My family was vacationing in Lake Havasu City on, June 28, 1994, when a state record was set for highest temperature. We were staying at the old Holiday Inn on London Bridge Road at that time, now the Hampton Inn.
The wife and kids were hanging out at the pool, although earlier that day we’d rented wave runners for a couple of hours, with the Yamaha I was on ultimately sinking. I’ll save that for another story.
A few years prior to this, Joleen and I purchased the old Lake Havasu Police Department building at 296 London Bridge Road, and on that 128 degree day, I met with the owner of Allstar fencing back then, to see about some fence upgrades on a vacant lot next to the structure.
I can’t remember the gentlemen’s name, but as we stood outside and talked prices, I asked him if a heat record was about to be set as we’d been told by a hotel employee. He paused for a few seconds, looked at the sun, and then spoke,
“Nah, I don’t think so. Once the temp gets over 120 a person can’t really tell anyway!”
The only reason I asked, was that my shoes and feet were getting plenty hot standing on black asphalt. It wasn’t until getting back to Alaska that I looked to see how hot asphalt would’ve been that day. A graph showed between 140 – 150 degrees.
Our biggest problem that trip was that airplanes were delayed getting out of Phoenix because of thin air caused by the heat. We were fortunate in changing schedules to a late night flight. I was more than happy to get back to cooler weather after that experience, although the wife and kids would have gladly stayed.
Since that time, I’ve seen up to 123 degrees on our house thermometer. I’m now wise enough to not stand on asphalt during those warm days, nor outside at all for that matter. My experience with heat fatigue came from not being outside, but inside.
When our Arizona home was finished in 2005, the first thing I did on a two week trip to town was start putting my car lift together. There was no air conditioning in the garage, but I did have a large, useless, portable “swamp cooler.” This was in August and the temperature in that garage at night was barely under 100.
I was close to wrapping things up around midnight, and decided to keep at it as we were leaving early the next morning. By the time I finished tightening the very last bolt, I was wobbly on my feet, having to go inside, strip down, while Joleen sprayed cool water on me. All of this took place as I lay underneath a ceiling fan turned on high.
The next morning, I felt no ill effects after my brush with heat stroke, yet inspecting the lift, I’d mounted the hydraulic pump completely upside down. It was quite evident getting overheated had messed with my clear thinking. I learned a big lesson from both of those trips. These days when it’s above 100, unless it’s absolutely necessary, I avoid working outside. The garage now has A/C so that’s no longer a problem.
This past month, on a daily basis, I observed construction workers toiling away in that Havasu heat. I don’t envy these guys and gals, because over time, it will do irreparable harm to their bodies. They might not think so now, but after several years it’ll start showing up in different places. Just ask any good heart doctor.
For folks not having to work, yet electing to hike, jog, or bike, when it’s way above 100, I suppose they do so in an effort to appear macho. For those unwise people, I figure Havasu heat has already got to their brains.
I like to write junk... 