Insane weather...from snow to floods

[soberups]

This has been one of the wildest and most challenging weather weeks I have ever faced in 24 years of being a driver. It started with what is (for our area) a huge amount of snow. The snow changed over to a massive rainstorm that caused widespread flooding. I got stuck, I had to detour around flooded roads, its been one big adventure all week.

This was a "road" on my route.

Here is a pic I took after walking off an impassible 200 yard driveway

I was "lucky" enough to score about 1000 lbs of irregs at a pickup that I stacked over the rear axle. The extra weight helped me make it up some steep hills that would have otherwise been impossible.

This was me on the first night. I came around a hairpin turn and there was a sheet of ice under the snow. My front end went into the ditch. The tow truck that came to rescue me also went into the ditch and he had to winch himself out and then chain his bumper to a tree in order to get me out.

My friend who drives in the same loop also got stuck and spent 3 hours waiting for a tow. He sent me this pic. By this time the snow had begun melting, so it was basically 6 inches of wet, slushy snot. Almost impossible to drive in.

Then the torrential rains came, and all that snow melted and caused major flooding.

As "interesting" as the week has been, I am ready for the weather to get boring again. And I am damn glad its Friday and I am home safe!

 

[numberonedriver]

wow I sure am glad I drive in central California that looks rough.

 

[moreluck]

Glad you are home safe too. Put your feet up, relax!!

 

[menotyou]

Geez, Sober! I'm glad you are safe and sound. Great pics! Don't you love the new phone!!!
sounds like you had one heck of a week. I hope spring comes soon for you.

 

[toonertoo]

Yes Golad also you are safe and it is over for the week! Great pics!

 

[old levi's]

What a week! / Good grief

How much of that fine green canvas upholstery did your ass cheeks devour?


After all of that, I wouldn't drive anything but the recliner this weekend.

 

[dilligaf]

When I was watching the weather this past week my first thought went to you. I'm glad you are safe as well. Enjoy your weekend and hopefully next week will be better.

 

[old levi's]

How many times did you say the UPS prayer?

God, Get me off this road! I'll be a better person from now on. Please God!

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

10 Day Weather Forecast for Seattle - weather.com=

Very nice pics, Sober. I admit that I would have thought twice before venturing down some of those roads.

Knock on wood--I have never had to chain up in my 23 years driving.

 

[brownmonster]

Makes our 0 degrees and windy seem weak.

 

[old brown shoe]

It has been a crazy week. We had 9 inches of heavy wet snow and has been snowing or freezing rain off and on all week. Some roads cleared off and others are still a mess. On my second set of chains in one week. Hope next weeks forecast for more rain and snow is more rain than snow.

 

[cachsux]

Pretty to look at in your areas but I'll take my flat cornfields. Still get the blowing snow but we don't slide into any ravines if we go off the road.

 

[soberups]

10 Day Weather Forecast for Seattle - weather.com=

Very nice pics, Sober. I admit that I would have thought twice before venturing down some of those roads.

Knock on wood--I have never had to chain up in my 23 years driving.

How do you function in upstate New York without tire chains? You get 10X as much snow as we do, around here a few inches is a big deal. Is your route all on flat land?

 

[Re-Raise]

Pretty to look at in your areas but I'll take my flat cornfields. Still get the blowing snow but we don't slide into any ravines if we go off the road.

Central Illinois here Cach and I agree. Whenever we travel I wonder how drivers get around in those areas. I feel for you Sober, I hope next week is better.

 

[cino321]

Awesome pictures, sorry you had to deal with weather like that, I'm sure it could be rough. You give us city boys a glimpse into a UPS we don't know and only hear about.

Sober, how come you guys all have automatics? I figured you guys would have standard shift trucks, they're better to maneuver with in the snow and mud.

 

[soberups]

On the worst day of it, I sheeted about 35 stops as "emergency conditions" and brought them back. Most of those were for people who live above 1200 feet and have long steep (1/4 mile+) driveways with switchbacks and hairpin turns. Even when the county got around to plowing the main roads, all that accomplished was to push a 2' high berm of snow onto either shoulder, which completely blocked access to the driveways and took away any chance I might have had to park on the shoulder and walk them off. There was nothing I could do. Without exception, every homeowner I spoke to told me I made the right choice and that under no circumstances should I ever attempt to get up their driveway until they could plow it. A mistake on my part could put the pkg car into a ravine or at the very least completely block the driveway so that they couldnt get in or out. A lot of them own little garden tractors with plow blade attachments, so if they want their pkg badly enough they can scrape the driveway and provide me clear access. Even 4-wheel drive trucks were getting stuck. Im glad that I got no complaints, we package car drivers have it programmed into our DNA that every package has to get delivered but in these types of situations discretion is the better part of valor.

 

[soberups]

Awesome pictures, sorry you had to deal with weather like that, I'm sure it could be rough. You give us city boys a glimpse into a UPS we don't know and only hear about.

Sober, how come you guys all have automatics? I figured you guys would have standard shift trucks, they're better to maneuver with in the snow and mud.

I was told that all of the new package cars for the western half of the United States are ordered in Oregon, for the simple reason that there is no sales tax here. Also, Oregon vehicle registrations are a flat fee, rather than being based upon the value of the vehicle. So every few years we get a bunch of new trucks, and the "old" ones get sent elsewhere once they have 50,000+ miles on them and have depreciated in value. This makes them cheaper to register in states where there is a sales tax and/or value-based registration fees. We still have plenty of older P-10's with stick shifts as well as a handful of old P-7's that are used as shop spares but most of our equuipment is les than 6 yrs old.

 

[cachsux]

I was told that all of the new package cars for the western half of the United States are ordered in Oregon, for the simple reason that there is no sales tax here. Also, Oregon vehicle registrations are a flat fee, rather than being based upon the value of the vehicle. So every few years we get a bunch of new trucks, and the "old" ones get sent elsewhere once they have 50,000+ miles on them and have depreciated in value. This makes them cheaper to register in states where there is a sales tax and/or value-based registration fees. We still have plenty of older P-10's with stick shifts as well as a handful of old P-7's that are used as shop spares but most of our equuipment is les than 6 yrs old.

My gosh, thats terrible? What a terrific burden on your shoulders.

 

[old levi's]

The only time I see snow is on Christmas cards. And that's ok with me.

 

[rocket man]

This has been one of the wildest and most challenging weather weeks I have ever faced in 24 years of being a driver. It started with what is (for our area) a huge amount of snow. The snow changed over to a massive rainstorm that caused widespread flooding. I got stuck, I had to detour around flooded roads, its been one big adventure all week.
YOU GUYS DESERVE MORE
This was a "road" on my route. YOU GUYS DESERVE a hazzard pay in contract , i was gonna put in a picture of our inclement weather i couldnt find good place to take a picture the sun and it was to hot to stand out side and do it no you guys are tough and i mean it good job .

Here is a pic I took after walking off an impassible 200 yard driveway

I was "lucky" enough to score about 1000 lbs of irregs at a pickup that I stacked over the rear axle. The extra weight helped me make it up some steep hills that would have otherwise been impossible.

This was me on the first night. I came around a hairpin turn and there was a sheet of ice under the snow. My front end went into the ditch. The tow truck that came to rescue me also went into the ditch and he had to winch himself out and then chain his bumper to a tree in order to get me out.

My friend who drives in the same loop also got stuck and spent 3 hours waiting for a tow. He sent me this pic. By this time the snow had begun melting, so it was basically 6 inches of wet, slushy snot. Almost impossible to drive in.

Then the torrential rains came, and all that snow melted and caused major flooding.

As "interesting" as the week has been, I am ready for the weather to get boring again. And I am damn glad its Friday and I am home safe!