We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:08:35 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification If yer a fat auld phart about to attack it at dusk and the drifts are 3-5 feet high...... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:55:39 -0600 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97238 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97238 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 07:33:01 -0600
He got away with it.  Yup, as Steve  said, (I won't say stubborn and stupid as he did)  The Donovan proved that he is right damn seriously _earnest_, and won't quit once he's fixed on the goal.

I always did think he had an autistic co-processor stowed away in that huge head of his.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97220 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97220 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:03:37 -0600 BillT,

True, I did neglect to  mention that you still have to follow the road and dodge any obstacles but I was hoping you guys would already be doing (or at least trying to do) that.  The cup trick is to remind you that whatever change you make, you're not going to make it suddenly.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97207 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97207 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:05:42 -0600 Put a cup on your dash and fill it completely. Now just drive so it doesn't slop.

That trick will probably work on an interstate highway (except in Pennsylvania), or, say, the Bonneville Salt Flats...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97201 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97201 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:27:54 -0600
"And funny. "

That's just your mind trying to protect itself from trama by forgetting.

]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97200 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97200 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:06:08 -0600
And if I'd been going on a trip (i.e., anything other than the daily commute) I'd have had supplies in the truck.

It was neglecting to remember that last mile of the commute.

Mind you - all in all, it was, in reality, fun.

And funny.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97199 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97199 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:50:47 -0600
1) Put a cup on your dash and fill it completely.  Now just drive so it doesn't slop.  You don't have to drive slowly, you just can't make any sudden changes (which does imply that if you do drive fast you need to make sure you won't need to suddenly stop).

2) Don't break traction.  Related to #1, most important when trying to take off from a stop / get up a hill.  Once you lose traction you probably aren't going to get it back by spinning your wheels.

3) Kitty litter.  Relates to #2.  Get a bag of the cheapest kitty litter you can. You want the old fashioned clay, not the fancy clumping stuff.  Keep it behind the front seat where you can reach it while driving.  If you lose traction just hurl handfuls across your hood (front wheel drive) / down & back (rear wheel drive).  Worst case, get out and lay lines.  You can also make 'traction bombs' by filling baggies.  They're fun to throw at people who're stuck.  May not help them get out, but it's a good excuse to throw something at them. ;)

If you really want to get good at this kind of driving spend a winter or two in the upper Midwest.  At the start of Winter (early November) 85% of the people know how to drive on snow & ice.  By Spring (June) 100% of those still driving do.  You either learn or give up driving.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97195 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97195 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:08:53 -0600
Being a Phat Auld Phart myself, experiencing a Chicago winter and two Cleveland Ohio winters (in my yonger career days and I was less Phat and Pharted less) I headed to Texas and mildly warmer climes.   One of the things I do remember from those winter stays was the boy scout motto of "Be Prepared".  I said I remembered it....  So at Christmas, when traveling northward to visit the relatives, I packed the back of the jeep with the candle, matches, coffee can (a real can, carefully saved), blankets, bottled water, food, etc. etc. etc.

I'm glad there were only two of us.... all that stuff takes room! Its no wonder people skip out the survival supplies when taking trips, by the time you've packed in the winter survival stuff, there's little remaining room for things like clothes and Christmas gifts!  And as soon as I returned, all that stuff came out..... and the 6 Ps went back to the someday list.

So I'm glad you didn't freeze your foot off getting back to the barn.... It'd be so dreary around here without you.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97194 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97194 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:52:52 -0600
There will be massive floods all along the Mississippi River this spring.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97193 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97193 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 06:58:06 -0600 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97192 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97192 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 06:45:31 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97187 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97187 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 04:32:51 -0600
Of course, there's the matter of traversing the bob-wire obstacle in a blizzard after darkfall...
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97183 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97183 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:10:50 -0600
You lucked out on this one. I would have found a nice lowland bar and waited for spring.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97179 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97179 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:03:45 -0600 Doc Nickles' technique for snow removal.

Flamethrowers.

Fast.

Entertaining.

Attila-of-Anchorage (Currently sitting Reserve in The Great White North)
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97178 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97178 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:41:00 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97176 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97176 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:08:37 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97174 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97174 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:09:53 -0600 Congratulations on success and may you not have to do it again in the future.
HH]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97173 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97173 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:23:52 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97172 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2010/01/this_hill_is_ve.html#comment-97172 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:21:29 -0600