St. John's in 2015-2016-2017 - Page 3

FrAnKs · #41 Posted **Mar 12, 2015, 12:01 AM**

Awwww... thank you my ducky Islander

!

SignalHillHiker · #42 Posted **Mar 14, 2015, 4:16 PM**

It's so cold today that the protest had very poor turnout. Only a few dozen at its peak. But still nice for a little run around the National War Memorial area.

• Video Link

March 14, 2015 by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

SignalHillHiker · #43 Posted **Mar 15, 2015, 12:09 PM**

Absolutely freezing this morning, but I did Signal Hill anyway. Fuck winter.

• Video Link

March 15, 2015 by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

SignalHillHiker · #44 Posted **Mar 15, 2015, 4:30 PM**

Quidi Vidi by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Sin Jawwwnz by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Colonial Building Restoration by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

The Loop by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

SignalHillHiker · #45 Posted **Mar 16, 2015, 7:10 PM**

Another snowstorm. Wonderful.

The story here is that Paddy's wife, Sheila, follows him around the coast on his Saint's day in a white dress - bringing a storm called Sheila's Brush sometime around Paddy's Day.

And the worst part is St. Patrick's Day is already a holiday here so we (government, schools, most large corporations, etc.) had it off anyway.

• Video Link

Buried Alive in Rabbittown by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Sheila's Brush by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

SignalHillHiker · #46 Posted **Mar 17, 2015, 11:24 PM**

HAPPY PADDY'S DAY!

• Video Link

Happy Paddy's Day from Signal Hill by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

toyota74 · #47 Posted **Mar 18, 2015, 7:45 AM**

Happy Paddys day...that snow is crazy,we had an inch or two of snow for a day and the country came to a crawl.

SignalHillHiker · #48 Posted **Mar 18, 2015, 11:24 AM**

Well if you're not used to it, it can be devastating. Take Toronto - it gets a little every year but is almost never buried. When it got a huge dumping years ago, the City had to call in the army. They simply didn't have enough equipment to handle it. They'd have been digging out until Spring.

And Dublin gets even less. Do ye have any snow plows at all?

Here we are used to it. It comes and goes all winter, but it always comes. We have a huge fleet of snow removal equipment; we have hundreds of operators among the council workers; people are experienced enough to know where to park, how to dig out, how to drive on ice and snow. We have all the policies and practices in place (for example, the city cuts one lane through all streets. Then it clears the snow right to the curb from a handful of streets each night. You can't park on your street when it's your turn. So we know where to check, we know the nearest place we can legally park overnight, etc.)

BTW, read this yesterday. Fascinating to read her impression:

http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-s...orld-1.1538579

SignalHillHiker · #49 Posted **Mar 22, 2015, 12:10 PM**

March 21, 2015

First day of Spring. Very much still winter here. Temperature was around freezing all day - but **** it, we went hiking anyway.

We went from Cape Spear to Maddox Cove, both of which are part of the St. John's CMA. It's only 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) but it took 4.5 hours trudging through the snow.

A few pictures - mix of Canon and mobile.

• Video Link

When we hike, we hate turning around and repeating our steps, so we always take a couple of vehicles, park one at the exit of the trail, and then drive together to the entrance.

So I ditched my car in Maddox Cove...

And, today, we started from Cape Spear...

Cape Spear to Maddox Cove by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Cape Spear to Maddox Cove by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

That little bump on the horizon is Cabot Tower, at the top of Signal Hill. The city is behind there.

Cape Spear to Maddox Cove by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Cape Spear to Maddox Cove by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

We tried to make a dick.

Cape Spear to Maddox Cove by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Cape Spear to Maddox Cove by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove in the distance.

Cape Spear to Maddox Cove by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Cape Spear to Maddox Cove by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

We made it!

Cape Spear to Maddox Cove by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Danny · #50 Posted **Mar 22, 2015, 3:34 PM**

Very enjoyable hike, Signal!

What a lovely landscapes you enjoy there! I see Spring is delaying there, but don´t worry it will arrive sooner or later. By the momment, enjoy your excursions, that it´s really worth.

Congrats and greetings from Madrid, Spain.

toyota74 · #51 Posted **Mar 23, 2015, 9:31 PM**

Snow ploughs ...no....a bit of grit and hope for the best.I live on the west coast so is rare and it usually melts by midday if we do get it.I actually saw that programme that you linked on the telly.It was so bizarre to hear those Irish accents and how it clear they are to this day.Amazing really...considering the distance .Nice photos btw.

Driver8 · #52 Posted **Mar 24, 2015, 12:30 PM**

Fantastic winter scenes! St. John's really got socked with late-winter storms.

If I saw some of these shots in a movie, I'd almost suspect that the filmmaker exaggerated the snow for dramatic effect

For example, the shot of the woman in the blue coat shoveling in front of the house plastered with snow drifts.(For some reason, I can't insert that image).

SignalHillHiker · #53 Posted **Mar 24, 2015, 1:02 PM**

Yeah. Winter is actually our season with the most precipitation. From Wikipedia's description.

Quote:

St. John's has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb), with cool-to-warm summers, and relatively mild winters, which is due to Gulf Stream moderation. Mean temperatures range from −4.9 °C (23.2 °F) in February to 16.1 °C (61.0 °F) in August, showing somewhat of a seasonal lag in the climate. The city is also one of the areas of the country most prone to tropical cyclone activity, as it is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, where tropical storms (and sometimes hurricanes) travel from the United States.

Of major Canadian cities, St. John's is the foggiest (124 days),[40] windiest (24.3 km/h (15.1 mph) average speed),[41] and cloudiest (1,497 hours of sunshine).[42] St. John's experiences milder temperatures during the winter season in comparison to other Canadian cities, and has the mildest winter for any Canadian city outside of British Columbia.[43] Precipitation is frequent and often heavy, falling year round. On average, summer is the driest season, with only occasional thunderstorm activity, and the wettest months are from October to January, with December the wettest single month, with nearly 6.5 inches of precipitation on average. This winter precipitation maximum is quite unusual for humid continental climates, which most commonly have a late spring or early summer precipitation maximum (for example, most of the Midwestern U.S.). Most heavy precipitation events in St. John's are the product of intense mid-latitude storms migrating from the Northeastern U.S. and New England states, and these are most common and intense from October to March, bringing heavy precipitation (commonly 1.5 to 3 inches of rainfall equivalent in a single storm), and strong winds. In winter, two or more types of precipitation (rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow) can fall from passage of a single storm. Snowfall is heavy, averaging nearly 132 inches per winter season. However, winter storms can bring changing precipitation types. Heavy snow can transition to heavy rain, melting the snow cover, and possibly back to snow or ice (perhaps briefly) all in the same storm, resulting in little or no net snow accumulation. Snow cover in St. John's is variable, and especially early in the winter season, may be slow to develop, but can extend deeply into the spring months (March, April). The St. John's area is subject to freezing rain (called "silver thaws"), the worst of which paralyzed the city over a three-day period in April 1984.

mrnyc · #54 Posted **Mar 24, 2015, 8:40 PM**

hey whats the gold tower downtown upthread? thats pretty rad.

as for all the wintery-ness, if it has to linger on, then stj is the place to be.

SignalHillHiker · #55 Posted **Mar 24, 2015, 8:56 PM**

Two options. If it's the one with the Narrows in the background, then it's TD Place - right across from the old Fortis Building. It used to be Canadian red brick but it was reclad.

The other, in the Downtown West End (which is more orange than gold and also has lots of blue/black glass) is the new Fortis Building. The panels are actually wood - it's a tribute to Harwood Lumber which previously occupied the site.

SignalHillHiker · #56 Posted **Mar 25, 2015, 11:58 PM**

March 25, 2015

• Video Link

Sin Jawnz at Night by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Sin Jawnz at Night by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Rabbittown, my neighbourhood:

Sin Jawnz at Night by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

SignalHillHiker · #57 Posted **Mar 29, 2015, 11:19 AM**

"Spring"

A little taste of driving in the storm yesterday:

• Video Link

Spring by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

Spring by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

And a few quick and dirty mobile pics...

Grapevine:

McMurdo's Lane for Screech burgers at Magnum's.

Then down to a new bar on Water.

A little taste of the place - great, cozy little bar. I love the Water Street bars like Grapevine, Rose & Thistle, Nautical Nellie's, Gypsy Tea Room, etc. They all have such a nice vibe.

• Video Link

The Day After by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

xzmattzx · #58 Posted **Mar 30, 2015, 3:14 AM**

Nice updates!

SignalHillHiker · #59 Posted **Apr 4, 2015, 12:51 AM**

Thanks, Matt.

*****

Pitts Memorial Drive today, the quickest route to downtown, coming back from our hike today. It's 26 km in the summer, the hike we did, but faster in winter.

Cabot Tower and Signal Hill on the horizon to the right; downtown just below that. I don't know what this little road is called... probably still Commonwealth. It runs from Old Placentia Road to Ruby Line, but you can turn onto Memorial roughly in its middle (just ahead of me in this view). Somewhere left of that white truck the border between St. John's and Mount Pearl winds through the houses.

The Spout by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

View of downtown from the stretch of Memorial roughly in between the Old West End (left) and Kilbride (right and behind).

The Spout by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

And just about downtown...

The Spout by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

The distance from first picture to the third. Second is somewhere in between, closer to the end:

And a few pics from the hike:

It should only be about 14 km but we went horribly, horribly wrong. It took us almost 5 hours to get the Spout, and just over 2 hours to get back out on the actual trail.

The Spout by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

The Spout by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

And we had a little boil up...

Simba's Dad came to yell at the spout.

The Spout by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

A few other scenes along the way there/back:

The Spout by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

The Spout by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

LIFE!

The Spout by Rabbittownie, on Flickr

And a couple of pictures from our hike there last summer just to compare.

SignalHillHiker · #60 Posted **Apr 7, 2015, 9:34 PM**

I had to pop around to MUN after work today and took a few pictures - heavily censored - of the ugliest university in North America. May I present the tolerable bits... though I've included some hints of what the rest looks like.

• Video Link

Some basic information courtesy of Wikipedia:

Quote:

Memorial University of Newfoundland (colloquially known as Memorial University or "MUN") is a comprehensive university located primarily in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.[3]

With historical strengths in education, engineering, business, geology, and medicine, it is one of the top comprehensive universities in Canada.[4] With over 18,000 students, it is also the largest university in Atlantic Canada.[3]

MUN's four main campuses are served by more than 1100 faculty and 2,300 staff members. Memorial University of Newfoundland has been featured in the SJTU World university rankings, the TOP 500 and many other rankings. Memorial University of Newfoundland is a member of the prestigious International Association of Universities.

Memorial University of Newfoundland by Rabbittownie, on Flickr