Always need a backup ;)
- Thread starter peakbagger
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
Well another step forward today, I figured out how to snowblow the driveway without crutches. I got a Knee Crutch awhile back (looks like a peg leg) but wanted to wait until the sutures were out and in a walking cast. Its one of these, https://iwalk-free.com/ I have used it around the house but my prior wrap job around my leg was too thick and put a lot of pressure on my knee. The new walking cast is less bad with the knee crutch.
So with 4" of snow on driveway I gave it a shot. The prep was the hardest. I had to cut up an old fleece to cover the foot of my walking cast as my toes are open to the air. In order to have traction I retrofitted a hiking microspike to the end of the peg leg. I also wore a microspike on my good foot. Great traction except on the tile in my mudroom. So I had to use my crutches to get down my stairs and into my garage and then put on the knee crutch and the spikes. From there I started the snowblower and gave it a try with a crutch stashed in front of me just in case. The actual snowblowing was slow to begin with. The gait wit a peg leg is bit odd but got used to it. My new track drive Honda has track clutches so turning is lot less hassle then with my prior one. Backing up is bit more of challenge but with some planning I got that down. The biggest hassle was since I was going slow was I got cold fingers.
Once I finished It was reverse of the prep. It was definite work out but I got it done. Not something I really wanted to do but good to see that my preplanning worked out.
Next project is figuring out how to drive my car, left foot braking and with hand throttle.
So with 4" of snow on driveway I gave it a shot. The prep was the hardest. I had to cut up an old fleece to cover the foot of my walking cast as my toes are open to the air. In order to have traction I retrofitted a hiking microspike to the end of the peg leg. I also wore a microspike on my good foot. Great traction except on the tile in my mudroom. So I had to use my crutches to get down my stairs and into my garage and then put on the knee crutch and the spikes. From there I started the snowblower and gave it a try with a crutch stashed in front of me just in case. The actual snowblowing was slow to begin with. The gait wit a peg leg is bit odd but got used to it. My new track drive Honda has track clutches so turning is lot less hassle then with my prior one. Backing up is bit more of challenge but with some planning I got that down. The biggest hassle was since I was going slow was I got cold fingers.
Once I finished It was reverse of the prep. It was definite work out but I got it done. Not something I really wanted to do but good to see that my preplanning worked out.
Next project is figuring out how to drive my car, left foot braking and with hand throttle.
An ole saying from a friend of mine.
"Improvise, adapt, and survive."
You are doing well.
''Go easy'' .....from another friend that passed years back.
It helps that this Honda is as automatic as they come. Normally I would not have bought something that fancy but in order to get the hydrostatic track drive, Honda only has one option, electric start. I didnt get the electric start as it doesnt really need one (two pulls after sitting 6 months. So power chute rotation, power chute up and down, track clutches for turning, and an easy way to set the scraping height and release it. Expensive but at $50 a plow from my old plow guy who retired it will pay for itself in about 2 seasons, although I would not mind having a plow guy if I could find one for about 5 more weeks 
all you need now is a person to use it in your driveway. very nice, i got a ariens 24 inch with a huge secondary thrower and singletrack drive and i hate it. new second season
In one of my latest rants to my wife after she had foot surgery, I was describing such a device and not understanding why they weren't more used as compared to crutches, scooters, etc.
I'm glad to know they're available cause I have no doubt I'll face challenges similar to yours eventually.
The knee scooter has its place and I am glad a friend dropped one by. I had a friend give me a ride to Walmart the other day and we brought the knee scooter. He had a tough time keeping up with me. I dont have a basket on mine so he followed with a shopping cart. Far faster and lot more maneuverable and more sanitary than the electric carts they have for public use. I am at standing height so I can get to the top shelf.
The knee crutch has its place as IMO its lot safer on stairs and is hands free. My guess is when I get the hardware removed and dont need cast it may be my go to device to use. If I didnt have the huge walking crutch in the way I would use the knee crutch more.
I just need to get a parrot, eye patch and bandanna and work on my "argh"
![[Hearth.com] Always need a backup ;)](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/288/288187-aefdedff9467f7d9186a76d6754fb4c5.jpg?hash=2-jhLv3oRp "[Hearth.com] Always need a backup ;)")
I was looking at hooking the knee scooter to the snowblower, but I need to back up on occasion and figured it would get complicated.
My grandad's was a little different, it hooked to the mower in two locations and that was the up/down pivot, and it had a single trailing pneumatic swivel caster wheel, if the blower will do the reversing 
Aye, and some grog!I just need to get a parrot, eye patch and bandanna and work on my "argh"
Well, yesterday was warm out (a bit too warm) so I raided the woodshed and filled my bulkhead. I moved about 1/3 of a cord with the knee crutch. It really likes flat and level since unlike a normal leg it does not compensate very well for changes in elevation. There was 4 to 6" of snow along my path from the wood shed to the bulkhead.
I do not dare run my snowblower down this path until the crust firms up on the ground. Even if I wanted to use the snowblower, I managed to snap a shear pin on the blower wheel. This is the first snowblower I have owned that had a shear pin on the blower wheel along with the auger. I had ordered a service manual and parts manual so it was pretty easy to figure out what I needed. Usually Honda standardizes things but in this case the auger shear bolts are smaller. I had a handful of them but no blower pins. The electric start version of this snowblower does not have a shear pin, its got some sort of electronic devices that stops the engine instead of shear pin. So I am waiting for an express delivery of a blower shear pin. When I get it, getting it in place with the knee cast on will be interesting.
So back to the wood move, I usually keep the wood shed for later in the winter but decided it was time to raid it while I am on the knee crutch. I use a wheelbarrow. Things did pretty well but with the warm temps my spikes on the knee crutch pad and my boot would build up with snow on occasion. Once I noticed it I would need to stop and knock off the "snowballs". Once I got a path tromped out it went pretty well but it was a workout. No doubt a mix of lack of conditioning by being off my feet for 10 weeks and the extra work with the knee crutch. Its supposed to be cold next week but my bulkhead holds 3 or 4 weeks. I hope to be somewhat more mobile by the next time its empty. Its 2 weeks and counting to my next doctors appointment and I hope I will get cleared to start putting weight on it. The surgery scars are looking good and the claim is that getting the surgery scars healed takes precedence over the bones.
Luckily, the snow so far has been minimal. Enough to clean up but nothing heavy.
I do not dare run my snowblower down this path until the crust firms up on the ground. Even if I wanted to use the snowblower, I managed to snap a shear pin on the blower wheel. This is the first snowblower I have owned that had a shear pin on the blower wheel along with the auger. I had ordered a service manual and parts manual so it was pretty easy to figure out what I needed. Usually Honda standardizes things but in this case the auger shear bolts are smaller. I had a handful of them but no blower pins. The electric start version of this snowblower does not have a shear pin, its got some sort of electronic devices that stops the engine instead of shear pin. So I am waiting for an express delivery of a blower shear pin. When I get it, getting it in place with the knee cast on will be interesting.
So back to the wood move, I usually keep the wood shed for later in the winter but decided it was time to raid it while I am on the knee crutch. I use a wheelbarrow. Things did pretty well but with the warm temps my spikes on the knee crutch pad and my boot would build up with snow on occasion. Once I noticed it I would need to stop and knock off the "snowballs". Once I got a path tromped out it went pretty well but it was a workout. No doubt a mix of lack of conditioning by being off my feet for 10 weeks and the extra work with the knee crutch. Its supposed to be cold next week but my bulkhead holds 3 or 4 weeks. I hope to be somewhat more mobile by the next time its empty. Its 2 weeks and counting to my next doctors appointment and I hope I will get cleared to start putting weight on it. The surgery scars are looking good and the claim is that getting the surgery scars healed takes precedence over the bones.
Luckily, the snow so far has been minimal. Enough to clean up but nothing heavy.
Well, I am back on two legs exactly 2 months after the accident. Now six weeks of physical therapy to get the ankle working again. Still nice to be able to drive again and at least be able to hobble around.
Do you have an automatic transmission? I figured, since my knees are on their way out, and I'd probably need some new ones at some point, I'd buy automatic cars. I always thought I could get by driving with my left foot even if it was a little flakey. Even one arm, since no shifting required. Maybe I should actually try that theory out.
Up until this spring I had 4 standard transmissions in the house and no automatics. My new Rav 4 is an automatic (not offered with a standard) so I am in covered, it replaced a Forf Fiesta with a stick. The two Unimogs are parked for the winter, even if they were not, they are very high ground clearance and it will be a while before I can climb up into either cab, My fourth stick is a Toyota LJ70 Diesel that is not yet road ready.
I used to drive a stick for fuel economy and lack of complexity but the Rav4 Prime hybrid electric is inherently a nightmare if I ever need to work on it so the automatic is the least of my worries. It also has a fairly sophisticated radar cruise control with autobraking and lane centering so once I am over 30 MPH I can let it do a lot of the driving. It gets 38 MPG highway once the battery is discharged so the automatic is not really a major liability. Sadly I no longer have a so called Millennial anti theft system. Standards do not make a lot of sense with electric drive motors as the torque curve with an electric is linear. Plus auto stop start does not work well with a stick.
I used to drive a stick for fuel economy and lack of complexity but the Rav4 Prime hybrid electric is inherently a nightmare if I ever need to work on it so the automatic is the least of my worries. It also has a fairly sophisticated radar cruise control with autobraking and lane centering so once I am over 30 MPH I can let it do a lot of the driving. It gets 38 MPG highway once the battery is discharged so the automatic is not really a major liability. Sadly I no longer have a so called Millennial anti theft system
. Standards do not make a lot of sense with electric drive motors as the torque curve with an electric is linear. Plus auto stop start does not work well with a stick.
lol. I have a 10 y/o Mazda 2 stick shift. No one ever going to steal that. 40 mpg on average though - b/c I drive like an old fart. Never more than 5 mph over the limit, and (more importantly) slower acceleration (despite the zoom zoom advertising back then by Mazda, and the capability to tear away nicely), and looking far ahead and adjusting my speed before the need of braking.Up until this spring I had 4 standard transmissions in the house and no automatics. My new Rav 4 is an automatic (not offered with a standard) so I am in covered, it replaced a Forf Fiesta with a stick. The two Unimogs are parked for the winter, even if they were not, they are very high ground clearance and it will be a while before I can climb up into either cab, My fourth stick is a Toyota LJ70 Diesel that is not yet road ready.
I used to drive a stick for fuel economy and lack of complexity but the Rav4 Prime hybrid electric is inherently a nightmare if I ever need to work on it so the automatic is the least of my worries. It also has a fairly sophisticated radar cruise control with autobraking and lane centering so once I am over 30 MPH I can let it do a lot of the driving. It gets 38 MPG highway once the battery is discharged so the automatic is not really a major liability. Sadly I no longer have a so called Millennial anti theft system
The hybrids will have less of a braking disadvantage, though acceleration will still have a big negative influence on the fuel efficiency.
that is exactly how i drive. so i love big cars and have a 2001 mercury grand marquis, with that said i get 20 to 21 around town and towards the upper end of the 20's for highway. did the highway trip last from mass to lake george new york with the car loaded
I know you're an overachiever, but a friend just sent me a copy of his 6-month x-ray after breaking his leg right below the knee. It is healing well, but one long screw snapped and is now broken. The doctor said this is from him using the leg too early and too hard.
I followed the doctor orders and plan to see him until next week. My biggest issues have been unintentional, late night trips to the bathroom are real easy to screw up as I am half awake. My soft tissues seem to be the big issue of late, its obvious that I need to rebuild a lot of muscle fiber. I am taking it relatively easy until PT starts.
SpaceBus
Minister of Fire
I like those Grand Marquis with the 32v DOCH engine. I forget what the trim level is called, but I think all of them were black.
I'm pro manual transmission myself, but I know that our next purchase will be an electric or PHEV, so not really any choice there. Our daily driver is a 2013 500c Abarth with a five speed and my truck is a diesel ram six speed 4x4. I used to be a manual hubs kind of guy, but I'm glad my dodge has fancy automatic hubs and a manual transfer case lever.
Glad to hear you are taking it easy, Peakbagger. I hope you have an easy recovery so you can climb back into those 'Mogs.
