Here is what I think about the 2008 California Propositions 91, 92, 93. Make sure you get out and vote!

Prop 91 – YES
Why? – We need to keep our gas taxes paying for our roads, public transportation and other essential transportation issues, not balancing the California state budget. Vote YES in order to close the hole in the system and keep gas tax money in the transportation budget.

Prop 92 - NO
Why? – Community Colleges need to be more responsible for the money they have now. Make them accountable. Are you 100% sure this money will reach the colleges? Do not tax us more. 50%+ poor attend community college FREE. Clean up the current California Budget by spending less.

Prop 93 – NO
Why? – We need to have fresh blood and turn around in our political system. We do not need career politicians. Prop 93 will allow current politicians to server 12 years in the Senate, then another 12 years in the Assembly. Vote NO in order to limit their terms to 14 years total.

Prop 94, 95, 96, 97 - I haven’t gotten to really get into these propositions yet. Do you have an opinion? There is a good overview of them on the League of Women Voters. Leave comments!

Here’s a short helmet camera session from my day at Squaw on Monday the 7th in January. It was a great day with friends and super great snow. Enchanted Forest was fresh and deep. Got up to Granite Chief when it first opened and got more fresh lines on Cork Screw and the Diving Board area. Shennon hucked his meat off the Diving Board 30 feet to fresh. Cornice 2 and light towers were good too. A little bonny in Light towers still. Headwall chair looked all messed up from the 160+ mph winds. Enjoy the video.

Our chickens have been in their little house and tarp tent for 2 days now. We’ve had a Blizzard Warning and a Winter Storm Warning since Friday. We went out and shoveled all the snow off the roof of their tent and made a small path for them to go out into the yard a ways, but they don’t follow it. My sister was asking if Chickens are from Africa, because they don’t seem to do to well in the snow.

The Australorp will venture out about 20 feet from the coop and fly into the 6″ to 8″ of snow and just sit there. They look around not sure what to do. I know their feet aren’t touching the ground, they are just floating like ducks. They get up some energy and fly to another spot and do the same thing. Eventually, they make it back to the coop.

The Wyandottes on the other hand won’t leave the coop. They are content to just roost all day. We have a warm watering dish and give them wheat berries and cracked corn for scratch, so they aren’t hungery, but they are figity to say the least. When the snow hardens it will be fun to watch them adventure around the yard. Off to take the compost dish out to them, they like to scratch around in it. Until next post.

When I hear winter storm watch, I get stoked.
When I hear winter storm warning, I get antsy. 
When I hear blizzard warning, I get crazy.

A blizzard warning doesn’t happen too often in the Sierra’s, but when it does, it’s DEEP. 8+ feet probably. This January “blizzard” is setting up fairly well I think. It’s got all the right elements. Water from the tropics and air from the arctic. This morning it was raining. It’s about 5pm now, and it’s POUNDING. LB’ing for short. I am posting this weather map on NorCal public news, cause it’s a perfect storm for a number of sick powder days on the horizon.

Make sure you a super careful and read all the avalanche warning and safety message before you head out. Bring some extra food with you to the mountain too… cause if you go in for a lunch, I’ll take your lines.

I love it when NOAA annouces the Winter Storm Warning.

…THE STRONGEST OF A SERIES OF STORMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION FRIDAY AND SATURDAY BRINGING HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW…BEGINNING THURSDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH SUNDAY…WITH THE STRONGEST STORM EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AREA FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY MORNING… SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS AND POSSIBLY LIFE THREATENING WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING… MAKING TRAVEL NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE ACROSS SIERRA PASSES. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO TAPER TO SHOWERS ON SATURDAY BEFORE ANOTHER POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT STORM MOVES INTO THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. FOUR DAY SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 8 FEET ARE STILL POSSIBLE THROUGH SUNDAY IN THE SIERRA.TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO…

That generally means:

• Slow Travel
• Loads of Snow
• No Food in Stores
• No Gas in Gas Stations
• Travel with a Shovel
• Bring your gloves and snow boots
• etc…

It’s perty much a bad time to travel. But I love it.

My wife and I used to live in the Tahoe area. These days would bring out the best attitudes in the local folks. People were stoked, waiting for the storm to push in from the Pacific. The weekend of January 5th on looks to be one of these stokes in the works.

Be safe and see you on the mountain! My skis, and I, are ready to ride!