6:00pm
It was another interesting day, but this time I got a ride in before sunset.
The roads on the way to the trail were still a little scrapey in spots, but a lot better. There was usually a low snowbank nearby to bounce off of.
I joined the trail on Landing 11 Rd where the pipeline crosses it. It took that to where the trail goes to Chickadee, and down Chickadee to North Fork Rd and back. The trip odo said 38.
The trail along the road was great other than a few bumps. The trail across to Chickadee was good with some snirty corners and stretches. Some of the big bumps weren’t filled in yet, but the trail had 100% coverage.
Chickadee was paradise. It had been plowed at some point this year, but not recently. There were groomer tracks and it was a nice ride.
Bla Bla Bla…
[popeye]
I had good conditions and a good time.I am still avoiding plowed road trails, but they are getting better. I don’t know what places like the grade along 32 look like. Next time out I will check out some of the more hammered trails.
I am comfortable with a guess of between 2-3″ for the snowfall. The tracks by the house were a total of that and Friday’s snow. The tracks on the trail were in a busy spot, and presumably that snow was fresh since the weekend. It did help a lot.
RJB
Wee Hours Update
Greetings and welcome!
The snow was ok to us but could have been better. I would guess it at 2-3″ for now. I am not really sure, I got home after dark. Complicating things is the fact that I viewed last weekend’s snow as not worthy of cleanup, so my usual measuring spots show both snows. I am pretty sure of 2″, and three is likely. Maybe some of you can weigh in until I can survey around a little in the morning.
When I was out Monday night the roads were really nasty. Some of the precip must have fallen as freezing drizzle, or maybe the snow had more moisture than past snows.. Even salted roads like 32 were a sheet of ice plus snow. The deer were out too, making it an interesting ride.
I am not planning on spending much time inside today. I have to fix the plow and plow the driveway, bring in a bunch of firewood for the cold spell, and then the time is dedicated to either the shop or the trail. The mission is to get the black RXL trail ready and out for a ride.
After today the temperatures are expected to take a dive. Today’s high of 24 is to be replaced by highs in the 10-15º range, dropping to a high of 5 or less Friday. Temps should bounce back a a little for the weekend, the NWS has Saturday for -5/+15, and Sunday for 0/15.
There are no big storms on the 16 day GFS. High pressure will continue to drive the storm path well south, and we will watch from the cheap seats. There are continued chances of an inch or three like we have been having, but no big organized storms are showing up.
The Arctic Oscillation is changing, as is the La Nina. Hopefully those are rumblings of a coming change in the weather pattern. Here are some AO links.. L1, L2, L3. The ‘Recent Evolution’ section of this ENSO analysis is interesting, but that looks like it is still a longer term change.
Anyway, the snow Monday helped. It wasn’t six inches or a foot, but it clearly helped. I will know more after I get out and play in it.
A couple of riders wanted me to mention that Lakewood BP doesn’t have gas any more. They still have the food and C-Store, but no gas. They were a good source for non-ethanol premium. Citgo up the street is usually cheapest along 32, but they had the corn squeezins in the gas the last that I knew. My next stop is Townsend Shell. They have good no E premium. I don’t know what the story is with Lakewood BP.
Have a good Tuesday and thank you for visiting!
RJB