While we’ve been gone, we’ve seen a couple of days in the 90s, a few days in the 60s or 80s, but most of the days’ temperatures peaked in the lower to mid 70s.
In the mean time, our home state of Arkansas was baking. Over 20 days so far this summer have been over 100°F.
Today, we drove from southern Illinois. Much of the morning was rainy and cloudy and the temperature stayed about 73°F. Once we got into Missouri, it started clearing and warming up. At Conway, when we got on the interstate it was over 100°. By the time we got to the point where we leave the interstate and head up into the Ozarks, it was 105°, though earlier we had seen 106°. It was 101° when we got home.
We have a nicely shaded yard and a big front porch. When we left, we turned of the air conditioner, water, and hot water heater. All the shades and shutters were closed. We have a minimum/maximum thermometer with both inside and outside temperature instruments. The hottest it got on the porch was 101.2°, while down in the valley temperatures were running much higher. The house was 88° inside when we got home and the hottest it got was 89° on August 14th. We must have gotten some rain as the yard plants do not look nearly as bad as we had feared.
Part of the reason we like to travel to the mountains is to escape the summer heat. We certainly did that this year.
We did anticipate cooler weather than we ran into this year. A lot of times when we go out west, we end up spending a fair amount of time in long-sleeved shirts (or sweatshirts) and jeans. However, we do know that it can be warm and take short sleeve shirts and shorts – which I ended up wearing more than anything else.
Our trip map is complete. The pins indicate places we stayed (camped). We had planned on being home no later than tomorrow. However, camping in the heat, especially when you’re not used to it, is not fun. So we decided to make it home in two days from Wisconsin instead of three.
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Escaping the heat to wear long sleeves and jeans is my life’s dream. Glad you were able to get to cooler temps and that your yard plants are better than expected.
xo
Now that I see it on the map, I realise what a trip you have been on. It is awesome.
Being in India, despite in Pune which is quite temperate, I am used to high temperatures and it does not bother me much. In the summers I use the air-conditioner for a couple of hours in the afternoon and the whole night, and it is only for two months of the year.
Awesome Trip. I did something equivalent 10 years ago. But that’s when I was laid off and had a healthy severance package. I dont’ know when that opportunity will happen again.
BTW, if you want cool, you oughta come up to Ontario sometimes. We’re already starting to wear long sleeves, and we don’t even have any mountains.
True…last night, I had the car heater turned on.
What a long drive! It’s always nice to come home, but not necessarily to bake. Luckily, the worst of summer is over.
Welcome home! I enjoyed tagging along and learning about places new to me>
I love maps! The picture of your trip is beautiful. When does it start cooling off there? We wilt in the heat and bless our air conditioner in the summer.
I’ve enjoyed reading about your trip, Mike and seeing the pics you’ve shared from along the way. I love the heat! But as you say, it’s not pleasant to camp in. Just heard on the news tonight that Vancouver is supposed to have a colder and more snowy winter this year. Not thrilled.
Jannie – The even nicer thing it looks like we got home at the very end of the worst of the hot spell. The forecast for today and the rest of the week is a return of more normal August weather – hot, but manageable.
Ramana – The trip was about 4,550 miles — and that was just what we put on the motorhome. We’ve done longer trips in far less time. Being retired now, there isn’t any rush. I see more long trips in our future. Both of my parents live near an ocean — Mom lives in Virginia just a few blocks from the beach on the Atlantic and Dad just moved at the beginning of the month to a small coastal Oregon town on the Pacific.
Friar – Some of our past trips have included Canada — twice to the Canadian Rockies, once to Vancouver and Vancouver Island, and once across lower Ontario from Vermont to New York. We’ll make it back to Canada some time — and, maybe, forget to come home — at least for a while.
Dot – It is nice to come home, but…
A friend asked me yesterday if I was ready to hit the road. I told that we just got back. He then asked if I was ready to head back out and I said, “Sure, but my wife isn’t.” to which he replied, “Same here!” with a smile.
We missed the worst of the extreme heat. Our temperatures have already returned to normal seasonal weather just since we got home, which IS hot, but not as bad as what Arkansas had earlier.
Grannymar – Thanks. I still have a number of posts to make to catch up with what I wanted to share. I thought I had figured out how I wanted to do it this time, but I still got behind.
Jean – Thanks! The weather this summer while we were gone was extreme, but right after we got home the weather turned to more seasonable temperatures and should slowly cool over the next several weeks. There have been times in the past where extreme heat lasted all the way through September into October.
Davina – Thanks! I can generally stand the heat, but it’s much more pleasant when it’s cooler for getting out on the trails like we like to do. We never hike in Arkansas in the summer, except on cool mornings or days that are cooler than normal. With temperatures this summer regularly above 38°C and even above 43°C this summer, we would not have spent much time outside.
I haven’t seen any “official” long term forecasts for us, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we have another colder than “normal” winter.
Temps are finally just getting tolerable here in Wisconsin. A few weeks ago we were in the high 90′s with 100% humidity. Agh! That was brutal. Now we have a cold front coming through which is really supposed to improve the comfort factor (according to weatherlady Amy Carlson on NBC15, anyway!)
When we were visiting our daughter in Windsor/DeForest last week, the weather wasn’t bad at all. One day, in fact, was cool enough that we told the grandkids to wait a day to come swim at the campground. I think the high was 71° at our daughter’s house. I think the hottest day for me was the morning we went to pick apples. Of course the fact that I was the one that carried the half bushel half a mile back to the car had nothing to do with it.
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