Fifty Plus (50+) - Winter is over!

Well the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club must have gotten into the good wiskey last night as they declared the Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow today and an early spring is in the works.

As I grew up in the town of Punxsutawney and everyone is freezing their behinds off up there, I am here to say that you can bet the farm on this prediction. Club rides will start in late Feb!

I have many funny stories about the groundhog thing. I think the best is when I was in sixth grade and my then 70 year old teacher told of when he was a kid it rained and the critter sees no shadow. Proceed to have one of the worst winters on record, enough said.

I certainly hope his prediction is true as I'm tired of the indoor trainer - the scenery just never changes:)

Well it certainly is winter. The beautiful snow covered scenery this morning attests to that.

Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha! I wish that this were true. I can't wait until I don't have to think about how many layers to put on, but am greeted by the warm sun when I ride.

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/wfaa/02-07/0202_friscosnow200.jpg


This morning...and this is way down in North Texas. Was a fun commute though. We don't get much of a chance around here to bike in the snow. :)

Well, up here in Wisconsin we gots our own groundhog ... Jimmy the Groundhog. And he did see his shadow.

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070202/APC0101/70202007/1003/APC01

Given that our weather forecast is now: Saturday high +5, low -12; Sunday H +4, L -9; Monday H 0, L -6; I think Jimmy is right.

So, somebody refresh the rules for me, here. Is Puxawhatever Phil official for just PA or the whole USA or the whole Northern Hemisphere? I gotta know, because the sun was out at my house this morning and any gopher-like rodent would have definitely seen his shadow. So, please tell me that Phil is at least official for everywhere East of the Mississippi!

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/wfaa/02-07/0202_friscosnow200.jpg


This morning...and this is way down in North Texas.

Ya'll have gotten a fair bit of winter precip this year. We've only had a few days of icy roads and now our weather seems to be in a chilly but quite bearable pattern. I would like to try commuting in the snow one of these days...

I don't know about Puxawhatever Phil being offical? but here in Ohio The Big Rat said we move the clocks up on March 11th this year? shadow or no shadow!

A sure sign of spring, my LBS is moving the bikes back to the front of the store and the ski equip. is moving to the back.
They have a LeMond Versailles 49cm for $799.95, regular price $1799.95.

A sure sign of spring, my LBS is moving the bikes back to the front of the store and the ski equip. is moving to the back.
They have a LeMond Versailles 49cm for $799.95, regular price $1799.95.

Ski stores in Europe are going bust- NO SNOW. I follow Biathlon on the TV and they are racing on Artificial snow- even in Scandinavia so what chance has the UK of being covered in snow. We did have some last week but January was the warmest for 19? years with the monthly average up by 6 degrees C. That puts it at warm.

Then there was the Paris conference on Global Warming today. Apparantly there will be a rise of 6Degrees C by the end of the Century and parts of Southern Europe will be un-inhabitable within the middle of the Century. So if you want to go to Italy-Portugal or Greece- Do it within the next 40 years.

Winter is over for us- Just got to wait for a few fine days to get the sun out and roll on December when I will be able to have a rest.

After weeks of beautiful weather, winter rolled into central NC Big Time. Freezing every night, snow and sleet what a mess. The trails are not draining, it's windy yeecccch!
I hope Punxsutawney Phil is right. If not, we can always include him in some good ol southern barbecue:D !

I looked at Chapel Hill, when my daughter attends school, and their average hi/lo over the next three days is predicted to be 46/25. Up here it will be 2/-9. So she will be 39 degrees warmer on average.

So, somebody refresh the rules for me, here. Is Puxawhatever Phil official for just PA or the whole USA or the whole Northern Hemisphere? I gotta know, because the sun was out at my house this morning and any gopher-like rodent would have definitely seen his shadow. So, please tell me that Phil is at least official for everywhere East of the Mississippi!

I think they claim title to the whole world. They have had a leg pissing contest with Sun Prarie forever as the offical weather forecaster.

So, somebody refresh the rules for me, here. Is Puxawhatever Phil official for just PA or the whole USA or the whole Northern Hemisphere?
Phil is just like the Mighty Nittany Lion, also from PA. He rules over his domain of the entire US or wherever the real game of football is played. Forever and always.

Puxa-who?
In Tucson, AZ we have Agua Fria Freddy . . . a sidewinder (snake) . . . if he sees his shadow: winter's over!
Had our coldest January in Tucson since 1979; snowed one day (yeah, that's the fourth time already in the 28 years we've been here; birdbath froze over a few times too . . . rough ain't it?) but do you want to be here in the summer? 110+ degrees . . .

Our local Groundhog, Staten Island Chuck (http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=11&aid=66451) agrees with Punxsutawney Phil.

I think they claim title to the whole world. They have had a leg pissing contest with Sun Prarie forever as the offical weather forecaster.

and


Phil is just like the Mighty Nittany Lion, also from PA. He rules over his domain of the entire US or wherever the real game of football is played. Forever and always.

Thanks, I was a little worried. Now I can de-mothball my speedo and find my suntan lotion in preparation for an early Spring!

I looked at Chapel Hill, when my daughter attends school, and their average hi/lo over the next three days is predicted to be 46/25. Up here it will be 2/-9. So she will be 39 degrees warmer on average.
Okay, Okay, So we're spoiled down here. But it's all relative. When you're used to 80-95, 46/25 is cold. :D

Our local Groundhog, Staten Island Chuck (http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=11&aid=66451) agrees with Punxsutawney Phil.
Stacy, Is there any truth to the rumor that Chuck went over the bridge to New Jersey and was mugged by a couple of stray alley cats?