Brrrr.....chi-leeeeeeeeeee!

Probably no surprises to those who live in these areas, but the weather didn't ease overnight and I woke (early enough to get out for the sunrise if it had looked promising) to the gentle sound of wind-blown snow/ice crystals landing on the van roof and..........silence!  Not a sound from the nearby road....most unusual given this is the main state highway north to south.  I checked the road conditions info service on my phone and wouldn't you know it........the road had been closed.  Oops!  Then came a sound that continued all morning........a snow plough (usually one of a pack of 3 or 4 of them that coordinated their arrivals and departures....great teamwork) pulled into the rest area, swung around then headed back up the road in the opposite direction, plough 'blade' graunching it's way along the [almost] surface of the road and shifting any snow that had landed out towards the roadside edges.  This continued for some 4 or 5 hours as snow flurries came and went.  Realising I may need to spend another night in the rest area I cut back on my power use (zero chance of the solar panels doing any productive work today) and settled into a few tasks I needed to work on on my laptop.  A little work, coffee, read the BBC news from overnight happenings around the world, another coffee.........easy to fill time for me.  
Around 11 the pack of snow ploughs gathered then headed off in the opposite direction...........not too long after that a car whizzed past, then another, and another.  With the road open again I packed up and readied to head south.  As I turned on the windscreen wipers to clear the view I spotted these icicles which had formed hanging off the cab-over.  Quite impressive ,though not great pics to see (another one in extras).

In Marton again tonight then will head to Wellington tomorrow.  Hoping to get another Zealandia visit in if the weather's OK.