NOS88

I've had shoulders bursitis in both shoulders since I was 40. I can usually avoid activities that aggravate it. I've learned that it's better for me to hire someone to paint when it's time to repaint a room in the house. And I've learned to use slightly narrower handlebars, because the angle is less pressure on the bursa sac. In the last two weeks we've had over 36 inches of snow, all of which I've had to be removed from my driveway, and 220 feet of sidewalk. I called three places to see if I could get someone to do the snow removal for me, and was told that the earliest would be in three days. Unfortunately, the township has been issuing fines to people who don't have their sidewalks cleared within 6 hours after the end of a storm. So, it's been left to me to deal with the snow. Right now I can't lift either of my arms high enough to scratch the top of my head without piercing pain. I can't even lift any of my bikes off their racks without pain. So, continuation of commuting to work by bikes seems less likely for a bit. Long story short, I've had it with this winter! Those of you who like snow can take a flying leap into one of my 7 foot snow piles. And those of you who live in the "sun belt" or other warm climates, don't you dare. Don't even think about telling me how nice it is where you live. OK, end of rant.

Dudelsack 

Would the purchase of a snowblower be out of the question?

If you bought one right now, it would guarantee an early Spring.

mapeiboy

I was thinking the same thing about snowblower . I bought one five years ago after hurt my back year after year from shove the snow off the driveway and sidewalk . Maybe you can hire one of the kids in your area to clear the snow .

big chainring 

Its 40 degrees at noon in Chicago. Its a freakin heat wave. Of course we hd 6 inches of snow that made a pinpoint hit at rush hour yesterday.

Now all we need is a few inches of rain(coming Thursday) and we still have all of March ahead of us too. I'm hoping to get out on my bike, maybe in April?

Cycle Babble

I have a snow blower, 200' driveway, and I still hate snow!

My next purchase will be a 4wd tractor with a 4' blower and heated cab.

My rant is over as well....

John S

VegasTriker

"Don't even think about telling me how nice it is"

Darn! You take all the fun out of life. Lots of us who live in warm places paid out dues in the past. I spent a lot of winters in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan. We just learned to do different activities when it was cold so as to maintain sanity. I still own snowshoes and cross country skis but haven't used them in more than a decade. It's easy to go up into the mountains but this year has been pretty dry so there weren't many opportunities to enjoy snow. I think the worst winters I ever experienced were my early years near NYC. Cold, humid, wet, and sometimes windy. Since you didn't need exceptionally cold weather gear most of the time I suffered when it got really nasty there. My relatives still live there and are grousing just like you. NYC has had 51" of snow so far. I think there were 8 snowstorms in the past 30 days. You might as well be living in Syberacuse (Syracuse NY) where I once applied for a job - must have been insane at the time.

By the time I moved to the Midwest I could afford clothing appropriate for the coldest weather. I still remember the one bike ride I took to the store when the wind-chill was far below zero. I was so hot upon entering the store that I had to get my stuff and get out in a hurry.

OldsCOOL

After last night's 8" we are now at 150" on the season. With the big lake froze over it looks like biking will begin a month later than previous years.

johnnywhale 

I bought one a month ago, figuring we'd never get snow, great investment, right?
One thing I have learned is throw the snow with the wind, not into it!
Just like on a boat....

Shamrock

If money is no object and I'm sure it's not.Consider this have a snow melt system installed.A boiler would be installed in your basement.Plastic lines run under the sidewalk and driveway.A n antifreeze water solution would be used in the boiler and pipes. Flip a switch and it's done.
Now I have to take the rock salt out of the safe throw it on the front steps and sidewalk.
I saw 2 on bikes today but I don't think it's safe yet,too much snow and ice on the road.

NOS88

Hmmmm, snow thrower/snow melt system , or new bike stuff? Yeah, the new bike stuff is almost always going to win this. Typically, dealing with the snow is an issue I can handle, but this year we've had way more snow. This year we've had 36+ inches. Last year we had a bit over 4 inches. Even the year before, which was heavier than normal, we only had 23 inches. But, I guess I'll just keep taking deep breaths and thinking "this too shall pass."

jppe

NOS-sorry about the shoulders and I should have warned you that it was headed your way. We had the nicest foot of snow I could have hoped for. For the most part it was dry so no significant power outages in our area. It made terrific snow cream and the best part was it was melted off the roads and sidewalks within a day or two. I normally shovel the driveway but I remembered from the last snow the neighbors didn't shovel and their driveway cleared about the same time I was finished shoveling.

North Coast Joe

Truism, as valid as bird droppings on a freshly waxed car.

I have a notion how you feel not commuting for a while. Not riding seems to mess with my emotional state. I'm sick of Winter, too. Just took three days off for my stupidity: frostbitten toes. DON'T GET THIS!

I got to do a few miles today again, but still am sportin' sandals & sox around the house. Ugly. Does fit the whole Fred thing, though.

C'mon Spring

David Bierbaum

This is simply an opportunity to invest in a new pedal-powered device!

Ursa Minor

Hmm I would have gladly paid a fine if it meant I wouldn't have really sore shoulders. As I get older
I find myself worrying a lot about how to preserve my health.


Charlie

Biker395 

Send some of that snow down here. We're practically skiing on frost!

rumrunn6

OP ... I here ya. it's snowing here again. if I have to rake my roof tonight I will be pissed. seems like that's all I do now. shoveling wasn't enouh, someone had to invent the ice dam and the roof rake to further complicate my life. my lower back is gonna be so happy when spring comes!

Shamrock

Raking a roof is necessary.Here is one of many reasons why.my neighbor came over and said she can't get out of her house.How did you get here.I climbed out of the window.Iwent over and the weight of the snow on the roof over the front porch pushed down on the door frame preventing it from opening.So not only do I have to shovel my roof now another.This of course is going to knock out my idea of riding my bike today.

groth

Actually, you still have to work hard with a snow blower. Easier than a shovel, but still hard work to clear a big area. My snow blower can be either two wheel or one wheel drive. Switching between the two is a manual operation - moving a locking pin - so it's not something you want to be doing at the end of each pass (you'd have to be bending over almost as much as with a shovel). With one wheel drive, you can turn it fairly easily but you have to push pretty hard on the non-drive side. With two wheel drive (which I only use when the snow is so deep or heavy that I can't push hard enough), it's a bear to turn.

Bike content: I've been blowing and shoveling so much snow, I haven't ridden in a week. Finally got a short ride in today, in between taking the wife to the grocery store and trying to repair the snow blower! I'll probably spend all day tomorrow trying to find the right impeller belt.

- Ed

Badgerjohn

Snow sucks after a while. Up here in Maine, we have had 8 billion feet this year and it is getting old. It's pretty and fun, but dang, it's a lot of work. Get a snowblower.

bruce19

It warmed to about 36F today and there was a "melt" for most of the afternoon. Now it's iced up with the evening drop in temp. This REALLY sucks.

JanMM

Because of snowiest winter in Central IN ever - was off the bike since December 29 until I got out this evening for a ride. Good chance of flooding hereabouts because of melting snow plus expected heavy rain and 60 degree temp tomorrow! Then back to very cold temps next week.
Can't complain as much as others, tho, as we were in Phoenix for the first polar vortex early in January. No bicycling while I was there but plenty of non-wintry days.

Biker395 

^ Yikes. That looks like an ice rink!

qcpmsame 

No smart ass remarks here about the weather, just a concern for the 50+ gang, up in this current snow and ice storage facility called the northern US, please be careful with the shoveling and snow clearing and especially working on your roof clearing. Injuries and heart attacks must be rampant up there right now and I can almost see the posts about various shoulder injuries, like NOS, and all of the strained backs coming over the next few weeks. I know that clearing and deicing is necessary, but "Lets be careful out there" (channeling the late Sgt Phil Esterhouse on Hill Street Blues.)

Bill

rumrunn6

I wouldn't mind raking my roof once a week, but the past 7 days I think I did 4 times. the last time, Tuesday, was the day of my colonoscopy. just couldn't catch a break that day ...! :-)

Cougrrcj

You'd better get that heavy snow off the roof NOW, because the rains are coming today. Here in the Cleveland area we are forecast with 1-2" of rain through tomorrow morning. Just what everyone needs is an inch or two of rain soaking in to the foot or more of snow on the roof... Here yesterday they actually aired a snow-load warning for flat roof buildings - warning people to clear the gutters, drains and downspouts. Also advised people to clear the storm drains in the street to prevent flooding.

A guy on my mail route had a heated driveway. It caused more problems than it was worth. The snow melted just fine, ran down the drive and caused a big ice jam in the street that the city plows could not cope with. That city WILL NOT approve of any more heated driveways!

One of the other cities that I delivered to painted a yellow marker at the crown of the road (which gets cleared/melts first) to denote where at the curb the storm drains are. Without the drains clear, the melting snow just backs up and turns into a sheet of ice that takes MUCH longer to melt/go away than if the drains are kept clear.

I was lucky in the snow-removal department. Four years ago I won a 30" 2-stage 14hp snowblower in a charity fundraiser raffle. Of course, we hardly got any snow those next winters. I've used it this year though... The bad part is that I have a gravel driveway, so unless I leverage it up a bit, it will throw rocks 50'! Maybe it needs ski-like guides to hold it up above the stones...