I love it when the season just goes ... CLICK!

[isobars]

The PacNW is being hit by some of its coldest weather in a decade or two. Whereas last week still presented decent air and water temps for sailing with bare feet, bare hands, and bare heads, the fat lady just sang last night and the season -- Pete and Temira need read no further -- simply ended, just like that, overnight. With highs this coming week and weekend in the teens and single digits and lows near or below zero F, that river water temp will plummet like Governor Blagojevich's career.

So for the next 3-1/2 months I can completely ignore weather forecasts, fuhgheddabout dweebing with WSing gear, and start catching up on all the crap that sucked hind burner since last March. No more teaser marginal temps, no more "Can I do it barefooted one more time?", no more "That gusty, brief blast of garbage frontal wind SUCKED!". Just put the cell phone away for the winter (it's just used for wx data), watch the TV I recorded this past year, clean the shop and house, try to recover some financial sanity, do the freaking taxes (come on, guys; let's get the Fair Tax passed into law!), catch up on sleep, hit the gym for next season, finish setting up the RV, do the shopping for Christmas of 2009, read a year's worth of books, and actually make (and keep) some social obligations and doctor's appointments. There's something to be said for winter up here, where life no longer revolves around the damn wind forecast.

I pity you poor suckers who live in warmer climes, where winter just means the same old rat race, only with thicker neoprene.

NOT!

But at least I no longer need chains to get to heated Morgan Lake across the continental divide W of Albuquerque, nor risk getting caught in blizzards returning from sailing trips to the S or E. Life just got much simpler ... I gotta keep telling myself.

Mike \m/

[WMP]

Look at it this way, we now have a reason to celebrate Global Warming.

Alright, it's cool and I don't wanna heat up any fights here. Warm thoughts and peace on earth to everyone in this season of white fluff (btw, MEADOWS HAS OPENED!!)... yeah, that's what we should celebrate.

Another great benie to this cold snap.... lot's more space on the river to jibe.... and no more Dangler till things warm up..... yipie.

[isobars]

What the heck are you doing typing at 3 o'clock in the morning, dude? I though *I* was obsessed! Yeah, I see the wind ... and the thermometer.

Mike\m/

[WMP]

Just checking to make sure my pipes were not frozen as well as temps around the area.... heck, with the east wind blowing at my place at 60+ and the air temp at 15.... letsee, that puts wind chill at 11.4 below zero, with still colder and windier weather forecast for tonight. Think I'll leave today's sailing sesh to the girls, Temira and Laura..... GIRLS RULE!!

[cgoudie1]

Well Mike, you could just fly to Maui. I was there 2 weeks ago, and it's
warm (and unseasonably windy this year). Ran into no less than
5 Gorge regulars at Kanaha. Maybe you should just put off that
catchup crap until next winter ;*) and continue your
dweebing ;*) ;*)

-Craig

[wmike]

Well Craig, not really great here now. Only sailed 7 out of the last 16 days in Dec. And I am light and all the days have been 5.0 or 5.3. I was 5.0 in uppers today and the wind was 6.0 down to 4.0 for us. But even the rain here is warm.

I think my pipe are frozen in White Salmon even with the heat on, but the water is shut off.

Maui Mike (Until I return to White Salmon)

[cgoudie1]

Hey Buddy,

And you guys were complaining about how gusty it was when I was there.
Geeze mid 5s, what a bummer that must be ;*).

It's still warmer there than here (in Utah), and I need to get someone to
turn the heater on in my condo, before my pipes freeze in HR. That would be pretty ugly.

Anyway, get some rides for me,

-Craig

[isobars]