FORT DRUM 'ers: How do you get around the winter weather w/your f-body & other ?'s
10-23-2010, 12:38 PM
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FORT DRUM 'ers: How do you get around the winter weather w/your f-body & other ?'s I'm thinking about adding Fort Drum to my Locations Preference List just because it's the closest, available base to my hometown in South Jersey. However, I have a 2002 Z28 and a 2006 GTO and I don't think these cars will do well on snow, ice, and road salt.
For those living in and around Fort Drum, what do you do about the winter snow, ice and road salt? I'm assuming you store your nice cars away and drive a beater? How long does the snow season last? When does the snow season begin? Will a muscle car on snow tires do okay there?
Also, how are the military gyms? Are they okay compared to the civilian gyms? Are there any super-nice civilian gyms close to base? Are there any nice health food stores close to base?
I'll probably end up buying a brand new STI or Evo and keeping my muscle cars in South Jersey if I do get stationed there.
Thank you in advance for the information.
For those living in and around Fort Drum, what do you do about the winter snow, ice and road salt? I'm assuming you store your nice cars away and drive a beater? How long does the snow season last? When does the snow season begin? Will a muscle car on snow tires do okay there?
Also, how are the military gyms? Are they okay compared to the civilian gyms? Are there any super-nice civilian gyms close to base? Are there any nice health food stores close to base?
I'll probably end up buying a brand new STI or Evo and keeping my muscle cars in South Jersey if I do get stationed there.
Thank you in advance for the information.
10-23-2010, 01:10 PM
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"snow" down here is more like slush. comes in 10 minutes, leaves in a day. seriously. no joke.
"ice" does happen, but its the same kind you have in Jersey, nothing new. but the weather people usually call it on the dot when we will get it, and how bad it will be.
"road salt" doesnt exist. we use sand.
"snow season" usually lasts a week or two.. thats usually right around Christmas. we might get a random episode once or twice after that, but its usually just rain, sleet, or bad wind chills.
The gym iirc is nice. Its free, it was open 24/7 (iirc) and there was a handful of trainers to help out if you needed it. beats paying 50$ a month for sure.
Health food stores: you have a big section at the local exchange for powders, vitamins, ect.
"ice" does happen, but its the same kind you have in Jersey, nothing new. but the weather people usually call it on the dot when we will get it, and how bad it will be.
"road salt" doesnt exist. we use sand.
"snow season" usually lasts a week or two.. thats usually right around Christmas. we might get a random episode once or twice after that, but its usually just rain, sleet, or bad wind chills.
The gym iirc is nice. Its free, it was open 24/7 (iirc) and there was a handful of trainers to help out if you needed it. beats paying 50$ a month for sure.
Health food stores: you have a big section at the local exchange for powders, vitamins, ect.
11-06-2010, 09:50 AM
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Hmm...I seem to be living at a different fort drum. Been at fort drum for 4 years minus deployments.
It's kinda weird to hear of someone putting drum on their preferences but I can pretty much assure you that you will get it. Fort drum is a bit of a black hole of the army with people trying to get away for years. You might get lucky and get out of drum within 3-4 years. The upside is expect to be gone for a year, back for a year. If yer lucky you might get 18 months in the states.
Expect snow from haloween to mother's day. If it comes later or stops earlier consider it a blessing.
Wintertime in fort drum is no place at all for a muscle car I don't care what kind of tires you put on it. You will have to get a winter beater period. I strongly suggest a 4wd pickup, SUV, or Jeep simply for the ground clearance. Normal mild snowfall is easily in the 4"-8" range. Much more snow than that is commonplace within a day's time. I have personally experienced 49" of snow in 23 hours at fort drum. You will see insane amounts of snow.
The roads on and near drum easily and quickly get hard packed snow and ice at the drop of a hat in the winter. Expect crazy icy conditions. The main roads get cleared quicker while the side roads and parking lots are nasty for a long time. On post that is even moreso.
Whatever you drive on drum in the winter prepare to watch it corrode, rust, and disappear from the ground up. They most certainly use salt, calcium chloride, and potassium chloride which will tear your vehicle to shreds in short order. Keeping it washed every few days in winter helps but that is a very caustic formula they throw on the roads to combat ice in weather that cold. Single digits in the winter are mild, down to the negative teens are common temps, and expect to see down to the -30 range. Lowest I have seen myself was an official low temp of that day of -43. Those are all degrees F.
The local weather forecasters are good at giving you an accurate heads up within a few hours. Beyond that...welll...my favorite forecast for the next day was expected snowfall of "between a flurry and a foot."
There's one decent military gym and it is open from 0600-2300. There is another smaller one that stays open shorter hours. The ppl that work at the gym are a few civilians and soldiers the units don't want to have around for a bit so they put them on "gym detail." The local town, Watertown, is quite sad. Haven't heard much about gyms there good or bad. The closest city of any decent size is Syracuse, like 80 miles away.
There is one "natural foods" store in watertown. Beyond that is GNC at the dumpy mall, GNC at the px, and of course a pretty big section in the actual px.
Unless you like to do outdoor stuff, drink, and are into primarily hefty chicks you will find after-duty activities quite limited.
It's kinda weird to hear of someone putting drum on their preferences but I can pretty much assure you that you will get it. Fort drum is a bit of a black hole of the army with people trying to get away for years. You might get lucky and get out of drum within 3-4 years. The upside is expect to be gone for a year, back for a year. If yer lucky you might get 18 months in the states.
Expect snow from haloween to mother's day. If it comes later or stops earlier consider it a blessing.
Wintertime in fort drum is no place at all for a muscle car I don't care what kind of tires you put on it. You will have to get a winter beater period. I strongly suggest a 4wd pickup, SUV, or Jeep simply for the ground clearance. Normal mild snowfall is easily in the 4"-8" range. Much more snow than that is commonplace within a day's time. I have personally experienced 49" of snow in 23 hours at fort drum. You will see insane amounts of snow.
The roads on and near drum easily and quickly get hard packed snow and ice at the drop of a hat in the winter. Expect crazy icy conditions. The main roads get cleared quicker while the side roads and parking lots are nasty for a long time. On post that is even moreso.
Whatever you drive on drum in the winter prepare to watch it corrode, rust, and disappear from the ground up. They most certainly use salt, calcium chloride, and potassium chloride which will tear your vehicle to shreds in short order. Keeping it washed every few days in winter helps but that is a very caustic formula they throw on the roads to combat ice in weather that cold. Single digits in the winter are mild, down to the negative teens are common temps, and expect to see down to the -30 range. Lowest I have seen myself was an official low temp of that day of -43. Those are all degrees F.
The local weather forecasters are good at giving you an accurate heads up within a few hours. Beyond that...welll...my favorite forecast for the next day was expected snowfall of "between a flurry and a foot."
There's one decent military gym and it is open from 0600-2300. There is another smaller one that stays open shorter hours. The ppl that work at the gym are a few civilians and soldiers the units don't want to have around for a bit so they put them on "gym detail." The local town, Watertown, is quite sad. Haven't heard much about gyms there good or bad. The closest city of any decent size is Syracuse, like 80 miles away.
There is one "natural foods" store in watertown. Beyond that is GNC at the dumpy mall, GNC at the px, and of course a pretty big section in the actual px.
Unless you like to do outdoor stuff, drink, and are into primarily hefty chicks you will find after-duty activities quite limited.
11-06-2010, 08:56 PM
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On second thought, I might keep Fort Drum in my list just to be close to home (in South Jersey) and to be able to keep my cars home and daily driven by my Bro if I get deployed (instead of letting either car rot in storage if I was stationed further away).
As for the deep snow and road salt issue, a slightly used AWD 2008 TrailBlazer SS with annual rust protection and studded winter tires should solve that problem.
Frequent deployments should accelerate my promotion so that I can eventually be a Captain and get stationed somewhere sophisticated like Washington, DC, or Maryland.
I'll never use the military gym as I prefer to minimize my exposure to military presence in my free time. I've already googled the civilian gyms around the area and there is at least once decent one.
And how bad can Watertown be if it's so close to Ontario? It can't be a hicksville like so many places in the South.
Thanks for the heads up. Now, I will be better prepared just in case I do get Fort Drum as my duty station. It's in my top three with South Korea and Hawaii right above it.
As for the deep snow and road salt issue, a slightly used AWD 2008 TrailBlazer SS with annual rust protection and studded winter tires should solve that problem.
Frequent deployments should accelerate my promotion so that I can eventually be a Captain and get stationed somewhere sophisticated like Washington, DC, or Maryland.
I'll never use the military gym as I prefer to minimize my exposure to military presence in my free time. I've already googled the civilian gyms around the area and there is at least once decent one.
And how bad can Watertown be if it's so close to Ontario? It can't be a hicksville like so many places in the South.
Thanks for the heads up. Now, I will be better prepared just in case I do get Fort Drum as my duty station. It's in my top three with South Korea and Hawaii right above it.
Last edited by damon_Z; 11-07-2010 at 08:16 AM. Reason: 2008 was the last model year for TrailBlazers.
11-07-2010, 02:47 AM
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Close to home makes it much better and IMO should warrant it staying on your list. Being a tactical site means you have a better chance of getting it.
An awd TBSS would be okay with studded tires (check with NYS laws, there are only certain months they can be used) but be careful of the deep snow. High centering will be your primary concern.
Lol, Watertown can indeed be quite bad regardless of its proximity to Ontairo. It's not horrible but I find the southern towns much more palatable. The Salmon Run mall is okay for some stuff but if you want any selection a trip to Syracuse or across the border is required.
Don't expect to find a decent dragstrip within 2 hours.
An awd TBSS would be okay with studded tires (check with NYS laws, there are only certain months they can be used) but be careful of the deep snow. High centering will be your primary concern.
Lol, Watertown can indeed be quite bad regardless of its proximity to Ontairo. It's not horrible but I find the southern towns much more palatable. The Salmon Run mall is okay for some stuff but if you want any selection a trip to Syracuse or across the border is required.
Don't expect to find a decent dragstrip within 2 hours.
