Cold Snap

We in the Denver Metro Area are currently in the grip of a cold snap.  A mass of arctic air has come down and is cooling things down quite a bit.

Apparently, Denver recorded a new low last night, -13F which broke the old record of  -5F set in 2008.

It was -5F at the house as I geared up to go to the Encana Data Center in the Denver Tech Center, and it would take me about 40 minutes to get there in the slow-n-go traffic conditions on Arapahoe Road.

Roads were snow/ice covered, but with clear lanes where cars had gone previously.  Once in a while there were ice patches covering these clear lanes but nothing major.

Interestingly, it got colder as I approached the DTC and I was feeling it at my fingertips and toes.  It's apparently -9F as I sit here at the Data Center.

I am glad I changed Valencia's oil last night from 20W50 to 10W40, hopefully it'll help the engine start this afternoon when the forecast temperature will be a balmier +4F.

I am beginning to get an inkling as to why sometimes RichardM elects to drive in when temperatures are south of -20F up there in Fairbanks.

source: http://www.easysurf.cc/cnver16.htm

Another Snowy Commute

I woke to maybe an inch of snow in my suburb located to the SE of the Denver Metro Area.  It was a brisk 6°F outside according to the house thermometer so I geared up with full winter riding gear.  This means, long underwear besides the usual complement of protective riding gear, then rain gear on top to keep out the winds.

It was packed snow in my neighborhood till I hit the main roads.  Himalaya Road was plowed and the road surface was barely snow covered.  Still, I and the cagers out with me before 6AM were driving cautiously and slowly.  Only two idiots in pickup trucks today, barreling their way through the traffic like drunken sailors, so it was all good.

I even had my neighbor and close friend Erik L. pull up alongside my rig and we exchanged waves. 

The roads became just wet as I entered the Denver city limits, must have been the effect of the magnesium-chloride mixture they spray the roads with to lower the freezing temperature of water. 

As I neared the downtown, I made the decision to detour through the city park and see what kind of photos one could take.  There wasn't enough light yet when I arrived near the lakeside entrance road so that one will have to wait for a better weather day.

 An old but large mortar, I believe that's a statue of MLK

in the background.  The above was shot in landscape mode which disables

the flash on the camera.

 

 Same spot, this time the camera was in AUTO mode and the

flash captured the falling snow flakes nicely I thought.

 

Across from the Denver City Park is East High School.

 

I continued in towards the downtown area, traffic was medium but moving and cautious drivers still were the rule.  I made it to the parking garage with no issues and parked in the prime parking spot for motorcycles.  I am pretty confident I'll be the sole occupant, unless my friend John S. aka Spat decides to ride his URAL Arctic Patrol in to work.

 

The snow is supposed to continue accumulating through most of the morning and early afternoon, we shall see.  Mr Weather Radar supports the forecast but unless the snow clouds start orbiting Denver, I am betting the snow will end by noon.

 

The temperature is a reported 8°F as I type this, we're well on the way to the forecast high of 11°F.

 

 

Update: 2:50 PM: Pics of surrounding buildings from the 40th floor:

 

 TIAA-CREF Building

 

 Key Bank Building

 





Meeting Annabelle Nash

Born two weeks ago, Annabelle Irene Nash is the beautiful daughter of good friends of ours, Oscar and Janet.  Oscar, you might recall, has come to my rescue several times in matters dealing with my motorcycles.

Martha, her dad Richard G. and myself headed over to the Nash house to meet Ms Annabelle for the first time.

 Oscar and Annabelle

 Older sister Cassie

(Steve's the older brother to the two above but moved too fast for me to capture via camera)

 Martha and Ms Annabelle

After visiting for a while, and much after Martha and Richard G. had returned home, I took my own leave and motored down to the Denver Tech Center for a shot at Mount Evans through the arch that forms the entrance to Westlands Park:

Vintage Colorado Motorcycling

Regular readers know, I am fond of the "Then and Now" motif for blog postings, depicting scenes/buildings from over a century ago and showing how they look today.  My main source of historical photos has been the great archive run by the Denver Public Library.

As I'd been focused on the "Then and Now" theme, I'd neglected to do more "fun" searches of this large set of photographical archives.  Here's what I found when I searched for the terms Sidecar and Motorcycle, I hope you enjoy these photos as I did.  Note: Unless noted otherwise, source of all photos is from the link above.

chs-L1821

Circa 1910-1920, near the Archer Canal in Denver

The tug is a Thor Motorcycle, the logo on the sidecar appears to say Rogers

"That is not a happy looking monkey"

arl18, date unknown

 Otha Rice, a Denver Businessman, here as a teenager astride

an Indian Motorcycle.

 CHS-L1598

Circa 1910-1920

A Denver neighborhood with a motorcycle parked out front.

 CHS-L2217

Man on Excelsior Autocycle, near Archer Canal, Denver

Circa 1910-1915

 CHS-L2716

Man standing with motorcycle, on Alameda Avenue, Denver

Circa 1910-1920

 MCC-3799

Circa 1910?

The engine/transmission is in the front wheel!

 RH-216

Circa 1922

Harry M. Rhoads and his Daughter

He was a Denver Post Photographer who apparently

rode this Indian motorcycle to assignments.

 RH-770

View of the Gates Rubber Co. Building circa 1910-1920

Closeup below is of the motorcycle shown in the photo above.

 It kind of looks like an Indian Motorcycle but not sure.

X-29724

Circa 1925-1935

Closeup of Police Officer and motorcyle

in front of ambulance.

Anyone recognize the logo on the gas tank?

X-6123

Old and New Steeds at an Play Fair Opening Day 

Celebration in Central City, CO.

Circa 1965

RH-1724

An early motorcycle race circa 1910-1930

 Winter-Weiss, got its start apparently with sidecars, and 

later on manufactured trailers for the military during WWII

Below three pictures were some of their products.

 digitaldu.coalliance.org-59291

Circa 1930

 Next time you think it's a bother to bring along that small point and shoot camera:

Z-14187

Harley-Davidson Motorcycle and Winter-Weiss Sidecar platform

Circa 1920-1930

Mobile advertising at its best, back in the day.....

Z-14188

An Indian Motorcycle with a Winter-Weiss Sidecar Platform

and an oversized Milk Bottle.

Hope you enjoyed this peak at yesteryear in terms of motorcycles here in the great state of Colorado.  If you can identify any of the motorcycles more fully, please let me know.