Secrets of the City

This didn’t seem like a lot of snow to The Rat.

Mighta got 6 inches in Nordeast.

I bet the Rat is envious of anything over 6″.

You take anything the weather reports say about potential snowfall and divide by two in order to get the real amount. Then you avoid the gas stations and supermarkets, especially Cub, in order to not fall into the Cub Conspiracy.

This is the only state in the nation where we get routine snowfall yet people get freaked the fuck out when it’s coming. As if anything under 50″ of snowfall would keep you from obtaining any important food item for the next two days. Yet, you have to pickup a bag of dog food on the night before the storm is supposed to hit and you find shelves empty and the lanes packed with douchebags happily spending their paycheck to avoid having to venture out in the flurries.

A conspiracy at the hands of Cub I tell you!

champs is going to comment in both agreement and the style of The Rat.

Those were some pretty tenacious flakes, but it fell somewhat short of a “snowstorm” or “blizzard” like I heard at some point yesterday. I don’t drive, but found it quite a pleasure to ride home with the wife last night and not have to make any guesses about where to park. It’s the back of the building, in the spot you dug out yourself, like the rugged individualist you are.

Bear in mind, folks, that a 25-mile swing in the direction of the weather front can mean the difference between “a lot” and “not so much.” We got 6.5 inches in St. Paul; Minnetonka got around 3-inches. So blame Mother Nature for not following through. The only — ONLY — completely accurate computer weather model you will EVER have is the one that is happening RIGHT NOW.

But that doesn’t do much for planning a drive tomorrow, does it?

Btw, why are there so many complaints from people whose cars were towed after snow emergencies are declared? Did someone not hear the news that we were expecting a snowfall greater than 3-inches (the threshold at which a snow emergency is declared)? How can people go through life so oblivious to what is happening around them? The only excuse I *might* consider is from someone who moved here only 3 months ago from, say, Florida. Or don’t they plow residential streets and boulevards in places like Chicago and Des Moines?

Btw, why are there so many complaints from people whose cars were towed after snow emergencies are declared?

Many people lead complicated lives of their own making; and simple day-to-day requirements sometimes fall through the cracks.

I love it when SLP declares a snow emergency and rather than tow your car, they just plow you in. I’d rather see some dude spending an hour shoveling his car out than bitching about a $150+ fine on the morning news.

This snowfall, specifically and seperate from all other meteorological events, is more concrete evidence of global warming climate change. It never used to snow in Minnesota in December.

The snow emergency was triggered by GM (who single-handedly killed the elecric car, including Honda’s Insight) as a ploy to force us to buy Escalades by holding our battery-operated, compost-shitting cars hostage.

Anyone who disagrees is an Bigoted Evangelical Denialist. By the way, the coffee was unusually strong this morning!

Or don’t they plow residential streets and boulevards in places like Chicago and Des Moines?

Having just moved to Chicago, they do things a bit differently. Some streets don’t allow overnight parking Dec. 1 through April 1, regardless of whether there’s any snow on the ground. There are other streets that don’t allow parking if the accumulation is more than 2 inches.

As for all of the other streets, from what I can tell, you don’t have to move your car at all. Which is why parking spaces in the winter are so coveted and people will leave lawn chairs and garbage cans as placeholders–people think that if you dug out the spot, it is yours as long as the snow lasts.

I’ve lived in other places that enact even/odd side street parking rules in the winter, whether there’s snow or not. That, plus some snow emergency routes (still even/odd if there’s no snow, but no parking at all if there is snow).

Anyone who disagrees is an Bigoted Evangelical Denialist.

I totally read that as “Bigoted Evangelical Dentist.”

Anyone who disagrees is an Bigoted Evangelical Denialist.

I totally read that as “Bigoted Evangelical Dentist.”

ha ha Same here. Read it three times wondering wtf a dentist had to do with it.

It never used to snow in Minnesota in December.

I hope you’re joking. You are, aren’t you?

Because if you aren’t, you must be under 15. I’m so old I can remember waking up, as an elementary school student, on a few Thanksgiving mornings to a foot or more of snow in the backyard. We’ve even had below zero November daytime highs as recently as 10 years ago (with snow on the ground then, too).

Yeah, I think his entire comment was sarcasm.

Or tongue in cheek. Comedy. Irony. Facetiousness. Whatever you want to call it.

I hope you’re joking. You are, aren’t you? Because if you aren’t, you must be under 15.

Today’s humor is sponsored by too much caffiene. I’m usually 1 cupa decaf.

I’m much older that 15, but the way I cast that half-wit hyperbole sorta sounds like a 15-year old though, doesn’t it?

Duh. Must. Have. Caff. Eine.

Let’s hope that this means we’ll get a real winter this. This is the earliest the cross country groomers have been able to set trails in 16 years.

Time to wax!

Trail Reports

We’ve even had below zero November daytime highs as recently as 10 years ago (with snow on the ground then, too).

Yes, like 2005.

I wasn’t sure where to put this question, but does anybody know where I could find cheap snow pants around here? I want to go sledding, and I am snow pant-less!

Depends on what you mean by “cheap.”

Midwest Moutaineering is pretty good. They have “Thrifty Outfitters” that carries discontinued or seconds. Usually can find some pretty good deals.

If you’re not opposed to the Big Guys, REI has a variety and you’ll be able to find some reasonably priced options. Happy Shopping!

Thanks for the tip, Cat!

Oh, and Happy Sledding as well, Tara.
The snow is perfect for it.

My friend and I are taking her kids to the Lyndale Farmstead hill – not big, but very fun.

You can tattle on your neighbors if they don’t shovel their sidewalks

“We want to make sure pedestrians and emergency workers have a safe place to walk. If residents want to report a sidewalk that has not been shoveled, just call 311.”