The curse of living in San Francisco and this year-round mildly cold weather of ours is that we are rather fickle with temperature extremes. Especially when the weather gets hot. Far easier to to deal with cold when it’s always sort of cold. But high temperatures? There’s only so much we can do when weather in the 70s already feel like shorts and t-shirts time. Imagine making that clothing combination last all the way into the triple digits.
I just end up sweating it through. Traveling the grueling summer heat in Japan, I brought a towel with me everywhere, constantly wiping sweat away.
But that was Japan. I made the mistake of not bring a towel with me this past weekend when we went to Marysville, deep north of Sacramento. Back home in San Francisco it was a nice low 60s, but it was well into the 90s near our State capitol. A 30 degrees swing from departure and the destination. How would you prepare for this? We all left San Francisco with two upper layers and long pants - as you do. Upon arrival, we took off our sweatshirts to the t-shirt layer. That was it.
Suffice it to say, I was struggling in the heat. At least I had the presence of mind to wear canvas shoes instead of my usual wool Allbirds. Really should have worn shorts, but I would have froze at the beginning of the trip in. By mid-afternoon I was feeling the adverse affects, and had to find shade whenever possible.
I actually don’t mind hot weather. Because we only get it for one week out of the year in San Francisco, we never get a chance to acclimate. I think I can do quite well living in a place where it’s always above 80 degrees during the Summer. So long as there’s air-conditioning indoors, of course.
Overall I think it does the body well to experience temperature extremes once in a while. It’s good training for resiliency. Going to Marysville and being in the heat felt great the next day, as if I had exercised the day before.
Levee living.