Plow this

It’s good to get plowed every once and a while.

The storm the last weekend of February 2013 dropped about 22 inches of snow and the following Tuesday, weather forecasters predicted a light dusting or one or two inches of snow for the mountain area. I got a foot.

Sometimes you have a problem and don’t know it so leave it to two snowstorms to bring it to my attention.

I didn’t know my snow tires were kaput.

I didn’t know that the Jeep wouldn’t engage in 4-wheel drive.

I didn’t know we’d get that much snow.

I didn’t realize how much I missed my former neighbor, the one with the big snow plow and generous spirit.

I tried to be valiant and just deal with coaxing my Subaru out of the yard but an uncharacteristic problem presented itself. My car wouldn’t go. Slipping along, I slid into Big O Tires in Conifer and they pronounced my tires fit for city-snow driving but unfit for the prolific snows of Shadow Mountain. $499 later I have four new tires and the realization that new tires probably would have help prevent the accident I was involved in three weeks ago. I couldn’t stop on snow and plowed into a kid that had slid through a stop sign. Live and learn.

Jeeps are great, all terrain vehicles with tenacity and power. Unfortunately, my Jeeper didn’t read the manual and wouldn’t budge. The four-wheel drive wouldn’t engage foiling my plan to drive it up and down the driveway to mash the snow down (low clearance on Roo-B was a problem) but I was lucky to get the Jeeper back in its parking spot. Distance traveled was about three feet. It may have to stay there until spring unless I want to dig out the chains. Not so much.

The weekend brought a realization along with all that snow; I needed my driveway plowed. I admit I was miffed when each neighbor around me hooked up their plow and spade their driveway to a smooth surface. Petulance doesn’t work up here so as the snow kept piling up, called a neighbor and begged him to come and at least clear the snow blocking the top of the driveway courtesy of Jeffco Road and Maintenance. With his help it was possible to get out and go to work but I really began to miss my former neighbor, now a happy resident of Alabama where snow is measured … never.

I placed an ad on the local website, Pinecam, asking for a plower to come and do my driveway. I also asked local businesses that do plowing but I came up against a wall. When they found out I lived up on Shadow Mountain the answer was the same: No way.

Alex answered my plea for a driver, we traded a few text messages and he showed up at 11 p.m. Tuesday night because a good plower is a precious commodity and they pretty much run the show. What are you gonna do? Pitch a fit? Make demands? Make them a sandwich?

He worked for about 30 minutes and cleared out A LOT of snow. I have one pile that’s 6 feet high and about 20 feet long. Most snow was pushed over the edge of the driveway and boy, could he maneuver that truck and plow. It’s an artform, moving all that snow around. I knew I had the right guy when he pulled out of the driveway and backed his 4×4 3/4-ton truck with a massive plow all the way down to the house and in almost pitch darkness. That takes some skill.

The cost for this service is $75 but I added a $25 tip for two reasons: First, he did a great job – in the middle of the night, in bad weather, on short notice and secondly, I need all the advantage I can get. I’d post his phone number for anyone who needs a plower but finding and keeping a good one is a competition.

It’s a problem you don’t know you had until you’re up to your ass in snowflakes.