Man I love Northern California
 

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a51...1309_08261.jpg

That was my truck as I was walking into work this morning.

yea we definitely dont see that down here....solid 72 degrees outside :happy sun:

I love it- I'd rather have an insanely dense snowstorm than a sunny day ;)

I'd rather have 2 feet of snow than what we usually get....cold, windy, and dry.

On the other hand, it wouldn't bother me a bit to never go through another fall or winter. However, I can't see myself living anywhere else so I guess I have to put up with it for the rest of my life. Mass amounts of people vs. crappy weather. I'll take the weather.

^that's another reason I love where I live. When It snows, it's not just a little, then blown around... It DROPS. Ever heard of the donner party? the commemerative statue is less than an hour from here and +1500 altitude.

Grass Valley huh ? Have tons of family out that way and in the Auburn area ! looks beautiful up there ! need to go soon.

you into wheeling much ?

My favorite is the "Mag-chloride" (or "chicken :censored3: ") they put on the roads here. A few of the "ingredients" are (but not limited to) arsenic and lead. It's a wonderful sloppy concoction that the DOT claims is non-corrosive; that's why they cart it around in plastic tanks I guess. It turns your chrome and argent surfaces brown, you can't rinse it off as the goop has to be scrubbed off, and to top it all off, it's a chemical hazard. Don't get me wrong, it's light years better than salt as far as metal corrosion goes, but it's a great skin irritant. I love being on my knees working under a dash with my skin soaking in that stuff as it drips off of a car. It turns my skin red and the incessant itching that ensues is terrific.

I find it funny that nobody has an issue with it when their kids play on the brown snow piles that are like giant arsenic snowcones. It irritates dog paws too, but I guess since it's not harmful to people, then the dog's stomachs will be fine as they lick it off of themselves. :shrug:

It turns slicker than ice at 15 degrees....and it doesn't go away come springtime. It is slick for MONTHS afterward....even when it's warm, dry and sunny.

AAARRRRGGGGHHH. Now I'm frustrated again because it cuts severely into my motorcycle riding season. Powerslides are fun....but not when you're not expecting it.

If people weren't such idiots behind the wheel, we wouldn't need salt, sand, or any other slickum-deterrent. I prefer icy roads to anything else....it keeps the good drivers separated from the bad ones.....who usually go off the road because they assume that their SUV/Subaru and it's 4 wheel drive will keep them from sliding off the road.

Holy cow! :yikes2: I was born in Grass Valley! Have I already told you that? I believe I mentioned it to Mercedes once upon a time. My Dad was a Mining Engineer with the Empire Star mine network. I can still remember the big stamp mill at the Star. The rolling mills at the Pennsylvania were pretty impressive too, but nothing like the stamp mill and sluice tables at the Star.

I miss my Mom's pasties (Cornish meat pies for those of you who have never had the pleasure). Any "Cousin Jack's" left in that area?

- Jack

Is that like a "brother Darrell" or "other brother Darrell"?

It took me a while, Cody. (And I knew you were referring to the Bob Newhart show, one of my all time favorites).

But, to answer everyone's question: A lot of the miners in Grass Valley were of Cornish descent. And, for some reason that I haven't bothered to look up, Cornish miners were often referred to as "Cousin Jacks". I don't believe it was a derogatory term - I certainly never heard it that way. It was much more of a "friendly" way to refer to them as a "group".

But, back to Cody's question, no relation to me! :hehe:

- Jack

Cody

You think your stuffs bad. There is a county up here that uses the cinders out of the colleges power plant. Now that's a mess. Other places around here use calcium chlorate and soy bi-products.
I thought the EPA was trying to have the production and use of arsenic cut back. I know that green treated lumber can't have it in the preservation process anymore. To many kids getting sick from decks and play sets.

You want to see something that will make you think. Go to a nascar race track. There are signs all over warning about lead exposure. Now this is the first year that they all will be running unleaded fuel believe it or not.

Been in your area 2 times, once in the summer and once in winter. You are right when it snows it snows.

-Lars

LOL I have family in the bay area (all over the bay area)
I have a toyota in the shop that's undergoing a back-half/Double triangulated 4 link rear/ wishbone 3-link front/ coilovers front and rear/Dual cases/welded rear/e-locker front/Full exocage/hydrosteering/fenderwell clearancing/turbo/propane... and yes, all at once! It's going to be riding on 39.5" pitbull rockers :omg: You might say I enjoy wheeling.

Cool! and no you Haven't. For references, I live by rollins lake and Work by the grass valley Airport.
I love touring all the local mines and mineshafts, and around here you can find anything from the 1800's to just 30 years ago that they were active.
they're now opening a new branch of the Idaho maryland mines, and a few others out by the gravel pits, but they're much smaller operations.
those mines are keeping our little community a little above neighboring communities when it comes to employment.

Yes, Cousin Jack's is still here! right there on the corner of South Auburn and W. Main st, where they've been for as long as i've known. one of my favorite local meals :D


P.S. on the original topic- it mostly melted since my first post, and now it's snowing again- HARD. I'll try to get another picture :D

Ok, Couldn't get a picture, but we're getting near half-dollar size flakes :omg: :omg:

Dave,

Love that kinda of snow. We don't get that here in eastern SD very much. They do out in western SD(Lead got 46" in one shot). But for the most part if it snows here it is windy or the wind will follow usually@40 mph+. Talk about white-outs and drifting.

Oh well tonight rain supposed to come and rain for tomorrow also. Make things real interesting tomorrow morning. It will make it really brown here then.

-Lars

Jack if you want to make a trip up this way there is a place called Cornish Pasty on 7th St. and Hardy in Tempe. I like it alot, he still wraps them in paper.

I suppose I could stop there sometime when driving though. I'm not sure I'm ready for a 2-hour drive (one way) just for Pastys though. :)

Oh and to secondarychaos - I was using the term "Cousin Jack" to refer to miners from Cornwall (or now, ex/retired miners). But, it's neat they have an eatery that keeps the name alive in Grass Valley.

- Jack

Oh LOL
the pastie shop here is Called "cousin Jack's pasties"... I always kinda wondered where that name came from.