Heat Trouble

 

ADVENTURE LOCATION:

DECATUR, ALABAMA

POINT MALLARD PARK

DATE: JULY 30,2024

We got going this morning and checked the weather to find out that a heat warning had been published. The OFM has had four heat strokes and plans to NOT do one of them again. So we checked the current weather and stepped outside to verify things. He thought that we could go for a walk on the trail with lots of shade. No breeze, heavy humidity and super bright sunshine, 84F. We planned a shorter walk at a more gentle pace and stay in the shade and double the water we carried. Got to give the OFM credit he was taking lots of careful in his plans. So off we went. Not far into the walk we got to a slough nearby and checked for wind ripples.

There was absolutely no symptoms of a breeze of any sort. The OFM stopped and considered a bit and decided to meander slowly about a quarter mile on down the trail to where it connects with Flint Creek.

When we got there the Creek was slicker than a new mirror. So we turned back to the Castle a half mile away. The OFM did notice he was feeling the heat trouble symptoms slightly so turning back was a must do he thought.

By the time we got back to the air conditioned Castle the OFM was having heat trouble. We got inside and got a fan blowing on him and cold root beer getting into him but it still took a couple of hours before he was OK. This was an important event since we had not had to fight these conditions in several years. He reacted to the conditions much sooner than in the past so we need to be more pro active sooner in the future. Maybe him being 77 years and 50 weeks old has made him more susceptible to the heat conditions now.

So the rest of the day he stayed in the AC wherever we went and by 1500 he was doing fine.

One more getting older lesson safely learned. Every one please be careful in the heat.