ATVOBSESSION

hemingray wrote:I think there was some of this global warming last year - didn't we get out into the Soda Springs area about that time last year?

Yup, July 4th and there was still so much snow on the ground that we couldn't make it through that one north-facing and shaded section of Soda Springs Road at 7000':



Quite a bit of water on the road as well. This is the section near where the North Fork American River bridge is:



We should have headed into the wilderness area, there would have been even more snow:

Love that water crossing - I have waterproof boots this year!

So... the FedEx guy came by yesterday to deliver a package. He said thanks for sending my letter to Fred Smith. Fred sent it to a big FedEx VP in Utah, the VP sent it on to the regional manager out here. At some point it was scanned (along with the pictures) and E-mailed to a bunch of other FedEx people. My guy is getting an award and he heard a rumor that FedEx may fly him out to TN to personally meet Fred Smith.

Mission accomplished.

That is awesome Eric.

As someone who worked in the delivery business at DHL for 19 years...I can verify, that it's not often you get any kudos from customers. Usually yelling and accusations...Like the lady that accused me of "stealing" the $2000 that she shipped illegally from Walnut Creek to New York...and said I (located in San Francisco)...stole it.

Your guy...deserved it.

Speaking of Grizzlies.....1) I took a photo JUST for you at Talladega...I think you'll enjoy it. 2) We need an updated balcony photo of the Grizzly Den situation.

Epically awesome! That's really cool that he gets that kind of recognition, and well deserved. I think your picture was worth a couple thousand words.

I need to do some kudos for my UPS guy. Though he has not tromped up my driveway in snow, he's always cheerful and after delivering my tires, and more tires and the snowplow - he got his own ATV, equipped it with Bighorns and got a Warn plow. We chat about stuff whenever he visits, and he even popped in one day to ask a question about the skids on his plow.

Very cool GG since as ken pointed out most just complain and never congratulate. In this case I also think it was very justified.

Ken wrote:That is awesome Eric.

As someone who worked in the delivery business at DHL for 19 years...I can verify, that it's not often you get any kudos from customers. Usually yelling and accusations...Like the lady that accused me of "stealing" the $2000 that she shipped illegally from Walnut Creek to New York...and said I (located in San Francisco)...stole it.

Your guy...deserved it.

Speaking of Grizzlies.....1) I took a photo JUST for you at Talladega...I think you'll enjoy it. 2) We need an updated balcony photo of the Grizzly Den situation.

Ooooohhh... Ahhhhhh... where is this Talladega photo?

Yeah, people are fast to complain but fewer take the time to praise. This guy definitely earned it.

Here is what things look like today. The snow is down quite a bit at the Grizzly Den, although still a lot more than we'd usually have at this time of year. The window on the right side is still fully blocked by snow so my solar battery maintainer still isn't getting any juice.



My bigger issue this year is going to be getting the Grizzlies from the den to the driveway. See below, you can barely see the top of one of the trailer's side ramps sticking out of the snow. Usually a "lane" of low snow forms between the garage and the high snow to the left (trailer in center of lane) and it melts out early. This year the driveway guy ran out of room for the snow, so he put a lot of it in that lane. Trying to swing wide into our lot next door obviously won't cut it because he and the town guys put a ton of snow out there as well. No joy on the other side of the house either. Hopefully the heat absorbed by the garage from the sun will keep melting/pushing that snow back and give me back a lane earlier rather than later.

Hey guys!

Some time back one of the guys on our Jeep forum posted pics from this. I came over and read the whole thread, completely amazed by the whole thing.
My hubby and I come from near that part of the country so it was an interesting read to say the very least.

I popped in this morning to check on updates and it looks like there haven't been any.
Have you begun to thaw out up there yet?
Did the Fed Ex guy make it back to his truck OK?
Are the Grizzlies still snow bound?
Will Lassie be able to get someone to help Timmy out of the well?

K.

Welcome Kate!

Yes, the Grizzlies are still snowbound. Here is what it looks like this morning, and it is actually snowing AGAIN as I write:





There is obviously some improvement back at the den, but the deeper snow is toward the front by the buried trailer. We still need a lot more melting before I'll be able to get them out. Since you're in TN maybe you can do me a favor: call Al Gore, have him grab that "hockey stick" of his and turn on the danged global warming!

Yes, the FedEx guy made it back to his truck. He stopped by after the FedEx President/CEO received my letter about his heroic deed (see my post further up in the thread). He said that he will probably be getting an award and may even be flown back east to meet the President/CEO in person. Meanwhile, no riding for me unless Lassie shows up with a real big winch that can drag my Grizzlies through the snow!

Been out there to see if you have any battery left? I imagine the solar panels have been doing their thing finally, eh?

BTW - we got 1.3 inches of precip here on Sunday, and even today is at .7 from a steady drizzle. They were saying 4 inches at 6K feet. This is crazy.

Thanks for the update Eric....

Big WINCH! or Wench...

GG,
We need to get some big mirrors to reflect the sun towards the den and burn a trail through the snow. When the sun comes out eventually.

hemingray wrote:Been out there to see if you have any battery left? I imagine the solar panels have been doing their thing finally, eh?

BTW - we got 1.3 inches of precip here on Sunday, and even today is at .7 from a steady drizzle. They were saying 4 inches at 6K feet. This is crazy.

I haven't slogged out there yet, my batteries are now 4 years old and I was planning on replacing them this year anyway. I probably should go take a look, though. Now that I no longer have slime in my tires, they could be short on air or even flat due to slow leaking. Slime is going back into these tires this year: that stuff is flippin’ great! No leaking at all ever! I miss my slime...

Yeah, I think we got around 6-8” on Sunday and maybe 1-2 feet overall from Sat through today. It is EPICally crazy!

Ken wrote:Big WINCH! or Wench...

LOL, I’ll definitely take a big WENCH!

hellcat650 wrote:GG,
We need to get some big mirrors to reflect the sun towards the den and burn a trail through the snow. When the sun comes out eventually.

That might work! At least until the winds pick up, the mirrors shatter, and we get impaled by flying shards of glass.

World's going to end tomorrow anyway. Snow won't matter.

hemingray wrote:World's going to end tomorrow anyway. Snow won't matter.

were screwed