Freezing Rain and Snow have Finally Arrived in Iowa

The Warning was sent out.

Snow and rain, and Freezing rain?

So it is snowing today.   Mere moments after blogging about how it has been a green Christmas,  I learned that there was a storm heading our way.   I'm not sure when it started, but it was called to begin around 4 AM.  The Freezing rain is always a game changer.   No matter how good your vehicle may be at handling snow,  a frictionless surface will make the most reliable vehicle look silly as it slides off the road.  For that reason,  we had prepared to stay home today.

Snow like sugar....just like this.

Subie LOVES the snow!

I guess the idea was on everyone's mind.   The other tenants all skipped out on their jobs today,  choosing to stay home in the safety and warmth instead of sliding off the back country roads and having to hitchhike in the cold.   However,  we noticed that the snow was more like a granulated sugar and not like a sheet of ice or slush.   Subie actually had pretty good traction in this form of snow.

AND the Rain!

So we decided to see if we could make it to Iowa City.   I took the back roads because I did not want some 4x4 Chevy or Ford blowing by me thinking they can handle the slick spots better.   I was able to go around 50 mph most of the way,  but it was nice being able to slow around curves where I needed to .

Taking it easy around the curves....

 By the way,  I'm SOOO happy I fixed up Subie YESTERDAY.   Before this slop came down.

We didn't check out the pool today.   A couple of reasons.   One:  It was possibly that they might have not been open.   Two:   I'm missing my swimming goggles!   And three:   Cheryl was not to hip on swimming after she scoped it out last time.   I guess the bad form must have strained a shoulder muscle  for a couple of days.   So instead....we decided to take a walk.

Snowmanned!

Walking in a rain and snow mixture is a bit of a challenge.   The grainy snow was similar to walking on the beach.  Only you are walking in heavy boots and coats.    The heavy snow that is falling sticks to your clothes and begins to create a snow man effect.   Snow man.   Where you look like a snow man because you are covered in snow...   Am I the only one who has ever used that term?

Other Crazy People

There are advantages to walking in miserable weather though.   The first is that you are the only one ( usually) that is stupid enough to walk out in a snow mixed with rain storm.   ( There were foot prints on the trail, suggesting there were "others".)   And second,  you get to see things that you may not see on a typical day.   Today..that was Deer.  

So Field and Stream stories are TRUE...if you live in Iowa.

We have seen the deer before,  but today there was a flood of them.    11 in all ran by us as we walked through the hills.   The best part was a large buck that followed the herd.   It was like I was reading a field and stream "how to" article.   All those stories  about bucks and their harems I thought were fictitious.   Well,  they are TRUE!...  but only here in Iowa I guess.

Currently, the snow continues to beat against the windows and scare the cat.   It sounds like someone is throwing sand against the glass.   But I hear it is supposed to stop around midnight tonight.    The snow is heavy and compact, so it does not look like there will be a huge thick fluffy blanket.   I just hope it does not freeze on the roads for tomorrow.    It's quite heavy and sloppy.  Perhaps we may even be able to swim a few laps tomorrow....even without the goggles.   We shall see.

As I write this,  one of the neighbors just got stuck in the Driveway.   A Ford I think.....Should have bought a Subaru!