Winter 2009/2010

**Wingfoot** · December 29th, 2009, 03:12 AM

Sometimes winter sucks.

I had a week of single digit days with a 25 mph breeze. Dressing for that weather makes it just another day at the office. No big deal.

With few exceptions, this has been kinda, sorta a mild and dry winter for me. Then Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Saturday my area received a total of 9" of powder with a steady wind. Not really a full fledged blizzard, but still plenty of snow drifts.

I don't know how you guys up north deal with this shit, day in, day out.......

Monday, as I stepped into the 3' deep snow drifts, the snow got shoved up my legs to my knee caps inside my quilted Carhartt bibs. When I pulled back, the snow packed around my ankles at the top of my boots! This came with each step through the drifts. My discomfort for the day were the wet socks, chilly ankles and cold toes. Tuesday I'll try something different to keep the snow off my ankles......

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**Doc Brown** · December 29th, 2009, 08:38 AM

Wing,
what really bites is calling contractors and asking when they will be there. In short, you mark it, it snows more, you mark it again, maybe even a third time, then, when they finally get on site, they clear away ALL the snow (and all the markings) and expect you to mark it again. I got in a pissing match last year with a contractor who sat in his nice toasty truck for an hour watching me work. Just as I was hooking up on the last line, he cleared all the snow so he could get is excavator in to the work site. I was pissed, as I had not taken any photos yet. Then he started telling me that it should have already been marked and that they had to wait for me. This was a relocate request, so, the only reason they were waiting was due to the weather.
Any way, I have to wonder, what do the summer temps get like by you? I find it harder for me to work with the extreme highs we get, but I know that they aren't as bad as yours.

**ProfessionalLocator** · December 29th, 2009, 09:19 AM

Winter has been good so far until this last snow but hey there are a couple of months to go yet.

As for the guy that sat there, watched while the marks were put down in the snow and then cleared all the snow.

It's ; Hey buddy, there is a fine in this state for the willful destruction of utility marks. So if it is a pissing contest you want you lose. Do you want to pay X dollars in fines? He answers no. Okay, I'll remark the site right now. Next time you need to clear all the snow from the ground call me first and we will set up an appointment.

I build relationships with contractors based on cooperation plus power, when it comes to locating I am the authority and have the power.

**Wingfoot** · December 29th, 2009, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Doc Brown

Wing, what do the summer temps get like by you? I find it harder for me to work with the extreme highs we get, but I know that they aren't as bad as yours.

Hey Doc - Welcome to theVine! Please post often.

I work 450 miles south & west of you. My summers are not as brutal as the boys in Texas, Oklahoma or western Kansas. My hottest part of summer is the last 2 weeks of July and all of August. Temps hover 100 degrees every day with 70% plus humidity during this time period. The grass here goes dormant.

Dormant Grass

I own a dozen Carhartt pocketed, short-sleeve, white, work dry t-shirts that wick away moisture. Gotta have a pocket to be of any use to me. The synthetic blend is slightly more pricey and not quite as durable as the standard cotton Ts, but these babies work well to keep me cool and dry in the summer. I wear them year round.......

I wear the micro-fiber boxer briefs year round to control my swamp ass. I haven't suffered a single case of monkey-butt in over 2 years since I started wearing the micro-fiber boxer briefs. This underwear is amazing, since I suffered almost daily with a ruby-red taint, all year long, before the micro-fibers. Read more.

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**Doc Brown** · December 29th, 2009, 05:25 PM

Well thank you for the welcome Wing,

For some reason I thought you were in Texas. I must have gotten mixed up.
Anyway, we do get some hot days up here, reaching around mid 90's in early August with humidity hovering around what seems to be 200%. Those are usually the days with alot of sun, and not a breeze.
I read your other thread, and I guess I am not stepping out of line by bringing up swamp ass. That is one of the most disgusting feelings ever. I won't get in to too much detail, but I have had days where I feel the need to tidy up in the restroom. YUCK. I will have to take your advice on the under layers. Jarheads suggestion seems one to consider as well.

**yahoo** · December 29th, 2009, 07:15 PM

well I only like playing in the snow!!!

**Goldenboy** · December 29th, 2009, 09:00 PM

Wing it's nice to see you got to play in the snow. There is really no good way to work in the snow.

Hopefully with them single digit temps they got you some solvent based paint. I don't think the water based paint would be worth a crap unless you started your truck a couple hours before going into work.

My main thing is a good tall pac boot. LaCrosse or Sorel are my personal favorites. But getting snow in the boot,down your back(when climbing under pine trees), and in your gloves just means you've been working hard.

**clown shoes** · December 30th, 2009, 12:59 PM

In deep snow instead of overalls I use nylon rain pants, and tape them around my ankles. The snow doesn't stick to them. With overalls going in and out of a warm truck you just get wetter and wetter.

**headcipher** · December 30th, 2009, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by clown shoes

In deep snow instead of overalls I use nylon rain pants, and tape them around my ankles. The snow doesn't stick to them. With overalls going in and out of a warm truck you just get wetter and wetter.

I use snow gaiters. Best of both. Warm bibs, dry legs.

**OVUS1** · December 30th, 2009, 03:12 PM

Harley Davidson sells a cold weather waterproof boot cover that slips on over your boot and goes up to the high calf/knee area. You cover your pant leg (or coverall leg) and velcro the thing at the top to cinch it as tight as you can stand. Works great when you are riding in cold/wet weather - might be something to look at to keep snow out of the mix.....

**beyond help** · December 30th, 2009, 07:15 PM

Oh crap, there goes wing talking about his underwear again... Gotta mess with ya a little. I hate it when you get that case of blue balls. Man, nothing like not thinking about the ditchline, you forgot your bibs, and you take that 3' plummet. Damn, that blows.