I know that some you readers out there will look upon our cold snap here in the Sacramento Valley and chuckle at the poor little whoosie Californians freaking out over temperatures in the teens and twenties. To you folks who had to shovel your way to the mail box today I say, that is why I live here, so I don't have to know the warning signs of frostbite and hypothermia. I like winters in the 50s and 60s and I enjoy the occasional 70 degree winter day.
I spent a few December weeks in Lakeview Oregon. Waking up where it is 24 below zero is not a climate I wish to adjust to, thank you very much. Breaking the ice in water troughs with an axe so the horses can get a drink is not for me.
I have wrapped the pipes, covered the pressure tanks and left the hose bibs running at the far ends of my water lines hoping I can make it through this cold snap with my water system in tact.
The horses are in the barn, I have a wood for a fire, and my wife just bought a big supply of hot chocolate. I am ready, I think.
I may have to break out my insulated coveralls tomorrow. After all, I am a big time Californian whoosie.
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UPDATE!
I was enjoying a quiet morning in bed when my wife informed me there was no water in the shower. Crud.
When I looked at the thermometer it read 17 degrees. That is a cold for Yolo County. I had wrapped the pipes but didn't get enough on the one way check valve coming into my pressure tanks at the well. My little canister heater pointed at the valve was enough to thaw the frozen area and let the water flow.
Hurray, my reward was a hot shower.
That damn check valve. I'm building a well-house with a lightbulb next week.
You say you're "a big time Californian whoosie." But you have really hot summers. When I decided to move from California to Oregon, I looked for the climate that most resembled coastal northern Cal - mild winters AND cool summers - but without the treehuggers of Mendocino.
No broken pipes (yet) but I have to go up to the coast to inspect things next Saturday.
I was out early (28 degrees) on my Motorcycles last Saturday and Sunday. People look at me on the freeway like I am crazy (they might have a point) but I have heated gloves, grips, jacket and socks all plugged into the bike, so I am actually quite comfortable, as long as it isn't snowing or raining.
Dan, motorcycling at 28 degrees? Uh, yea, if you pass me on the freeway I would have been one those people saying look at that guy, he's crazy, he must be a blogger.
I rode sport bikes and cruisers for years and I never liked riding when the mercury was below 40. Last Sunday morning found me sitting on a damp hillside overlooking an orchard waiting to get a shot at a wild hog, I froze my butt off for three hours and never saw the offending critter, but at least I was hunting.
Isn't it funny how we have different temperature thresholds for different events? Opening day of duck season? I will go out in a snowstorm and sit for hours in a blind, for some stupid reason, I am ok with that. If you call me up to play 18 holes, and there is a chance of rain, I am not going.
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