I chatted with my landlord this afternoon...it's a funny circumstance in that we live on the same property, and our respective Front Doors are but 25 feet apart, and this is only the third conversation we've had face to face since I returned on Thanksgiving Eve!
We were commiserating over the sad state of our driveway...we're going to start referring to it as Antarctica! LLord asked if I remembered such a protracted siege of very cold weather...I thought the last time we had this long a Cold Snap was back in the late 80's...I was living in a subdivision east of downtown Truckee, and driving a '74 Power Wagon back then. I parked inside my garage, but it was so cold that I had to keep a droplight running all day under the hood so that the engine oil would stay fluid enough so the 318 V-8 would turn over and start every night at 10:30PM!
California's All Time Record Low Temperature was recorded only a mile from my garage as the crow flies, at Boca Dam...-45°F! Off hand, I don't remember how long ago that frigid benchmark was set, but I want to say it was back in the 1920's if not in the late 19th Century!
Well, thankfully this Cold Snap can't hold a candle to that one back then...oh, we've had a few mornings below zero out a the Airport (where the Official Truckee Weather Station resides), but the rest of the Town usually runs 10°-15° warmer than the Official Temperature.
So far, todays snow is looking pretty much like an on and off again deal. I watched two Noon News Shows from Sacramento...neither broadcast featured weatherfolks gushing over the next system...just a lot of hedging and weasel-words...and my old favorite "virga".
There's plenty of echoes on the radar images, but the underlying airmass is very dry and absorbs the precip before it reaches the surface. Reno's AFD talks about the dry air and the atmospheric mixing that isn't quite happening yet...the forecasters go on to reduce the amount of precip in their forecast update.
The remote sensors show temperatures down overall from the last week...no afternoon highs above freezing since Saturday...It feels warm up on Antarctica, but it's just the cloud deck keeping the lid on, and the lack of any breeze to speak of...So...
I get to look forward to another great week ahead!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
And Friday Makes Three
Our streak of "good nights" continues. Friday's smooth shift brings the streak to three in a row.
Out early Saturday morning...high clouds in an otherwise blue sky...gotta love that good ol' Hero Snow!
As forecast, temps were down 6°F Saturday afternoon...more Hero Snow tonight!
Sunday Update:
Hero Snow didn't disappoint. Out early again. My big 2-day weekend begins. First up...sleep through two NFL playoff games...
Out early Saturday morning...high clouds in an otherwise blue sky...gotta love that good ol' Hero Snow!
As forecast, temps were down 6°F Saturday afternoon...more Hero Snow tonight!
Sunday Update:
Hero Snow didn't disappoint. Out early again. My big 2-day weekend begins. First up...sleep through two NFL playoff games...
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Rally Hat: ON
Two in a row...so begins a new streak!
It looked like another bad night at 0300...half of my crew were still MIA...the boss wasn't happy to get my call, but he did the cavalry thing and Team MIA showed up about the same time as the boss.
Machine problems were manageable, snow conditions couldn't have been better, so with a few omissions, we pulled the proverbial rabbit outta the hat.
At the risk of jinxing the whole thing, I looked at Reno's AFD, the remote sensors and the forecast. Looks like the streak can run right through my days off! NWS sez: A chance of showers Tuesday night, but afternoon highs, which have been trending up by 5°F every day this week, will start falling again Saturday. My fingers are crossed...Friday's high of 45°F probably didn't end the reign of Hero Snow, but I'll know for sure in a few hours.
I don't feel feverish tonight...cough? still unproductive...mood? ascending...outlook? Cockeyed optimism, what else?
It looked like another bad night at 0300...half of my crew were still MIA...the boss wasn't happy to get my call, but he did the cavalry thing and Team MIA showed up about the same time as the boss.
Machine problems were manageable, snow conditions couldn't have been better, so with a few omissions, we pulled the proverbial rabbit outta the hat.
At the risk of jinxing the whole thing, I looked at Reno's AFD, the remote sensors and the forecast. Looks like the streak can run right through my days off! NWS sez: A chance of showers Tuesday night, but afternoon highs, which have been trending up by 5°F every day this week, will start falling again Saturday. My fingers are crossed...Friday's high of 45°F probably didn't end the reign of Hero Snow, but I'll know for sure in a few hours.
I don't feel feverish tonight...cough? still unproductive...mood? ascending...outlook? Cockeyed optimism, what else?
Friday, January 7, 2011
Dispatch From the Front
Non-productive cough aside, I had a great night at work Wednesday. Temps have been cold since the last system moved on. Hero Snow as far as the eye can see.
Even though Jeweler and I teamed up for a 30 minute push project this morning, I was still punched out at 0915.
The week ahead will be storm-free. We are enjoying a record early snowpack, and crowds are good.
Local media is on the story.
After work, I hit the Safeway...Dungeness crabs on sale for $1.99/lb. After my collapse/nap, I enjoyed a crab dinner with fresh baked San Francisco Sourdough, and a bottle of Blanc de Noirs by Domaine Chandon.
Should be another good night tonight...
Even though Jeweler and I teamed up for a 30 minute push project this morning, I was still punched out at 0915.
The week ahead will be storm-free. We are enjoying a record early snowpack, and crowds are good.
Local media is on the story.
After work, I hit the Safeway...Dungeness crabs on sale for $1.99/lb. After my collapse/nap, I enjoyed a crab dinner with fresh baked San Francisco Sourdough, and a bottle of Blanc de Noirs by Domaine Chandon.
Should be another good night tonight...
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Gettin' Up for the Work Week
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and now Wednesday, I've been livin' the Loca Vida Horizontal...getting outta bed to hit the can, make a meal or two, turn up the heat, and take a long hot shower.
I thought I'd go to Reno Tuesday to shop and get a big tankful of gas, but the body said: "Not so fast" So I put it off 'till today...when the time came. I thought better of it again...opting to stay horizontal instead.
I slept through most of my favorite Morning Radio Show. I'll just podcast The Armstrong & Getty Show anyway. I watched the Changing of the Guard from the House of Representatives, I watched a little of the Noon News, and I've been watching Anthony Bourdain and the "No Reservations" Crew bar hopping from Boston, streamed live on Facebook...now with even more snarkyness (and no FCC speech guidelines...hello eight words you can't say on TV!)
The internet is really hopping this week for geeks and gadget freaks. CES the huge Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show went live today...most of the tech websites are streaming live from Vegas...new phones, televisions, computers, media streaming devices...even a big Star Wars announcement are on tap this week.
I'm still shopping for a new Flat Screen TV, but I can wait until what I want reaches the amount I'm willing to pay. I'm interested in the Internet Streaming Set Top Boxes...I only watch about a dozen channels on TV, in lieu of Ala Carte Cable (That only lives in the dreams of geeks and libertarians), a streaming video device that gets my channels is my Valhalla...this month lots of new set top boxes will debut...
On the bright side, the weather is taking a break this week! Sunny, no snow forecast, but cold. It should be a good night...I'm up for it...
I thought I'd go to Reno Tuesday to shop and get a big tankful of gas, but the body said: "Not so fast" So I put it off 'till today...when the time came. I thought better of it again...opting to stay horizontal instead.
I slept through most of my favorite Morning Radio Show. I'll just podcast The Armstrong & Getty Show anyway. I watched the Changing of the Guard from the House of Representatives, I watched a little of the Noon News, and I've been watching Anthony Bourdain and the "No Reservations" Crew bar hopping from Boston, streamed live on Facebook...now with even more snarkyness (and no FCC speech guidelines...hello eight words you can't say on TV!)
The internet is really hopping this week for geeks and gadget freaks. CES the huge Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show went live today...most of the tech websites are streaming live from Vegas...new phones, televisions, computers, media streaming devices...even a big Star Wars announcement are on tap this week.
I'm still shopping for a new Flat Screen TV, but I can wait until what I want reaches the amount I'm willing to pay. I'm interested in the Internet Streaming Set Top Boxes...I only watch about a dozen channels on TV, in lieu of Ala Carte Cable (That only lives in the dreams of geeks and libertarians), a streaming video device that gets my channels is my Valhalla...this month lots of new set top boxes will debut...
On the bright side, the weather is taking a break this week! Sunny, no snow forecast, but cold. It should be a good night...I'm up for it...
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Laid Low
I woke up Sunday evening with just a slight tickle in my throat...a tiny scratch...that's all...
I slept all night Sunday 1AM-6AM When I awoke, the rest of the symptoms had caught up with me...sore throat...snotty nose...chest congestion...all of it...I slept most of Monday...day and night...
Now it's 11:30 Tuesday night, and I'm beginning to rally...I turned up my heat this morning, and put on pj's and a long sleeve t-shirt...and slept most of the day...I don't know if I'm getting used to it, or if I'm feeling better...
Good night again...
I slept all night Sunday 1AM-6AM When I awoke, the rest of the symptoms had caught up with me...sore throat...snotty nose...chest congestion...all of it...I slept most of Monday...day and night...
Now it's 11:30 Tuesday night, and I'm beginning to rally...I turned up my heat this morning, and put on pj's and a long sleeve t-shirt...and slept most of the day...I don't know if I'm getting used to it, or if I'm feeling better...
Good night again...
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Win Some...
...Lose Some.
The end of my week was an exercise in contrasts.
Friday night nearly killed us...Saturday night...We Killed!
Friday night I left the DaveCave early...the better to catch the fireworks at midnight. The roads were good, I drove up the hill in 2WD. Everyone was in a festive mood, and the snow held off until 2AM. A nice fireworks show...as every year.
I reflected on the Y2K celebration ten years ago...whatta blowout that was! This year, My Mountain's celebration was a low-key affair. There was no alcohol on the hill this year for the Torchlight Parade. Amazingly, I witnessed zero Stupid Human Tricks.
After the show, after the snow started, my fleet began to fall apart...
All Star Winch Pilot's winchcat developed a huge fuel leak...he radioed that fuel was pouring out the side of his cat. I radioed: "Have you got a fire extinguisher handy?" "I hope it's empty" came his reply.
Back in the Ready Room, everyone cracked up...the best radio line of the year...belly laughs all around.
An hour into the snow, my front wipers died...I soldiered on without them until I was done with the trails I was working on.
One of our new CenterX cats lost electric over hydraulic controls over the tiller. No Dumbo Ears, no steering the tiller...at least he could lift and launch it...
I swapped my crippled old war horse for a Bison...It has a miss all shift...
I really started dumping about 0430...Whiteout City...
The dominoes continued to fall all morning...our asses were thoroughly kicked...I drove home with my tail between my legs and slept 10 hours...I couldn't write CorduroyPlanet...too negative...
Saturday Night
What a difference a day makes! At shift change, everybody was up. Hero Snow wall to wall, and the digging is mostly behind us for now.
All Star Winch Pilot had another dramatic shift...while building a big Start Bump at the top of the Race Course, the weld on the eye of the winch anchor tower failed and the heavy plate steel eye flew through the cat's windshield. The plexiglass safety shield protected him from the flying shards of safety glass.
He got in the other winchcat and finished his shift...from stern stock that All Star is...
The rest of the fleet ran like a top. Climbing was good, and the forecast snow was taking forever to arrive. When the snow did start, it didn't really accumulate, further greasing our skids.
We had the mountain wrapped at 8:25, a full 20 minutes before opening...sweet!
Like I said, We Killed...there's just no better way to start a weekend...
Truckee has been "draining" all day. Holiday visitors are on their way home. The webcams have been showing heavy westbound traffic...peace and quiet are on the horizon...I'm up for that!
The end of my week was an exercise in contrasts.
Friday night nearly killed us...Saturday night...We Killed!
Friday night I left the DaveCave early...the better to catch the fireworks at midnight. The roads were good, I drove up the hill in 2WD. Everyone was in a festive mood, and the snow held off until 2AM. A nice fireworks show...as every year.
I reflected on the Y2K celebration ten years ago...whatta blowout that was! This year, My Mountain's celebration was a low-key affair. There was no alcohol on the hill this year for the Torchlight Parade. Amazingly, I witnessed zero Stupid Human Tricks.
After the show, after the snow started, my fleet began to fall apart...
All Star Winch Pilot's winchcat developed a huge fuel leak...he radioed that fuel was pouring out the side of his cat. I radioed: "Have you got a fire extinguisher handy?" "I hope it's empty" came his reply.
Back in the Ready Room, everyone cracked up...the best radio line of the year...belly laughs all around.
An hour into the snow, my front wipers died...I soldiered on without them until I was done with the trails I was working on.
One of our new CenterX cats lost electric over hydraulic controls over the tiller. No Dumbo Ears, no steering the tiller...at least he could lift and launch it...
I swapped my crippled old war horse for a Bison...It has a miss all shift...
I really started dumping about 0430...Whiteout City...
The dominoes continued to fall all morning...our asses were thoroughly kicked...I drove home with my tail between my legs and slept 10 hours...I couldn't write CorduroyPlanet...too negative...
Saturday Night
What a difference a day makes! At shift change, everybody was up. Hero Snow wall to wall, and the digging is mostly behind us for now.
All Star Winch Pilot had another dramatic shift...while building a big Start Bump at the top of the Race Course, the weld on the eye of the winch anchor tower failed and the heavy plate steel eye flew through the cat's windshield. The plexiglass safety shield protected him from the flying shards of safety glass.
He got in the other winchcat and finished his shift...from stern stock that All Star is...
The rest of the fleet ran like a top. Climbing was good, and the forecast snow was taking forever to arrive. When the snow did start, it didn't really accumulate, further greasing our skids.
We had the mountain wrapped at 8:25, a full 20 minutes before opening...sweet!
Like I said, We Killed...there's just no better way to start a weekend...
Truckee has been "draining" all day. Holiday visitors are on their way home. The webcams have been showing heavy westbound traffic...peace and quiet are on the horizon...I'm up for that!
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