Beating The Heat

[+The Bookends]

Man it is hot outside. Not only is it hot, but you can almost drink the air there is so much moisture in it. This is definitely not my favorite type of weather to be caching in, and since this is pretty much the norm across the US right now, I am wondering how other are staying cool this summer.

[+Team Perks]

I just head a few miles to the west and go caching near the beach.

[+Jhwk]

early morning or late evening cache - 102 right now and climbing...

[+deimos444]

I just head a few miles to the west and go caching near the beach.

Absolutely, although we have had a few not so hot days here in San Mateo.

But I still remember the few years I lived in Tustin.

Newport Beach was usually much better.

Then there is my hometown of Lakeside in San Diego county.

I say Thank You Fog!!

[+hiker49]

Try going geocaching at late night and early morning. Umbrellas sometimes make you look wierd, but that is also a good way to stay cool. Not always, but sometimes the squirtbottles with fans hooked on work too.

[+copper_toad]

Early morning and late evening are the best times to go out. If you get caught out in it, definitely bring the water with you! The heat can still get to you though! I had a DNF on a very obvious cache just a few days ago. I was tanking on almost two gallons of liquid the whole day and I was sweating it out just as fast as I was drinking it. I swear the heat made me delusional, cause I thought I was reading the right page in my coords book. There was poison ivy all over the place, so I decided to use the hint to narrow it down, and I ended up looking for it in the trees, when I should have been looking in a spot the cache hider likes to place most of his caches! I feel so stupid!

[+Glenn]

I'm staying cool by living in a place that has better weather.

 

 

Edit: to add weather graphic

Edited July 24, 2005 by Bushwhacked Glenn

[+Langner91]

I tried to beat the heat by leaving the house at 6:30 this morning. My wife told me to take her van, because she wanted my truck.

 

Just as my kids and I were getting close to our first cache, my cell phone rang and she realized she left her work keys in her van...

 

So, we drove home and brought her the keys.

 

We beat the heat by doing only about 15 minutes of caching. By the time we spent all that time driving, we were in no mood to go back.

 

I can't wait for fall.

[+robert]

I am wondering how other are staying cool this summer.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

I'm at work today, so it's 72° and fluorescent instead of hot and sunny :)

[+entropysedge]

I'm at work today, so it's 72° and fluorescent instead of hot and sunny :)

Same here.... think I'd rather be outside....

[+deimos444]

I'm staying cool by living in a place that has better weather.

And how about that blatant jackassery?

[+BadAndy]

I use a Misty Mate.

[Bullsfan80586]

Remember that when it is hot, you need to drink plenty of water. Mornings are good. Evenings are good.

[+Two Geeks and a GPS]

This is how to beat the heat!

 

It was very hot that day. The water felt great!

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Yesterday was hot as all get-out, 98° with a heat index of 114°, humidity near 100% - a Heat Wave Warning issued for the area - but there were caches to be found!

 

Met at 8 ayem, 7 carloads, 20-something cachers, 7 hour run, 47 caches!

 

Gotta love it!

[+DeViDe]

This is how we beat the heat on a recent trip

cool

[+tands]

Actually, you need more than water. Water Intoxication (too much straight water) can upset your electrolyte balance and cause shock and death! Yikes! Mix your intake 50% sport drink 50% water or do what I do: Mix water, ice and fruit juice in a 2 liter hydration pack. The secret ingredient: 1 teaspoon of salt. It doesn't take much. Once you try it you won't go back to just water. I learned this the hard way trying to recover from long distance runs in the heat. It took a day to fully recover until I added salt.

 

-T of TandS

Edited July 25, 2005 by tands

[+PumpkinOneA]

Ice caps from Timmy's...

 

(Iced Cappuccino's from Tim Horton's).

[+briansnat]

The night before I go out, I freeze my Platypus water bladder. Its frozen solid, but melts at about the exact rate I need to drink. Ice cold water pretty much all day.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Geez, I bet your Platypus doesn't much care for this plan!

[+Gecko1]

Ever tried scuba caching?

[+deimos444]

Is that cruelty to platypuses or

cruelty to platypi?

Seriously I do the same thing with plastic water bottles.

Slip them in a small coleman ice chest and it's good to go.

Only mid ninetys around here.

[+Tharagleb]

Actually, you need more than water. Water Intoxication (too much straight water) can upset your electrolyte balance and cause shock and death! Yikes! Mix your intake 50% sport drink 50% water or do what I do: Mix water, ice and fruit juice in a 2 liter hydration pack. The secret ingredient: 1 teaspoon of salt. It doesn't take much. Once you try it you won't go back to just water. I learned this the hard way trying to recover from long distance runs in the heat. It took a day to fully recover until I added salt.

 

-T of TandS

Yes, water is very dangerous.

[+tands]

Yes, water is very dangerous.

Well of course, I just didn't want to get that technical, Sheesh!

[+Sue Gremlin]

We have air conditioning. Duh.

[+deimos444]

We have air conditioning. Duh.

Even outside?

WOW

[+quidditchfan073]

Carry a camelbak. I carry the 100 oz one and it's perfect for hiking/geocaching. Some people don't like them and claim the water tastes rubbery but i can't taste that or I have gotten use to the taste i guess. I love the camelbak for several reasons. One, the water is insulated and it doesn't get warm. Im here and utah and hiked 30 miles and 8 hours later my water is still cold. Second, you have one backpack to put alll your stuff. Everything i need for a dayhike i can fit it it. 3rd, the thing is very durable. Mountainbikers here in utah use camelpaks all the time and i seen some nasty falls and camelpak is always ok but not always the bikers! I never heard of someone popping the bladder although my buddy in the army did manage to pop his bladder by his knife accidently sticking in it. YA, they are expensive, i will give you that but if you watch on e-bay and amazon you can get them a heck of a lot cheaper then in the store. I just looked now and the M.U.L.E which is the one i use is only 54 bucks on amazon. Just my 2 cents

 

greg

[+CurmudgeonlyGal]

The night before I go out, I freeze my Platypus water bladder. Its frozen solid, but melts at about the exact rate I need to drink. Ice cold water pretty much all day.

I tend to freeze about half of mine (left or right, not top or bottom) and do pretty well for the amount of time I'm out (usually it's on a bike, not hiking... saving that for another couple of months down the road)... but I freeze half of it in the winter as well as I just like ice cold water no matter what the temp outside is.

 

104 degrees tomorrow... I'm staying inside!

 

 

-=-

michelle

[+KolarBear]

Yes, water is very dangerous. 

dihydrogen monoxide kills!

[+M&DofKJE]

The fun part is... I work outside. My saving grace, the seabreeze kicks in around noon. The heat index is usually at its highest from 11 to 12. Heat index at 11 a.m.; 105. Heat index at 2 p.m. ; 90. If it rains, the temp drops to 75 for a bit, but we haven't seen the rain most of July (this after nearly 15" in June). Where's those tropical waves when you need them?

[+MorningWhisper]

Heat? What heat?

 

Maybe I'm just a die-hard ( or a complete idiot ) but so far, we haven't let the heat beat us. Roamingbull and I just pulled off a 7 hour, 9 cache series yesterday throughout the Sacramento county (triple digit temp., but got the WJTB!), then last week, was a 13 part series (also triple digits). Yesterday's quest took us (literally) into the American River - THAT cooled us off! Aside from finding an occasional body of water to jump in, we always make sure to bring an ice chest filled with Gatorade and lots and lots of water! Ideally, it would be best to do this early in the morning or late at night, but that doesn't always fall into the plans. In fact, we haven't even gone night caching yet.....will have to try that one. Next time we'll have to devise some sort of ice-pack in a towel to wear on the back of our necks.....maybe that would help. How many more weeks 'till fall??????

[+TNTnAZ]

When you cache in Arizona, every day is hot. We were out when the outside temp read 121. Drinking water here is essential, but a sport's drink helps occassionally. Mostly, you just get used to it.

 

The monsoons during the past week have made it more humid and thus more difficult to get moving. Most people go in the early morning or late evenings. Night caches are a nice change, too. After the sun goes down, 115 doesn't seem so hot.

[+LO-Maqhi]

Some people don't like them and claim the water tastes rubbery but i can't taste that or I have gotten use to the taste i guess.  I love the camelbak for several reasons... **snipped**

I have found that with the Camelback or other hydration packs, filling the bladder with a baking soda/water solution and letting it sit for a while, then thoroughly rinsing out gets rid of most of the plastic taste/smell.

Edited July 27, 2005 by LO-Maqhi

[+Beta Test]

I get a piece of cloth about the size of dishtowel, maybe a little bigger, wet and put it on my head, and my hat over it. If done right, it should cover the back of your neck, cheeks, and everything imbetween. Even if the towel is dry, it still keeps you remarkably cool.

[+Pork King]

Well, caching or not, I'm out in it all day (road construction). The heat indexes (indeces?) normally reach 110 lately. Add 350 degree asphalt and you have a party!

 

If you're gonna be out in it all day, drink lots of water/gatorade, wear wide brimmed hats, and consider long sleeves. Sunscreen is helpful, too. This time of year, I'd recommend SPF 95.

[+deimos444]

The fog is back.

[+Kidatheart]

When I lived in Arizona a friend had a small cooling unit that went behind the neck and seemed to keep you cool, unfortunately the humidity still kept taking it's toll.

[+robert]

When I lived in Arizona a friend had a small cooling unit that went behind the neck and seemed to keep you cool, unfortunately the humidity still kept taking it's toll.

 

Like this....

[+geolands]

I think the camelbaks are great. I don't get the rubbery water taste from mine. I use them everywhere. I got hooked on them in Iraq. WHAT A LIFESAVER!! Like a previous poster stated, the water doesn't get hot. We also managed to make a insulated pocket in a larger backpack to hold the bladder. Might require a bit of homemaking skills, but may serve as a cheaper alternative that purchasing the camelbak backpacks.