STOGUIDE pages 68-73:Layout 1 10/30/07 5:27 PM Page 71
entireStowehighwaycrew,whomaintainabout65dirt
roadsand35pavedroads,finishedupmostofthe
heavyliftingintownbymid-morning.“We’vegotover
10(employees)outthismorning.Wewereshortaman,
sotheparksdepartmenthelpedout.”
Bonneaugrinsattherecollectionofthealreadyleg-
endaryValentine’sDaystormof2007andexplains
howhighwayemployeesputinalotofovertimeto
keeptheroadspassable.Afterthatmonster,he’sactual-
lysurprisedtoseesomuchsnowstillcominginApril.
Well,nottoosurprised.Afterall,he’sbeenaroadwar-
riorforyearsandhe’sseenitall.“Youthinkspring’s
hereandyoualwaysgetanotherstorm,”hesaysmat-
ter-of-factly,chuggingtheplowupthesteepestsection
oftheroad.
Sometimes,theplowman’sjobisaboutcleaningup
otherpeoples’messes.AlongEdsonHillRoad,pilesof
snowsitintheroad,whichBonneausayswereproba-
blypushedoutofaresident’sdrivewaybyaprivate
snowplowoperator.Townplowmenjusthavetocleanit
up.“Nobigdeal,”hesays.
Parkedcarsontheroadduringasnowstormarethe
biggestnuisance,hesays.Help,however,isjusta
phonecallaway.Ifacarblocksaplow’sdriver,Stowe
policetowthevehicleoutoftheway.
HEADING DOWN EDSON HILL ROAD.
Today,arelativelymilddayinthelow40s,there’s
anotherdangertheplowmenmustconfront.“Yougot
tobecarefulondirtroadsnowbecausetheplowcould
digintothesoftdirt,”Bonneauexplains.
Riding with Larry Foster
Aftera15-minutewait,a10-wheelplowtruckcreeps
downtheroad,andIhopouttomeetLarryFoster.The
climbintothetruckrequirescarefulpositioningoffeet
andhands,andit’soneheckofclimbintothepassen-
ger’sseat.AfterI’min,Fosterturnstheplowaround
andgoesbackuptheroad,explainingthathisterritory
coversmostofStowe’sMountainRoad,EdsonHill
Road,WeeksHillRoad,MayoFarmRoadandevery-
whereinbetween.Fosterandhisfellowhighwaydri-
versplowonlytown-ownedroads;Route108,known
astheMountainRoad,isastatehighwayandiskept
clearbystateplows.
Nownoontime,Fosterhasfinishedhisfirstpassover
hisroute,andplanstohitsomedirtroadsstillcovered
insnow.Foster,54,hasworkedforthetownhighway
departmentfor29years.Youcantellhe’samasterat
FOSTER SHIFTS GEARS.
whathedoes—adjustingtheplowsettings,maneuvering
thelargetruckintheroad,hisvigilanteyesonthelook-
outforobstaclesthatmaycomehisway.
Fostershiftsaleverandputsdownthelargeplow
shieldcalledthe“wing”onthepassengersideofthe
truck.Itlaunchespilesandpilesofdirtandsnowand
slushoffthesideoftheroad.“WhatIdoiswatchin
themirrorandseewherethepileofsnowis,”hesays.
FosterreferstothedangerthatBonneaualludedto
earlierwhenherecallshowhehelpedpulloutasmall-
erplowtruckstuckinthesnowandsoftgroundthis
morning.“It’srealinterestingtoplowthistimeofyear.
Gravelroadsaresoftenedup.Youhavetokeepthe
plowup,keepingthechaintight,soitdoesn’tdigin.”
That’swhyFostertakesiteasywhenpavedroad
becomesdirt;hedownshiftsandliftstheplowslightly.
TheplowbouncesdownthenarrowpassageofWells
Road.NowthatitisApril,warmertemperaturesbegin
tomeltthefrostintheground,Fosterexplains,andthe
frostheavesarelevelingout.Alotofsmartplowing
involvesprecautionarymeasuresandkeepinganeyeon
theweather,hesays.
SWITCHES ON THE DASH.
“Youcan’trushMotherNature.”
71
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