The DC area had two back-to-back storms this past week dumping snow like it was going out of style. Kristina and I spent the snowpocalypse together staying warm and having fun.
Friday started off with everyone in the DC area getting off of work early in anticipation of the big storm. The snow started falling around 1pm. By 3:30pm I measured accumulations of 2 inches or so around the apartment. Throughout the evening the snow kept coming down. Kristina, the roomies Josh and Denise, and I went sledding down our steep hill right outside our front door. We didn’t have any proper sleds, so we tried a few things that we had laying around the apartment. A plastic Ikea bag and a plastic container with wheels did not work at all. But the slick-bottomed boogie board was a hit.
The snow fell throughout the night and we woke up with a good foot on the ground and it kept snowing all day (see a timelapse of the snowfall in Glenmont). Around 11am we got our snow gear on in anticipation of another sledding session. Just before we left, our power went out. Thinking nothing of it we continued on to our hill. Kristina brought her snowboard along and there was plenty of fluffy snow for a smooth ride.
After sledding we came back to a powerless apartment. The sun began to set and boredom was setting in. To pass the time we played a rousing game of Monopoly which killed several hours. As darkness overtook daylight we began to get hungry. Luckily the snow had stopped (but not after dumping 30 inches of snow in our area) so we could venture out to our nearby shopping center in search of food. The only place open was, of course, McDonalds.
Hooray, McDonalds is open after the Snowpocalypse!
The restaurant was hopping as other locals without power had also flocked there for some relief. After filling our bellies we stopped by CVS to stock up on candles to light our dark apartment.
Later that night we started to worry about the food we had in the fridge. Kristina and I keep a cooler in the back of my Rav-4 which came in handy for storing our food on our deck. There was so much snow that in order to get to the back of my car I had to shovel snow to get the door open.
My Rav-4 was completely buried.
We spent the rest of the night playing the card game asshole and having a good time despite the lack of power or the dropping temperature of our apartment. Everyone was sleepy but I still had some energy so at 1:30 am I went out to shoot some night shots of the snowy landscape.
The tree by our apartment covered in snow.
That night we all went to bed in long sleeves and several blankets to keep warm. It was actually quite cozy.
The next morning we were still without power/heat/hot water. Fortunately the roads were passable and Josh’s parents had power. We made the trek up to Laurel to hunker down until our power came back on. Our friends Pammy and her husband Chris stopped by and we all went sledding at my childhood middle school, Hammond Middle. The snow was knee deep and untouched which made for some awesome sledding runs.
Kristina sledding down a hill at Hammond Middle school.
After sledding we got hot showers and settled down to watch the Saints beat the Colts in Super Bowl 44. We spent the night there and the next morning we heard our power came back on. Once we got back to our heated apartment it was time to un-bury our cars though that wouldn’t last long.
Our parking lot buried in 2+ feet of snow.
Much of the DC metro area was closed including the local Metro subway system making getting to work impossible for us suburbanites. Plus, another winter storm hit us Tuesday night through Wednesday, February 10. The new storm system brought us a fresh foot of snow along with blizzard conditions. The second storm brought our total accumulations for this winter to 54.9″, breaking the previous all-time record of 54.5″ set in the winter of 1898-99. We stayed inside most of the time and our power held up the whole way through this time.
My leg in a knee-high snow drift after the two storms.
Now it is Thursday night and the cars have been dug out again, the streets are somewhat plowed and the Metro is running. It looks like we will all go back to work tomorrow, just in time for the 3-day holiday weekend. Oh and the forecast for Monday, February 15… chance of snow.
In English we have three definitions of we: the regular we meaning you and I, as in “we had dinner togetherâ€; the royal we meaning I, as in “we are not amusedâ€; and the marital we meaning you, as in “we need to take out the garbage.”
—Chris Bovbjerg, Letter to the Editors of the Economist
This weekend Kristina and I traveled with her folks down to south-western Virginia for her cousins wedding. We left early Friday morning and it took about 6 hours to get there from the DC area. Our drive was complete just before the snow started falling as we pulled up to our hotel in Pounding Mill, Virginia. What made this trip out of the ordinary is the fact that the largest winter storm of the decade was making its way towards us.
The wedding was supposed to start at 6 but the snow had been coming down all afternoon making for some slick conditions. The snow might have changed some plans, but it didn’t stop everyone for having a good time. Lindsay and her now-husband Luke went ahead with the ceremony. The ceremony was beautiful and the couple even managed to get some pictures together outside in the snow. Of course this was the end of the night and the snow was a good 6 inches deep.
The next morning we took in the view from the hotel room and started our voyage back home.
We didn’t get too far as the roads were still rough as the storm progressed northward to Maryland. Interstate 81 was backed up for miles and we passed dozens of abandoned cars; some of which were in the middle of the road. After being on the road from 9:30am to shortly before 5pm, we had gone a whopping 121 miles. We pulled off in Salem, Virginia, at a hotel for the night where I’m writing this thanks to the free wifi. Its back on the road tomorrow to complete the rest of our journey. I hear there is 21 inches of snow waiting at home in Glenmont!
Kristina and I took a trip back in time when we visited the Maryland Renaissance Festival this past weekend. There were many sights and sounds to take in from the throngs of eager guests decked out in 15th century wear, to the numerous shops selling all kinds of hand made crafts. The festival was littered with performers involved in plays, musical groups, and even a jousting match.
This jester was a hoot doing visual gags with his fingers.
We saw a glass blowing demonstration and these were some of the finished products hanging outside of his shop.
The jousting match was the most exciting part of the event. One of the knights even fell off his horse during one of the routines.
This queen was one of the many different costumes we saw people wearing throughout the day.
The longest line at the Maryland Renaissance Festival was for the ATM though some shops accepted credit cards.
Kristina sure had a fun time! I did too I just couldn’t get a picture of myself enjoying everything.
I can’t believe how far some people get into the renaissance time period but it is fun to experience a bit of history for yourself. And we didn’t have to worry about fighting a dragon and crossing a moat to get back home!
The cash for clunkers program was made for someone like me. My hand-me-down 1994 Mercury Villager minivan just barely qualified for the program by 1 mpg. I had always been contempt with my loveable clunker as I don’t drive very much. But when I started hearing hissing sounds when driving around in my van, I knew the cash for clunkers was the ideal way out. Unfortunately I came to this realization the week before the cash for clunkers program was scheduled to end.
Russell saying his final goodbye to his old minivan.
Cutting it close is an understatement as I was finally able to land a deal on Saturday morning, August 22nd. The cash for clunkers program officially ended two days later but many dealers were stopping Saturday night. Russel Toyota (no relation) was able to get me a Pacific Blue Rav4 that was in transit but still qualified for a $4,500 discount. Needless to say I jumped on the offer as every dealer within 100 miles was absolutely sold out of Rav4s.
I signed the paperwork, handed over the keys to my clunker, and updated my insurance in a 4 hour process. Since I no longer had a car, and my new one wasn’t there yet, the dealer gave me a loaner.
A Toyota Camry hybrid was my temporary ride until my Rav4 came in.
The loaner car was nice with leather seats and a built-in GPS system, but there were a few quirks. I was happy to part with the loaner car once my Rav4 was ready. Kristina and I picked it up last night just as the sun was setting.
The first morning home with the new car.
I’m happy I came out on top and I love my new car. The van did have one feature that I do miss: it was paid off!
