Autumn 2009

Officially arrived today at 2:18pm PDT. And we reached triple digit temps here in the Sacramento Valley.

Summer's Back

I can't complain about the mild summer we've had (if I am not mistaken, there were relatively few days with triple-digit temperatures). With less than two weeks of summer left, it looks as though it's going out with a bang. Temperatures rising. And why I decided to ride up the hill and spend most of the day in the Tahoe forest. Grabbed lunch at South Lake Tahoe and it was only 75F degrees. The highest daytime temp I encountered in the mountains was 88F, while the lowest was 72F. Riding back down in elevation (it was a 375 mile day!) I saw 95F degrees in the Sierra foothills as late as 6:30pm.

It is just past 9:00pm and we've barely dipped below 90F outside. Yup. It feels like summer's hanging on a bit longer still.

Hot August Nights

August is around the corner, and we've already experienced a string of 100+ degree temps. However, we will be kicking off the month with high temps in the 80s. Woohoo!

Makes riding under all that protective motorcycle gear a hella more tolerable. The cool delta breezes that come up the Sacramento River from the bay in the evening also helps tremendously.

Grass Doubles Volleyball

I ended up playing in a reverse coed grass doubles draw tournament today. That's reverse coed as in male/female doubles partners competing on a women's height net. Draw, as in drawing for partners for each game. I had not originally set out to play, having been asked a week earlier and me declining for various reasons. I woke up a bit later than usual on a lazy Sunday morning, and made my way to the park just to watch and mingle a bit. It was just before noon, and dressed in protective motorcycle gear, I hoped to leave before the heat arrived (forecast for 100 degrees).

As soon as I dismounted and approached the group, I was informed that I arrived in time to sub for a player. My friend John had reinjured his healing calf, and opted not to continue playing. Long story short, I had an enjoyable outing and played 5 games, winning 3 of them. I haven't played any doubles volleyball since last October and felt fine.

I was fortunate that at 6:00 in the evening and temps hovering just below the century mark, I lived just over a mile from the park. It sure gets hot here in the valley!

Late Autumn 2008

We are almost two-thirds into the fall season, and unlike the Arizona desert where I was born (and left at the age of 20), Northern California has the traditional four seasons. For the most part. Today's temperature reached 80 degrees, and Saturday's forecast calls for more of the same. Heck, the town of Napa almost hit 90 degrees today! We're breaking records here.

We really need some rain (and snow in the mountains), but other than that, I'm not complaining. I'm gonna don my leathers and go riding!

Respite from the Heat

We have had mild temps the past few days, staying well below triple digits. The coming work week we'll be in the 90s (today is forecast at 90), and the skies have been much clearer as the delta breezes are here to blow much of the smoke out of the valley.

Fires still continue to burn throughout Northern CA, but many of them are contained to some extent. Thankfully I haven't heard that any new dry lightning strikes have ignited additional fires.

Summer ain't over yet, but I'll keep my fingers x'd that things will smooth out for the latter half of 2008.

The Oven

That's what I feel like we're in right now. The valley is filled with smoke from the remaining fires (several hundred, from the 1000+ burning a couple of weeks ago... the smoke due to a wind shift). Temps hit a 103 degree high depending on whom you ask, and at 10:00pm PDT it's still around 90 degrees out there!

The a/c is running while I'm kicked back on my couch typing this. Headlining the news is a hazardous air quality warning in effect through at least Thursday. Record to near record temps. Ugh.