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Topic starter
23/02/2022 7:43 am
As I'm sipping my HOT coffee on another COLD morning (it's 2 below zero with a wind-chill factor of 12 below zero), I hear the snow plow thumping outside as it not only clears our streets, but plows in the end of my driveway (again). So I'll have to shovel the pile of snow the plow left before I can exit my driveway for the day.
As I've pondered this not so exciting activity, I find myself wondering why I've never been smart enough to get out of Minnesota where we have this crappy weather over 7 months of every year. Yesterday afternoon as the snow was coming down and blowing (a total of 7.5 inches this round), I could only dream and envision good old summer.
Snow pic from yesterday and the summer pic from last July. Both looking out my backyard patio door.
I realized again, that we Minnesotan's are real adventurer's to endure winter. And when thinking about the word adventurer, my thoughts turned to cars, and DeSoto's ADVENTURER popped in my head. For 1956 it was DeSoto's most expensive car, selling for a whopping $3,728 and weighing in at 3,870 pounds. Only 500 of this mid-season offering were built. Anodized gold-plated wheel covers and nameplates gave the public a clue that this automobile was just a little extra-special. They were beauties to behold.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
23/02/2022 8:01 am
Forecast 73 degrees and chance of rain here in SE Virginia. Originally from New England, those winters up north are just too long for me. We do get a day or two of snow here but rarely see (or hear) a plow; it doesn’t stay around very long.
Frank Reed
Chesapeake, VA
23/02/2022 8:49 am
Oops! My bad. I should have looked closer. Thanks, Frank.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
Frank Reed and Frank Reed reacted
23/02/2022 11:24 am
Back from the gym. Yesterday’s conversation mentioned wagons and the Outback (pictured above) is considered one of the few remaining. With AWD, heated seats, an efficient 256 hp 6cyl, and Bluetooth surround sound it is a nifty ride. 😎
Frank Reed
Chesapeake, VA
23/02/2022 12:02 pm
George, We moved south in 1987 because of a job. For years I travelled the entire country with my prior position and came to the conclusion that anywhere you go there are plusses and minuses. I don't miss the snow but I could do with a lot less heat and humidity in the summer. The south does offer one big advantage for me as I have the opportunity to drive my 1/1 collector cars 12 months out of the year.
23/02/2022 1:46 pm
George, I was born in Chicago and for many years have lived in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Though I have travelled a lot in the US and internationally, I have no plans to move. Being retired and living in a town house community, where the streets and drive ways are plowed by homeowners association, winters are not that bad. If the weather is bad, I just stay home, have a cup of coffee, and read the forum.
Ed Davis
Inverness, Illinois, USA
23/02/2022 1:50 pm
Ed Davis
Inverness, Illinois, USA
Topic starter
23/02/2022 1:59 pm
Jack, you mentioned driving your collector cars. Would you tell us what you have?
If I recall correctly, one of Bob Jackman's collector cars is a Thunderbird, I think a '62. But I'm with you Ed Davis, I'd like to hear more about his cars.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
Topic starter
23/02/2022 2:08 pm
George, We moved south in 1987 because of a job. For years I travelled the entire country with my prior position and came to the conclusion that anywhere you go there are plusses and minuses. I don't miss the snow but I could do with a lot less heat and humidity in the summer. The south does offer one big advantage for me as I have the opportunity to drive my 1/1 collector cars 12 months out of the year.
Surprisingly, I've never ever in my 70 years complained about heat and humidity in the summer. Oh I'll admit it can get a little testy out there, but I've never complained about it. I love summer weather!
The cold, wind chill, and snow on the other hand, I've NEVER been a fan! Even as a kid, I was never an outside person in the winter. I've just never seen any redeeming factor to having to be freezing, driving on icy treacherous roads, shoveling driveways and sidewalks, and having my car dirty, and I mean really dirty all winter.
I really believe that had I not gotten married 48 years ago, I'd have been living in Florida or some warmer place. But I would never be able to pull my wife from her family, that is so close. Not having a close family of my own, I love and admire hers to pieces. Not to mention, we couldn't (or want to) live without our own daughters and grandchildren close by.
So the moral of the story is, these things trump my wanting to get out of Minnesota. But doesn't mean that I like the winters, because I don't!
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
Frank Reed and Frank Reed reacted