Crisis what crisis?

The recent persistent heavy rain has caused a few local aggravations. Temporary floods on some of the roads, the odd flooded cellar, but no major dramas. But ye cats that was wet! There was even a local state of emergency declared it was that rough. Reminded me of the December before last when we first arrived. No wonder so many of the locals have pickups and SUV's that are raised three or six inches. Some of the creations we see on the road need two steps to get into the cab they've got so much ground clearance.

Even back in the UK I used to secretly lusted after one because they are so all-fired useful if you live a rural area. Although apart from monster truck shows we never saw anything remotely like the raised and dual axled beasts that routinely womble around our locale. There is even a burgeoning fashion locally for suburban families to purchase a 4x4 crew cab with a short bed as a general multi purpose vehicle. The crew cab means you can pack the whole family in, and the 4x4 allows access down all the gravel roads and back country tracks, the bed at the back can take anything from a snowmobile or several kayaks to a brace of full size motorcycles or all of a large broods requirements for a camping weekend.

With a decent pickup, suitably shod with all weather tyres, even the heaviest snow or rain is a snip. One of my neighbours has a 1980's Chevrolet that we routinely see purring up and down one in six hills through even two feet of snow as though it's not there. Neighbour fills the rear bed with wet snow to keep the rear axle down on the ground and off he goes. I suppose so long as the vehicles capabilities don't make you over confident, that is when the nearest culvert beckons, as we saw last winter.

This coming winter is showing all the signs of shaping up to be a real brute. Roll on spring and Summer.