The Bar 2014 Edition

[magicmarty]

We got a beautiful 4.5 year old male kitty about a week ago and he is still hiding out most of the time. He responds to his name, Henri, so in the evening, I call him and he will come out and honor us with his presence. Even will allow a bit of petting during which his purring can be heard in the next room. Then he decides he has had enough and off he goes hiding back under our headboard. We put out his food and clean out his litter box and that's about it. Very low maintenance pet, but for some reason, we are really getting attached to him. Not so much him for us methinks. But he is an inside kitty and so, he is dependent upon us so I guess he is stuck with us for the duration.

If I can ever get him out in the light of day, I'll take his picture and post it. He is really a very beautiful kitty! (Sort of a shaggy kitty story) (Purrfectly acceptable)

(((LF)))

[Elorrum]

Good Morning Marty. Wonderful to hear of your new housemate, Henri.
I'm in Arkansas on a nice ranch with long time burner neighbors. The hospitality I have been shown on this trip has blown my mind. I always thought I was pretty alone in the world, and this trip has been a real eye opener.
Heading west to Texas friends, Sadie, and Tamara Kay in the next day or two, then on to Arizona after that.

[Patsh]

Good Morning Marty. Wonderful to hear of your new housemate, Henri.
I'm in Arkansas on a nice ranch with long time burner neighbors. The hospitality I have been shown on this trip has blown my mind. I always thought I was pretty alone in the world, and this trip has been a real eye opener.
Heading west to Texas friends, Sadie, and Tamara Kay in the next day or two, then on to Arizona after that.

Elorrum, I know I'm not the only one extremely envious of you and your excellent adventure! Hoping the weather has been coöperating... just so you know, Arizona is supposed to get a 'winter storm' this Friday and Saturday. By Sunday, it should be over, so they say. Then, it could be weeks (or months) of perfect 'triken' weather. Still hoping to take the trike with you to TinkerMom's!
Lucky for me, I have lots and lots of free time these days... they've pretty much stopped calling me in to work. You won't see me complaining about that! I guess they finally got the picture!
So, whenever you show up here, will be the absolute Perfect timing. (I imagine you'll still be in Texas next Wednesday while I'm at the dentist.)
Meanwhile, it's more for me

[ygmir]

*strolls in, makes tea*
Hi Patsh! yeah, we're supposed to get a huge storm starting tomorrow. well that's what they say anyway.
I'm prepping my "rescue" stuff, in case friends need help. Luckily, my new truck will drive in 5' of water.........
though you have to take the fan belt off, since it's a direct coupled fan.

Yay Elorrum!! seein the country. *envy*.......and interesting, you had felt alone.....when the rest of us know you have many friends.

well, with 3K gallons of propane, 400 lbs of meat in the freezer, 4 generators, and a fully fueled fleet of tractors and trucks as well as AATV and motorcycle, I'm hoping I'm ready for the storm!!!


*sets out rain gear for War Rabbit™, heads for IBBOD*

[trilobyte]

Good morning, folks! I'm pleased to report that Lake Lahontan rides again! Word from people living in the area that we've got a lake on the playa that's been standing for more than a week, and that we could see a few more inches of rain over the next several days. With luck that'll get a chance to freeze and squish the playa down and give us a really nice pack for next year.

We're due for a big wet one to hit the bay area later today. It's supposed to be big, I'm not sure if it's getting bigger or if the news folks are telling taller and taller tales. Over last weekend it was described as being the biggest storm in almost two years, and now they're saying it's the storm of the decade and brace yourselves for hurricane force winds (double what the last forecasts called for).

Have a great Wednesday, everyone!

[Simon of the Playa]

call me a freak, but extraordinary, intense weather makes me wet...

there is something about being in the middle of something so vast and powerful and being so small that makes the next hamburger you eat, just that much tastier.

it is a great equalizer, and weirdly enough, people tend to come together, in community effort, when they are staring down the barrel of monster storm.

i dig it.

[ygmir]

yay for the lake!!
though, IIRC, the biggest determiner as to if we are going to get a good packed playa, is standing water, and standing after the last freeze of the year, and without too much wind in the last days of standing water.

Same storm precitions here........I do get a little nervous about the neighbors 150', or more, pine trees that are about 80' from my house, and upwind from the strongest gusts. One of those would probably slice right to the ground, through my house.

Of course, after one of their trees fell on my house a couple of years ago, (30K in damage, and my insurance paid it), I asked to take those pines out, even offered to pay.........they angrily declined, saying I'd ruin their property value......4 trees out of about 200 of varying size......

[ygmir]

call me a freak, but extraordinary, intense weather makes me wet...

there is something about being in the middle of something so vast and powerful and being so small that makes the next hamburger you eat, just that much tastier.

it is a great equalizer, and weirdly enough, people tend to come together, in community effort, when they are staring down the barrel of monster storm.

i dig it.

are we twins?

[unjonharley]

morning guys,

Big storm hit about an hour ago.. Wind is a little later... 20 foot swells on the north coast.. The bar is close to fishers.. (The Bar) is a sand bar that makes rough seas on the north coast.. The Coast Guard stops all shipping at times. Moses couldn't part that sea.. Lighting fire in the fire place..

[trilobyte]

I feel the same way about big weather.

You remember correctly, Ygmir, about the best thing we can get to help pack the playa is a nice big frozen lake. I hope we get one of those this season, and it sticks around for a while.

[unjonharley]

Glad now that we had 8 "big" trees removed from the property line.. They were near 80 foot.

[EspressoDude]

saw a pictures of the reappearing lake. getting big! (will have to ask permission about posting link to them)

limited access to inner-net so may be a day or so............

[lucky420]

call me a freak, but extraordinary, intense weather makes me wet...

there is something about being in the middle of something so vast and powerful and being so small that makes the next hamburger you eat, just that much tastier.

it is a great equalizer, and weirdly enough, people tend to come together, in community effort, when they are staring down the barrel of monster storm.

i dig it.

are we twins?

triplets!!

[unjonharley]

This storm would be great to see.. Its 54 miles to the ocean view parking lot.. Might just run over and camp over night.. In the van that is..

[^Rhino!]

This storm would be great to see.. Its 54 miles to the ocean view parking lot.. Might just run over and camp over night.. In the van that is..

unjon, PLEASE stay away from the toe of the slope and the top of the slope. If you're at the toe, the hillside can literally bury you. If you're at the top, you can drop into a debris slide. Either way,.......as an aside, a geologist I know had the same advice for on-site workers, and look what happened when she told them to move back:

[media]

[sadie]

I love big storms! Hope everyone in the path gets a good show and no major damage.
Looking forward to a visit from Elorrum in the next day or two.
Drinks all around..!

[Joeln]

call me a freak, but extraordinary, intense weather makes me wet...

there is something about being in the middle of something so vast and powerful and being so small that makes the next hamburger you eat, just that much tastier.

it is a great equalizer, and weirdly enough, people tend to come together, in community effort, when they are staring down the barrel of monster storm.

i dig it.

One time we had this storm with huge lightning strikes & sheets of fat drops - car alarms were going off.
I turned up the stereo and stood on the front porch grooving.

[unjonharley]

Rhino,,

There is a big parking lot where people go to watch storms.. It is normally 100 yard from the surf.. Today the surf spray will be over the parking lot.. I will stay in the van.. Then have to wash the salt off when I get home.. Big logs roll up against the foundation of the parting lot.. Dumb asses get killed messing in the surf,logs and riptides..

[EspressoDude]

morning guys,

Big storm hit about an hour ago.. Wind is a little later... 20 foot swells on the north coast.. The bar is close to fishers.. (The Bar) is a sand bar that makes rough seas on the north coast.. The Coast Guard stops all shipping at times. Moses couldn't part that sea.. Lighting fire in the fire place..

When the C.G. closes the Columbia River entrance, the waves in the channel are in the order of 20 feet - 40 feet if there is an ebb tide. I have been in a sail boat in transit from Neah Bay / Straits of Juan de Fuca to Columbia river in weather like this....32 foot surf board!! triple reefed main and a micro storm jib making 6 - 8 knots, can't see compass because of the rain. steering by feel... fall off the face of a wave, turn right a bit, buried by a wave, turn left a bit. all entrances closed so end up 'loitering' off shore in the big waves waiting for "the bar is open" on channel 16

[^Rhino!]

Rhino,,

There is a big parking lot where people go to watch storms.. It is normally 100 yard from the surf.. Today the surf spray will be over the parking lot.. I will stay in the van.. Then have to wash the salt off when I get home.. Big logs roll up against the foundation of the parting lot.. Dumb asses get killed messing in the surf,logs and riptides..

Just be careful, my friend.

[EspressoDude]

link to pictures of playa lake http://rawfire.torche.com/burningman/images/2014-12-08/

same pictures trilo posted in 2015 conditions thread

[Aurelia]

We are quadruplets !
I have been in anticipation of the storm
ever since I left Montana where I learned to lean in to the weather.

Elorrum you know we all love you.

xoA.

[^Rhino!]

Make it quintuplets.

Ever since walking through some high winds storms backpacking in the Smoky Mountains along the North Carolina-Tennessee border (one mountain aptly named "Thunderhead") I love the lightning. Out here in Missouri, it's like a symphony of thunder with the light show of the lightning. I open up the garage door and watch the storm pass through like it's a living being, caressing the town with its musical majesty.

[unjonharley]

Good thing I didn't go to the coast.. Trees down on the hwy..

Been watching a squirrel wind/branch surfing in the big cedar trees..

The down spouts can't take all the rain.. The gutters are over flowing..

[^Rhino!]

Good thing I didn't go to the coast.. Trees down on the hwy..

Been watching a squirrel wind/branch surfing in the big cedar trees..

The down spouts can't take all the rain.. The gutters are over flowing..

Most importantly, you're OK and getting a kick out of the squirrel. They can be hilarious at times. My ex's cousin had a squirrel that was raiding the bird feeder on the back porch in the winter (the squirrel wanted to eat, too), and he got peeved at the squirrel. So, he set up a skeet thrower (one that throws clay 'pigeons' for shotgun shooting) with a stick of corn on one end, and sat inside until the squirrel showed up again. The squirrel was hesitant at first,, but he jumped up on the throwing arm of the thrower where the corn was, and grabbed it. At that point, my ex's cousin pulled the cord to release the throwing arm.

The squirrel changed species in an instant, from gray squirrel to flying squirrel. He ended up on the ice of an old pond, where spread eagled he spun and spun....and stopped.

The squirrel wasn't moving.

My ex's cousin started to feel sorry for the poor critter, but before he could go 'rescue' it, the squirrel jumped back to life, and jumped up and down on the ice like it was really mad. And then the ice cracked and the squirrel took a short swim. It climbed out and scampered off into the woods. And the squirrel never raided the bird feeder again.

[robbidobbs]

BWAHAHAHA! Rhino tHats a funny story.
I just need a bit of virtual bar for a spell. I just took a bottle of white out to my address book. It was long overdue. That and a bottle of Riesling.
Me and the cats live in peaceful coexistence w squirrels. They bark at Sarah. This does not amuse her. She's never brought one as a gift. So I guess evolution is still working its charm. Cat: meet rodent that can climb faster than you can imagine. Oh, and the requisite teeth & claws. Heh.
Geebus gawd the bar is filling up. Stop lurking and get the fuck in here! The flap needs to stay securely closed while the storm rages! (Born in a barn etc) <edited to include exclamation points you silly monkeys>
I'll just be over here on the dusty couch.
I just love "the padded toilet seat of social media" and stuff.
<she plops back down and contemplates the not-contents of her wine-mug.
WTF! I jump over to my favorite art installation, come back, and no postings???
Ok. I realize I only am supplying $3.99 white wine. It's ok. I need to remind the listening viewers that my winter hobbies is to learn wines.

And you get to experience the "wake"

[robbidobbs]

I'm gonna put on The Lion in Winter, if anyone's interested.

[ygmir]

dang, they closed the burn areas to travel during this storm, too much chance of landslides, debris flows and such
I bet the nuggets will be surfing ..........(gold fever).

[lucky420]

Hola Bar!

Loooong workday. Nada on the storm here yet. But I'm ready. Yesssss

[theCryptofishist]

We're due for a big wet one to hit the bay area later today. It's supposed to be big, I'm not sure if it's getting bigger or if the news folks are telling taller and taller tales. Over last weekend it was described as being the biggest storm in almost two years, and now they're saying it's the storm of the decade and brace yourselves for hurricane force winds (double what the last forecasts called for).

Yeah, the regional administrator himself told me to work from home. I'm reluctant.
Anyway, he was saying 8 inches. It's hard to believe 8 inches in San Francisco, maybe up north, on the hills... I'm jaded. I remember the El Nino year of 81*82. There was a landslide (saturated ground) that kill some kids in their own home. I am jaded if i don't believe in storms without a death toll...