Sporting challenge

This weekend the whole of Embach has been engaged in some of the winter sports which haven’t yet been adopted by the Olympics. However, a serious problem has arisen which is challenging even the most experienced winter athletes.

After three day of heavy snowfall, a number of key events are occupying the populace. Top of the list is digging a path from the house door to the outside world. In the combined event, this is twinned with clearing a track to enable the family car to be driven out of the garage.

Combined event in progress - making a track big enough for a car

Other events which are high on the priority list include rooftop clearing, find the car and tunnelling or wading to the bird feeding stations.



Rooftop clearing - one of the more dangerous sports

Tunnelling to the bird feeder



Traditionalists' tools of the trade

Traditionalists undertake the events manually using a set of implements to push and drag away the mass of snow. These tools include the snow witch – a metal tray with handle which shifts large volumes, the wooden pusher for uphill work and the ice breaker, a small blade on a long handle for compacted snow and ice. Those who use tractors and powered snow blowers are scorned by serious winter sports participants.

Find the car is especially enjoyed by tourists whose cars are parked in large car parks and more often than not, they spend time digging out someone else's vehicle.

Is it our car?

The biggest challenge has been finding where to put the result of all this snow sport. One sneaky resident gets up at 3am, pushes the snow from his digging and clearing into the road ready for the village snow plough when it comes by on its regular 4am run. But even the snow plough is finding it difficult to find new dumping areas. This same resident spreadeagle's his partner across the bonnet of the car to add weight to the driving wheels as they negotiate the hill outside their home.

Piles of snow are growing wherever space can be found to stash the residue of residents’ Olympic efforts and it is thought that if the weather continues for many more days, Embach could disappear into a sea of whiteness.



Finding space to dump the snow is becoming difficult