Ice, ice, baby!

[Selkie]

UGH!! .... But the roads I take had several ice spots and it was a stressful drive in. My car is front wheel drive and I shock myself by being a very capable driver on icy roads.

On ice, it doesn't matter if you have AWD, FWD, 4 wheel drive. Nothing -- except maybe chains on your tires -- will help.

[Aggie_Ama]

On ice, it doesn't matter if you have AWD, FWD, 4 wheel drive. Nothing -- except maybe chains on your tires -- will help.

All we get here are patches so front wheel is better when accelerating. Same thing in wet weather IMO. I own both and am much more comfortable in the front wheel drive than rear wheel drive on wet roads. I have spun a rear wheel drive car completely around and it scared the crap out of me. Most wrecks I saw were trucks. It is 70 today.

[Selkie]

All we get here are patches so front wheel is better when accelerating. Same thing in wet weather IMO. I own both and am much more comfortable in the front wheel drive than rear wheel drive on wet roads. I have spun a rear wheel drive car completely around and it scared the crap out of me. Most wrecks I saw were trucks. It is 70 today.

I must have misunderstood. I thought you were talking about icy roads, not wet roads.

An ice patch is easy to avoid, which is lucky for you. As I said, there nothing, except tire chains or maybe true snow tires w/studs like we used in Western Penna, that work on ice.

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh no, I meant ice but patches and some wet. Texas is almost like a grab bag. The people around here are stoopid too. That morning I am accelerating slowly on bridges, they in big trucks accelerate fast and proceed to show everyone behind them "Hey there is some ice here". I just find front wheel drive when accelerated slowly will manuever over ice better than rear wheel drive. Still rather stay home. I don't think we can get chains in Texas.

[skhill]

Here in Lexington KY it's a beautifully warm day. Go on my bike for the first time in a week (just to go the mile to church) and it felt great-- even tho I was dodging icy patches.

This afternoon I undertook to shovel out the sidewalks at my church. They're encrusted with more than 2 inches of ice, and this one warm day wouldn't be enought to get rid of everything, before more comes this week. So there I was, in my heavy winter boots, and shorts and a t-shirt, chipping ice... I think I've got a sunburn now-- from shoveling snow!!!

[Geonz]

Glad folks are digging out! We were completely spared Tuesday (when the forecast said 3-5 inches - which they got 20 miles to the south) but got our 5 inches Tuesday night (when the forecast said "flurries"), so I took the bus in and went 35 hours without getting on a bicycle for the first time in a long time! My studded tires would have gotten me there... but cars were going all over the place.
The poor backyard
Snork... Bruce Springsteen makes me glad to be an American...

[sundial]

Makbike, I was worried about you and the other TE'ers hit by this storm. Are you staying warm? Are you able to get to work? Do you have enough food and fuel?

I lost power not long after my last post so we were back in the dark. Finally snagged a little generator yesterday, just as the lights came back one. Fortunately for us, we have a gas stove so I can make a hot meal and boil water. The generator will keep our frige, tv, computer going and our cell phones charged.

This is a terrible, terrible storm and FEMA has yet to respond in our state even though it's been declared a disaster by the president. The national guard was called out but they didn't even have access to chain saws. Out of state utility trucks are still coming into the region to assist. I think we had 7800 utility poles down just in our region.

There are so many people trapped in their homes from the fallen debris. These people don't have food, water, or heat to survive the temps that are in the 20's. Please continue to pray for the victims. It's going to take a long time to recover from this.