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Monday 26 August 2013

Hail Suppression

If you live in Alberta you will likely have had en experience with hail at some point in time throughout one of our Summers! That big, super black cloud approaches and then the familiar clack clack clack as the ice pellets start to shower down. Well, at least they generally tend to be ice pellets only and you can be thankful for that, as we all know how bad the outcome is when they aren't that small. Dented vehicles, damaged shingles on the house, holes in vinyl siding, shredded gardens and crops.
Alberta is now known as the world capital for destructive hail, causing widespread home, auto and crop damage, particularly in an area that runs from the foothills east and from Rocky Mountain House down to High River.
Starting as far back as 1956, there have been numerous projects dedicated to mitigating hail damage and today's modern technology is now guided by The Alberta Severe Weather Management System, a 3.1 million dollar enterprise fully funded by the insurance industry.
Though results are not 100% guaranteed, since you can't get them all, even a 20% reduction in damages amounts to a savings of hundreds of millions of dollars and a lot less grief all around! Alberta suffers about 1 billion dollars in damage by hail every year, so cloud seeding was introduced as a way of suppressing that damage.
Basically, the idea is to introduce a particulate, Silver Iodite, into a storm cloud that shows the potential for hail stones. The particulate attracts the moisture and starts to form millions of little hailstones, with the emphasis on little! Many small hailstones means less larger ones, like the kind that cause all the damage.
Being on call 24/7 for the 4 months of hail season,  a crew of meteorologists on the ground, and pilots at the controls of 5 planes means the ASWMS is always ready to track any possible hail storm and take action when the threat is imminent.
We stopped to stretch our legs at the park in Olds and checked out the set up for the horseshoe pits

The Cow Palace eh? Hmmm...


The Dominion's Laura Bock invited Blue Circle's Sarah, left, and Stewart.

Project Direct , Terry Krauss, led the seminar.

2012 storms, as tracked by ASWMS
We met the meteorologists and pilots

The dark blue bars are Alberta hail storm damages ranked against other Canadian disasters.

Sarah holds plaster replicas of actual hailstones, including Alberta's largest on the right.


Storm tracking with Brad Waller, head meteorologist.
The airports unofficial mascot just wants to play!

The daily report

Out on the tarmac

Pilot, Andeas, shows us the wing flare system...

...and the belly flares which are ejected after ignition.

Co-pilot for a few minutes


Red Leader, this is White Flag...I have you low and to the east, in the north-east quadrant of the target area......over.

Thumbs up for a great day!

Sunday 18 August 2013

Heritage Harley Davidson 3rd Anniversary Bash

Congratulations to the fine folks at Heritage Harley Davidson in Edmonton. Their third year in the new building and things are looking great. Some good music, some great bikes and lots of people enjoying a mostly sunny afternoon. Blue Circle was honoured to be invited up to help celebrate, so thank you very much.

Getting set up

Practice your shifting on this rig


The Baker Boyz doing some free hand detailing


This bagger got a lot of votes for Best Bike


Live bands


The way it should be at a m.c. shop!!


Nice bike and cool hat!




Bikini bike wash


I like this cute little bikini girl :)


On site ink 




Bikes are lining up now




Old school bagger style


Friday 16 August 2013

City At Night

Night time walk through my neighbourhood of Ramsay

The underpass


Another frame of Jesse Gouchey's work for Johnny Crow


The street light cast the shadow of the trees onto the building, like a temporary mural

Foothills Cycleworks Charity Ride

The good folks at Cycleworks in Okotoks are organizing a flood relief charity ride to support their good neighbours in High River. The High Ride goes Saturday August 24th and by clicking this link you can go directly to their Facebook page and register. Watch for further updates in the coming week and please let your friends and fellow riders know about the event


Wednesday 14 August 2013

It Really Is A Small World!!

Since Blue Circle was really busy, I was helping out in the office by taking on some of the requests for quotes. After calling one of the numbers on the list and chatting to a very nice young lady with a distinctive name I told her of a young girl I once met with the very same name. It would have been 20 years ago that I volunteered my services at my neighbourhood elementary school in Ramsay, as they were preparing for the Grade 6 grad and looking to get "grad photos" of the students who were leaving. It was my hobby and I happily offered my services,  taking a series of photos, including one of this sweet young girl.


Well wouldn't you know it if my gal on the phone was none other than the very same young lady from Ramsay School, all grown up and rollin' out on her very own motorcycle for the first time. Still a lovely young lady, very polite and quite enthusiastic about motorcycling! We're very happy to have her as part of the Blue Circle family and it was a real treat to get to meet up with her after so many years!


First we try the Sport Bike

Soon we're hooked on dirt bikes!