Surprise, Homerites. If you thought you could pop into your Subaru and dash to work this week, oops. We have now entered Vehicle Ice Scraping Season. Some people call this “fall,” but we know better. Now is the time when we must allow 5 minutes in the morning to scrape ice off our windshields. This assumes you don’t keep your car in a garage, in which case, the Betster hates you.
No, you can’t push this by driving half blind down the road as your defroster melts the ice. OK, you can push it, but don’t be surprised if you drive into a ditch, a slow moose or a steadfast street sign. Also, cops frown on people driving that way.
For new Alaskans who have never scraped ice off windshields because they lived a deprived childhood in Key West, Fla., the Betster has these tips:
• Get a sharp ice scraper. Freebies work well.
• Let the car warm up a bit to loosen the grip of the ice.
• Scrape a vertical slice on the side of the windshield and then scrape across, using the slice to dig into the sheet of ice.
If you think ice scraping puts a dent in your morning nap, try not to think of what’s coming soon. Yes, eventually you will wake up to 2-feet of fresh, wet … Well, it is too soon to say that word. You know what we mean.
So count your blessings, get out the studded tires and enjoy these beautiful, crispy fall days, perhaps with these Best Bets:
BEST ROCK ON BET: Want to learn about rock climbing in Alaska? Kachemak Bay Research Reserve sponsors a talk by Jim Schloemer about climbing in Hatcher Pass at Grace Ridge Brewing at 5:30 p.m. today. You must be 21 or older to attend.
BEST IN THE OVEN BET: Thinking about getting pregnant? Get some practical advice about preconception nutrition and how to get your body ready for pregnancy. Midwives and physicians assistants talk about resources in Homer at a talk at 6 p.m. today at the SVT Health & Wellness Center.
BEST SIDEWAYS BET: Learn about some amazing wines and bid on fabulous desserts in a fundraiser for the Kachemak Heritage Land Trust at 6 p.m. Friday at the Homestead Restaurant. Pinot wines are featured. Admission is $30.
BEST ADRIFT BET: Local filmmaker Silas Firth holds the world premiere of his new short film, “Rubber Ducky,” at 5 p.m. Friday at the Homer Theatre. Talk with the cast and crew and see what our local creative geniuses have made. For more information, visit www.rubberduckymovie.com.
BEST WAYBACK MACHINE BET: You know your ancestors must have been pretty cool, but who were they and where did they come from? Get tips on uncovering your family tree in a talk with Shanley Kerls Brown from 2-4 p.m. Saturday at the Homer Public Library.
BEST AS TOUGH AS THEY COME BET: Adventurer Dick Griffith has put more footprints on Alaska’s landscape since Hudson Stuck. Meet Griffith and his biographer, Kaylene Johnson, when they talk about her book, “Canyons and Ice: The Wilderness Travels with Dick Griffith” at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Homer Public Library.