Tired of the heat!!!!

[bentforlife]

I'm sick and tired of the heat!!!!:mad: The Dallas/Fort Worth area hit 107 yesterday and should do almost that today. That means we start the mornings off above 80 which quickly becomes 90 by 9AM and 100 by noon!! My DH will not let me move the bike inside(it's on a trainer right now, knee surgery recovery) so I haven't been able to get on it, I'm not heat tolerant at all. He has a good point, with a length of almost 6 feet, it is hard to find space for the bike(it's a RANS Stratus XL).

I'm praying for a quick end to this heat. Our water bill and eletricity bills are becoming outrageous!! :eek: We almost lost the lawn last year but decided to bite the bullet and keep it watered this year. DH is only cutting it every other week to keep it long so it doesn't lose water as fast. Our neighbors don't like it very much but it still meets city codes.

Is anyone else suffering in this heat wave? How are you coping?

I'm going to the gym right now and using their stationary recumbent but it's not the same.

Bring on fall weather, I'm more than ready!!!

Donna

[Geonz]

I actually used the AC yesterday. It's "only" gotten to, I think, 91 here - but nobody is accustomed to that. (It doesn't make me nauseous like your conditions will, but it ain't comfy.) Sleep doesn't happen too easily :-(

[mimitabby]

I'm sick and tired of the heat!!!!:mad:

I'm praying for a quick end to this heat. Our water bill and eletricity bills are becoming outrageous!! :eek: We almost lost the lawn last year but decided to bite the bullet and keep it watered this year. DH is only cutting it every other week to keep it long so it doesn't lose water as fast. Our neighbors don't like it very much but it still meets city codes.

Is anyone else suffering in this heat wave? How are you coping?

I'm going to the gym right now and using their stationary recumbent but it's not the same.

Bring on fall weather, I'm more than ready!!!

Donna

Take the lawn out, plant cactus? uses less water and won't wilt in the heat!

Sorry you can't ride, that must be a real bummer. But in the winter, you guys get a lot of nice riding weather right?

[KSH]

I hear ya!

100F is my limit. Anything over 100F, I'm not going outside to ride.

Last night and tonight... I will be sitting in a spin class to get some bike time.

The heat is outrageous!

[Tater]

Yup, it is hot here as well. On yesterday afternoon's commute home, I felt like I was riding in a blow dryer! But at least the nights cool down into the upper fifties and we can leave the windows open to suck in as much cool air as possible.

[pooks]

The nights cool down? I'm so jealous!

Monday night when I came home from teaching my class, it was 93 degrees at 10:30!

I was determined to get up early this morning and ride, but I slept so poorly last night all I did was go back to sleep. Now I'm awake and trying to convince myself to go put at least a couple of miles in on the bike, but it's hard to fathom.

Maybe after I finish my latte. It's going to be 90, though.

Yes, this heat is killing me.

Sigh.

[Kano]

Pooks -- yup, it tends to cool down a lot! 10:30 at night it may still be in the 80's but by morning, it's pretty much always below 70. On the other hand, when we get a 40+ degree change during the day, it heats up pretty quickly when the sun comes up! Once we hit 90 or so, though, things slow down, since there's usually not much more than 10-15 degrees to go!

That blow dryer effect, though -- it's amazing! Hot as can be, but it also DRIES us as we ride! I get a kick out of DH: he says he never starts sweating until we stop riding! A neat side effect of this dry heat is that much as I hate being hot, my body seems to love this climate for riding! Muscles and joints seem to really appreciate an afternoon ride, and I spend much less time "warming up" at the beginning of the ride!

Karen in Boise

[pooks]

Um, now that you mention it -- I don't warm up. I just hop on.

[Kano]

Me too, Pooks -- but those first couple of miles, my parts are loosening up, my lungs are just waking up and starting to breathe, etc....

In fact, I think the first three miles are the hardest of any ride for me! DH thinks it's the last ones, but I just slow down on those -- I still feel great!

(DH likes to go early, and I'm not a morning person!)

Karen in Boise

[pooks]

If it were really cool in the mornings, I'd be out the door in a heartbeat. But when it's in the upper 80s anyway, like this morning, I figured I needed sleep more than I needed to ride, and so now am still working myself up to ride!

[MomOnBike]

Miserable here, too.

My semi-regular (bicycle) lunch date had to be moved to breakfast, 'cause I was morally certain that I'd melt on the way to lunch.

Help! I'm melllttiiiinnng!

[bentforlife]

Yes Mimitabby, we do get good riding weather later in the year. but N. TX can have treacherous ice storms at times. Very little snow to have to worry about. Most of the fall, winter and spring brings good riding weather.

As far as the lawn, we really like the grass and it is very heat tolerant. I'm afraid cactus would not do well in the black clay they call soil here(Texas gumbo). We are on watering restrictions but have been able to keep everything alive, including the 40foot Bald Cypress next to the house. It takes more water than most trees but it gives great shade to the porch. I won't let DH chop it down. All the trees have either cypress mulch or ground cover around the roots that keeps the moisture in. I've seen some Xeriscape homes in the area and I just don't like them. I grew up in S. GA and really like having a grass lawn.

The weather people are saying we will "cool down" this weekend and get some rain. I'm not holding my breath.

Stay cool everyone! ;)

Donna

[gringa loca]

Its miserable here in Austin too! I rode last night at 7pm at it was still really hot!

I hope it cools down cuz I'll be in Dallas for the Irongirl Triathlon this weekend!

[Tri Girl]

I'm in OKC, and it's not much better up here. We share much of the same weather as N. Texas. 105 and completely miserable. I'm heading to Houston next week, and although the temp will be lower, I know the humidity will be 50% greater than here (which is surely just as bad).
When I ran this morning at 7 it was 84 and climbing. The riding I don't mind as much, because even when it's like a blow dryer, at least I create my own wind on the bike and can somewhat cool down. I still ride outside, although now it's before noon instead of in the evenings. The thing that bothers me the most is when my ice melts in my water bottles and I'm stuck drinking warm water (and I even freeze my bottles, but they melt too fast).
Oh well, as we approach fall, I know it'll cool down.
We're certainly not alone. Most of the country is experiencing a heat wave. At least we know winter will be here eventually (then I can complain about not being able to ride outside b/c of ice or snow). ;)

Stay cool ladies! :D

[Lenusik]

Well, I wish I could say that it better here, but it is 113F in Phoenix! :eek:
Yes, it is about 95F at 5:30 am, but it get progressively warmer. Because we are in the mansoon season now it is also nasty humid.
Yesterday I had my regular tennis lesson at 5 pm. My coach placed a thermometer on the chair and it was 128F on the court!. This is what we have to deal with here in Phoenix pretty much through September.
Stay hidrated, ladies!

[dobielover1]

I hear ya!

100F is my limit. Anything over 100F, I'm not going outside to ride.

Last night and tonight... I will be sitting in a spin class to get some bike time.

The heat is outrageous!


You ride at 100F? I'm in awe of you....anything over 80 or so, I'm done.

[Tri Girl]

Lenusik- I feel for you! I grew up in Yuma, and remember all too well the killer heat we used to have. Somehow, the body sorta adapts. When I went back 12 years ago I thought I would die when it was 115. Yikes! I guess your body adapts to where you live, because 100 degrees now kills me here.
I also remember the good part about living in AZ- like never having a real winter and using a windbreaker during the coldest part of the year. My world fell apart when I moved away and had to buy a bulky winter coat and felt temperatures below 40 degrees. :)

[oldbikah]

Even here in Maine it has been hot, hot, and humid as well, but today it was better. Yesterday I stupidly tried to do a 20 mile ride which involved a large, long hill and I cracked big time (I don't know exactly, but I think it was about 90 degrees and 80 humidity.) I got off the bike and could barely stand. ( Yes, I had plenty of water ) I was biking alone, but several friends happened along and rescued me! HOW does one do this at over 100???

[KSH]

You ride at 100F? I'm in awe of you....anything over 80 or so, I'm done.

Ah... well, you get use to it. Honestly, anything from 90 to 100... all feels the same.

Now, I REFUSE to ride in heat above 100 (I think RunningMommy does HOTTER!)... and it has been around 105 here the past 2 days. Hello spin bike in the gym!

[Kano]

What's neat about HOT here in Boise, and actually makes it possible to ride when it's a hunnert degrees or more is THIRTEEN percent humidity!

Now, when it's that DRY you have to have lots of water, and drink almost continually as you ride, but the good news is that you do NOT drip sweat! DH's story is you don't start sweating until you quit riding, but the truth is that you just dry so darned fast you don't notice it happening!

When you stop -- yup, you got it, it runs like standing in the shower!

All that said -- I'm not a native: I know humidity, and I hate it! (used to say, it's not the heat, it's the humidity back in Minnesota, and I'll tell you, I'm sure glad I don't have to live with BOTH!)

Karen in Boise

[Nanci]

Did you grow up in MN? I was born in St. Paul, raised in Roseville, lived in St. Paul a bit as an adult, then for a long time in Stillwater, then moved to FLorida. The summers here feel close to the same. I don't think FLorida humidity is any worse than MN, and for SURE the mosquitoes are less- there just isn't any water here unless it rains!

Nanci

PS, I'm ok riding in the upper 80's/low 90's, and have ridden in low 100's, but it was tough- it was a 200k brevet, and we spent a LOT of time cooling off in convenience stores. I'm cold, though, if it's down in the 70's. But I drive with no AC 99% of the time- just have my window down, because I _like it_ like that, and sit out every evening when it's in the 80's with the pets, so I'm probably pretty acclimated.

Supposed to be 95 today- what happened to the afternoon rainy season we were supposed to be starting???

[Bikingmomof3]

Hi Nanci!

I was born of St. Paul, MN, and raised in a Eden Prairie. I have been in Ohio for 4 years now and this humidity is by far worse. I suppose it did not help that I lived in Wyoming (lovely dry heat) for 6 years before moving back to a humid climate. I am still getting used to the humidity and I *really* miss snow.

[Tater]

DH's story is you don't start sweating until you quit riding, but the truth is that you just dry so darned fast you don't notice it happening!

When you stop -- yup, you got it, it runs like standing in the shower!

All that said -- I'm not a native: I know humidity, and I hate it! (used to say, it's not the heat, it's the humidity back in Minnesota, and I'll tell you, I'm sure glad I don't have to live with BOTH!)

Karen in Boise

Agreed! I am fine on my afternoon commutes until I get stuck at a stop light, then I really feel it and remember why I dislike summer!

Karen, I lived in Cannon Falls, Minnesota for four years and remember the humidity and mosquitos of summers there!

[Kano]

Did you grow up in MN? I was born in St. Paul, raised in Roseville, lived in St. Paul a bit as an adult, then for a long time in Stillwater, then moved to FLorida. The summers here feel close to the same. I don't think FLorida humidity is any worse than MN, and for SURE the mosquitoes are less- there just isn't any water here unless it rains!

Nanci


ME TOO!!!!!!! My move out of St. Paul was Lake City -- So, Ramsey, or Kellogg?



I was born of St. Paul, MN, and raised in a Eden Prairie. I have been in Ohio for 4 years now and this humidity is by far worse. I suppose it did not help that I lived in Wyoming (lovely dry heat) for 6 years before moving back to a humid climate. I am still getting used to the humidity and I *really* miss snow.

OOOOH, nasty having to move BACK to humidity! Just going back to visit in summer had my daughter asking "how do people breathe here?" -- I think one must grow gills!



Agreed! I am fine on my afternoon commutes until I get stuck at a stop light, then I really feel it and remember why I dislike summer!

Karen, I lived in Cannon Falls, Minnesota for four years and remember the humidity and mosquitos of summers there!

Astonishing! We're neighbors again! And yup, stop lights are the WORST! Well, except for getting home and not getting to start up again!

Karen in Boise

[Nanci]

Ramsey.

Am I the only person in the world that loves humidity? (Unless I'm on my bike on a hill...)

Nanci

[Kano]

Ramsey.

Am I the only person in the world that loves humidity? (Unless I'm on my bike on a hill...)

Nanci

class of 76 here....

DH was 73

Karen in Boise

[Nanci]

I was Class of 76 too!!!!!!!! Did you go to Ramsey or Kellogg? I lived on (roughly) Roselawn and Snelling. (I can't afford to go to the 30th reunion this year...)

[Kano]

Ramsey -- lived on B, a block from the library! I know your neighborhood!

Does the world get smaller every few minutes, or what????:D

Reunion in August -- don't need that now, do we? We be reunited already! DH has been thinking about a trip in August, told him I'm staying in Boise. Grand-boy number2 is on the way, due sometime in the middle.

(DH recently acquired a trailer to give his boys a ride every now and again! he sure was smug about that!)

Karen in Boise

[eclectic]

I hate to say this but as we speak it is a balmy 76 here with 42% humidity and only 8mph winds

We will get some big fans and swoosh it south for everyone :)

Rode out this morning to the farmers market, bank and grocery store, going for a longer ride this evening

Rode over the weekend in +90 conditions but no one here dares complain about the heat because we live too long with below 0 temps

Complaining about the wind - now that's another thing

Hey there Minnesotans from a NoDak neighbor

[Nanci]

So, did we _know_ each other back then? My name was Zoubek. But I'm sure you can recognize me by my avatar- I haven't changed a bit! (Besides gaining 50 pounds!)

I was into horses, science stuff, started out as a good student but got in with the wrong crowd, then got a started-out-decent BF that went to White Bear Lake that was two years older, and straightened out somewhat, then broke up with him right at/about graduation to go with a guy from Lakeville. Volunteered a lot at Como Zoo, got dumped by Lakeville and started dating a zookeeper for a couple years, went to Brooklyn Park Vo Tech or whatever it was for Landscape Technology while waiting a year to get into Farrier Science at Anoka Vo Tech, shoed horses for a while, got married, not to the zookeeper, got divorced, ran away to CA, got pregnant, hated the "sperm donor," never married him, moved back to MN from CA, got married again, went to college, stayed together 14 years, got divorced, moved to Florida to cave dive, bought a bike...

[Kano]

So, did we _know_ each other back then? My name was Zoubek. But I'm sure you can recognize me by my avatar- I haven't changed a bit! (Besides gaining 50 pounds!)

I was into horses, science stuff, started out as a good student but got in with the wrong crowd, then got a started-out-decent BF that went to White Bear Lake that was two years older, and straightened out somewhat, then broke up with him right at/about graduation to go with a guy from Lakeville. Volunteered a lot at Como Zoo, got dumped by Lakeville and started dating a zookeeper for a couple years, went to Brooklyn Park Vo Tech or whatever it was for Landscape Technology while waiting a year to get into Farrier Science at Anoka Vo Tech, shoed horses for a while, got married, not to the zookeeper, got divorced, ran away to CA, got pregnant, hated the "sperm donor," never married him, moved back to MN from CA, got married again, went to college, stayed together 14 years, got divorced, moved to Florida to cave dive, bought a bike...


I REMEMBER! My name was Leguil back then...

DANG! What an adventurous life! Mine seems mighty tame Got out of high school, went to work, married a nerd, had two kids (girls) moved to Lake City, DH worked lots, moved back to the Cities for a couple of years, then here to Boise. Somewhere in the process, one must remember to include "became a sloth." Oldest is married, second on the way, younger is, well, younger! Now I'm into machine embroidery and teaching people how to use the software and hardware that does it! Oh -- and skiing. The biking started as "something to do when there's no snow." I think DH still thinks that way.

Karen in Boise

[crazycanuck]

I am dreading the return of summer....I hate the heat and i think it's from living in Edmonton.......Anywho, ian & i made a rule that we wouldn't ride in anything above 35c...This past summer we did but didn't know until we got home and looked at our thermometer...!!!

Spring is on it's way i think...It's so nice it just being 20c..(that's winter temps here in perth during the day )

c

[enzed]

I'm sure the weather in Perth is just great right now.

Try living in Sydney. At the moment we are having a bit of rain. Rain is not a everyday event here. The worst thing is, it's supposed to rain on Sunday, the day when I usually go on my long bike rides. Bugger.

Where I grew up (in NZ), we would have rain & frost in winter. I got used to that level of cold & didn't complain too much. But times have changed.

I've got so use to the climate ,this side of the ditch, anything below 20 degrees (celcius) seems cold to me.
Summer can't come soon enough. I do miss 30 degree heat, and a day spent at Manly beach.

Happy Riding

[enzed]

I just checked the weather channel - local current temperature of 12.7 degrees.
Like I said before, summer can't come soon enough.

Update - Tomorrow 16c & some rain showers. How am I supposed to get a long ride in, with all this rain?
I don't mind riding in the rain. I just don't enjoy riding on the wet roads & sharing the road with Sydney traffic. Some drivers out there, do not understand that when the road is slippery, they need to be careful when speed & braking are involved.
Some drivers still insist on racing to the lights, so they cross before the light goes red. And when they have to step on the brakes, they come to a screeching halt. You can smell the burning rubber, before you see the car.

[crazycanuck]

(Ian's a kiwi & we lived in auckland for 4yrs before venturing over here...totally unexpected too)
Where in nz are you from???

Anywho, the winter in perth is heavenly compared to Auckland...The damp, mold, wind & rain was the worst part of winter there...I feel so spoilt!

I don't ride in the rain on main roads because i can't see well without my glasses. (yes i would love contacts & will be re evaluating that situation) Even the glare on the road at night time when it's raining often confuses & bothers me .(i normally ride at night after work)

Well i guess we should let the American/Canuck Chickies get back to thier discussion of how hot it is up there at the moment..

c

[rheidis73]

Yep, here in Texas we do seem to suffer in the summer time. The other day, it was 115 heat index. Of course, I was out side most of the day, but not in the sun! Riding home the other day from work at about 2:30 was the hardest and hottest ride I have done so far! Went REALLLLLY slow and drank and drank! I looked like I just got out of the pool time I got home. Sadly, it doesn't look like it is going to let up soon either! And then here come the cold winters! YEAH (NOT!) :D

[enzed]

Hi Crazycanuck.
I know I'm gate-crashing a thread, but I'm going to reply anyway.
Palmerston North is where I come from. It's not such a bad place, with heaps of university students & cycle friendly roads. During winter it's either frosty. overcast or raining. Sydney's weather has spoiled me alot, I've even developed a tan during my time spent in Oz.
Anyway, back to the discussion at hand

Happy Cycling

[Bikingmomof3]

I am finding it is not the heat that bothers me (which is odd, since I am originally from a cold climate), rather it is the humidity. It is so difficult to breathe. I have never lived anywhere with humidity like this. As soon as I walk out the door it is like hitting a wall of hot, moist air. Worse of all, my head sweats so badly each strand of hair pours water down my face and into my ears-yuck, I know. Any suggestions?

[Nanci]

I _love_ that wall of humidity when I leave the house. THere must be something wrong with me.

Got two inches of rain last night- nice!

[Bikingmomof3]

I _love_ that wall of humidity when I leave the house. THere must be something wrong with me.

Got two inches of rain last night- nice!

I have never met anyone who enjoys the wall of humidity. Now I can say I have. Why do you like it? How do you cope in it? It has not stopped me from riding. Sadly if I waited until it was not humid, I would never get on a bike. Oh, have I mentioned I have hated where I live for the past 4 years? I am very slowly coming to terms with the opressive humidity. How I miss the dry heat of Wyoming.

[emily_in_nc]

I was born and bred in the southeast, and the humidity bothers me more and more every year, most likely because I am an athlete now so am actually out in it (plus I garden). Hubby and I took a fantastic trip to the southwest US (my first time there) this past May, and I fell in love with the dry heat. Did that ever feel good! We did tons of hiking in six different national parks and a couple of state parks, and I rarely even noticed any sweat. Here, I drip from my face, nose, hair is completely soaked after jogging, hiking, or riding. Ick, ick, ick!

But we are all different: when I was waxing poetic about the dry heat of the southwest to a co-worker after my trip, he said that he didn't care for it all that much. He said whenever he'd been there (he goes to Vegas fairly often on business), he always knew he was home when he got off the plane at RDU (central NC) and felt that humid NC air. He loves it!

I will say, we have low humidity often in the spring, fall, and winter, and I love those days, but the summer, which is long enough as it is, is pretty much uniformly soggy. Like a tropical rainforest. Really hard to get motivated to do anything outdoors this time of year! :(

Emily

[tulip]

Replacing the lawn with draught-tolerant flowers is really pretty. You don't have to go with cacti. In fact, cacti aren't really native to north Texas, but there are lots of wildflowers that are.

I've replaced alot of my yard with such flowers (native to Maryland, not N. Texas, of course). Go figure, this year, we've had ALOT of rain, but during the dry spells, I rarely have to water. And the flowers are so pretty!

Okay, back to the bike!

[Dogmama]

Hubby and I took a fantastic trip to the southwest US (my first time there) this past May, and I fell in love with the dry heat. Did that ever feel good! We did tons of hiking in six different national parks and a couple of state parks, and I rarely even noticed any sweat. Here, I drip from my face, nose, hair is completely soaked after jogging, hiking, or riding. Ick, ick, ick!
Emily

May is nice. C'mon out in July/August. There is no heat index - it IS 115 degrees! The sun is relentless. Turn on your oven to 400 degrees and stick your head in it. That's Tucson. The pavement will give you second degree burns, so don't fall over.

I've been here 45 years. It never gets easier.

[eclectic]

years ago went to visit my sister in NC, RDU area, I didn't know how anyone can move down there. I felt like I was breathing in water!

She said that she does minimal outdoor things in the summer, that is when she stays in and quilts etc. all the stuff she used to do during the winter up here

Often times I think I would rather take 3 months of hot and stay in than 5 months of cold ! You all get at least 9 months of great riding, we're lucky to get 7 (I don't like to ride in the dark on snowy, icy, streets when it is below 0 although there are some brave souls around here that do it !

Hang in there, soon enough it will be snowing up here and everyone now in the heat will be saying what a glorius day it is down there

[Dogmama]

Anybody else feel like a wuss watching the TdF riders in 100 degree weather?

It was 90 degrees this morning - before the sun came up. Ugh.

[Brecca]

I'm in Western Illinois. We had a delightfully nice day with the highs in the low 80s. I celebrated the beautiful day and my birth month by riding my first Century. I didn't break any records but with my Significant Other (who rode his 75th consecutive month of centuries) who patiently coached me on, I managed to complete it in 8.5 hours and an average speed of 12 MPH. We rode Catrikes, he a Speed and I a Pocket. I'm sunburned, sore and stiff. and never felt better in my entire life.:)

[Bikingmomof3]

Congratulations Brecca! :)

[velogirl]

I used to like the heat. We raced in 112 degree heat today. We're not used to this in Northern California (especially those of us who live coast-side). It was brutal. Women were literally melting.

[salsabike]

Wow. I've always hated the heat, would have been happy to whine about it hitting 97 in Seattle yesterday, 95/humid today, but am much impressed that velogirl and co. were actually able to race in 112 degrees. I could never have done it. Hoping everyone came through it okay!

[fatbottomedgurl]

106º here today. Unbelievable. 97º in Seattle? Crazy. It's 11:23 and still 86º out. I think I will get up at 6 for a quick ride with the cows.

[mimitabby]

even us poor Seattleites are TIRED of the HEAT!
I went swimming in lake Washington last night for
the first time in 10 years and it wasn't too cold it
was PERFECT!

[Trek420]

I'm sick o' the heat :mad: My job today will be "keep the dog cool", 96 degrees is forcast in Hayweird, up from yesterday.

I'm skipping a planned 20 mile ride to make sure the mutt's ok which is of course most important. :D

[Brandy]

The high yesterday at Camp Pendelton was 109, I think it was 104 when we rode through. :eek: I honestly have no idea how I rode as far as I did yesterday in that heat. Tiff and I usually get up at 4:00 a.m. and ride shortly after 5:00 a.m. to avoid it, but this ride started at 10:00 a.m. It was my second longest ride ever (62 miles) and was definitely more hilly than the longest ride I've done, which was 64. Though it was fun...this ride reinforced my desire to rise and ride before the sun starts shining! :D

[dachshund]

I don't know if this happens elsewhere, but many neighborhoods in CA have electrical outages during heatwaves. I guess we're using too much, or we're undersupplied. It's been hovering around 113 in my area and the electricity's gone out a couple of times. Yesterday it went out at 4pm and stayed off until 7am this morning.

There are worse things in life, but I'm behind in watching the TDF, darn it !!

[Dogmama]

The low in Phoenix last night was 101 degrees.

[crazycanuck]

Odd question dears

Do you guys have enforced water rotation days(not sure of the exact term) where you can only water your lawn on certain days??

(We have it all year round, not just in summer. For example, if your house number ends in 0 you water on monday & friday. )

Just wondering....:)

c

[dachshund]

No, but we should. The electrical thing in CA is surprising because I thought we built a bunch of new power plants after the Enron thing.

[Artisan]

Crazycanuck, We have them here in Houston, not currently but in years past they rotated on which days you could water your lawn depending on even or odd house numbers. They have also gone on boughts of no lawn watering what so ever.

[Brandy]

I don't know if this happens elsewhere, but many neighborhoods in CA have electrical outages during heatwaves. I guess we're using too much, or we're undersupplied. It's been hovering around 113 in my area and the electricity's gone out a couple of times. Yesterday it went out at 4pm and stayed off until 7am this morning.

There are worse things in life, but I'm behind in watching the TDF, darn it !!

While I was gone riding on Saturday the power went out here for a short time. All of the clocks were blinking when I got home.

[velogirl]

We've lost power three times in the last twelve hours (only for a couple minutes each). In addition to the increased electrical demand, I think the infrastructure (cables, etc) is vulnerable in extreme heat.

Does anyone remember the brown-outs and black-outs during the 70s on the east coast?

[salsabike]

Velogirl--yes, I absolutely remember the brown-out and black-out days. I worry a whole lot about what's happening in Queens right now. Big cities are tough places to live in this heat when the power goes out.

Crazycanuck--Seattleites tend to not water their lawns in the summer, so watering restrictions are usually not necessary here. They will use 'em during a serious drought, but most people just voluntarily let their lawns go brown till the fall rains.

[tulip]

The heat and power shortages (none here, but there easily could be) has prompted me to really take notice of how I use energy and how I contribute to this whole mess.

I ride my bike to work, so I'm okay there. I've used my ceiling fans more than the AC this year (although some days....), and my water-wise garden that I've been working on the last three years is established and needs very little extra water. I bought a watering timer so that I can water in the middle of the night when demand is lower. My dishwasher also has a timer, so I set it for the middle of the night.

It might not make much of a difference, but every little bit helps.

[mimitabby]

Velogirl--yes, I absolutely remember the brown-out and black-out days. I worry a whole lot about what's happening in Queens right now. Big cities are tough places to live in this heat when the power goes out.

Crazycanuck--Seattleites tend to not water their lawns in the summer, so watering restrictions are usually not necessary here. They will use 'em during a serious drought, but most people just voluntarily let their lawns go brown till the fall rains.

yes, that's right! You'd think the emerald city wouldn't go brown in the summer, but it does! (and we're proud of it because we're conserving water for better uses)

[wabisabi]

Seriously, if any other nor californians are thinking about it, now would be the time. We're in the 60s and 70s up here, fog in the am, clearing by 11. I was on a retreat a little south last week--whew! In the 100s.

(I have a small spare room and big yard for camping :) )