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82-year-old 'snow blowing granny' goes viral after clearing own driveway in below zero temps

Posted at 9:07 AM, Jan 30, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-30 09:07:16-05

MUSKEGON, Mich. — Marlene Downing is 82 years old and won't let a little — or a lot — of snow stop her. So much so, Downing was out in below zero temperatures Tuesday removing snow from her own driveway, WZZM reports .

"I was waiting for this snow," Downing told WZZM. She said that the cold reminds her of growing up in Harvey, North Dakota, as a youth, adding, "they never shut anything down" in Harvey.

So when temps in Muskegon became frigid she was totally in her element.

"They think I'm crazy," Downing said, referring to her children and grandchildren. They've told her before to stay inside and give up snow blowing, she said, but that obviously hasn't stopped her.

In a now viral Facebook post, Downing is seen removing her own snow. Some are even calling her Muskegon's "snow blowing granny."

According to WZZM , Downing not only loves to snow blow, but also rides her Harley-Davidson in the summer. When she's not able to ride her bike in the winter, snow blowing reminds her of her Harley.

"I think the engine sounds like my Harley," Downing said.

She added that she has put more than 135,000 miles on her bike, and many of those miles were with her dog Pippa riding in the sidecar.