NBR: 5 Days of Storms Comin' to SoCal

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:49 pm

So according to the weather folk (who are never wrong) we've got 5 days of heavy storms coming to SoCal. (And you all think we don't have seasons here. Of course we do! Red wine season, white wine season, fire season, rainy season, followed by mudslide season. Oh, and summer.)

So for us scooter only folk (at least those of us who don't like to ride in the rain unless absolutely necessary - how do you PacificNW people do it?), this means having to plan ahead and stock up on all food, beverages, and other supplies (we don't want another Donner Party situation now do we), and settle in for a few days of no-riding and being house bound. As far as I'm concerned there might as well be 10' of snow on the ground. I ain't goin' nowhere.

So, now I can hang around here and annoy you all for hours at a time with trivial banter, conspiracy theories, useless proselytizing, and spreading crazy scooter rumors. See if you can guess each time I open a fresh bottle of wine...

Won't this be fun?

Other than that, this may be a great time to wash my scooter...

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:08 pm

Rain started around 10 and hasn't stopped. There will be more on Monday, and then the rest of the week. I'm gaming my ass off.

brape · Post by **brape** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:12 pm

Am I suposed to feel sorry for you with 5 days of rain? Try 5 days below freezing

bigbropgo · Post by **bigbropgo** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:24 pm

It will all turn to snow and hit me. At least it warms up to snow. But the ski resorts haven't had any new snow fall since before Xmas. Last year 60% of our snow fall was in Jan, go figure.

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:48 am

It hasn't started raining in Carlsbad. My Tempeteste should be here Tuesday so i have 2 days of commuting in the rain before i'll have some protection but hey, it's only a few days a year!

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:31 am

I'm certainly not going to complain about the weather down here, but am glad I have my cage to take to meetings later in the week.

As I said elsewhere, our winter has been ridiculously mild. Temps the past couple weeks have been 10° over averages.

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 2:49 am

...don't want to hear it. I'm going on a cruise Friday from Long Beach to Ensenada. Bah rain.

--Keys

KCScooterDude · Post by **KCScooterDude** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 4:24 am

Here's what you do. Go ahead and ride and get soaked and thank God you don't live in the Midwest where we haven't been able to ride since before Christmas!

Oh, that sounded bitter. Sorry. Snows usually only last a few days in Kansas City, but it started on Christmas Eve and we haven't seen the grass since.

The snow has started to melt. I actually saw a motorcycle rider today, the first time since mid-December. He was on a KLR 650. Still, a little too risky what with the black ice that's all over the place. (We've had four nights of freezing fog).

Mike @ NoHo Scooters · Mon Jan 18, 2010 6:02 am

Its going to clear out by next weekend and we should be good for the ride to Canter's and the Petersen Museum. I can taste the corned beef and Dr. Browns now.

And if you don't know about the ride....
http://www.meetup.com/LAScooterGroup/calendar/12154237/

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:14 pm

brape wrote:Am I suposed to feel sorry for you with 5 days of rain? Try 5 days below freezing

or two weeks of snow... we have been thawing here for 4 days and there is still snow on the ground, and roads that are icy, although the main ones are clear.

Post by **polianarchy** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:44 pm

The two most beautiful words in the English language are JANUARY THAW.

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:08 pm

polianarchy wrote:The two most beautiful words in the English language are JANUARY THAW.

Here, Here! How is the weather in Philly? I am so grateful for the thaw. I can't remember the last time I shoveled the front sidewalk so many times.

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:35 pm

Coming down like crazy here. Very windy on top of rain. Sounds like the neighbor's house is coming apart. I hope that's the neighbor's house.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:03 pm

Wow. Absolutely pouring. No gentle pitter patter of little raindrops going on here. My street is a river. It will be great to go for a ride after the storms are done. A big rain makes such a difference in LA. Washes all the trees, parched flora spring back to life... smells good... might have to plan a little "after the rains" ride...

(hope your house is OK Eric... your neighbors too.)

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:11 pm

Sounds like you guys are really getting pelted!! I haven't ever ridden in really hard rain yet, and I hope to never have to.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:01 pm

And the rain continues... mudslides, land slides, slip and slides... it stopped for a little while last night but it's making up for it now. Hard to wake myself up when it is this dark and grey all day. And the sound of the rain... lulls me to sleep... must stay awake... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Post by **polianarchy** » Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:37 pm

bluebuddygirl wrote:
polianarchy wrote:The two most beautiful words in the English language are JANUARY THAW.
Here, Here! How is the weather in Philly? I am so grateful for the thaw. I can't remember the last time I shoveled the front sidewalk so many times.

It's been lovely these past few days! And I *just* got Pinky T serviced & upgraded the forks & shock, so I've been cruising. Ditto Stella is getting jealous! I'm taking her out tomorrow (hopefully).

rondothemidget · Post by **rondothemidget** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 5:27 am

Yesterday's rain was wicked, especially when the mini-tornado hit. Imagine monsoon rains with gusts up to 90mph. A bunch of trees were uprooted and branches were snapped off at the school I teach at. One car actually got flipped over by the wind and roofs were getting ripped up in Huntington Beach (next town over). And tomorrow is supposed to get even worse.

I know some of you are pretty hardcore winter riders but my scooter is parked in the garage until this storm passes!

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:38 am

I'm GOING on this cruise if I have to wear a snorkle the whole time!

--Keys

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 7:05 am

rondothemidget wrote:Yesterday's rain was wicked, especially when the mini-tornado hit...

Pretty wild stuff. I saw a bunch of boats, catamarans, big sail boats, etc. on the news that just got picked up and blown away. Amazing. Certainly not what you'd expect here in SoCal.

cadillaczac · Post by **cadillaczac** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 3:09 pm

It's crazy here, we went out to the Ventura pier last night and the swells were breaking about 6 feet under the pier. It's been raining off and on and driving me nuts...I just got my CB360 running perfect on Tuesday (after over nine months of pretty much non-stop work) and haven't been able to really take it for a spin.

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:59 pm

last night we got hail that covered the ground and looked like a snow cone sans flavor died in my driveway!

I'm sure my scooter is going to get blown over outside at work. I just don't have anywhere I'm allowed to keep it inside

Just a few more days. My epic ride to the Salton Sea this weekend has been postponed a week because part of the 78 in Borrego had rock slides on monday. I can't imagine how unstable those hills are now, 4 days later of unrelenting rain. Don't want to riding past this after a week of rain:

so 1/30 we will try again!

ScootStevie · Post by **ScootStevie** » Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:39 pm

Crazy, I work at the docks in LA/Long Beach. Yesterday was the first time in a long time (around 20 years) they didn't let ships come in. The tug boats couldn't handle them. The finished ships couldn't leave either. They said the 20'-25' waves were a problem

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:40 am

I am sorry you guys are having some misfortune. but really, I am not going to feel too sorry for you all having to go 5 whole days w/o riding. We could very easily go 5 weeks w/o a ride (and if we do get to ride it is probably in the 30's at best) . Our brothers and sisters even further north may go longer. So no, you get no sympathy!

edit; when is this "red wine season"? Maybe I need to stop thinking of S. California as the gateway to Hawaii and check it out more next time I am there.

Post by **jrsjr** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:35 pm

I think we just added "Schadenfreude" to the MB lexicon.

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:07 pm

well I do not get pleasure from left coaster pain, I am just putting the whole 5 days of no riding in perspective

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:10 pm

ericalm wrote:I'm certainly not going to complain about the weather down here

Yesterday: 62 degrees and sunny. We had about 30 people out for our group ride, all of whom were eager to be back on 2 wheels after a week of storms.
Thanks to the rains, the sky was crystal clear and we had spectacular views of snow-capped mountains and the valleys on both sides of the Hollywood Hills.

I'll take all the schadenfreude you guys can dish out.

Post by **Lostmycage** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:31 pm

ericalm wrote:I'll take all the schadenfreude you guys can dish out.

Here's some more!

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:10 pm

Lostmycage wrote:
ericalm wrote:I'll take all the schadenfreude you guys can dish out.
Here's some more!

Personally, I found it to be slightly chilly riding yesterday. I even had to put a liner in my jacket.

rondothemidget · Post by **rondothemidget** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:55 am

Skootz Kabootz wrote:
Lostmycage wrote:
ericalm wrote:I'll take all the schadenfreude you guys can dish out.
Here's some more!
Personally, I found it to be slightly chilly riding yesterday. I even had to put a liner in my jacket.

I broke out the glove liners because of the frigid weather - I think it was in the 50s this morning!!!

Post by **Lostmycage** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:33 pm

rondothemidget wrote: I broke out the glove liners because of the frigid weather - I think it was in the 50s this morning!!!

I'm not sure if they sell these on the left coast, but over here we have gloves that are solid. It makes it a lot easier to gear up on those warm mornings in the 50's because it's just one layer to put on.

pocphil · Post by **pocphil** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:43 pm

AAARGH - We had our January thaw - it was over °40 for a few days in a row. The lake thawed and it was cool to see the icebergs floating around out there. Of course it was still below freezing at night which meant Merritt took a spill in the driveway on black ice and now has a knee that looks like a rorschach test. I was actually able to test ride a few customers bikes and 3 or 4 brave souls actually rode in for service.

This morning it's back to sub-freezing and snow. Did I mention my furnace took a dive 2 days ago and despite our best insulation it's down to °54 in the house. The furnace guy said only one thing - you shoulda called me sooner, your pipes might freeze.

Why the hell do I live here?

pimaCanyon · Post by **pimaCanyon** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:16 pm

pocphil wrote:AAARGH - We had our January thaw - it was over °40 for a few days in a row. The lake thawed and it was cool to see the icebergs floating around out there. Of course it was still below freezing at night which meant Merritt took a spill in the driveway on black ice and now has a knee that looks like a rorschach test. I was actually able to test ride a few customers bikes and 3 or 4 brave souls actually rode in for service.

This morning it's back to sub-freezing and snow. Did I mention my furnace took a dive 2 days ago and despite our best insulation it's down to °54 in the house. The furnace guy said only one thing - you shoulda called me sooner, your pipes might freeze.

Why the hell do I live here?

sounds like you need to start thinking about relocating your store! (as in, Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Florida...)

rajron · Post by **rajron** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:20 pm

Wish a fast healing for Merritt (wife?); our weather will never be as raw as in Cleveland, but, I could never imagine not having a heater. AZ and HI look so nice nowadays – my mother, in Hawaii, is complaining about 70’s degree weather, silly her.
That California weather has passed through here, distributing snow all about melting pretty fast, expecting more weather from California tomorrow.