More snow, more power

Resslin' Around, by Casey Ressler

Helmet? Check. Goggles? Check. Gloves? Check. Enough winter gear to outfit U.S. ground troops in Afghanistan? Check.

With one push of a button, the engine roars to life, spitting white smoke from the exhaust. I let out a roar just as loud.

It's time for the big boys to play with their big toys.

Normally, the sight of snow falling for days would make me sigh with regret, as the thought of getting out and busting my butt to shovel our driveway was not exactly my idea of a good time.

But not this year.

There is a bright, shiny new snow blower sitting in the shed, just crying to get out and throw some snow. Last weekend, its prayers were answered. Let it snow.

Getting the snow blower in the shed was an adventure, as well as a lesson in motorheadhood.

My dad never believes any engine is powerful enough. If they made cologne that smelled like snowmachine exhaust, he would keep the company in business. He and I unloaded the snow blower from the back of the truck.

Lining it up for a shot into the shed, dad fired the engine for the first time, letting it run long enough to earn his nod of approval. Just loud and obnoxious enough to be functional, he thought.

As I saw him reaching for the gear lever, I thought I should remind him how small the shed is.

"First gear will probably do it," I told him. "There's not a lot of room in there."

"There's a reason they built it with six gears, bud. Let's try sixth," he said.

And with that, he was jerked into action, hanging on to the handlebars as the tires engaged at a faster-than-expected pace. Thankfully, he was able to switch back into neutral before he took out the opposite end of the shed wall.

"That's why you want to start in first gear when you are getting going," he pointed out to me with his fatherly wisdom. "You could end up taking something out." Right.

I'm sure similar scenes played out in garages all across the Valley as the snow fell last week. It's funny, because as you drive around, battling the ice and slippery roads for the first time this winter, you see guys riding four-wheelers with plows or snow blowing, and they all have giant grins on their faces. It's like a little fraternity of motorhead snow lovers, who couldn't wait to get out there and play with their toys.

Before, I was the little dog who had to sit on the porch with a snow shovel, while the bigger dogs played with their blowers and plows. Now, I've got the goods. The rules have changed.

I threw snow from one end of the driveway to the other, then did it in reverse, just because I could. I even took the blower on a little walk around the neighborhood, in sixth gear because that's why they put six gears on that bad boy.

The amusement of blowing snow will probably wear off sometime around Thursday, and then blowing snow will become that pain and hassle that shoveling used to be. With eight months until spring, I'll probably go crazy trying to keep the driveway clean.

But for now, I've got power, baby, and I'm going to use it.

Casey Ressler (valleylife@frontiersman.com) is the Valley Life editor. He wants to mount a seat and cup holders on his snow blower. His wife won't allow it.