as my next car, but it just doesn't snow all that much in Easter PA, except for last year. Last year was crazy around here. That doesn't happen often though.

PixlBit

Bad #2 - Not so happy today

Comments