In the Snow with Craig, Jodie and Tyler
Posted December 24, 2001

After the early Christmas on Saturday, December 22, Sunday morning we had Mary's yummy pancakes and bacon and then drove up to the snow on Route 20. We hadn't driven far out of Nevada City when snow began to appear on the sides of the road. Long before the 4000-foot altitude sign the snow was getting deep and the trees were covered with snow that had fallen while we were sleeping in rain down in Lake Wildwood. Snow was falling from the trees onto the windshield and road, so I slowed down for fear of sliding off the road. At this slow speed we were also looking for a place to pull of the road to play. Soon Craig spotted a partially plowed road on the left very shortly after we had pulled over at the lookout point to let traffic pass us. With no one in back of us I was able to slow down and turn into the road, but not without some sliding and a near (to my way of thinking) miss with an oncoming car that appeared suddenly from around a bend. Anyway, we parked with no further excitement and hopped out to the scene below, taken by Jodie.

Scene at a side road just past the scenic outlook on Route 20.

Craig and Tyler eagerly ran up the hill at the side of the road to make a sled run. My first good picture was of Jodie coming down on our metal saucer.

Jodie happily slid down the run made by Craig and Tyler.

But all in all, Craig and Tyler did most of the riding down the slide. The saucer worked, but we definitely have to get some sleds that go faster with more control.

Craig and Tyler coming down the run.

I saw Craig climbing to the top of the run by himself, so I slogged through the snow to get into position for a picture. This was never easy because the snow was layered and deep. I never knew if my foot was going stay on top or sink two feet into the snow. With one leg deep in the snow and the other balanced on top, I concentrated on taking a picture, not realizing that Craig was coming straight at me, and I was immobile. That look on Craig's face is a grimace in anticipation of plowing into me. Fortunately he slowed down, I spread my legs, and he went between them.

Craig, about to plow into the fat photographer.

By then Tyler had had enough sledding so we shifted to snow fights. The best target was Grandma, because she was reading inside the Expedition and a big target with no danger of hurting anyone. Then Craig and Tyler got behind a snow bank while Jodie and I lobbed big, soft snow wads so they would come straight down on them. Meanwhile, we were getting pummeled by straight-line projectiles from Craig and Tyler. Then I noticed that Craig and Tyler were almost under the snow-filled branches of a tree, so I hit the tree snow with snowballs until avalanches fell on them (well, near them). With all that good-packing snow, Craig put together the base of a snowman, all the while having to fend off Tyler who wanted to bash it to smithereens. Craig finally convinced him to busy himself making a head for the snowman.

Tyler puts a head onto the snowman.

Craig then added some leaves for eyes, bark strands for a moustache, a twig for a mouth, and Jodie's hat -- viola, Senor Snowman.

Senor Snowman.

Craig barely had time to try to add a beard (must be the Afghanistan influence) before Tyler was there with a right cross to the ribs. By the time my camera had digested this picture all that was left of the snowman was a couple of unidentifiable clumps, which were soon jumped on.

Take that, Mr. Snowman.

The next game was kick the tree. I took the picture below very soon after Craig had kicked the tree on the left. I had guessed that the time for a bending wave to propagate up the tree and shake down the snow would be the same as for the camera to focus and the shutter to release. I was early. You can see the beginning of something white at the top of the frame. So Craig went to the next tree and this time I waited a bit longer before pushing the shutter button. The snow has almost covered Craig and Tyler is also bending his hooded head to brace for the avalanche. With this grand finale we piled into the car and were back in Grass Valley in about a half hour to shop at Raley's for last minute Christmas food. The checkout counters were a mob scene. We spend more time waiting to check out than it took to drive back down from the snow.

Waiting for the snow to fall.

The snow falls.

Family Hub  |  Home Page