Storm Watch

Thanks Zoe, in 40 years here I have never seen this little snow cause so much destruction. Very high moisture content and NO wind. Scenes like this are everywhere.

We are having the same kind of weather as Perry (Vgabndo), here in Nevada County, Ca, on the west face of the Sierras. The Oak and Pines are heavily laden with snow. Trees falling everywhere. Branches snapping. Huge, heavy clumps of snow dropping. It has turned very cold again and the snow on the ground and in the trees have turned to ice. Dangerous for walking or driving.

This morning we had power restored after being out for 24 hours. Everything that was in the freezer was transferred to my Coleman Ice Chest and I packed it with snow. I lit candles, stoked the woodstove, shoveled two ft. of snow off my rear deck and BBQ Grill. Fired up the BBQ in driving snow and pretended it was the Fourth of July. I cooked a N.Y. Steak, heated up some beans, made a salad, heated up some corn bread I made earlier this week, and popped a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. I sent my sled dog, Paco, out to find a keg of brandy and he returned, proudly, with only a tennis ball that he had buried in the snow. He thinks that merited a cookie, so I caved and gave him one.

The hard part is that I have to dig a long, uphill trench in the snow in order to get a wheelbarrow full of firewood to the house. That takes awhile and requires a lot of strength and sweat, not to mention the boots slipping and me doing several face plants in the snow.

I am a month late leaving for Mulege; those pesky doctors and their prodding, pricking and poking...an optimist would say I am getting my money's worth. Now it looks like Mother Nature will keep me from traveling for a few weeks, given the alarming weather reports. I am hoping that at 3600' we do not become the new Pacific Ocean shoreline.

The BajaNomad is the best source for timely Baja news. Thank you all for your reports. It really helps so that we don't find ourselves in the middle of nowhere, going nowhere and being part of the problem.

I will periodically report from here. Stay dry and safe, everyone!

Storm picks from SanQ

Puente El Rosario; Jan 22

Puente Vicente Guerrero; Arroyo Santo Domingo; Jan 21

Wave erosion at Oceanside beaches

From Oceanside Pier Sunday, Jan. 24th.




Looking North.




Looking South.



A lot of beach sand was lost.

A lot of rocks were found.


I caught a beaut of a cold, and so am delayed in our attempt at the Baja Road. Come hell or 'more' high water we will strike out sometime soon. There are fish to be caught, Pacificos to be bought, and Zulemas to be sought.

Although, from the reports on Nomads and other Baja sites, it sounds like waiting for a few days would be best. Unlike the Dodge, the Southwind is NOT 4WD. Plus, I can try ALL my hot brandy remedies.



We will be towing a boat, so that opens other possibilities to adventure....