My new fatbike was ready today so I went by the bike shop to pick that up.

That's what I'll be doing in this storm -- riding the bike! Or trying to.

Went with a friend to a supermarket this afternoon in northern Virginia (inside the Beltway) and it was very busy -- think Thanksgiving busy -- but they were quite well stocked. They've seen this coming for a couple days now so are probably getting shipments into the stores.

Sounds like it is going to be an epic storm for this area. I'm so excited!


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Last night we had 1 inch of snow. Major problems on the roads, delays of 8 hours of more, and the president's motorcade got stuck in it. TV reports this morning (7am local) are that there are still cars stuck (probably abandoned).

So the practice session for Friday/Saturday's Blizzard went well.

From the local news:
http://wtop.com/winter/2016/01/minor-snowstorm-leads-to-major-tie-ups-across-region/slide/1/

Yeah, what a debacle. Sounds like transportation planners were so focused on Friday that last night's little snow -- which forecasters had predicted -- was not taken seriously. I had friends calling from their cars, flabbergasted that they were stuck for hours on the road, not moving.

This morning there are reports of people still trying to get home from last night who are now excacerbating the morning rush. Of course, last night my ETS-trained mind immediately went to vehicle winter preparedness -- always top off the fuel tank before driving in inclement weather, keep in the car blankets and other items to keep warm, energy bars, water, etc. etc.

It got down to 20 degrees in the city last night, colder in the 'burbs. Feel sorry for people who were stranded in cars without functioning heaters. What a nightmare.


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DC's traffic map at 11:00 p.m. last night -- after just 1" of snow (which turned icy on the roads).

Dagny - like you I lived inside the beltway my last (final) time in DC. I'd been stuck on the roads (301/295/495) enough the first two times and went with an old Alexandria condo rather than something newer much further out. It was great, everything I needed was within a short walk and the metro took care of the rest. My bike was set up for the Old Town cobblestones. Have fun.

It is a blessing to have everything nearby. I don't even really need to own a car but like the convenience when I want to go to Virginia (and in the interest of preparedness must have a car).

My neighborhood roads still are treacherous -- they are untreated and the puny snow we got last night turned to ice. Cars are sliding into intersections, slipping up the slightest inclines and I just saw a bicyclist crash when his bike went out from under him. I hope the sun is out for a few hours, that is the only hope for the roads and sidewalks.

This is going to impair some peoples efforts today to prepare for tomorrow's blizzard. I just realized last night that I should get more wiper fluid so that's my project.




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A friend just sent these pics from a supermarket she stopped at late last night on her way home.

These big weather events are an interesting study in psychology. I'd like to see a serious article on the herd mentality. Thanks in part to ETS, I am always -- by the standards of the general public -- extremely prepared for events like a big snowstorm. I'm not stocked up for the apocalypse, the outset of which would look something like this:

More random observations from friends and other locals:

Me LOL. There's no bread or milk here (ever). We eat lots of veggies, much better for you than the bread & cookies on those now empty shelves. YMMV I even found a great burger place that will serve your (100% Angus grass fed) burger in a lettuce wrap rather than a bun. Even the Half&Half I used years back in my coffee has been replaced.

Really though, I'm surprised so many thought ahead all of two days and stripped the shelves while there was still time to restock.