Tuesday 21 February 2012

Sunshine on my life

Actually just in principle, not yet practically.

The sun has risen over the horizon (rose first time 16th of February) but it's still behind the mountains. If you go high enough it's possible to see the sun but as our town is located in north facing valley we need to wait couple of weeks more to see the sun from the town. Even though I haven't seen yet the sun it just so nice just to know that a dark season is over!

On the other side of a skateing ring

This time it was our friend whose scooters slide runners melted together with the belt. We drove only on the other side of fjord for to spend a weekend on a cabin, but crossing icy Andventdalen was enough. Driving on the clean ice is really unhealthy for scooters - and our mental health.

But it's nice to escape from the town, even just for other side of fjord and look our cosy town from a new perspective.

Pink clouds are giving a hint that the sun isn't that far away anymore.
There isn't that much snow but it managed anyhow to bury our scooters.
Going to a cabin is just an excuse for to take it just easy. Even a dog is relaxing there.

Wednesday 15 February 2012

I'm just hoping for a winter!

Weather statistics from yr.no
We were having over two weeks period with plus Celcius degrees. It has been raining, raining and raining and instead of going to ski with my dog we have taken some swimming trips on the water pools around the town because he loves to play in water. When there is +5 degrees Celcius out it's almost summer conditions even though it's dark! At the warmest temperature has reached +7 degrees.

Even though we haven't had that much snow there has been still a high risk for avalanches. We saw that practically when one day the way to the airport needed to be closed because of avalanches took over it just before we were waiting for two passenger airplanes to land. Airplanes landed but our passengers for them were still in the town and we weren't sure when we can get coming passengers out from the airport. Also Perleporten (=Pearly gates) got damaged when a slush avalance took over it. That caused that the way to school got closed.

We're having a late start for a winter season but I'm not yet lost all of my hopes. Just two years ago I was feeling I was having constantly wet shoes until almost end of January but it ended up with a fine season. So I'm hoping it'll stay now cold and then we just need some more snow!

Saturday 11 February 2012

Dream of a scooter season

When I was smelling burning rubber I was pretty sure that smell came from slide runners because they need some loose snow to lubricate and cool them down - and that we didn't have that much. I was driving very slowly to avoid overheating and I was pretty sure it went fine. But after a stop when I was trying to step on gas nothing happened. I was totally stuck. Slide runners was melted together with belt. Oh, rats...

The runners weren't totally worn out but I changed them anyhow - just that I don't need to do that middle of the season. But the new runners melted as well together with belt. Then I got enough and bought ice scratchers which are scratching some loose snow to cool down belt. I don't believe that they can be helping on really icy conditions but if there is any loose snow they might be fine to have.

Then I thought it might be time to fix our sledge. It got broken last season on the way home from our last cabin trip. Then we fixed it just with what-ever we happened to have on that situation. It went fine to drive home and we also used the sledge on our last cabin trip in this season. But now sledge is fixed and everything we need is some snow that we can use our equipment.