In Salt Lake City at least, I don’t think there was any more racist eating establishment than the Coon Chicken Inn. Remember that one? Dave On Nov 5, 2011, at 11:42 AM, Chuck Hards wrote:
I agree with Jay that the winter nights are the best. And the longest!
The trade-offs are that you don't have access to as many observing sites, and snow on the ground exacerbates the light pollution problem for sites close to the Wasatch front. You also have to contend with ground fog on occassion, and seek out higher altitude.
Some 25 years ago, before there was as much "sporty" winter apparel on the market, I discovered insulated overalls, the kind worn by diesel mechanics living in Wyoming. Those, along with a good parka, snowmobile boots, and a rabbit-fur hat (sorry Patrick) keep the winter observer toasty warm. I also would recommend taking a warm-up break in the car about once per hour. Make sure the dome lights don't come on, so you don't have to spend the next 30 minutes re-accommodating to the darkness.
Somewhere I have old photos of me and my observing cronies on Little Mountain, standing on a foot of snow, enjoying the winter objects, aurorae, and a little nip from the thermos (coffee and a dash of Bailey's) every once in a while.
We usually then went to Denny's (or Sambo's- anybody else remember the horribly racist Sambo's?) for breakfast, just as the sun was peeking over the mountains.
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