Really, really OT: Source of Light Pollution in ND?

[Macclan5]

Hans

I have not been "there" or "through" there in some time. It is for me a " significant stopping point" when visiting family in Western Canada when driving.

Perhaps other here have more recent experience.

However slightly further north - Minot North Dakota was a beautiful high quality of life - small city - affordable - to live in place.

Google searches of "quality of life Minot North Dakota" seem to echo positive feedback.

Minot was that nice balance of small but not too small, with the economic base to keep and attract young people, with a strong sense of community.

The only downfall - much as my family in Saskatchewan / Alberta share - January night time temperature - occasionally minus 40degree both Centigrade and Fahrenheit.

You need a car with a "block heater".

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Macclan5

Hans

I have not been "there" or "through" there in some time. It is for me a " significant stopping point" when visiting family in Western Canada when driving.

Perhaps other here have more recent experience.

However slightly further north - Minot North Dakota was a beautiful high quality of life - small city - affordable - to live in place.

Google searches of "quality of life Minot North Dakota" seem to echo positive feedback.

Minot was that nice balance of small but not too small, with the economic base to keep and attract young people, with a strong sense of community.

The only downfall - much as my family in Saskatchewan / Alberta share - January night time temperature - occasionally minus 40degree both Centigrade and Fahrenheit.

You need a car with a "block heater".

While I was technically born in cold weather country (Chester, Pennsylvania), my parents moved the family to St. Petersburg when I was 4-1/2 years old. I live in the house I grew up in. My 58 years as a Floridian has left me with blood so thin I struggle to handle my winter observing nights in weather that has gone as low as 26 degrees at times.

Couple that with my old age and sports damaged joint arthritis and the dry heat and awesomely un-light polluted skies of New Mexico would be my ideal retirement locale.

However, I'm not inclined to relocate across country and have settled for the 2.24 acre country plot in North Central Florida for my retirement. Will be only marginally colder there than my present locale.

I admire all of you who are hardy enough to endure living in snow country. I also think you are all off your rockers.[:D]

[rustysi]

I admire all of you who are hardy enough to endure living in snow country. I also think you are all off your rockers.

Love the snow. Am in fact a winter sports person. Tug Hill in upstate NY is right now getting 3-4 feet of snow. Been there when they got 7 feet one weekend. Unfortunately recent health issues may have permanently curtailed any hope of enjoying snow country again. And who told you I was off my rocker?[:D]

Oh wait, its self evident.[:)]

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: Macclan5

Hans

I have not been "there" or "through" there in some time. It is for me a " significant stopping point" when visiting family in Western Canada when driving.

Perhaps other here have more recent experience.

However slightly further north - Minot North Dakota was a beautiful high quality of life - small city - affordable - to live in place.

Google searches of "quality of life Minot North Dakota" seem to echo positive feedback.

Minot was that nice balance of small but not too small, with the economic base to keep and attract young people, with a strong sense of community.

The only downfall - much as my family in Saskatchewan / Alberta share - January night time temperature - occasionally minus 40degree both Centigrade and Fahrenheit.

You need a car with a "block heater".

While I was technically born in cold weather country (Chester, Pennsylvania), my parents moved the family to St. Petersburg when I was 4-1/2 years old. I live in the house I grew up in. My 58 years as a Floridian has left me with blood so thin I struggle to handle my winter observing nights in weather that has gone as low as 26 degrees at times.

Couple that with my old age and sports damaged joint arthritis and the dry heat and awesomely un-light polluted skies of New Mexico would be my ideal retirement locale.

However, I'm not inclined to relocate across country and have settled for the 2.24 acre country plot in North Central Florida for my retirement. Will be only marginally colder there than my present locale.

I admire all of you who are hardy enough to endure living in snow country. I also think you are all off your rockers.[:D]

That is why I want to get a rocking chair. That way when people see me, they can honestly say "There's Joe, he's off his rocker again!"

BTW, I would rather have a dry -30 F than a humid +30 F. When it is humid, the cold really penetrates. The warmest thing to wear is nylons. Also, dress in layers. Keep warm snuggling with a pretty blonde or brunette . . .

[HansBolter]

I can't speak to the aspects of a dry -30F because I have never experienced it, but I can speak to a wet 30F.

In mid central to north central Florida, where I typically do my field observing, it is not uncommon for temps to drop into the mid 20s. In south central Florida, whee I live, its rare for temps to drop below freezing. I can grow tropical plants here that wouldn't survive 100 miles north.

Our days in the 30s are typically wet. The days and nights in the 20s are typically the driest we ever experience. We only get 20s when the super cold, super dry arctic air masses succeed in making it past the warm Gulf air mass that often causes cold fronts to stall in north central Florida.

I learned a long time ago that layers are the key to staying out all night in the cold, damp weather. A woman in my astronomy club, now deceased, taught me about using a pair of nylon warm up pants pulled over my jeans to ward off the damp cold. Jeans, while a heavy material, are very porous to wind, being a very open weave and are very bad about soaking up the moisture in the air. I use a pair of lined warm up pants for an extra layer of insulation. Keeping feet warm is essential. Once your feet get cold you will be packing it in for the night. Insulated hunting boots are the answer.

We use various heating devices to ward off dew on observing equipment. I keep two heating pads on a table near the scope. Eyepieces and binoculars are kept stashed between the heating pads to keep dew off. I hair dryer is also near by as a last resort for clear accumulated dew from optics.

I can remember one star party night where we were huddled around the scope at 4:30 am in 26F weather passing the hair dryer and blowing it inside our jackets in our struggle to endure. True die hard observers won't let anything but clouds stop them.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: Macclan5

Hans

I have not been "there" or "through" there in some time. It is for me a " significant stopping point" when visiting family in Western Canada when driving.

Perhaps other here have more recent experience.

However slightly further north - Minot North Dakota was a beautiful high quality of life - small city - affordable - to live in place.

Google searches of "quality of life Minot North Dakota" seem to echo positive feedback.

Minot was that nice balance of small but not too small, with the economic base to keep and attract young people, with a strong sense of community.

The only downfall - much as my family in Saskatchewan / Alberta share - January night time temperature - occasionally minus 40degree both Centigrade and Fahrenheit.

You need a car with a "block heater".

While I was technically born in cold weather country (Chester, Pennsylvania), my parents moved the family to St. Petersburg when I was 4-1/2 years old. I live in the house I grew up in. My 58 years as a Floridian has left me with blood so thin I struggle to handle my winter observing nights in weather that has gone as low as 26 degrees at times.

Couple that with my old age and sports damaged joint arthritis and the dry heat and awesomely un-light polluted skies of New Mexico would be my ideal retirement locale.

However, I'm not inclined to relocate across country and have settled for the 2.24 acre country plot in North Central Florida for my retirement. Will be only marginally colder there than my present locale.

I admire all of you who are hardy enough to endure living in snow country. I also think you are all off your rockers.[:D]

That is why I want to get a rocking chair. That way when people see me, they can honestly say "There's Joe, he's off his rocker again!"

BTW, I would rather have a dry -30 F than a humid +30 F. When it is humid, the cold really penetrates. The warmest thing to wear is nylons. Also, dress in layers. Keep warm snuggling with a pretty blonde or brunette . . .

Make sure your rocker has custom accessories such as inflatable life size fembots.

[rustysi]

The warmest thing to wear is nylons.

Silk.

When I snowmobile I typically prefer the temp to be between -10 and 0 F. Above 10 F I need to start opening zippers or I start to overheat. Then again I tended to ride hard. My machine was just like a 600 lbs. dirtbike to me, didn't spend too much time in the seat.