Something to Remember When it Hits 97 Degrees in Grand Junction

This is what happens when you put your hand around a scalding hot piece of black metal when it's 97 degrees in Grand Junction. Today's temperature is expected to hit 97. Here's something to keep in mind when it gets this hot in the valley.

Two years ago right about now, on a day exactly like today, I thought it would be wise to do a set of pull-ups at my gym. In this case, the pull-up bar is located outside. It's metal and features a stylish black paint job. Being a fairly intelligent human being, I practiced a little caution and touched the metal to see how hot it was.

Apparently, I'm not that intelligent after all. It seemed to be a reasonable temperature. I grabbed a hold and proceeded to do a set of pull-ups.

Yes, my hands hurt a little while performing the exercise, but it wasn't an issue. They always hurt when doing pull-ups. The bar features knurling, and as a result, is abrasive. Upon completing the exercise I looked down and voila.... my skin had peeled off.

I lost a chunk of skin on my palm (no fap jokes, please) and skin on several fingertips across both hands. This wouldn't have been all that bad, but I had rehearsals on Monday and Tuesday nights. I play the giant bass, the kind you see in an orchestra. In a word... pain.

My contact with the hot bar couldn't have lasted more than 14 or 15 seconds. Imagine a dog's paws in contact with the black bed liner in the back of a truck. How about a dog's paws on the burning blacktop of a city street? Imagine a kid going down the slide at the park. It's more than hot out there. Depending on the surface, it can absolutely brutal.

According to wiki.answers.com, sun-baked asphalt can get hot enough to cause 2nd-degree burns. Please take a moment to test a surface before making contact.

The website Lifehacker reports an outside temperature of 77 degrees is enough to get asphalt temperatures, when hit by direct sunlight, up to 125 degrees. An outside temperature of 87 can get the asphalt up to 143 degrees.

Please check the grounds temperature before taking your dog for a walk. When doing so, please do a better job than I did when checking the pull-up bar at the gym. Seriously, I placed my hand on it for several seconds and was certain it was cool. The photo at top indicates how wrong I was.

This morning alone I counted a dozen dog walkers at Sherwood Park. Fortunately, at 7:30 in the morning, it's still fairly cool. By this afternoon, though, we'll see 97. We have a long summer ahead of us. Let's make sure our pets have a chance to enjoy it as much as we will.

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