Comments on: Why did we get so wet? http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/ Round the world by mountain-bike Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:11:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: peter http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-1146 peter Tue, 27 May 2008 10:02:48 +0000 http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-1146 Hi, Like you I am obssessed with the weather. We seem to have had a very cold May and towards the end in Hampshire & Dorset we have had enormous amounts of rain. Yesterday my garden was flooded to a depth of 2 feet by the nearby stream. It was too wet to play golf and I was thoroughly miserable. I love the sun but don't want to live in a desert either! All I want is a climate that you can rely on. There are plenty of things to do and places to go in hampshire and dorset on wet and cold days. Pity you don't know for sure which ones they are going to be. Hi,

Like you I am obssessed with the weather. We seem to have had a very cold May and towards the end in Hampshire & Dorset we have had enormous amounts of rain. Yesterday my garden was flooded to a depth of 2 feet by the nearby stream. It was too wet to play golf and I was thoroughly miserable. I love the sun but don’t want to live in a desert either! All I want is a climate that you can rely on. There are plenty of things to do and places to go in hampshire and dorset on wet and cold days. Pity you don’t know for sure which ones they are going to be.

]]> By: Andy http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-979 Andy Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:34:50 +0000 http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-979 just like old times just like old times

]]> By: Mark http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-966 Mark Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:26:00 +0000 http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-966 Yeah - completely agree that we saw some different possible(!) effects of climate change - the blackberries in July, the early harvest - but what I'm objecting to (with good humour) is the way you guys go on about bad weather - it just seems very British. It didn't rain all day everyday, there weren't blizzards in France, and there weren't tsunamis on Lake Geneva. We experienced a fair mixture of different weather. I think we need to be careful about imagining trends that aren't there too. For example, in the mid 19th Century there was a mini "ice-age" and the Thames froze over, which was a freak occurrence. In low moments we all say, hell it's always raining isn't it?! If you go out looking for something you will invariably find it - much better to look at the longterm records, which I'll agree don't look particularly favourable. Just because you found the Les Gets slopes almost unrideable doesn't mean anyone else did. :) he he. Yeah - completely agree that we saw some different possible(!) effects of climate change - the blackberries in July, the early harvest - but what I’m objecting to (with good humour) is the way you guys go on about bad weather - it just seems very British. It didn’t rain all day everyday, there weren’t blizzards in France, and there weren’t tsunamis on Lake Geneva. We experienced a fair mixture of different weather. I think we need to be careful about imagining trends that aren’t there too. For example, in the mid 19th Century there was a mini “ice-age” and the Thames froze over, which was a freak occurrence.

In low moments we all say, hell it’s always raining isn’t it?! If you go out looking for something you will invariably find it - much better to look at the longterm records, which I’ll agree don’t look particularly favourable.

Just because you found the Les Gets slopes almost unrideable doesn’t mean anyone else did. :) he he.

]]> By: Tom http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-959 Tom Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:02:18 +0000 http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-959 I guess Mark forgot about the plight of the wheat crops in France, where the corn was ripe in July (as a result of the hot spring) but there was too much rain to harvest it. I remember a 3 day window of clear weather where the entire landscape was filled with combine harvesters as they tried to get it all in before the rain returned (which it did). I guess he also forgot the state of the trails in the mountain-biking resort of Les Gets which were almost unrideably rutted due to the heavy rain (and snow - in July!) making the ground soft. It had just finally dried out in the week before we arrived, leaving cracked, churned-up but solid ground (thanks to the unrelenting riders) rather than the smooth trails they usually enjoy for year after year. I lived there for 4 months and heard all this from my friends who have lived there for many, many years. I would not hesitate to use the words 'climate abnormalities' to explain those two things, amongst others. Last summer was abnormally wet. We all know that rain is life-giving, but we also know that flooding kills people - so that's another sweeping generalization. I guess Mark forgot about the plight of the wheat crops in France, where the corn was ripe in July (as a result of the hot spring) but there was too much rain to harvest it. I remember a 3 day window of clear weather where the entire landscape was filled with combine harvesters as they tried to get it all in before the rain returned (which it did).

I guess he also forgot the state of the trails in the mountain-biking resort of Les Gets which were almost unrideably rutted due to the heavy rain (and snow - in July!) making the ground soft. It had just finally dried out in the week before we arrived, leaving cracked, churned-up but solid ground (thanks to the unrelenting riders) rather than the smooth trails they usually enjoy for year after year. I lived there for 4 months and heard all this from my friends who have lived there for many, many years.

I would not hesitate to use the words ‘climate abnormalities’ to explain those two things, amongst others. Last summer was abnormally wet. We all know that rain is life-giving, but we also know that flooding kills people - so that’s another sweeping generalization.

]]> By: guess who http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-954 guess who Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:07:39 +0000 http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-954 Is it not we remember in a generalised way? I'm sure we had the worst summer last year ( England 2007) that I can remember - day after day of grey though not necessarily cold. Also April was outstandingly sunny and unusually warm from my recollection. What we need is weather recordings!! Is it not we remember in a generalised way? I’m sure we had the worst summer last year ( England 2007) that I can remember - day after day of grey though not necessarily cold. Also April was outstandingly sunny and unusually warm from my recollection.
What we need is weather recordings!!

]]> By: Tom http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-953 Tom Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:26:35 +0000 http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-953 Andy's opinions do not necessarily reflect mine. That said, it continued to rain for the majority of Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and European Turkey when you were basking in (sunny?) Dorset! Andy’s opinions do not necessarily reflect mine. That said, it continued to rain for the majority of Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and European Turkey when you were basking in (sunny?) Dorset!

]]> By: Mark http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-942 Mark Sat, 01 Mar 2008 08:31:15 +0000 http://www.ride-earth.org.uk/blog/2008/02/21/why-did-we-get-so-wet/#comment-942 Do you guys not remember the vast amounts of sun we experienced? I think what it comes down to is that it rains in Europe. Rain is life giving. If you want sun everyday, go to a desert. I certainly did not get wet almost every day. In fact I remember many days in which we chose to get wetter because it was so hot. I do not think we experienced any climate abnormalities. Do you guys not remember the vast amounts of sun we experienced? I think what it comes down to is that it rains in Europe. Rain is life giving. If you want sun everyday, go to a desert. I certainly did not get wet almost every day. In fact I remember many days in which we chose to get wetter because it was so hot. I do not think we experienced any climate abnormalities.

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