Although it hasn't snowed here since Christmas it's been cold and there is still quite a bit of snow on the ground. Streets are cleared except for a three or four foot wide band of packed snow and ice along the curbs. Subarus and Jeeps and other all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicles crunch right over the ice and snow as they park but everyone else-- including me and my little VW Golf-- finds it more challenging.
So when we came back from a hike Tuesday and saw the snow clearing machines along our street I was a happy camper. This type of road work isn't done in most of Boulder; indeed, most of Boulder doesn't get plowed at all. But our street gets it since we border an elementary school. We get plowed promptly, an action which results in mounds of snow along the curbs.
Usually the sun and warmer temperatures melt that snow within a few days. But if that doesn't happen the city sends out equipment to do what nature didn't do.
A big plow shovels the snow into a big pile which is scooped up by a front loader which dumps it into an open bed truck which hauls it away. It's quite an operation to watch. We didn't see the whole thing this time, but we saw it last winter.
We spotted these vehicles outside our house on Tuesday and they were gone by Wednesday afternoon leaving behind nice clean curbs, a big help to us and to all the parents taking their little ones to school this morning.
Just in time, too, since we're under a Winter Advisory for more snow starting later today and into tomorrow.
All that hiking is agreeing with you! Look how you've slimmed down! Woohoo!!
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