THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO ALL BIKERS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE. TO ALL THE VETERANS; THOSE LIVING AND TO THOSE WHO GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE; TO THOSE CURRENTLY SERVING AND TO THOSE IN THE FUTURE, WHO WILL SERVE LONG AFTER WE HAVE GONE, TO PRESERVE THE FREEDOM THAT THOSE IN THE PAST, WE IN THE PRESENT AND THOSE IN THE FUTURE HAVE ENJOYED, ARE ENJOYING AND WILL ENJOY, AS WE RIDE FREE AND ENJOY LIFE ON OUR CHOSEN MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: MOTORCYCLES.

JOHN
NORTH TEXAS BIKERS III


IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURE BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE..

Friday, December 25, 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS 12-25-09

I have lived in Wichita Falls Texas since 1975 and have not seen a white Christmas here. It is usually in the 60's or 70's. So, I have been ragging all my friends & family that live in snow country about having PMS (Parked Motorcycle Syndrome) and the snow & cold weather they are having. As a matter of fact, Wednesday (1-23-09) it was like 60 degrees and I was out (medically illegally) riding the Harley.. Then, Thursday morning, Christmas Eve 12-24-09, at 7:49 a.m., what went around, came back around...It got cold here and started snowing..Scroll down and check out this snow event that the news media is now calling the "Blizzard of 2009". They said this happens every decade or so...REMEMBER; IF YOU WANT O SEE THE PICTURE BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE.




Christmas Eve, 12-24-09 at 7:49 a.m. it quit raining and started to snow. I had just gotten in from taking Janice to work. If you like, here is a link to a CHRISTMAS SONG JUKEBOX. CLICK ON IT, PULL IT UP, START IT UP. THEN DOWNSIZE IT AND LISTEN TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC AS YOU BROWSE: http://www.x-entertainment.com/christmasjukebox2008.html



A view out the garage as it starts to snow.. Snow is unusual here and is usually a big event..


With the day looking bleak, I thought I might go ahead and get the saddlebags fixed. I had removed them after yesterdays ride... I have the Saddlebag Shapers to install and it looks like no big deal..



A view out the garage door about 45 minutes later..



A view from in front of the bikes... No riding for today...




Another view from in front of the bikes





The view an hour later. They upgraded the weather from a Winter Storm Warning to a Blizzard Warning.. Can you believe it? I hoped they shut the city down soon because I had to drive back downtown & pick up Janice.






Another view as the snow picks up pace







Almost an hour later, our neighbor gets stuck in the snow & Janice hasn't called yet








A view from in front of the Harley









The backyard towards the shed. The first level along the fence is about a foot or so off the ground. The snow was starting to pile up







looking back toward the Texas Sage. It was starting to bend under the weight of the snow..











A view out the front door





Looking down the street from the front door. The snow continues to fall







Janice calls a little after 11 a.m. and the city was sending everyone home except, fire, police & street dept. personnel. The view ahead as I drive down Barnett Rd. heading North to US 82.








Normally its about a 10 minute drive from the house to city hall. Today it took about 45 minutes. Janice takes this picture out of my window of a giant Teddy Bear on Seymour Highway as we head home...



News Channel 6 was out on Seymour Highway videoing the traffic. I made the trip downtown at 25 mph and at this point going home, we were down to 20 mph...






A while later Janice takes this picture of Evangel Temple off of Barnett Rd. This church is impressive but is almost hidden by the falling, blowing snow..




The snow has accumulated on Barnett Rd since I left to pick up Janice, over an hour ago...







The car made it half way up the driveway before getting stuck. I got out and immediately slipped and fell on my butt. Janice captured this "Kodak" moment..



We wanted to get the car back inside the garage so as not to be out in the forecasted 8 degree low tonight. Here is Janice trying to clear some of the snow..





Janice shoveling snow.. She is a pure bred Texan and does not like the snow or cold weather.....




I told her to wait until the snow slacked up & then we would go rescue the car. A view out the garage about 2 hrs later. Still snowing, blowing & drifting





Had to move the Harley up farther out of range of the garage door. When the door opened, it dropped snow & water on top of the Harley and I didn't want SO to catch a cold.. lol




An hour or so later, the snow slacked up. We opened the garage door, viewed outside and went to rescue Janice's Ford Focus..






Janice stands by, shovel in hand






Our outside Christmas lights were buried. Here I am trying to find them





The only shovel we had was a regular shovel & a coal shovel. Who'da thunk we'd ever need a real snow shovel. But as the ARMY says, I also say, I GUARANTEE you we will have one next time this happens. Like I told Janice, better to have one and not need it, than to need one and not have it..







While we are shoveling snow, the sun starts to break out of the storm clouds. Janice grabs the camera and gets a great picture of it....Good pic, Janice!

Finally, we dig the snow out from in front of the car & around the car. Janice jumps in, fires it up and makes it into the garage... Here's what it was stuck in.


Janice, after working out with a shovel...A little on the cold side. The wind chill at 4: 30 p.m. was 9 degrees.





Janice out in the drive after freeing the car. This will give you an idea of the snow fall amount ..Having grown up in Michigan, I was used to this, but a lot of folks down here aren't use to it and definitely don't like it. And believe it or not, this is the first snow that many have actually been in...





One last thing Janice wanted to do before going in and taking a nice warm shower & putting her PJ's on, was to make a snow Angel. She said the last time she did that was back about 1968, when she was 7 years old.. So, here she goes, in the backyard, thru the snow drifts to her Angel making spot..





After making her snow Angel, Janice the Angel couldn't get up. She kept slipping and falling down.. I was laughing too hard to help her right away. But I eventually made it thru the snow to her & helped her up. I can't post the pics of her making the snow angel because she said I would forfeit my life if I did...





The dogs, Ellie Mae & Scarlett, are a lot smaller than the snow drifts and they played around the edge of them.





Looking out the kitchen window toward Janices Snow Angel & the cactus garden..





Today is Christmas and this is the view from the porch. That drift in front is a little over 2 feet and the neighbor's truck is still out in the street...





Last view for this post is from boot level on my porch looking down the street. This is the latest from our little corner of the world. From my family to all of yours, have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY & SAFE NEW YEAR!!!
Scroll WAY down for more rides, events & posts and don't forget to click on the "older posts" link at the bottom of EACH page for more rides and posts. Check out North Texas Bikers (1) at http://www.jjskewlstuff.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from January 08-November 08. and North Texas Bikers II at: http://www.jjskewlstuffii.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from Nov. 08-July 09. Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, ride safe, keep the rubber on the road & pray for our Troops & Pattie & Manuel................JOHN






































2 comments:

  1. wow, incredible!!! i hope that everyone was safe and warm during this amazing display by mother nature. merry christmas john, janice, and family!

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  2. Amazing stuff! Looks like a lot of fun but I'm glad it doesn't snow here, well you never know now it seems anything can happen. Christmas was great, I hope yours was too and may 2010 be a fantastic year for you and all those dear to you.

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