The footsteps sound almost exactly like Danger Mouse. I was waiting for Penfold to crack a bad joke.
It must be a new narrator, but still with the same dry wit. “Great place for grass spiders”, whilst the camera shows an endless expanse of white stuff. “Spiky metal hi-rises”, filming some steel posts, “surrounded by grass”… more endless white stuff. “Cloud of mosquitoes”, proceeding though a haunted forest (makes one wonder about the size of the invisible mosquitoes).
Bruce Fuentessays
Loved the video. Similar to my morning walks down the road and in the woods here in NW Wisconsin. Cold and silent.
chigau (違う)says
Sounds like you’re limping.
euclidesays
You could use nordic skis for your commute :)
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trollssays
The crunch of the snow reminded me walking to work during my Yoo Pee days. I rarely hear it in Chiwaukee, although at the moment the snow is cold enough to crunch.
niftysays
I am with Nerd of Redhead- the very squeaky/crunchy snow tells me just how cold it was, and having grown up and going to college in a similar region I can also remember just how dry the air can be. I am currently setting in a much wetter snow pile in the northwest.
rabbitbrushsays
You didn’t mention the chickadee! It’s amazing such little birds can still sing at -30°. Do their breath-clouds freeze?
steve1says
Ug winter. I had lunch in my back yard with my dog. Its shorts weather High 81 F . I’m looking out my home office at hibiscus flowers. This is much better. Maybe I will learn about my backyard spiders.
redwoodsays
I guess PZ now knows what it’s like to be the last person on earth. Although why the last person on earth would live in a place with -30º weather is beyond me.
Rich Woodssays
At least there was no-one about to hear you talking to yourself!
I can’t imagine what -35C must be like. The coldest night I’ve seen was -18C (in England) and I only had to step outdoors for a minute to hand a parcel to a neighbour before she left for work. With hindsight I suppose I should have put something on top of my t-shirt, but at least I remembered to put slippers on.
Usually at this temperature condensation would freeze in the beard and mustache, and I’d end up with icicles hanging off my face. I actually like wearing a face mask, it keeps my face warm!
robrosays
That was a fascinating video, PZ. Not only to see where you live and work, your habitat as it were, but also to get a feel for what a walk to work is like for you. I could imagine a seasonal repeat…PZ’s Four Seasons.
You remind me of my wife. She hikes in the open spaces around us, stopping every few yards to checkout plants. She has favorites that she keeps an eye on. She gathers cuttings sometimes. She visits trees and the acorn woodpecker “granaries.” If I’m with her, she’s educating me about the plants. Although she’s a gardener, not a botanist, she has a lot of knowledge about California natives.
davidc1says
You should put a pair of old socks over your shoes/boots ,gives you extra grip .
Wasn’t it about a year ago you went arse over tit ?
How minus 35 feels depends on what the wind is like. Unfortunately in Canada they’ve taken to saying stuff like “It’s minus 35, but it feels like minus 44 with the windchill.” Well, no, it doesn’t. Minus 44 with no wind doesn’t feel like minus 35 with a wind. I prefer the old days, when they used to say the windchill was 2300, and your face will fall off if you stay out too long.
When I got up in Saskatoon at 7 AM yesterday it was -35 according to my electronic thermometer. I went out and did something like two and quarter hours outside yesterday, in two different stints. Fun stuff. But of course I was dressed properly, and didn’t stand in one spot. Ironically December and January were warmer than usual, with multiple days near and above freezing, so we got spoiled.
jrkrideausays
The sound of footsteps screams “COLD”!
springa73says
I’m very glad to not have to deal with -30 or -35 F temperatures. Here in Massachusetts, it very rarely gets colder than 0 F (about -18 C) in terms of air temperature, although the windchill temperature does sometimes drop that low or lower. The only two downsides to this are 1) Snow is often relatively wet and heavy and more difficult to shovel, and 2) the freeze-thaw cycle that PZ described as creating ice on the path in early spring happens all through the winter here, so icing can be a problem all through the winter. On the other hand, we only have to deal with moderate rather than really brutal cold.
tororosobasays
Greetings from Tokyo, where commutes are closer to 1-2 hours, snow and very low temperatures ardly hever appen, and the view is not blocked by trees in most places. However, like in Morris, cars are not really needed. You seem to like it there, and it looks and sounds lovely. You know that from now on you will have to document all four seasons.
unclefrogysays
I started watching a tube channel a while back by Louis Rossmann mostly apple computer board repair but he added his commute on an e-bike where he talks about what ever simi random stuff , He lives in New York and those bike rides are interesting and relaxing, a real picture of life in New York and things are always different. I could watch your walks where ever you go as well very nice!
uncle frogy
What did you use to record this? A GoProf?
The footsteps sound almost exactly like Danger Mouse. I was waiting for Penfold to crack a bad joke.
It must be a new narrator, but still with the same dry wit. “Great place for grass spiders”, whilst the camera shows an endless expanse of white stuff. “Spiky metal hi-rises”, filming some steel posts, “surrounded by grass”… more endless white stuff. “Cloud of mosquitoes”, proceeding though a haunted forest (makes one wonder about the size of the invisible mosquitoes).
Loved the video. Similar to my morning walks down the road and in the woods here in NW Wisconsin. Cold and silent.
Sounds like you’re limping.
You could use nordic skis for your commute :)
The crunch of the snow reminded me walking to work during my Yoo Pee days. I rarely hear it in Chiwaukee, although at the moment the snow is cold enough to crunch.
I am with Nerd of Redhead- the very squeaky/crunchy snow tells me just how cold it was, and having grown up and going to college in a similar region I can also remember just how dry the air can be. I am currently setting in a much wetter snow pile in the northwest.
You didn’t mention the chickadee! It’s amazing such little birds can still sing at -30°. Do their breath-clouds freeze?
Ug winter. I had lunch in my back yard with my dog. Its shorts weather High 81 F . I’m looking out my home office at hibiscus flowers. This is much better. Maybe I will learn about my backyard spiders.
I guess PZ now knows what it’s like to be the last person on earth. Although why the last person on earth would live in a place with -30º weather is beyond me.
At least there was no-one about to hear you talking to yourself!
I can’t imagine what -35C must be like. The coldest night I’ve seen was -18C (in England) and I only had to step outdoors for a minute to hand a parcel to a neighbour before she left for work. With hindsight I suppose I should have put something on top of my t-shirt, but at least I remembered to put slippers on.
Usually at this temperature condensation would freeze in the beard and mustache, and I’d end up with icicles hanging off my face. I actually like wearing a face mask, it keeps my face warm!
That was a fascinating video, PZ. Not only to see where you live and work, your habitat as it were, but also to get a feel for what a walk to work is like for you. I could imagine a seasonal repeat…PZ’s Four Seasons.
You remind me of my wife. She hikes in the open spaces around us, stopping every few yards to checkout plants. She has favorites that she keeps an eye on. She gathers cuttings sometimes. She visits trees and the acorn woodpecker “granaries.” If I’m with her, she’s educating me about the plants. Although she’s a gardener, not a botanist, she has a lot of knowledge about California natives.
You should put a pair of old socks over your shoes/boots ,gives you extra grip .
Wasn’t it about a year ago you went arse over tit ?
How minus 35 feels depends on what the wind is like. Unfortunately in Canada they’ve taken to saying stuff like “It’s minus 35, but it feels like minus 44 with the windchill.” Well, no, it doesn’t. Minus 44 with no wind doesn’t feel like minus 35 with a wind. I prefer the old days, when they used to say the windchill was 2300, and your face will fall off if you stay out too long.
When I got up in Saskatoon at 7 AM yesterday it was -35 according to my electronic thermometer. I went out and did something like two and quarter hours outside yesterday, in two different stints. Fun stuff. But of course I was dressed properly, and didn’t stand in one spot. Ironically December and January were warmer than usual, with multiple days near and above freezing, so we got spoiled.
The sound of footsteps screams “COLD”!
I’m very glad to not have to deal with -30 or -35 F temperatures. Here in Massachusetts, it very rarely gets colder than 0 F (about -18 C) in terms of air temperature, although the windchill temperature does sometimes drop that low or lower. The only two downsides to this are 1) Snow is often relatively wet and heavy and more difficult to shovel, and 2) the freeze-thaw cycle that PZ described as creating ice on the path in early spring happens all through the winter here, so icing can be a problem all through the winter. On the other hand, we only have to deal with moderate rather than really brutal cold.
Greetings from Tokyo, where commutes are closer to 1-2 hours, snow and very low temperatures ardly hever appen, and the view is not blocked by trees in most places. However, like in Morris, cars are not really needed. You seem to like it there, and it looks and sounds lovely. You know that from now on you will have to document all four seasons.
I started watching a tube channel a while back by Louis Rossmann mostly apple computer board repair but he added his commute on an e-bike where he talks about what ever simi random stuff , He lives in New York and those bike rides are interesting and relaxing, a real picture of life in New York and things are always different. I could watch your walks where ever you go as well very nice!
uncle frogy