Monsoon 2012 officially starts today in the Valley of the Sun! Woohoo! The downside is that we'll be creeping up to 112 degrees this coming week with no rain in the forecast. But it's a dry heat, right? My snarky answer to that is, "So's my oven."
We might be waiting a while for rain, but we have no end of deadly heat . Yes, it's beautiful, and yes we do go hiking and biking in the summer. But there are rules. And you thought graduation meant no more rules. Silly you. But seriously, if you venture out in the heat, please remember a few things that just might save your life. Natives and long-term residents might know this stuff, but newbies may not. And a refresher never hurt anyone.
1. Try to keep outdoor activities to the early morning or evening hours when the sun isn't so intense. This goes for dogs, too. Imagine wearing a fur coat out in this heat. I personally prefer a nice cool swim or a trip to the local ice-skating rink.
2. Stay hydrated. Take lots of water. And drink it. Yeah, that sounds like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many people forget.
3. Use sufficient sunblock and reapply it every 2 hours. If you're fair-skinned like I am, you'll need at least 30 or 50 SPF. If you're dark-skinned, you might be able to skip this step, depending on how much melanin you have.
4. Wear a hat. It might not make you look cool, but it may help keep you alive.
5. Don't hike trails that are too difficult for you, especially in the heat.
6. Take a cell phone. No, not for yapping with your peeps. It's for emergencies, silly.
7. Be aware of your surroundings. Nothing ruins a beautiful hike like a rattlesnake bite, a scorpion sting, or a broken bone.
8. If you're driving during a monsoon, don't cross barriers or washes. Besides getting stranded and ruining your car, you'll get a nice bill from authorities who have to rescue your butt. It's called the "Stupid Motorist Law". Yep, it's a real law and it's enforced.
9. Don't go outside to take photos of that awesome lightning. You might just find yourself on the other end of several thousand volts. It'll be really hard to work that camera when you're dead.
10. Stay off the golf courses during a monsoon. It's just as hard to swing a club when you're dead as it is to use a camera. See #9 for further details.
I really don't want to see my peeps or readers on the 6 o'clock news, so stay safe out there this summer. Better yet, stay inside and read a book.
We might be waiting a while for rain, but we have no end of deadly heat . Yes, it's beautiful, and yes we do go hiking and biking in the summer. But there are rules. And you thought graduation meant no more rules. Silly you. But seriously, if you venture out in the heat, please remember a few things that just might save your life. Natives and long-term residents might know this stuff, but newbies may not. And a refresher never hurt anyone.
1. Try to keep outdoor activities to the early morning or evening hours when the sun isn't so intense. This goes for dogs, too. Imagine wearing a fur coat out in this heat. I personally prefer a nice cool swim or a trip to the local ice-skating rink.
2. Stay hydrated. Take lots of water. And drink it. Yeah, that sounds like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many people forget.
3. Use sufficient sunblock and reapply it every 2 hours. If you're fair-skinned like I am, you'll need at least 30 or 50 SPF. If you're dark-skinned, you might be able to skip this step, depending on how much melanin you have.
4. Wear a hat. It might not make you look cool, but it may help keep you alive.
5. Don't hike trails that are too difficult for you, especially in the heat.
6. Take a cell phone. No, not for yapping with your peeps. It's for emergencies, silly.
7. Be aware of your surroundings. Nothing ruins a beautiful hike like a rattlesnake bite, a scorpion sting, or a broken bone.
8. If you're driving during a monsoon, don't cross barriers or washes. Besides getting stranded and ruining your car, you'll get a nice bill from authorities who have to rescue your butt. It's called the "Stupid Motorist Law". Yep, it's a real law and it's enforced.
9. Don't go outside to take photos of that awesome lightning. You might just find yourself on the other end of several thousand volts. It'll be really hard to work that camera when you're dead.
10. Stay off the golf courses during a monsoon. It's just as hard to swing a club when you're dead as it is to use a camera. See #9 for further details.
I really don't want to see my peeps or readers on the 6 o'clock news, so stay safe out there this summer. Better yet, stay inside and read a book.
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