Posts
Below is the Boulder weather forecast for the next several days... looks like we'll have to use all areas of the wardrobe this week.
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
10.02.2012
3.06.2012
... then wait 15 minutes
A headline in the local paper today...
Crazy weather here... highs in the mid- to upper-60s today and plenty of sun; tomorrow the high isn't expect to get out of the 30s and some wintry precipitation is expected.
Boulder weather: Sunny, warm today; freezing rain, snow possible Wednesday
Crazy weather here... highs in the mid- to upper-60s today and plenty of sun; tomorrow the high isn't expect to get out of the 30s and some wintry precipitation is expected.
1.22.2012
Yurting It
We were supposed to do this overnight trip back in December, but a nasty head cold hit Peggy and we had to reschedule for this weekend. So we had a month to wonder what awaited us at the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse near Leadville, CO. Good friends of ours told us about it a while ago, and I happened to meet a co-owner last summer, so there were some preconceived notions and mental images about what awaited us. But we were absolutely blown away with what we experienced.
Stepping back a bit... The Tennessee Pass Cookhouse is actually a decent sized yurt on a remote plot at 10,800 feet in the middle of the Rockies. It's "off the grid" as they say: lighting is provided by candles and propane lamps, heat by a wood stove, and bathroom facilities by a nearby outhouse. During the winter, the more popular ways of getting to it are via cross country skis or snowshoes as it is about 1 mile back in the woods from the parking lot. (They do offer to shuttle guests to and fro via snowmobile, but, honestly, if one is able-bodied what's the fun in that?) Just this past summer the owners added two "sleep yurts" nearby so guests would not have to make the 1-mile trek back to the parking lot -- and then deal with some so-so lodging in the area -- and linger over dinner and enjoy the experience and area.
Now back to our experience... we made the approximate 3-hour drive out to the the check-in desk for the Cookhouse on Saturday, arriving around 2in the afternoon. We got the low-down on both the dining and sleep yurts, were handed some snowshoes, and began our slow, leisurely walk through the woods. To "get back" a little bit and stay off the groomed nordic ski trails, we opted for the snowshoe trail and gained the 300 feet in elevation to the Cookhouse in about 45 minutes. Along the way we enjoyed the silence of the woods (save for the snowmobile going by to ferry our overnight bags to our sleep yurt) and enjoyed the limited views (a snow storm was approaching for that night so it was quite overcast.)
When we made it to the cookhouse yurt, we happened to cross paths with the one owner I met over the summer. After chatting for a bit and using the adjacent outhouse, we continued on for the remaining three-tenths of a mile to our sleep yurt. And to our surprise and delight, it was not nearly as "primitive" as we had imagined. Inside there was a (very effective) wood stove, 2 low-wattage lights (powered by solar) and "running water" provided by a tiny submersible pump (with solar-rechargeable batteries) in a large reservoir under the sink. It can accommodate six, and has down comforter bedding. "Nature calls" were answered via a 30 foot walk out the door to the outhouse which is shared with the other sleep yurt. The first flakes of snow of the arriving storm began falling shortly after we arrived, putting a nice glaze on the trees. We, meanwhile, unpacked and relaxed inside our little piece of serenity in the Rockies before making our way back to the cookhouse for dinner.
As we left for dinner, outside looked slightly different then it had 90 minutes prior – about over an inch of snow had fallen since. We trudged along through the snowflakes to the cookhouse, and entered a wonderfully dim candle- and propane-lantern-lit dining room. Over the next 2-plus hours we dined and chatted, enjoying courses containing elk and rhubarb, and chats about future travels. It was well dark by the time we left dinner, and the snow was still falling, so our headlamp-guided walk back to our yurt was a nighttime spectacular. We got back to the yurt, filled the stove with as much wood as it could take, and climbed under the down comforters for (what we thought would be) a quiet night's sleep.
I say that because as we lay there in our beds, the snow piled up on the roof. Then every once in a while snow slid off the roof, making a sound as if it was ripping through the roof material. Obviously it wasn't, but it was startling enough to wake us up throughout the night. No complaints from us, though, as it meant there would be a winter wonderland awaiting us at daybreak.
Sure enough, as we and the sun rose, we noticed about 10 inches of fresh snow around the yurt, with more snurries falling. We would have loved to linger around the yurt and/or trekked around the trails for a while that morning, but we needed to pack up and head back to the car as Peggy had a flight out to the UK Sunday night. We were the first ones on the trial that morning so were breaking trail from the get-go. It snowed enough overnight that at one point we lost track of our footprints from the night before and went (using the skiing term) "off piste" slightly and had to trudge about 75 yards through a knee-deep snowed meadow to get back on the trail. We were eventually able to link up with the freshly-groomed nordic trails (our interest in breaking trail for the entire 1.3 miles was low) and had a nice, family walk on a quiet winter, Rocky Mountain morning back to the car.
Click on the photo below to see the online photo album of our visit.
Stepping back a bit... The Tennessee Pass Cookhouse is actually a decent sized yurt on a remote plot at 10,800 feet in the middle of the Rockies. It's "off the grid" as they say: lighting is provided by candles and propane lamps, heat by a wood stove, and bathroom facilities by a nearby outhouse. During the winter, the more popular ways of getting to it are via cross country skis or snowshoes as it is about 1 mile back in the woods from the parking lot. (They do offer to shuttle guests to and fro via snowmobile, but, honestly, if one is able-bodied what's the fun in that?) Just this past summer the owners added two "sleep yurts" nearby so guests would not have to make the 1-mile trek back to the parking lot -- and then deal with some so-so lodging in the area -- and linger over dinner and enjoy the experience and area.
Now back to our experience... we made the approximate 3-hour drive out to the the check-in desk for the Cookhouse on Saturday, arriving around 2in the afternoon. We got the low-down on both the dining and sleep yurts, were handed some snowshoes, and began our slow, leisurely walk through the woods. To "get back" a little bit and stay off the groomed nordic ski trails, we opted for the snowshoe trail and gained the 300 feet in elevation to the Cookhouse in about 45 minutes. Along the way we enjoyed the silence of the woods (save for the snowmobile going by to ferry our overnight bags to our sleep yurt) and enjoyed the limited views (a snow storm was approaching for that night so it was quite overcast.)
When we made it to the cookhouse yurt, we happened to cross paths with the one owner I met over the summer. After chatting for a bit and using the adjacent outhouse, we continued on for the remaining three-tenths of a mile to our sleep yurt. And to our surprise and delight, it was not nearly as "primitive" as we had imagined. Inside there was a (very effective) wood stove, 2 low-wattage lights (powered by solar) and "running water" provided by a tiny submersible pump (with solar-rechargeable batteries) in a large reservoir under the sink. It can accommodate six, and has down comforter bedding. "Nature calls" were answered via a 30 foot walk out the door to the outhouse which is shared with the other sleep yurt. The first flakes of snow of the arriving storm began falling shortly after we arrived, putting a nice glaze on the trees. We, meanwhile, unpacked and relaxed inside our little piece of serenity in the Rockies before making our way back to the cookhouse for dinner.
As we left for dinner, outside looked slightly different then it had 90 minutes prior – about over an inch of snow had fallen since. We trudged along through the snowflakes to the cookhouse, and entered a wonderfully dim candle- and propane-lantern-lit dining room. Over the next 2-plus hours we dined and chatted, enjoying courses containing elk and rhubarb, and chats about future travels. It was well dark by the time we left dinner, and the snow was still falling, so our headlamp-guided walk back to our yurt was a nighttime spectacular. We got back to the yurt, filled the stove with as much wood as it could take, and climbed under the down comforters for (what we thought would be) a quiet night's sleep.
I say that because as we lay there in our beds, the snow piled up on the roof. Then every once in a while snow slid off the roof, making a sound as if it was ripping through the roof material. Obviously it wasn't, but it was startling enough to wake us up throughout the night. No complaints from us, though, as it meant there would be a winter wonderland awaiting us at daybreak.
Sure enough, as we and the sun rose, we noticed about 10 inches of fresh snow around the yurt, with more snurries falling. We would have loved to linger around the yurt and/or trekked around the trails for a while that morning, but we needed to pack up and head back to the car as Peggy had a flight out to the UK Sunday night. We were the first ones on the trial that morning so were breaking trail from the get-go. It snowed enough overnight that at one point we lost track of our footprints from the night before and went (using the skiing term) "off piste" slightly and had to trudge about 75 yards through a knee-deep snowed meadow to get back on the trail. We were eventually able to link up with the freshly-groomed nordic trails (our interest in breaking trail for the entire 1.3 miles was low) and had a nice, family walk on a quiet winter, Rocky Mountain morning back to the car.
Click on the photo below to see the online photo album of our visit.
 |
| TN Pass Cookhouse (Jan 2012) |
8.19.2011
Friday Night Double Feature
On a strange weather evening – bands of weak-hurricane-like wind and rain, and alternating periods of calm – we were also treated to a double rainbow. This picture captures some of the brilliance of the inner arc, and the contrast in the sky's color between the inside of the inner arc and the area between the arcs. Click the photo to enlarge it.
4.14.2011
It IS still Winter...
... so, I guess we shouldn't have been surprised to have found this outside this morning.
3.28.2011
A Weekend in the Mountains
Ahhh.... a weekend in the mountains. That's what we just got back from, spending 4 days/3 nights in and around Frisco, CO with 4 other families.
After going out for breakfast, we left Friday morning and headed to Arapahoe Basin, a ski area near Frisco known for both being for one of the first ski areas to open up the ski season (usually in October) and being one of the last ski resorts to close (it's not uncommon for people to ski "A-Basin" in June.) It was our first time there, and despite some bad light conditions and only 1 high speed lift, we liked it a lot... it's a no frills place where people go to ski and not necessarily "be seen." A good portion of it is above treeline -- the base sits at 10,780 feet -- so there's a lot of open skiing to be had.
On Saturday, it was a mixture of activities for us. I gave skate skiing a try (follow the link for info. if needed), Peggy and Chloe did some sledding, and Peggy and a friend snuck in an afternoon of skiing at Breckenridge.
On Sunday, it was a day of family skiing at Breckenridge, enjoying some long runs, short lift lines and about 4 inches of new snow.
Monday was checkout, which was a total bummer for 12" of new snow had fallen overnight and we were itching to get to a ski area, but we needed to head back to Boulder to unpack, do laundry and allow Peggy get ready to leave tomorrow for a conference in Arizona.
Below are some pictures from the weekend.
After going out for breakfast, we left Friday morning and headed to Arapahoe Basin, a ski area near Frisco known for both being for one of the first ski areas to open up the ski season (usually in October) and being one of the last ski resorts to close (it's not uncommon for people to ski "A-Basin" in June.) It was our first time there, and despite some bad light conditions and only 1 high speed lift, we liked it a lot... it's a no frills place where people go to ski and not necessarily "be seen." A good portion of it is above treeline -- the base sits at 10,780 feet -- so there's a lot of open skiing to be had.
On Saturday, it was a mixture of activities for us. I gave skate skiing a try (follow the link for info. if needed), Peggy and Chloe did some sledding, and Peggy and a friend snuck in an afternoon of skiing at Breckenridge.
On Sunday, it was a day of family skiing at Breckenridge, enjoying some long runs, short lift lines and about 4 inches of new snow.
Monday was checkout, which was a total bummer for 12" of new snow had fallen overnight and we were itching to get to a ski area, but we needed to head back to Boulder to unpack, do laundry and allow Peggy get ready to leave tomorrow for a conference in Arizona.
Below are some pictures from the weekend.
The first 4 pictures are views of and from the sledding hill that Chloe and Peggy were on.
About this last picture... it was taken by our good friend Carole. Pretty spectacular, yes? Well, not only is the "air" that Chloe got spectacular, apparently, the crash that happened immediately afterward was similarly so. Just out of frame is another incline for a jump, and unfortunately for Chloe, she landed right on it. After regaining her "wind" and composure, Chloe ambled back up the hill and continued sledding.
2.02.2011
The Past 24 Hours Have Been a Bit Chilly
This graph depicts temperature readings at NCAR here in Boulder (National Center for Atmospheric Research.) The high over the previous 24 hour period? -1.3 Fahrenheit
Below the graph is a table showing some other fun facts about the weather during the last 24 hours.
Below the graph is a table showing some other fun facts about the weather during the last 24 hours.
| Most Recent | Previous 24 hours | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Feb 2 2011, 07:56) | Minimum | Maximum | ||||
| Temperature | -9.9°F | -13.7°F @ 07:00 | -1.3°F @ 12:10 | |||
| Dewpoint | -17.3°F | -20.0°F @ 07:00 | -8.6°F @ 12:10 | |||
| Humidity | 68% | 68% @ 07:55 | 78% @ 02:05 | |||
| Pressure | 24.08 in Hg | 24.02 in Hg @ 13:35 | 24.11 in Hg @ 20:50 | |||
| Aeronautical | 30.24 in Hg | 30.18 in Hg @ 13:35 | 30.28 in Hg @ 20:50 | |||
| Wind Speed | 5.1 mph | 3.4 mph @ 08:10 | 15.7 mph @ 14:45 | |||
| Peak Gust | 11.0 mph | 7.4 mph @ 08:10 | 26.6 mph @ 17:45 | |||
| Wind Chill | -13.7°F | -46.4°F @ 18:25 | -6.8°F @ 12:10 | |||
| Wind Dir | 15° (from the NNE) | |||||
| Rain | 0.00 in | |||||
1.31.2011
1.29.2011
I Wonder if an Artic Blast is Coming
The forecast for the next couple of days (click the image to enlarge it.)
5.11.2010
What the Short Term Future Holds For Us...
This may take some deciphering to read, but it is a "screen shot" of the weather forecast for Boulder over the next couple of days.
NOAA logo - Click to go to the NOAA homepage" title="NOAA logo - Click to go to the NOAA homepage" width="85" border="0" height="78">
NWS logo" title="NWS logo" width="85" border="0" height="78">
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3.19.2010
Winter Is Not Going Away Quietly.
Here's a picture of our patio at around 3:00 this afternoon... and the "little storm" isn't done.
Spring will be evident soon enough, though... it's supposed to sunny and 60 on Monday.
Spring will be evident soon enough, though... it's supposed to sunny and 60 on Monday.
3.14.2010
Not quite "Blink, and You'll Miss It." But Close.
While Chloe was at a friend's birthday party, Peggy and I joined some neighbors in downtown Boulder to watch what is proclaimed as the "World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade." Prior to going down, I wasn't sure if by "shortest" they meant time or distance. After going down, I could see an argument for both. It was 2 blocks long. And lasted about 30 minutes, and that included a lot of "dead time" between parade participants. But what a blast we had during those 30 minutes!
It had some things that you'd expect in a St. Patrick's Day parade... Irish dance troupes, bag pipe bands, a person in a "pint of Guinness" costume, fire trucks, etc. But what made this parade so fun to watch were the "special" entrants... the Thursday Night (Bike) Cruisers and their decked-out bikes, the Irish Wolfhounds, and the "Paddy O'Furniture Drill Team." To best explain this last one, visit this link and watch the video in it, and wait until the 3:10 mark.
A quick aside: if you watch the video, you might notice that the blue skies I wrote about in yesterday's blog post can't be seen. Well, the dynamic Boulder weather is to blame... it started flurrying during the parade!
It had some things that you'd expect in a St. Patrick's Day parade... Irish dance troupes, bag pipe bands, a person in a "pint of Guinness" costume, fire trucks, etc. But what made this parade so fun to watch were the "special" entrants... the Thursday Night (Bike) Cruisers and their decked-out bikes, the Irish Wolfhounds, and the "Paddy O'Furniture Drill Team." To best explain this last one, visit this link and watch the video in it, and wait until the 3:10 mark.
A quick aside: if you watch the video, you might notice that the blue skies I wrote about in yesterday's blog post can't be seen. Well, the dynamic Boulder weather is to blame... it started flurrying during the parade!
4.04.2009
Can It Be Played With Snowshoes?
The opening to Chloe's spring soccer season was supposed to be this morning, but Mother Nature had other plans; namely 4" of snow, temps in the low 30s, and 20+ mph winds. (It's good to have Winter... in Spring.)
Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, for Chloe and her teammates have yet to decide on a name for their team (last year they were the Tiger Bears.) And having gone through the name selection process last Fall, few decisions are more important to Kindergartners than what wild-concoction-of-a-name they can call themselves. Stay tuned.
Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise, for Chloe and her teammates have yet to decide on a name for their team (last year they were the Tiger Bears.) And having gone through the name selection process last Fall, few decisions are more important to Kindergartners than what wild-concoction-of-a-name they can call themselves. Stay tuned.
3.26.2009
American Gothic... in Spring... in Boulder
You know that potential snow storm I mentioned a couple of days ago? Well, it came, and it brought its friend – 20-40 mph winds – too. Put together and one ends up with +12" of snow. A couple more inches may fall overnight, but the the belief is the worst is over.Luckily, we didn't need to drive anywhere today. But those that did often found themselves confronted with some very bad conditions. The main highway between Boulder and Denver was shutdown, and parts of both of the major interstates that bisect Colorado had sections closed to due road conditions and accidents... one being a 40 car pile-up.
1.21.2009
Revisiting an Earlier Post
Back in an August 2008 post, I posed the question, "Why is cycling in Pennsylvania better than cycling in Colorado?" The answer I gave at the time was "Because in Pennsylvania, you don't need cold weather gear when going on a ride in August!"
Well, I'm going to have to revise both question and answer.
Q: Why is cycling in Colorado better than cycling in Pennsylvania?
A: Because in Colorado, sometimes you don't have to wear any cold weather gear when going on a ride in January!
Presently in Boulder, it is 72 degrees. I got away with wearing "summer gear" for my ride earlier today. I never would have imagined being able to do that prior to moving out here. But, in fact, as I hear from neighbors and friends, it is not uncommon in winter for the Boulder area to experience a stretch of some very mild days.
This little gift from Mother Nature isn't expected to last though. The forecast is for one more day in the 60s, and then snow on Friday. Just in time for skiing on Saturday!
Well, I'm going to have to revise both question and answer.
Q: Why is cycling in Colorado better than cycling in Pennsylvania?
A: Because in Colorado, sometimes you don't have to wear any cold weather gear when going on a ride in January!
Presently in Boulder, it is 72 degrees. I got away with wearing "summer gear" for my ride earlier today. I never would have imagined being able to do that prior to moving out here. But, in fact, as I hear from neighbors and friends, it is not uncommon in winter for the Boulder area to experience a stretch of some very mild days.
This little gift from Mother Nature isn't expected to last though. The forecast is for one more day in the 60s, and then snow on Friday. Just in time for skiing on Saturday!
1.08.2009
Blazes around Boulder - part II
Well... we're back home.
After a so-so night and complimentary breakfast at the Best Western, Chloe and I ventured over to her school to get her school day started. Clearly, the wildfire was THE topic of conversation, and I was able to catch up with some neighbors to see how their nights were. Once the kids were in the school, a neighbor and I got back in the car to go see what the neighborhood looked like. And it didn't take long, though we were still about 1.5 miles away, to see that the fire had spread quite a bit since we left our homes last night. Thankfully, no homes were lost in our neighborhood, but fire did creep right up to the northern and western borders. Some homeowners will come home to charred grass right across the street from their home.
Once Peg checked out of the hotel and came home, we drove north out of town to see the extent of the fire and couldn't believe our eyes... about how much of the foothills and adjacent plains burned, and how great of a job the firefighters did in protecting homes, businesses, barns, etc. given the strong winds. (For a great video clip showing what the firefighters were up against with the wind, watch this.)
It was then back to the house to unpack what we loaded in the cars about 15 hours prior. At this point we had a lighthearted moment as we found out out some of the items Chloe thought were key to take along for our evacuation. In her backpack, we found these items: a couple of Chamberlain's chew toys, math flash cards, a miniature football, bracelets, stuffed animals, and lip gloss. (Peggy packed the other "essentials" for her... clothing, toiletries, etc.)
The latest news reports had these figures on the fire:
- Approximately 1,400 acres, within a 3,600 acre area, burned.
- One home and one large structure completely lost, one home partially damaged. Three barns and several other outbuildings and small structures were also consumed in the fire.
- One police officer and two firefighters have been treated for minor injuries.
To view pictures I took:
- click here (I posted them on shutterfly... you do not need an account to view them.)
- then click on "View Album" (near the bottom of the page)
- then click on "Detail View" (near the top of the page) and read the captions on the right.
- then click on the left/right arrows to scroll through.
After a so-so night and complimentary breakfast at the Best Western, Chloe and I ventured over to her school to get her school day started. Clearly, the wildfire was THE topic of conversation, and I was able to catch up with some neighbors to see how their nights were. Once the kids were in the school, a neighbor and I got back in the car to go see what the neighborhood looked like. And it didn't take long, though we were still about 1.5 miles away, to see that the fire had spread quite a bit since we left our homes last night. Thankfully, no homes were lost in our neighborhood, but fire did creep right up to the northern and western borders. Some homeowners will come home to charred grass right across the street from their home.
Once Peg checked out of the hotel and came home, we drove north out of town to see the extent of the fire and couldn't believe our eyes... about how much of the foothills and adjacent plains burned, and how great of a job the firefighters did in protecting homes, businesses, barns, etc. given the strong winds. (For a great video clip showing what the firefighters were up against with the wind, watch this.)
It was then back to the house to unpack what we loaded in the cars about 15 hours prior. At this point we had a lighthearted moment as we found out out some of the items Chloe thought were key to take along for our evacuation. In her backpack, we found these items: a couple of Chamberlain's chew toys, math flash cards, a miniature football, bracelets, stuffed animals, and lip gloss. (Peggy packed the other "essentials" for her... clothing, toiletries, etc.)
The latest news reports had these figures on the fire:
- Approximately 1,400 acres, within a 3,600 acre area, burned.
- One home and one large structure completely lost, one home partially damaged. Three barns and several other outbuildings and small structures were also consumed in the fire.
- One police officer and two firefighters have been treated for minor injuries.
To view pictures I took:
- click here (I posted them on shutterfly... you do not need an account to view them.)
- then click on "View Album" (near the bottom of the page)
- then click on "Detail View" (near the top of the page) and read the captions on the right.
- then click on the left/right arrows to scroll through.
1.07.2009
Blazes around Boulder
I know I skipped right over the holiday period, but I promise I'll do a recap in the near future. The reason I can't do it now is that KnPnCnC are holed-up in a hotel room, evacuees from a wildfire that is burning at the northern tip of our neighborhood.
I heard earlier in the day about a wildfire several miles north and east of town that was started by high winds knocking down an electric transformer, and it catching the grass on fire. I didn't pay much attention to it since the westerly winds (gusting over 80 mph locally, and over 90 mph in the region) were fanning the flames away from us.
Then, when I picked up Chloe from the bus stop, I received a call from a friend asking me if I could take her kids back to our house because she's stuck in a traffic... the police shut down roads north of town. I thought that strange since the fire I knew of was pretty far away. When Susie arrived to pick up her kids, she said there's another fire, this one just north of our neighborhood and on the other side of the ridge.
After Susie left, I took a drive up to the northern tip of our neighborhood to see what I could see. There was plenty of smoke, and I could see some flames. But again the west winds led me to believe the fire would stay away. I came back to the house, and took Peggy and Chloe to see the fires, and in that short time, the winds spread the fire quite a bit. It was about 5 pm at this point.
Again we returned home, to see what news could be found online and on TV. It was about that time that we began to see evacuation notices for area neighborhoods, but not ours. We looked out our bedroom window to the North and saw A LOT more red and orange outside our neighborhood then we saw 15 minutes prior. We jumped back in the car to see what was going on, and what was a lot of smoke and some flames 45-60 minutes ago, was now covered in flames and inching slightly southward. It was then a Fire Dept. official came up to our car to ask us to clear the area as they are going to start evacuating the neighborhood... our neighborhood.
We drove back to the house and, within 30 minutes, loaded up what we think we'd need or - worse case scenario - want... photo albums, computers, important files, clothes, pet, etc. We took calls from friends offering a place to stay, and a reverse 9-1-1 call from the Boulder Sheriff's Office, officially telling us of the mandatory evacuation.
At about 6 pm, after a final glimpse around the house for things we'd want to take with us, we got in the cars and, before finding a restaurant for dinner, drove up to take another look-see at the fires. Thankfully, the winds had subsided substantially, and the flames had lessened in intensity. But by no means were they out.
After dinner, we found our way to a Starbucks for its wi-fi. Peg got on her laptop and read that our neighborhood was still under evacuation orders and that it would probably be so for the night. Though he is an easy pet, we thought taking Chamberlain into a friends house for the night might me problematic. So after two "no room at the inn" calls, we lucked out and found a pet-friendly room at a Best Western (which is where I am typing this now.)
We caught some news tonight, and here's the latest: 1,000 acres burned; 2 structures lost; 2 minor injuries to firefighters; the fire near our neighborhood is not officially contained, but officials are hopeful that once the winds die down after midnight, firefighters will begin to take the upper hand. The news reports cautioned viewers that there still is cause for concern... the winds, despite waning, still occasionally gust to 45+ mph, and utility poles that caught fire might topple, potentially putting live wires in contact with dry grasses and igniting another fire.
More updates and pictures later. Now go hug a firefighter.
I heard earlier in the day about a wildfire several miles north and east of town that was started by high winds knocking down an electric transformer, and it catching the grass on fire. I didn't pay much attention to it since the westerly winds (gusting over 80 mph locally, and over 90 mph in the region) were fanning the flames away from us.
Then, when I picked up Chloe from the bus stop, I received a call from a friend asking me if I could take her kids back to our house because she's stuck in a traffic... the police shut down roads north of town. I thought that strange since the fire I knew of was pretty far away. When Susie arrived to pick up her kids, she said there's another fire, this one just north of our neighborhood and on the other side of the ridge.
After Susie left, I took a drive up to the northern tip of our neighborhood to see what I could see. There was plenty of smoke, and I could see some flames. But again the west winds led me to believe the fire would stay away. I came back to the house, and took Peggy and Chloe to see the fires, and in that short time, the winds spread the fire quite a bit. It was about 5 pm at this point.
Again we returned home, to see what news could be found online and on TV. It was about that time that we began to see evacuation notices for area neighborhoods, but not ours. We looked out our bedroom window to the North and saw A LOT more red and orange outside our neighborhood then we saw 15 minutes prior. We jumped back in the car to see what was going on, and what was a lot of smoke and some flames 45-60 minutes ago, was now covered in flames and inching slightly southward. It was then a Fire Dept. official came up to our car to ask us to clear the area as they are going to start evacuating the neighborhood... our neighborhood.
We drove back to the house and, within 30 minutes, loaded up what we think we'd need or - worse case scenario - want... photo albums, computers, important files, clothes, pet, etc. We took calls from friends offering a place to stay, and a reverse 9-1-1 call from the Boulder Sheriff's Office, officially telling us of the mandatory evacuation.
At about 6 pm, after a final glimpse around the house for things we'd want to take with us, we got in the cars and, before finding a restaurant for dinner, drove up to take another look-see at the fires. Thankfully, the winds had subsided substantially, and the flames had lessened in intensity. But by no means were they out.
After dinner, we found our way to a Starbucks for its wi-fi. Peg got on her laptop and read that our neighborhood was still under evacuation orders and that it would probably be so for the night. Though he is an easy pet, we thought taking Chamberlain into a friends house for the night might me problematic. So after two "no room at the inn" calls, we lucked out and found a pet-friendly room at a Best Western (which is where I am typing this now.)
We caught some news tonight, and here's the latest: 1,000 acres burned; 2 structures lost; 2 minor injuries to firefighters; the fire near our neighborhood is not officially contained, but officials are hopeful that once the winds die down after midnight, firefighters will begin to take the upper hand. The news reports cautioned viewers that there still is cause for concern... the winds, despite waning, still occasionally gust to 45+ mph, and utility poles that caught fire might topple, potentially putting live wires in contact with dry grasses and igniting another fire.
More updates and pictures later. Now go hug a firefighter.
12.15.2008
A Cycling Post
I learned a couple of days ago that I am now of member of the GS Boulder cycling team. (What does GS stand for? It's an Italian acronym for Gruppo Sportivo, or "Sporting Team.") The team is a nice of mix of cyclists, including avid racing types, enthusiastic recreationalists and those somewhere in between. I see myself closer to the latter category... lining up for a some road races here and there, but not planning on doing it every weekend from March through June. So does that mean I'll shave my legs? We'll just have to see about that one... with temps ranging from -11 to 11 today, it's tough to think about reducing the amount of insulation on my body right now. (For those who know a little about cycling, the club has some interesting folks in its history, which can be read about here.)
Another recent achievement is that I just passed the "3,000 miles" milestone for the year, a first for me in my 3 years of riding. Other personal bests achieved this year are max. avg. speed for a ride (19.9 mph), max. speed on a ride (48.5 mph), max. avg. climb gradient on a ride (5%), and max. feet climbed per mile – a measure of how "hilly" a ride is – (133). And after another 73 minutes in the saddle, I'll achieve a new record for yearly riding time (currently at 185.5 hours).
All of this might have some categorize me as "nuts," and, well, perhaps that is accurate... so be it. But, in Boulder, it might not even reach "par for the course" status... check this out.
Another recent achievement is that I just passed the "3,000 miles" milestone for the year, a first for me in my 3 years of riding. Other personal bests achieved this year are max. avg. speed for a ride (19.9 mph), max. speed on a ride (48.5 mph), max. avg. climb gradient on a ride (5%), and max. feet climbed per mile – a measure of how "hilly" a ride is – (133). And after another 73 minutes in the saddle, I'll achieve a new record for yearly riding time (currently at 185.5 hours).
All of this might have some categorize me as "nuts," and, well, perhaps that is accurate... so be it. But, in Boulder, it might not even reach "par for the course" status... check this out.
12.04.2008
A Winter Blanket
We got visited by an early winter storm today. What was supposed to be 
a couple hour event putting 3-4" of snow on the ground turned into an all-day affair, leaving about 8-9" of light, fluffy snow to live with. It didn't have much of an impact on daily living here, but it did make for some pretty scenery. Unfortunately, though, it probably won't last long because temps are expected to be in the 50s (and possibly higher) over the weekend.(Pictures, left to right: snow-dusted Flatirons; the blanket of snow in Boulder Canyon.)
11.23.2008
Another family hike
KnPnCnC took advantage of yet another unseasonably warm day (temp in the mid/upper 50s) 
and headed to NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research), which is located in southwest Boulder. The destination: Mallory Cave. The distance: 1.1 miles O/W. The elevation gain: 920 feet.
For a good part of the year (from April 1 to October 1) entrance into Mallory Cave is closed in order to protect the Townsend's big-eared bat, a species of bat that uses the cave as a breeding place. The first part of trail has an interpretative section, with signage along the way informing readers about local weather patterns. One little nugget we picked up from this section of trail was that West Boulder gets, on average, 20 more inches of snow per year than East Boulder. (If you're a weather nut and/or would like to pick up some other little nuggets on regional Boulder weather, visit this site.) Once past the interpretive section, it was pretty normal hiking... rocks, trees, the occasional view of Denver, and Chamberlain sniffing EVERYTHING. Eventually, we got to a place in the trail where dogs were allowed to be off-leash, and Chamberlain looked like a pup again (whitening face aside.)
The final approach to the final approach (you read that right) was unlike any other we've seen... the trail became a series of multiple short switchbacks, many of which were less than 20 feet in length, as it worked its way up between two huge slabs of pink sandstone. Once done with the switchbacks, we saw the final approach to the cave... a 50-foot vertical scramble up a sandstone slab.
Considering she had never done anything like this, Peggy and I were surprised with Chloe's enthusiasm for scrambling up it. This wasn't like her time in the rock gym where there were ropes and helmet... one misstep here could lead to a pretty good "ouchy." With Chamberlain along, we knew it wouldn't be in his best interest to attempt the scramble, so Peg stayed behind. (Even if he could manage the scramble, who knows what the boy would get himself into in a cave where bat guano might be aplenty.)
So up Chloe and I went, her first with me close behind, pointing out where to put hands and feet, and putting myself in position to act as a net if need be. Thankfully, that part of my service went unused. In fact, she did GREAT! Grabbing and pulling and pushing and squeezing her way up to the top, and not thinking much of it. As we got to the cave, we realized we left the flashlight with Peggy, but no matter as the bats were gone and it was basically one large chamber and not really much else to explore. Now it was time to explain to Chloe that there's another half to the challenge of visiting the cave: getting back down the steep 50-foot slab.
So, now in reverse order (and me still preserving the roles of hold pointer and net) down we went. In order to keep her close to the slab and leaning back, we spent a lot of time on the descent scooting along on our butts. Chloe commented at one point, "It's just like going down a slide!" I didn't feel it was right to tell her there weren't cushioning wood chips awaiting us at the bottom if we started sliding, though. Just like her performance ascending, she did a great job coming back down... finding places to put her hands and feet so she can lower herself down and control her own weight. It was a great achievement for our 5 year old (and a pretty proud moment for Peggy and I), and one that I put up there with her learning how to ride a bike. Chloe was so bolstered by her performance that once we got back down with Peggy and Chamberlain, it didn't take long for her to start giving pointers to other hikers contemplating making the scramble!
As we started making our way down the switchbacks, it became apparent that Chamberlain took the time waiting for Chloe and I to return to recharge his batteries. No sooner do we get past the first couple of switchbacks and he starts running around like a maniac. He goes charging down the trail to play with 2 Blue Heelers and had a display of energy the likes of which neither Peggy nor I have seen in a while.
By the time we got back to the car, Chamberlain's energy had waned, but Chloe's was pretty solid, for she knew the next stop was an ice cream shop. (Thanks Yardley friends... we finally got around to using the Glacier Homemade Ice Cream gift certificate!)
All in all, a great day in Boulder!
We didn't take a camera with us, but here are two pictures by others I found on the web of the final approach to the cave.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/image/17870669/detail.html
http://picasaweb.google.com/briangbrown/MalloryCave#4994113232388227090
and headed to NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research), which is located in southwest Boulder. The destination: Mallory Cave. The distance: 1.1 miles O/W. The elevation gain: 920 feet.For a good part of the year (from April 1 to October 1) entrance into Mallory Cave is closed in order to protect the Townsend's big-eared bat, a species of bat that uses the cave as a breeding place. The first part of trail has an interpretative section, with signage along the way informing readers about local weather patterns. One little nugget we picked up from this section of trail was that West Boulder gets, on average, 20 more inches of snow per year than East Boulder. (If you're a weather nut and/or would like to pick up some other little nuggets on regional Boulder weather, visit this site.) Once past the interpretive section, it was pretty normal hiking... rocks, trees, the occasional view of Denver, and Chamberlain sniffing EVERYTHING. Eventually, we got to a place in the trail where dogs were allowed to be off-leash, and Chamberlain looked like a pup again (whitening face aside.)
The final approach to the final approach (you read that right) was unlike any other we've seen... the trail became a series of multiple short switchbacks, many of which were less than 20 feet in length, as it worked its way up between two huge slabs of pink sandstone. Once done with the switchbacks, we saw the final approach to the cave... a 50-foot vertical scramble up a sandstone slab.
Considering she had never done anything like this, Peggy and I were surprised with Chloe's enthusiasm for scrambling up it. This wasn't like her time in the rock gym where there were ropes and helmet... one misstep here could lead to a pretty good "ouchy." With Chamberlain along, we knew it wouldn't be in his best interest to attempt the scramble, so Peg stayed behind. (Even if he could manage the scramble, who knows what the boy would get himself into in a cave where bat guano might be aplenty.)
So up Chloe and I went, her first with me close behind, pointing out where to put hands and feet, and putting myself in position to act as a net if need be. Thankfully, that part of my service went unused. In fact, she did GREAT! Grabbing and pulling and pushing and squeezing her way up to the top, and not thinking much of it. As we got to the cave, we realized we left the flashlight with Peggy, but no matter as the bats were gone and it was basically one large chamber and not really much else to explore. Now it was time to explain to Chloe that there's another half to the challenge of visiting the cave: getting back down the steep 50-foot slab.
So, now in reverse order (and me still preserving the roles of hold pointer and net) down we went. In order to keep her close to the slab and leaning back, we spent a lot of time on the descent scooting along on our butts. Chloe commented at one point, "It's just like going down a slide!" I didn't feel it was right to tell her there weren't cushioning wood chips awaiting us at the bottom if we started sliding, though. Just like her performance ascending, she did a great job coming back down... finding places to put her hands and feet so she can lower herself down and control her own weight. It was a great achievement for our 5 year old (and a pretty proud moment for Peggy and I), and one that I put up there with her learning how to ride a bike. Chloe was so bolstered by her performance that once we got back down with Peggy and Chamberlain, it didn't take long for her to start giving pointers to other hikers contemplating making the scramble!
As we started making our way down the switchbacks, it became apparent that Chamberlain took the time waiting for Chloe and I to return to recharge his batteries. No sooner do we get past the first couple of switchbacks and he starts running around like a maniac. He goes charging down the trail to play with 2 Blue Heelers and had a display of energy the likes of which neither Peggy nor I have seen in a while.
By the time we got back to the car, Chamberlain's energy had waned, but Chloe's was pretty solid, for she knew the next stop was an ice cream shop. (Thanks Yardley friends... we finally got around to using the Glacier Homemade Ice Cream gift certificate!)
All in all, a great day in Boulder!
We didn't take a camera with us, but here are two pictures by others I found on the web of the final approach to the cave.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/image/17870669/detail.html
http://picasaweb.google.com/briangbrown/MalloryCave#4994113232388227090
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