So when I left for Buffalo, NY two weeks ago, the forecast was calling for 4-8 inches of snow. By the time that I got to Buffalo (I-90 from Central MA...based upon the GPS' directions, that translates into "Turn right in 400 miles"), the forecast was calling for 1-3 ft of snow but I said "its Buffalo and they now how to handle it"). Well, that 1-3 ft, turned into a few feet more and pretty much shutdown anything that I needed to get done out that way. Given that I travel frequently for work, I have a GHB in the truck and am fairly good about going through it a few times a year. By the time Tuesday night rolled around and I had been stuck in the hotel and power outages were beginning to be a real threat, I decided to go through the bag again with an eye towards my current situation. While I had my "essentials", I found that I really wasn't prepared for heavy snow and bitter cold. I do keep spare work clothes in my truck but I needed something to keep the wind off as well as the rain gear doesn't fit comfortably over the winter clothes. While I don't expect to see five+ feet of snow again real soon, I spent some of my thanksgiving holiday researching and purchasing some new gear including a new 20 below sleeping bag, an easily drainable water filter, and a better cold rated lightweight stove.
Long story short, I was able to escape mid-week by driving north to Lockport and taking 31 east towards Rochester to avoid the travel ban on 90....a few miles east of Lockport, the storm cleared and I had sunny skies with green grass as far as you could see (at least to the east). Watching the convoys of State plow trucks and the National Guard heading into the storm was pretty amazing. On a positive note, I did bring a snow shovel into the hotel room when I checked in and got a few strange looks while doing so but guess who was "easily" shoveling out their vehicle the next day while the guy next to me was attempting to use his room's ice bucket to do so.
Long story short, I was able to escape mid-week by driving north to Lockport and taking 31 east towards Rochester to avoid the travel ban on 90....a few miles east of Lockport, the storm cleared and I had sunny skies with green grass as far as you could see (at least to the east). Watching the convoys of State plow trucks and the National Guard heading into the storm was pretty amazing. On a positive note, I did bring a snow shovel into the hotel room when I checked in and got a few strange looks while doing so but guess who was "easily" shoveling out their vehicle the next day while the guy next to me was attempting to use his room's ice bucket to do so.
Last edited:
![[shocked]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/007.gif "Shocked [shocked]")
)
![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
...good idea to have one
