VRT Man
12-23-2008, 02:35 PM
As some of you know, the Midwest along with other areas of the north has been hit with record-setting snowfalls. John, I bet you know what I'm talking about in the Twin Cities.
Southeastern Wisconsin where I live has had over 54 inches of snow in December alone, breaking all records, even those going back to the 1880's. I had the misfortune after Thanksgiving to find out that I couldn't start my snowblower, no matter what I did; starting fluid, playing with the choke, new spark plug, changed the oil, the whole works.
Then, before I could get it repaired, it snowed. And snowed. And snowed. More and more. Just last Friday alone we had 12 inches (couldn't make it into work), another 5 on Saturday, 6 more inches today, and another 6 tomorrow. That's 29 inches in 6 days. Then below zero temperatures and 30 mile per hour winds on Saturday, bringing the wind chill down to 20 or 30 degrees below zero. B-r-r-rrrrr! Even my dog won't stay out to relieve herself for more than a minute. She barks at our sliding patio door to get back in!!
So I rediscovered an old friend; snow shoveling. Not only am I the oldest person on my block, I'm the only snow shoveler. Hacking away for an hour to an hour and a half before leaving for work, I feel peppier than ever. I often skip my morning workouts to get this constant barrage of snow shoveled up. But I'm lovin' it! My wife and son are doing it too, although my son has had an upper respiratory infection for a week and a half, and hasn't been able to help. Anyway, my thoughts go back to the shovelglove routine, and how I now do it as a REAL CHORE!
When I do my nightly workout of VRT and push-ups, I feel more internally alive than ever before. To heck with modern inventions!! Let's turn back the clock, and make the man sturdier!!
--Greg Mangan
Southeastern Wisconsin where I live has had over 54 inches of snow in December alone, breaking all records, even those going back to the 1880's. I had the misfortune after Thanksgiving to find out that I couldn't start my snowblower, no matter what I did; starting fluid, playing with the choke, new spark plug, changed the oil, the whole works.
Then, before I could get it repaired, it snowed. And snowed. And snowed. More and more. Just last Friday alone we had 12 inches (couldn't make it into work), another 5 on Saturday, 6 more inches today, and another 6 tomorrow. That's 29 inches in 6 days. Then below zero temperatures and 30 mile per hour winds on Saturday, bringing the wind chill down to 20 or 30 degrees below zero. B-r-r-rrrrr! Even my dog won't stay out to relieve herself for more than a minute. She barks at our sliding patio door to get back in!!
So I rediscovered an old friend; snow shoveling. Not only am I the oldest person on my block, I'm the only snow shoveler. Hacking away for an hour to an hour and a half before leaving for work, I feel peppier than ever. I often skip my morning workouts to get this constant barrage of snow shoveled up. But I'm lovin' it! My wife and son are doing it too, although my son has had an upper respiratory infection for a week and a half, and hasn't been able to help. Anyway, my thoughts go back to the shovelglove routine, and how I now do it as a REAL CHORE!
When I do my nightly workout of VRT and push-ups, I feel more internally alive than ever before. To heck with modern inventions!! Let's turn back the clock, and make the man sturdier!!
--Greg Mangan