I gauge the season by the type of gear that bivouacs in my work vehicle.
Winter:
-waders
-rain coat and poncho
-plastic bags
-towels
-kleenex (to wipe water away from lenses and cameras)
-extra change of everything
-hand warmers
Spring:
-Same as above
-bug spray
Summer:
-get rid of the rain gear
-keep the bug spray
-shorts
-swim goggles
-nomex fire gear
-sunscreen
-baseball hats
–Tecnu and calamine lotion for those days I wander off and fall in to poison oak
Fall:
–Everything from above.
This winter I’ve not removed a thing.
Because this year our seasons of California remain bass ackwards.
My trunk looks like a flea market. Fire gear on top of the rain gear. Sunscreen and bug spray readily available. At least four different hats, from an old Bosox hat to a sunhat worn for those long loud days at Infineon Raceway. This month they’ve all kept the rain and sun away from the gray hair. Since January, I have worn my fire gear more than my rain gear. This coming week, I may add gloves due to the forecast of snow on area mountaintops, which by the way may be the first of the season. I need to say that the ticks have been rabid this year. Big ugly ones.
Which season is it again?
For your enjoyment, here’s some of my favorites during the last few weeks.
Mark Yazzie and Sheila Rogers of Santa Rosa wait to get married on Valentines Day, Tuesday Feb. 14, 2012 at the Sonoma County Clerk's Office in Santa Rosa. Dozens of couples chose the day to exchange vows at the clerk's office. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2012
Angelina and Jorge Alvarez , 18 and 33, swear thet the information abou their identity is true before their wedding at the Sonoma County Clerk's Office in Santa Rosa, Tuesday Feb. 14, 2012. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2012
The YoYo ride at the Cloverdale Citrus Fair was the popular attraction, Saturday Feb. 18, 2012. The fair runs through Monday. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2012
Magarita Licon, left and Marylyn Dang of the Humboldt State Lumberjacks marching band, play trumpets while on the ferris wheel at the Cloverdale Citrus Fair, Saturday Feb. 18, 2012. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2012
Fabian Vasquez of Maria Carrillo High School gets a lift from coach Tim Bruce after taking the NBL Championship's 138lb division against Sam Bernard of Cardinal Newman, Saturdaty Feb. 18, 2012 at Santa Rosa High School. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2012
Ian Bridant, 9, of Sonoma gets a closer look at an HO scale railroad diorama during the Hobby Expo 2012 at the Petaluma Community Center, Saturday Feb. 11, 2012.(Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2012
Flames start to roll up a hillside near Atlas Peak, Thursday Feb. 23, 2012 off of Soda Canyon Road in Napa County as high winds push the flames threatening million dollar homes above the Napa Valley floor. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2012
Santa Rosa firefighters prepare to enter a home on fire near the intersection of Beaver and King Street in Santa Rosa, Wednesday Feb. 8, 2012. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2012
The Howard Forest (Willits) Cal Fire water dropping helicopter makes a drop on Atlas Peak, Thursday Feb. 23, 2012 off of Soda Canyon Road in Napa County as high winds push the flames threatening million dollar homes above the Napa Valley floor. (Kent Porter / Press Democrat) 2012
-Kent Porter
