Life in the "Banana Belt"

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below

-- Clement Clarke Moore, A Visit from St. Nicholas, 1823

Yes, that is -8° Fahrenheit on our front porch this morning.

First blog post in a year and a half!

As my dear readers (all six of them) know, Angela and I live in the Lewiston Clarkston area, affectionately known as the L-C Valley. Clarkston WA is about as far as you can get from Seattle and still be in Washington. Lewiston ID which is across the Snake River from Clarkston, sits on the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers. At approximately 740 feet above sea level, this confluence is listed as Idaho's lowest elevation. Because of dams on the Snake and Columbia rivers, the port in Lewiston is classified as a seaport. 

Given its low elevation, Lewiston typically enjoys relatively mild winters (as compared with the rest of Idaho), giving rise to the term, "Banana Belt". Indeed, we enjoy mild winters and spring weather arrives for us a month earlier than does in surrounding areas. Local golf courses boast about being open year-round. Riding is possible all months of the year. But don't let the "Banana Belt" moniker fool you: winter still settles in, sometimes with a vengeance. Our state coordinator, who lives in Idaho Falls, was planning a trip up here one February when I told him not to worry about the weather. "We're in the Banana Belt of Idaho!" I said. Two days before he arrived, we got a foot of snow. The following year, the same thing happened. I don't think I will ever live down my Banana Belt comments. 

This winter, we enjoyed an exceptionally mild December. Temperatures climbed well into the 50s on several occasions. I was able to ride my bike many times. In fact I rode until within a week of Christmas. 

Alas, that seems like such a long time ago. As we descend into mid January, temperatures have been hovering around zero all day. In fact, tonight, January 13, 2024, we're heading for a second consecutive night of sub-zero temperatures. Our front door is cold to the touch. We cough whenever we step outside because the air is so cold that when we breathe, it irritates our throats. The battery in our truck just gave up and had to be replaced. My bike is sitting on its pad; covered and hooked up to the battery tender. Hopefully it will start when riding weather returns.

Life in the Banana Belt...🥶