One of the great joys of life is cross-country skiing around the neighborhood during a snowstorm. The weather guessers tell us that today's the day. I'm ready.
Comments (6)
Don't forget to wear a helmet since cars are not as soft as trees and some may be mobile.
I suffered a serious weather-related fashion emergency today. My wife is one of those annoying saintly types so when this all started she bought some wool hats and shirts for the homeless. I asked for one of the hats - even trying it on. I mean we're in an emergency here - we have to think of ourselves, too.
This morning I went on another long walk, admiring how the little ice pellets actually seemed to help the traction.
On the way, I stopped in the store and the cashier was this really nice woman who just couldn't be any cooler. So of course I was trying to make her laugh, making fun of the store's calendar for sale. It was the Bridges of Portland so I was like, "Ooo, the glamor. You mean a month of the Hawthorne Bridge, then a month of the Morrison Bridge? I just can't live in a world that glamorous. I have to stay grounded."
She was laughing which really is the best sound so I headed out feeling fairly good.
That's when I noticed my reflection in the glass of the door. The new hat had crept up my head coming to a sharp point around half a foot above my skull. In short, I couldn't have looked any more ridiculous if I had planned it for a week.
Then it dawned on me that perhaps the jokes had gone over so well because the cashier could barely keep from laughing anyway.
It had been another humiliating moment in a long life full of them, but this one was different. Walking away, I realized I was now a victim of "Arctic Blast 2008."
Let us know how that cross-country skiing goes today in NE Portland. Over here in downtown, it's 35 degrees and there is no hint of snow. (Maybe it's piling up more on the other side of the river.)
I used to cross country ski during snowfall when I was living on Skyline. Now that I am in the flats in the NW I get my kicks by watching people trying to bicycle on ice over the past couple of days. Without helmets, yet.
It came to me that what we have on our local newcasts is WizardOfOzWeather.
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Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
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Comments (6)
Don't forget to wear a helmet since cars are not as soft as trees and some may be mobile.
Posted by put a lid on it | December 17, 2008 7:01 AM
Perhaps a helmet won't be sufficient with bike riders venturing out with these:
http://www.focushacks.com/kc-bike/photo/GhettoIceTires/images/photo-7.jpg.
Or cars with some of these:
http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2007/07/Evil_Squire_Spike_Close.jpg
Posted by Mike (one of the many) | December 17, 2008 7:23 AM
Do you me weather forecasters? But I guess that assumes they are right more than 50% of the time...
Posted by kda | December 17, 2008 8:28 AM
I suffered a serious weather-related fashion emergency today. My wife is one of those annoying saintly types so when this all started she bought some wool hats and shirts for the homeless. I asked for one of the hats - even trying it on. I mean we're in an emergency here - we have to think of ourselves, too.
This morning I went on another long walk, admiring how the little ice pellets actually seemed to help the traction.
On the way, I stopped in the store and the cashier was this really nice woman who just couldn't be any cooler. So of course I was trying to make her laugh, making fun of the store's calendar for sale. It was the Bridges of Portland so I was like, "Ooo, the glamor. You mean a month of the Hawthorne Bridge, then a month of the Morrison Bridge? I just can't live in a world that glamorous. I have to stay grounded."
She was laughing which really is the best sound so I headed out feeling fairly good.
That's when I noticed my reflection in the glass of the door. The new hat had crept up my head coming to a sharp point around half a foot above my skull. In short, I couldn't have looked any more ridiculous if I had planned it for a week.
Then it dawned on me that perhaps the jokes had gone over so well because the cashier could barely keep from laughing anyway.
It had been another humiliating moment in a long life full of them, but this one was different. Walking away, I realized I was now a victim of "Arctic Blast 2008."
Posted by Bill McDonald | December 17, 2008 9:51 AM
Let us know how that cross-country skiing goes today in NE Portland. Over here in downtown, it's 35 degrees and there is no hint of snow. (Maybe it's piling up more on the other side of the river.)
Posted by none | December 17, 2008 2:54 PM
I used to cross country ski during snowfall when I was living on Skyline. Now that I am in the flats in the NW I get my kicks by watching people trying to bicycle on ice over the past couple of days. Without helmets, yet.
It came to me that what we have on our local newcasts is WizardOfOzWeather.
Posted by NW Portlander | December 17, 2008 5:27 PM