Traction

January 14, 2025

Yesterday I decided it was time to get out into the weather and take the kids for a walk. I decided to go to the lake as it was more open and had a better probability for the parking lot to be cleared by road crews. The temperatures in the morning were below freezing (-0C) but were set to warm up to 40F (4.5C) by the afternoon. I did have two concerns. The first was the possibility for windchill which would negate any increase in temperature. I decided to dress for the cold. That meant a pair of long johns under my sweatpants. Then a tee shirt, a long sleeve undershirt, and a long-sleeved thermal undershirt. I topped this off with a light ski jacket. The first concern was covered. The second concern was the potential for ice and snow on the spits we walk at the lake. The kids have been romping in the snow in the side yard, and I knew this would not be their concern. That is different for me and was my reason to shovel over the weekend. Melissa was a runner when we met and one of her first Christmas presents was cold weather gear for running in Kansas. That meant running gloves, hand and foot warmers, and a set of spikes in a rubber harness. The spikes were billed as “everyday traction aids”. The spikes should provide the traction I needed to walk the kids.

When I looked online, I found Merriam-Webster defines traction in several ways. The first definition (and applicable for me) is “the adhesive friction of a body on a surface on which it moves”. A variation of this meaning says traction can refer to “a pulling force exerted on a skeletal structure (as in a fracture) by means of a special device” (splint). A second definition is “the force exerted in the act of drawing or being drawn”. The third meaning took a different approach with “the support or interest that is needed for something to make progress or succeed”. This indicates something “gains traction” as people begin to accept and/or adopt an idea or methodology. Finally, traction refers to “the drawing of a vehicle by motive power”. Here a tractor is something that pulls something else. This is often a piece of farm machinery or the part of a big truck that includes the engine and the cab. The word tractor comes from the Medieval Latin “traction”, or from the Latin “trahere”. The first known use of traction in English occurred in 1608, in the meaning defined by the second sense.

I was intrigued by the spikes guarantee to provide traction as I walked the kids. After I bought them, Melissa had never had an occasion to use them. They sat (in the original package) in my closet along with our shoes for 15 years. When we pulled into the lake for our walk, I found the parking lot was generally clear of ice and snow. Even the roads leading out to the end of the spits were clear, even though the grass on either side was snow covered. I left the traction spikes (still in their packaging) in the car and started on our hike. The temperature was higher than forecast at 45F (7C) and my decision to bundle against the cold seemed unnecessary. Neither of my concerns were warranted. I was toasty in my layers and the snow and ice were gone. However, I was not anticipating the mud. The ground was mostly frozen, but my four-wheeler buddies had been taking laps in the snow and over the roads. As we walked the spits, Loki’s legs and underbelly quickly became covered in mud. We took most of our laps circling the parking lot. Luckily there was enough snow on the grass to wash Loki off before I let him back into the car.

Thoughts: This was one of the (rare) occasions where I over planned for the cold and loss of traction. Even though I did not need all the extra layers, it was nice to be warm and snug while we walked. The traction aid I bought for Melissa went back into the closet next to my shoes to wait for another day. I do not know if my over planning can be accredited to experience or unwarranted caution as I age. As a Boy Scout our motto was “Be Prepared”. That is still a good motto for hiking, camping, and even for life in general. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Shovel

January 13, 2025

We are now well into recovery from the snowstorm that dumped 9 inches (23 cm) of snow on our town before the weekend. That gave me a day to recoup as I had no intention of getting out in the snow. I did take time Saturday afternoon to shovel the portion of the patio that was being trampled by the kids at play and myself as I stocked the feeders. It was in the 30’sF (0’sC) during the day and I knew if I did not remove the snow, it would become a sheet of ice. That would make it harder to remove and slicker as I walked (it did not seem to bother the kids either way). I always had a snow shovel when I lived in Kansas and used it several times over the winter. The shovel was something I did not bring when we moved to Arkansas. While it usually snows once over the winter, it is rarely deep enough to worry about shoveling. Since we got deep snow, that meant I got to dig out using a square 8-inch (20cm) shovel rather than the 18-inch (46 cm) snow shovel I am used to. If you do the math, you know it took twice as long to shovel my patio than if I had the proper equipment.

When I looked online, I found whether to shovel the snow or not is one of the biggest questions for homeowners. Questions arise about who is responsible, how much you should shovel, and what to do with the snow you shovel. This was a moot point as I began to shovel my patio. The city could care less if I shoveled my back yard or not, but the front yard is a different situation. The news stations all suggested you move your vehicles off the street to allow access for the street crews. They also suggested if you did not move them you may end up buried in the drift the plows create as they scoop the snow onto the easement. I knew I had responsibility for my sidewalk when we lived in Kansas, but we do not have a sidewalk in our cul-de-sac, so I was free from any responsibility there. Like my patio, I knew clearing my drive was more for my personal convenience than for others. What I found online is that the rules and regulations on whether you shovel snow vary from state to state, and some cities, towns, and homeowners’ associations (HOA) have their own rules about how to shovel snow. Like most US states in the south, Arkansas currently has no laws on snow removal.

Knowing it was not my responsibility to shovel snow did not help with maneuvering my driveway and front walk. We had several packages delivered after the snow let up and the mail and delivery people had forced their way through the snow. On Sunday I took on the larger task and prepared to shovel the front of our house. The winds had died down and the temperatures were now comfortably in the high 30’sF (0’sC) so it was ideal weather to shovel. I took my little flat shovel and scooped the snow into my yard on both sides of the sidewalk and driveway. I was glad I decided to shovel when I did because the snow was sitting on an inch (2.5 cm) of slush. The temperatures were predicted to again drop into the low 20’sF (-0’sC) and the slush was going to freeze. This would be compounded by the footsteps that compact the snow and aid in the freezing. When I woke up this morning the snow was completely gone and the cement dry. I am glad I decided to shovel.

Thoughts: As I continued to shovel my driveway, I noticed I was the only one on my cul-de-sac who was doing so. The snow was only on their drives and streets, and once you got out of our subdivision the roads were clear. I was not required to shovel, but I felt better knowing I was protecting myself and any delivery people that might venture onto our property. Every time I shovel snow (Kansas or Arkansas) the same thing happens. As my neighbor struggled to get out of the cul-de-sac, he stopped and jokingly asked if I would shovel his drive next. I declined. While major climate events can be devastating, they seem to bring people together. Surviving a climate event gives humans a sense of camaraderie that may not have been there previously. It would be better to connect prior to an event rather than because of one. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Snowstorm

January 10, 2025

Our first snowstorm of the new year started yesterday and continues this morning. The kids have come a long way since their first snowstorm 2 years ago. Zena had moved tenuously through the flakes giving them their sniff evaluation before finally deciding they were ok to play in. Loki missed that storm, and this was his first real opportunity to snuffle. We let them outside as the flakes were coming down yesterday. Zena immediately went on patrol prancing up and down the perimeter of the fence. Loki was more discriminating. Sensing “something” beneath the inches of snow he began to snuffle and dig. This morning brought on the “zummies”. Both dogs raced through the snow, only stopping long enough to get into a quick fight before getting back to zooming. Since it is below freezing (32F or 0C) I did not keep them outside too long. I also felt obligated to stand and watch to see how they were doing. That probably limited their time, as I get cold fast.

When I looked online, I found the snowstorm that moved through Arkansas overnight dumped nearly 15 inches (38 cm) of snow in some parts of Arkansas, roughly 8 inches (20 cm) across the Little Rock metro area, and 7 to 10 inches (18 to 25 cm) in the areas around my town, according to the National Weather Service in Little Rock. We average around 1 inch (2.5 cm) of snow annually. Entergy reported 8,496 customers without power as of 7:30 am, with most outages in southwest Arkansas. The Electric Cooperative of Arkansas reported 5,390 customers without power. Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field (east of Little Rock) reported there had been 36 flight cancellations as of 8:30 am Friday. Airlines are challenged by deicing planes in the snowfall, delaying morning departures. Airfield crews worked all night and into the morning to plow and sweep the snow from the main runway, taxiways, and air carrier ramp, airport spokesman Shane Carter said in Friday’s news release. Other parts of north-central Arkansas are expected to receive 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30.5 cm) and Northern Arkansas is forecast for 5 to 7 inches (13 to 18 cm) of snow, and some in the area could get more. We still have flurries expected to last until the afternoon.

Another reason to let the kids out in the snowstorm this morning is the combined group of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula), and a few brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) that descended. I do not mind feeding these birds, but when they descend, they quickly devour everything and drive the smaller passerines off by their presence. The blackbirds are skittish and just letting the kids into the yard makes them retreat to the surrounding trees. The smaller birds return despite the kids’ presence. Collectively, blackbirds may be described as a “murder” when they are seen flying together or perched on a tree branch. A “cloud” is a poetic term used as they fly together in formation. A “merle” is an older term used to describe the group as they forage for food on the ground while a “colony” is used to describe a group nesting together. Finally, a “congregation” is used to describe a group of blackbirds gathered in one area. The different names indicate the level of human interest in their various activities.

Thoughts: As the snowstorm winds down, I begin to reflect on getting out. Tad Sours, director of communications for Washington County said, “All that we really ask from the public is if you don’t have to get out in it, don’t . . . give plenty of room to our road crews.” Still, I did not make the pre-snowstorm dash for milk, bread, and toilet paper like most of the area’s residents. Global warming means extremes of both heat and cold, and opposite events at the same time (like a snowstorm and wildfire). Make a difference NOW, not later. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.