How Cold Is Cold?

                              
 
   Having been born and raised in Southern California I have a skewed perspective on what Colorado cold is and the impact that weather can have on your life.  There are some adaptive measures that I've had to learn and apply.
     Is 30 degree weather cold?  In California, absolutely...grab your coat for sure.  Better yet, stay inside!  I've learned that in Colorado, a surprisingly much drier climate, that 30 is my threshold for going outside for a jog.  Shorts and a long sleeve athletic shirt are all I need.  Under 30, I might break my rule, but gloves and a beanie would be in order.
     When my inlaws were visiting this Christmas (also from California) , we went for a walk to the post office.  My father-in-law, Jack, asked me what the temperature was outside.  I knew where he was going with this.  He wanted to know weather or not he needed to bring along a jacket or not.  Unfortunately, even if I told him what the temperature was, it wouldn't really answer his question.  Not to deny him his answer, I told him it was 50 degrees out, and that he most likely didn't need a jacket but that he might just want to carry a light jacket just in case. (You have to provide a security measure because if he does infact get cold, you're sure to get blamed for causing the discomfort).  In the sun 50 degrees was quite comfortable.  Compare that to 50 degrees in California anytime and there is a stark contrast.  I try to educate them so that they don't get afraid of the weather by the temperature reading alone.  Our hopes are that they won't be afraid of Colorado because they see a low temperature and that a low temperature doesn't mean we live in an Arctic wasteland.
     I'll leave you with my windshield washer fluid experience.  Did you know that there is an anti-freeze flavor of washer fluid?  Yes?  Well you're one up on me then.  I tried to clean my windshield with the fluid I had in my car from California for the past year and it was frozen in the lines.  After lunch I went to the car to check on it and it was fine, plenty of fluid in the reservoir.  Good.  Now I'm on the freeway on ramp and thinking that I could use a cleaner windshield, I didn't realize that in 19 degree weather that this stuff just sprayed a layer of ice all over, making it impossible to see.  I only had a small spot of visibility in the lower middle section of the windshield.  I had to lean over and down to see.  I had the wipers going full speed to try to scrape away ice and the defroster on full blast to try to melt it away.  About 4 miles later I was able to sit up and drive normally.  My windshield washer reservoir is now filled with the anti-freeze style of windshield washer fluid...cause you need that stuff out here!