iStorm

Hard to explain, but there's just something about strolling the city in a snowstorm...

A poignant, quiet exuberance, I think I'd call it.

Homemade Gaiters

What to do when you have no gaiters... Newspaper bag! Cut the closed end off and you have a nice tube of waterproof plastic. Pull it on over your pants leg, then secure it at the top and bottom with a little gaffer's tape. Et voila! No more snow in your boots.

Just a little helpful hint from your Uncle Mike. Cheers.

Really? More snow?

It is Tuesday, February 9th, 2010. 8:49 PM. It is snowing... again! There may be as much as 12-14 inches dumped on us by this time tomorrow. This is, of course, on top of the 24-30 inches the region is still digging out of! This kind of weather is unheard of in DC. And that is evidenced by the response and the reactions. Just not prepared. Freakin' everybody out. My buddy Jeremy will no doubt laugh at this... understandably, too! Really, we got nothing on Durango... but still, this blows!

But you know what? It is beautiful.

Anyway, if you're in the DC area and have power and internet connection and are reading this... hang tough! Spring is still coming! 

(I think.)

A Little Action!

Some scratches and bruises, but nothing too serious. Heh!

Elk. Two views.

When next you find yourself in that great Wyoming valley known as Jackson Hole, be sure to make your way up to Teton National Park near Jenny Lake. We photographed this proud bull elk as he escorted his harem (just outside the frame) across a snow blanketed field, his amorous bugling piercing the early morning quiet.

Then, later in the evening when you find yourself in the town of Jackson, dying of hunger, be sure to drop in to Trio (an amazing restaurant!) for a tasty elk dinner.

Cheers!

Close Call.

I got a last minute call from Jason telling me he and a friend (Jeff) were going to run the falls during the snow storm. Virginia side. Cool. I'll be there. They made one pretty wild run and decided to climb the rocks (that's right, in the snow!) and have a second go of it. The series below documents a little too much excitement on that second run.

Jeff going over the upper falls.

He gets caught in a hole or "reversal."

 

He's been pushed over to the opposite side. Still under. Trying to right himself.

Here he rights himself very briefly. Jason enters from the left. Tries to get to Jeff.

The current is strong. Pushes Jason away from Jeff who is once again upended.

Jeff finally extricates himself from the kayak. Hidden from view, he clings to the rocks..

You can see Jeff as he sticks his head above the rocks, looking for his kayak.

Finally, Jeff makes it to his feet to watch his kayak float away.

This entire event spanned just a little more than a minute. But it seemed to last a lifetime. Very helpless feeling up on that overlook. Surprised I kept shooting. I stopped briefly looking around for Rangers or someone to call out to. There was no one. So I continued to shoot. All the while I could hear someone saying, "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!" Turns out that was me. Scary stuff.

I got to talk to Jeff when he made his way onto shore to retrieve his boat. He was pretty wiped, but OK. Laughed about it. Then he jumped back in the kayak and went over the lower falls, the BIGGER falls!

And here's a shot of that.

 Craziness, I tell ya!

Change of Plans.

So... we were headed to NY this morning. Big holiday party courtesy Bernstein Associates. But then things started to look like this:

And it's only going to get worse. So... here we remain. Cozy and warm. Hope you are too.

Cheers.