Nice Foggy Morning

by on Dec 30, 2008

Some people think I’m strange when I say that I love the fog. I mean it. I really love the fog. Sacramento gets some nice Tule fog that can cover much of the valley this time of year. Yes, I understand that it’s dangerous for drivers, but I think it’s also beautiful and comforting.

The fog here, named after the grass-like Tule plant (and Tule Elk by association) that is common in the wetlands, isn’t your normal Bay Area style fog that moves at a higher level. Tule fog coats areas in a thick layer that sits until temperatures rise and burns it off. With visibility as low as ten feet, it’s the leading cause of weather-related fatalities in California.

So, what is it about this lethal blanket of moisture that I love? When I look out the window into our backyard and I can’t see my neighbors, I feel secluded. When I drive through the city and I can’t see the billboards and advertisements, everything looks cleaner. When I can only see a car or two around me on my commute to work, I turn down the radio and I’m alone with my thoughts. It’s mostly like being wrapped up in a comfy blanket.

I was curious if I was the only one who loves the fog, and I’m happy to find that I’m not alone. It seems that everyone I admit my enthusiasm to tells me, in one way or another, how weird that is. Some people are direct and some just repeat my statement in a question (“You love the fog?”), yet others feel the need to inform me about how dangerous it can be. Yes, I’ve driven in fog so thick that visibility was almost completely eliminated, I lost track of the tail lights in front of me, and I had to slow to a crawl and follow the line on the highway. I know the dangers of which they speak.

I’ve grown up with Tule fog, I’ve experienced the dangers of it, and I still catch myself with a huge grin when I walk out the door and can’t see the house across the street. Life seems to slow down, there are fewer distractions with more peace and quiet.

Are there any more fog fans out there?

  • William

    I love the fog for pretty much the exact reasons you gave. Much like snow, which we rarely get here in north Texas, it hides the trash and general city crap we drive through everyday. Admittedly it’s not so exciting when driving through it at night, as I did just a few weeks ago coming home late, but during the early morning it’s so calming and comforting to look at as if I’m the only person up and about in the world.

    Here at work we’re up on a hill and can see quite a long view to the south, and it’s absolutely gorgeous when the fog hangs around long enough to see it blanketing the city from where I park my car.

  • http://drivelocity.com drivelocity

    Thanks for stopping by William. That sounds like a nice way to start the day! One thing I like about fog at night is the effect it has on street lights…

  • William

    The coolest thing I’ve seen is a very low and heavy fog where you can’t see anything 30 feet away, but you can see all the stars in a big hole straight above you. It’s very surreal when you’re so cut off from the rest of the world, yet so exposed to the universe.