Me and my Branson...dreaming of a white xmas

[sassafraspete]

Well, back inside now...after spending all afternoon out with the tractor. I ended up taking off the backhoe and putting on a rear blade along with the front blade. My front blade is really heavy and with my gravel drive ....and ground not packed frozen...it digs in pretty bad. I have shoes...but if they are down...they dig in as well. I guess Henro's wheels would work well. (future project).

The front blade works well on pavement. I had a young man come to the house, asking for help. He was off the road in front of our house... on a hill. I wasn't sure what I could do...he seemed to be in a precarious situation. He wanted to call a tow truck, but I knew it might be all day before one got out this far. I plowed the hill with a couple of passes, and then hooked up to his van . I slipped very little, but since he was on the downhill berm side of the road... it took about 30 feet before I could get him up over the berm...just wanted to slide along it for a ways. There were a couple of what else....sassafras trees that kept him from rolling over. Luckily, he didn't seem to have much damage to the van...so was lucky. Since the hill is steep at the first part, and has an incline for about 1/2 mile, I pulled him all the way to the top and then sent him on his way. He couldn't thank me enough. he kept going on and on... I just shook his hand and said have a merry xmas.

I was impressed how the tractor handled in that situation. The front chains did their job well.

sassafraspete

 

[Dargo]

Pete, whatcha you got for a snow total so far? At 6pm I'm showing nearly 18" with another 10" forecast for tonight!! This storm will exceed our three year total average! I went out to clear my drive, my parents, my mother in law's and my grandparents. I pulled out dozens of vehicles along the way and picked up a pocket full of money by doing driveways for people who flagged me down. It looks like I need to fuel up and plan on doing it again tomorrow. Does your tractor have a cab? If not, it sounds like you'll have to be really tough to run your tractor for very long tomorrow. Temps are supposed to head towards zero with a 20 mph breeze. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I'm burning me some different CD's to listen to tomorrow while I plow. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[sassafraspete]

Jack, I know you guys over south east of us are getting a pretty good beating. I think we may have around 10 inches here. We had a brief break this afternoon, but it is snowing to beat the band now. I am hearing you guys over there may be in for an additional 10 -12 inches. Have you got a loader? you may have to start stacking all that stuff.

Mike, you have some pretty good hills down there in the knobbs...sounds like you had a productive day with the tractor.

Rameye, you can come down here to the Ohio valley. We have plenty of work for you. We are supposed to be -6 on xmas day.

Benzark and Bird....you are getting part of the same system we are being hit with....it extends that far south. If it is going to snow though, I want it cold. I hate that freezing rain and slush. With the artic air coming down tomorrow, and wind kicking up, there could be some major drifting. I had to knock the snow of of my "tractor tent"....for fear it would collapse with any more weight.

Looks like tomorrow it will quit...but will have again the same amount to push off the drive.

 

[sassafraspete]

OK Dargo....rub it in....with the cab and all. Branson owners are a cheap, or should I say thrifty lot....and tough ....so we'll just eat our peanuts shell and all.

I would say you got a ton .....where are you at exactly? People can't deal with that much snow to shovel, etc...so a lot of people making money on snow removal.

I will just put on my goretex shell, and hummmm....since I don't have a CD player.

 

[Dargo]

I'm north west of Evansville a bit. I didn't realize that your tractor didn't have the overpriced cab like mine. Yeah, I'll readily admit that it is way overpriced, it's only on days like today and tomorrow where it doesn't make me feel so bad about getting gouged for it. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Man, if it is really as cold and windy as they are calling for tomorrow, I don't own anything that would keep me warm enough without the cab. Even though I was clearing snow in just a sweat shirt, jeans and Nike's today, I believe I'll pack some insulated coveralls just in case I have trouble or get stuck. Heck, I went through a tank and a half of fuel today!

 

[sassafraspete]

Dargo, You'll get alot of "redo" work tomorrow when that wind hits down your way... I am assuming it is pretty flat where you are....or are you protected by some hills?

Yes, you may have to wear something other than shorts and sandals tomorrow. You may want to burn some melloncamp, instead of those jimmy buffet cds.....

 

[RobS]

You guys are killing me with all your snow. That's the kind of stuff we usually get. They're forecasting 5-10 for us tonight and tomorrow.

Chains! And on the front no less!!! We're in the snow belt and I don't even run chains. Of couse, we're dead flat and that makes a huge difference.

Cabs... Let's see... Mine is made by Carhaart. Ever heard of that brand. It's a multi-piece affair. Bibs, jacket, neck gaitor, sock hat, ski goggles, ski gloves and snow-mobile boots. No tunes, but it's plenty toasty.

Enjoy it while you can guys, by March we're pretty tired of it up here /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[sassafraspete]

And Rob....what a time for the local ski hill to be out of business !! There's Paoli Peaks down at Paoli, and Perfect North over by lawrenceburg... (in Indiana but near Cincy).

Well last time I checked, carharts were pretty expensive duds. Yep, I doubt that I would use chains.... If I were a flatlander....but on these hills, I don't want to get too overly confident. They sure keep me steering straighter.

 

[Dargo]

RobS's post about his cab being made by Carhartt is killing me! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I just wanted to say that since my last post (maybe 1/2 hour ago, I've had 4 relatives call to make sure I can either take them somewhere tomorrow or will plow their driveway and street. I have to run now. I have to find a mirror. When I wasn't looking, somebody musta tattooed "sucker" on my forehead! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

And, oh yeah, I'm basically a flatlander. A few small hills, but not much. Just enough to make these drifts work real nice!

 

[sassafraspete]

Dargo, you could mention what other people are paying you....that might get your relatives off of your back real quick like. You could conveniently forget to do your mother-in-law's. I just took a couple of measurements...looks like we've had a couple more inches since I quit plowing. My tape is reading around 12 inches now.

My wife has to drive 12 miles to work tonight. She has a jeep with quadradrive, which is going to get a workout tonight and tomorrow I believe. I don't worry about her much.... I've seen her stop on our hill and take off again without as much as slipping a tire...she likes to rub it in. I drive old junkers and never know which ditch I'm going to end up in.