OMG Atlanta is SO ready

[justalurkr]

We're scheduled for Snowmageddon Part Deux this evening. I heard over the weekend and burned a vacation day today. I don't care how cool they plan to be about releasing people, there's no way I'm spending all that time in the car ever again if I can help it.

So, I spent the afternoon reading columns about what to have in the car for magically unplanned overnights in the snow. My prepper phase last year resulted in my already having most of it, though the phase didn't last long enough for any of it to be organized usefully (guess what I'll be doing for the rest of the afternoon.)

I filled in the vanishingly few gaps with the following from a number of "what to do" columns:



#1: Not available from amazon.com, the first best piece of advice is never, ever to let your gas tank drop below half full. I used to be one of those people who ride the needle all the way to E, and am so very glad I got over that. I started last Snomageddon with 3/4 of a tank and dropped the needle below a quarter of a tank idling in the snow.

#2: Two wool blankets. Shut up. The prepper plan was to "bug in," or shelter in place, so no, I didn't actually have any wool blankets. :P

#3: Wool Socks. STOP JUDGING ME. I grew up in a warm part of Northern California and spent 13 years in South Florida. No, I did not already own wool hiking socks, though I rilly rilly wished I had while hiking up the damned mountain week before last.

#4: Mountain House 72-Hour kit. I know, seems like overkill, but what if I have to share?

#5: Way the first to heat the water, assuming the car battery still works.

#6: Way the second to heat the water, assuming the car has moved on to its next life.

#7: Tools for deicing the car. I hope never to be stuck long enough for this to become necessary, but "hope" wasn't on the list. These were.

#8: One hopes this is self-explanatory.

#9: Not actually an emergency supply, but it is an olive drab glitter. Surely that's a prepper color?

Comments

[khek.livejournal.com]

Growing up in New England, I always have a sleeping bag, several different types of snow scrapers and an emergency auto kit in my car, to which I added matches and a flashlight. When I was going back and forth to college, my parents also made me keep a few cans of soup and a bag of kitty litter in the trunk. (My dad also drummed it into my head that you never, ever let your car go below a third of a tank, and it's best to keep it at half a tank.) If you have room, a small shovel is also good to have; I used to carry a child's snow shovel in my trunk.

The shovel and the kitty litter are the tools I actually used a few times. With my new car, I don't have a trunk, so I pared down my emergency supplies and I don't have either of those. I probably should figure out how to keep them contained in the back in a way that won't alarm the dog.

[lunachickk.livejournal.com]

Yes, to this!

Granola bars are also handy - the kind that don't melt and get sticky. Just don't forget about them come summer!

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

I hadn't thought about the melting part, but I can vouch that Clif bars last a long, long, LONG time when they've frozen in the trunk.

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

God knows we got kitty litter in this house. The hard part will be not cannibalizing it for the actual cat box.

Extremely good suggestion, though! Thanks.

[amycooper.livejournal.com]

I have a shove in my car. You can buy ones with adjustable,what are they called, poles? So they can be short when not used (be kind-just woke). Helpful when the plow just pile to feet of hard slush in front of your parked car at work or where ever.

Get a longer ice scraper with a brush on one end and you can brush snow off your car, including your roof-so you won't have a storm of snow behind you when you drive which would be a hazard.

Change of clothes in case you get wet, especial socks (even if they aren't wool.) two plastic bags. They can be worn on your feet between your socks and shoes. Not fashionable buy will keep your feet dry. If you typically wear anything other than bolts or sneakers, keep a pair in the car.

Since your more likely to get

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

I have this for a shovel (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009PUTES/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1), but suspect it's more useful for latrines than for snow.

You should see the crap that came up when I searched "adjustable snow shovel (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_14?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=adjustable+snow+shovel&hasWorkingJavascript=1&sprefix=adjustable+sno%2Caps%2C177)" at amazon.

I was sincerely hoping the change of clothes would be for when I arrived warm and safe at a shelter somewhere, but your way is far more likely given my breathtaking absence of grace under best circumstances. Since cracking my elbow, I don't step foot outside the house in anything other than hideously practical non-skid shoes, so I'm covered there.

The plastic bags sound like an extremely useful addition! thanks!

[amycooper.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, did lj cut me off or was I really that sleepy? And, ah, I hope you don't typically wear bolts. See, this is what happens when I try to type into a tiny iphone without coffee.

Anyway, try this search though given how often you guys get snow, I think your shovel will work well enough in a pinch.

Just assume that if you need to use any of those items (even just brushing off your car) you maybe very well get your shoes, socks and pants wet.

If you don't already have one, a phone charger for your car should be on the list.

I have to second the cat litter. Sometimes it isn't a pile snow, but a complete lack of traction that can get you suck somewhere. You can also use the cat litter on your driveway, if it is icy. Yesterday while driving home I saw someone lose control in their own driveway and very, very slowly hit a tree. Everyone was alright, but I bet he wished he had something like cat litter on his driveway.