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[RC] heating small space - rides2far



I about froze to death at each of the two rides I've done recently. 
Is there a safe method for heating such a small space?

A Coleman lantern knocks the chill of pretty quick. As for staying warm
during the night, it's important to get a *good* sleeping bag...meaning
one that is advertised as *sub-zero*. I think the ratings on the sleeping
bag tell you at what point they let  you freeze to death, not stay
comfortable. If it's rated to 30 degrees that's when you die. >G< 

Next, you've got to reduce air flow, including below you. A cot will
freeze you by letting air go under you if you don't have an Insulite matt
or something really warm under you. A folded up horse cooler has worked
in a tight. A metal gooseneck is like laying on a freezer if you don't
get some insulation between you and it. 

Your feet will get cold first. Wearing wool socks, or house shoes or
something like that solves that problem. In a tight you can stuff a
jacket down there and get your feet in it. 

For added insulation wool army blankets are great piled on top of the
sleeping bag.

Keep the clothes you're going to wear in the sleeping bag. 

If you put the lantern where you can reach it from the sleeping bag, and
can trust yourself not to go back to sleep, just reaching over and
turning on the lantern is a start in warming up the trailer. If possible
I have my hot plate with the water pot on it where I can light that up
too. By the time the water's hot there's enough of an improvement in the
temp that I don't die instantly when I get out of the bag. :-)  On the
positive side, it makes getting out of bed at home sooo much easier. On
really cold mornings I think, "Boy, I'm glad I don't have to step out on
the front porch to get dressed. >G<

P.S. BIG rule. NEVER use charcoal or leave propane or something going in
a sealed space where you could be asphyxiated!  When I start up my
lantern I'm in the back of a 2 horse trailer that's pretty breezy due to
a place where I backed into a tree with the roof and it doesn't meet the
doors very tight.

Angie

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