Summer Time!

[MarkBC]

A sure sign of summer in Central Oregon.

OR 242 is a scenic highway that crosses the Cascades via McKenzie Pass, the original Cascade-crossing in this area, but now of only scenic value -- too narrow and windy for efficient travel...but very scenic when it breaks out of the trees onto a huge lava flow with views of several peaks.
Pre-opening the highway to non-motorized traffic is a cool ODOT practice.
Is such a thing done in any other states?

McKenzie Pass opens to pedestrians, bikes
Published: June 23. 2011 4:00AM PST
One lane of the McKenzie Pass Highway has been cleared of snow, allowing pedestrians and bicyclists to travel on the highway, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Those using the road are asked to use caution while traveling, as 20-foot snowdrifts can still be found along the edge of the cleared lane. Also, pedestrians and bicyclists are asked to be alert for ODOT trucks or heavy machinery on the road.
The highway is still closed to cars, and will be until all the snow melts from the road. The highway will most likely be open to motor vehicle traffic in July.

 

[ski3pin]

to get you in the mood.......it always works for me

 

[MarkBC]

to get you in the mood.......it always works for me

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=8qU4nR0UPnE

That's a great, classic song.

Though...it's so languid that it puts me in the mood for summer in the deep south -- too hot and humid to move!

 

[SunMan]

to get you in the mood.......it always works for me

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=8qU4nR0UPnE


Excellent choice in artists Mr. 3Pin!

 

[ski3pin]

That's a great, classic song.

Though...it's so languid that it puts me in the mood for summer in the deep south -- too hot and humid to move!

Another of Doc's songs:

"The sun comes up. The sun goes down.
The hands on the clock go round and round.
I just get up and it's time to lie down............."


Hey, aren't you retired?

 

[chnlisle]

I saw Doc live (as well as Sonny Terry & Brownie Maghee, Miriam Makeba, Bud & Travis, Pete Seeger and on and on) at The Ash Grove in L.A. in the late 50's and early 60's. So Aaron you see I've earned my left wing hippie wings honestly. Were the good old days really good or am I just old?

http://www.ashgrovemusic.com/history.htm

 

[MarkBC]

Another of Doc's songs:

"The sun comes up. The sun goes down.
The hands on the clock go round and round.
I just get up and it's time to lie down............."


Hey, aren't you retired?

Yeah...but I'm just so naturally lazy that I don't need any encouragement!
I seem to be taking napping lessons from my cat...

 

[ski3pin]

I saw Doc live (as well as Sonny Terry & Brownie Maghee, Miriam Makeba, Bud & Travis, Pete Seeger and on and on) at The Ash Grove in L.A. in the late 50's and early 60's. So Aaron you see I've earned my left wing hippie wings honestly. Were the good old days really good or am I just old?

http://www.ashgrovemusic.com/history.htm


Those were some great times. I'm a little later, The House of the Rising Sun in Redondo Beach in the late 60's, The Banjo Cafe in the late 70's, and much around Madison Wisconsin in the 70's. Seems I remember a festival on the grounds of Hefner's estate at Lake Geneva, WI that I went to. That one is very, very hard to remember. What mostly stands out is an awful sunburn, but a story for another time. It does fit the "summer time" theme.

Ah the memories come back when I hear Doc pick & sing again. Mr. Jay, those were the good old days indeed; we are far from old, only wiser and happier. Fly with those left wing hippie wings.

 

[Barko1]

It sure is summer in S NM, 108 yesterday so now I am Colorado, heading up past Creede!

 

[MarkBC]

Summer time in the Phoenix, AZ area:
"Massive Dust Storm Sweeps Through Phoenix Metro"

Amazing video! Never seen anything like it (except via CGI in movies).

 

[chnlisle]

We missed it while in CA unfortunately we missed the big Tucson Monsoon as well.

 

[Desert Rancher]

Summer time in the Phoenix, AZ area:
"Massive Dust Storm Sweeps Through Phoenix Metro"


The fall-out from that, which is not emphasized too much, is going to be Valley Fever.

 

[MarkBC]

OR 242 is a scenic highway that crosses the Cascades via McKenzie Pass, the original Cascade-crossing in this area, but now of only scenic value -- too narrow and windy for efficient travel...but very scenic when it breaks out of the trees onto a huge lava flow with views of several peaks.
Pre-opening the highway to non-motorized traffic is a cool ODOT practice.
Is such a thing done in any other states?
McKenzie Pass opens to pedestrians, bikes
Published: June 23. 2011 4:00AM PST
One lane of the McKenzie Pass Highway has been cleared of snow, allowing pedestrians and bicyclists to travel on the highway, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Those using the road are asked to use caution while traveling, as 20-foot snowdrifts can still be found along the edge of the cleared lane. Also, pedestrians and bicyclists are asked to be alert for ODOT trucks or heavy machinery on the road.
The highway is still closed to cars, and will be until all the snow melts from the road. The highway will most likely be open to motor vehicle traffic in July.

Finally...This scenic stretch of highway will open to motor vehicles this Friday. At 263 days of closure (it was closed to traffic due to snow Oct 25), this is the longest time this pass has ever stayed closed.
That says something about the winter/spring we've had around here!

 

[MarkBC]

Looks like some T-storm excitement for the southern Sierra and points east this PM:



I hope there's moisture with the sparks!

 

[Lighthawk]

T-heads over the Tahoe Sierra today. Looks like So Cal smoke plumes in your second image upload, Mark. Are there that many fires down south (already)?

 

[MarkBC]

Looks like another afternoon/evening of T-storm excitement from the Sierras/Cascades to the Rockies and points south.


Maybe not quite reaching me in Bend...

Western Visible-Light Satellite View

 

[DLN]

So far they've stayed south and east of us and of west shore Tahoe, we can see the cloud build up, but no clouds or rain here.

 

[MarkBC]

So far they've stayed south and east of us and of west shore Tahoe, we can see the cloud build up, but no clouds or rain here.

Cool...

This zoomed-in "1-km" version ("Reno") shows just as you described.

 

[camelracer]

Just got back from a trip to the southern Sierra and got a bit of the weather. Spent the first couple of days on the upper Kern and had to deal with smoke from the Lion fire east of Sequoia.
I then headed over Sherman Pass to Troy Meadow. The days were beautiful but thunder storms came in each night. I didn't think it rained that much but there was a lot of rock on the road on the way out. The campground at Kennedy Meadows had a lot of water damage.
For anyone going to that area I would recommend the Troy Meadow campground. It was one of the nicest USFS campgrounds I've been to.

 

[SunMan]

For anyone going to that area I would recommend the Troy Meadow campground. It was one of the nicest USFS campgrounds I've been to.


Thanks Dick, we may be headed that direction this weekend.