Sunday, January 24, 2016

Photos-of-the-Week #247 Blizzard 2016 – North Central West Virginia, January 2016


This week I'm going to let the photos do the speaking. Here's what I'll tell you. I'm still located in north central West Virginia on the West Virginia-Maryland border (the Potomac River) about 23 miles south of Cumberland, Maryland. This is all a very rural region. It's known as the Potomac Highlands although the small town I'm located in is actually in a small valley at about 800 feet above sea level, surrounded by mountains that probably range from 400 to 800 feet higher.

I had planned to be in warmer climates by this time, but “Stuff Happens” and, while the stuff was not of my own making, I agreed to stay around the area to provide assistance for my friend and my sister. I had no intention of experiencing another blizzard in my lifetime. I've weathered many of them in New Jersey, central New York, Annapolis, Maryland and Winchester, Virginia. My snow preference is to watch it on TV, in movies, see it in photos or, on occasion, visit the snow with the intent of immediately leaving it behind.

This blizzard impacted at least 11 states according to the news people. I needed to be far from here to miss the impact. Obviously, I didn't make it. So, I'm literally up to my butt, that is at least 28,” in snow. You can see by the photos of My McVansion, that this is serious business. It reminds me of my days living in Syracuse, New York. But, then in 2010, I was in my former hometown in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Winchester, when a snow event affectionately named “Snowmageddon” hit the entire region and left behind about five feet of snow from two back to back blizzards. This one has been called “Snowpocalypse” and “Snowzilla.” There are areas like Winchester where 36” was logged and just north of there as much as 40.”

These photos were taken at the peak of the blizzard just before it began to taper off. The van is parked next to my friend's house where I base camp when I'm in the east. It's powered up with shore power and the battery charger is keeping the batteries topped off. I also have my tiny, ceramic, space heater heating the interior to prevent it from freezing up inside. If you look at the digital thermometer photo, the number at the bottom is the interior temperature of the van. It reads a comfortable 62 degrees.

I had already turned it down by then, but during the peak of the storm at night when the outside temperatures were in the low to mid teens, it was actually 72 degrees in the van. I turned it down again after I took that photo since I'm not staying in the van right now. My friend has graciously provided use of a cozy, warm room in her home. But, I would have been quite comfortable, though probably suffering from “cabin fever” had I been staying in the van.

The van won't be moving for several days as of this time. There is a plowed pile of snow about 6' high between the van and the road, so some melting is going to have to occur before those tires will touch pavement again. I'm now hoping that between now and the time the various circumstances keeping me in this region are cleared, no further storms appear on the radar screen. Once again, when I leave, I'll be stating I don't plan to experience another of these winter snow events.

Live free and be happy (and stay warm). EH  

11 comments:

  1. I'm in E PA same here, have a sore arm from all the shoveling!

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    1. Amen! Bob. Fortunately, I kept shoveling throughout the storm so it never got too deep and I wasn't over stressed by it. Today, a guy came down the road with a plow and actually made it very easy for me to break the front walkway to the house to the street and getting my friend's car out tomorrow will require some work, but won't be near as bad as it could be if he hadn't come by. I suspect, I'll still have some aches when it's all over. Hang in there.

      LF&BH
      Ed

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  2. Well Ed I'm glad to hear you're safe and warm. We've been "hunkered" down here since Friday. They cancelled work so I told Brenda we'll just hang out and play with the dogs. Not as much snow as you have but just as effective at keeping me in warm dry spaces. There was a bright side, I did get out and take some photos today tho past o.k. the blog. Www.dancordray.com. you might go check them out. Hope you can get under way soon. Remember, ya got place tho anchor when you come through Georgetown/Lexington MY area.

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    1. First, great to hear from you, Dan. I've been watching the adventures of Dan & Brenda and the canine contingent. Looks like you're all having a good time out there with the "pond effect" and the foxy one. Foxes are cool. Used to have some on my ranch in the Shenandoah Valley. Looking forward to hitting the road and I appreciate the invite to Georgetown, again. You guys keep warm.

      LF&BH
      Ed

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  3. Glad to know you're inside. Erie didn't get any of the blizzard, but plows have created mounds in front of my driveway so I'm going nowhere for now. I've shoveled the sidewalks but left the driveways to try to save my back. I found that my marine battery is dead. Not sure if it's because I switched off the ignition battery or if it's just 12 years old.

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    1. You don't need any of this blizzard, Andrea. You get enough snow from the lake effect. That's the way Syracuse was and that is about 95 miles from the lake. Sorry to hear about the snow piles in front of the driveway. I can't count on both hands and feet how many times I've dealt with that over my lifetime. Noot this time, thankfully, I directed the plow driver myself. But, I still need to dig Carolyn's car out and the van won't be out for a while, it's behind a 6' mountain of snow. Please watch your back. None of us need to do anymore damage to our bodies than we may have already done. As far as your marine battery, I remember looking at it when I visited. It probably is the 12 years. That is a LONG time for any battery. Most times in RV use, when the batteries are properly maintained, 5, 6 or even 7 years is probably a reasonable life expectancy. It's like tires, it's usually recommended to change them out at 6 to 7 years regardless of whether they look worn or not. They might go past that, to 10 or 11 years, but one is probably putting their life on the line and the odds aren't very good at that point.

      LF&BH
      Ed

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    2. In regard to Ed's comment about changing tires after six or seven years, even if they look good, my neighbor had a Class A motor home and he had a blow out of his front tire on the interstate. It rolled over and was totaled. He doesn't know how he came away without much wear and tear.

      He had carefully inspected the tires before leaving on this trip and they all looked fine. He knew of the recommendation to change it, but the tire was expensive. He was told there was dry rot that caused the tire to fail. As you said Ed, you are putting your life on the life taking such a risk.

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  4. Although living in Florida now, I did enjoy the change of pace heavy snows provided in Connecticut. Felt good to have an unexpected day or two of relaxation from the rigors of the workplace.

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    1. Like the old saying goes, Richard, "That was then and this is now." I'd prefer to watch snow on TV or go visit it if I really need to see it and touch it first hand. ;-)

      LF&BH
      Ed

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  5. To Anonymous in Southern California: I apologise. I was trying to tidy up the comment section a bit and accidently deleted your comments through some default in the blog platform I wasn't aware of. Please, feel free to comment again or here at any other time on future posts. This process of administrating a blog is full of twists and curves - a continual learning process. Again, I appreciated your comments and I did not intentionally delete them.

    LF&BH
    Ed

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