tough old machine...

We got about 5 inches of fluffy snow last night (too cold to hold a lot of mositure in it). Could have moved it with a shovel but I broke out my old MTD 5 hp 24 inch snowblower (I have a triple wide driveway so there is some concrete to clear). I've had this machine at least 16 years if not more. Still works even with my generally low maintance performed on it. Tough old AMERICAN made machine!! I might shed a tear or two when I have to scrap it (hopefully not for at least a couple more seasons).

I nominate my 1990 model Gehl 5620 skidsteer for snow removal. It only has a 60 inch bucket on it, but saves the old back. My 1000ft farm lane got the going over a couple times already. Keep it inside and plugged in all winter. Would like to update but this one might outlast me..!! The wife stopped me from crossing her lawn yesterday. I need a path to the chicken coop don'tcha know ?????

Glad to hear the temp is cold enough to make the snow light weight. Have not been back to the ranch since the week before Christmas. Twenty years ago I cleared our 1/4 mile long drive way with a walk behind snow blower. Now a plow on the front of a 86 F-250 is the tool of choice. This is used to clear the neighbors as well. When it is really bad, a skid steer or a H-60 loader is used.

After blizzards one neighbor uses an old triple wing snow/gravel truck to clear the township roads and the other neighbor uses a snow blower mounted on his tractor to get us out. That is why I clear their yards when we have less than a foot of snow. Around here you cannot afford to not pull your weight or piss off the neighbors. We have had five pieces of machinery working together to gain access to the paved road on a few occasions. By the way, they are all American made, except the air bags. Sorry, was not thinking, none of the machinery is new enough to have air bags.

Originally Posted by beardo

i have been using an international with a plow, sander and wing on it. Then again my day job is with sddot

sdot............scary

Yunkman- you must live close enough to the border to encounter these fine folks, eh??

All kidding aside, I salute the plow drivers. A constant moving target for half the drivers who shouldn't be driving under normal conditions let alone a snow storm. All kids of hours. People flipping them off on a regular occasion (many of these are in the first category). I'm certainly glad someone does the job!!!

Not too much of a "sand lizard" then (just kidding, it was Yankton guys that I used to work with at Scout camp that used that term, not me---just had to rib you a bit)!!

If you did want to cross the river, do you go east to Running Water or Vermillion or cross the border by land and then cross the river at the Ft. Randall dam??

The sand lizards live just south and south west of me. I'm between Ft. Randall and Running Water and we have real gumbo here.....(not the southern delicacy type) !!

The ft Randell dam is my favorite dam in the world. When you are driving a truck across it at night the small lights on the walls make it look like you are going in warp speed.Full article at Scrap Metal Forum: http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/off-t...#ixzz3OAzwicTr

I'll have to give it a try sometime if I make it down there in the near future. Both directions or is one better than the other for the "warp speed" effect??