This is my third winter in Pennsylvania and I'm told that they've been uncharacteristically mild as of late. Last year barely snowed at all. I'm fairly certain I didn't even step foot in it while at home. Of course my holiday visits to Rochester are a completely different matter entirely. Apparently there's a thing called lake-effect...
Lake Effect snow occurs when cold air, often originating from Canada, moves across the open waters of the Great Lakes. As the cold air passes over the unfrozen and relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes, warmth and moisture are transferred into the lowest portion of the atmosphere.
Yeah so when you're next to the Great Lakes a lot of the time it feels like snow is just dumping sideways, which is a new thing to personally experience. In any case it just snowed pretty hard in the small mountain town where I live, located an hour away from New York city. Something like 8 inches in one afternoon. Ski resorts rejoice! I always thought I'd end up in some small mountain town with a tourist economy, and here I am. And it all happened completely randomly and pretty much beyond my control. Weird how that happens.
Just another day in the Poconos
When we tell people that we moved here from California, most of the locals that live here are absolutely baffled by it; Like it's some kind of huge downgrade and travesty. "Why would you do that!?!" The glorification of Hollywood and otherwise greener pastures is a helluva drug. Yes well, I've been to LA, many times, and I can say first hand that it's an overpriced smog-ridden cesspool. Hard pass.
High population areas are the worst.
The people are entitled and rude. Everything is crowded. 90% of the cars on the road drive like they're actively shooting up steroids. I really do believe there is a certain madness that consumes the mind when too many people are in one place. Not a fan.
I remember as I kid I really liked the snow and quite a few people tried to tell me I wouldn't like it if I had to live with it. Ah yes well it's been three years so I guess I was right and they were wrong yet again. Much like humidity, snow doesn't bother me one bit. In fact the second it snowed the other day I immediately felt better just in general. I'm thinking this likely has something to do with the exponential increase of light that gets reflected around. Days can go from dark and dreary to completely lit up.
Infrastructure
When we first moved here we thought we might have to buy a car that was more suitable for such weather. All wheel drive? Snow tires maybe? Turns out this was 100% false. The ground is constantly salted and plowed and the roads themselves are almost never treacherous. I suppose this certainly isn't true for the entire state (or backroads) but it's fine where I live. Sometimes I wonder how much it all costs. Seems like everyone and their mother owns a pickup truck with a plow attached to it when winter rolls around.
Salt
It's amazing just how covered a car can get in a short amount of time when the roads are salted. Salt is a relatively corrosive substance and causes metal to rust a lot faster than it normally would. The upside is that it keeps the road from freezing down to a temperature of 2-20 degrees Fahrenheit (depending on solution density). Seeing as the coldest it gets around here is something like 18°F it tends to be a somewhat perfect solution with little inconvenience (more car washes).
Police
Another thing I like about living in a low population tourist destination is that I don't see cops very often, and when I do they aren't bothering me. There are way too many rich jackasses from out of town doing stupid shit for locals to get on the radar. It's a nice thing when the local government isn't financially incentivized to fine you and generate revenue from the people they're supposed to be "serving and protecting". Let that out of town New Yorker in the sports car take all the heat. Damn yankees.
Ski Resort
I used to snowboard whenever I got the chance back in the day but never got back into it. Still own a board and haven't used it in 10+ years. Probably needs maintenance. Apparently my girlfriend used to be pretty good at it (way better than me) but doesn't even attempt such things anymore after having wrecked knees from playing soccer competitively for so long. Too bad so sad.
I did go to a ski resort in the summer that had been repurposed for another function 6 months ago. What I saw actually baffled me. I don't think the slopes here are actually that good, but don't quote me on that. That may be one of the things that California is superior at: insane mountain ranges caused by the fault-lines.
Conclusion
Life is good and it's nice to be reminded of that from time to time.
