Early signs of a chilly winter
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Who, me? I'm a shiny pants bookkeeper, otherwise known as an accountant. I'm 67 and hope to work two more years. My commute is 20 miles one way. My wife is a schoolteacher. We have two Volvo station wagons, both with 120,000 miles but my first set of wheels was a 1965 short wheelbase Land-Rover. None of my later vehicles have been anywhere near so interesting. What I'd really enjoy having would be a Bristol.
I live about 75 miles from Shenandoah National Park and the nearby George Washington National Park. That's where I've been mostly going since I've lived here in Northern Virginia but before that, I was at large in West Virginia, which had many wonderful places to explore. I was in the army for three years and was in Augsburg, Germany most of that time. My daughter is about to go back to Germany with her Air Force husband who just returned from a tour in Afganistan. His grandmother was a Londoner and served in the RAF in WWII and is still living. I'll see her tomorrow. Any special thing you want me to tell her?
My son lives in California and is employed in the motion picture industry. He served in Iraq as a tank crewman. We had one friend a few years ago, now passed on, who served initially with the Cheshire Yeomanry in Palestine when they were still mounted (on horses, that is), then transferred to the Greys. His life was much more interesting than mine and I felt fortunate to have known him. At his house I met a former commanding officer of the Blues (before amalgamation) and a former Polish cavalry officer who competed in the 1936 olympics.
In comparison with people I've known, I've lived a quiet, though not always dull, life as a wage earner. I try to get out to the woods as much as possible, if only behind the house. It's safer in the woods, you know.
Anything else?
I live about 75 miles from Shenandoah National Park and the nearby George Washington National Park. That's where I've been mostly going since I've lived here in Northern Virginia but before that, I was at large in West Virginia, which had many wonderful places to explore. I was in the army for three years and was in Augsburg, Germany most of that time. My daughter is about to go back to Germany with her Air Force husband who just returned from a tour in Afganistan. His grandmother was a Londoner and served in the RAF in WWII and is still living. I'll see her tomorrow. Any special thing you want me to tell her?
My son lives in California and is employed in the motion picture industry. He served in Iraq as a tank crewman. We had one friend a few years ago, now passed on, who served initially with the Cheshire Yeomanry in Palestine when they were still mounted (on horses, that is), then transferred to the Greys. His life was much more interesting than mine and I felt fortunate to have known him. At his house I met a former commanding officer of the Blues (before amalgamation) and a former Polish cavalry officer who competed in the 1936 olympics.
In comparison with people I've known, I've lived a quiet, though not always dull, life as a wage earner. I try to get out to the woods as much as possible, if only behind the house. It's safer in the woods, you know.
Anything else?
Yes, I have a question,
Any good deals on Filson stuff over there!
It costs the Earth this side of the pond!!Lol!
Best.
Chris.
Any good deals on Filson stuff over there!
It costs the Earth this side of the pond!!Lol!
Best.
Chris.
Shambling Shaman
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
This morning at 06:00 I was outside in a T-shirt looking at the stars thinking how oddly mild it was for sutch a clear sky, 1.5hrs later at 07:30 = hard frost and the chickens water was frozen.
I didn't notice any Bristols when we were in the U.K. two years ago. I also had over the years an M.G. sedan (MG badged Austin), and two Rover sedans/saloon cars. One a 2000TC, the other a 3500. I haven't seen a Rover sedan for ages but Range Rovers and Land-Rover discos are actually quite common. I see more Minis here than I did in the U.K. I remember Leonard Setright used to write about his Bristol. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a Morgan for a long time either. It's had to find any place to do any off-road driving these days but the days of ice and snow, which will surely come, will make up for it. Don't know what the wooly worms are predicting.
There are no deals to be had on Filson garments and they've been discontinuing a lot of their range of late and replacing them with more trendy things, including some incredibly expensive reproductions of garments they were making 70 years ago. I happen to be wearing Filson pants at the moment and they are no longer offered. Ebay is probably the best place to look but there are no bargains on ebay either, so it seems, although I just purchased a Mora "Companion" sheath knife. It's a decent knife for $12.75 and in fact, a bargain. Anyhow, I have a fair accumulation of Filson things but I don't expect to be acquiring much of anything else. I'm pretty much fully stocked up just now.
That's quite a vehicle in the photos but easily the most interesting thing like that I've seen in person was a WWII German Kettenkraftrad half-track motorcycle, which was owned by a dealer in military collectibles. I believe it was sold to a museum. It didn't come with a top like the other vehicle. I'll settle for a John Deere lawn truck.
There are no deals to be had on Filson garments and they've been discontinuing a lot of their range of late and replacing them with more trendy things, including some incredibly expensive reproductions of garments they were making 70 years ago. I happen to be wearing Filson pants at the moment and they are no longer offered. Ebay is probably the best place to look but there are no bargains on ebay either, so it seems, although I just purchased a Mora "Companion" sheath knife. It's a decent knife for $12.75 and in fact, a bargain. Anyhow, I have a fair accumulation of Filson things but I don't expect to be acquiring much of anything else. I'm pretty much fully stocked up just now.
That's quite a vehicle in the photos but easily the most interesting thing like that I've seen in person was a WWII German Kettenkraftrad half-track motorcycle, which was owned by a dealer in military collectibles. I believe it was sold to a museum. It didn't come with a top like the other vehicle. I'll settle for a John Deere lawn truck.
I was looking through my bookshelves over the weekend and noted that there are some good books on this subject. Perhaps the most interesting and readable is "The Snowwaker's Companion," by Garret & Alexandra Coniver. It is decidedly north country focused and more oriented towards recreational outings in the winter, not particularly bushcrafty. Useful if you live in Ontario.
If you live in the Yukon, you'd enjoy "Yukoners," by H. Gordon-Cooper. More like folk tales and true experiences of Yukon live but nothing really about bushcraft. Probably hard to find. A few very interesting illustrations.
Someone who I guess wanted to be more positive about cold weather wrote "Paradise below zero." Calvin Rustrum, the author, wrote on a wide variety of "wilderness" subjects back when this was a widely popular topic. Some useful advise but paradise?
If you live in the Yukon, you'd enjoy "Yukoners," by H. Gordon-Cooper. More like folk tales and true experiences of Yukon live but nothing really about bushcraft. Probably hard to find. A few very interesting illustrations.
Someone who I guess wanted to be more positive about cold weather wrote "Paradise below zero." Calvin Rustrum, the author, wrote on a wide variety of "wilderness" subjects back when this was a widely popular topic. Some useful advise but paradise?
Sadly this book is out of print and costs silly money when it becomes available used. I hear a new print run may happen next year though so i live in hope.
You will love this book when you find a copy Paul!
I shall keep my eyes peeled for ya.
Best.
da C.
Its only £195 on Amazon at the mo, but it is new
Go on Ozzy, ill let you treat me for Christmas
For anyone wanting a little background info as to where the mail gets it's " We're all going to die this winter in -150c with 9 mile high snow drifts" headlines, this site and the tentative winter predictions gives a good overview of the available info;
http://kasimsweatherwatcher.com/winter-forecast-201314/
FWIW, the last few winters have been called as cold from much earlier in the year from some this info and IME, they have been pretty good at picking up the general trend of the winter weather.
http://kasimsweatherwatcher.com/winter-forecast-201314/
FWIW, the last few winters have been called as cold from much earlier in the year from some this info and IME, they have been pretty good at picking up the general trend of the winter weather.
A decent winter is what's needed ... Means I get to stay off work and still be paid which is nice
As for the elderly and vulnerable in the community, a small group of us form during significant weather events to go around making sure everyone is okay ... If they need anything we head out to get it, and we also try and clear a safe passage out of the property.
Plus, snow is good for earning money when drivers think their small cars can handle a very snowy and icy hill - One of us jumps on the bonnet and the others push from behind ... £10 richer for 2 minutes work!
As for the elderly and vulnerable in the community, a small group of us form during significant weather events to go around making sure everyone is okay ... If they need anything we head out to get it, and we also try and clear a safe passage out of the property.
Plus, snow is good for earning money when drivers think their small cars can handle a very snowy and icy hill - One of us jumps on the bonnet and the others push from behind ... £10 richer for 2 minutes work!
Predicting the "general" weather for a forth coming winter is easy enough for the UK. It's mid October, I look out my window and notice that the wind is in the north east, the opposite direction from the normal south westerly prevailing wind one would expect.
The jet stream (generally speaking; the dividing line between the warmer and colder air) is still too far south and inverted, jet stream declination, meaning the big atlantic lows will make land fall somewhere between Morocco and the south of the UK, anti cyclones whip up air in an anti clockwise manner, most in the UK will be on the northern edge meaning the air flow will be easterly drawing air from the continent or scandinavia. Colder air than that drawn from mid atlantic, once the continent cools.
http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=jetstream;sess=
So, for me, if the wind stays in the north and east, things will start chilling from mid november onwards, if the frosts last until mid december then the damage is done as the sun doesn't get high enough to warm anything until the end of February here at 57.2º north. A couple of years back things were hard frozen here from november until the end of december, then we had a mild January but scrape 6" into the ground and it was still frozen, frosty again in february and the ground stayed frozen into april, not good for the gardeners
Not very scientific but when the weather is backwards expect the opposite from the norm.
Hope everyone has winter tyres fitted
The jet stream (generally speaking; the dividing line between the warmer and colder air) is still too far south and inverted, jet stream declination, meaning the big atlantic lows will make land fall somewhere between Morocco and the south of the UK, anti cyclones whip up air in an anti clockwise manner, most in the UK will be on the northern edge meaning the air flow will be easterly drawing air from the continent or scandinavia. Colder air than that drawn from mid atlantic, once the continent cools.
http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=jetstream;sess=
So, for me, if the wind stays in the north and east, things will start chilling from mid november onwards, if the frosts last until mid december then the damage is done as the sun doesn't get high enough to warm anything until the end of February here at 57.2º north. A couple of years back things were hard frozen here from november until the end of december, then we had a mild January but scrape 6" into the ground and it was still frozen, frosty again in february and the ground stayed frozen into april, not good for the gardeners
Not very scientific but when the weather is backwards expect the opposite from the norm.
Hope everyone has winter tyres fitted
In some of the places I've lived, the weather conditions during the winter could vary widely within relatively short distances, mostly due to altitude but possibly for other reasons such as nearness to bodies of water. Of course, it's nothing unusual to look at tall mountains and see snow on the tops. It can make for interesting journeys if you're driving through the mountains. Easily the most interesting trip I made when I was going to college and driving back from home was a time when the roads were snow-covered the entire distance. At one point I passed the snow plow and drove for several miles on an unplowed road. At the time I had a 88" Land-Rover station wagon (or estate car, as an English acquaintenance insisted it should be called). No trouble at all, although it wasn't snowing and there were no other cars on the road. The older Land-Rovers were frightfully chilly in cold weather.
The upper Mid-West in the U.S. has already had some bad winter weather with lots of cattle being lost but that happens every few years. In the same way the Mississippi river floods, that also happens with some frequency, if not regularlarity. But there can be killing cold without a lot of snow and it's the snow that really stops everything. I was surprised when I was stationed in Germany in the army that a heavy snow stopped everything there just the way it would back home, although it took me two years to figure out why they didn't give road condition reports to the ski resorts in the summer.
On the other hand, a mild winter is hard on the ski resorts. But one person's mild winter is another person's reason to move to Florida (or Malta). Even Father Christmas doesn't like winter so much. Locally, there is a reporter for one of the TV stations who makes a big deal of snow and even he says to the newcasters in the studio, "You guys just talk about it; I have to go out and stand in it."
The upper Mid-West in the U.S. has already had some bad winter weather with lots of cattle being lost but that happens every few years. In the same way the Mississippi river floods, that also happens with some frequency, if not regularlarity. But there can be killing cold without a lot of snow and it's the snow that really stops everything. I was surprised when I was stationed in Germany in the army that a heavy snow stopped everything there just the way it would back home, although it took me two years to figure out why they didn't give road condition reports to the ski resorts in the summer.
On the other hand, a mild winter is hard on the ski resorts. But one person's mild winter is another person's reason to move to Florida (or Malta). Even Father Christmas doesn't like winter so much. Locally, there is a reporter for one of the TV stations who makes a big deal of snow and even he says to the newcasters in the studio, "You guys just talk about it; I have to go out and stand in it."
Weather conditions vary widely here too, especially temperature. The advent of the in car thermometer was a bit of an eye opener for me. Back in late December, 94 I think, we had a reputed -26ºC in the village where I live. The sea froze round the edges in the upper reaches of the sea lochs (scottish fjords) and most had frozen pipes. The lowest I got on my garden thermometer was -24ºC, yet along the road on the sea shore it didn't get below -10 Anyway new years day saw the temp rise from -20 something to +12 in 12 hours. Those with frozen pipes now had burst pipes and the roads, still frozen, were like skating rinks.
A few years back I was out scraping the new car windshield, equipped with my first in car thermometer, as I had to pop along the road, -9ºC in the village, up to -3 just a few hundred yards along the road, -1 outside the shop by the sea 2 miles away, -15ºC just a few hundred yards further on and round the corner from the shop. Just goes to show the local temp variation within a few miles.
Anyway new years day saw the temp rise from -20 something to +12 in 12 hours. Those with frozen pipes now had burst pipes and the roads, still frozen, were like skating rinks. A few years back I was out scraping the new car windshield, equipped with my first in car thermometer, as I had to pop along the road, -9ºC in the village, up to -3 just a few hundred yards along the road, -1 outside the shop by the sea 2 miles away, -15ºC just a few hundred yards further on and round the corner from the shop. Just goes to show the local temp variation within a few miles.
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