How do you do it in the south???

R

Remsen

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 11, 2006
219
1
Northern California (occupied)
#1
I admit that I have very low tolerance for heat coupled with humidity (despite the fact that I lived in New York City for 8 years) and I'm in New Orleans right now for a family event. I just gave up on trying to do anything that didn't have an air conditioner associated with it. So my question is how those who live in this type of weather do things...is it only tourists who try to go out in the heat/humidity or do you actually have a tolerance for this weather?
 
#3
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I am a native Californian but have lived in the south now for about 16 years. I don't think you ever get used to it, you only gain a slight bit of tolerance for it. It's miserable not matter how you spell it. The only saving grace for me is I live on the coast so water is a big relief and there is usually a nice sea breeze.
 
#5
Re: How do you do it in the south???

Work in cycles 50:10, drink at least 1/2L an hour of cool water, wear lots of sun screen, and a boonie. After a while say screw this crap and go inside in the AC, maybe come out later and finish whatever I was doing. If it's rolling around on the mower, water is on board and just do it until it's done then take ten and finish with the self propelled.
Shovelling rocks and stuff just get it done then take a break. It's easier if you aren't getting paid to actually work then you just have to suck it up, drink water, and drive on.
Don't believe the BS about acclimating to it. When it's cold, it's just cold, when it's hot, it's just hot so ya deal with it to tolerance. I hate cold, and I hate anything above 95* so I just suck it up while Panty 6 enjoys the hell out of it
 
#6
Re: How do you do it in the south???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BOLTRIPPER</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i uaually just higher a fan boy.....</div></div>



or......you could have some one waterboard you
 
#7
Re: How do you do it in the south???

The only think I develop a tolerance for, is wearing sopping wet shirts all day.

I sweat profusely, so I drink lots of water to stay hydrated.

I try not to think about the heat and concentrate on just getting the job done and don't over do it.
 
#8
Re: How do you do it in the south???

You never get used to the heat and humidity,I've been here in AR for thirty years and I still despise the summer time. It's been decided that if we ever move from here it will definitely be to the north and west of our current location.
 
#9
Re: How do you do it in the south???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The only think I develop a tolerance for, is wearing sopping wet shirts all day.</div></div>

Buy some of these. You'll still sweat, but you won't <span style="font-style: italic">feel</span> wet.

http://www.rei.com/product/732619

You can get similar undershorts. With those, and nylon shorts, I sweat all the time I'm outside, but I don't feel wet - and I don't get heat rash.
 
#10
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I lived in Phoenix my entire life until I joined the Army and never had a problem with various sports.

I was never properly introduce to heat rash until I found myself sitting in a training area in full gear adj Fort Stewart GA with 90 degrees / 100% humidity. I hate the south and will never return. If paying 300 $ a month for AC in PHX means I will actually be dry when I get out of the shower than so be it.
Nothing says I love the south like mold growing on your ceiling.
 
#11
Re: How do you do it in the south???

The south Rocks baby!

You want Humid? Come to Tampa!

I was born and raised in New hampshire but have lived here for 34 years now. In construction the whole friggin time, most of that out doors. The key for me is to start psyching myself up in March/April for what I know is coming in the end of May through September and a good chunk of October.

I finally was able to complete a long term goal 4 years ago that has helped tolerate the heat immeasurably: We built a pool!

If you come to Tampa, bring beer!

And just keep telling yourelf it's "not so bad"

laugh.gif
 
#13
Re: How do you do it in the south???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lindy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The only think I develop a tolerance for, is wearing sopping wet shirts all day.</div></div>

Buy some of these. You'll still sweat, but you won't <span style="font-style: italic">feel</span> wet.

http://www.rei.com/product/732619

You can get similar undershorts. With those, and nylon shorts, I sweat all the time I'm outside, but I don't feel wet - and I don't get heat rash.
</div></div>

Thanks for the link Lindy. I'll pick up a few of those to try.
 
#14
Re: How do you do it in the south???

My Granddad used to say it's easier to put on enough clothes to stay warm than to take enough off to stay cool. Having lived in the ice and snow, I'll take the heat.
 
#15
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I left Louisville KY. for Colorado because I could no longer stand the humidity and polluted air. You never get used to it, and I grew up there. 2-3 cool showers a day and lot's of AC help though. When shooting we did it in the morning and evening, rarely during the heat of the day. Same for sports. Even avoiding the heat of mid day you are still soaked in sweat doing anything outdoors but not as hot.

I love the clean dry air of the front range. Ahhh..

There is a reason it's cheaper to live in the humid south.
 
#16
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I have been working in south east GA since 2007 and besides my short 3 weeks in GITMO this is the hottest humid palce I have ever been. Drink lots of water and get most of your out side work done by 8am. On the weekends I am heading home from the range by 9am at the latest.
 
#17
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I get to the point were I don't think about it anymore, 100% humidity is the real killer. I live in Tallahassee where you get horible heat, and far enough away from the cost to where you don't get the breeze. The weather said it felt like 112 the other day.
 
#18
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I got friends in Bama and Georgia that I visit quite often and I can say the weather down there is nice. Not nearly as nice as it is here in CA, but still nice. As a Cali boy, I have always been a fan of hot weather. There's just something about 100+ degree weather that puts me in a great mood.
laugh.gif
 
#19
Re: How do you do it in the south???

You get used to it. On a good day at work we might cut 1000-1400 ft. of line through the woods with a bank blade. I usually fill my 3L camelbak up 2-3 times in a day, after that the heat is more of a mental thing. You just have to block it out and find your pace.
 
#20
Re: How do you do it in the south???

Gill slits..., right behind our ears.

OK, not really, but there are advantages. For instance, the high humidity is really good for a woman's skin; therefore, our women are absolutely gorgeous. In the summer they wear less clothing and spend a lot of time at the pool or the beach.

Hot looking, scantily clad, glistening women..., it's worth it.
 
#21
Re: How do you do it in the south???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DMann</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Gill slits..., right behind our ears.

<span style="text-decoration: underline">OK, not really, but there are advantages. For instance, the high humidity is really good for a woman's skin; therefore, our women are absolutely gorgeous. In the summer they wear less clothing and spend a lot of time at the pool or the beach.

Hot looking, scantily clad, glistening women..., it's worth it. </div></div></span>

AMEN brother!

And don't forget the amazing accents!
 
#22
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I've lived in Mississippi my whole life,the heat is bad but I've never really had an issue with it.Nearly all the machine shops I've worked in were un-airconditioned metal buildings and if it's 95 outside it's 115 inside,we just get a fan and drink some sweet tea.My inlaws are from Michigan and they complain like a little kid every time they visit.The funniest thing I think I've ever seen was when one of her cousins and her boyfriend moved down here a few years ago.I got him a job on a landscape crew and warned him about the heat.His response was "This is not anywhere near as hot as Michigan",he passed out with heat stroke the first day 3 hours in.Thereafter he refused to work past 10am,and they moved back a month later.You couldn't pay me enough to live anywhere up North with all that damn snow and subzero temps.Gotta agree with DMann the ladies here are so smokin hot,nothin better than watchin my wife workin outside in her bathing suit!On top of everything else most people down here look at you funny if you DON'T own a gun.
 
#23
Re: How do you do it in the south???

You build a tolerance for it,but that does not make you bullet proof.You have to take breaks when it gets over 95 and the humidity is high,and drink lots of water.When its really hot,room temperature water is better than ice cold water.It also helps to eat lighter,a can of pineapple is better than a fish dinner for lunch.If your job allows you to plan,do the hard outdoor stuff early or late.Most days this time of year,I'm soaking wet by 0700 and still that way at 1900.Days like that sure make a cold beer taste good at quitting time!Its just getting started here,looks like 3 more months of it. Pete
 
#26
Re: How do you do it in the south???

You don't get used to it, you just accept that it's hot and that you are going to sweat your balls off and get on with life. Plan your activities around the hottest parts of the day. Spend as much time as you can on the lake or around the pool if you aren't in the air conditioning. Enjoy the scenery. There's no better place on earth than Oxford Mississippi when it's hot outside............
 
#27
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I have lived in the deep south my whole life. 50 years now.

Yesterday it got up to 97 with 85% humidity at one point according to the Kestral with heat index 105. I was target shooting in my hayfield that got cut last week.

I wear nylon ripstop long pants and a Magellan fishing shirt, long sleeve. I carry a canteen and drink frequently. At least the 1/2l per hour that switchblade mentioned. Long pants and long sleeve shirt are important if you do a lot of outdoor work in the deep south. I used to think my granddad was nuts cause he always wore an old white dress shirt to work in. Now I know. Evaporative cooling works better with that configuration than with shorts and t-shirts. Always wear a wide brim hat. Use sunscreen on exposed areas.

And when you go in for a break at lunch time don't stay in for more than 20 or 30 minutes. It makes it too hard to go back out.
 
#28
Re: How do you do it in the south???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You don't get used to it...</div></div>

Actually, your body adapts to the heat, through several mechanisms, including increased rate of sweating, lowering of electrolyte ratios in sweat, and other adaptations.

See: Acclimatisation to Heat
 
#29
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I hate the humidity here, if God would air condition this state it would be great...

Me and my wife were talking yesterday about buying some land for when we retire, I always thought I wanted to retire to the TN mountains on a few acres, but now we're considering a place that is completely dry. I'm so tired of sweating at night when I walk outside...
 
#31
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I honestly don't think you ever develop a tolerance for it. I have lived in South Georgia all my life, and I've never gotten used to it. My secret is get out early in the morning and don't go back inside with the A/C until either it's dark or I am finished for the day. Once you go inside it's almost impossible to come back out and be productive. Oh, and drink plenty of fluids.
 
#32
Re: How do you do it in the south???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Captain Kick-Ass</div><div class="ubbcode-body">um..... it isn't even hot yet </div></div> You got that right next month it ramps up for the August heat, this is just a teaser to get you used to it!
 
#34
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I work outside everyday, you just have to get used to your clothes being soaked by about 8:30 in the morning, and deal with it. Heat rashes suck, and I hate going into the A/C when I get off of work, it makes me really tired. Drink lots of water and if you feel light headed you just take a break. It has been right around a 100 degrees here everyday last week with high humidity. It is a little early for that, but I still have to make a living. Next week is not looking any better, and working with hot machines does not help at all. I can tell when it gets really hot because my crew can not seem to get as much done in a day as we could when the high temp is 80. Just drink lots of beer when you get off work, and do it again the next day.
 
#35
Re: How do you do it in the south???

Try flagging traffic at 1630hrs at MLK Dr. & N. Mkt. for several hours. BTDT

In the south, the heat just flat out sucks ass. It's not even August yet and it's already 100+
 
#36
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I feel bad every day in the heat out here in La Grange Tx where I'm working. I supervise survey on a pipline and all the laborers have to wear full fire retardant clothing, no breaks, and their boss is an ASSHOLE. He sits in his diesel all day with his feet up on the dash in the AC. Not wearing his FR clothing and screams at the workers. I don't know how they do it. My worker is a complete pansy and he cries when I tell him he has to go out in the heat. I have cut line in the worst heat in LA surveying and wondred how I did it. You learn to tolerate it. Whats bad is when you have to cut through thick briars or corn where there is NO breeze. And the corn dust, skeeters, no shade don't help either. I'm getting hot thinking about it.
 
#37
Re: How do you do it in the south???

Sleeveless shirts, try to find some shade periodically, sweet tea/lemonade, and honestly, try not to think about it. Lived in southern KY all 31 years of my life and while you definitely notice the heat right out of the gate(hits you in the face when you step outside) get a good sweat going and stay hydrated. Another trick.....when you are in the house lounging in the AC, don't set it really low. I used to keep my house around 70-72 and when I went outside I would absolutely melt. Last few years I have trained myself to be very comfortable around 74 and honestly, it does make a difference when going outside, and also saves on electricity!

Kelly
 
#38
Re: How do you do it in the south???

I'm sorry. I drove out to Palm Springs today and it was a crisp/cool 108*!!! I swear it hurt to breathe.

I'll take Atlanta with the humidity than this heat. I can't imagine July/August...
Forget it.
 
#40
Re: How do you do it in the south???

Plan your heavy activities in the morning or late afternoon. If you're out in the heat of the day, keep a wide brimmed hat on, long sleeves, and long (but cool - think ripstop nylon like Crump suggested) pants. Wear a Camelbak and drain that sucker every hour or so.
Also, keeping the AC set to about 80 instead of 70 has helped us so far this year. If you know you're going to be working outside and you're driving to the area, kill your AC and ride with the windows down. Shocking your body by going from 70-75 degrees to 90+ with "wet-towel-across-the-mouth" humidity is hell.
And, uh, sweet tea. That's the real Southern Secret. At the end of the day, you should also throw some crushed mint leaves in there, add some Beam (7 year preferably) to it, and chill out under the ceiling fan. It helps a lot.
 
#41
Re: How do you do it in the south???

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wnroscoe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Try flagging traffic at 1630hrs at MLK Dr. & N. Mkt. for several hours. BTDT

In the south, the heat just flat out sucks ass. It's not even August yet and it's already 100+ </div></div>

First stop of the day gets the heat behind the vest and you aren't going to feel relief until the end of shift, when it gets taken off. Several of the guys have those "hoses" that attach to the A/C vent and direct air behind the vest. One even built one from a two liter and some hose.

OT - Get outdoorsy stuff done early or late. No relief in the shade in NOLA.
 
#42
Re: How do you do it in the south???

hell its almost 100 here in Katy Tx today, and i just got done fishing. just wear a big camelbak and fill it up multiple times. take breaks 10 minutes every hour as said before. other than that, i hate the cold, much rather have heat
 
#43
Re: How do you do it in the south???

Thanks to all for the responses. For those of you who are able to deal with the southern heat and humidity, I am amazed. I just returned to CA from Louisiana and the absence of humidity makes all the difference in the world for me. I've been places where it is over 100 on a regular basis (where I live is like that at times during the summer) and it's never been a big problem to be active in the heat. Add in that southern humidity, though, and I wasn't good for more than about 5 minutes before I had to retreat to the A/C.

I did, however, come to appreciate the torrential downpours that cool things off mid-day, though being in a metal boat in the gator filled swamp as the lightning struck wasn't giving me any great confidence.
 
#46
Re: How do you do it in the south???

1900, Outside, 94*, humid. 1x4's to cut down(recyled fence pickets). Lay boards on saw horses to measure. Why the fuck are my balls sticking to my leg? Lay out the three cut lines and pencil in with teh new carpenter's square. Damn, is that sweat rolling down the crack of my ass? Make three cuts, move boards. Lay out two 4' pieces for the planter box, and get ten 23" pieves to make the sides. Dang, t-shirt wet, sticking to my arms, sweat dropping into my shades...is it really this humid and hot? Note haze throughout the hills. Lay out and square then screw pickets, then plug in the saw. Jeez, hande is slick. Put on gloves for grip, make long cut down bottom to even out base of pickets for side of flower box.
Wipe brow, remove gloves, pull nut sac off leg back to center, wipe face with wet shirt. Fuck it's hot!

I will say this though; being hot is not as bad as being wicked cold. I'll take it and smile because the other day it was a 104* heat index and that was freakin HOT! It doesn't matter, humidity at 100% in NC was miserable, dry heat at 106* in Nor-Cal, or Korea, or A-Stan was miserable. Walking through an oven is still hot. Moist heat, Dry Heat same same. By the time your clothes are soaked through, and the sac is stuck to the leg, you're basically screwed.

I still have to wonder though why this doesn't seem to affect women. They go out in it, love it, and come into a 75* house with the AC on and grab a blanket on the couch. Strange
 
#47
Re: How do you do it in the south???

Well if your gonna outside just get used to sweating your ass off. I grew up in AL and now I live out in CO. I barely sweat when it's 90 here. Still the South is a great place to be, and I can't wait till I get back.
 
#48
Re: How do you do it in the south???

Some days I feel like I need a shoe horn to pry my nutsac out of my shoe its so hot. I don't concern myself with how hot it is elsewhere in the world, I live here. Funny thing is, it was 96 here today and a billion percent humidity, and its still about a month away from being really HOT. Mowed the yard today at 7pm and by the time I made 1 complete lap of my small front yard, you could wring sweat out of my shirt. It isn't that bad though, because when you get a slight breeze, its cold against your sweaty clothes lol.

Kelly
 
#49
Re: How do you do it in the south???

its 4:30 am and its 80* and 80% humidity. 220v outlet is out and the electrician is due this week. on the bright side, it only feels like its 86* so, i got that going for me. im ok with no a/c. im hot, sweaty, skicky and stinky and i havenet even moved much. its my dogs i feel sorry for. i may have to snag a used 110v a/c and lock us in a small room here til the 220v gets fixed
 
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