So, I and many others had been believing that our 2018/2019 winter was going to be abnormally dry with our two snow 'events' of about 5 inches from December to Mid-January, which used to be when winter was the strongest in our region.
Above: Taken January 26th, this was what winter was looking like it was going to be for this season. Mainly cold with very light snowfall. I had not even used the snow thrower yet this season at all due to such light accumulations. The snow to too shallow to use the machine!
Above: About the same spot as the top photo, taken February 16th after the two feet of snow from overnight of the 11th to the 12th. I was snow throwing again on the 16th due to some light accumulation the night before as much of our snowfall to actually accumulate has been happening overnight to the next morning.
Above: A bit more of our driveway, closer to the house.
Above: Taken this morning, our driveway. Cleared to get in at the moment.
Below: Our mailbox basically buried thanks to the county snowplows going through. I probably should have dug it out some yesterday as I expect today they didn't deliver any mail since the drivers can't get close to the mailbox. And they will NOT get out to deliver as many of the drivers are reaching across from the passenger side to reach the steering, gas and brake pedals, to reach out to the mailboxes on the passenger side of their SUV!
However, I didn't go out to the front since Friday and wasn't aware the plows had done so much damage to what I had done to make a nice cut out to get to our mailbox! Ah, life in North Idaho!
This is now the third winter in a row that we have received heavy snowfall in February and not in January anymore. Overnight February 9th to 10th in 2017 was the between 3 and 4 feet of snowfall event, the most at one time since 1996. If, as last year though, and since by late February it used to start getting warm, it could warm up very fast. Last year it was getting into the low 50s by late March which made, and will make, for area flooding with all the late season snow buildup.
A few things we have found out about our 2018 Toyota Rav4 over its first winter with us. Like the Prius before it, snow tires take away the MPGs with the average going from the mid to upper 30s to the upper 20s and low 30s for the winter MPG with snow and studded tires on the car.
The "intelligent all-wheel drive" of our XLE-Hybrid model, which is just a rear wheel electric motor working on the passenger side rear wheel, much like what is now an option on a 2019 Prius, actually works very well! Even in the all-wheel-drive mode, and it is only in that AWD mode up to about 23 MPH then it is front wheel drive again from about that speed on, but the handling has been excellent. No slipping, no getting stuck in slushie conditions with the AWD system that has already happened and will be happening again with the snow soon melting in spring.
All those nice exterior sensors that are vital to the various automatic safety features do NOT like the winter! Snow and ice cause all kinds of issues on the sensors. Some things won't work and other things will start blaring when snow/ice blocks the sensor and the system thinks there might be an obstacle where that isn't. You'll get many warning lights on the dash and you will need to stop and clean them at some point to continue on whatever drive you might be taking.
And lastly, snow and ice build up very easily in the wheel wells which has meant a few mornings of warm water on the buildup to get the blockage loose and able to be removed to keep a wheel from turning freely.
Other than mentioned above, we are still very happy with our purchase as the Rav4 has been a very reliable and confidence inspiring vehicle for us. Very comfortable and plenty of room both front and back seats.
The 2019 Rav4 Hybrids are out now and while they have more usable interior space and get better fuel economy, we are still satisfied and very happy with our 2018.
Other things going on. We found out last month that Stacy will soon have to have some extensive oral surgery within the next month or so. We are NOT looking forward to that!
With the weather of winter, we haven't done much work on our existing projects and are lining up projects to get done this spring and summer.
Our big plan is the purge of "stuff" for 2019!
We have literally tons of things, many still packed from our move to Idaho back in 2006! So, much of it has got to go this year!
It is one of those life 'truisms' if you haven't missed it in over a decade, you should be able to let it go!
Until next time!
Tad
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