Weather has been the main focus of our activities this past week. Conditions have been highly unusual.
The week began with an ice storm; these are rare in western Colorado. I-70 west of Grand Junction was closed to the Utah border and I-70 eastbound was closed due to truck accidents that spilled toxic diesel fuel (2,100 gallons) over both sides of the interstate. This was near Dotsero, east of Glenwood Springs.
Overturned tanker (CDOT photo)
In fact, I-70 has been closed 3 or 4 times this last week; the latest was due to avalanches that put up to 15 feet of snow into the traffic lanes.
I-70 avalanche on Vail Pass (CDOT photo)
These closure effect us as gasoline, fruit and vegetables, and other consumables are trucked into the area on an almost-daily basis. Some gas stations ran out of “regular” fuel before the tanker trucks could get in and resupply the underground tanks.
Denver International Airport was closed twice due to bad weather.
Some county roads were closed due to black ice. Black ice occurs when clear ice forms on black roadways; the ice is so clear drivers don’t realize it’s present. This leads to extremely dangerous driving conditions.
Pam arranged to work days from home during the ice storms but I had to get to the office to do my regular work. I had no near misses or close encounters, but road conditions slowed the commute. The RAV4’s all-wheel drive is a definite advantage in these conditions.
Then, in an abrupt turn, it began to rain. Temperatures warmed up into the 40s. The ice and snow melted, eventually, but not until after a layer of rain formed over the top of the ice. Thunderstorms (Loud thunder!) rolled through the area and fog formed in the river valleys. A valley weather inversion formed, giving us colder air trapped in the valleys and warmer air at higher elevations. (The city of Vail at 10,000 feet elevation was warmer than we were at about 5,000 feet.)
Today it’s mild (above freezing) and we are surrounded with heavy fog. The weekly forecast is to return to more normal temps and drier air next week. I sure hope this is the case!
In other matters, there was fair amount of family news this past week. Daughter Felicity moved into her room in a house in the Pacific Northwest; she shares the residence with 3 other single ladies, all young. Felicity is experimenting with having a home base again.
My cousin Bill Rohland reached out to me and we had a good phone conversation, with follow-up e-mails. It was pleasant to connect with him.
One of our nieces, Lilly Polivoda, was released from the hospital shortly before the New Year after several days of treatment for an intestinal infection. Lilly is still in the recovery process from this health event. Care and transport put a lot of stress on Lilly’s mom (Pam’s sister Becky) at the holidays. Kudos to Pam’s brother Larry who was of great help to Becky during this period.
That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!
Pam’s Two Cents Worth:
The ice storm made it a rather rough start to 2017. Several times the dogs’ wet paws stuck to our metal entry ramp (think tongue on a frozen swing set pole from childhood). Ouch!
But, yesterday, I heard and then spotted a pair of robins. Obviously they know something about the approaching Spring that we don’t?
(Internet artwork)
Happy Trails.
Nasty enough weather locally, but nothing to compare with your “variety”, made worse by the distance you have to travel…
Robin – A bit early to be a harbinger of Spring. Rather, I’m reminded of a song popular about the time we were born, heard occasionally in my household. A partial chorus goes:
Poor little robin
Walkin’, walkin/, walkin’ to Missouri
He can’t afford to fly…
At least the walk would be (mostly) downhill…
Poor Little Robin – circa 1952 – “Swing and Sway With Sammy Kaye.” I sang the chorus for Jer before I pulled the recording up on the internet. I can still remember Mom singing this one.