People In Cold Climates: Car Q

Batteries took a shit in my truck 2 days ago. -30c with the windchill, in the driveway replacing them. Could’ve been worse I guess.

 

My fancy new wifi thermostat on the furnace I just had to buy last week apparently had some software glitch (that I was conveniently told about by the app) so I woke up to my thermostat saying it was 68 in the house (which is was supposed to be) but I was sweating balls... and a thermometer I have elsewhere in the house was reading 83... All while it was 20 below outside...at least I know the furnace works well.

 

I have that happen once in a while but it's not because of a software glitch. It's because I left the draft open to much on the wood furnace. Dog will be laying on the linoleum floor on his side, water dish empty looking at me like, WTF man ?

 

Mother nature is having her period methinks. -50 yesterday, mid 40's and rain this weekend. Bars closing and we have had two people run their cars into houses (in the same night), fire truck hoses freezing to the ground and within the hose (hose is junk) and I've replaced about 50 batteries because people don't listen when i say you should have probably bought a battery 2 months ago. It's been one hell of a week, I'm spent, commence cracking a beer in 5...4..1... !

 

FYI … my Camry's battery finally fell victim (temporarily) while sitting in CMH long term parking last week, most of it under 12 inches of snow. I was enjoying mid-70 degree weather in LA that week. But when I returned last Saturday night, I had to get a jump. Otherwise, no issues. Now back in GA.

If I do move to the upper mid west, I hope I won't have to deal with a polar vortex too often.

 

Been about a week every winter for the past 3-4 years, now. This snap last week was the worst I recall.

 

I'm too lazy to post the screenshot of my phone, but last Thursday I woke up to -26 actual/-58 windchill. Been living in Northern IL/Wisconsin my entire life, that's the worst I can remember. It hit 45 and rained today, at least that's getting rid of the snow. I just hope it doesn't screw up the ice too bad so I can fish, at least.

I hate this shit. I am out of here when I retire. I've been saying that for years while internally kinda wondering if I could pack everything up and leave everything I know... now I'm sure that I can.

 

I'm supposed to leave tonight for the UP of Michigan for a snowmobile trip. We're still debating on whether to risk it or not. The trails don't look very good.

 

Where in the UP? Trails were in EPIC condition in the Keweenaw. Off trail it was chest deep two weekends ago. Over by the bridge might not be so good

 

Trails aren’t that great this year in upstate New York. It’s been cold the past few weeks but not much snow.

 

I know. I’m just outside of Oshkosh.

 

The bad part is that 2 nephews took off work this week, vacation time, the rest of us can take off anytime.

 

At least you got warm enough, we had 1/4" ice on all roads this morning. What an effing disaster. Plow trucks were chained up and a chick had a baby in her stuck car 15 miles from town!

 

I haven’t even felt like wasting the money to go up this year. I’ve been looking at all the trail cams and the ice just finally got thick enough on the lakes to “safely” get across not to long ago.

 

Thats the thing, it's like the worst case. Freezing cold, then warm, then snow, then freezing. The ice has been a total mess. Local small lakes and ponds have been anywhere from 2 inches to 10, bigger lakes have had 10+ and then open water or totally unsafe ice where you wouldn't expect it.

 

I agree. I have no problem doing some open water crossing stuff for 20 30 feet but this gotta go 100-200 feet to get on “hopefully” solid ice isn’t fun to me.

I saw the base on some trails is only a few inches as well and all of the main trails are whooped out bad to bare ground. The tracks are pretty exposed too so that cuts out a good majority of trail.

 

Come farther north. The Tug Hill, Watertown, Lowville got dumped on the end of last week. Cranberry Lake has good snow.

 

And more ice expected in the UP in the next couple of days.

 

Well it was 60F yesterday and supposed to be the same today in the NYC area. At least I was able to wash the salt off the car.

 

And in Northern Illinois, we have a ice storm warning starting tonight.