Bad Timing, HOT Weather

[skyl4rk]

We are crossing the northern plains on US2 and left cool Lake Superior behind today.  The weather reports are for 80s and 90F temps across the plains for the next week.  Our goal is the Rocky Mountains.

I am trying to travel slow at about 100 to 200 miles a day.  We have been street camping, NF dispersed camping and Walmarting on the way here.  I was planning to use Walmart to cross Minnesota and Dakota.

I am not looking forward to the hot afternoons and evenings.  I am thinking about going to an RV park so we can plug in and use AC.

I might start driving later in the day with AC.

What would you do in this situation?

 

[rvwandering]

We don't have air conditioning because we're never supposed to be anywhere where it gets too hot. That was the theory at least, however, every year we end up spending several weeks or more where it's too hot. :-D  

 I'm sure that you know all of the usual stuff - park in the shade or park with the front in the sun and reflectix in the windows. We try to go somewhere air conditioned in the middle of the day - museum, visitor information center, or even a movie.  Find a community park with shade trees and by a lake for cool breezes if possible. Sprizt your face, arms and legs with cold water. Or better yet go swimming! Stay until sundown then head to a night spot that you have checked out earlier.

 We cook and make pasta salad for the next day after the sun goes down or early in the morning before it gets hot. We also make garden and fruit salads for dinners to avoid cooking.

 

[AMGS3]

I'm in northern Minnesota (Itasca county) right now. Our evenings have been getting down to 60. So even though it was 85 today, it's cooling off down to almost 70 now. The mosquitoes are worse than the heat in the evenings.

So it's not too bad, but if you're trying to make time and not scorch your way across North Dakota and eastern Montana in a few days, you could drive a second short evening shift.

Here's the most accurate local weather site I've ever found-
https://www.mprnews.org/weather/bemidji
And here's the seven day forecast-
https://www.mprnews.org/weather/bemidji#seven-days

Good luck!
Angie

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[AMGS3]

oooh forgot to mention that the rest area just outside of Cass Lake on highway 2 is a really nice place to stop. Lots of trees and near the lake. Pretty spot. And tons of parking.

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[Spaceman Spiff]

 . . . I am trying to travel slow at about 100 to 200 miles a day.  We have been street camping, NF dispersed camping and Walmarting on the way here.  I was planning to use Walmart to cross Minnesota and Dakota . . .
What would you do in this situation?

When traveling from Minnesota (home base) out West, I stay off the freeway and utilize the public parks in small towns across the Dakotas.  A lot of them have campsites with electricity for a small fee or donation.  You can find them on free campsites.net and other free/low cost camping apps.

 

[John61CT]

Drive in the heat, stop and rest when it's cool

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Drive in the heat, stop and rest when it's cool

In the plains that can be well after dark.  Tough to find a campsite.

 

[skyl4rk]

I think I will go to Michigan City Campground tomorrow and get a site with electric. If my air conditioning still works, we may chill out there for a few days.

 

[A Savage Adventure]

I might start driving later in the day with AC. What would you do in this situation?

I bought a generator so I could hopefully run the A/C when boondocking. I say, "hopefully" because I haven't tested it yet.  :blush:

 

[MrNoodly]

I suppose you have reasons for traveling slowly, but the sooner you get to more arid parts of the country and to higher elevations, the sooner you can stop worrying about heat.

 

[skyl4rk]

It is cool and pleasant here now. Between about noon and 9pm is the daily heat. I am going to wait until it gets hot, then start driving. I have dashboard air conditioning if necessary. If I can find an entertaining activity with air conditioning, I will stop there as long as possible. Then keep driving until things start to cool off or I find a camp with electric. I have many potential camps/overnights in my gps navigation system.

It is raining and cloudy so that may cool things off a bit.

 

[skyl4rk]

Challenge mode: dashboard AC does not work.

Chilling with 120V air conditioning at Michigan City Camp. Nice town, nice site, I am very greatful for this camp.

The drive was windy and hot. We saw 91F on a bank thermometer. I drove with the window open most of the way. It was unpleasant but doable. Having air conditioning at the end of the day is a lifesaver. I recommend eating ice cream along the way to lower body temps.

 

[VanForNow]

When I was a kid in the 1950s, my family lived in Phoenix and Las Vegas. During this time my otherwise sensible father insisted that air conditioning in cars was "just a fad," so he refused to buy cars with AC. When traveling long-distance during the summer months, we drove as much as possible at night with the windows rolled down, sometimes sleeping in motels during the day.

 

[John61CT]

Try crossing the Nullabor then visiting Coober Pedy in January in a 1961 Beetle, four kids in the back.

Man that makes iced watermelon taste **so** good!

 

[skyl4rk]

Michigan, ND

 

[velojym]

I'd go ahead and push through a few hundred extra miles, get into friendlier weather that much faster. Especially if you're considering a full hookup site, think of how many miles you'd get with that much fuel...
Maybe check a temperature map and adjust your route accordingly.

But, I will say, if the weather is even moderately dry, better to be moving during the heat. I never had A/C in my old '74 Chevy pickup, but growing up in NM, I just kept the windows down and let evaporation do its thing.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

. . . 
But, I will say, if the weather is even moderately dry, better to be moving during the heat. I never had A/C in my old '74 Chevy pickup, but growing up in NM, I just kept the windows down and let evaporation do its thing.

I do a lot of driving around in the summer heat in a '51 pickup.  In addition to windows open I keep my hair wet.  I have a water bottle with a cap that has holes in it, like a mini-shower.  I can stay comfortable in the 90º's with a breeze and a wet head.

 

[LathrenJames]

Agreed. Wet hair is the way.

 

[skyl4rk]

Another thing that I need is to make window covers. I am thinking I will get some reflectix and magnets and cut some to fit. A huge amount of heat is coming into the van, its like an oven. My air conditioner can hardly keep up. I had my awning up for a while but it was too windy, had to take it down again.

 

[skyl4rk]

We finally moved on from the camp with electric for our air conditioner. We now have reflectix window inserts, plus I fixed the car AC. Temps are going down a bit, I can handle 80F, especially if I can find shade in the afternoon and evening.

Thanks for the advice, now onward to higher elevations.