@65pacecar Hello, One year when we were in the Cub Scouts, our Cub Pack went up to the local mountains to see some real snow and stay in one of our friend’s cabin. From Long Beach it was a couple of hours drive up hill and possibly longer if there is snow. Going up was a breeze, the fully packed sedans rolled right up the hill to the cabin. It was around 6,000 feet near Big Bear Lake. Some of the parents that took the kids up had gone back to Long Beach due to work responsibilities. So, when it came time to go pick up the kids, me included, our dad volunteered. His big 1953 Buick sedan would be powerful enough and big enough to bring back several little kids. But, our dad had chains, just in case. He never used them on his Buick sedan. Plus, he had a bad back and probably could not have gotten those on when needed. He went as promised anyway. The surprising thing was on the day he started, the whole mountain area and the lower level communities got some snow. The upper areas near Big Bear were closed to through traffic unless one had chains. Our dad and mom got stopped at the CHP road block leading to the area and were told to put on chains or go back down the hill. Our dad asked if someone could install his chains, but since it was snowing and everyone was putting on their own chains, no such luck. So, they drove back down the hill to the baseline and the first open gas station. The photo above looked like the gas station as snow was still around and the lower levels had asphalt road surfaces showing. The snow was pushed to the side or just worn down. Jnaki So, our dad got a station attendant to put on the chains and although the roadway was blacktop all the way back to the uphill road, he had to go back up the road anyway. The attendant told him that it was ok, but it will be “a little noisy” as he drove to the uphill climbing street. Our dad told us that he ignored the folks in other cars as his Buick was making noises all the way up to the snow chains required stopping point. After my parents arrived, it was thick snow and the chains fit right into the plan. He drove right by the CHP stopping point and arrived at the cabin. When we were all ready and loaded with stuff, we all piled into the big 4 door Buick and headed down the steep road. The owner of the cabin told our dad that chains will give him some grip on normal roads, but won’t always stop the car, so drive slowly and keep a light foot on the brake. The steep road downhill was a little scary. But, because he was going slowly, we made it all the way down. There was a stopping place next to one section of the downhill sloping road where the snow was now thin and the asphalt was again showing. But, our dad drove all the way to the gas station on blacktop surfaces to get the chains removed. We all slid down in our seats as we were embarrassed to be driving in a car with chains on a normally cleared of snow, city street. What a racket driving down hill and on the city streets. Yikes! Thanks dad, we are alive to tell another story in this long memory bank…YRMV
Look ma, I didn’t ask youse to put that flea bag mutt next to me while I sat here. Whatta ya think I am dog groomer?
So in the photo of the woman playing the concertina is that two dancers in the reflection on the windshield?
The Jalopy Journal
