Dealing with the heat?

Kevin

Code Monkey
Staff member
I'm about 6'3" with the physique of an NFL linebacker who may have missed a few workout sessions and the heat & I just don't get along. At all. It has physical affects on me. Today it got over 90*F with a high humidity percentage. Just walking around outside was causing me to be uncomfortable let alone doing errands & working on the outside of the house. Tomorrow won't be much better because the AC in my truck is not working properly and I have an hour drive each way to/from the office.

So how are you dealing with the Summer heat?
 
Humidity gets me everytime... When I was walking I was 6'4" and I'm sure I missed more practices then you- that said I loved the desert- Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, Vegas- I was in all these places in the middle of the summers of various years- I remember walking around Old Town Scottsdale on a 112 degree day and one week in Vegas it was above 110 one day- In fact I could very much feel the difference between what I think was officially 115 and 105 it was the next day- I didn't think I would.

My point is, despite my size and general lack of physical fitness in the desert air I was quite content- I hiked, I walked, and otherwise had no issues staying outside in the sun. However if I came home to NYC with its humidity I felt worse on an 85 degree in NYC then a 110 in Phoenix- A LOT worse... The thing about it being a "Dry Heat" is no joke.

Then there was a time I spent in Dallas... Arizona temps with NYC humidity... Just kill me next time- it would be preferable then walking any real distance in that weather.
 
Dry heat or not, I can't stand high temperatures. With low humidity I'm good until the mid 80's but with high humidity I start losing it around the mid 70's. Don't know if it is a physical reaction or mental but one of my sisters has the same problem.

The worst for me was a rain forest in Hawaii. The weather on the island was just incredible so somebody had the great idea to hike into a national park that was a rain forest that was supposed to have a waterfall "only a mile or two from the entrance."

About 5 miles in it was so humid that my glasses were fogging up and my wife's legs looked like they were being eaten alive by mosquitoes. The rest of the island, no bugs and we enjoyed eating outside but in this park it was like a scene out of movie. And, of course, no waterfall in sight.

I won't go into details as to what affect those kinds of conditions have on on me other than to say that I was very happy that I packed my backpack with certain essential items that was scoffed at by others. Some of us ended up turning around at that point and went back down to the park entrance. When the others returned we were told that the waterfall was barely 10' or so high. The dog that was with them was covered in mud. He got worn out & took his break in the middle of a mud pool and had to be carried the rest of the hike. Oh, the memories. :D
 
mudme1.jpg
All I have to show for Hawaii was sinking a Jeep into a tide pool. :D
 
Upper 90's today with a heat index over 100! :eek:

Undershirts, and fans, that and central AC!
At the house I can get away with that but at the office my co-workers might complain! :D Being in IT I can get away with jeans & golf shirts but undershirts might be pushing it. They like to keep the temp' in the office in the upper 70's so it is usually around 76 or so and my office has a ceiling duct in it so it is a few degrees warmer. To cope I have one fan clipped to my coat hanger and then a smaller desktop fan that is supposed to clean the air at the same time. It doesn't lower the temperature but it at least keeps the air moving.
 
I mean, the undershirt helps absorb sweat, maybe it is just me but I sweat profusely. The undershirt helps keep it covered.

My dad used to sell these things that were basically silicate gel beads in a headband style sleeve. You dipped it in cool water and refrigerated it. Then you could pull it out and wrap it around your neck. I don't know if they still make them but I would imagine you could buy the gel beads and make your own. It can really help you feel cooler.

76 isn't too bad. I was dealing with 85-95 in the old room I was in, though I didn't have a dress code to follow. My new office is around 75~ and I keep a fan to help push the air out from under the desk and keep it a bit cooler due to the computer equipment.


Speaking of Hawaii are you guys talking about Oahu or the Big Island or another island? I grew up in Hawaii (Oahu) if you stayed in the lowlands of the leeward side the bugs were minimal. As soon as you go into the windward side or up into the mountains with vegetation and water/rain (constant sprinkles) bugs were everywhere.
 
I was on Maui, Lanai, and Big Island... Lanai and Maui were great. Personally I wasn't a fan of Big Island (I was based out of Kona but did the drive around the whole island- unfortunately I didn't risk going up to the observatory as I already ruined one transmission in mu rental going to Volcanoes Nat'l Park and didn't want to push my luck with Rentals not being allowed on that highway.)

At my old office when it used to get very hot I'd just spend all day in the Server Room, we had a couple of desks in there. Funny how often "Required Server Maintenance" would come up in the summer. :smiley:
 
My rain forest adventure took place on Oahu. We were island hopping and go to see some different sites & activities. Most I'll repeat, rain forest hiking I will not.

Dealing with the heat today I finally got a chance to go into the pool. In the water I am like a graceful manatee. :D
 
You should always keep some in the car. I do! don't need more of a drivers tan then I already have.
There is always some in the house since my wife sells Avon. I am not outside often so I tend to not use any; considering it was my first dip in the pool this season I really should have been less stubborn since. :(
 
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