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How do you deal with the heat?
Posted by Williwaw on July 10, 2019 at 12:50 amWe in Alaska, where temperatures are usually around 65^F this time of the year, are now experiencing our second week straight of temperatures up to 90 in the shade and above. Everything is parched, so to add to this misery smoke from fires burning to the north and south has visibility down to a mile or less at times. For those that live in the south, how do you keep from keeling over from heat stroke? I brought a gallon of ice water with me today and it was gone by lunch. I tell you, if this is the new norm, it sucks. How you folks manage down south is beyond me. Chance of rain by the weekend. Better hurry before the whole blasted place goes up in smoke. The mild winters have the forest loaded with beetle killed spruce, which firefighters like to refer to as ‘gasoline on a stick’, and they’re everywhere.
blitzkriegbob replied 5 years, 2 months ago 30 Members · 47 Replies -
47 Replies
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Well……..you adapt and learn to not fight it. Cotton is a no no and there are cotton fields all around me but I do not wear cotton. I wear long sleeve wicking shirts, Tru-Spec pants, and a boonie hat with one of those cool wrap bandanas that ya soak in ice cold water and it works.
I come out of the heat before it is the hottest, usually I call it by 1pm and then I draft or whatever. I drink many gallons of water. No beer.
I am usually still quite sweat soaked though.
Or you can try to Work neked!
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I was just up your way or in AK at least. Toured from Denali down to Seward. Locals were complaining about extreme heat everywhere we went. I thought it felt great. Upper 70’s to low 80’s with low humidity felt like a dream compared to N.C. I guess it’s what you’re used to.
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Coming out of the heat at 1 pm isn’t an option. This time of year it’s all out for us, 10-12 hour days. I’m using long sleeve vented fishing shirts, lots of ventilation. Soak it in water periodically and ring out and wear. Bandana gets the same treatment, wide brimmed straw hat. I was so disgusted last week after putting in a long day cutting and staking line, on the way back to the office I spotted a lake and pulled over and jumped in. Only took off my shoes. Drove back sopping wet, most comfortable I’d been all week. Suppose I can now strike N.C. and Georgia as possible retirement destinations.
Willy -
It’s no secret you can’t get as much done at a hundred degrees as you can at seventy. Start early and plan your day to get the “long stuff” out of the way early. Dress right and drink water ’til you’re sick of it…then drink some more. Getting hydrated and staying that way is something you can’t do in a short period of time, it takes time..like days.
And if you take prescription diuretics like me you have to drink even more.
Learning your limit and “where the line is at” varies from person to person. Succumbed to the heat ad a quick trip to the ER some years back taught me the dangers of pushing it. I hate to throw out a clich?? but “work smarter, not harder”.
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You have me confused with the OP. I am in N.W. Georgia 1 county away from Alabama.
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I’ve found that ex-officio clothing line is the best for heat and durability. Tried so many fishing ventilated shirts but all fail on land because they are made to work with a good breeze.
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Posted by: Andy J
I’ve found that ex-officio clothing line is the best for heat and durability. Tried so many fishing ventilated shirts but all fail on land because they are made to work with a good breeze.
There is definitely a lot to be said for a good breeze. It’s been in the mid-nineties around here with 80% (or higher) humidity the last couple of days. But there’s been a good wind. And it makes all the difference in the world.
Yesterday I was out on a drilling site that had that infernal 20′ tall sheet metal fencing surrounding the entire 660′ square perimeter. Besides screwing with my view of the sky and the multipath it also choked off every bit of wind there was. It also reflected the sun right down on my neck. I was wringing wet when I finally got out of there.
I was watching the drilling crew with their FP coveralls and safety equipment. I know they had to be hurting. Some people will be miserable just to make what they think is good money.
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I take it slow and easy old man. 3 to 4 hours maximum exposure. Then done for the day. 1pm IS an option. Re-think what is behind and pushing this 10-12 hour day ??requirement.?
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Williwaw, it’s all relative. We were in England and Scotland last May and they were complaining about the “heatwave”. It got all the way up to 72 degrees.
Personally I’ll take our 90 degree days any day to weather where my clothes freeze when they get wet. Of course I was raised here and have somewhat gotten used to it.
Andy
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We were in England and Scotland last May
My wife and I were, too. We considered ourselves very lucky to have hit such a long stretch of nice weather. We only got one really rainy day, and it was a driving day anyway so we didn’t really miss anything.
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Here in the StL area it is pretty much 90 degrees from June through late September. It sucks. But like everyone else has stated. You will get used to it. Here in the midwest where the sun actually sets we start at 5 am while its still “cool” and head to the shop by 2. Avoid the AC during the day at all cost – once you sit in the truck to cool off you’re done. Don’t drink beer/bourbon. Drinks lots of water. If you’re not peeing every hour your not drinking enough. I try to drink a liter every hour if possible.
Now to turn the tables…how the hell do you live in that cold ass place! I hate winter and will not work once the temp drops below 20. Probably because here in the midwest the wild never stops blowing, except from June through late September, when you need it the most.
BTW we have a heat index warning today. Actual temp will be 95 with heat index values around 110-115 in the urban jungle. I’m drafting all day today.
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I wear long-sleeve cotton shirts, Levis, and a hat that I can soak with water. Start at 4:00 A.M., stop at 1:00 P.M. and drink lots of water. Dad made me take salt tablets when I was a kid but I don’t do that anymore.
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Had one of them DNA tests done and turns out that while a good portion of my family is from the British Isles, there was more than handful of Vikings in the woodpile. I’m built for cold, but heat, not so much. Cold I can dress for, layer up and down to be comfortable. It’s easy to regulate, short of working Neked, in the heat I struggle. About the time I’ll start getting acclimated, the weather will start cooling off. Around here I start wearing shorts in the spring when the temps get all the way up to 40^.
Willy -
However…I would love to work up in Alaska for a summer. A coworker from a former employer heads up to Anchorage every June to work on remote airport projects and other various needs. He makes more money up there in the summer than what he will clear down here in Missouri the rest of the year. Sounds awesome – just the experience of what life could be like in other places.
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We arrived in Windsor the weekend before the Royal Wedding. Thankfully we missed all the hype and were in Scotland the day of the wedding. We were on a “Coach” (read bus) tour. We had my 84 year old mother in law and a friend her age with us so we were limited on what we could do. Beautiful country that we saw, I plan to return to Scotland some day.
Andy
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I’ve got a big cooler and part of getting ready in the morning is filling it with ice and some water. I will also throw some clean bottles of Gatorade in the water, because if you’ve ever seen salt rings in your clothes, you’ll know that you aren’t just losing water. Sometimes I will buy powdered Gatorade and throw it in the cooler to make a big batch, but usually just water so I can use it to pour over my head or wash my hands with if needed. Wide brimmed hat, tee-shirt under a long sleeve shirt, sunscreen. Melanoma sucks.
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Crazy Finns. Yea, I’m not doing that, especially in no 90^ heat.
Willy -
Yep, long sleeve cotton shit and brimmed hat. A bandanna in the cooler if necessary. It now takes a water or Gatorade per hour at my age.
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