On snowy days like this, I like to remind my readers of a few facts:
- A shovel-full of snow weighs, on average, 40 pounds. More if it’s wet snow, which today’s doesn’t happen to be.
- Most people underestimate how many shovels it will take to clear their sidewalk, driveway, etc. I’ll let each of you estimate how many shovels your own efforts will be.
- Now, double that estimate, because you’re wrong.
- Most folks fail to consider the amount of exertion in this “workout”. Hey, let’s call it what it is.
- Most of us are not in good enough shape to handle this kind of a spontaneous, sustained workout.
- In our county, the number of Cardiac Arrests goes up about 400% when it snows. I’m seeing them come across my pager today, and we’re only a couple of inches in to this 8″ prediction.
- Somewhere, in our near your neighborhood, is a kid, with a shovel. Or a guy with a blade on the front of the truck. This person is probably willing to do the job for $50.
If you’re in good shape (we all define that differently, but let’s say you exercise regularly, go to the gym, play sports, etc, you can probably handle this if you want to. Me, I’m getting there….but even so, it still takes me about 10 minutes just to get dressed to go outside to shovel. Then I usually remember I have to go to the bathroom, so that’s another 5 back out, and 10 back in to the winter wear. Plus, I really don’t want to.
I could just wait until it melts, but I not only don’t want to fall on my butt for the next few days, but if a friend, neighbor, the UPS Driver, or anybody else falls, it becomes my liability.
As for me, I purchased a snowblower for $500. It now takes me about 20 minutes to do my driveway (it used to take the better part of an hour or two, and, really, it’s easier to push than to shovel.
Moral of the story? Make the investment, either in the kid with a shovel, the guy with the plow, or your own snowblower. Your back, and your heart, will thank you.
