Keeping Your Cool When It's.......... Hot! Hot! Hot!

Well, it has finally happened. 

Summer has arrived!  

We have hit our first 100 degree days and it is Hot! Hot! Hot!

As I have said before, traveling in a small vintage trailer presents its challenges.  I am often camping in spots without electricity, so of course the heat brings up the inevitable question about staying cool without benefit of air conditioning.  Life in my sweet little trailer is always a compromise of the energy required, space allowances and comfort. 

Lolita has no air conditioning.  Yes, people have added window air conditioning or swamp coolers to them but at this point I am coping without either.

 Here Are Some Stay Cool Ideas

• Choose carefully the camping spot. A location in higher altitude, by the water, and certainly with shade during the hot time of day may help keep everyone more comfortable.

• I currently have 2 folding fans.  One that runs on electricity or D rechargeable batteries and one fan that runs of of 12 volts.  So with the combination of the two I can have 2 fans that bring in  air circulation to cool the trailer.  I have also hung a hand towel that is dipped in ice water (poured out from the cooler) from the curtain rods in front of a window with a fan in front of  the cool cloth.

Road Pro Portable Fan

• Hang a hand towel that is dipped in ice water (poured out from the cooler) from the curtain rods in from of a window with a fan in front of the cool cloth.  Using disposable water allows me to use it's cooling factors for a second use. (always a hit in my book!) The fan brings in the air and it is cooled by the towel.  Ice cubes in a colander in front of a fan deliver cooler air also.

• There is nothing like a cool shower before retiring for the evening and as you know I have added a way to have a shower in Lolita so that I can cool down, when I am just too hot!.  Check out the blog post for more details of the construction.                                           http://avintagerollingstone.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-shower-luxury-or-necessity.html

 

• When I'm feeling lazy or it's just to hot to move much, my wash basin filled with cool water works well for a quick cool down.  Using this disposable water allows me to use it's cooling factors for a second use. (always a hit in my book!)

• Personal Misters -  There are a great number and variety of these available on the market.  I have tried a number of these and am currently using this low tech, battery operated kind using rechargeable batteries

•  I use my wash basin as a cooling foot bath with cool water.... Nothing feels better than hot feet in cool water.

•  Head Bands, scarfs or hats  with crystals to absorb soaked in cool water, work wonders in the heat of the day especially while out in the elements such as on a hike or kayak paddle. 

• I always search for a water hole or lake.  There is NOTHING like a quick jump in a cool lake to cool off a hot body.

• When it is too hot to sleep, I spray a sheet with cool water before laying down.  I am generally asleep before the sheet is dry.

My kitties also appreciate my efforts to stay cool.  We are often fighting for space in front of the fans. All of these stay cool ideas have helped us cope with heat till the mid 90's.  When it gets hotter then that.... I'm headed to a cooler camping spot or air conditioning.

I am an old fashioned girl.... with low tech solutions to hot summer heat.

How do you stay cool when its Hot, Hot, Hot???