[Leica] IMG: Operation "Storm in the Desert"

[jhnichols at bellsouth.net (Jim Nichols)]

Peter,

Looks like you captured a flying saucer in 2644.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Klein" <pklein@2alpha.net>
To: <lug@leica-users.org>; <leica@freelists.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 5:11 PM
Subject: [Leica] IMG: Operation "Storm in the Desert"


> Palm Springs.  Ah, yes.  Gently swaying palm trees, warm desert breezes.
>
> Well, not always.  Shortly after our arrival, the vast Pacific storm that 
> had been dumping on Los Angeles decided to move east.  Most of the 
> moisture got squeezed out as the clouds moved over the intervening 
> mountains.
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/palmsprings/L1002624-prf.jpg.html
>
> But the energy remained.  It came roaring down the mountainsides, and hit 
> the valley about 45 minutes after the Super Bowl started.
>
> Branches started falling off the palm trees
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/palmsprings/L1002625-prf.jpg.html
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/palmsprings/L1002632-prf.jpg.html
>
> We took advantage of a lull to get to the safety of our hotel, a few 
> blocks away.  Then it really started to blow again, with the winds 
> reversing several times.  The top gusts were just under about 70 mph (113 
> kph).
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/palmsprings/L1002637-prf.jpg.html
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/palmsprings/L1002642-prf.jpg.html
>
> And debris really started to fly around:
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/palmsprings/L1002643-prf.jpg.html
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/palmsprings/L1002644-prf.jpg.html
>
> The power went out, with no rhyme or reason to it.  Some blocks had 
> electricity, some didn't.  There were a lot of ticked-off football fans 
> trying to find a bar with a working TV between gusts. I have no record of 
> these, as I was not going to risk getting bopped upside the head by an 
> errant palm tree.
>
> This same storm moved across the country, joined up with some moisture 
> from Mexico, and caused the horrible tornados that caused so much grief in 
> Missouri and Tennessee on "Super Tuesday" primary election day.
>
> M8, 35 and 50mm Summicrons. This is your roving reporter, reporting.
> --Peter
>
>
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