Love is a hot shower where your skin never prunes.
John Mayer
Sometimes I’m just too cool for school. Tragically, it is usually in my dreams.
I live in California. Specifically, I live at the edge of a coastal/inland micro-climate, along the Carquinez Straights. We get about three weeks when it is cool, three weeks when it is too warm, and the rest of the time – well, you know the story of the Three Bears.
I’ve already talked about some of the ways I keep warm, even when camping in winter. Lately, though, staying cool has been the greater challenge. Go, Greta, go!
The weave of the hammock itself, unlike the nylon wonders, is so breathable that it helps a lot. I augment the breezes with a fan or two, strategically placed both overhead or behind, when things really heat up. Swiveling helps keep up with the occupant.
At least this is all solar powered. Theoretically.
At some point, however, the movement of air is just not enough to do it. At that point I move to evaporative cooling. I purchased a sprayer at the hardware store, filled it up with water (and nothing but water. You can even add a few ice cubes.), and settled it right behind me on the ground. Any time I get hot, I can grab the nozzle and soak myself. You can take QUITE a shower, as the water evaporates pretty swiftly on a warm day.
If you shut your eyes, you can feel the delicious chill cooling your skin, as you rise above the churning surf on a splendid August day, your children and spouse amazed (from the safe distance of the sandy shore) with your new-found prowess at body surfing. Waves tug at your ankles, softening the sand. Was that the screech of a seagull, or just a Blue Jay? A breeze springs up, and adds to the cooling of your skin, and then – well, when you open them you are in a hammock by the back lawn. There is no sand between your toes.
Cue the sprinklers!
I have comfortably managed days that got into the 90’s and even beyond. I think for days over 100 Fahrenheit, though, (37.78 C) I would definitely add those ice cubes to the tank, and line up a few chilled beers!
if you start with your ankles, as the mist rolls up your body, it will get cooler, and cooler and yet still cooler. This is because the water warms up inside the tube, and comes out less than chilled when you first start spraying. By the time you’ve reached your forehead, you are shooting ice water over your scalp. This is refreshing by any definition.
it can even be used to hose down a pesky fly or two, should they be so impertinent as to disturb you.
I wish I was soaking under the Mount Hope River, but God put that beautiful body of water on the other side of this country. I will have to speak to her.
Sometimes, a person just has to embed themselves in a river. Water flow can actually create a breathable bubble in front of one’s face, allowing immersion for many minutes while still gathering oxygen. A body slamming, river drubbing spa. I call it the River Helmet. Fish included, as I discovered one starry evening. It slipped down past my toes and downriver, and I took another sip of red wine to steady my nerves.
This experience, however, has nothing to do with hammocks.
Fans work better with remote controls or some way of easily switching them on and off – and they can be darned noisy!
One evening we had heard about a meteor shower, and decided to camp out in our front lawn, testing out my new net-roofed tent. We watched until all eyelids slid shut and gentle snores rose from the four sleeping bags. The next morning – the sprinklers kicked off at 7 a.m. and our soggy tent was swiftly packed up and moved in a desperate hilarious giggle-filled scramble.
We never learn. We had the same experience at a condo in Hawai’i, relaxing in the back for a sunset on the first evening with the hope of seeing the “green flash” which occasionally accompanies a great sunset. My Xbrother-in-law was actually perched right over a sprinkler head, and got a chance to exercise some of his extensive vocabulary.
I have debated installing a misting system above the hammock, but for several reasons think that the sprayer wand is a much better idea. I did have a surprise one day when I tried to turn it off and realized that it had slipped into “lock” position, and it took me an extra minute of misting around to turn it off!
My niece just suggested a stroller fan? I love learning something new everyday. I’ll have to request a review.
Mi Mayan Hamaca 