As most of you know from my different posts, we are having an abnormal winter here in Michigan as well as a lot of other places. Usually this time of year we are well into out annual snowfall totals for this time of year. As of right now we are over 59 inches below where we should be and the resulat of all the recent mild weather these past couple of weeks has not only thawed down some of our snow pack, it has also created some very annoying and dangerous driving and walking conditions on the side roads. A lot of events up here have been cancelled already and some are postponed, waiting to see if they are going to be able to hold them or not. It has been a sad winter for the businesses who rely on the snowmobilers who eat in the local bars and restaurants, fill up the motels and buy gas and other things for their sleds. About the only people who are able to get out and enjoy winter sports are the skiers, snowboarders and tubers. I am glad that i did not follow through with plans to take up cross country skiing again this year as I would have been stuck with new equipment gathering dust in my closet. These conditins are normal for mid March on, but not from the end of January.
So here are a few pictures from our Icy February:
These first two are taken of the road out front of my drive going in both directions
Although it really doesn's show on those pictures, this is what we are dealing with going in and out everyday. The county has put sand down but with all the thawing and refreezing, it's just getting lost in the water and covered over. Hence the dark looking ice
There are a few spots starting to get down to bare road, but first snow that comes along will just cover it up again
You can also see the ice on top of the snow pack, making anything short of perhaps snowshoeing impossible as well. Can't walk on it cause you break through the crust
And last but not least, this is the snowmobile trail that runs along side Old 27 highway out here around the corner from my house
Ice skating anyone?
