"Lake effect"?

[gkainz]

My sister who lives in upstate NY ...she says they don't call it snow, it's just called "lake effect" ... I sent her this...

"lake effect" eh? Just doesn't sound the same...

%s/snow/lake effect/g

Great! It's lake effecting again...
Let's go play in the lake effect!
How about a lake effectball fight?
I wanna make a lake effect angel!
I wanna build a lake effectfort!
Hey! Help me put the head on my lake effectman!
You can survive in a lake effect cave.
We're going lake effect boarding! Not me, I'm skiing.
Man! Nice lake effect plow you got there? Wanna trade for my lake effect blower?
Check out my new lake effectmobile! Nice sled, dude!
School's closed - lake effect day!
No two lake effectflakes are the same ...
I'm going lake effect shoing... wanna come along? Nah, I broke a binding on my lake effect shoes.
I gotta go buy some lake effect chains for my truck.

 

[EdFred]

LOL. We call it lake effect here in Michigan too. We get lazy with things. e.g. We're gonna go boating on The Grand (River).

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Yeah... Lake Effect SNOW. And not all snow is from lake effect, though the people up in Oswego, NY might be thinking otherwise right about now.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Its just a form of avoidance. You know, trying to avoid talking about/mentioning/thinking about the elephant in the living room?

 

[EdFred]

Its just a form of avoidance. You know, trying to avoid talking about/mentioning/thinking about the elephant in the living room?

Not really. In the winter, the lake effect snow goes in about 20-25 miles inland from the lakeshore. It will be clear, or at least not snowing outside that range. So when the news calls for lake effect, I know that I'm not going to get any - being 35 miles from the lake. When the news calls for snow in all of west michigan we know it's from a system, and not simple evaporation/cooling.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

I lived on the shore of a great lake for several years (land of the "Horizontal Snowstorm"), and also experienced the fun of living 30 miles inland for a few years "the Great White Dumping Ground"... all while doing a job that required me outside, either driving around in it, or really outside & bare-armed to boot.

 

[mikea]

After digging my way out the back door and around to the front...I have at least a foot of snow everywhere.

I drove just 3-4 blocks east (towards the lake) to get groceries. I swear there is only 5-6 inches of snow there.

That's due to the lake effect. The snow flies over the areas right next to the lake and drops a ways out. I must live right on the border of the drop zone.

 

[SCCutler]

I lived on the shore of a great lake for several years (land of the "Horizontal Snowstorm"), and also experienced the fun of living 30 miles inland for a few years "the Great White Dumping Ground"... all while doing a job that required me outside, either driving around in it, or really outside & bare-armed to boot.

Betcha don't miss it!

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Betcha don't miss it!

sometimes I wake up with a start in the middle of the night, thinking I hear howling snowstorms outside, imagining the electricity went out, the fire burned cold....and the phone is ringing, a call for me to go out in 'it'. Brrrr! I feel I have paid some of my dues!

hey do you read your email every night?

 

[wsuffa]

After digging my way out the back door and around to the front...I have at least a foot of snow everywhere.

I drove just 3-4 blocks east (towards the lake) to get groceries. I swear there is only 5-6 inches of snow there.

That's due to the lake effect. The snow flies over the areas right next to the lake and drops a ways out. I must live right on the border of the drop zone.

Next purchase: snowblower.

 

[mikea]

Next purchase: snowblower.

Yep. Already did my research. A single stage Toro. I decided I can wait until the post-season sales if any.

Gotta get a mower, and edger, too. Prolly also Toro.

 

[gismo]

Yep. Already did my research. A single stage Toro. I decided I can wait until the post-season sales if any.

Gotta get a mower, and edger, too. Prolly also Toro.

I wouldn't bother with a single stage unless you plan to use it for clearing off your roof. Toro makes good product (right here in Minneapolis) but you can get by with a less expensive two stage. If you're clearing a wide driveway you'll want a way to quickly change the spout direction. Both my blowers (one for home and one for the hangar) require several turns on a crank to switch sides and that's a PITA. One feature on the premium units is handlebar heaters, that's something I'd pay good money for.

 

[mikea]

I wouldn't bother with a single stage unless you plan to use it for clearing off your roof. Toro makes good product (right here in Minneapolis) but you can get by with a less expensive two stage. If you're clearing a wide driveway you'll want a way to quickly change the spout direction. Both my blowers (one for home and one for the hangar) require several turns on a crank to switch sides and that's a PITA. One feature on the premium units is handlebar heaters, that's something I'd pay good money for.

I have maybe a car length deep and two cars wide - it's a carport with a roof.

There's also a path to the downstairs entrance, which I can't remember is concrete or stones. (It's covered in snow now. I'll know when I shovel it some.) I figure the light single stage will let me hit the stairs.

One nice thing about that roof is the upstairs entry is covered so I don't have to shovel it.

Now, of course, I'll prolly have a long driveway if I build my dream garage.

I'm also aiming for this mower:
http://www.toro.com/home/mowers/superrecycler/20056.html
I figure I'll like "Personal pace" and BOS. I'll like having a landscaper more.

 

[mikea]

I have maybe a car length deep and two cars wide - it's a carport with a roof.

There's also a path to the downstairs entrance, which I can't remember is concrete or stones. (It's covered in snow now. I'll know when I shovel it some.) I figure the light single stage will let me hit the stairs.

One nice thing about that roof is the upstairs entry is covered so I don't have to shovel it.

Now, of course, I'll prolly have a long driveway if I build my dream garage.

I'm also aiming for this mower:
http://www.toro.com/home/mowers/superrecycler/20056.html
I figure I'll like "Personal pace" and BOS. I'll like having a landscaper more.

Shows ya what I know.

I got to the new place early Friday morning racing the water guys and the delivery guys bringing me a new bed.

The driveway had a foot of snow and there was a LOT of driveway. After dealing with it at my Chicago place I knew what I was in for so with a little contemplation I drove back down the road the to local feed store which I knew was a Toro dealer.

They were offering an extra $50 off the remaining snowblowers. I bought a single stage ummm. .. 3650. They didn't have any new 2 stage ones left anyway. My only choice was size and electric start. This was the biggest one left.

They fueled it up for me, gave me a quick lesson, and it wasn't so heavy that I couldn't get it up into the van.

So off I go to tackle the mass. I figured out to start in the middle and blow to the sides. I don't see a way around blowing and partly reblowing the same snow.

It wasn't so heavy that I got clogs. But some of it was high enough to be over the top of the opening. I just let it dig at what it coudl and made multiple passes.

After a half hour or so I had enough driveway clear that I could drive the van up and made room for the delivery.

One nice thing about the place is the driveway is on the west side so I get to take advantage of solar heating. I eventually had a driveway clean to the blacktop.

Today I planned to dig some out in hopes to find and clear the path to the side door. I also hit the dirveway with a showvel and got all of the residue off.

I clear another car width. No end of driveway found. Snowblower stops while working hard. I ran out of gas.

I went for gas with the required spilling of stinky auto gas all over everything while I tried to mix the 2 cycle oil in the gas can where no matter what you do the spout leaks.

I get back, refuel, and have lots of trouble getting "guaranteed to start" to start. I probably flooded it.

I have it for another half hour. No end of driveway. No sign of the path.

I'll wait until the snow melts. When the snow is gone I'll make note of the landmarks on the house so I know where to find the paths.

I shoulda got a 2 stage with a longer throw so I don't have to keep digging the same snow so much.

You never know how big it is until you have to cover every inch.

On the other hand I was able to sleep in the new house for the first time.

2 of the 3 toilets leak. They never maintained plumbiong int he place. I've fixed a few things but there are more. The dishwasher is not connected.

I bought lots more stuff at Ace's 20% off sale, including a ladder, Ken.

 

[wsuffa]

Ah, a homeowner.

There will always be a list of projects - many unfinished.

Get to those toilets. If they get clogged (easy with low-flow), they will overflow. Trust me on that. Low-flow is mandatory down here.

 

[mikea]

Ah, a homeowner.

There will always be a list of projects - many unfinished.

Get to those toilets. If they get clogged (easy with low-flow), they will overflow. Trust me on that. Low-flow is mandatory down here.

It's just a bad shut-off valve (I think). It was just running continously. I turned off the water. I bought a new revolutionary! Patented! toilet works replacement kit Invented by a plumber!. I'll get a round tuit and put that in...and probably regret buying it.

I have a bathroom sink faucet that need a washer replacement.

I keep thinking of a) I know how much I have to pay for 1000 gallons of water and b) when I turned the water on I discovered that the water heater drain valve leaked. I got it to as low a flow as possble and put a 2 gallon bucket under it. It would fill in an hour. I got a cap for the valve and figured out that I wasn't the first. I found a broken hose shut-off there.

Those two jobs will be one of many jobs I get to on boring evenings.

I think I'll make another stab at trying to dig out the back entry path today. Oh, my aching everything.