http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C30XgTQAsHI
Great googly-moogly! The thermometer has been pegged at the low teens all day long. I ventured out exactly twice, the first time to broom away the light snow that fell overnight, and the second time to collect a few bottles of antifreeze from the local grog shop in order to toast my fellow Zappatistas on this, the frigid second day of Zappadan 2011.
The temps are supposed to drop to minus-7 tonight. This would feel like a relaxing soak in a hot tub to my man Charles Pelkey, who reports that last night’s low in Laramie approached minus-30. The thud of engine blocks exploding and water mains bursting must keep folks up at night.
The downside about being stuck indoors on a slow cycling-news day is that one is tempted to look at the real news, and lately that is enough to set the stoutest young Eskimo boy to beating himself upside the head with a lead-filled snowshoe. Or perhaps depriving himself of his sight through the application to the eyes (via a vigorous circular motion) of the Deadly Yellow Snow, from right there where the huskies go.
I mean, can you imagine a world in which Newt Gingrich is the front-runner for the GOP nomination for president of the United States?
Hey … I think I just cheered myself up.
Mad Blog Media 
Funny how those of us who live in these climes seem to be surprised, upset, fill with wonder, etc. when it gets cold out. I go out to warm up the fossil-fueler in the early a.m., sans jacket, and am met by the Mrs. with the proverbial ” you’re gonna catch you’re death of cold!”. By that logic, I will surely face down death when I ride my bike to work tomorrow. Pray for me…..
Might be something to that global warming thing. Up here in eastern Canada, where it’s usually cold enough to freeze spit before it hits the ground by mid December, it’s 50 F and the sun’s splitting the trees. Gotta love them tar sands…
Ira, where in Canada are you again? I remember as a kid in Ottawa being able to build high-rise snow condos about this time of year, with elevators and fire escapes.
Of course, there was no such thing as a “snow day” — there were only days when it snowed — and we walked to school regardless, uphill and into a headwind in both directions, even if this meant exiting the house through a second-story window.
I’ve actually done that, had to go out a window because the doors were snowed in. But it’s been a few years since we’ve had a winter that bad. I live on PEI (10 points if you know where that is without Google), Canada’s smallest province.
I claim the 10 points.
And I get another for remembering the John Candy SCTV sketch, “Magnum PEI”.
I’m late to the party here … I award myself nine points, but deduct one for never having seen the John Candy skit.
I should have claimed the ten; but didn’t because I thought I’d let you older folks have a chance. You’re welcome.
John, wow that’s some memory. That John Candy skit was 30 years ago +/-. I honestly had no recollection of it until I hunted it up on Youtube. I toast you with a shot of Crown Royal and a Rickards Dark chaser!
Geez, PO’G, did you also have to get up at half past ten at night, half an hour before you went to bed, eat a lump of freezing cold poison, then work 28 hours a day?
The complete skit (finally found it!)
But if you tell the kids today that that’s how it was…they won’t believe you.
I love “The Four Yorkshiremen.” Absolutely top-fuckin’-shelf. My collection of Python videos is appallingly huge. When I discovered the show in the Seventies it was like realizing that I had been raised by Irish tinkers and had finally met my biological family.
Somehow, I’d never see the Last Supper skit though, so the first link was good for that, for me, at least. Thanks!
At 9 am today it snowed for about 10 minutes, big wet flakes. This occurred at McDowell Mountain Park and it was 35 degrees. Hurry down it is slightly warmer!
Charley, my man Big Jonny at DrunkCyclist mentioned seeing snowflakes in Phoenix. Naturally, I figured it was just another case of the DTs.
If I can rid myself of this five-day-a-week gig I’ll come visit you early next year. How long are you in residence?
Newt as GOP nominee, what a perfect Zappadan present.
Man plans, Zappa laughs.
We got about five inches of snow today. Its nine above right now and supposed to go to about three above. Mild, compared to a Buffalo or Adirondack winter of my youth. At any rate, I moved stuff around to get both cars in the garage in between all the two wheeled vehicles.
Keep warm, folks.
K, no snow to speak of here, but it was below zero when I dragged ass out of the sack. NOAA promises a warming trend, so maybe I can actually ride a bike outdoors on my days off this week.
Even cold in Texas tonight – may actually freeze. Had to lug all the potted bougainvillias into the garage.
“Even cold in Texas tonight – may actually freeze.” Waaaa-haaaa-haaaa. Oh, thanks, I needed that. Meanwhile, we might actually get above freezing one of these afternoons before the weekend.
Sorry, brain freeze makes me snarky.
Do you want a Sicily weather report? If not, scroll past this one. We came back from rainy and cool Napoli yesterday and woke to sun and high 60’s this morning. The side of the island we’re on gets the morning sun so it’s warmer here than most anywhere else so I usually throw on a sweater to go out for a fresh loaf of bread. Riding the shopping bike down to get some vino bianco to go with our plans for spaghetti with fresh clams tonight, I actually sweated a bit in the sweater! Of course Italians here, on bikes or otherwise are dressed for weather like you guys are “enjoying”. At most I’ve worn bib-knickers and a long-sleeve jersey while the Italian cyclists sport booties, balaclavas and fleece hats. Scarves and winter coats are the norm for those civilians just strolling along the streets or shopping in the open-air market. We can put laundry out on the sunny terrace and have it dry in a few hours…it’s going to be tough to return to Iowa next year, but at least by then Newt and his ilk will be history. I hope the Repugs anoint him as their savior, Obama will get another term with a landslide victory. Then, free of worry about another term Barry will get serious about fixing what’s wrong with the US of A?
Sounds like a great place to be right now, Larry. I walked the dogs at sunset last night as the temps dropped into single digits. The hounds were not pleased.
Well…I reckon I didn’t have to cross an ocean, deal with immigration types, and learn a language other than ‘Murcan…so I’ve got THAT going for me. Beyond that we’re sitting in the mid 50s to 60s here too. It has been raining since yesterday afternoon though.
And no Larry, I won’t get serious about fixing what’s wrong in this country; because very few people would like what I would do to fix what what’s wrong in this country.
Gents, I bought bib tights this year, reasoning that with a La Niña weather pattern it was either run, hit the trainer or bundle up and enjoy the great outdoors. I think it’ll be a while before we see any of that fine Italian weather in these parts.
You didn’t have bib-tights before now? When we first moved away from SoCal I was forced to consider a cycling wardrobe with more than a set of arm warmers and a windbreaker as cold weather gear. When we hit Iowa we really had to lay in some warm clothing. That’s when I discovered winter shoes instead of annoying booties. The CycleItalia kit has all of it though we didn’t sell much of the serious winter gear to anyone but ourselves. I like to think I’m getting a bit of payback now for enduring those frigid winters outside on the bike or inside on the trainer – but next fall we’ll be back on the frozen plains looking forward to January 2013 when the wife’s study-abroad program (we hope) will bring us back either to Sicily or Campania. Hey Barry, I was thinking of that other
Barry, the one whose hair is rapidly turning gray from dealing with Repuglicans with single-digit IQ’s!