When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
This is not the kind of Great Winter Drive I thought you were talking about, but I'll tell you about one of my best...
To me a Great Winter Drive is when I pack the truck with survival gear such as chain saw, lots of good warm cloths, water, safety equipment, phone charger, extra gas, shovel, stuff like that. And then head off into the raging environment in 4-wheel drive. What makes it great is knowing that this drive is as serious as lapping Watkins Glen, errors in judgment could have far reaching consequences.
One of my all time best Great Winter Drives was a number of years ago when the Northeast suffered a major ice storm. Huge areas of Ontario Canada, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine were in states of emergencies because the havoc brought on by the ice. All the roads were closed and nobody was supposed to be out unless it was an emergency. I love that, who decides what an emergency is?
Well I decided I needed to go up to the very most northeastern area of New York near the Thousand Island area to check on my parent's 2nd home. At the time they had a house on Black Lake, an area that is extremely remote, the perfect adventure.
Let me just say, this day will remain with me for the rest of my like; I really felt like an adventurer, it was great. Some of the highlights were driving for a 15-mile stretch and never seeing a single telephone pole standing, driving over live electric lines where they crossed the road, cutting through virgin snow on roads that had not been driven on yet, stopping and getting out the chain saw to move trees and branches so I could keep on going, getting up to the lake only to discover the road in was impassible due to the hundreds of downed trees, parking the truck and bulking up with cloths as I set off on foot chainsaw in hand, walking for over an hours to go about a mile due to having to cut trees as well as crawl over and under them to get through. And in the end finally getting back to the house, only to find nearly no damage other than a single pane being broken on a double pane sliding glass door. I hung out at the house for a while because the silence and remoteness was revitalizing.
The drive home was also intense, but having gotten in, I suspected getting back out and home would be a bit easier, and it was. To me, that is a Great Winter Drive, just me, my determination and my truck against Mother Nature.
And as a side note, we are having the lamest Winter I can ever recall, so I will not be getting a Great Winter Drive this year by the looks of it.
Rob...like Carmen, we have salt on the roads most of the winter, so a drive in the S is out for me. I know many drive thiers in the winter, but for me I see no use in doing it in the cold/salt.
Okay, a cold beer for Marco and Carmen, I'm right there with ya guys. There is no way in hell I'll drive my S in the salt...
I know it's cold outside. Just get a leather jacket, a hat, a scarf and a pair of gloves and you're all set. Wait for a cold, sunny day, take the top down, turn up the heat and go. The great winter drive. It's maybe the most fun, most exhilirating drive you can take.
This would be a typical Spring or Fall drive. And just so you know I love to drive in these cold conditions with the top down, here is the only hat to receive the Triple-H endorsement for this type of drive. Mine is all black with silver/grey fur.
Doug, that was quite the ice storm, one I'll never forget either. With my Ranger I was able to get to/from all but 1 day. The best thing about going to work was there was electricity there,(emergeny generators), something I didn't have at home for the better part of 7 days! Without the electricity also didn't have water...I have a well that needs electric to run the pump.
It was '98 wasn't it Nick? I remember the '91 ice storm that brought Rochester to its knees for a week, but the one we are thinking about was way more wide spread. Still to this day running up rte. 81 there is still evidence of the damaged tree tops.
My trusty Nissan has never failed me in the snow, I'm sure it has a lot to do with the tires I run. The only time I have had to get out and shovel is when I was being an ass and clipping snow drifts, one got me and pulled me right in, the skid plates worked like a snow shoe and all 4 tires were about 3" off the ground when it finally came to a stop. I have always carried a folding military shovel in my truck, and that day I was very happy I do...
No winter drives yet. The "baby" is under cover right now, but an inspection sticker is needed this month, so who knows. Maybe we'll get out there yet.
We've either had cold gray days, rain, snow, or other such miserable weather. No incentive to put miles on the "S."
Thankfully we don't usually get the ice storms you folks are talking about. BUT if we lose power, I can light the top of the gas stove with a match, so we don't have to eat cold food, we have city water, not a well, so we can flush, (very important) and I have gas hot water so I can still shower (also very important).
These features of our home made us the envy of a few several years ago after we were without power for about five days after a hurricane.
I have been because the hardtop I ordered when I purchased my '05 on Nov. 6th has been promised over and over but never has never shown up. Latest rumor (by Poindexter) is that the plant that built them burned and Honda has to find a new builder and then get them built. But in the meantime, we have had some on occasion and I have dropped the top. The silver lining to not getting and putting on the top, even though my S has been sitting out in the pouring rain and ends up frozen many mornings. No big drives though. The last one Andy and I went on was to Tehachapi on December 19th and it was a bit over around 100 miles, total. He now his his hardtop on so his looks sexier but mine can go topless.
01-12-2005 | 08:15 AM
to winter!
because the hardtop I ordered when I purchased my '05 on Nov. 6th has been promised over and over but never has never shown up. Latest rumor (by Poindexter) is that the plant that built them burned and Honda has to find a new builder and then get them built. But in the meantime, we have had some 
on occasion and I have dropped the top. The silver lining to not getting and putting on the top, even though my S has been sitting out in the pouring rain and ends up frozen many mornings. No big drives though. The last one Andy and I went on was to Tehachapi on December 19th and it was a bit over around 100 miles, total. He now his his hardtop on so his looks sexier but mine can go topless.