Right now it’s a balmy 101 degrees Fahrenheit here in Austin. To many people out of state, this seems like an uninhabitable climate, yet Texans thrive in it. Here are some tips to survive the summers in Texas; you might even find that they’re enjoyable!One nice thing is that East Coasters will definitely find this to be a drier heat than what they’re typically used to. By the middle of the day, I’ve rarely found the relative humidity to be over 60%, barring any rain earlier in the day. Coming from the outskirts of DC, this ain’t nothin’. (Keep in mind that DC is actually a drained swamp.) At night, folk from my part of the country will find it relatively comfortable after the sun goes down, as opposed to feeling like a sticky mess.
“So what do we do during the day, Monty? I can’t just be a vampire for three months a year.” Relax, hoss, we got you covered.
My team and I just recently went on a team outing to Lake Travis. We rented a boat and enjoyed each other’s company (and food and drink) for the day. At no point did I feel hot or uncomfortable because it was easy just to jump in the lake. Going to the nearby lake or river is definitely no foreign concept down here, and I have a blast every time I make the 25-minute drive from Downtown Austin to Lake Travis.
Another thing we enjoy doing is floating the river. Austinites generally prefer going to the San Marcos River to go tubing. I’ve seen some pretty ingenious setups, too. One time I saw a guy with a large kayak. In his kayak was a grill, a cooler of beer, his dog, a pole with the Lone Star flag flying from it, and, obviously, a cowboy hat on his head. He threw me a can of Lone Star beer saying he wouldn’t finish all 24 of them anyway. This is Texas, ladies and gents.
Nearby New Braunfels is also home to Schlitterbahn New Braunfels. Schlitterbahn is fondly known as the largest waterpark in the world, and there’s no way you can’t keep cool in a place like that. Rackers also receive discount tickets from the waterpark.
Even if there were nothing to do here in the summer, Central Texas’ winters are VERY mild. By the middle of February, I was wearing shorts again, and snow is rare. I can recall using my heat in my apartment only a handful of times, and I didn’t use my air conditioning until May. All in all, however, I have to say that I enjoy summers down here; I know I enjoy them MUCH more than I did the summers in Virginia.
What other ways do y’all have to survive the Lone Star Republic’s summers?
