Good Morning All!
43F @ 60% and dark.
No wind, so more burning will be the order of the morning. Should have until around 1500 as that is when the breeze usually starts. By that time we are pretty well shot anywho so we go and do inside stuff -or- just plant our butts and do nothing. 1500 is the magical time here during the summer. Humidity goes up big time. You can feel the change inside the house no matter if the A/C is on or not. Suspect that 'the river effect' is the cause. Summer is also when we have 50/60 degree temp swings from day/night. I have seen 105F to 40F over the years although this does not happen everyday. The over 100 part usually only happens during August and only for a week or two. Winter can go to below -10F in late January, again only for a week or two. Snow is pretty much gone except for the Northern exposures as there still are 2/3 foot berms/drifts in places. Water pretty much goes away immediately so the ground is not frozen anymo.
Weather: Boy I learned *years* ago to take anything any weather guy/gal says with a grain of salt; sometimes that is a pretty BIG grain. The simplest way to tell the weather is either: roll down the window and stick your arm out, or open the door and go out into it. If you want to know about wind, lick your finger and stick it in the air. Note that I do have a look at the barometer to see the direction it is going so at least I can guess of what is coming, and I am a better guesser than those weather guessers. At least if I am wrong, I know who's fault it is and have no room to bi tch.
It is almost time to do our yearly 1st trek over the top into The Fish. Geesh, just happens that the BNSF runs pretty much along that road so train watching is in order. We take camera's, a picnic basket, chain saw, shovel, guns and water. Want to see what has changed in the Fish station as there is a GN history section in it. From there, down to Kalispel then home US/SR2. Good way to screw off a day doing a 200 mile loop. Since we are not OTR anymore, we will probably do the 2nd loop sometime late May or early June to the other side of Glacier ( Browning ) and back. That one is motel time somewhere - Izzak Walton has a bar/restaurant which works for us. I now have a long lens, so I will try and get pix of the snow sheds on top of Marias' Pass as folks here are interested ( as I am ). There is also a shed just East of Izzak Walton you can walk to so there could even be up close and personal pix of the structure; nother reason to stay there. Maria does want to go to Central Oregon and see her niece for a few days. Not sure when we will do that. Dang, the railroad is along that route also! For those who don't know, BNSF on Washington side ( SR14 ) and UP on Oregon side ( I84 ) along the Columbia River and in the Gorge. Vancouver Amtrak Station is pretty busy as is DT Portland for the Amtrak Station, but kinda leary of either of those.
Welp, back to the track plan until it gets light enough to start the burn. I think that I have the middle blob almost nailed down until build time when I can see stuff 1:1 and 3D. Around the walls is caste in stone as to where the mainline is orientated.
Later
