Date:         Sat, 7 Jul 2007 17:26:11 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
Subject:      Re: Heading into hell (up 395) -- any last words of advice?
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Hey it's not so bad... it's 109 F right now (17:13), only got up to maybe
112 today... It was 117 yesterday and yes that five degrees makes a hell of
a difference, pardon the pun.
We have 4% humidity today... first time I ever saw that was a few days ago.
That can't be good. Lots of ppl saying they're feeling 'kind of sick' and so
on... I'm betting it's dehydration- even the old timers aren't necessarily
used to this. If you stand still you can feel the moisture leaving your
pores.
Having said all that you can have your humidity. That combination of high
temps and high humidity just sucks the soul right out of ya. At least you
can get something done in this if you're careful without feeling like
somebody yanked your batteries.

I was thinking about Ken's post of a few days ago (last week I guess), about
insulating or painting the top of a van, so I decided to check the internal
temps of my white Vanagon vs. my grey Cadillac, just for grins and giggles-
figured these would be good days for it. I wasn't able to do it because my
analog thermometer tops out at 120. The probe is busted on my meat
thermometer- guess I'll have to dig out the oven thermometer if we still
have one.

Cya,
Robert


----- Original Message -----
From: "Sam Conant" <samcvt@COMCAST.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2007 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: Heading into hell (up 395) -- any last words of advice?


> Reading this stream of notes ... I am ever so glad that I live "on the
> West
> Coast of New England," and have merely to complain when temps climb above
> 90
> and humidity climbs above 60.
> SamC
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Robert Fisher" <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2007 7:42 PM
> Subject: Re: Heading into hell (up 395) -- any last words of advice?
>
>
>> >The worst grade on 395, though, is north of Bishop before
>>> Tom's Place.  Watch the temps and plan to use the pull outs if you can't
>>> keep the temp down.
>>
>> That one's the problem; he'll probably hit it about 10-11 am. Looks to
>> have
>> been between 80/90 F at that time today with tomorrow forecast to be
>> warmer.
>> If it were me I'd sleep now, leave around midnight so as to hit that
>> grade
>> around 6/7 am (around 70 F) and nap for a while after I set up camp.
>> Alternately, I'd get 'brunch' in Bishop and check out the touristy crap
>> (or
>> probably that VW shop there) while my engine cooled down and hit the
>> thing
>> (relatively) fresh, taking my time and taking it easy.
>>
>> Much more interesting than going up that grade and navigating between
>> little
>> cars rocketing up the thing and sloooow fifth-wheelers and RVs was coming
>> back down again with a 70's vintage 28' travel trailer in tow. Makes you
>> appreciate good trailer brakes. The howling cross winds didn't help
>> either.
>>
>> Cya,
>> Robert