7.19.2006

Also, We Walked Uphill Both Ways

Hey, gang. Enjoying the weather? Apparently, yesterday was the first CODE RED day in Washington since 2004. Code Red is the term used when the heat index is between 105 and 130 degrees. Here's a handy table.

I admit the weather has been rough. It's especially rough for me since I don't own any shorts and I insist on wearing long sleeve shirts. It should be noted that I did take the drastic measure of retiring my sweater vests until September.

I am not going to complain about the weather though. Complaining about the weather is super-lame. In fact, with the heat on everyone's mind, I just wanted to take a little time to tell everyone that it could be a whole lot worse.

Let me take you back to 1997. I spent 10 days at Fort A.P. Hill in Bowling Green, VA for the National Boy Scout Jamboree. (For those who don't feel like clicking on the links, Bowling Green is between Richmond and Washington in Caroline County.) The Cape Cod Boy Scouts all hopped on a bus and drove to Virginia. The weather was unbearable when we arrived. You think Code Red is bad? Try a CODE BLACK.

Code Black is when the heat index is over 130 degrees. According to the little heat index table, that's 105 degrees Fahrenheit with 80% humidity. And that's the low end of Code Black.

It was the first day of the Jamboree, so we had to hike a mile to our camp. And since we were such go-getting Scouts, we also had to erect a 20-foot-tall model of the Cape Cod Railroad Bridge to serve as our camp entrance. Again, this was in 105 degree heat. Since it was a military base, there wasn't any shade. Just an awesome time. I drank over four gallons of water and still managed to lose over five pounds in two hours. Fun!

So, when we get a Code Black here in Washington, I'll be much more receptive to complaints about the weather. This Code Red business is nothing.

37 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    Rusty, are you fat?

    Sweatervests?
    Boy Scouts?
    No shorts?

    What do you wear to the WSC meetings? Black Jeans and an armband for your Camel Lights?

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  2. Jogging pants and a t-shirt. I'm not fat, but my legs are super-pasty.

    Oh, also, if you're experiencing technical difficulties, sorry. Blogger sucks.

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  3. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    Wow.... sweater vests. *dazed by geeky awesomeness*

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  4. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    What the hell is this post Rusty? You think I give two shining shits that you hiked up a fucking hill in your diapers and sweater vests 10 years ago while selling girl scout cookies? Let me fill you in: I don't.

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  5. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    Krystal sounds a bit like that "comedian" Lewis Black, me thinks.

    Your legs are probably super-pasty because they've never seen the sun.

    This WAS boring. You should rent a car this weekend and give us the traffic report.

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  6. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    In a Code Black situation, the Sun chars the skin of anyone who dares go outside.

    Seriously...

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  7. I know it's a boring post, but I think it's a good description of how bad it can get around here. 100 degree heat indexes just don't faze me.

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  8. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    "my legs are super-pasty"

    That's sooo racist. Freakin' racists.

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  9. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    Nadia, what do you do to cool off in this hot weather? Sponge baths?

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  10. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    Rusty once was hot in a bus after hiking up some stupid fucking hill.

    Thanks for wasting 2 minutes of my life.

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  11. I thought CODE BLACK was Solberg's new Georgetown policing effort?

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  12. Geez Louise. It was an anecdotal story about heat in Virginia. Do you guys freak out every time DCist comments about the heat or ventures slightly off topic?

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  13. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    damn... i wanted to be the first one to make a Boy Scout molestation joke. Maybe next time.

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  14. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    I'm disappointed. As if there is NOTHING else going on in DC that we got a heat-index report. At the very least you could have taken aim at the tourists bearing fanny packs who give our city such a high unattractive people rating. Talk about pasty legs.

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  15. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    it's always delightful when a fucking herd of walmart fed iowans boards a train during rush hour.

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  16. I was a First Class at the time, so BOO-YA.

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  17. And I avoid The Mall at all costs, so I don't get to see the tourists. (Except for on the train...and they're usually on the Orange/Blue anyways.)

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  18. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    TOURISTS GO HOME!!!

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  19. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    Not to be too nitpicky, but Code Red refers to the air quality not the temperature.

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  20. AnonymousJuly 19, 2006

    I fucking hate when people make this kind of lazy, lame argument about anything:

    "I've experienced something slightly worse so no one can say anything ever"

    Just like in college when you would be exhausted from staying up all night and you say "Man i've only had 3 hours of sleep, i'm really tired" and someone cuts in with an attitide and says "Yeah well I only had 2 1/2 so you can't complain!"

    It's bullshit... everyone wants to be the bigger "victim" or "survivor"

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  21. That's silly. The Code Black thing was in NoVA (or close to it). I just wanted to share a story. I'm not making an argument. I'm just saying that I will reserve my complaints for when it gets reallllly bad.

    And the code system is for heat index, not air quality. High heat index means low air quality.

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  22. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    I knew it!

    That's why Rusty is so opposed to being able to keep track of child molestors. He as a Boy Scout! I bet all of your Boy Scout Leaders took turns with you, didn't they, Rusty? Did you like it?

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  23. I was an acolyte too.

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  24. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    Sounds like formerly anonymous has nothing to do but bitch and complain.

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  25. I know. I should just ignore him. It would be a lot better if he had any original ideas for me to criticize, but, alas, no such luck.

    Formerly, did you audition for this blog? If so, I still have all the entries. Which one is yours? I would love to read it.

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  26. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    If children didn't want to be touched, they wouldn't dress so provacatively. Right Rusty?

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  27. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    hey formerly:

    stuff it.

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  28. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    Stop complaining about the tourists. We just happen to live in the capital city of the most powerful nation in the world (where we like to admit it or not), we have tons of important historical/political/cultural sights, and for some reason people want to get out of their boring-ass Midwestern hometowns and come visit. Oh my god, your train is crowded? Poor you.

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  29. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    Yeah, but do people from the midwest have to be so FAT and RETARDED? What's wrong with them? Tres unsophisticated.

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  30. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    Non-New Englander to Vermonter: Nice day, isn't it?

    Vermonter: Yup. Ain't gonna last, though...

    Always looking on the dark side....

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  31. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    Yes my train is crowded especially when the dipshits run 4 car trains at 8 in the morning. its a delicate balance that is completely upset when a pack of grazers from nebraska boards. sorry.

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  32. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    Plus, the Midwestern tourists take up twice as much space w/ their vast bulk. They must have twice as much corn in their fecal matter....

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  33. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    Rusty shared a good story, but he failed to mention a follow-up...that several boy scouts DIED (and many were ill) at a recent jamboree. (2004?) Thus, Rusty's recollection is accurate and we can all learn something by putting our sweater vests away for a day or two.

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  34. The 2005 Jamboree was marred by an electrocution accident that killed a bunch of Alaskan Scout leaders. They were putting up a gate or a tent or something like that. At least my Troop had the good sense to avoid power lines.

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  35. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    Having spent the first 27 years of my life in Ohio, I was fully justified in making the tourist comment. there is nothing better than being able to pick your airport gate by spotting the overweight, loud, poofy hair crowd. it just screams - this gate to Columbus, Ohio. tourists are fine and all but this blog is “why i hate dc” not “why this is the best city on earth.”

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  36. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    Now those scouts are in heaven being molested. YES, Got one.

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  37. AnonymousJuly 20, 2006

    You know... it's comments like these that make me really glad to be from the midwest... because some of us may be fat and obnoxious, but at least we're friendly. Good lord, I would take Ohio anyday over obnoxious shitholes like DC, NY and new england. Because as tourists, some of us may be obnoxious, but we get to go home. You have to live in a pushy, angry city with pushy, angry assholes all the time.

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