Thursday, March 26, 2009

Spring is here

Ode To Spring
Spring has sprung,
The grass has riz.
I wonder where
the birdies is?
Well the grass hasn't riz!! at all because it is still mostly snow covered. However the birds are currently cleaning up a winters worth of bird seed at the side of the building.
It's that crappy time of year when most of the snow is dirty or if it's melted there are puddles everywhere.
But better days ahead. The ATVer's have started coming out a little. Brian from Haliburton Lake road over Tuesday and said the trails were great. There was still lots of snow and it was quite frozen. That made the riding easier because it wasn't slushy yet.
Sleds were still running the ripples on Baptiste Lake last weekend. A huge crowd was there the weekend before watching the carry on. Lots of sleds didn't make it but no problem getting them out.
There are mud runs 3 weeks in a row starting April 25 at Highcountry Lodge, May 2 at the FABULOUS Porterville Diner, May 9 in Maynooth starting at the ANAF, a fund raiser for the Mud Dawgs September event.
Well that's it for today. Back next week.

Cheers
Nancy

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

It's all over but the crying

Sledding's Done (Sung to the tune of taps)
Sledding's done.
Here's the sun,
O'er the lakes, o'er the hills, o'er the trails.
All is well
Packed away
Sledding's done :-(
The weather is so great it's hard to feel sad about the end of the snowmobile season. However if it rains today it will make it easier to be sad.
I few folks that I spoke to this week have packed the sleds away. I had one couple in yesterday but they thought that that would be their last ride.
I'm sure there is more snow in our future up here but it would probably be too late.
So onward and upward-Get those ATV's out!!!!!
Porterville ATV Mud Run is May 2.
I will update regularly for a little bit more just in case the mother lode of snow hits, then only about once per week just for my weekly whine about the latest crisis.
It's been fun and thanks for all of the positive feed back on the reports and sympathy for my plights.
If you only tune in for sledding have a great summer and I'll see you next winter.
Cheers
Nancy

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Oh what to say!!!!

Well Mother Nature didn't have the promised hot flash yesterday but she did have a hissy fit.

First it rained, then snow, then wind, then wind, then snow, then wind. Did I say wind? Then it just got darn cold.

Did we get much snow? NO!!! It all blew away. It is cold but really sunny today. A very nice day. There is now snow coming to speak of. Three guys parked a big trailer in the lot today and two more are up at the store. They will be back too late to get a first hand report but if it's good I'll update tomorrow.

The story is sledding is good in the bush but it's just getting there. The road crossings are bare. Most of the parking lot at the diner is down to the dirt. The temperature has been too cold for the snow to melt.

So it hard to say what to do. The sunny days are great. I love it. But more snow would be nice.

I guess the bottom line is if it won't cost you much to get here or you don't want to ride too far it would be worth the trip. Now having said that we sure would like to see you up here for some of the "northern hospitalty".

My day yesterday consisted of serving eight coffees, one BLT, one chicken fingers, one bowl of chili and three beers. Not bad for a 12 hour shift, glad I didn't have any staff in. So you can see why I would like company. It's getting lonely.

Have a great St. Paddy's weekend it you are taking part.

OPPS-Hold on the guys in the parking lot just came back. They headed for Haliburton through the Hydro line. Most of the trail was okay but some not so good. MLSS trails are groomed and good. Where the sun shines on the snow all day is a little bare but the rest is good. They came across two guys that had done 120 kms today and were not at their destination yet but were not unhappy.

Their opinion was for this late in the season things were not too bad. So there you go another definate maybe.

Cheers
Nancy

Monday, March 09, 2009

Oh no - Sleds and ATV's at the same time.

It's too early for selds and ATV's to be out at the same time. But that's what happened this weekend.

Kudos to all of the die hard riders that came out this weekend. I was truly suprised at how many riders there were out this weekend. Almost of the customers in were on sleds.

There was some snow last night which covered the trail nicely. The groomer went by this morning heading north. It was back fairly soon so I'm guessing it just went up to the Mckenzie Lake turn and came back.

It is to be mild Tuesday and really warm on Wednesday then back into a deep freeze for the next while. Mother Nature is one nasty old bag some days. It should just be winter and then spring! None of this teasing with nice weather screwing everything up for sledding then bang-freeze your ass off again just because you put on a spring coat.

The trails were a little rutty (is that a word) from the ATVs but if the groomer heads to Bancroft it should fix that. The road crossings were looking better today but if it gets up to +10 on Wednesday who knows.

So I don't have any great news to report weather wise or otherwise. I'll just wait to see what the next couple of days brings. I'll update again on Wednesday after Mother Nature has her hot flash.

Oh by the way Jim S, JR (the hottie) and the family were in on the weekend wondering where you and the gang were. So it's not just him that can't get away all the time.

What a sport JR and his son are. Each has a broken wrist and they are going skiing this week and coming up here sledding next week. Maybe it is just youthful foolishness!!! Have fun guys.

Back Wednesday
Cheers
Nancy

Thursday, March 05, 2009

I can't stall any longer

I waited as long as I could for something positive to happen but I can't wait any longer.

It was trying to snow today but it didn't amount to anything. It is still grey and overcast so who knows, surly not the weather people.

I haven't seen a groomer out all week so I'm not sure what is happening on that front. The trails are still icy and the roads are bare. Getting to the trails can be tricky if you have far to travel.

There have been riders in every day and no one is complaining about conditions. Two guys in Tuesday rode over to Pembroke for the day and on Wednesday they road to Petewawa and back. Both days they had good trips.

The temperature is still hanging below zero and getting quite cold at night so we are not losing any snow we just aren't getting any new.

So that is about all there is weather and snow condition wise.

Steve Eric and your brother say thanks for letting them use your house while you are away working and they are up here sledding.

Eric also wants me to ask the Bloody Caesar drinkers why more of you don't try the Diner Style Caesar--the one with the dollop of horseradish and nippy garnish. I think he just likes to say dollop. He thinks it's the best and was quite surprised when I told him that it wasn't that popular that regular caesars were way more popular.

So there it is Eric. I will see if your request increases the sales of Diner Style Caesars.

I will update tomorrow.

Cheers
Nancy

Monday, March 02, 2009

Weekend Wrap Up

It wasn't too busy around town this weekend. Conditions aren't too bad all things considered.

It is still stinking cold and not going to warm up until who knows when.

No new snow is expected until Friday. It is to be sunny and cold all week so conditions will remain the same.

I don't know about grooming but if I find anything out I will update. If I haven't spread any cheer by Wednesday it's because nothing has broken, fallen apart, hit the fan or changed outside in any way.

Let's hope for weekend snow.
Cheers
Nancy