February 22, 2014 – Saturday

-4 degrees/clear/windy

Pentoga Road

I could get used to sleeping a little later in the mornings. Since Sargie’s not working for a few days, I’ve been in no hurry to get out of bed. What was once a 5 AM get up time has now become 7:30. Yesterday morning, it was closer to 8.

I enjoy being in that lazy state that exists somewhere between full consciousness and dreaming… simply dozing, dreaming, and yet, being partially awake. Oh well, spring should soon be upon us when I’ll enjoy hopping out of bed before daylight and waiting in anticipation for it to get light enough that I might work in the garden.

With Thursday’s storm gone, I spent most of Friday morning shoveling, scooping, and plowing. The weather service said we had wind gusts of up to 50 mph. The temperatures were in the lower teens and rapidly dropping.

It was frustrating plowing. With slush laying under the six or eight inches of snow, much more in the drifted areas, all four tires on the four-wheeler tended to spin and slip. I heard from Jeff and he said he had trouble with his ATV slipping off to one side, as the snow was so heavy. It wasn’t the normal pleasant experience we’ve come to enjoy this winter.

I used the Yooper Scooper to clean the back patio, then resorted to the old-fashioned shovel. It all worked and in the end, the results were the same.

Sargie and I took a quick trip into town. She didn’t really care if we went or not, but I was up for some sort of wintertime adventure.

Actually, it was all Yooper Brother Mark’s fault. He’d called earlier to check on us and when I told him I didn’t think we’d be coming to town, the boy started telling tales of days long gone by when he and buddy took off after a big storm to see how much snow they might drive through without becoming stuck.

I took the conversation as a challenge. The tone of Yooper Brother Mark’s voice might have been interpreted as implying I was a poo poo, a sissy, someone who couldn’t navigate the vast expanse of snow-covered township road lying between our home and the main county road a mile away. The Alaska mountain man in me rose to the occasion. He was laying it down. I picked it up. Game on, Skippy.

The plow hadn’t been through and there were some goodly drifts lying across Pentoga Road. Once again, Sargie INSISTED we didn’t HAVE to go to town. Oh yes we did. I was on a quest, a challenge. There was more than a bit of Tommy P’s mojo on the line.

I almost turned around ten feet down the road, but pride and stupidity dictated that we continue. To sweeten the pot of adventure, I was driving. Less than perfect eyesight be damned. I was behind the wheel and knew all I had to do was keep the SUV moving forward and stay between the ditches.

There's a sign under all that snow

Even with the four-wheel drive engaged, we came close to getting high-centered and stuck more than once. But we didn’t. To celebrate, Sargie ordered her usual McDonald’s Coke, and no 49 cent ice cream cone has ever tasted sweeter than the one I enjoyed once we arrived in town.

The return trip home, down Pentoga Road, was just as thrilling. I’ll confess, there was just a bit of swagger to my step when I stepped from the Blazer after parking it in the barn. The old man still has it, at least for today.

Oh, and about Sargie; hopefully she’ll begin talking to me sooner rather than later. I’m going to fix her favorite breakfast, omelets, to help begin the peace process.

Armed and dangerous, Sargie's going to town

The first annual Mighty Milligan Sledding Adventure is to be held at Nancy and Ron’s, who live high atop Milligan’s Mountain, later today. I’ve been relegated the task of popping Pentoga Road Popcorn to bring. Problem is, I’m not sure the event will happen. With the highs forecast to be around 10 above and winds of 25 mph howling, resulting in a windchill of -30, I wouldn’t be surprised if the event gets postponed. No doubt we’ll hear from the family corporate headquarters later on this morning.

If we don’t go, I’ve promised Sargie a game of cutthroat Rummy. I’m not much of a card player anymore, but hey, she loves the game and after all, the girl sat in the right-hand seat during yesterday’s jaunt to town. Who knows, if I let her beat me, maybe she’ll begin talking to me. It seems like the thing to do but then I hate to lose. Ah, heck with it. Game on, Skippy.

But first, it’s time to refill the coffee cup and think some deep thoughts.

After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…