Winter Sucks

[McApple]

The power line that services our area runs about 50 miles, mostly through forested areas. We live in the woods, and are pretty much at the end of our branch line, so outages are quite common and can last for hours, days, and in a number of instances, weeks. What started off as our cottage (recreational home), turned into our permanent residence about 20 years ago when we retired. For many years we relied on portable generators in the 5kw-8kw range for backup, progressing from extension cords, to back-feeding the panel, to a transfer switch. The portables worked OK, but winters were a chore, as was keeping fuel & oil on hand, and the maintenance.

Seven years ago we had 22kw Generac installed, along with an automatic transfer switch and a 500 gallon propane tank; not cheap, but we couldn't be happier. The generator does and self-test once a week and we have it serviced annually.

 

[RunForTheHills]

My mother energy bill was 4500 dollars equivalent last year, lives alone in a bog standard semi detatched.
Thats half of her government pension.

We are completely fuxed in this country
Add in her local taxes and its 7000 dollars.
People are just going on benefits, they cant afford to live with a job.

About ten years ago, I did a project on Guam for the local power company there (owned by the government of Guam). Guam is an island near the equator and is hot all year long. So they run their air conditioners 24/7/365. Fuel oil for the power company's generators is brought in by ship and consequently power is very expensive there. IIRC, the average power bill for a home on the island was over $800/mo back then and is probably more today. And salaries are very low on the island.

I think that the UK energy costs skyrocketed after Russia invaded Ukraine. But you would know the cause better than I would.

 

[Chargeride]

Yup pretty well, but also energy companies becoming hedge funds, net zero, gas pricing tariffs and a 80bn dollar Nuclear plant that will never be finished.
Some Swedes are claiming to be paying 1100 dollars a month for energy during the winter months as all the exporting tariffs and demand drastically alters the pricing.

Bring on global warming

 

[PedalUma]

Tweety birds awake at dawn and don't shut up.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Meanwhile, Poland is enjoying the time known as "the false Spring" That is, the day temperatures should be around +8-12 C with possible slightly frosty nights. Dry and sunny for most of the days until the end of March. Occasional snow later is also possible

See these pictures/memes I once made/took

2012/2013: Seven months of Winter Very hot July and August. (I wrote: 'Reality: De-ice on the idle' on the windscreen of the car I drove then; de-icing on the idle is forbidden in Poland).

Easter 2013. March 31st.

March 30th, 2020.

April 7th, 2013. Negative 7 degrees Celsius.

March 26th, 2011. The sign reads "THE SPRING"

The cold winters we have had in Poland have taught me enjoying warm weather. Even during the extremely warm Summer days I keep on repeating to myself: "Remember, remember the seventh of April!" On the other hand my gf @Brix hates very warm weather (the biggest crisis of the latest years occurred during the holiday in hot Tuscany...) For this reason, we tend to spend the vacation in moderate weather countries. (I consider Ireland or Scotland for 2026).

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Sunny, 80F, very light breeze today — apparently a record high for coastal San Diego County. Unclear from the regional pressure center pattern and associated flows where this very warm air is coming from. Not a typical Santa Ana setup.

Definitely a day to stick to the Coast Highway. Headed out for 20-mile out and back to Oceanside harbor with a neighbor.

 

[PedalUma]

Polo & shorts with a light sweater for riding with the wind. The kite is packed with a book for a wildflower hour's break and a ten mile ride.

 

[Chargeride]

A kite..
Is your ride to meet a young lady in a French poppy field and descending the trail with your legs outstretched

 

[PedalUma]

A kite..
Is your ride to meet a young lady in a French poppy field and descending the trail with your legs outstretched

The kite idea got shot to hell. No wind. So I read a book about a paperboy with an uncool bike learning to stand up to bullies and read it with my toes in the sunshine with some good coffee and a handmade taco.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Following up on this morning's pre-ride post...

Felt like 70F on the Coast Highway today — not the 80F predicted for Carlsbad by The Weather Channel app that Samsung put on my phone. To be fair, Carlsbad goes far enough inland that it could well have been 80F somewhere here today.

To its credit, my Windy app got it right, reporting 70F nearly all day at South Ponto Beach.

 

[PedalUma]

Following up on this morning's pre-ride post...

Felt like 70F on the Coast Highway today — not the 80F predicted for Carlsbad by The Weather Channel app that Samsung put on my phone. To be fair, Carlsbad goes far enough inland that it could well have been 80F somewhere here today.

To its credit, my Windy app got it right, reporting 70F nearly all day at South Ponto Beach.

I am such a tenderfoot wimp. I have tried to go barefoot most of the day and can barely make it across the driveway. Windy is very nice.

Professional weather forecast

50+ weather layers, weather radar and satellite

www.windy.com

 

[Stefan Mikes]

70F nearly all day

Ideal riding weather, isn't it

(I know 70 F is 21 C) There was an engineer who was teaching other engineers using some engineering software. Once, he asked the audience: ' Do you know why the default ambient temperature is 21C here?' -- nobody knew it -- ' It is because it is 70 F used by the American author. If I notice any user has left 21 C in this field instead of changing it to 20 C then I will be sure the person using the program had no clue'

 

[McApple]

-25C here tonight in the woods, and the snow is higher than most of the windows in our cabin. It will probably be mid-April before I can get my bike out.

 

[Chargeride]

That read like the recovered notes of Scott of the Antarctic.