How do Rabbits Keep Their Cool

July 8, 2015
The American Speech Language and Hearing Association sponsors a summer professional development event called the ASHA Schools Conference.  This conference is rotated around the country and usually  held in resort areas for affordable airfare  and accommodations.  One of my favorite locations was Phoenix AZ in July.  The outdoor temperature was 116 degrees during the day and 108 degrees at  night.

The first morning of the conference we sauntered from our lovely room through the air conditioned hallways to the conference venue.  Walking past a bank of windows my eye caught something unusual outside on the lawn.  Hundreds, and I mean hundreds of cotton tailed bunnies were sprawled out on the grass. And I do mean sprawled.  Their little front  legs and longer back legs splayed out so that their tummies were flat against the grass.  Although I thought there had been a mass epidemic of bunny deaths, a hotel worker  explained they came in from the dessert at night to cool themselves on the lawns and golf courses of the resorts.  Smart bunnies, on the cool grass.

That's where I wanted to be during the ride back to Hermiston on  the July 5th 73 miler. I wanted to find a lovely  roadside yard with some big ole' trees and sprawl out so my tummy could cool off.  Air temperature was over 103 degrees,  Pavement temperature was way higher than that.  And the basalt cliffs reflected the heat right down on us.  I grabbed a water bottle from its holder on the bike frame  below me.  Expecting cool refreshment I gagged as the very warm, almost hot, water streamed into my mouth and down my throat.  I felt sick to my stomach, my heart was racing.  My face was beet red.  "Charlie" I said.  "We need to find some shade."

He pulled Grepedo over into the only shade around.  A couple of small trees by the side of the road shaded a narrow rocky shoulder.  It was right on a curve'  I put out an old beach towel from home on the rocks. Charlie removed  the roll of toilet paper we carried in a Glad sandwich  and prompted it under me to protect my head.  The luke warm water I poured on my back and neck provided little relief.  Charlie laid the bike down and crouched in the shade.  I worried about where we stopped as the bend in the road blocked the view of oncoming motorists.  The coolness I got from the shade was enough to stop my racing heart and return my face to a healthy hue of pink. A slight breeze drifted through the trees.  I fell asleep.

After the brief rest I sat up on my towel at the edge of the shoulder.  I looked at us.  We looked like we had wrecked.  I wondered if any cars would stop to see if we were OK.. One did.  The only vehicle that came by turned around to check on us.  I almost asked for a ride.  But I didn't.

We rode on, stopping every few miles to drink warm water.  There were some uphills and down hills and we pedaled just fine.  The pavement was so potholed Charlie did not dare let the bike run its fullspeed down hill. That would have cooled us off.  I felt sick again.  My weak voice squeaked out "Charlie, find a Ramos house with some Ramos people and some Ramos water.  I want Ramos trees and Ramos grass.  I want to lay our on their lawn". And soon enough we were at old Joe Ramos's house and he rode me up the gravel drive to the lawn.  I almost fell asleep sprawled out there, but I was coerced inside by cool water and a place to lay down in front of the air conditioner. "Sis" Ramos brought me a pillow and Jean Ramos West brought me more water.  And I slept with arms and legs splayed out on their cool carpet. Cooling off like the bunnies in Phoenix.

I thought I recovered enough to make the 20 miles back to town.  The micro climate changes throughout the agricultural areas on the Meadows route saved us.  But when Charlie suggested we stop at the A and W for a burger I almost threw up all over his back.  Home sweet home.  He dropped me off across the street as usual.  I walked myself into the house.  This girl with Parkinson's Disease rode with her husband 73 miles of challenging terrain, walked into the house, took a shower and fell asleep.

The reward came a little later.  I don't remember telling him what I wanted to eat,  a quiet nudging voice said, "your egg flower soup and pepsi are in the kitchen"  I had not had either of these items in years, but my body must have been calling out for salt and sugar..

Rabbits have the right idea.  Sprawl out and keep cool.  I think I showed my gutsy side today.  Never a quitter.  I won't quit this fight.