Gotta Get Acclimated at Some Point.... Might as well lighten the load with a compact camera. Johnston inspired monochrome. (AKA: Black and White).

 

Random Plywood. 

We had some nice days in Austin just before and then including the weekend. Highs in the mid-90s instead of the triple digitals. Even the oppressive humidity took a welcome break. The water temp in the pool dropped into the pleasure zone and I didn't break a sweat upon stepping outside the front door of the house. But that meteorological ceasefire is over and this week the heat dome is back in business; testing our patience, our endurance and the capacity of the electric grid. We have high hopes for all three.

When the first heat wave hit a couple of weeks ago I wasn't mentally prepared for the sudden onslaught of the change. I mostly swam early in the mornings, hit the (very) air conditioned gym and spent the rest of the time indoors. It dawned on me that I had more or less surrendered. 

In years past I'd start in the middle of the Spring and gradually build up a resistance to the heat. I'd walk four or five miles in the afternoons as the temperatures increased over days and weeks. Nothing all at once. When I was much younger B. reminds me that I thought nothing of going out for a run in this kind of boiling muck but now I am either much wiser or I have just become more chicken... That's okay. I think it's mostly about self-preservation. 

I got out and did a bunch of walking during the respite last week and today I decided to ramp up the acclimation process instead of spending another week or two hiding behind the curtains and looking nervously at the weather forecasts on my phone.

The "real" temperature right now is 102° Fahrenheit. The "feels like" or heat index reading is at 109°. It was a little bit cooler around noon when I headed out for today's adventure in the great outdoors. I took a bottle of water, a phone (a rarity for me but I guess I bought into the idea that if something bad happened I could at least call for help....), the mandatory wide-brimmed (non-Silly-Tilley) hat and the camera choice of the moment was the Leica Q2 masquerading as a Monochrom camera. 

I walked the three mile loop and added an additional mile and a half by parking far from the hike and bike trail at the lake. Barton Springs Pool was hoping and there were a surprisingly stout number of folks walking on the hike and bike trail. Water fountains every mile and lots of shade trees along the route. Not too bad. 

The Q2 seemed to ignore the heat and function perfectly. Loving the Monochrom HC profile setting (stands for high contrast) and today I set it at the default instead of adding that one step of contrast I normally do. It's really a wonderful little camera. 

Dead tree on the disk golf course. (and two more below). 

Crossing under Mopac Expressway to get back to my car. Which was like an oven.

Thank goodness it's white. And I even had the windshield shade up.

Over the course of a one hour walk I drank 32 ounces of water. 

Stopped at a fountain and soaked my pretty hat as well. 

Thank goodness I supplemented with some magnesium this morning. 

From the pedestrian bridge roundabout. Spiraling down is always more fun that taking the stairs...

Glancing through the fence at Barton Springs. 

Barton Springs Pool. Glorious. 

The Zilker Hillside Theater.

Yeah. The message is pretty clear. Don't park here...

What?!? Nobody wants to picnic in the direct sun and in the 103° temps?

But they do still want to play disk golf. Nice. 

Rock Dolphin. 

I made it back to the house with no ill effects. The camera worked well. The Keen hiking shoes were perfect. The hat sublime. Back out tomorrow to do a different location. New lens arrived. Will be testing. Or playing. Either is correct.