Building A Better Bumblebee

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:From the Climate Prediction Center and generated last Friday, Dec 9 for the period Dec 15-19.  This is a deviation from normal on temperatures expressed as a percentage.  So, y'all are really going to get cold.


Re:  precipitation shows to be drier for y'all.

Yup. Should be an interesting week. I've got a kid rooting for more snow days already.

After today, it looks like next Tuesday is the best chance for precipitation, but won't they be out for the Christmas break, then?  Oh, durn.  No snow day.

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3.1 miles

Weather: Partly  cloudy, chilly and breezy. 39°

We're expecting more snow this week, but it was dry and getting chilly during my  lunchtime walk. It gave me the chance (and the need) to pick up the pace and allow my body temperature to rise. Normally, I have to take it easy to avoid pitting out my work clothes... but not on days like this! 

A decent walk. My legs started to feel warmed up just as I was finishing, though. I'll still take that as a good sign.

What a surprise it will be to your legs when you do a run.  They thought they had it SO good.

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3.1 miles

Weather: Partly  cloudy, chilly and breezy. 39°

We're expecting more snow this week, but it was dry and getting chilly during my  lunchtime walk. It gave me the chance (and the need) to pick up the pace and allow my body temperature to rise. Normally, I have to take it easy to avoid pitting out my work clothes... but not on days like this! 

A decent walk. My legs started to feel warmed up just as I was finishing, though. I'll still take that as a good sign.

What a surprise it will be to your legs when you do a run.  They thought they had it SO good.

Yeah, running. That will be nice. I never seem to have enough time to get a run in lately. For example, I'd run this morning, except I have to be in to work early and I had to run some early morning errands. The best I can manage is a walk at lunch, and that's only if the weather isn't too bad and the city isn't burning down.

Anyway, we're expecting snow today. Not much, but who knows? As far as next week goes, I think that precipitation is the standard issue rain. Our moisture comes straight off the Pacific Ocean, which is about 45 degrees right now. That means, when it's wet enough to generate snow at low elevation (we're at 200 feet where we live), it's too warm. The moisture cools as it rises into the Cascade Range and falls as snow up there. Our cold weather usually comes from the east, which is dry. So if it's cold enough to snow, it usually doesn't. Snow here is a fluke.

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3.1 miles

Weather: Partly  cloudy, chilly and breezy. 39°

We're expecting more snow this week, but it was dry and getting chilly during my  lunchtime walk. It gave me the chance (and the need) to pick up the pace and allow my body temperature to rise. Normally, I have to take it easy to avoid pitting out my work clothes... but not on days like this! 

A decent walk. My legs started to feel warmed up just as I was finishing, though. I'll still take that as a good sign.

What a surprise it will be to your legs when you do a run.  They thought they had it SO good.

Yeah, running. That will be nice. I never seem to have enough time to get a run in lately. For example, I'd run this morning, except I have to be in to work early and I had to run some early morning errands. The best I can manage is a walk at lunch, and that's only if the weather isn't too bad and the city isn't burning down.

Anyway, we're expecting snow today. Not much, but who knows? As far as next week goes, I think that precipitation is the standard issue rain. Our moisture comes straight off the Pacific Ocean, which is about 45 degrees right now. That means, when it's wet enough to generate snow at low elevation (we're at 200 feet where we live), it's too warm. The moisture cools as it rises into the Cascade Range and falls as snow up there. Our cold weather usually comes from the east, which is dry. So if it's cold enough to snow, it usually doesn't. Snow here is a fluke.

Oh, so the youngster wasn't blessed with parents living at higher altitudes. 

We have to generally have a Low pressure in the Gulf, a solid core of Arctic air throughout and a Pacific jet stream providing lift.  Galveston got snow on Dec 24 in 2006 or so, but Houston didn't get nuffin.  One local station is saying a 'wintry mix' (which means 'we don't know which one, if at all') the week of Christmas.

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3.1 miles

Weather: Partly  cloudy, chilly and breezy. 39°

We're expecting more snow this week, but it was dry and getting chilly during my  lunchtime walk. It gave me the chance (and the need) to pick up the pace and allow my body temperature to rise. Normally, I have to take it easy to avoid pitting out my work clothes... but not on days like this! 

A decent walk. My legs started to feel warmed up just as I was finishing, though. I'll still take that as a good sign.

What a surprise it will be to your legs when you do a run.  They thought they had it SO good.

Yeah, running. That will be nice. I never seem to have enough time to get a run in lately. For example, I'd run this morning, except I have to be in to work early and I had to run some early morning errands. The best I can manage is a walk at lunch, and that's only if the weather isn't too bad and the city isn't burning down.

Anyway, we're expecting snow today. Not much, but who knows? As far as next week goes, I think that precipitation is the standard issue rain. Our moisture comes straight off the Pacific Ocean, which is about 45 degrees right now. That means, when it's wet enough to generate snow at low elevation (we're at 200 feet where we live), it's too warm. The moisture cools as it rises into the Cascade Range and falls as snow up there. Our cold weather usually comes from the east, which is dry. So if it's cold enough to snow, it usually doesn't. Snow here is a fluke.

Oh, so the youngster wasn't blessed with parents living at higher altitudes. 

We have to generally have a Low pressure in the Gulf, a solid core of Arctic air throughout and a Pacific jet stream providing lift.  Galveston got snow on Dec 24 in 2006 or so, but Houston didn't get nuffin.  One local station is saying a 'wintry mix' (which means 'we don't know which one, if at all') the week of Christmas.

Well, compared to parts of the Vancouver area, we ARE at higher altitude. Down by the river, it's about 24 feet elevation. It takes a lot to get snow down that far, but it does happen and is likely to happen today. We'll see.

Ah, "wintry mix." So lovely. Cold rain, sleet, half-melted snowflakes and maybe... if you're really unlucky, freezing rain. Joyous.

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3.1 miles

Weather: Partly  cloudy, chilly and breezy. 39°

We're expecting more snow this week, but it was dry and getting chilly during my  lunchtime walk. It gave me the chance (and the need) to pick up the pace and allow my body temperature to rise. Normally, I have to take it easy to avoid pitting out my work clothes... but not on days like this! 

A decent walk. My legs started to feel warmed up just as I was finishing, though. I'll still take that as a good sign.

What a surprise it will be to your legs when you do a run.  They thought they had it SO good.

Yeah, running. That will be nice. I never seem to have enough time to get a run in lately. For example, I'd run this morning, except I have to be in to work early and I had to run some early morning errands. The best I can manage is a walk at lunch, and that's only if the weather isn't too bad and the city isn't burning down.

Anyway, we're expecting snow today. Not much, but who knows? As far as next week goes, I think that precipitation is the standard issue rain. Our moisture comes straight off the Pacific Ocean, which is about 45 degrees right now. That means, when it's wet enough to generate snow at low elevation (we're at 200 feet where we live), it's too warm. The moisture cools as it rises into the Cascade Range and falls as snow up there. Our cold weather usually comes from the east, which is dry. So if it's cold enough to snow, it usually doesn't. Snow here is a fluke.

Oh, so the youngster wasn't blessed with parents living at higher altitudes. 

We have to generally have a Low pressure in the Gulf, a solid core of Arctic air throughout and a Pacific jet stream providing lift.  Galveston got snow on Dec 24 in 2006 or so, but Houston didn't get nuffin.  One local station is saying a 'wintry mix' (which means 'we don't know which one, if at all') the week of Christmas.

Well, compared to parts of the Vancouver area, we ARE at higher altitude. Down by the river, it's about 24 feet elevation. It takes a lot to get snow down that far, but it does happen and is likely to happen today. We'll see.

Ah, "wintry mix." So lovely. Cold rain, sleet, half-melted snowflakes and maybe... if you're really unlucky, freezing rain. Joyous.

We're at elevation...and on the cold side of those mountains...but since it's dry we don't get a huge amount of snow very often.

That said, it's been snowing lightly but steadily since 4 am and it's forecast to continue till 9 pm.  We've accumulated well over 6"...maybe up to 8".  They closed all the area schools and I stayed home from swimming.

Let it snow.  Let it snow.  Let it snow...

nkrichards wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3.1 miles

Weather: Partly  cloudy, chilly and breezy. 39°

We're expecting more snow this week, but it was dry and getting chilly during my  lunchtime walk. It gave me the chance (and the need) to pick up the pace and allow my body temperature to rise. Normally, I have to take it easy to avoid pitting out my work clothes... but not on days like this! 

A decent walk. My legs started to feel warmed up just as I was finishing, though. I'll still take that as a good sign.

What a surprise it will be to your legs when you do a run.  They thought they had it SO good.

Yeah, running. That will be nice. I never seem to have enough time to get a run in lately. For example, I'd run this morning, except I have to be in to work early and I had to run some early morning errands. The best I can manage is a walk at lunch, and that's only if the weather isn't too bad and the city isn't burning down.

Anyway, we're expecting snow today. Not much, but who knows? As far as next week goes, I think that precipitation is the standard issue rain. Our moisture comes straight off the Pacific Ocean, which is about 45 degrees right now. That means, when it's wet enough to generate snow at low elevation (we're at 200 feet where we live), it's too warm. The moisture cools as it rises into the Cascade Range and falls as snow up there. Our cold weather usually comes from the east, which is dry. So if it's cold enough to snow, it usually doesn't. Snow here is a fluke.

Oh, so the youngster wasn't blessed with parents living at higher altitudes. 

We have to generally have a Low pressure in the Gulf, a solid core of Arctic air throughout and a Pacific jet stream providing lift.  Galveston got snow on Dec 24 in 2006 or so, but Houston didn't get nuffin.  One local station is saying a 'wintry mix' (which means 'we don't know which one, if at all') the week of Christmas.

Well, compared to parts of the Vancouver area, we ARE at higher altitude. Down by the river, it's about 24 feet elevation. It takes a lot to get snow down that far, but it does happen and is likely to happen today. We'll see.

Ah, "wintry mix." So lovely. Cold rain, sleet, half-melted snowflakes and maybe... if you're really unlucky, freezing rain. Joyous.

We're at elevation...and on the cold side of those mountains...but since it's dry we don't get a huge amount of snow very often.

That said, it's been snowing lightly but steadily since 4 am and it's forecast to continue till 9 pm.  We've accumulated well over 6"...maybe up to 8".  They closed all the area schools and I stayed home from swimming.

Let it snow.  Let it snow.  Let it snow...

Enjoy it! We just started getting a little light snow here. We may get 2-5 inches. I think you're going to get a lot more.

Walk: 3 chilly miles

Weather: Overcast, cold, windy, starting to snow. 34° windchill down to mid-20s

Cold windy and about to snow, so I just had to be the hardy soul to head out for a walk. I brought gloves this time and was glad my jacket has GoreTex in it. Stopped the wind pretty effectively. The Dockers I had on? Not so much. My butt is still cold.

Even so, it was darn cold. I picked up the pace quite a bit and my body didn't mind at all.

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3 chilly miles

Weather: Overcast, cold, windy, starting to snow. 34° windchill down to mid-20s

Cold windy and about to snow, so I just had to be the hardy soul to head out for a walk. I brought gloves this time and was glad my jacket has GoreTex in it. Stopped the wind pretty effectively. The Dockers I had on? Not so much. My butt is still cold.

Even so, it was darn cold. I picked up the pace quite a bit and my body didn't mind at all.

I like cold runs but wind, rain, snow and ice are not fun.

Stay safe out there.

Mark B wrote: The Dockers I had on? Not so much. My butt is still cold.

No comment. 

Walk: 3 miles

Weather: Foggy and chilly. 35°

A lunchtime walk in the fog. Got a cool view of the Interstate Bridge disappearing into the fog before it reached the Oregon side of the river.

(Been out of town for a few days visiting relatives in California. Did I miss much?)

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3 miles

Weather: Foggy and chilly. 35°

A lunchtime walk in the fog. Got a cool view of the Interstate Bridge disappearing into the fog before it reached the Oregon side of the river.

(Been out of town for a few days visiting relatives in California. Did I miss much?)

Yup.

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3 miles

Weather: Foggy and chilly. 35°

A lunchtime walk in the fog. Got a cool view of the Interstate Bridge disappearing into the fog before it reached the Oregon side of the river.

(Been out of town for a few days visiting relatives in California. Did I miss much?)

Yup.

Dang

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3 miles

Weather: Foggy and chilly. 35°

A lunchtime walk in the fog. Got a cool view of the Interstate Bridge disappearing into the fog before it reached the Oregon side of the river.

(Been out of town for a few days visiting relatives in California. Did I miss much?)

Yup.

Dang

The only thing you missed on this side of the mountain was COLD temps and then a couple warm very slushy days.  Back to cold but tolerable temps in the 20s now.

I am reading a book you'd enjoy.  "Anatomy for Runners" by Jay Dicharry  He's the PT in Bend that did my bike fitting.  Book came out in 2012.  He recently teamed up with Saucony to put the info into a mobile app that is quite interesting.  I think you'd like his take on shoes, barefoot running, and big toes.  Some exercises that I need to add to my workout...or change my workout completely!!

nkrichards wrote:

Mark B wrote:

ounce wrote:

Mark B wrote:Walk: 3 miles

Weather: Foggy and chilly. 35°

A lunchtime walk in the fog. Got a cool view of the Interstate Bridge disappearing into the fog before it reached the Oregon side of the river.

(Been out of town for a few days visiting relatives in California. Did I miss much?)

Yup.

Dang

The only thing you missed on this side of the mountain was COLD temps and then a couple warm very slushy days.  Back to cold but tolerable temps in the 20s now.

I am reading a book you'd enjoy.  "Anatomy for Runners" by Jay Dicharry  He's the PT in Bend that did my bike fitting.  Book came out in 2012.  He recently teamed up with Saucony to put the info into a mobile app that is quite interesting.  I think you'd like his take on shoes, barefoot running, and big toes.  Some exercises that I need to add to my workout...or change my workout completely!!

On this side of the Gulf, it was 28 with a ~15 mph wind on Monday and this morning it was 62 degrees.  Forecast is 79 on Christmas.  83 is the record, set last year.

nkrichards wrote:The only thing you missed on this side of the mountain was COLD temps and then a couple warm very slushy days.  Back to cold but tolerable temps in the 20s now.

I am reading a book you'd enjoy.  "Anatomy for Runners" by Jay Dicharry  He's the PT in Bend that did my bike fitting.  Book came out in 2012.  He recently teamed up with Saucony to put the info into a mobile app that is quite interesting.  I think you'd like his take on shoes, barefoot running, and big toes.  Some exercises that I need to add to my workout...or change my workout completely!!

Sounds interesting! I'll have to give it a look. That sort of thing fascinates me.

ounce wrote:On this side of the Gulf, it was 28 with a ~15 mph wind on Monday and this morning it was 62 degrees.  Forecast is 79 on Christmas.  83 is the record, set last year.

Wow. We had some warm Christmases when we lived in California, but I don't think we ever got quite that warm.

There's a chance we may get a snow flurry on Christmas day here. Nothing like what Nancy has on the other side of the mountains, but still.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO VACATE

Just FYI, I'll be starting up a new blog with the new year (name is yet to be determined, though I'll consider suggestions). I've been keeping this one going through three iterations as he site automatically shuts me down and starts a new one with the same name. It's time I took the hint.

I think it'll be a good time to start fresh. I'll be developing a training plan for Alita and I for the Smith Rock Ascent in May and the Elijah Bristow 12-hour Run in June (and the Mount Hood 50K in July for me, because I need to finish the damn thing), so there will be a lot to talk about. Not the least of which is figuring out how to balance our somewhat-opposing work schedules with training. We may be able to do up to three runs together a week, but the rest will probably have to be solo.

I'll still be posting here for another week, so stay tuned!

Mark B wrote:NOTICE OF INTENT TO VACATE

Just FYI, I'll be starting up a new blog with the new year (name is yet to be determined, though I'll consider suggestions). I've been keeping this one going through three iterations as he site automatically shuts me down and starts a new one with the same name. It's time I took the hint.

I think it'll be a good time to start fresh. I'll be developing a training plan for Alita and I for the Smith Rock Ascent in May and the Elijah Bristow 12-hour Run in June (and the Mount Hood 50K in July for me, because I need to finish the damn thing), so there will be a lot to talk about. Not the least of which is figuring out how to balance our somewhat-opposing work schedules with training. We may be able to do up to three runs together a week, but the rest will probably have to be solo.

I'll still be posting here for another week, so stay tuned!

Looking forward to the new blog.  I'm curious to see your training plan.

Have a great Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you're having a great day.

We're pretty low key at our house, what with a 15-year-old, after all. He didn't quite know what to make of the electric razor and wallet. We saw it as a rite of passage (shaving, driving), but it was apparently too practical for his tastes. Ah well.

We'll have a yummy ham dinner in a bit and go see a movie later. He wanted to see "Arrival," which sounds fine to us.

The cats are getting more out of their gifts than the kid. But then again, they've got catnip in them.

I have "Arrival" on my list, but there are a couple ahead of it.  Saw "It's a Wonderful Life" yesterday for $5.  70th anniversary of the movie in living black & white.  I enjoy the movie when it's on TV, yearly.

"Bumblebee Trek:  The Next Iteration"
"Trail Trek:  The Next Iteration"
"Dr. Trail Love or How My Wife Was Able to Get the Same Injuries I Have"
"The Big Banged Up Theory"
"trail-ish"
"Designated Survivor"
"The Flash and Supergirl"
"This Is Dust"
"Full Frontal Splat"
"Lost and Drowned"
"Roots or How We Came Closer to Nature"
"DFL:  The Journey"
"Great Caesar's Ghost Saved My Life!"

Norelco's last forever, well, at least the non-chargeable types.  I've only had 2, since his age.

Good list! "Full Frontal Splat" is my favorite so far, I think.

Funny about the razor (a Norelco rechargeable). The recipient had no real interest in it, even though his peach fuzz is spreading randomly and getting rather long. Oh well. It'll be there when he's ready for it.

Teen agers are tough!  Sounds like he's in that stage where he wants the benefits of still being a kid ("fun" Christmas presents) but he also wants the benefits of being a young adult (independence).  It will pass and you'll all survive.

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas dinner and movie...

nkrichards wrote:Teen agers are tough!  Sounds like he's in that stage where he wants the benefits of still being a kid ("fun" Christmas presents) but he also wants the benefits of being a young adult (independence).  It will pass and you'll all survive.

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas dinner and movie...

But WHEN!  WHEN will it PASS!!!!!!!!  You and I have two more years of this , before he goes off to Oregon State !

nkrichards wrote:Teen agers are tough!  Sounds like he's in that stage where he wants the benefits of still being a kid ("fun" Christmas presents) but he also wants the benefits of being a young adult (independence).  It will pass and you'll all survive.

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas dinner and movie...

We did! Well, the Honeybaked ham wasn't a huge hit with the kid, which is unusual, but we very much enjoyed the slightly brain-bending sci-fi movie "Arrival" later that evening. It was his choice, and a good one. 

As far as that other part, survival is always the preferred option. 

ounce wrote:

nkrichards wrote:Teen agers are tough!  Sounds like he's in that stage where he wants the benefits of still being a kid ("fun" Christmas presents) but he also wants the benefits of being a young adult (independence).  It will pass and you'll all survive.

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas dinner and movie...

But WHEN!  WHEN will it PASS!!!!!!!!  You and I have two more years of this , before he goes off to Oregon State !

Glad Ounce is feeling our pain. Hang in there, buddy! We'll get through this together.  

And it could be worse than the Oregon State University Beavers for college... one of the better in-state options for his current interest (microbiology/genetics) are at the University of Washington. The hated Huskies! Oh well. Still too soon to say where he'll end up. He needs to make it out of high school first.