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Date:         Wed, 9 Jun 2010 12:05:37 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Oxymoron Alert: AC While Camping
Comments: To: Rowan Tipton <uther@DRAGONHOME.ORG>
In-Reply-To:  <E3BBFCCE-D2EA-460C-A152-F0924C8417A1@dragonhome.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I had to give up doing outdoor art shows due to age related changes that affected my ability to deal with the heat. The older I get, the less capacity I have to deal with those kinds of stresses. My absolute limit is 100F - even 95F is pushing it. For almost everyone - over 100 starts a series of physiological changes that are not good. When you cannot dump enough heat from your body's metabolism things start happen. On the van the thermostat opens wide open to try moving the heat out to the radiator - but if the temoperature difference between the ambient air and the heat from the radiator is minimal, then minimal heat exchange takes place and the coolant and then engine temp begins to rise. Same in the body. the hotter it gets, the more the blood vessels open up, trying to to dump the internal heat and cool the body. At some point that become ineffective, the blood vessels are wide open, heart rate goes up but becomes less efficient, blood pressure drops, dizziness ensues from low blood pressure - fainting occurs - and you are on your way to a heat exhaustion then subsequent heat stoke. You gotta find a cool spot, cool the body down, get plenty of cool (not cold) liquids down - otherwise very bad things can happen. How do I know this? BTDT!!!

Camping - play the game to your own tune. There are so many differences - and needs - between us as individuals, there is no one right way carved in stone in the campground. If you don't need an AC - then don't use it; if you need very cold air to sleep - by all means, use the AC on the "freeze a halibut" setting; if just a breeze from a fan works - hire the Jolly Green Giant to fan you with peacock feathers - I hear he's only working now part time and might be available.

John Rodgers Clayartist and Moldmaker 88'GL VW Bus Driver Chelsea, AL Http://www.moldhaus.com

On 6/9/2010 10:20 AM, Rowan Tipton wrote: > Jay, > > You know, this sort of attitude really makes me angry. Speaking as > someone who uses an a/c when camping because of health problems let me > say in no uncertain terms that not only is it not "safe to say that > using AC, IS causing more problems LIKE asthma and other medical > problems then camping in the heat." but it is simply wrong. Whey you > are not disabled it is easy to be superior and say that a/c causes > medical problems and that we should not use an a/c... or what. Just > not camp? > > Not to make too fine a point of it but if my wife is outside when it > is 100 F she will DIE! And due to a bad heart, I don't deal with heat > very well either - I once had a heat stroke when doing nothing much at > all and it was in the low 90s. We camp because we love it and find > most of the people we meet to be fine folks But there are a small > number of people that belittle us for staying inside our van with the > a/c on when it's hot. Usually, I just ignore such chatter but what > you have written is factually incorrect and more than I can ignore! > > On Jun 9, 2010, at 10:24 AM, Jay lefstein wrote: > >> I think it is safe to say that using AC, IS causing more problems LIKE >> asthma and other medical problems then camping in the heat. >> On 9-Jun-10, at 7:10 AM, Jeff Lincoln wrote: >> >>> I think it's wise to consider that some people require A/C for >>> medical >>> reasons - heart problems, asthma, prone to heat stroke, etc. etc. >>> >>> Also, some people are just more effected by heat than others. Should >>> they >>> not go camping? Maybe they need the A/C just for sleeping - or need >>> it for a >>> quick ten or 15 minute sanctuary from the heat. >>> >>> I can promise that were it 100 + degrees F my clan would either not >>> be >>> camping - or we would have some form of A/C. >>> >>> Basically I think the entire camping/Vanagon experience has unique >>> characteristics for all of us. Live and let live my friends. >>> >>> ( Except Greg because Canadians never need A/C - it's always cold >>> there ;) >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Jeff >>> '85 GL (Gertie) >>> '90 Carat (Grover - the noble parts donor) >>> '86 (We call this one Scrap) >>> '78 Bus (Melissa) Patty's Bus > > I remain, as always > YrLyl&ObdntSrvnt, > > r > >


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