I requested a jack. I was sure roadside assistance would laugh if I told them I needed help putting chains on my tires so I figured “fixing a flat” was close enough. I hate feeling like a total chick but there were six inches of snow on my driveway, I hadn’t mounted my Blizzak snow tires yet and I needed to get Sage to school.

It wasn’t supposed to snow this much in one day- the first week of November. I was excited. Not about the new snow (ok, kinda that too) but about finally getting to test my Thule K-Summit XL chains. They’ve been in my garage jonesing for just this occasion but I’m usually ahead of the game with the snow tires so I don’t need chains.

You use snow tires or studded tires from November to April around Park City. You use chains if you live in a valley or basin like Salt Lake City or Los Angeles. Rarely do the twain meet unless you experience an in-between moment like this one. I’m spoiled by my Blizzaks. I swear by them. You can do 70 mph on snowy highways with confidence and you can get up my ridiculously steep driveway even if it’s covered with snow. And now I’m spoiled by these ridiculously expensive Thule chains. I have to admit, however, that I was intimidated by its visage which was like something out of Transformers. How the hell did these things actually work? I only needed to watch the mechanic install one side to get it.

The first thing the ‘rescue’ mechanic said? “These are slick. I’ve never seen anything like them before.” No more laying under your car on your back and sliming up your clothes. No more backing over the chains hoping you’ve lined them up correctly. No more last minute surprises where you realize you need a few extra links to make them fit. No more tinkering for so long you can’t feel your fingers. No more wrapping them around your axle by accident. Simply slide the two brackets on the K-Summit over the outside of the tire, crank the center ratchet, roll forward, place the last two brackets on, crank some more and voile.

Repeat on the other tire. The chain will automatically self-adjust and tighten as you drive away. The geometric design keeps the chain from slipping off the tire while at the same time avoids touching (and scratching) your alloy wheels or ABS brakes. To remove, you loosen the ratchet, wiggle the plates and the chain practically falls off by itself. It all folds up neatly into a carry bag.

So let’s talk about the price. Are you sitting down? The K-Summit runs around $600. Yes, for chains. But remember: you spend way more than that on a pair of skis you might use for 25 days. These chains should last a lifetime (they come with a five-year manufacturer’s warranty) so long as you drive cars with approximately the same tire size and keep your speed under 30 mph. Plus, if you’re at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon, with the sheriff moving chainless, non-4wd cars to the side of the road, you’re not going to want to waste time tinkering as all those ‘equipped’ vehicles get to the hill before you and chew up the powder.

Like any tire chain, the K-Summit is meant only to get you from Point A to Point B on snow-covered streets. You’re not going to leave them on for weeks unless you plan to drive slowly every day during the winter and never on clear freeways. In Park City that’s not practical. But I sure wish I had them in high school for those weekend roadtrips to Mammoth. And I was damn glad I had them today.

I’m drowning in lotion. That’s not a truly bad thing when you consider the dry Utah Clime. But still, I have about 19 sq ft of skin to slather and bottles upon tubes are spilling out of my cabinets.

I added to the collection today after a photoshoot down in Lehi. Perfectly Posh is a direct sales company specializing in fun body products from lip gloss to foot scrubs. I couldn’t resist taking home more swag to try.

But I must finish my bottle of Sebamed first. There are no fancy labels, no decadent scents; it’s just plain ‘ol moisturizing body lotion. But is it???

The rather large bottle sits on my nightstand as part of my bedtime ritual. I reach for it without thinking.

Whether it’s after a day of skiing, rockclimbing or hiking my hands and feet are in dire need of a rub down. My face too! Sebamed is a lightweight, hypoallergenic lotion that contains chamomile extract and allantoin for moisture and hydration. I put it everywhere. No rashes, no breakouts, just lightweight moisture. It goes on smooth; not greasy. The high concentration of gycerin and sorbitol, with a light 7 percent lipid compound, helps preserve skin’s natural moisture balance. The label says that the product is formulated to a pH balance of 5.5 level- the pH of healthy skin.

The bottle has lasted me all winter and should take me through most of the summer. However, I love trying new things so stay tuned to read about other products perfect for a mountain life.

$12.99. http://www.sebamedusa.com/

The wait for new snow is excruciating right now. We couldn’t take it anymore so Sage and I made our own… with Insta Snow!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHaOOV4dUu0&w=560&h=315]

All you do is add water and voile! Fake snow.The non-toxic powder is made of the same polymer used in gardens to keep soil moist. Sprinkle water and it puffs to look like real snow. it doesn’t melt but if it dries out all you do is spritz a little more water on it. It’s safe for kids, plants and most household surfaces (avoid untreated wood). It’s soft and fluffy to the touch but definitely don’t try to put it on your tongue (or eat for that matter).

We haven’t tried to ski on it but then I doubt one little jar would be enough for my fatties.

$11, https://www.beamazing.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=55

It’s the stage for intense hyperbole.

I am no longer a Consumer Electronics Show virgin. I have conquered my first time at the biggest tradeshow convention of my life. More than 150k attendees have dropped into the Las Vegas Convention Center to explore the latest and “greatest” technology to come. Everything here is the biggest, the smallest, the fastest, the most efficient, the greenest, the most innovative, the only, the _____ (your adverb here).

We entered the South Hall Thursday morning and were instantly disoriented. Imagine walking into a robust casino with every slot machine going off and you have an idea of the frenetic energy on the show floor.  Oh, and, the South Hall doesn’t even cover a third of who’s here at the show. By 6 p.m. we had barely made it to the Main Lobby where Microsoft, Samsung, Sony and Panasonic were displaying ginormous 3D flatscreen TVs.

The trends you’ll find for next year start with tablets. Everyone is making a keyboardless touchscreen thanks to the iPad frenzy. Blackberry’s Playbook is getting the lion’s share of the buzz but that doesn’t mean you won’t find a pad that’s just right for you and within your budget. Could I tell you who’s making the best? NO. I’d have to use all of them and I don’t see that happening. But I do plan on chatting with the marketing dude for CES to get his expert opinions on  all things electronic.

Green energy and home automation to address energy saving is all over the place. I can’t wait to get my hands on an electronic thermostat I can control with an iPod app. GE and a few other companies are working on “smart systems” that integrate your home appliances with your power meter but until the utility companies purchase the technology we won’t be able to fully utilize what they’re creating. But I did hear that a company called Trane has a stand alone, mobile-enabled thermostat.

Imagine you’re out skiing and you realize that your thermostat was set to 70 because it was frigid when you woke up and you ran out without lowering it back down. Just open your app and log into your home meter before the tram doors shut and you have nothing to worry about.

Another company I’ve hunting down is called Vision Objects. They’ve developed handwriting recognition software that really works! The possibility of me writing in my journal or on a notepad, recording my penstrokes and uploading them into a word doc is really here. I can use my own paper anywhere. It’s too much to ask to make the pen and recorder waterproof but that day may come shortly.

I’m sure you’re wondering if I saw any robots. Of course I did. In addition to the iRobot Roomba, the little, round disc that bumps into walls and furniture and jams up from all the dog hair, there were a few of those Jetson/R2D2 buddies attracting attention. Some worked, some didn’t. Most are still in the development phase and will be used by researchers. The one below is only for friendship at the moment. I’m not sure what’s worse; social interaction solely through Facebook or a robot friend.

Other attention grabbers at the show include boxes to stream Internet programs to your television, gaming like Wii’s race car driving game that you play from an inflatable race car, electric ‘smart’ cars, solar chargers of every size and shape with finally enough juice to power your iPhone smartphone or Mp3 player, pocket projectors to screen movies onto a wall from your iPhone and 3D digital cameras.

I slid into the Oregon Scientific room knowing I could find outdoor gadgets. Wireless weather stations, a new point-of-view waterproof helmet cam with a GPS add-on accessory that will map your trails and locations, and a strapless, touchscreen heartrate monitor wrist watch dazzled my expectations.

OK, I have to confess that one of the most exciting things I saw today was a wireless, waterproof, um, massager called the Alia from Lelo. Ladies, the little gizmo was sooo cool! Can’t wait to, um, test it.

More gadgeting and reporting tomorrow.