Out in the Snow

January 8, 2024 - We have noticed some interesting footprints everywhere in the snow. Even on our front porch!

It wasn’t hard to figure out what made those large footprints. While I don’t drive much at night, whenever I have been out, I see snowshoe hares running around. They’re everywhere this year.

Check out the short video on our Youtube channel HERE of a hare doing hare stuff, i.e. running away. Rabbits and hares have different survival strategies. Rabbits try to hide as quickly as possible while hares run. I don’t think this one thought I was going to eat it, as it sat for a minute while I got my camera, but then it decided to run.

In case you have ever wondered about the differences between the two species there are a lot. When I looked into it, I found this article.

For now they are fun to watch, but this summer I suspect we will find damage to trees and shrubs. And because there is lots of food hopping around, the foxes and coyotes will be prolific next spring.

Someone who would have preferred to be hopping around, rather than stuck in a ditch, was a neighbor. As we drove by, we asked if he would like some help.

His truck was stuck in a spot we frequently see cars in the ditch. The snowplow scrapes snow off the road but levels the snow over the ditch giving the appearance the ditch is more road. If a car is passing, people move out of the middle of the road into the ditch, which is quite deep. Then they’re stuck.

Using our kinetic recovery rope, we gave him a light tug and his truck popped out of the ditch. He was thrilled to not have to call a tow truck and we got some experience with vehicle recovery while also meeting a neighbor.

We have been asked how our Jeep can pull a full size truck out of a ditch. The only thing wrong with his vehicle was poor traction. This means his vehicle could do most of the work. We only had to provide a small tug to help him overcome the slippage. Additionally, a kinetic rope, which is safer for both people and vehicles than a metal chain, can store a lot of energy when it is stretched. At a certain length, it releases that energy with a gentle but forceful pull.

We always carry our recovery rope and soft shackles. If we do get stuck, it’s easier to find another vehicle than a tow rope.

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