`The Beast From The East` Siberian winter storm arrives...

Been a real cold week with a baltic easterly wind and as forecasted Wednesday came the snow-more hailstones than big fluffy flakes and by midday the amber weather warning for risk of snow and ice had been changed to the first ever Red Alert warning, in place for 36 hours.
Work was closed at 2.30pm as roads were closing in for safe driving. By the time i was ready to leave  the roads home were becoming pretty scary conditions for driving and 3 roads had HGV`s stuck on them and i had to detour home and 4 miles took an hour to rive home as i had to sit in queues /u turn and try other routes...

Thursday; Snowday:
No work and  Fatbike ready to go,,,
The roads were blocked with drifting powder snow blown across the fields in the strong bitter wind blowing up to an estimated 40mph, but i went a cycle to NB for supplies,

It was actually quite warm cycling despite the -8C windchill, my hands were toasty with Barr Mitts on and feet warm with walking boots, and i had to stop and lose a layer under my waterproof jacket as the snow although dry was quite hard work as not packed hard,  drifts between hedges were 3 foot and higher...

Some of the JMW was unrideable with drifts and i had to take to the fields...

Check out the main road here!...

Ice caked branches...

The main road at Redside!...

Riding down through the woods here on the JMW was wild  in the snow storm and howling wind it was a total whiteout, Siberia Arctic chill indeed!...

At Balgone J stopped in the tractor and said i was nuts!...

Here ahead on the main road was a Ford car buried in a drift...

Although under a mile from NB it would take a bit effort through drifts...

Down into town and the shop, with the back pack filled with supplies i decided to go home by the roads but expected more blown drifts and hike - a - bike sections...

More abandoned cars and waist deep drifts so again i took to the fields up to Highfield crossroads...

Along to Kingston and the road had just been dug out by a farmer and fork lift so better,
There was only one more section blocked with drifts but it was still no way cars could drive  in this, hence the Red alert and warning to not travel unless absolutely  essential...

Getting Cider is essential...  :D
Time to get the stove fired up and stay warm and cosy...

Here is some film of the ride,
Song is `Reach For The Dead` by Boards of Canada


Fatbike Snowride; `The Beast From The East` Storm;  March 1st 2018 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

No work again tomorrow and will prob go for another snow cycle but stay closer to home and avoid the energy sapping deep drifts...

More soon...