surviving snowmageddon

This winter has been a real winter in the District of Columbia. Rather than overreacting to the chance of an inch or two of snow, this winter has packed two storms that have dumped a grand total of 40 inches at The Burrow. Other, smaller storms have dumped an additional 7 or so inches, making this the snowiest winter we’ve seen here since moving into town back in February 2003.

DC is still not a town that likes snow. It has a great deal of influence from the southern states, where frozen, fluffy precipitation is more of an abhorrent anomaly than a regular visitor. So many DC residents are ill-equipped for the stuff.

They own nary a shoe that can withstand deep, cold layers of slush on the ground.

They use umbrellas during snowfall, which makes those of use who grew up in snow country giggle as they pass.

They tend to think that monster-size four-wheel-drive vehicles are invincible. (Wait – that’s common everywhere.)

And their snowplow drivers tend to have a tough time remembering how to operate the large blade that’s attached to the front of their vehicles.

I have to admit, the current administration here in DC is dealing with the snow far better than its predecessor. When we moved to DC, it was immediately after the “Blizzard of 2003,” and our street went unplowed for over a week, as DC plow drivers routinely were intimidated by the snowpack. Eventually, plows from New Jersey were hired to finish the job (which they did in a matter of two days).

This time ’round (as was also the case with December’s “Snowpocalypse” storm), the local plows have done a decent job of clearing the roads. The same can’t be said about many homeowners clearing their sidewalks (it’s now been 43 hours since the snowfall stopped, and owners technically have 8 hours from the cessation of snowfall to clear their walks), but DC’s usual strategy is to “let it melt.”

Have I mentioned that it’s not cleared freezing since the storm, save for in sunny areas, and that the overnight hours have refrozen everything? Heh.

As far as sprite and I are concerned, we’ve done well. We had plenty of food and entertainment on hand, shoveled the walks throughout the course of the storm, and are very thankful that most of DC has its utility supply lines underground – thus no loss of electricity or phone, unlike our suburban neighbors who have lost power and cable TV during the storm.

Today I’ll take my mountain bike out onto the snow-covered streets to enjoy my snow day – should be fun, if slow.