Holy Crapola-What a morning!

So I left the house with two 9 YOs going to basketball practice and notices a thin layer of ice on the sidewalk. When I was on the street in front of the house, I checked to see how slick it was. It did not seem slick at all. Within 500 yards I had slid off the road and threaded the truck perfectly in between a guard rail and a split rail fence. 1/2 inch clearance on three sides was all that seperated me from a body and paint shop call. The good news was the truck was completely off the road. We all walked home and I got the tractor and a neighbor. By the time I got back, it looked like a parking lot. There were several trucks and SUVs stuck. Most around here have pretty good sense but all were taken suprise by this downhill bend. The tractor chains worked flawlessly. My front tires were useless on what became 1/2 inch of glare ice. I steered with the brakes. After towing the stuck to safety and taking people home, I took to scratching at the ice with the blade and alternating brake stabs. The sight of a tractor pulling cars, carrying folks and scratching ice seemed to cause most folks that came out to look at the roads to return home. In all, things went pretty well. It was funny watching people try to walk and resort to ice skating. No one hurt, no cars damaged, and while there was some pride injuries, none were physical. 25 degrees and rain is a bad combo.

Someone was looking out for us this morning.

Aaron

I'm glad that nobody and nothing got hurt, it sounds like a challenging morning.
Zach

Here in central IN we avoided the ice and just got rain. I am happy for that. I still remember the big 1991 ice storm here.

Praise God!

I have never seen anything like it. I have seen rain fall and freeze on the ground, but this was wet, slick, and thick. I had to resort to crawling on all fours to traverse the distance from the truck to the tractor to connect the chain. I borrowed a 2x2 hitch with a clevis on it from the neighbor. I will have one of those in my tow bag soon. I slid it in the trucks receiver and hooked the chain up, no sweat.

The tractor chains are duo/ladders from tirechain.com and were worth their weight in gold.

All considered, it was a good morning.

Aaron

Rain turning to snow as I write! 20 miles west it is 15° and dropping. Lots of snow + winds + cold for the next couple days here in West Central MN.
I better get some extra gas for the tractor!

Steve has the snow started in Delta yet, we've about 3" new since 7:00 am 10:20 now in central Rio Blanco county.

I got up at 5 this morning because I was going to go down and hang out at the firehouse since we were supposed to get ice, but most of Ohio just got some rain. I just went back to bed and got cozy. Glad everybody was OK.

Here in Albuquerque we have had freezing rain and now snow. 54 high yesterday and forecasting 24 for a high tomorrow. What the Heqq happened? LarryT

been rainin all mornin in norther wi and 36 degrees

Been pouring rain in east central MN this morning, but when it gets cold enough it's gonna be ugly. I have chains on the snowblower tractor, the snowbucket loader tractor, and I put them on the feeding tractor with the bale spears yesterday. I know when the temp drops it's gonna be a slippery mess.

I also went out this morning to find ice covered county road at end of driveway. Turned onto county road and just like a sled except sideways with one ton dodge down to bottom of hill. Never touched fuel or brake when going out of drive, just went along for ride. Thank God nobody else on road at the time. Said to self, well lets not do that again and place into four wheel drive. State routes not bad at all, county roads solid sheet of ice.

Bill,It started started about 10 oclock.only got about an inch,it froze on the car windows aas soon it hit.all we got was a COLD wind.

(quoted from post at 08:42:17 12/30/10) Praise God!

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AMEN!