RDM

Indeed. I just turned 60 and still get as excited about snow now as I did when a youngster in elementary hoping for a day off from school. Of course, back int the 60's in Ohio it took a LOT more snow, ice and/or extreme cold to close school than it does today - especially around here. My wife of 25+ years doesn't understand me nor our collective obsession with snow and weather as a whole. She doesn't understand how I can go out on the Kubota and plow for 8+ hours, come home exhausted and then want to plow more after dinner. If the genetic scientists ever do figure out what the gene is responsible for our affliction, I hope and pray they don't engineer it out of future generations. There's something about the hope for snow, the challenge of seeing what mother nature can muster, and yes, even the occasional failure that makes the adrenaline rush when it does work out for us worth the despair when we fail. God I love it!!!

Wow, all the old time comments in the LR thread about the good ole days brought back memories. Built my first weather station in 1976, when I was 15. Was a Heathkit with base station and hard wired outdoor unit. Had indoor and outdoor temp, wind speed and direction and barometer. Soldered all the components on the board myself. Was so proud when it actually worked. The weather station performed well until I left Ohio in 1985. It even recorded a max wind gust of 73mph during the blizzard of 78 at our home just north of Dayton. We had it mounted 40 feet above the ground on our antenna tower so it got the full force of the wind. Wow... that wind in 78. Will never forget the howl. Great memories... Our dad actually made our first color TV in 1969. Also from Heathkit. He finished it just a couple months before the launch of Apollo 11 in 1969. Had a remote control too, which was unheard of back then. Was a mechanical/audible remote that used small running forks that clicked with each function. Was one of the first in town with a TV with a remote. I especially loved it because before dad finished that TV, I was the remote (being the youngest in the family, it was easiest for me to crawl to the tv to change the channel)

Finally... -sn 33/24

Forgot to add the hole is just west of Harrisonburg...

Check out the NWS Radar and the spiral snow hole that appears for several frames and then disappears on the animation. Very odd...

Missed that one sadly but heard about it. Was living in Japan at the time. Missed many of the big ones around here over the last 35 years except those that took place from 2009 on.

haha - I can still drink beer! Man, some of the apree ski options in the Alps are incredible. Lots of great memories from my younger days there. Same for the Foggy Goggle Bar at Seven Springs. That place was a blast back in the day. Hung out with some great folks there.

Thanks much for the info. Think you and I exchanged some notes a couple years ago about skiing. I'm thinking of trying to hit the slopes again while I still can (maybe). Just turned 60 and may not be able to do it much longer. Actually, it may be ugly again to try now. There's a lot more coordination required to telemark and it may require some rebuilding of muscle memory. haha. On a serious note, thanks for everything you bring to the forum. You are one of the main contributors that still make it interesting despite all the trolling that threatens to bring things down... Really appreciate all the time you put into it.

Is there a preferred finger or will any finger do? (sorry, couldn't resist)

Cross-country and Telemark equipment looks similar and are often confused as being the same. In the Alps the locals would often say "kook mal dar its langlauf skifaher" (look, there is a cross-country skier - because telemark is not very popular in the Alps, but rules in Scandinavia). The equipment is very different, especially the skis. Cross country skis typically have scales on the bottom and a double camber and no metal edge, (skating skis are different). Telemark skis are narrower than downhill/skis (much narrower than carving skis) and have metal edges. Can't use telemark skis to push forward like you can with cross-country skis as there's no scales to grip the snow. However, you can put removable skins on the bottom of telemark skis and use the one-way grip of the skins to climb uphill off-piste to go backcountry. Telemark skis are also much thinner in cross-section than alpine/downhill skis and flex much more. As a result, it's more difficult to get a good edge on hard pack with telemark skis; which is compounded by the binding only being on the front of the boot. Compared to alpine skis with an essentially rigid core around and in between the front and back bindings, you get about half the useful edge with telemark skis. An added plus (for me) is the comfort of telemark boots. My telemark boots are leather with a Vibram sole. They are very comfortable to walk in - almost as comfortable as hiking boots. You can put crampons on them and walk/hike/climb up very steep terrain and ice, take off the crampons and then ski down (hopefully on snow and not the same ice you just climbed up).

Thanks for the info. I've skied Wisp, White Tail and 7-Springs - and heard of Cannan, Davis and the others you mentioned. Just not into cross-country skiing. Skied the Springs a LOT years ago and had a big crew of telemark friends there. I haven't used alpine gear since 1990 when I converted over to telemark/free heal while living in Germany. Prefer extreme steep stuff with bumps - hard to find around here. I've got beacons, probe poles etc and did a lot of off-piste excursions in the Alps where you can go anywhere you want (unlike out west where they punch your ticket and/or arrest you for going off-piste). But, I'm getting older too and tele skis are hard on the knees, but too much fun compared to alpine gear. None the less, age may force me to return to the hard shell boot and fat skis at some point. Thanks again

How is Snowshoe? Never skied it be before. I telemark ski, or used to. Haven't skied for a few years and want to get back into it. Always heard Snowshoe has about a 1500' drop, but Google Earth only shows about half that. One advantage they have is altitude, but if they only have 7-800 feet of vertical, is it worth the drive? I'm spoiled having spent most of my ski days in the Alps (incredible vertical) or in Japan (fantastic snow), but have always been intrigued by Snowshoe. How long does it take you to driver there? Do you go 81 to Stauton and then west via SR-250? Thanks

That's right over our old house in W-Spfld at Rolling and Old Keene Mill... Maybe we should move back there from Vienna???

Only those that don't like snow...

Yea - that scares me. I'm right a the sw tip of the hole. Hope for everyone's sake who lives in that hole the transfer takes place in a better way that avoids any holes ...

Spectacular lights and great pics! Know what you mean about waiting for snow to see the lights... Just came in from take a few pics too. While we only got 7" here NW of Vienna, the way it stuck to everything is amazing, especially considering the wind we had this morning. Every piece of wire on our neighbor's fence is white, every branch on the trees, it's just ideal. Hope everyone was able to get something today and have time to enjoy it.

Lots of lightning in eastern NC. Very juicy system! (obviously)

Several pops that sounded like transformers tripping. Lights didn't flicker though. Could be a muted thunder. +sn atm

Down to 31 here. Lawyers Road NW of Vienna is snow covered with the slush starting to freeze. Seems they didn't brine here. have sn and occasional +sn. Congratulations to all!

light rain with some pingers mixed in. 39/36. Time for a few hours sleep until....

43/36 and getting breezy...

Just came in from working outside most of the afternoon. About 1800 a breeze came through with a noticeable drop in temp. Asphalt started drying out almost immediately for the first time today. Temp has dropped about 10F in 90 mins and the dp is noticeably drier, as expected (dp down to 47 here).

Thank you.... Haha - spot on about retreating to the dry cab, that is heated too! The Gravelys do their thing very well. The Pow Pow Pow of the older Gravely with the blade prompts mothers to take their kids in off the street. That ole low rpm engine uses the same piston, oil filter and starter as my 91 Silverado small block. The Gravely with the blower has a 12hp Kohler - smooth as silk. Will blow snow 60 feet. However, as you say, after about an hour of wrestling with either Gravely I'm ready to sit in the heated cab with some hot chocolate. Built the cab myself. Couldn't see spending $4500 for a commercial cab. Sure hope we get something worthwhile tomorrow. Otherwise, it's going to be like Lucy pulling the football away from Chuck... again!