by Craig Maltby for Club LT
Well, it snowed today. Kind of early in the season for our neck of the woods. But I slept soundly as the snow was falling over night. Because I knew my snow blower was ready to roll in top form.
A couple weeks ago I took my blower in for maintenance. I knew it needed it badly because toward the end of last winter, the auger—that metal spiral thing that actually throws the snow–had lost its rubber covering due to several winters of use. That means my auger was down to the metal, scraping on the concrete surface.
When that happens, the snow blower hardly moves forward because of the friction of the uncovered auger metal on the concrete. Kind of like trying to do a slip-and-slide down your driveway with no rubber slip-and-slide. Just body surfing down your wet pavement on your bare skin. You wouldn’t go too far.
So I took it to a small engine repair shop. Not only did they put on a new “rubber kit” as they call it, but also tuned up the engine, replaced plugs, cleaned valves and lines, all the stuff I’d never be able to do. It wasn’t cheap ($190), but it’s so worth it knowing you’ll be able to handle anything mother nature dumps on your driveway this winter. My blower will start like a champ, take on 6- to 10-inch accumulations, and then ask for more!
My snow blower is pretty small and inexpensive. Not the big monsters some of my neighbors have. But its engine—and auger—work just as well as when I bought it 7 or so years ago. So until it simply dies, I’m staying with it.
And after all the hard labor of steering my mighty snow blower as it eats all that snow, the skin can get a bit wind-blasted and braced by that dry, cold air.
A hot shower using Lucky Tiger Head to Tail Shampoo and Body Wash, followed by a great shave with Lucky Tiger Liquid Crème Shave, and then a nice dollop of Lucky Tiger Face Moisturizer then Lucky Tiger After Shave and Face Tonic, and I’m a new man. I can hardly remember that octagon death match with that wicked snowfall. In fact, I’m ready to do it again. So bring it on, Mother Nature! No wait…I was just joking….
