Last couple days it has been in the 40's. Nice to be out and about in, save for the sloppy roads. However, it has not been good for cutting wood! My wood lot is about a mile off the road, going down field roads out to the woods. All winter I have been battling snow and drifting snow to keep my road open. Well, when it gets in to the 40's, the snow gets so slimy you can hardly move in it. Yesterday, I cut a load in the morning, and then was trying to go out to the front to unload. Except I couldn't move on my plowed roads. Over the winter, the road had been built up with snow about 12 inches thick but packed down nice and hard. Once it got warm like that, I sunk through that hardpack and got sucked right off the road, in to the stuff that was not plowed. The more I tried to get back on the road, the farther off the road I went. So, it was a walk to get the skid steer, plow myself out and then plow the whole dang road again once the truck was out front. That took the rest of the day! Gonna get cold again for at least the next week here. I like that! At least I will be able to get in the woods! Those few weeks where the snow melts , while I impatiently wait for bare ground are miserable for an oakaholic like myself! Ted
Flyboy, we're heading into maple syrup season at this very moment, so I'll be hoping for the"tweener" weather to stay around for at least 3-4 weeks. The maples need the days to be upper 30s - low 40s and the nights in the teens - 20s for the sap to have optimum flow........ But I DO feel your pain on waiting for the melt in terms of getting into the woods with a truck. Til then, I'll use the snowmobile!
We are supposed to be getting a pretty nasty storm starting this afternoon...maybe ice pellets, turning to lots of snow overnight, turning to rain all day tomorrow, with winds kicking up to 50 miles per hour. Going to bring some of my little remaining wood in now, prior to the event...The various weather sources are calling for flooding... After Sunday, we are right back down to below normal temps for a month. So, I guess we'll have a lot of ice to deal with, since the ground is very frozen and deep in snow, and there is nowhere for the rain or snowmelt to go. Am guessing the footing will be treacherous, unless we get some snow once it cools down again.
We are in the process of getting another 12 inches of snow, and then 20 - 35 mph winds tonite and til noon tomorrow. Which means I get to search out my road again. When it gets that windy, I will not be able to even see the edges of the field road. Ted
Ted, I expected that you would have had stronger winds as they are calling for up to 60 mph for us starting around midnight tonight and lasting all day tomorrow. Not good.
Well, it has started. 34 and snowing. Supposed to change to ice pellets soon, then back to snow til the AM. Then rain.....
Have the same issue here. Spring type snows can be a lot of work. And, the rain we're about to get is gonna be special. I wanted to "get on it" early in Jan, so I could go easy all winter hauling logs. Took a flop Jan 5, and I've been "going easy" alright ever since. Yesterday and today, first time I've really done anything (moving snow)… at least it hurts really good to feel good enough to hurt again… been a long stretch.
I wait til the snow melts and the ground dries out, either cold and frozen or warm and dry, this transition period is terrible for getting wood.
Im not even attempting to get to the wood up the road. The fields are an absolute mess and im not about to tear up the farmers lanes. At least from my property i can still access some of the tops of the trees that he pushed over. Still have to take it slow, don't feel like puttin it in the ditch
