Date:         Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:10:25 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Code Red Air? (NVC)
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

Sam referred to the 'chemical composition of the air'- so that's what I was
thinking about.

Dehydration is an every day fact of life around here, even in winter. Just
because it's cool it doesn't mean the air isn't sucking you dry- even if
you're not sweating. I still have to remind my wife (a native of Nova
Scotia) and even my brother and stepfather to drink water regularly whether
they think they need it right then or not. Of course the high water
consumption means you have to be concerned with the water-depleted
nutritional components... it's a whole vicious circle in a way.

I blew out a tire on my utility trailer yesterday on the way to the dump.
When I picked up the piece that was out in the road, it was so hot I
couldn't hold it... So there I was at about 16:00, the hottest part of the
day (115), on the asphalt on the shoulder of the road changing that damn
tire. I probably looked like a bug on a griddle. Some kind soul actually
stopped and gave me a Pepsi out of a cooler. I hate Pepsi. After I rubbed
the can all over my forehead and neck I knocked it out in two swallows. : )
(I actually had some water in the van, tho.)

I agree with you about the camping, etc. However it's even over 100 in the
some areas of the nearby mountains. Sometimes I hate this place. On the
other hand you can 'cue on your porch in January in shorts and t-shirt, so
it's all a trade off.

Cya,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kim Brennan" <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 2:29 PM
Subject: Re: Code Red Air? (NVC)


> Code Red means, it is not safe to be outside for long periods of
> time. Especially if you are not a healthy young adult. It doesn't
> mean that the air is bad, per se, but it can mean that the heat
> humidity levels will cause you to get overheated extremely quickly.
>
> I can sweat out a pint of water an hour (or more) in this weather
> (97F in DC, dewpoints in the 70s). You lose enough water and you get
> light headed, or worse (if you stop sweating you end up going to the
> hospital.)
>
> This is not great weather for working on Vanagons. It's much better
> for camping (i.e. leave the area and head for the mountains,
> seashore, or northern reaches of Canada.)
>
>
> On Jul 18, 2006, at 4:25 PM, Robert Fisher wrote:
>
>> Man... I don't think I'd want to live in a place that has 'code red
>> air
>> days'.
>> The worst thing in the air here is the low levels of various
>> chemicals that
>> come off the now-dry Owens Lake bed... including arsenic. Not
>> enough to
>> really make anybody sick per se but sinus problems here are
>> chronic, even in
>> people like me that never had them before moving here. Another
>> thing for
>> which to thank Mulholland, may the bastard rot in hell.
>>
>> On the other hand, it's currently 109 with 22% humidity, better
>> than double
>> the average, and both figure to go up in the next few hours.
>> Probably hit
>> around 114 and at least 30%. Completely kills the swamp coolers.
>> Some people
>> just drive their cars around so they can have some A/C- or at least
>> they did
>> when gas was cheaper. Still, I think I'd rather deal with that than
>> 'code
>> red air', whatever that is.
>>
>> Cya,
>> Robert
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Sam Walters" <sam.cooks@VERIZON.NET>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:05 PM
>> Subject: Re: ---------
>>
>>
>>> I was indeed incorrect.  It is Eric Zeno.
>>>
>>> Got my "list banishees" mixed up by replying too fast after working
>>> outside on the Syncro during a code red air day.
>>>
>>> It is really nasty here today.  After about 4 hours out there 8-12:15
>>> during which I drank lots of water, the chemical composition of
>>> the air
>>> has me really wiped out.
>>>
>>> I'll try to clear my head and avoid confusion.
>>>
>>> Sam
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Sam Walters
>>> Baltimore, MD
>>>
>>> 89 Syncro GL, Zetec Inside
>>> 85 Westy Weekender
>>> 85 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel - to become veggie oil powered
>>>
>>> All incoming and outgoing email scanned by
>>> automatically updated copy of Norton AntiVirus.