Braving the Western Heat Wave

Our summer travels in June took us through the heart of the heat wave in the Western US.

Driving through New Mexico and Arizona we found road temperatures topping at 118 degrees on multiple occasions. I was so sure the tires would melt on the truck if we stopped anywhere too long.

And once we parked the RV, the gravel and sand under our feet as we hooked up all the connections was so hot that the rubber soles on my sandals were really soft and squishy and the heat was burning the exposed sides of my feet. It was like walking on fire. Cooling down the rig took hours, even with two air conditioners running.

Every now and then, standing in the blazing sun, I asked myself if I planned this all wrong. What possessed me to want to cross the desert going into summer. Of course, it wasn't supposed to be this hot, but still I wondered about my sanity. 

The silver lining to all of those hot cloudless days was that as miserable as the heat was, it kept the crowds away. I don't like people very much when it's hot out.

We really enjoyed having places almost all to ourselves. The isolation of City of Rocks State Park in New Mexico, was easily enjoyable by waking early and hiking before the sun climbed too high.

 

Walking the trails at Kartchner Caverns State Park and Campground was also a morning activity. Shade was easily found in the visitor's center, gift shop, cafe, and on the cavern tour, providing plenty of activity to fill the afternoon and stay out of the sun.

 

Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona was another 115+ degree campsite. The view of Superstition Mountain from the camper was worth every degree and drop of sweat and having to wake up way earlier than I preferred. Being close to Apache Junction and Phoenix gave us plenty of activities out of the heat after our morning walks and on our down days. My favorite was the Goldfield Ghost Town and Hubby really loved the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum.

 

 

Extreme temperatures definitely give you pause, but we didn't necessarily let them ruin our plans.

Camping typically requires a good bit of planning to be successful anyway. Staying in extreme climates easily doubles that effort. We just made sure to consider the heat and how it will impact each member of our party (including our pets!) in all of our plans.

Additional things we did consider included:

1. Where we were keeping the dogs. Even with full hook ups, should there be a power failure, how fast would we need to get back to the camper in order not to roast them alive. In over 110 degree weather, 30 minutes can be enough to turn even an insulated vehicle into an oven. I certainly did not want to come home to roasted doggie.

Photo by Shea Rouda on Unsplash

RV parks are notorious for losing power. There are all sorts of devices and apps to help you keep track of whether the power to a rig is dropped. How fast you need to get back depends on the way your AC is set up and whether is has to be manually turned back on or if you can turn it back on remotely. Luckily, we didn't have to test our set up.

2. Access to water, lots of water. We literally could not even feel ourselves sweating because it evaporates so fast. It is not until I showered that I could feel the layer of salt left behind from all the sweat. I was so glad for the full hook ups at the campgrounds so that we could shower as much as we needed to stay cool.

Photo by Sam Goodgame on Unsplash

3. Take a siesta. When it is hot, we do all of our hiking and running around in the morning and the evening. Between 1pm and 4 or 5 pm is reserved for a nap or some other downtime activities that keep us inside or in the shade. Mommy afternoon nap time is usually around 3pm. Some times I am joined by a dog or two. The kids and Daddy take that time to enjoy their Xbox and to do some work on the computer. Once everyone is recharged, we tackle the next adventure for the day with renewed energy.

 

4. Heat not only saps your energy almost as fast as winter cold, but it also drains you of electrolytes. I try to always make sure we are fueling up with snacks that will replace the salt and other electrolytes used when sweating. It is no fun getting a headache or waking up to excruciating muscle cramps because you of a sodium or potassium deficiency. And digging through the snack Mommy packed is usually the kids favorite part of the adventure.

Hopefully the heatwave doesn't eat away the whole summer and the droughts in the north and west soon come to an end. As we make our way north and into the mountains, the heat is not so much an issue and soon I will be able to enjoy sleeping with the windows cracked, breathing in the fresh air. That is, if the seasonal allergies ever calm down. But that is another story.