Kilted in the wind and hail

[cessna152towser]

With the stormy weather over the holiday period, no doubt many have their own story of thow their kilts handled the weather. Ann and I stayed home for Hogmanay. An hour after midnight when I went out to the conservatory to switch off the Christmas lights, my neighbours were seeing off some of their family who had been visiting so went outside briefly to bid them Happy New Year. Today I prepared steak pie, roast potatoes and brussels sprouts for a traditional ne'erday lunch (didn't take any pics as I was only wearing the same polycotton kilt which I wore in my Christmas photos). After lunch there was a break in the cloud and the wind seemed to have eased so we went out, Ann on her mobility scooter and me walking alongside. We stopped and spoke to several people and bid them a happy new year; everybody we saw gave at least a friendly hello as they passed. On the way back, the sky suddenly got much darker very quickly - the black area of sky was expanding from the west, where you might have expected to see it bright in the low afternoon sunlight. Another squall heading in. Ann had to put on the lights on her scooter and it began to hail and snow heavily, making the ground icy. Ann's scooter was unable to maintain traction on the slippy surface of the slope back up to the house and she had to dismount. I had to help Ann negotiate the icy surface back to the house on foot, then go back out and manhandle her scooter up to the house and stow it away. By the time I got indoors my black polycotton kilt was white with all the snow and ice clinging to it. I was still warm though - even in a thin polycotton kilt the design of the double front apron and rear pleats keeps you warm. Its less than an hour since we got back home and my kilt is dry already. A short but satisfying kilting adventure.

[Dreadbelly]

I've been out in ice storms and a hurricane or two.

The ice storm was the worst I think. Kilt was frozen, my dreadlocks were frozen dreadcicles sticking out in all possible directions, beard was frozen. Good thing about the kilt though... Once it was drenched in freezing rain and frozen solid, the wind was no longer able to blow it up.

I live inland from the coast, but we still get slammed by hurricanes pretty hard at times. During the year when Katrina happened I was out in the remains of a storm with drenching downpours and 75 to 100mph wind gusts, with sustained winds hitting in at about 50. Much like the ice storm, once the kilt was thoroughly drenched with water, it was far to heavy for the wind to lift.

[Andrew Breecher]

I remember one snowstorm where the wind was so strong that only one half of my face and beard had ice crystals on it. The only problem I had with my kilt was that the ice collected along the hem and chaffed at the back of my knee a little bit (only on the windward side). I walked 33 miles that day, through 8" of snow on the ground. I never even considered wearing anything but the kilt.

Andrew.

[Frank McGrath]

The U.K. was hard hit with wether problems during this holiday season. My wife and I were lucky that our plane was the last to land at Heathrow before they closed the airport. We had scheduled 2 nights in London so we weren't bothered by the closing. When our flight was called we checked in boarded and left. Good luck with the weather. Happy new Year

[Riverkilt]

Here's what wind alone did to my solid leather (HEAVY) Utilikilt in Monument Valley this Spring.



Ron

[irishrob]

Just recieved a callfrom my daugter in Edinburgh she said they a miserable storm with winds over 80mph and rain. I asked if her husband was wearing a kilt and she said negative and I kind of gave her the business and said it must be somewhat shameful and sad when her Dad wears a kilt more than her husband in Scotland. But she said the Burns Night is the big kilt time with her new in-laws.

The Happiest of New Years to all.

Rob

[Erisianmonkey]

When I was out in the snowstorm the other day, the only wind trouble I had was at the bus stops-the passing vehicles sent some damp blasts of air upwards! I had no trouble keeping the kilt down, though. I'd have to say that the only time I've ever had my kilt fly up on me was when I slipped on the ice a while back. I went in one direction and the kilt went the other! I was lucky to be surrounded by snow drifts about my height at the time though, so no real embarrassment happened.

[mbhandy]

I'd have to say that the only time I've ever had my kilt fly up on me was when I slipped on the ice a while back. I went in one direction and the kilt went the other! I was lucky to be surrounded by snow drifts about my height at the time though, so no real embarrassment happened.

Had that kind of problem last Spring. I was in a SWK Gordon economy and I fell off a Ladder into a snow bank. My voice went up 2 or 3 levels and I moved real fast. I will have to say that within a short period of time the kilt had me bum and the rest of the works nice and warm.

MrBill

[Erisianmonkey]

The nice thing about falling in snow or water in the kilt is that while it is initially colder, you don't have wet trousers clinging to you. Both the kilt and you dry a lot quicker.

[mbhandy]

You got that right.

MrBill