The Auger

People who don't live above the snow line no doubt are unaware of "The Auger."  It's a wonderful thing.  The problem with snow is that it has to go somewhere and the ploughs that come through naturally push it to the side of the road; both sides in fact.  The result is that the roads here become smaller and smaller with occasionally only enough room for one car at a time.



Big Auger


 Little kids years ago used to rush out and watch certain vehicles passing, and I have to say when the Big Auger comes through it is quite a sight to see it widening the road.  Of course this huge machine is just a bigger version of the one many of us use to clear our driveways.  Here is mine.

Little Auger

They work on the same principal, with a huge swirling corkscrew that breaks up the snow and then pushes it to the back where another blade swirls it upwards through the chute - all clever stuff.

The driver of the Big Auger is a grim looking fellow as he has to concentrate on his target.  He has a control however that directs the flow away from our driveways for which we're all very grateful.

Once the Auger appears, along with the clocks going forward, it's a harbinger of the arrival of spring -  hooray!