The longest 5 months...

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Alberta digs out from winter dump that left drifts up to two metres high

To put the journalistic skills and local knowledge of the reporter in perspective, the article includes this:

Lethbridge, to the south of Calgary, received 30 centimetres of snow and nearby Pincher Creek was dealing with an excess of 40 centimetres.

Lethbridge is in the prairies, Pincher Creek is in the mountains, and they are 100 km apart... not so "nearby" (as nearby as, say, Montana), and each about 170 km from Calgary.

It has been snowy here, a few hundred kilometres away in Edmonton. Took me an extra 20 minutes to drive in to work today. Four Russian-made Hakkapeliitta winter tires, no panic.

[gbaglo]

From Vancouver, Pincher Creek is "nearby" Lethbridge.
Everything is relative.
For instance, I find it relatively interesting that there were 200 accidents in Calgary, where "we know how to drive in the snow".

baglo

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

From Vancouver, Pincher Creek is "nearby" Lethbridge.
Everything is relative.

Right... like Toronto and Montreal are kinda close somewhere out east. I get that.

For those not from any of these places: Toronto and Montreal are 500 km (300 miles) apart.

Originally Posted by gbaglo

For instance, I find it relatively interesting that there were 200 accidents in Calgary, where "we know how to drive in the snow".

Calgarians know how to drive in the snow? Haha! The first winter storm each year causes dozens of collisions in Calgary and Edmonton, just like Vancouver. The big difference is that here winter continues so most of the time it isn't "first storm" idiocy; in Vancouver it happens a few times a year.

Also, compared to where I grew up in Ontario, it doesn't snow much here (Edmonton or Calgary)... just takes 6 months to melt!


In my driving around North America, I've concluded that overall skill varies little, but people follow local practices and get good at specific tasks which they repeatedly need; for instance, Vancouver area people merge very nicely when lanes end due to construction or approaching a bottleneck bridge.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

...For instance, I find it relatively interesting that there were 200 accidents in Calgary, where "we know how to drive in the snow".

baglo

As I understand it, those were all people who moved to Calgary recently from Vancouver.

[gabeck]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

As I understand it, those were all people who moved to Calgary recently from Vancouver.

or....from Ontario.......it may take 6 months for snow to melt in Edmonton .......not really in Calgary .....sometimes it melts in a day

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

As I understand it, those were all people who moved to Calgary recently from Vancouver.

Or are new drivers in our country. Many white knuckled immigrants on the road these days.

Other than the other drivers in my way, I love driving in this weather. You get a nice feeling of security all warm and cozy in your vehicle, and doing for wheel drifters around corners is a blast too.

[daveandsandyclink]

Hi Brian,
You obviously haven't been in the Houston, TX during a freak snow and ice event. Yes it happens about once each decade and you do not want to be out driving during that time. They drive just as fast as ever and ride their locked up brakes into trees, poles, over bridges, and into other skidding vehicles. Body shops and new car dealers love it.

[cpaharley2008]

Dave is stuck in Sioux Falls, SD with a air line leak. Hopefully he can get it fixed tomorrow am and make one delivery to Illinois tomorrow night or early Tuesday. Then it's another 12 hours to York,Pa, so maybe Wednesday or Thursday for BlackJack's arrival. At least the bad weather should be gone by then.

[Vicki A.]

Jim,
Dave will deserve a VERY big (and special) cup of hot chocolate by the time he arrives!

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Vicki A.

Jim,
Dave will deserve a VERY big (and special) cup of hot chocolate by the time he arrives!

More like some Irish coffee….

[itoddday]

Jim, i know how hard this part of the wait is. So close but so far away. It just makes the arrival that much more sweeter!

[Brian B-P]

Jim, I sincerely hope that your trips with BlackJack never involve the kind of challenges that Dave is facing just delivering it to you!

[cpaharley2008]

BlackJack is in Illinois tonite, Dave is dropping off the one 21 and will continue to Goshen where he will drop off his trailer and continue on to York with BlackJack on the truck's flat bed. We are a 11 hour+ drive from Illinois, so Wednesday is my estimate, which is good because we are expecting 3-5" snow Tuesday am.

[Vicki A.]

Fingers are crossed!

[Donna D.]

Dave is earning every nickle. He knows he's got treasured cargo on board and I can't even imagine the white knuckles! But if anyone delivers on days as close-as-to-be-expected, I would think it's a delivery from Escape Trailer Industries. Be safe Dave!!! (thinking of you Jim).

[cpaharley2008]

Agreed, he left one week ago, tomorrow and 3000 miles in 6 days in the winter is great.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Agreed, he left one week ago, tomorrow and 3000 miles in 6 days in the winter is great.

THAT is moving right along on sunny days and more than I'd want to do for that length of time. WOW.

[cpaharley2008]

Well we got hit with 6" of the white stuff today, I just came in from clearing off the 10x20 pad in the rear. Have to wait for the plow to do the alley before getting out the snow blower and make a path for BlackJack in the neighbor's yard before backing it into my yard. With the temperature dropping most of the stuff will be here for awhile. I'm hoping sometime tomorrow to see Dave and BlackJack.

[Kountrykamper]

Your delivery makes ours seem like a piece of cake. I was stressed watching ours come across the country but I think I'm more stressed watching and reading about yours. Looks like the snow is moving out of your area so hopefully he will get to you tomorrow. Remember to take delivery pictures.

[cpaharley2008]

Well, the story gets better. The first Escape was dropped off in Illinois this am and Dave was going to Goshen, In to drop off the empty truck trailer and then head here to Pennsylvania. I tried calling the mx but got no answer.
Anyway, when asked why it took so long to get thru Customs, Dave said it was because of my Escape. Customs went thru it for close to 3 hours. He said it was the same last year when he brought my 19' across.

This was unbeknown to me. The reason is because it is noted on US Customs record that my identity had been stolen. This happened about 4 years ago over some fraudulent credit card purchases. I now have a special code assigned to my account, which, if I had known, I could have given to Dave.
I guess I'll have something to look forward to when crossing the border. Oh well, the saga continues…...