Snowpocalypse 2014

So, it snowed. For the past three days, Portlanders have been cross-country skiing in the streets, snowshoeing to coffeehouses, snowboarding behind bicycles, and generally having a blast in the winter wonderland that the city has transformed into.  For some, the snow has provided the perfect opportunity to bring out excessively large fur hats and jackets. Others have donned full-on snow gear, ski goggles included.  Roads that are normally busy, now resemble quaint, quiet small-town streets, and many businesses are shut down completely or have been closing early.  I've heard rumors that the city only has one snowplow. Turns out that’s not exactly the case — the number is closer to 55 — but still, only about 10% of streets are cleared with those plows.  Portland just isn’t a place prepared to deal with a solid three day dumping of snow. Now I’m starting to feel like Snowpocalypse 2014 has overstayed its welcome. Freezing rain killed the mood, as did having to crawl up the slope in front of my house on my hands and knees to avoid the frozen-over steps leading up to our front door. The city has issued an emergency alert encouraging everyone to stay indoors, and the light rail systems and streetcars are shut down. Not that I should really be complaining. I haven’t had to drive anywhere since Wednesday night and got called off from work today. I really made it out just fine, minus a gash on my head that resulted from making an amateur mistake during a snowball fight and running full force into a wooden bridge, part of a play structure in a public park.  But hey, here's to a day of watching my neighbors skid around on the ice (sometimes with their dogs) and sweep snow off their cars because a broom is the handiest snow-removal tool some of us have.  I'll be inside with my space-heater on and this video playing on repeat, waiting for lentil soup to finish cooking in my crock-pot.

Division St.

Casual.

 

When snow was fun

When snow was not so fun and I ended up with a band-aid on my head