I started this entry the other day while I was at work. However, a situation arose that prevented me from finishing this before I left for home. The day was December 26, 2012, the day after Christmas. There were blizzard warnings and winter storm warnings out for my area of the world, and it was looking pretty nasty out there. I had started thinking about the weather on Hoth and the transportation methods that the Rebels had to get around the planet...as I began to worry if I would be able to leave the hospital that day and get back home at the end of my shift. The strangest things come to your mind during a few moments of down time ;) It turns out that the winter weather system had moved through the region a bit faster than the meterologists had predicted, so I was able to make it home with minimal difficulty. However, on my one day off before returning to work, between loads of laundry and other household duties, I started thinking about this blog entry a little more. So here I am again, to write an entirely new entry about subject matter completey different than it would have been two days ago.
The snowfall and storm system were the first major winter weather we have had in nearly two years here. Last winter was mild, with little measurable snow...and it is looking like this year will be at least back to normal (hopefully not record-breaking!). I know that I should not complain about the snow, ice, and cold we get around here...I chose to stay in the area after I graduated from college...and there are worse places to live, winter weather-wise. However, that does not mean that I have to like it...especially if it means that I might not be able to make it home from work. I would much rather just hunker down at home during these bouts of nasty winter weather and snuggle up by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate...no worry other than what my son may be getting into.
As I sit and ponder the cold and snow around here, of course I cannot help but think of the opening scenes of Episode V...the ones that occur on Hoth. The Rebels chose a great, albiet cold and snowy, place to set up base in their attempts to hide from the Imperials. It was a planet on the outskirts of the galaxy, and one that nobody would think about searching for a hideout. The Rebels possibly could have hunkered down there a bit longer had the Empire not deployed probe droids into the far reaches of the galaxy.
I can only imagine not only how blistery cold it was for them but also how extremely dangerous it was for them to head out in search for signs of life and whatever else it was they were exploring there. Just like many parts of our world in the wintertime, it would be clear and sunny one minute and snowy and windy the next. They would almost have to venture out in teams so that nobody would have to traverse the extreme terrain alone. Much like the current day explorers/scientists/etc. that have set up base on Antarctica, the Rebels on Hoth would have had periods of time where it was safe to leave base/planet and periods of time where it was not. They would have had to adapt to these extremes in weather/climate and make adjustments accordingly, much like we do with extreme weather/climate changes today.
Although we do not have snow speeders or Tauntauns in/on which to travel, we do have vehicles that have been adapted over the years in which to travel: from four-wheel drive cars/trucks/SUVs to snow mobiles, we have ways in which to get around. I wait for the day that we have such things as the snow speeder, where we can traverse the terrain without worrying about how slick the roads are from the snow and ice, where snow plows and salt mixtures for road treatment are a thing of the past. So, until that time comes, I guess I will sit back and enjoy the snow on my days off and keep on traveling the way I have been since I was 16 years old...by car/truck/SUV.
Happy Holidays everyone!!
