Death Valley Heat

[Off_Pavement]

We took a drive into DVNP yesterday... was plenty HOT at the visitor center!

[Strabo]

I rigged up a aero cool swamp cooler to our toyhauler once, it was made easy because we have a vent door on it, created a foil bubble wrap boot to attach it, sat on concrete blocks. Worked so good, It would in low humidity conditions take the air temp in the hauler down to 68, on low...All windows opened and side door opened. All ya need is a water supply and electrical connection. Swamp cooler wasn't that large, but I wasn't Camping when I used it.

Comfort is a necessity to us, gotta make it happen.

[pnichols]

I've been told that some visitors from other countries like to visit DV in August just so that they can "experience" the extreme heat.

I'd like to see some kind of drycamping RV event held every August in some remote area of DV just to see what kind of creative modifications RV'ers can come up with to keep the inside of their rigs cool and comfy above and beyond mere huge refrigeration capacity powered by huge generators. Kindof a "tinker's technology challenge" type of annual event just to get together for fun and knowledge sharing.

With average global temperatures maybe edging higher in the future, RV's probably should be designed for better stock cooling so we don't have to always seek the high ground or coastal ground for summer camping.

The dry Death Valley heat aside, the most miserable heat (with extreme humidity) we've RV camped in was that in the Southern U.S. in August in moderate mid-80 temperatures. We had to run BOTH the air conditioner and an electric heater at the same time in our motorhome: The air conditioner to remove miserable moisture from the interior and the heater to keep the air conditioner from freezing us while it was removing the moisture. Kindof a makeshift dehumidifier when you didn't have one along.

[Strabo]

2gypsies wrote:
As other desert areas - it's a dry heat so really doesn't seem that hot. 🙂

We live in the high desert not too far from DV, every day....Hot, Hot, Hot.

DV is best visited in the winter or early spring.

[jefe_4x4]

This heat thing is kind of like childbirth: You'll never know if you're not a female. And, it's very relative. I lived in the desert southwest as a kid and never thought about it being hot. It just was. You learned to stand in the shade, any shade once the day progressed, if you could find any, and move slower as it got hotter.
30 years ago Jeanie and I drove our then Jeep XJ, aka: The Not-So-Grand Cherokee (with a.c. and a digital temp readout) from L.A. to Laughlin NV. on June 21st of the year. It was a hot day in L.A. and by the time we got to Barstow it was 115 degrees. As we drove east we crested a little pass that leads down to River Road, the turnoff to Laughlin. At the top of the 3K foot pass the readout said 119 and I remarked to Jeanie wondering if the readout would stop at 120. No, it jumped to 121 and subsequently as we descended to the Colorado River it jumped to 124 degrees. As we entered the Casino parking lot the big sign across the Colorado at BullHead City said 126. This set a new all-time high in Laughlin. Not to worry, the record was broken about 15 years later when it zoomed up to 128 degrees fahrenheit. The thing is, I cannot tell you how hot that it was because you have nothing with which to judge it by. It was extremely dry and you could feel the juice just sucked right out of your epidermis just standing on the blacktop. Your eyelids felt like potatoes chips. Your lips were beef jerky. You still don't know how hot it was. I usually brought my bass trombone to keep my chops up by playing late at night in the multilevel parking structure. I'd get out my music stand and put my horn together for an hour or so's practice.The mouthpiece was so hot I could not put it to my lips without dousing it with bottled water. It was so hot that no water came out when I depressed the water key on the slide. That was a first. I was spotted on the in-house camera and a guard came around on a little electric cart, stopping to see what I was doing. I said,
"Better to practice here than next to your room, No?" He concurred with a laugh and buzzed off down the aisle way. So, how hot was it?
jefe

[Strabo]

No way, I hate the heat. You can't breathe at those temps, your body can't cool down without a pool or a cool shower.

They call it DEATH VALLEY for a reason, probably the death part. 😉

[time2roll]

There are a few spots with electricity in DV.

[pnichols]

2gypsies wrote:
We boondocked in Death Valley mid-May with 118 degrees - 3 nights. Not at all fun. We sat outside until very late as it didn't ever cool down to be comfortable but we were there to see it so we just stayed.

Wow.

Were you in your Newmar when you did that? If so, didn't it's genny and two(?) air conditioners keep you comfortable throughout the day?

[2gypsies1]

pnichols wrote:

FWIW, I wonder how hot and how long folks have high-temperature boondock camped in an RV? (We boondock camped in our Class C off a 4X4 road in Death Valley once ... but it was only in March.)

We boondocked in Death Valley mid-May with 118 degrees - 3 nights. Not at all fun. We sat outside until very late as it didn't ever cool down to be comfortable but we were there to see it so we just stayed.

[pnichols]

sch911 wrote:
Well here is a picture of that thermometer not malfunctioning (with my associate) taken about two weeks ago. And that's the actual temperature! We were there testing future new vehicles in the heat...

Hmmm ... well, I guess then that a Land Rover Defender breaking a record crossing the Empty Quarter part of the Sahara in 123 degree heat wasn't so much of a big deal after all!

FWIW, I wonder how hot and how long folks have high-temperature boondock camped in an RV? (We boondock camped in our Class C off a 4X4 road in Death Valley once ... but it was only in March.)

[2gypsies1]

monkey44 wrote:

2gypsies wrote:
As other desert areas - it's a dry heat so really doesn't seem that hot. 🙂

Correct, but over a hundred is still over a hundred ... not exactly cool. DVNP is one of our favorites - we once lived close enough to go often on weekends.

HYDRATE if you go, it will suck water right out of your body. So, drink plenty of water, even if you don't 'feel it' ... dehydration sneaks up on you.

You're correct...I was just stating the much-used phrase.

We're in 106 deg. this morning and just finished playing 3 hours of pickleball - began at 7am. 🙂 We do this every morning along with many others. You do get used to it but water is extremely important....and the dry heat does make a slight difference.

[monkey44]

2gypsies wrote:
As other desert areas - it's a dry heat so really doesn't seem that hot. 🙂

Correct, but over a hundred is still over a hundred ... not exactly cool. DVNP is one of our favorites - we once lived close enough to go often on weekends.

HYDRATE if you go, it will suck water right out of your body. So, drink plenty of water, even if you don't 'feel it' ... dehydration sneaks up on you.

[2gypsies1]

As other desert areas - it's a dry heat so really doesn't seem that hot. 🙂

[3oaks]

monkey44 wrote:
HA - I recall someone posting a photo of an aluminum test Ford truck or SUV - think it was DVNP too, and it melted into a lump of metal at the side of the road. Test failed ? 🙂 Altho', it was a fire as I recollect it ... not the temperature.

Oh, but it was the temperature..............from the heat of the fire. :@

[sch911]

2oldman wrote:

sch911 wrote:
Well here is a picture of that thermometer not malfunctioning (with my associate) taken about two weeks ago.

I'm surprised anyone could manage a smile in that heat! Yikes!

Yeah it was a hellish day (pun intended). Test cars in and out from Las Vegas, a one day road trip. Long and extra hot!