Whee. I just saw an article entitled "Extreme heat wave bound for Phoenix and Southwest could be worst ever."
It seems brutal heat is moving in, including parts of California. Why does this affect us here in North Idaho? Because I am, literally, about to drive directly into it.
Yes, Older Daughter and I are renting a car and leaving tomorrow morning for a road trip to visit my parents in Southern California. We're spending tomorrow night in Reno and then driving the remaining distance to my parents' house on Monday.
On the return trip, however, we're crossing over and spending the night in Las Vegas where's it's slated to be, I kid you not, 114F. Whee.
And why, you may ask, would we brave oven-like temperatures like that to stay in Las Vegas? Well, outside of a curiosity to see Sin City, I'm scheduled to meet my literary agent for dinner. I warned him I might melt into a puddle. (I don't do well in heat.)
So we'll be on the road for the next ten days or so, including through a heat wave. Oh well, it's worth it to see my folks.
Hope your air con is tuned up! And don't worry about Las Vegas, everywhere is air conditioned.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Valdosta, GA during the summer of 1980 and experienced two weeks of 115 degree weather. Being from San Diego, CA, that was hard to take. But I lived to tell the tale. I guess the powers that be are hoping no one remembers the weather of last week or last year, let alone decades ago. There have been summer temps much higher than this one. The 1930's were especially hot with no rain. And temps of 120 in Phoenix, AZ are not uncommon. It's July! Temps in the desert are really hot!
ReplyDeleteInsure that you get a killer AC in that car, you go from the car to an air conditioned wherever. Only way to do it, I have done it. If the AC were to go down you will be cooked (pun intended). Good luck I also do not do well in the heat and have gotten sick in extreme heat.
ReplyDeleteMake sure you tote water (preferably in a cooler). My memory of heat is more recent. In 2017 I went to see my Dad almost the very southern most part of Texas. It was 107. We sat outside in the shade with a fan.
ReplyDeleteWind movement is a friend and there is wind virtually all the time there.
On the same day they shut down an airport in Arizona (think it was Phoenix) because it was 124 and the asphalt was too soft to land planes on.
Now I am in North Mississippi and they try to say the humidity is worse. The problem, IMO, is that in the summer when it gets really hot, the air does not move unless some sort of front is coming by.
Stay cool and enjoy your parents.
kathy in MS
Agree, shade and breezes are your friend and make it not so bad.
DeleteThe airport was closed because the safety tables for lift and loading for the planes only went up to 50 degrees Centigrade which corresponds to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Large airports have concrete runways.
I hope you have a fun trip! I would advise you to make the trip from CA to Vegas at night. I 15 gets really backed up there--especially on the weekend. Many cars overheat going over the large hills along the way. That way you'll miss a lot of the traffic and heat. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteEither of the 2 truck stops just west of winnemucca have the cheapest gas. And the one truck stop as you enter Reno on the east is pretty decent too.
ReplyDeleteThe blueberry hill cafe in vegas has awesome food. I think there are 3 of them. Extensive menu.
If the ac were to fail, a bucket/pail with ice cubes against an open vent will feel like ac
ReplyDeleteThis may be one of those good occasions for renting a vehicle for a week or so. I'm assuming your vehicle isn't brand new. Why risk your tires, your engine, your comfort, or anything? I'd rent and if something happened along the way, trade it for something else. Also, what better opportunity or excuse to get a really nice ride for your trip?
ReplyDeleteDuring very hot summers here in the south, I do a lot of things at night. Like driving. I'll go to bed early, get up and leave around midnight, and not have so much traffic to fight. Also, you get to see the sun come up in sometimes awesome places. And breakfast somewhere new with hopefully delicious food.
I'm glad Older Daughter is getting her turn at a road trip with her mom to visit grandparents. It would have been more fun if she'd been able to go on the first trip, but this way you and your parents get to see each other twice. Have Fun and safe travels.
Watch out when renting for long trips now. Some car rental companies are switching to electric cars and not managing the inventory well. Charging is not ready for prime time on long trips.
DeleteWhen I lived in Vegas typical summer temp was 116. I used to run three miles at noon. Of course I was younger then. Now I live in Phoenix and it hasn't et reached 116 but it will. I don't run anymore, not young anymore. It's all relative. When I lived in Mississippi it would get over 100 in the summer with 99% humidity and that was much worse.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how anyone can deal with such high temps except for the small, very small, help that humidity out west tends to be low. We recently had heat indexes of 112 to 115, not actual heat. It was the humidity that made it ultra miserable. Humid air is so thick to try and breathe, and buckets of perspiration are rolling off because it can't evaporate to help keep you cool.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, I've always gotten up in the wee hours, like 2-3 am. Recently found myself waking up a couple hours earlier and decided to make use of it and nap in the afternoons. This has helped tremendously in getting things accomplished. Except for the objections of my poor rooster! I was rolling out the lawnmower at 1 a.m. and he started crowing to let me know he heard me! So I put it up without cranking it . He would have crowed the whole time and kept the hens awake.
Once upon a time I routinely cut grass late at night by shining headlights on it. Now they make lawnmowers with headlights and you don't have to use your truck's lights. But doing whatever needs doing at the coolest time and sleeping through the heat is the way to go. It also can reduce energy consumption during high rate times and shift it to hours with low rates.