Nature Lover and friends keep in touch

[WinneNomad]

Bump…
Waiting for the nighttime cool temperature so I can pack up my trailer to move to a new camp site in the morning. Not a long trip, only about 25 miles. But it still takes the same effort to pack up and hitch up for a hundred miles or 5 miles. Too hot to do that chore in the daytime in July

Hi maki2,

I am wondering what part of the country you are at and if the Southwest how do you deal with the heat?

 

[maki2]

^^^if you are looking for magical solutions to coping with heat you will not find any in this forum. There are just the same old routines humans have always used in hot weather. Stay out of the direct sun and try to stay hydrated. If you can’t find shade from trees then create some shade. If you can’t find a natural cooling breeze then find a way to create it.

 

[KarlH]

@WinneNomad One of the reasons I went overboard with batteries/insulation/AC is that even the high altitudes out west can get hot. In the year I bought my van, the only place I found that stayed under 90F was Grand Marais MN. (Even Minneapolis and Duluth were in the high 90s.)

A lot of people here say "use your motor" to find a cool place instead of installing AC, and they may be right if you boondock along a mountain pass or are able to relocate to another state or region, but in a hot summer most of the southwest can get hot enough to make a person with a normal metabolism sweat in the shade.

 

[maki2]

@WinneNomad One of the reasons I went overboard with batteries/insulation/AC is that even the high altitudes out west can get hot. In the year I bought my van, the only place I found in the that stayed under 90F was Grand Marais MN. (Even Minneapolis and Duluth were in the high 90s.)

A lot of people here say "use your motor" to find a cool place instead of installing AC, and they may be right if you boondock along a mountain pass or are able to relocate to another state or region, but in a hot summer most of the southwest can get hot enough to make a person with a normal metabolism sweat in the shade.

It was between 90 and 93 degrees this last week during a “ heatwave near Flagstaff AZ. That”Heatwave” was 10 degrees above normal. Heatwaves can and do happen pretty much everywhere but that does not mean there are no ways to cope with it. High temperature also means it only stays that hot for a few hours in mid afternoon. It is not that hot after sun down or in the early morning hours. I made sure to camp st higher elevation with some shade nearby.But I will sometimes also camp reasonably close to a truckstop with restaurants where I can you I’d go in, buy a cool iced beverage and sit for an hour…but only if it is not crowded. I also go into towns and sometimes use the designated “public cooling stations”’ those are often public libraries and senior centers. That gives you tables, restrooms and a place to get drinking water and hopefully air conditioning too. Also a place to plug in to recharge devices and use public Wi-Fi connections. I use the Public library in Quartzsite and in Lake Havasu city as cooling stations on very hot afternoons during business hours in the spring and fall. Most cities have designated “cooling stations” and libraries and senior centers tend to be on those lists. No charge to sit and rest, use the restroom or have a drink of water at designated civic cooling stations.

 

[maki2]

sweating is the normal cooling mechanism of the human body. Do not get upset about it happening on hot days. Sometimes you can even sweat in 75 degree weather in the shade.

 

[wayne49]

In Minneapolis, aka "City of Lakes", the constant high summertime humidity is the real PITA.

Minnesota, Land of Ten Thousand Lakes, and home to millions of mosquitoes.

 

[vanbrat]

@WinneNomad One of the reasons I went overboard with batteries/insulation/AC is that even the high altitudes out west can get hot. In the year I bought my van, the only place I found that stayed under 90F was Grand Marais MN. (Even Minneapolis and Duluth were in the high 90s.)

A lot of people here say "use your motor" to find a cool place instead of installing AC, and they may be right if you boondock along a mountain pass or are able to relocate to another state or region, but in a hot summer most of the southwest can get hot enough to make a person with a normal metabolism sweat in the shade.

Washington coast rarely ever gets in the 80's. We here on the Rock have only had 4-5 days above 80 this year.

 

[maki2]

Minnesota sounds like a nice place to get away FROM during skeeter season!

At the moment at my campsite there

Washington coast rarely ever gets in the 80's. We here on the Rock have only had 4-5 days above 80 this year.

The WA coast cool weather is directly correlated to a lot of cloud cover. Meaning not a great place to live on solar power. Plus a whole lot more issues with mold spores. The Upsides can be cancelled out by downsides. But it is generally a pretty nice place to spend July, August and early September when you do not have Air Conditioning. ….If there are not a lot of active forest fires.

 

[KarlH]

It was between 90 and 93 degrees this last week during a “ heatwave near Flagstaff AZ. That”Heatwave” was 10 degrees above normal. [...] High temperature also means it only stays that hot for a few hours in mid afternoon

That sounds pretty tolerable, actually. The high desert area near there that I know best is around Concho, and it's quite a bit warmer there.

For me the issue with heat isn't just perspiration, but that it's harder to get chores done or be active in general. But as you said, in the desert the temps drop pretty quickly as the sun gets lower.

 

[KarlH]

In Minneapolis, aka "City of Lakes", the constant high summertime humidity is the real PITA.

The whole Midwest has that problem. Ditto the Gulf coast. That humidity also keeps the heat from radiating away overnight, so you can't just open your windows at sunset to cool down your living space.

Minnesota, Land of Ten Thousand Lakes, and home to millions of mosquitoes.

Yep, gotta look out for the state bird.

 

[maki2]

Heatwaves come with a natural desire to be totally lazy. Might as well listen to that good advice it is giving me.

 

[nature lover]

Hello friends, Again I have been distracted from posting here by my health both physical and mental. (is this a broken record?) I do enjoy the forum and the friendships I have with people I never met. I often say Bob is my best friend I never

Reading about nomads tends to make me have a self-pity party. But that's no excuse to ignore friends. I know it should be an opportunity to enjoy some wonderful memories. I am trying to make that a reality in my life but not always successful at it.

For some reason I did not get notified about your last series of posts regarding the heat. I am going to renew that feature on here so that I can keep track of all you "nut cases" out there. Seems the forum owners are able to contact me to ask for $. I would love to help but my Social Insecurity arrives in the bank on the 3rd and with automatic bill payments it is down to very little left over on the 4th. So if anyone wants to hack me do it on the eve of the 3rd do not wait till the 4th.

I did have enough $ to get a very nice Ninja coffee maker that uses refillable "pods" for single cups but also can brew a full pot. seems like a luxury after using a one cup drip funnel/filter for years in the van. Years ago I convinced myself that I had to buy a Colmen propane drip maker ($100). That machine traveled from the north woods to the south Fla coast many times and I never used it once. (IT IS SITTING IN THE BEDROOM OF MY APT- aNYONE INTERISTED?) When I was a nomad McDonald's coffee was $1 and if you filled out the survey online you got a free ice cream on you next visit. and Mcaffee is good.

I really dislike McDonalds food but for a nomad every exit on the interstate has a drive thu Mickeys. Problem is that after you drive thru for coffee at one exit you have to stop at the next exit to "go" inside. That's it let's invent a drive thru potty. (that would make those eclectic windows in the van valuable.) Instead of BP it would be called WE-P. or maybe call it YOU'RE IN LUCK (that's Urine luck for you slower minds, don't get pissed off at me))

We had two weeks of upper 90s here with high humidity but are receiving a little break with temps in the 80s and less humidity this week. The major problem here is lack of rain. By This time in other years sweet corn has been selling for $3 a dozen or less. It is staying at $8 or more this year. All due to the lack of rain. With this heat wave and my health conditions I am stuck inside with the AC. It is a proven fact that the more time you spend in a temp controlled Environ the less you are able to tolerate extremes. My heath issues exacerbate the problem.

Complaining aside, how are all of you doing physically and mentally. ;-)

GOD BLESS THE NOMADS AND THE WANT TO BE NOMADS AND THE USED TO BE NOMADS

 

[vanbrat]

Ok so let's find a way to maybe get some god memories out so we can all think about something pleasant.
What is your happiest memory of some silly coffee time?

I remember fixing hubby some coffee and as I do NOT drink coffee. And I had found a new coffee maker. I have no idea if it is to strong or weak and he had been a bit of a pain for a few days so that day he was trying to not be a pain and he drank the whole cup ....ALMOST. When he set it down I relooked at it and it was SOOOOO dark and almost thick! He did not sit still the rest of the day! And he said he did not need me to make him any coffee the rest of that trip. I got rid of that maker and we stick to instant now.
OK Nature lover what is your story?
And yea the corn around here is not going down in price yet either.

 

[nature lover]

Van Brat-

You made one major mistake by brewing that coffee. Since the time of Moses and Abraham; God has required that men brew the coffee. have you never known the meaning of the word HE-BREWS















you

 

[maki2]

I did go to McDonalds yesterday, it is inside the Pilot truckstop where I go to take out my small bags of garbage. But going there yesterday was really just an excuse to get ice cream treats! Their ice cream machine was not working so I had to make do with a mocha Frappe. Poor me, it is made with coffee and is just as good as a chocolate milkshake.

I had better quit goofing off. The afternoon thunderstorms are making racket out there and are going to cut off the incoming solar which I like to use to run my vinyl cutter. I need the income from that for buying more coffee frappes.

Coffee is just burnt bean water. It’s taste bitter and truthfully no one would drink it if the caffeine in it was not so addictive! But like many things it can be an acquired taste that overtime you come to like. I finally out of desperation started learning to like it at age 30 or so because I had to be at work at 5:45am and I’m definitely not a morning person.

 

[nature lover]

I just made a fresh cup with my new ninja It takes exactly 1 minute to brew 11 ounces of coffee. It almost feels like I am on the enterprise where everything is automatic.

The other thing about brewing a cuppa coffee, is the aroma in the apartment. Smelling coffee is almost better than drinking it. I have been drinking decaf for years, so I don’t think I’m addicted. But it is nice to feel a warm cup in your hands and smell that aroma. Of course I like the taste too.

Speaking of the feeling of warmth. Yesterday was laundry day for me and it’s always a happy day. I don’t like the work part of it, but when that’s done.—— (Disclaimer, if you’re not used to nature, lover sense of humor, stop reading now) ——as I was saying, when that work is done, I go back to the apartment and put on a warm. pair of boxer briefs. It’s almost heaven. Herman and the twins love that feeling. Of course at my age they don’t get any other kind of feeling so they have to Take what they can get

This may sound soapy to some of your folks, but I really do love you all. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve got a lot of friends I’ve never met.

Now, back to that cup of coffee.

God bless the nomads and thank God for coffee.

 

[maki2]

Hot coffee in July? Not happening in my kitchen!

 

[vanbrat]

I know most adults love the stuff but ...YUK... And I live where the coffee is supposed to be Reaaaaalllly good but just yuk...