Haaalp!!! I'm desperate!!!

I need to know the quickest way to melt packed snow and ice off of a gravel driveway.

It's been subfreezing here for a couple weeks and today is going to be sunny and in the mid to upper 50's. I need to get out on the bike. The only problem is my 400' long gravel driveway is still a solid sheet of hard packed snow and ice. This time of year it stay's shaded and I don't think it'll melt fast enough to allow me to get out. I could make the hour round trip to the shop to get the propane weed burner and melt me a path or run down to the corner store and get some salt. Help me please...

I would vote for a lot of salt. It does the trick really well in 20 degree weather, so I would imagine that It would help you out a lot more in 50 degree weather. Add the weed burner to the mix after you have salt down and you should be good to go in a couple of hours.

But either way, as long as you go slow enough you should be fine. I've had the Monster out in late November when snow was starting to fall, and traction was surprisingly good.

Calcium chloride works much better than salt.

gonna need more btu's than a dinky weed burner has to make a dent. i would just forget fire. while fun, you would get arrested if you used enough to matter over 400 feet. stick with lots of salt.

Just buy a few bags of sand/cinders and spread it to ride on?

Meh, got lazy, playing lego batman with the boy.

Guess you really didn't need to ride the bike, eh. It's just as well - if your driveway was still covered in ice, chances are there are some shady corners here and there out on the street that still have ice on them as well. Better to wait until you know for sure the roads are dry.

The roads have been clear for the past two days. I still may try to get it out to the road here in a little while.

You couldn't have just poured 15 gallons of gas in a straight path and light it?

Made it out, the bike didn't have any problems even where I couldn't stand up. Only have three hours to ride just stopped for some gas.

At work we just very lightly sand the top of the ice and snow.... it doesn't melt it but its safe to walk and drive on. Be a good excuse to make the kids a sand pit/playground. Then you can shovel and sling in an emergency.

2 liter bottle of hot water, 2 tbsp of salt, shake, pour out with thumb covering most of bottle top to spray it a bit, repeat.

Put bike on a trailer; drive to to street; unload.

I used to ride on snow & ice all the time as a young man. Put bike in 2nd gear. Put both feet on ground toes up. Let clutch out slowly & keep feet on ground. Once you get accustomed to it you can really have some fun on lightly snow covered pavement or frozen lakes, ponds etc. spinning 180's/360's and so on.