Elk Township starts work to reopen Leetonia Road

Road after grader

Yesterday I heard the sound of a large machine and looked outside to see the township grader coming down the road. Six large tires chained, some aggressive teeth and a blade hit the road past our house. I watched as the teeth bit into the ice in front of the grader and the large machine struggled swinging from side to side with wheels spinning a battle against the frozen ice and snow covered road. As Lee and I watched Ed run the machine up the road we had real concern for him navigating a winter's worth of ice and snow. The big grader has tasted defeat on this road before and there isn't any cell service to the South of us.

Just about the time Lee said, "Should I go look for him?" We heard the rumble of the heavy machine coming back. I went down and talked to Ed before I drove into town and he said that they may bring the truck with the plow on it down Saturday. He was hoping the coming rain would soften up the ice and make it easier to get off with the truck. 

The day he came it was still in the 20's and even after the grader beat on the road there was still \ 2-3 inches of ice left. He said he used the grader from my place down to just past Cedar Crest Camp. I am not sure I share Ed's optimism on that ice softening up enough that the truck will be able to plow it by Saturday, but I hope he is right.

It did start raining today and I was awoken to the sound of a Cardinal's call outside my window. The quiet mornings of winter are over. I spotted a Bluebird, Turkey Vulture, Rabbit, and fresh muddy bear tracks on my neighbor's porch. So the animals have put in a positive vote for Spring and with the arrival of the large yellow grader I too am starting to believe. 

You should still use four-wheel drive coming up the valley and be prepared for icy spots like the above picture if you come up this weekend. I think the majority of the ice might be gone before the following weekend as the temperatures are going well above freezing for the next ten days. Happy Road Opening. Mountain Girl, Paula, logging out.

Internet Blues

Sorry not to get anything up before the weekend our internet went down last Monday and they just fixed it a couple hours ago. The roads are still quite icy underneath the 4 new inches of snow we got a couple days ago. A few snowmobilers have been out, but for the most part a very quiet weekend. Just the kind the mountain girls like. One group was up to Leetonia for the weekend and discovered it was even difficult to walk outside. They were given a primer on spikes for your shoes. See this old post for a picture of the ones I have.  I keep a pair in my car at all times just in case I need to get out. Nothing worse then stepping out of your car and finding yourself laying on the ground.
I will try to update you on the roads next weekend before the weekend with a few pictures. For now enjoy winter it will be around a few more months. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Icelandia

Driveway

Ice road

2 of 6 Turkeys on the hill

As I listened to the rain fall last evening, I knew we were in store for some bad roads. The ground is very frozen from our below zero weather last week and the rain didn't stay liquid long when it hit the earthen ice-cube. Our driveway is an ice-skating rink leading down to the road which isn't in much better condition. Just looking at it makes the muscles in my chest tighten in preparation for driving over the mountain. 

My least favorite weather: chain and cleats for your shoes weather. Falling can result in a nasty bone break, muscle strain or worse a head injury. Driving on this is like floating on a boat in the wind without a rudder. I am hoping the township brings some more cinders down before I need to leave for work tomorrow morning. This is the kind of weather it is really better to stay home, wish I had that option. 

Before we got the rain, Lee saw about six turkeys walking on the side of the mountain next to our house. They eat the seeds on the weeds stretching their necks high to reach any seed still left for the taking. They seem to like the Multifloria Rose berries as much as any thing they can find. You may have to look close to see them as their color blends into the patches of brown against the snow.

I wouldn't recommend anyone coming back here unless they have to. It is not going to be fun traveling until we either get some more snow on top this ice or it all melts in March or April. The temperatures are about ten degrees lower back here than what the forecast shows for the area because of the snow cover and the mass of very frozen ground keeping the air temperatures low. As always be prepared for any emergency if you do come back. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Weather still strange

We got 2-5 inches of wet snow in the middle to upper part of the mountains yesterday, unfortunately it was followed with rain and freezing temperatures. The North side of mountain froze up pretty good. On the way back from town today we got a snow squall that was absolutely beautiful as you came into the forest; something you would never hear me say if we had been having real snow this winter.

As I was enjoying the view I saw a logging truck coming out of the woods loaded towards me. Now it is not fun. The road wasn't plowed wide enough for both of us so being the smaller one I started to back up looking for somewhere to get around. I got out once to check the ditch full of snow to find it was deeper than it looked so I back up down the narrow icy road for a mile and a half. Finally, I found a wide spot and let him around. Backing up in white snow it is very hard to see the edges of the road so it is a bit nerve racking.

However, it wasn't nearly as nerve racking as the North side of the mountain had become during the day. It was very icy, half way up I started slipping and my heart started pumping as I slowed down to a crawl. I wasn't sure I would have enough speed to make it up the 2 mile grade. But I made it and once I cleared the top covered in snowmobile tracks. I started down the other side, which is mostly clear. All I can say is I am glad to be home and don't plan on leaving again until it is cindered. Mountain girl, Paula, calming her nerves in front of a warm fire.

Maynard School Progress

Well things are moving along with the school house project. The walls are all done. The slate board is back up and I am putting in the suspended ceiling. It is difficult working around all the stuff in building seems I spend much of my time moving things. When ceiling is completed, I will be doing caulking and nail hole filling. I will also be starting to paint the siding boards and the exterior window trim inside as it is still too cold to paint outdoors. The high tomorrow will be 36 and the low 21, that is an upgrade from the low teens we have had for lows the last few days.

Looks like we may use an epoxy paint with

colored flakes in it for floor. There isn't many products that can withstand the changing temperatures and lay on a less than flat floor. Vinyl would have been an option except the school desks cast iron feet would tear it up.

So after the ceiling, I will probably be crawling under the school house to check supports for floor. I am sure more will need to be added. I am hoping we get some warmer weather soon as much of my next work will be outside.

The last picture is just a cool icicle on our back porch roof. It is about three foot long. I had to knock it down so it didn't kill, Speck the Chihuahua on one of his trips outside. Lee Anne would never forgive me if I killed her dog while she was gone.

Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Leetonia at Christmas time

It was a rainy/icy day for Christmas. Lee is gone so it was just me and the dogs. We celebrated Christmas early so I worked on Christmas day to make it seem more like any other day. The ice outside was bad enough you did't feel like doing much outside anyway.
The day after Christmas I crept out the slippery roads to get some supplies. On the way back Leetonia Road was jammed with tow trucks. Not small ones..the big ones they use for semis. It seems the Gaines road plowing truck thought he could get by without chains and did a little flip off the road he rolled down about 15'. I did a little flashback to my accident and was glad I didn't
take a big dump truck down the cliff.
I turned around and circled over the mountain going up Elk Run to Schumacher. I came out by the Elk Township building and Lee Stover stopped me to say the Elk Township truck was laid up. They were sending the West Branch truck to cinder the ice. He told me the Gaines truck did a "Paula" down the road. Being a good sport I laughed, but now I think my name is becoming synonymous with flipping off the road. I had hoped for a better legacy.
My daughter and kids are coming up the second week in January and my daughter send me this picture of the youngest, Ella. She looks quite ready to be a mountain girl. I don't know if you can tell by the smile but she has enough energy to move the mountain.
The first picture shows the weather today. We got a couple inches of snow last night to cover our ice so it looks a little nicer but I doubt if it is any easier to walk yet. Well the fire is stoked up and warm. I have a trip into town for one of the dogs and will pick up some more cereal. Hope you all had a great Leetonia Christmas. I know I did. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

No Snow from East Coast Storm

Just a quick update. We did not receive any snow from that storm that dumped up to 24 inches on the east coast. We still have a lot of ice on the roads and wearing chains is the only safe way to travel in the back woods. The ice is the only part of living back here I do not like. It is difficult to walk. Just getting into my truck yesterday, I ended up holding the steering wheel as my feet flew out from under me. The dogs seem to fair better. I think having four or in Thor's case three feet on the ground with claws helps. The propane company has not come to fill our tank and my concern is they may not show up until spring. We might make it through the winter on half a tank but it would be close. Well I got the fire started and the house is starting to warm up. Today is pancake day so I am off to eat breakfast and then go work. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Road Conditions

In case you all are wondering how the roads are to Leetonia, here is the news. We traveled south on Leetonia road to Cedar Run today. The first picture shows some of the ice we encountered. This is in front of Theresa's place and shortly after I took this picture we slid sideways. We have studded tires on the Subaru it does well in snow but not so hot on ice.
Traveling down the road was slow and most of the road looked like the second picture icy rough ruts. The snow in the middle and edges is frozen hard and it is difficult to get out of the ruts which is good and bad. Staying in the ruts keeps you from going off the road, but if another vehicle
comes it could be a problem for a car like ours. The bottom of the car rubbed on the high snow in the middle of the road for about half the trip.
About half way down the road had a few places like the third picture with the ruts down to the gravel. If it had been this way all the way it would have been a breeze. We weren't that lucky.
The last two hair pin curves were slick like the first picture and I have to say I held my breathe more than once on the way down.
After making it to Cedar Run we pretty much decided the road is only drivable with chains on. You must go slowly and stay on the high side of the banked road to do well.
If you come in from the Galeton/Gaines side the road is plowed and sanded up to the point in of the first picture. From Theresa's place down to Franks it is very icy and you must have cleats on your shoes to walk or chains on your vehicle to drive. If we get more snow the conditions could improve as the snow tends to rough up the ice and bond to it making it less slippery, but for now it is for brave or crazy people. I am not sure which category we fall into, but I will say my IQ improved on the way back and I made Lee drive 50 miles around to come home. This is hard to do since it is only 9 miles the fast dangerous way from Cedar Run to home. It took forever, but I was able to breathe a lot better.
Coming from the south I would suggest coming up 15 to 6 then down from Gaines at Watrous to Leetonia road and in. Bring chains and cleats for your boots if coming up this weekend. Mountain girl, Paula, logging off.

Warm weather ices roads

This is what the road looks like in front of the house. The temperatures are above freezing and have turned what is left of the snow on the road into ice. In places where they don't plow it has made the snow soft. If you try to drive on unplowed areas when the temperatures are above freezing you will be stuck. So much for my road warnings.

I had to wear cleated shoes to walk the dogs this morning and the wind was blowing fairly strong. About half way up the mountain I heard a crack and turned around to watch a tree fall. When I started to think about how many years that tree had been growing and in what a short time it fell; I thought what were the chances I would be walking close enough in the whole lifetime of that tree to be there for that few seconds? Often when the wind blows hard you can hear trees fall, but rarely are you looking right at one when it happens. I will have to say I stay out of the pine forest when the wind is hard because very often a branch will fall and I don't want to get hit in the head by it. When the tree fell the dogs alerted to the possibility of some animal making noise and looked at it for some time waiting for it to move again. When it didn't they were on to the next smell or movement they could see. I am sure they didn't put as much thought into the tree fall as I did. Well, I am off to put some windows in will the weather is warm. Mountain girl, Paula, logging off.

Chain Up!

Just thought I would drop a note to anyone considering coming up in the next few days. The snow is now being covered with freezing rain. It is extremely slippery to walk or drive. Don't even THINK of driving back here without chains. It is also helpful to have cleats for your shoes should you get stuck. There is nothing worse than getting stuck then getting out of your vehicle only to fall on your face. I wish I didn't know that one by experience. These are the days even the animals have trouble. I was once told of an ice storm so bad deer broke their legs trying to walk and many had to be humanely shot. During that event there were many more deer than now. Many times when the weather gets bad you can see the deer sleeping on the sunny sides of the mountain in an almost hibernation type mode. They move as little as possible to save energy. Moving as little as possible sounds good to me and Lee so we are both waiting for nicer weather to venture out. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Yep, its slippery!

For those of you who would like to know the road conditions this picture should help. I am generally pretty cautious on these roads and chain-up when it is slippery. But I think having the roads plowed and salted this year made me lazy. I thought I could sneak through a section that wasn't salted. I did once, but on the way back on Leetonia Road just before Micks I felt my truck swerve dangerously close to a 50' drop-off. I was able to keep it away from the drop off but the mountain jumped out and bite my bumper. Once the mountain had a grip on my bumper I felt the rear of my truck pass me and I found my self in the ditch facing the opposite way. I got out to inspect the damage and see how I was going to get out. I walked to the back of the truck and both feet flew out from under me, I hit my elbow hard and then my head.
"Yes, Paula it is icy," I could hear my truck say. At this point some cursing was involved and I sat in my truck and cried a little pity party for myself.

I knew no one would be coming to my rescue. Lee wasn't home, cell phones don't work, and there isn't anyone driving this road (some people are smart enough not to drive on these roads). So, I gathered up some courage and got out again with more caution. The bumper was pushed into my tire. I needed something to pry it off. I walked up to Micks and borrowed a shovel and a crow bar. I was able to free my tire from the bumper and I shoveled under the tires and tried to back out of the ditch. My rear tires spun on the ice. I got out my chains and placed them on the ground in a line behind my tires this gave me just enough grip to get out of the ditch. I gathered up the chains and drove slowly backwards to Micks driveway were it was salted and I could turn around.

I realized how lucky I had been. If I had gone over the edge and been hurt the single digit temps would have not treated me kindly. Lee was in New York and didn't get home that night until 11:30PM, which means no one would have looked for me for twelve long cold hours. One good thing is she would have known where to look, since we keep track of each other very closely for just this reason. So today when I got up with a bruised swollen elbow, a broken truck and a bruised ego. I could still feel lucky.

So, warning if you are coming up wear chains. Also we are having more snow Friday so the road conditions could change. Right now it is icy, rutty, and a bit mean out there. Drive careful I don't need any members to my truck smashing club. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out!