Happy Holidays to All and here is my 2 cents worth on this thread, FWIIW...
Since nobody from Iowa, the 'Jumping-off place' for the 'Westward Expansion' as it was called historically by many in our adopted hobby era has chimed in yet, here goes:
'Yes' we do have snow, about 2'-3' or more in places in Eastern Iowa (just like R.C.J.) down some due to the Christmas Eve melt (Blech, and double Blech!) and warm rain where Santa slid all over the place taking presents to Little People and grouchy, cranky and greedy Grandkids, and almost dislocated his hip & back slipping on the unshoveled slush & snow on the driveway and steps, and now has Bursitis, Yeouch, and I do mean YEOUCH! Guess who's name just went on the 'Naughty List'?
'Yes' we do have ice on top of the snow due to the Christmas weekend freeze, and 'Yes' it has melted again and frozen again and 'Yes' it has snowed again, 2" last night, and 'Yes' the weather pattern has been set for this year's 'Rare storm Front' as the local Weather Weenies are calling it.
OK, so big deal, we deal with it.
My lane is 50 yards long, facing West, and we are in the middle of a 10 acre Forest Preserve, 25'-40' high tree buffer, all around.
Yup, when it snows the lane fills up and the neighbors blow it out for us as we help them on other projects. However, when it melts, there is no way the tire tracks can be scraped or shoveled or blown out short of using a Duece & 1/2 with a blade, so today, December 28, it looks like what the Pioneers saw on the way up the Oregon Trail or through the Donner Pass, Holy Moley! You got it, track trails 6"-10" deep in ice going out to a road that ain't been bladed yet. However, the Mail still runs, God Bless my Rural Driver, she is a Peach!
Now I must add this, we have no complaints nor will ever have as we are born and bred in this weather zone and so it goes, but I must praise my 2nd Son who bought his Mom a Toro electric snow broom for Christmas and an extra 50' of cord so she can have 'fun' sweeping out the slab by the drive after I use the shovel and push broom, God Bless her! So there.
Y'all have fun now, and remember, wherever you are, it is only a few short weeks til Shooting Season starts and the NCOWS Convention, and somewhere, sometime, someplace, an NCOWS Posse or local CAS club will hopefully put on a series of Buff Shoots for all of us old farts that don't shoot CAS anymore!
Best regards, good Shooting and safe driving!
'Ol Gabe
NCOWS #925