The Art of Shoveling

By Michael Bisceglia 
 
There are those who merely shovel snow, and there are those who are true artisans of the craft.  Most who wield the blade know, but are reluctant to share, various elements of the art.  Until now. Let's explore some of the esthetics of shoveling.

Certainly, stance and rhythm are extremely important.  Position of the feel should approximate shoulder-width.  (Envision David Ortiz at the plate.)  Once comfortable, the shoveler should move forward one-half step at a time (begin with either foot).  The removal of snow should follow the same progression (scrape, lift, toss, step, step) until the project is complete.  Moving with a waltz tune in mind is about the correct speed.

Once the basics are learned, the shoveler may want to explore one or more of several truly eye-pleasing stokes.  Type and depth of snow have a definite influence on the style chosen.

My personal favorite is the "herringbone" stoke.  In it, the shoveler proceeds at an angle down the walk or driveway.  Each patch is at a 45-degree angle to the surface.  Each swatch is approximately 18" in length.  When one tour is finished, the shoveler will return to complete the next pass adjacent to the first.  The herringbone leaves a line of wonderfully precise corners framing the designated area.

The "candy cane" is very similar in appearance to the herringbone.  It's similarly angled, but the shoveler completes one full swatch of the walkway.  He turns and does the next in the opposite direction.  Here, the Samba may be preferred to the waltz.

"Stripping" is done in long, plow-like moves.  Here, the shoveler's blade never leaves the surface of the area, except at the end of each strip.  One-half blade to the snow is recommended.  The "empty" half catches the snow spilling in that direction.  The shoveler may want to utilize the march step here.

"Cross-hatching" is an advanced and complicated maneuver.  Essentially, it's stripping being alternated in a north-south to east-west rotation.  One full strip is completed by the accomplished shoveler before beginning the next.  This approach is not recommended for novices, as extra march steps can be easily determined in the approach.

Mixing various techniques isn't widely practiced.  Such walkways aren't pleasing to the eye.  Further, changing rhythms may confuse the shoveler and lead to unsightly collisions with the shovel.

When to shovel is a prime concern.  Storms of great magnitude are usually shoveled while they are in progress.  This keeps the amount moved at each foray to a minimum.  A warning to beginners is not to attempt snow movement during whiteout conditions.  Several rookies have been found producing ambling trails through backyards and into stone walls.

It's all important to shovel the first snowfall, and do so in an expeditious manner.  Should pieces of snow be inadvertently left behind, they're likely to freeze to form unattractive and difficult to remove blotches when the next storm is realized.  Such marred areas are difficult to remove no matter what rhythm is utilized.

Periodic hiatuses to work in progress are recommended.  They allow the shoveler to revel in the work being completed, as well as time to admire (or scorn) the projects being completed by neighbors.

Most New Englanders will agree, however, that by the eighth or ninth storm of the season, employing the neighbor's kid with a snow blower may be well worth the twenty-five dollar expense.  At that time, the former shoveler may wish to pour a cup of hot chocolate, and watch the operation from indoors while savoring the rhythm of choice from a fine stereo unit.