"Ahem. Winter. Sorry."
Not quite winter yet but you can definitely see it coming. Typically, we don't get our first snow until about the third week of September and it usually doesn't "stick" until mid-October. In other years, I have been able to continue riding well into October and one year, even made it into November. Yesterday, there was a blurb by the National Weather Service encouraging local gardeners to get their gardens harvested as we may have frost and maybe even snow by the weekend. This seems a lot earlier than usual. The Denali Park road was closed a couple of days ago due to snow and this is way earlier than usual. I hope we don't have another like September 1992 when we had snow on the 10th that stuck around until spring. The leaves hadn't yet fallen and the added weight of the snow on the birch and aspen trees took out a lot of power lines.
I'm not sure if I'm ready for winter...
You got too much riding in this year, hence the reluctance to embrace the arival of winter.
ReplyDeleteI can hardly believe that summer is over but the fall colours are nice at well. We should get those some time in October down here, I guess.
I expect that you are correct. I thought that with the trip I would've gotten it out of my system. That didn't happen. I'm still having a hard time believing that summer is over as well. All of a sudden, it was gone....
DeleteI am really enjoying seeing your changing landscape. You're even better than a webcam!
ReplyDeleteThe second photo is gorgeous. I did not know about the park road closing this early. That makes me a little nervous- for a whole lot of reasons.
Enjoy your weekend!
A webcam would be a whole lot more reliable than I. A lot of people, including the park service, was surprised by the early snowfall. Tour busses slipping on the road, not good...
DeleteBrrrrr. Glad you have the Gerbings so the chilly morning aren't an issue.
ReplyDeleteHave you talked to your mom recently? It is supposed to be 93 here today, 86 tomorrow and back down into the 70's on Sunday. Our leaves are trying to change but the weather says nay nay.
I've heard that it has been really hot for a while but is starting to cool off. When does fall arrive? Somewhere close to the end of September?
DeleteOh Richard:
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling so sorry for you. The more riding you do the more you want. It's starting to get really cool at night, but hot during the day, wide temperature variations, but nothing as compared to you
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
My Flickr // My YouTube
I'm starting to feel very selfish abouty riding. On a couple of days this week when I needed to take my middle son to the dentist, I was feeling bummed out because I had to drive. I think it was the first time I drove the truck to the university since mid-April.
DeleteLast night it was below freezing but no moisture.
Snow - so soon! It was only yesterday we were in Hell's Canyon and it was 100F. Memories now.
ReplyDelete"Yesterday" seems like a long time ago as does the 100°F temperatures.
DeleteHopefully, no significant snow though it has fallen on the hills already...
Build a big iglooo and hunker. A sixty degree winter is all I can bear. Sorry but I enjoy Alaska from a safe distance. Keep taking pictures.
ReplyDeleteI thought it got a colder than 60°F in Key West. For some reason I thought mid-40s weren't unheard of.
DeleteI hope it will be a false winter. Maybe it will hit then warm back up for a little while. How did the Gerbings perform?
ReplyDeleteI am hoping for continued riding opportunities for at least another month. It'll take at least that long to get the garage cleaned out and the bike stored.
DeleteThe Gerbing liner works great and haven't needed to turn it up past the lowest setting.
Made me laugh "the garage still needs to be cleaned out".
DeleteSigh just the thought of winter makes my soul feel heavy. I definitely old not live in Alaska, I struggle with winter and the darkness it brings. I have to say though even with all the rain we get it's preferable to snow. I a. Going to take it easy on myself & get a bus pass for December & January.
ReplyDeleteHopefully I'll get used to the idea of winter again soon. If not then I'm definitely living in the wrong place. I plan on taking the bus this winter as well. If ridership continues to be low there is a chance that the route may be canceled.
DeleteRichard,
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't have a severe winter. Winter used to be my favorite season when I lived in Michigan. We didn't have your dark, but we did have a lot of gloomy. What I liked about it was all the stuff to do. People who don't live with winter don't seem astounded when I say such things, but I suspect you know what I mean.
Hopefully, you will bet used to idea of winter. I suspect it will come whether you are used to the idea or not :^)
+1 to the comment to keep taking photos.
~k
Those that like to make predictions say that we will be having a harsh winter. Hopefully, they're wrong. The dark is over-discussed. I don't think it's that bad at all....
DeleteI have seen 42 degrees in frost free Key West. Which doesn't mean u enjoy anything below 60. visitors find cold weather in the keys surprisingly cold compared to home temperatures. Whether that is because they expect tropical heat when they arrive and are disappointed by a cold front, or whether it is because winter temperatures reflect bone chilling damp in a town with very few heated homes I don't know. I have reverse cycle heat and am very fond of it, not everyone does.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that the humidity has a lot to do with it. We have a very arid climate so you don't notice the cold as much as you would in a more humid climate. But I think that I would be one of those shocked, surprised and unprepared if it hit the 40s while visiting KW.
DeleteRichard, I've been told it takes a good 90 minutes of riding to boil off any moisture that may have accumulated inside the gearbox....ride accordingly.
ReplyDeletedom
If that's the case, my transmission must be a pile of rust as I rarely ride that long. I must change my ways and ride as much as possible...
Delete