Brutal weather

EdFred said:
Nothing to feel for. I don't even put on my winter coat until it's -15°F. My winter gloves only get put on when I snow blow the driveway, or I go skiing. So far this winter I've just worn my normal clothes with a thin leather jacket and some thin Kevlar work gloves.
Click to expand...

I'm not quite that hardy. I haven't broken out my heavy winter coat yet, but I have worn the long johns on a couple of days. On the other hand, I did take the trike up for about an hour over the weekend, so I really can't say that the cold bothers me all that much.

The worst thing about the cold, as far as I'm concerned, is the extra propane use. That stuff's expensive. I bought another infrared heater, though, which saves a lot on the propane. (In fact, I think I'll start another thread for the heater review.)

It was -7 F degrees when I woke up this morning. The forecast high for today is for a balmy 6 degrees. Tonight's low is predicted to be 2, so it's warming up some.

-Rich
 
Last edited:
pmanton said:
Can't wait for the good WX. All the snow birds will go home and we'll have peace and quiet.:D

Paul
Salome, AZ
Click to expand...
This was my place in Scottsdale; never lived there, just visited Mom occasionally. Could have moved out there but there aren't too many lighthouses, ocean harbors, et al to photograph. So I sold it July 05, 2006, BEFORE the area took a bath in real estate values. Today, however, it's 18° at my house, two miles from photo #2, six miles and a short motor across the Bay to photo #2. #3 is Boothbay Harbor, about a 40 min. drive from here.

HR
 

Attachments

  • Scottsdale Home.jpg
    Scottsdale Home.jpg
    134 KB · Views: 5
  • Robinhood Marine Center_2.jpg
    Robinhood Marine Center_2.jpg
    634.9 KB · Views: 6
  • Hendricks Head Overview.jpg
    Hendricks Head Overview.jpg
    716.5 KB · Views: 6
  • Boothbay Harbor(1)Random.jpg
    Boothbay Harbor(1)Random.jpg
    793.3 KB · Views: 6
Finally got it up to 68 in my work office - I've got a space heater running full blast because the office building core HVAC is wholly inadequate on a good day. (still single pane windows....)
 
It got up to -17C here about an hour ago -- that's 1 or 2 on the F scale, not sure which it was. Now it's back down to -18. The wind is still gusting to 25kts, I can hear it whistling outside my window. Lots of places are closed, including my doctor's office where I was supposed to get a checkup today.

With luck, the University will reopen tomorrow and I'll be able to hold my first class. Hard to say though, since it is supposed to go down well below zero F again tonight, just not quite as frigid as last night.
 
On the way back from the store just now, I passed a group of brass monkeys who looked pretty sad. . .

-Rich
 
I just walked to my mailbox and back, about 2 miles. :D

It's in the 40s here.
 
I love going to meetings in the Phoenix area in February when the temps are in the 70s. All the locals are running around with coats complaining about how cold it is. Now, we don't see stuff in the PNW like you are getting east of here, but when we haven't seen 70s since early fall, we just laugh and the folks in Arizona. On the other hand, I've seen 114 in Chandler in May, so there's no way I'd move there year round. I can see why neighbors go south for the winter, however. Maybe after we retire in a few years...
 
Zhunter said:
I have a LP powered generator, 1000 gallon tank :goofy:



Btw, no hurricanes here in 10 years, I think global warming has helped ;)
Click to expand...


Smart. I'm looking to replace our leased 500 gallon tank and install a 1000 gallon one that we own. Makes shopping various LP providers possible.

I did the break even and it doesn't make sense, the leased tank is actually cheaper out to a point in the far future. So I dunno. Thinking about it. The current supplier is reasonable on pricing but definitely making some money off of a slightly higher price.

Flip side is, I know the office lady and the truck driver by first name. There is something to be said for that. Nice people. Good service. I don't really want to pay less to a competitor to see them squeezed out. They show up when I call and fill on a predicted schedule otherwise.

1000 gallon tank would get rid of wintertime fueling altogether which would avoid seasonal pricing peak in winter. Still not a big enough difference to pay for the tank for many years though.

Automatic generator is going to wait until after we decide if a barn/shop is being added. There will be electrical work to be done if so, and that's a good time to have the transfer switch done, etc. Have three different gasoline gensets that can handle temporary duties. Just not auto start and auto transfer.

Did you leave your 1000 gallon tank above ground? Some here bury them. I can't decide. But I'm leaning toward above-ground. No one considers them an eyesore out here and maintenance is dirt simple that way.
 
I built my house 2 1/2 years ago, I wrestled with all the things you pointed out in your post above. My deciding factor was a couple of things:
1) I did not want to possibly be held hostage to a lease with only one source for gas.
2) I figured that in the long term, my purchase would pay for itself
3) 1000 gallons is the way to go, not sure if it is State or Federal, but they only fill it to 80% here, so my 1000 is really only 800. Now is a hurricane hits when I'm at 250 in a 500 tank (read it's not very empty), I'm not in great shape for a long term outage. But if I'm at the same 50% level in my 1000 gallon tank, I.e. 500, I'm in good shape.
4) I never let my tank get below 450, and being in a normal situation I only run my stove/range, clothes dryer, tankless water heaters (2), and hot tub on it, I typically go more than 12 months between fills so far.
5) I went underground, looks better and even tho I live in a very "country area", it is one less thing to possibly be vandalized

I like to be prepared, but then I'm a bit anal, I carry a air compressor, hydraulic jack and a tire plug kit in my car. I carry spare spark plugs, oil and assorted other stuff when boating. So you get the idea. I'm a better safe than sorry guy.
 
azure said:
A couple of weeks ago it was so cold (but not anywhere near as cold as this) that I didn't want to use the self-serve pumps at VLL and so I flew to PTK to let someone else pump gas for me. The ramp over at PAC was covered with drifting snow and I had no choice but to park in the middle of it. When I was done, I started the engine, listened to the ATIS, and called up Ground, got my taxi clearance, and inched the throttle forward. The engine revved, but I didn't budge. A little more power, still no motion. Frak! I thought (well, without the mincing), did Doug chock my nosewheel? So I told Ground I'd be shutting down and why, they said fine, it looks like you have something by your nosewheel. So I shut down, walked out and looked... but there was nothing but loose snow, and not that much of it. Started up again, got a second taxi clearance, this time applied the power slowly but didn't stop until, somewhere around 22", I suddenly started to move.

The same thing happened when I stopped to do my runup. The only thing I could figure is that the pressure of my nosewheel was just enough to melt the snow, which then quickly refroze to ice in the cold wind.

It would have been nice if they could keep the ramp clear in front of the FBO, but there was enough blowing and drifting that it would probably have been a losing battle to try. The snow was drifting pretty good on the exit taxiways too. I'd hate to think of what PTK is like today.
Click to expand...


Or snow landing on warm brake rotors, melting, then freezing. That's the more likely culprit. See it all the time here.
 
LDJones said:
Or snow landing on warm brake rotors, melting, then freezing. That's the more likely culprit. See it all the time here.
Click to expand...

+1.... Happens all the time here too......

And for god sakes... keep the wheel pants off during the winter...
 
Zhunter said:
I built my house 2 1/2 years ago, I wrestled with all the things you pointed out in your post above. My deciding factor was a couple of things:

1) I did not want to possibly be held hostage to a lease with only one source for gas.

2) I figured that in the long term, my purchase would pay for itself

3) 1000 gallons is the way to go, not sure if it is State or Federal, but they only fill it to 80% here, so my 1000 is really only 800. Now is a hurricane hits when I'm at 250 in a 500 tank (read it's not very empty), I'm not in great shape for a long term outage. But if I'm at the same 50% level in my 1000 gallon tank, I.e. 500, I'm in good shape.

4) I never let my tank get below 450, and being in a normal situation I only run my stove/range, clothes dryer, tankless water heaters (2), and hot tub on it, I typically go more than 12 months between fills so far.

5) I went underground, looks better and even tho I live in a very "country area", it is one less thing to possibly be vandalized



I like to be prepared, but then I'm a bit anal, I carry a air compressor, hydraulic jack and a tire plug kit in my car. I carry spare spark plugs, oil and assorted other stuff when boating. So you get the idea. I'm a better safe than sorry guy.
Click to expand...


Thanks. Sorry it's OT for the thread.

We'd get along well. I'm still making the list for the toolbox for the truck. Been too cold to unload the stuff in there and re-organize it. Bring on Springtime! ;)
 
N801BH said:
+1.... Happens all the time here too......
Click to expand...
I've had that happen before too, but the plane was standing for longer, giving the brakes a chance to cool off. In the runup area, I was standing for no more than a minute and a half, after a decently long taxi with two or three applications of the brakes. I wouldn't think that was long enough, but maybe.

And for god sakes... keep the wheel pants off during the winter...
Click to expand...
What wheel pants? I fly an RG...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top