The Howling
I love that transition period when you're leaving a warm building and walking out into 5 degree weather, when the warmth falls away like a fair-weather friend and you can feel micro-sized ice crystals forming inside your nose within seconds. It's a feeling of natural wowness comparable in warm-weather California terms only to swallowing a mouthful of salt water after being kicked around by the backwash undertow of a large wave.
A boogie-boarder could conceivably drown off the California coast if things went the wrong way, and a person could easily die in Connecticut weather like this if you were suddenly stuck outside without a heavy overcoat and no place to duck into. This is extremely serious cold, and I'm about to get into an even more Arctic-like environment tonight when I arrive in Upper Siberia, about 45 minutes west of Rochester.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 23, 2008 at 8:25 AM
comment #1
arteye
says ...
Buck up Jeff.
Current Conditions Observed at: Saskatoon Diefenbaker Int'l Airport 9:00 AM CST Tuesday 23 December 2008
Condition:Clear Temperature:-34.5°C Wind Chill:-47
Posted by arteye
at December 23, 2008 9:02 AM
comment #2
Midwest Doug
says ...
How is 45 minutes west of Rochester not "15 minutes from Buffalo"? If only it were 7 months from now, you could get fresh cherries...
Posted by Midwest Doug
at December 23, 2008 9:11 AM
comment #3
Sabina E
says ...
Why are you there, Jeff? Tsk, go back to sunny warm L.A!!!
Posted by Sabina E
at December 23, 2008 9:31 AM
comment #4
dangovich
says ...
Then the man drowsed off into what seemed to him the most comfortable and satisfying sleep he had ever known. The dog sat facing him and waiting. The brief day drew to a close in a long, slow twilight. There were no signs of a fire to be made, and, besides, never in the dog's experience had it known a man to sit like that in the snow and make no fire. As the twilight drew on, its eager yearning for the fire mastered it, and with a great lifting and shifting of forefeet, it whined softly, then flattened its ears down in anticipation of being chidden by the man. But the man remained silent. Later, the dog whined loudly. And still later it crept close to the man and caught the scent of death. This made the animal bristle and back away. A little longer it delayed, howling under the stars that leaped and danced and shone brightly in the cold sky. Then it turned and trotted up the trail in the direction of the camp it knew, where were the other food-providers and fire-providers.
Jack London, "To Build a Fire."
Posted by dangovich
at December 23, 2008 10:45 AM
comment #5
lazarus
says ...
I'm surprised no one yet has pounced on Jeff's use of "boogie-boarder" instead of surfer.
Going through a pre-life crisis a few years back after breaking up with my girlfriend, I bought a longboard in hopes of learning to surf as I'd always wanted to. Headed up to Malibu alone because I didn't have any friends who surfed, my only training an online how-to.
After wiping out three times in the fashion Jeff mentioned I realized perhaps it wasn't the safest thing to be trying this alone.
Posted by lazarus
at December 23, 2008 10:50 AM
comment #6
Doug
says ...
Really nice photo, Jeff.
You should be up for a cinematography award.
Posted by Doug
at December 23, 2008 1:34 PM
comment #7
Billy Joel
says ...
Jeff:
You should totally move there!
Not only is cost of living ridiculously low, but we'll have more cool pictures too!
Posted by Billy Joel
at December 23, 2008 1:41 PM
comment #8
TVMCCA
says ...
I love that transition period when you're leaving a warm building and walking out into 5 degree weather, when the warmth falls away like a fair-weather friend and you can feel micro-sized ice crystals forming inside your nose within seconds.
Was in Arkansas over the weekend for my sister-in-law's wedding and felt that exact sensation yesterday morning after checking out of the hotel and getting ready to ride back to the Fayetteville Airport.
Posted by TVMCCA
at December 23, 2008 1:58 PM
comment #9
NotImpressed1Yet
says ...
Great photo. Beautiful and vaguely frightening. That background is some serious black and probably contributes to the eeriness.
I never have attempts at interesting photos turn out this casually cool.
Posted by NotImpressed1Yet
at December 23, 2008 6:34 PM
comment #10
janee
says ...
Si vous etes interesses par le dossier, ou desirez en savoir plus, contactez-moi par mail, et je vous mettrai en contact.
Best regards,Jane, CEO of exchange high availability
Posted by janee
at May 19, 2011 5:29 AM