Showing posts with label cold. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cold. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Monday, April 13, 2026
Coughing with a spastic arm is not good
I've had a cold the last couple of days, runny nose and lots of coughing, If I cover my mouth with my right arm the left arm flies across my lap sweeping the laptop or book to the floor. So, the response has become; grab the left hand with the right to stop the upcoming destruction. And since I live alone I don't have to worry about spreading my germs to others.
My therapists and doctors completely failed at informing me of the consequences of having spasticity. Probably because they believed in the stupid and incorrect opinions of Dr. William M. Landau.
Of course the infamous Dr. William M. Landau thinks spasticity is not worth treating.
Do you believe in the do nothingism of Dr. William M. Landau on spasticity?
His statement from here:
Spasticity After Stroke: Why Bother? Aug. 2004
Wonder if he will be singing the same tune after he becomes the 1 in 4 per WHO that has a stroke, will he be satisfied with not getting recovered?
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Could cold water hold a clue to a dementia cure?
This would require that your doctor get you recovered enough to do swimming.
YOUR DOCTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY!
Or if your doctor is lazy and doesn't have the protocols to get you 100% recovered then maybe cold showers will do.
Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression
The latest here:
Could cold water hold a clue to a dementia cure?
The protein has been shown to slow the onset of dementia and even repair some of the damage it causes in mice.Prof Giovanna Mallucci, who runs the UK Dementia Research Institute's Centre at the University of Cambridge, says the discovery could point researchers towards new drug treatments which may help hold dementia at bay.The research - although promising - is at an early stage, but it centres on the hibernation ability that all mammals retain, which is prompted by exposure to cold.
There are already more than a million people with dementia in the UK and the total is expected to double by 2050.
Researchers are searching for new ways to treat the condition, as current options have only limited impact.
Bears and hedgehogs
Doctors have known for decades that cooling people down can - in certain circumstances - protect their brains.
People with head injuries and those who need cardiac operations are often cooled during surgery, as are babies.
What has not been so well understood was why cold has this protective effect.
The link with dementia lies in the destruction and creation of synapses - the connections between cells in the brain.
In the early stages of Alzheimer's and other neuro-degenerative diseases, these brain connections are lost.
This leads to the cascade of symptoms associated with dementia - including memory loss, confusion and mood swings - and, in time, the death of whole brain cells.
What intrigued Prof Mallucci was the fact that brain connections are lost when hibernating animals like bears, hedgehogs and bats bed down for their winter sleep.
About 20-30% of their synapses are culled as their bodies preserve precious resources for winter.
But when they awake in the spring, those connections are miraculously reformed.
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Cold Weather Associated With Increased Risk of Ischemic Stroke in AFib Patients
Ask your doctor to resolve between these two studies.
The
risk of heading to the ER for certain conditions, such as heart
disease, diabetes, stroke, kidney disease and low blood pressure rises
slightly as temperature and humidity increase, according to a new
Cold Weather Associated With Increased Risk of Ischemic Stroke in AFib Patients
Cold weather may be associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to research presented Aug. 30 at ESC Congress 2015 in London.The study, based on 289,559 new-onset AFib patients from the "National Health Insurance Research Database" in Taiwan from 2000 to 2011, estimated the risk of ischemic stroke for each month and season. Results showed that 34,991 patients suffered from an ischemic stroke during the mean follow up of three years and that stroke risk was higher during the months with a lower average temperature. Compared to summer, risk of ischemic stroke increased by 10 percent in the spring and 19 percent in the winter. Stroke risk did not differ significantly between summer and autumn.
According to Tze-Fan Chao, MD, from Taipei Veterans General Hospital and the National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan, when the average temperature was below 20 degrees Celsius, the risk of ischemic stroke significantly increased compared to days with an average temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. Additionally, a 5 degrees Celsius decrease in daily temperature within 14 days before the stroke occurred was associated with an increased risk of stroke with an odds ratio of 1.128.
"Our study shows a clear association between temperature and risk of ischemic stroke in patients with AFib," said Chao. "Risk may increase in cold weather because of the pro-coagulant status."
Moving forward, he suggests that cold weather may be an underrated health issue that deserves more attention. He notes there might also be an opportunity to predict strokes in AFib patients before they happen and put preventative measures in place such as adequate anticoagulants and reducing cold exposure through protective clothing and heating homes in winter.
Clinical Topics: Anticoagulation Management, Arrhythmias and Clinical EP, Anticoagulation Management and Atrial Fibrillation, Atrial Fibrillation/Supraventricular Arrhythmias
Keywords: ESC Congress, Anticoagulants, Atrial Fibrillation, Coagulants, Attention, Cold Temperature, Heating, Hospitals, General, Hospitals, Veterans, Male, National Health Programs, Protective Clothing, Risk, Seasons, Stroke, Taiwan, Temperature
Monday, November 30, 2015
Warm Temperatures Worsen Cardiovascular Disease but not Diabetes Risk
Interesting premise that we are not challenging our 'thermal comfort zone' and thus more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. In mice at least.
I can just see shivering patients in the hospital being told that cold is good for your vascular system.
http://www.biosciencetechnology.com/news/2015/11/warm-temperatures-worsen-cardiovascular-disease-not-diabetes-risk?
You might want to think twice before turning up that thermostat during the holidays. A new study led by UCSF researchers has found that mice who spend too much time in their thermal “comfort zone” while gorging on fatty foods more than double their risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to mice who stayed cool while eating the same diet.
The findings suggest that the standard practice of housing mice at relatively cool temperatures may actually benefit the animals’ long-term health by keeping their metabolisms active. On the other hand, it could be an impediment for researchers trying to understand metabolic disease in humans, since we spend much of our time at carefully regulated “thermoneutrality” – the temperature at which our metabolisms don’t have to do any extra work to keep us warm.
“This has had a profound effect on how I look at results coming out of my own lab,” said study senior author Ajay Chawla, M.D., Ph.D., a professor at UCSF’s Cardiovascular Research Institute and the departments of physiology and medicine in UCSF’s School of Medicine. “I don’t believe anything until we do it again at thermoneutrality.”
There is ongoing debate in the research community about the best temperature for the health and comfort of laboratory mice. The National Research Council recommends housing mice between 20 and 26 degrees Celsius (68 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit), well below the animals’ thermoneutral zone, which is closer to 30 C (86 F).
Chawla, who studies the effects of cold on metabolism, became interested in whether the practice of housing mice at relatively chilly temperatures changed their risk of developing metabolic disease.
Nearly two decades of research show that diets high in LDL cholesterol trigger chronic vascular inflammation, aggravating the growth of atherosclerotic plaques and leading to heart disease. In recent years, studies have suggested heightened immune activity could also be responsible for the onset of insulin resistance, an early warning sign of diabetes.
In the new paper, published Nov 5 in the journal Cell Metabolism, Chawla’s team found that mice housed at 30 C and fed fatty diets developed inflammation much more rapidly and ended up with twice as many atherosclerotic plaques than those housed at the more typical 22 C. On the other hand, the heightened inflammation resulting from warmer housing conditions had no significant effect on insulin resistance, in sharp contrast with previous results linking the two.
“This was a big surprise,” Chawla said. “It could be that inflammation has less to do with diabetes than we thought.”
Chawla suspects that the chronic chill lab mice typically experience protects against chronic inflammation by constantly revving the metabolism to produce heat. The heart rate of a mouse at 22 C is typically twice as high as a mouse at 30 C, they expend twice as much energy at rest, and have significantly elevated blood pressure.
“The magnitude of the response is huge,” Chawla said. “We do all these studies on mice hoping to apply what we learn about mouse physiology to humans, but it’s like we’ve been studying humans on speed.”
Source: University of California San Francisco
I can just see shivering patients in the hospital being told that cold is good for your vascular system.
http://www.biosciencetechnology.com/news/2015/11/warm-temperatures-worsen-cardiovascular-disease-not-diabetes-risk?
You might want to think twice before turning up that thermostat during the holidays. A new study led by UCSF researchers has found that mice who spend too much time in their thermal “comfort zone” while gorging on fatty foods more than double their risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to mice who stayed cool while eating the same diet.
The findings suggest that the standard practice of housing mice at relatively cool temperatures may actually benefit the animals’ long-term health by keeping their metabolisms active. On the other hand, it could be an impediment for researchers trying to understand metabolic disease in humans, since we spend much of our time at carefully regulated “thermoneutrality” – the temperature at which our metabolisms don’t have to do any extra work to keep us warm.
“This has had a profound effect on how I look at results coming out of my own lab,” said study senior author Ajay Chawla, M.D., Ph.D., a professor at UCSF’s Cardiovascular Research Institute and the departments of physiology and medicine in UCSF’s School of Medicine. “I don’t believe anything until we do it again at thermoneutrality.”
There is ongoing debate in the research community about the best temperature for the health and comfort of laboratory mice. The National Research Council recommends housing mice between 20 and 26 degrees Celsius (68 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit), well below the animals’ thermoneutral zone, which is closer to 30 C (86 F).
Chawla, who studies the effects of cold on metabolism, became interested in whether the practice of housing mice at relatively chilly temperatures changed their risk of developing metabolic disease.
Nearly two decades of research show that diets high in LDL cholesterol trigger chronic vascular inflammation, aggravating the growth of atherosclerotic plaques and leading to heart disease. In recent years, studies have suggested heightened immune activity could also be responsible for the onset of insulin resistance, an early warning sign of diabetes.
In the new paper, published Nov 5 in the journal Cell Metabolism, Chawla’s team found that mice housed at 30 C and fed fatty diets developed inflammation much more rapidly and ended up with twice as many atherosclerotic plaques than those housed at the more typical 22 C. On the other hand, the heightened inflammation resulting from warmer housing conditions had no significant effect on insulin resistance, in sharp contrast with previous results linking the two.
“This was a big surprise,” Chawla said. “It could be that inflammation has less to do with diabetes than we thought.”
Chawla suspects that the chronic chill lab mice typically experience protects against chronic inflammation by constantly revving the metabolism to produce heat. The heart rate of a mouse at 22 C is typically twice as high as a mouse at 30 C, they expend twice as much energy at rest, and have significantly elevated blood pressure.
“The magnitude of the response is huge,” Chawla said. “We do all these studies on mice hoping to apply what we learn about mouse physiology to humans, but it’s like we’ve been studying humans on speed.”
Source: University of California San Francisco
Monday, August 31, 2015
Cold weather linked to increased stroke risk in atrial fibrillation patients
Ask your doctor to resolve between these two studies.
The risk of heading to the ER for certain conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, kidney disease and low blood pressure rises slightly as temperature and humidity increase, according to a new
Cold weather linked to increased stroke risk in atrial fibrillation patients
Cold weather is associated with increased risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Tze-Fan Chao, cardiologist at Taipei Veterans General Hospital and the National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan.1 The study in nearly 290 000 patients suggests that cool climate may be an underrated issue for health that deserves more attention.
“Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and it increases the risk of ischaemic stroke by four- to five-fold,” said Dr Chao. “During AF, the electrical activity of the left atrium is disordered and the contraction is ineffective which results in stasis of blood in the atrium. The blood pools and becomes sluggish and can result in the formation of blood clots. If a clot leaves the heart and travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke by blocking the flow of blood through cerebral arteries.”
The autumn/winter season has been associated with a higher incidence and mortality rate of myocardial infarction, stroke and congestive heart failure. A greater plasma fibrinogen level and factor VII clotting activity in the winter have been reported as possible mechanisms.
“The elevation and activation of these coagulation factors may lead to a pro-coagulant status in cool climates which may promote the formation of blood clots within the left atrium and increase the risk of stroke for AF patients,” said Dr Chao. “However until now it was unclear whether the risk of ischaemic stroke was higher in AF patients during cool seasons or on days with a lower temperature.”
The study investigated this issue in 289 559 new-onset AF patients from the “National Health Insurance Research Database” in Taiwan during 2000 to 2011. Average daily temperatures in six regions of Taiwan were obtained from the Central Weather Bureau and average temperatures of each month and season were calculated. Taiwan is a small island and the differences in temperature between different regions were not large (Figure 1). The researchers therefore averaged the temperatures in the six regions to calculate the country average. The risk of ischaemic stroke was estimated for each month and season.
Among the Taiwan AF cohort, 34 991 patients suffered from an ischaemic stroke during the mean follow up of three years. The risk of ischaemic stroke was higher among the months with a lower average temperature (Figure 2). In addition, the incidence of ischaemic stroke was highest in winter and lowest in summer (Figure 3). Compared to summer, the risk of ischaemic stroke increased by 10% in spring and 19% in winter. Stroke risk did not differ significantly between summer and autumn.
“Our study shows a clear association between temperature and risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with AF,” said Dr Chao. “Risk may increase in cold weather because of the pro-coagulant status.”
A 5 °C decrease in daily temperature within 14 days before the stroke occurred was associated with an increased risk of stroke with an odds ratio of 1.128 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.061–1.199, p<0.001). Dr Chao said: “This suggests that there may be an opportunity to predict strokes in AF patients before they happen and put preventative measures in place such as adequate anticoagulants and reducing cold exposure through protective clothing and heating homes in winter.”
When the average temperature was below 20 °C the risk of ischaemic stroke significantly increased compared to days with an average temperature of 30 °C. “This may be because of the increased coagulability and plasma viscosity,” said Dr Chao.
He concluded: “In this large-scale nationwide AF registry, the risk of ischaemic stroke in AF patients was higher during cool months and seasons. The results imply that the interaction between humans and the environment may play an important role in AF-related stroke and remind us that cool climate may be an underrated issue for health which deserves more attention.”
The risk of heading to the ER for certain conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, kidney disease and low blood pressure rises slightly as temperature and humidity increase, according to a new
Cold weather linked to increased stroke risk in atrial fibrillation patients
Cold weather is associated with increased risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Tze-Fan Chao, cardiologist at Taipei Veterans General Hospital and the National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan.1 The study in nearly 290 000 patients suggests that cool climate may be an underrated issue for health that deserves more attention.
“Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and it increases the risk of ischaemic stroke by four- to five-fold,” said Dr Chao. “During AF, the electrical activity of the left atrium is disordered and the contraction is ineffective which results in stasis of blood in the atrium. The blood pools and becomes sluggish and can result in the formation of blood clots. If a clot leaves the heart and travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke by blocking the flow of blood through cerebral arteries.”
The autumn/winter season has been associated with a higher incidence and mortality rate of myocardial infarction, stroke and congestive heart failure. A greater plasma fibrinogen level and factor VII clotting activity in the winter have been reported as possible mechanisms.
“The elevation and activation of these coagulation factors may lead to a pro-coagulant status in cool climates which may promote the formation of blood clots within the left atrium and increase the risk of stroke for AF patients,” said Dr Chao. “However until now it was unclear whether the risk of ischaemic stroke was higher in AF patients during cool seasons or on days with a lower temperature.”
The study investigated this issue in 289 559 new-onset AF patients from the “National Health Insurance Research Database” in Taiwan during 2000 to 2011. Average daily temperatures in six regions of Taiwan were obtained from the Central Weather Bureau and average temperatures of each month and season were calculated. Taiwan is a small island and the differences in temperature between different regions were not large (Figure 1). The researchers therefore averaged the temperatures in the six regions to calculate the country average. The risk of ischaemic stroke was estimated for each month and season.
Among the Taiwan AF cohort, 34 991 patients suffered from an ischaemic stroke during the mean follow up of three years. The risk of ischaemic stroke was higher among the months with a lower average temperature (Figure 2). In addition, the incidence of ischaemic stroke was highest in winter and lowest in summer (Figure 3). Compared to summer, the risk of ischaemic stroke increased by 10% in spring and 19% in winter. Stroke risk did not differ significantly between summer and autumn.
“Our study shows a clear association between temperature and risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with AF,” said Dr Chao. “Risk may increase in cold weather because of the pro-coagulant status.”
A 5 °C decrease in daily temperature within 14 days before the stroke occurred was associated with an increased risk of stroke with an odds ratio of 1.128 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.061–1.199, p<0.001). Dr Chao said: “This suggests that there may be an opportunity to predict strokes in AF patients before they happen and put preventative measures in place such as adequate anticoagulants and reducing cold exposure through protective clothing and heating homes in winter.”
When the average temperature was below 20 °C the risk of ischaemic stroke significantly increased compared to days with an average temperature of 30 °C. “This may be because of the increased coagulability and plasma viscosity,” said Dr Chao.
He concluded: “In this large-scale nationwide AF registry, the risk of ischaemic stroke in AF patients was higher during cool months and seasons. The results imply that the interaction between humans and the environment may play an important role in AF-related stroke and remind us that cool climate may be an underrated issue for health which deserves more attention.”
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Mortality rates increase due to extreme heat and cold
So maybe I shouldn't go winter camping in -40F weather anymore. No worries about running in hot weather, I can't run yet.
http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=144086&CultureCode=en
When temperatures are extremely high or low, there is a significant increase in the number of deaths caused by heart failure or stroke. This has been confirmed by epidemiological studies conducted by researchers at the Helmholtz Zentrum München, who have now published their results in the medical journal Heart.
Epidemiological studies have repeatedly shown that death rates rise in association with extremely hot weather. The heat wave in Western Europe in the summer of 2003, for example, resulted in about 22,000 extra deaths. A team of researchers led by Dr. Alex-andra Schneider at the Institute of Epidemiology II at the Helmholtz Zentrum München examined the impact of extreme temperatures on the number of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease in three Bavarian cities and included both high and low temperatures in the study.
“Our findings confirm the results of our previous studies, which indicated that the elderly and people with pre-existing medical conditions respond particularly sensitively to heat and cold,” says Alexandra Schneider. “If you are aware of the effects of air temperature on health, you can identify population subgroups who are particularly at risk and take preventive action.”
The elderly are particularly at risk
Dr. Susanne Breitner, Dr. Alexandra Schneider and Prof. Annette Peters evaluated almost 188,000 deaths due to cardiovascular disease between 1990 and 2006 in the cities of Munich, Nuremberg, and Augsburg. They were able to demonstrate that when temperatures rose from 20°C to 25°C or fell from -1°C to -8°C, the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease increased significantly by 9.5% and 7.9%, respectively. While the effects of the heat lasted for one or two days, the effects of cold weather lasted for up to two weeks. Elderly people were most affected. The impact on death rates due to heart failure, arrhythmia and stroke was particularly striking.
The mechanisms that cause these deaths, however, are not yet fully understood. Up to now it has been known that high temperatures, amongst other things, can affect the blood-clotting mechanism (haemostasis) and make the blood more viscous, thereby increasing the risk of thrombosis. Furthermore, as decreasing temperatures have an impact on blood pressure, it can be assumed that there is a link between cold temperatures and the increase in cardiovascular events and stroke.
Preventative programs
“Our findings give an indication of the diseases that are responsible for the observed link between air temperature and death rates, and thus provide a partial explanation as to why some people react more strongly to heat or cold than others and are, therefore, exposed to a greater health risk on hot or cold days,” says Alexandra Schneider. “These results are important in order to develop or adapt preventive programs and codes of practice.”
The scientists plan to conduct further research into the mechanisms that may be responsible for the health effects observed during cold and, in particular, hot temperatures. They are also interested in possible interactions with air pollutants, which are required in order to predict the effects of climate change on the health of the population, especially in cities and in major conurbations.
http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en/news/press-releases/2014/press-release/article/24497/index.html
Full bibliographic informationBreitner S. et al. (2014). Short-term effects of air temperature on cause-specific cardiovascular mortality in Bavaria, Germany; Heart, 0:1–9. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2014-305578
http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=144086&CultureCode=en
When temperatures are extremely high or low, there is a significant increase in the number of deaths caused by heart failure or stroke. This has been confirmed by epidemiological studies conducted by researchers at the Helmholtz Zentrum München, who have now published their results in the medical journal Heart.
Epidemiological studies have repeatedly shown that death rates rise in association with extremely hot weather. The heat wave in Western Europe in the summer of 2003, for example, resulted in about 22,000 extra deaths. A team of researchers led by Dr. Alex-andra Schneider at the Institute of Epidemiology II at the Helmholtz Zentrum München examined the impact of extreme temperatures on the number of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease in three Bavarian cities and included both high and low temperatures in the study.
“Our findings confirm the results of our previous studies, which indicated that the elderly and people with pre-existing medical conditions respond particularly sensitively to heat and cold,” says Alexandra Schneider. “If you are aware of the effects of air temperature on health, you can identify population subgroups who are particularly at risk and take preventive action.”
The elderly are particularly at risk
Dr. Susanne Breitner, Dr. Alexandra Schneider and Prof. Annette Peters evaluated almost 188,000 deaths due to cardiovascular disease between 1990 and 2006 in the cities of Munich, Nuremberg, and Augsburg. They were able to demonstrate that when temperatures rose from 20°C to 25°C or fell from -1°C to -8°C, the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease increased significantly by 9.5% and 7.9%, respectively. While the effects of the heat lasted for one or two days, the effects of cold weather lasted for up to two weeks. Elderly people were most affected. The impact on death rates due to heart failure, arrhythmia and stroke was particularly striking.
The mechanisms that cause these deaths, however, are not yet fully understood. Up to now it has been known that high temperatures, amongst other things, can affect the blood-clotting mechanism (haemostasis) and make the blood more viscous, thereby increasing the risk of thrombosis. Furthermore, as decreasing temperatures have an impact on blood pressure, it can be assumed that there is a link between cold temperatures and the increase in cardiovascular events and stroke.
Preventative programs
“Our findings give an indication of the diseases that are responsible for the observed link between air temperature and death rates, and thus provide a partial explanation as to why some people react more strongly to heat or cold than others and are, therefore, exposed to a greater health risk on hot or cold days,” says Alexandra Schneider. “These results are important in order to develop or adapt preventive programs and codes of practice.”
The scientists plan to conduct further research into the mechanisms that may be responsible for the health effects observed during cold and, in particular, hot temperatures. They are also interested in possible interactions with air pollutants, which are required in order to predict the effects of climate change on the health of the population, especially in cities and in major conurbations.
http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en/news/press-releases/2014/press-release/article/24497/index.html
Full bibliographic informationBreitner S. et al. (2014). Short-term effects of air temperature on cause-specific cardiovascular mortality in Bavaria, Germany; Heart, 0:1–9. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2014-305578
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Laying around
I had good intentions this weekend. After coming back from Italy most of our snow cover was gone but luckily the very next day it snowed 6 inches. I had great intentions to go cross-country skiing but the 50 degree heat on Friday softened and settled most of that. Feeling tired and lazy I watched a few movies and justified laying around by all the walking I had done in Italy. Finally on Sunday evening I walked the crusty trails with sunken bootprints all over. My gumshoe boots have no ankle support so it makes it even harder to stay upright. After 30 minutes of walking in 20 degree weather I made a 15 minute phone call outside because service is bad inside. My good hand pinky finger practically froze, this is bizarre because my affected hand was not being moved at all and was exposed just as long and did not get cold.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Stroke risk tied to cold, humidity, weather swings
Well, this contradicts this:
So ask your all knowing doctor. I'll stick to cold weather, at least I can add clothes.
http://news.yahoo.com/stroke-risk-tied-cold-humidity-weather-swings-155649300.html
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
I find your Minnesota accent and ability to withstand the cold incredibly sexy
From a friends timeline. I haven't noticed that I have a Minnesota accent. And nobody would consider me sexy.
And the Michiganders here seem to be incredibly wimpy in the cold department, complaining about 20 degree weather, not even cold enough to put a cap on my bald head.
One story;
I know about this because of the winter camping trip in northern Minnesota when at 3am I bundled up to do my duty and when I got outside and checked the zip-o-guage little thermometer it was below the -20F lines, probably about -30F. Checking at the local lodge that morning they said it got down to -40F.
Another story, which is the origin of what came to be called Dean and Carl trips. We used to travel to Wisconsin to tandem canoe rivers in early spring. Carls’ girlfriend dropped us off one Friday night at a bridge over the South Fork of the Flambeau River. She would pick us up 40 miles downstream late Sunday. It was the very end of March, next morning newly formed ice was floating down the river. We successfully ran numerous rapids including one where there was still ice covering the whole river at the bottom. No problem, we just ran the canoe up on the ice and did the one foot in the canoe the other pushing it along until we would fully jump into the canoe as it entered the water. At the end of the day we came to Cornsheller rapids where we were going to camp. It was so much fun running it we carried back up and ran it again. This time we hit the sidecurling wave and filled the canoe with 6 inches of freezing water. Luckily we made it to shore with all that unstable water sloshing around. We hung our wet gear on lines hoping for freeze drying. We woke up the next morning to 6 inches of snow on the ground and still snowing hard enough we couldn’t see across the river. Luckily we found most of the gear buried under the snow. We had 24 miles of paddling to do to get to the takeout, after a couple of close calls we got to the next bridge where we walked ahead to check out the worst rapids of the trip. We decided that trying to run them would be death and portaging them only broken legs. The decision was made to call Kathy and have her pick us up at this bridge. We walked the other direction down the road to find a house and entered the first driveway – Flambeau Forestry Prison Camp. The guards were amazed to see us out in this weather. We got hold of Kathy but she was snowed in in northern Wis. and wouldn’t be able to get to us until Mon. morning. In total it snowed 15 inches. On Monday morning, April 1, Kathy picked us up and since I had to call into work to tell them I wouldn’t be coming in, we stopped at the nearest bar. No one at work seemed to question what should have seemed to be an April Fools joke.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Experts Warn: Extreme Cold Causes Heart Attacks, Stroke
Where are we supposed to live? Heat causes these problems;
and here in Michigan it hasn't even gotten cold yet, a piddly -2F. Hell I've been winter camping at -40F, no bugs.
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