# How to...keep cool (not how to be cool)



## Kim Chee (Jul 2, 2014)

One of the challenges to traveling and being outdoors is coming up with creative ideas of how to stay cool as the temperature rises. I have several ways to keep cool, some of them pretty obvious and some not so. If you have a favorite or unusual way to keep cool, kindly share so we can all take advantage


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## Kim Chee (Jul 2, 2014)

I like to get as much as I can get done as early as possible and avoid the heat of the day.


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## Dmac (Jul 2, 2014)

an umbrella is not just for rain, having that little bit of shade can make a big difference.


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## Rover (Jul 2, 2014)

Try to avoid air conditioning, and instead Seek shade, and drink lots of water. Its easier to handle the heat if you warm up slowly over the day. Rather than going from hot to cold repeatedly.


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## Kim Chee (Jul 2, 2014)

Fish Soup said:


> Try to avoid air conditioning, and instead Seek shade, and drink lots of water. Its easier to handle the heat if you warm up slowly over the day. Rather than going from hot to cold repeatedly.



I like shade too. But damn if the library isn't nice...all shady and air conditioned to boot. 

Lots of water, yes.


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## drewski (Jul 2, 2014)

I started working on an organic farm a little over a month ago and I've learned stuff like this as I go. Even if it gets up to 100 degrees (which it hasn't yet) you still gotta keep workin'. I wear a bucket hat to protect my head, face, and neck from sunburn and wear very light material long sleeve shirts that way I just don't have to worry about sunblock period. I hate wearing that shit, same with mosquito repellant. Also, whether you wear boots or shoes, make sure you get a pair that your feet can breathe in. So pretty much creating your own shade with clothing and a hat, and the biggest thing of all.......WATER. Tons and tons and tons of water. Drink a gallon a day if you're moving around a lot and sweating. Your body will thank you for it.


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## Mongo (Jul 2, 2014)

If I'm on the move I like to go into gas stations and fill a hat with ice and wear it.


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## crow jane (Jul 2, 2014)

Avoid wearing black ( lol good luck anarcho bros)


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## MFB (Jul 2, 2014)

I always try to find the river or creek in any town to take a dip in if its stoopid hot out, especially if the pup is with me. I remember Boulder creek feeling like heaven last summer during a mid July heat wave. Ahhh, all those little freezing cold fairy pools up at the top of Lithia Park in Ashland...seems like my whole summer last year was based around dope places to stay cool and get high. 
Apartment complex pools are always nice and free too.


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## Tude (Jul 3, 2014)

Good thread! ::drinkingbuddy::


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## Kim Chee (Jul 3, 2014)

I was in Fresno in the summertime near the tracks for a couple days a few years back. I saw some people throwing something regularly into the dumpster. I love dumpsters and made my way past the fence.

Lo and behold:





Turns out it was the El Tapatia Helados manufacturing plant. I ate their fruity ice cream on a stick for two days straight.


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## notOK (Jul 4, 2014)

Summertime is a fine time to become nocturnal. Sleep under a shade tree during the heat of the day, enjoy that night life when it's cool enough to walk around without feeling like you're gonna melt.


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## ausbos (Jul 9, 2014)

Ice. Grab a bag in the morning. Will last ya all day. A spray bottle filled w water. Spray yourself down. Soak your clothes in water, feels fantastic.


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## Driftwud (Jul 14, 2014)

Being in the southeast it's so humid I'm wet from sweat anyways, just soak my shirt in water and keep pouring water over my head throughout the day, and try to find a shady ditch to chill in.


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## DesertRat (Jul 14, 2014)

Jungle (a.k.a. Boonie) Hat, Shemaugh (sp), avoid tight fitting clothing at all costs. Soak the hat and Shemaugh in as cold as possible water and you'll stay golden. 

Matter of fact, that's what I have my son wearing right now, as he's visiting, not used to low humidity, and it's currently 110 outside.


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## sofarfromhome (Jul 17, 2014)

WATER WATER WATER like everyone has said haha. I feel like I am at a bit of a disadvantage because most of my clothes are black, and the ones that aren't are grey haha.
Splash water on your neck or wet a rag and drape it over
Find some shade In to rest during the day and get the heavy traveling done at night.
Keep nourished, and try to wear loose , flowing clothes like gym shorts or some shit like that


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## LilithBegonias (Jan 21, 2015)

I have been lurking here and just started an account a little bit ago. I am researching various topics for the trip my travel partmer and I are planning. I saw this thread and while I loved the ideas here I realized I had many suggestions that weren't mentioned. I guess this post is more or less my "hi there it's me!" Introduction post. I have grown up camping and being outdoors and I have quite a bit of experience with traveling in different types of areas of thr US as well. I've done just about every kind of job category and seem to have lived a colorful life that's blessed me wi th a wealth of experience and knowledge for my 27 years. Here's some stuff I have learnedr over the years about keeping cool and comfortable.

I was working as a delivery driver this summer when my cars A/C went out. My boyfriend made me a DIY cooler or portable A/C unit using one of those big orange drink coolers with the drink spouts on the bottom. The kind they would have at summer camp.when you were a kid that hold lile 30 gallons or something big likethat. He cut a hole in the lid that was big enough to hold a fan that I plugged into my cars a/c adapter using a cheapo device that made it into an outlet. Then inside the cooler we would put ice or cold water. The ice would make the air that the fan blew out icy cold. Then as the ice would melt I could use the drink spout on the bottom to drink cold water throughout the day. Depending on the size of the cooler you used, you could easily have enough very cold ice water in there to drink, cook, bathe, and wash up with. Or do pretty much whatever you wanted with it. 

I also worked 6 summers from 14-21 as a lifeguard in the notoriously dry, hot and miserable summers of the Midwest. Most of the time I worked at a pool club where I was a co-manager. I worked 6-8 hour shifts sitting on a stand for 45+ minute intervals and the staff shack didn't have A/C. What I learned there about staying cool is that it's all about 4 basic core aspects: 1) Light and shade. 2) Health and hydration. 3) Attire. 4) Misc. Some of this comes from girl scouts or other types of training and experiences.

1) Light and shade. This principle is the same whether you are trying to get max shade or sunlight. Look at the sun and the environment surrounding you. Take note of the sun's position in the sky and the path it will take during the time you'll be in that spot. Don't plop down right there in the spot where you have the best shade/light at the start. Position yourself a few paces ahead in a spot that will have the best light or shade during the arch of your time in that spot. Use tools to amplify the affects, like an umbrella or mirror. Or o th erwise you could always move your spot every little bjt as the sun moves across thesky.

2) Health/nutrition and hydration.
-Hydration: It's been said here a bunch and is worth saying again. The key to keeping cool is keeping hydrated. If a "normal lifestyle" person needs 8 drinks of water a day, someone who is out in the elements without A/C and all that needs more. You need to also replace everything your body is losing as you sweat, etc. So figure out how much water your body needs. Based on intake and diet and urination. (Everyone is a little differnt and how much water they need and can take is always unique. I can drink a liter an hour and pee every 90 minutes or so and be very comfortable while my camping partner has to do smaller amounts more frequently and pee more often to be comfortable.) If you're sweating a prolonged amount of time, it could be worthwhile to drink things like Power Aid or Pedia Lite but keep in mind that there is a lot of sugar in them and can actually contribute to being even mlre thirtsy if over used. My rule is to drink at least 1 bottle or glass with every meal and 1 each waking up, middle of day, and bedtime. I also drink about 8 ounces every time outside of meal time that I think, "I'm hungry. I should have a snack" because Often dehydration can be confused for hunger. 
-Aka TL;DR Drink enough fluids so that your pee is clear to very light yellow as much as you possibly can. 
-Health/Nutrition: The healthier your lifestyle and the things you put in your body, the better your body will be able to work properly. This includes maintaining homeostasis, aka the body's ability to keep a healthy body temperature regardless of hot or cold. (So things like sweating and goosebumps, etc.) As much as possible, make healthy food and drink choices and do what you can to keep your body in good condition by exercising or whatever. If you put certain things in your body you will need to adjust your fluid intake. For example, fresh produce contributes to your daily required water intake while a salty bag of chips will increase thirst and dehydration. 
-Pressure points: One other trick is putting something cold like water or ice or watever on certain spots on my body to quickly help me cool down all over my body. These spots are all pressure points or whatever it's called. Spots like back of wrists, neck, back of kneecaps, etc. I have seen on airplane catalogs expensive fans and devices that are designed to keep people who work outdoors cool. A lot of them can be put together or be reconfigured or whatever yourself for cheap or less.

3) Attire. Dress for the weather. Light colors and light fabrics absorb the least sunlight/heat. They also utilize wind flow, etc. Just as you want to insulate to keep warm, you want to avoid tight layers. If you do have layers, consider more frequent changes/rotations of clothing throughput the day. Like maybe start off the day in a t shirt then change to tank top and bikini/bra/watever/then t shirt.no bra then back to tank or something like that sort of rotation. The idea is that when one layer gets warm or sweaty you switch. If it's extra hot you could wet or chill/freeze new layers. 

4) Misc: 
-If your budget allows for it and your situation is such that ice is easily available, use it in as many ways as you can come up with. For example, get a bag of ice and put it inside a tshirt or blanket or towel or something that will absorb the condensation and melting ice. Or if you don't want to get wet, put some sort of sealed plastice over all this. Then take turns sitting on it, or use it for a DIY a/c, or let it melt a bit and then pour water over your head/soak in it/do your dishes... whatever.
-Take note of public places that have free resources. Libraries or public buildings where you can sit for a few hours in the a/c. Parks with shade, shelters, playgrounds, pools/splash parks, etc. Malls or shopping and restaurant and entertainment districts are iffy because many have laws regarding loitering. Fishing spots or outdoor areas with shelter houses or gazebos or other open type structures. Museums are often free in smaller towns or less famous ones might only suggest a donation.
-Colleges are your friend. College campuses are good, even in summer. Actually summer is the best time to be on campuses because people dismiss strangers and touristy types as people visiting for tours and whatnot and also there are less people out to notice you and be drama. It's also a good time because many times colleges are HQ for various types of summer go-away-camps during the summer. This means lots of people coming and going, which isn't just good for staying inconspicuous but also for networking/meeting people/getting rides or whatever. Lots of people that are usually more open-minded and open to this sort of lifestyle. Etc etc. Lots of good poeple. Lots lf advantages. Colleges offer all sorts of cheap or totally free proframs throughout the year. A lot of college towns have tons of churches or campus ministry groups and many of them offer free meals or other stuff. These towns also usually have really good selection of alternatives to college education. And resources for helping people in the community be at the level of a college stufent or better. Like I've noticed the food pantries and Goodwills and SSI office and county health departments and all those offices, they tend to have much better selection/options/variety/ease of acquiring/etc than towns that don't have an investment in being affordable and young people oriented. 
-Use other resources wisely. Example: If you have a shower or pool or hose or some sort of water source at your disposal, consider taking frequent showers, dips in the pool, etc. I like to carry both a hand towel and a package of baby wipes with me becausr even in a truckstop or park bathroom with only a faucet I can clean up and wipe off the sweat and cool off. 

Okay that's all I can think of off thr top of my head. This thread was dead so I'm sure that no one will give this any notice until it's warmer again outside and people are looking to cool off... maybe even then it will be ignored. But I figured put it out there just in case because i know I am curious about things beyond what I've actually considered posting about.

Sorry this was sooooo long and rambling!

<3 Jude <3


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