Mindless Ramblings

[Rocky]

El Nino brought us a very mild and an almost snowless winter this year. I only used my snowblower twice this year up until last Saturday.
But it's not over 'til it's over.
After enjoying unusually mild weeks at well above freezing with no snow on the ground, the temp fell and a moderately nasty nor'easter hit us on Saturday with nearly 30 cm (12") of blowing snow.
It was quite cold (-8C/17F) which made the snow light and fluffy for easy removal. Once again my trusty snowblower did the job and we're back to sunny days
It was last March around this time that we were hit with a severe snow storm and my blower blew it's thrust bearing in the middle of it
It was exhausting work, but I had to finish with a shovel or leave my car in the garage for the rest of the winter. This is what it looked like into my driveway from the street after I had finished.
As Danny Glover said in one of those Mel Gibson Lethal Weapon movies, "I'm getting too old for this s@#t!"
Thankfully, today the snow is not even up to my knees and already melting in the March sun.

And speaking of the March sun, it's very pleasing to wake up at 6:00 AM as I usually do and the dawn is breaking in the east. It's always nice to not have to wake up in the dark this time of year.

I went to the annual bike show on the weekend, but there were no Triumph's on display. Something is going on with Triumph and the current dealer. There are rumors of a second dealership in this province. If so, that may not bode well for the current dealer. Time will tell.

I saw the new Indian motorcycles at the show. They're nice, but not something I would want. The big cruisers are massive and the price of a car!
Many of the new Japanese models were on display and I couldn't get over how ugly many of them are. If a bike doesn't make me smile when I look at it I don't want to own it no matter how powerful or advanced it might be.

Winter isn't finished with us yet so it will be at least another month before I'll have any bikes out of hibernation. Unlike most of my riding buddies, retirement gives me the advantage of riding any day and any time I like so I'm not in any hurry to start the season or wish away time.
At age 78 I need all the time I can get .

 

[Village Idiot]

I agree totally, Rocky...........time is precious. We, in Massachusetts, have gotten off with an easier one this year......last year was a "bear"! Of course, right now I'm in Florida and met up with Carl the other day; plan to see him on Wednesday and meet Keysteiger who's riding up with him. Not to rub it in, but waking up to 70 F makes for a nice day.
Jim

 

[Mad On Triumphs]

Now that's what you call snow, if that happend here, we'd need the red cross to help us out.

 

[shanered6]

we got 8" of snow in 45 minutes on sunday morning 8.30am ! and it was gone by 12pm , its a mad winter this year ive seen every weather you can think of in one day let alone in a week

 

[Village Idiot]

Well, one Sunday morning, a couple of weeks ago, I had to drive my older daughter and her husband to the airport transport bus.............when I got up it was -13F; the car wouldn't start on the remote...it kept "timing out", so I had to start it the old fashioned way. 2 days later, I woke up to 44F! One weird winter, that's all I can say.
Jim

 

[DaveM]

We sitting with one of the worst droughts we have had in years so our crops are taking a huge beating. This means more importing of foods thus the cost of living will go up and we really don't need that now with our currency being so weak.

 

[shanered6]

well you can have some of our weather Dave its been the wettest winter since records began in 1910 , we,ve had more rain in one month this year than the entire year before .
Scotland is just one big muddy bog at the minute and its growing very tyrsome

 

[Rocky]

Well, the dawn breaking at 6:00 AM didn't last long.
This past weekend we switched to daylight saving time and now dawn at this time of year isn't until well past 7:00 AM.
whatcha gonna do. It happens every year and daylight each day is getting a few minutes longer.

Once we get past March winter should be all but over, but I don't expect to be able to ride for at least another month.
That said, we've had one of the easiest and mildest winters ever (more rain than snow) so there is little to complain about - except that spring can be wet and cold.
Will just have to wait and see.

 

[shanered6]

well its just imposible to under stand the weather ! its 15c today and sunny and its going to be like that for at least a week and its the middle of march ! but i will take it !!!

 

[Rocky]

we've had some insanely mild temps on and off most of the winter - with a few very cold nights (normal) thrown in.
I can remember the days when we would have 6-7 straight weeks of brutally cold temps (normal) in January and February and that was winter at its worst.
Haven't seen that in years and years.
Last winter wasn't all that cold either, but we had snow storm after snow storm as you can see by the pic above.

Oh well, summer is coming

 

[Qship]

Normal Atlantic Canada Maritime tradition dictates that if March comes in like a lamb, it goes out like a lion. It did come in like a lamb and if we get the Nor'easter they're calling for on Monday, it will be going out like a lion.
Also, we almost always get a St. Paddy's day storm, and this year it was very tame compared to most. 2-4 cms of snow today, 5 cms more tonight but temps turning cold; down to -12 C tonight. Just makes for a blooming nuisance.