Going to post this a couple times for visibility. Hopefully it reaches the right people. Very important, and easily overlooked!
Lots of pedes mobilizing from all across the country, let it be known that you will freeze your titties off if you don't dress properly.
This will be a multi day event. If the cold gets to your bones, your energy is sapped. Staying warm is serious business.
Number one tip from a pede who lives in a frozen Hellscape - LAYERS.
Ignore every other tip, and this one will do 80% of the work keeping you a toasty and energized pede. Tell your carpool, your fellow militia men... LAYERS. A big heavy jacket does fuck all to keep you warm if you're rocking jeans and a t-shirt under it. The wind gets in, you get cold.
Long johns (called Thermals down there, I think?) and an undershirt. Thick, tall socks you can tuck your long johns in to. Followed by jeans and t-shirt. Sweater. Then scarf and mitts. Then, and only then, a big puffy Jacket. Putting it on after your mitts and scarf helps keep that pesky wind out.
This is all obvious to northern pedes, but keep in mind our southern brothers and sisters who have never dealt with freezing temperatures. Outdoor stores will have thermals, even if you're in a warmer climate. Or order them online. We've got 18 days to prepare, you better get some, or you'll regret it!
A few more tips -
-
beware of hardwarmers! (Or thermal packs, whatever they're called in your area.) They're great when active, but can easily overheat your feet or hands or wherever you have them stashed. You'll start sweating. And when their heat starts to wear off, your sweaty paws will become a real liability. Thermal packs are great when you're hunkered down in a hunting blind for 4 hours. Not so much when you're in the street for an entire day.
-
Stay hydrated. This is good advice just generally, but you'd be amazed what a difference it can make for your body when staying warm for hours and hours.
-
Fatty foods are your friend. Trail mix, peanut butter, pork rinds... whatever. Normally your priorities should be protein, then fat, then carbs. In cold weather conditions, fat and protein are switched. Some sciency bullshit backs this up, but I won't attempt to explain it, because I'm kind of retarded.
-
Keep moving! You might feel like it isn't helping, but it takes a couple minutes. Bounce on your heels, swing your arms, do a little freedom dance. It all works.
You need to operate at 100% on your second independence day. These tips will help a lot. This post will likely be lost in new (like so many quality posts) but if you happen to see it, and know someone who it could help, please share!
If I could help a couple Pedes stay a little warmer, that'd be swell.
God bless you and good luck. The world is rooting for you.
- a Canapede.
Yup! Great advice, eh!
Oh dear. I'm going to be flying from Los Angeles. I'm going to have to buy some long pants - I only own shorts really. I lived in Seattle decades ago - and also Vancouver BC just before that. Sounds like DC is quite a bit colder.
Depends on the day of, really. I think this time of year it will hover around freezing temperatures. Basically, you just can't assume that a winter Jacket is going to do the trick. It's fine for running from your car to wherever, but not if you're outside for hours and hours.
Not like anyone is going to die of hypothermia... it's not a polar expedition. Don't let my post scare you :P. Really, these are tips to keep pedes from shivering. If you're toasty warm, you're a lot more effective.
Also, God bless you for going! I'll be praying for every single one of you the day of. I'll probably hold a sign outside the US embassy here in Ottawa until the coppers tell me to move on. Besides that, I'll be manning the meme cannons.
14 day forecast has Washington DC estimated at between 40-47 degrees Fahrenheit on January 2nd. Plan accordingly.
Canadians don't know what those Farenheit numbers even mean hehe
I'm Canadian and deliberately converted it from Celius for this post so as to be more easily understood by the primarily americans here :P
I'm the worst at conversion math and my American friends and family will say something like "Yep, well we're at around 105 or 23 outside today" and I will have no goddamn idea what that even means, not even approximately lol
*oh, i no longer ask "what would that be in Celsius" since none of them have any idea, not even approximately either. "uh.. well whats 'warmish' in celsius". We're all dumb people.
well, if you remember that 32 F is 0 C and 20 C is 68F, you can usually have a decent idea what people are talking about.
No alcohol too. Remember, your toes and fingers, and other small parts of your body freezes first. Bundle up nice.
As someone who moved from the south to northern Wisconsin, I can vouch for the above. He's right about the most important part being LAYERS. I can't stress that enough. It's easy to take crap off if you get hot, but if you get out and feel the wind, you're in for a bad day.
A couple of additions/suggestions. For your legs:start with either long underwear or a pair of thick tights as your base, then jeans or camo pants, then I like to put a pair of either wind pants or, if you can find the thin, unpadded snowpants in your area, those are great for keeping the wind out and won't be bulky. Don't get fooled by the puffy snow pants. They aren't warmer and they will make you sweat. SWEAT = COLD. Thinner layers are the way to go. Also, MITTENS are way warmer than gloves. The kind that have the flap covering your fingers that you can open up to a fingerless glove are great, You can usually find these in the hunting department. And, food was mentioned. This is NOT the time to diet! Keeping warm burns an enormous amount of calories, so plan to bring stuff that is easy to snack on. Go easy on the sugar as your body will break that down too fast, but granola bars, nuts, beef jerky, etc. are great.
I sure wish I could be there in D.C., but I'm not in a position to go. I will be praying for everyone's safety.
LONG LIVE AMERICA - WWG1WGA.!
Jumping on to talk about boots and socks:
Shoving too many sock layers into a boot will have the opposite effect. Making boots tight fitting with too many sock layers will take away any wiggle room and not allow for any air space. Some room is good. It allows a bit of warm air to build up and help keep your toes warm.
Wool socks are also key. Cotton sucks. Wool (or blends with wool) will still keep you warm even if your feet sweat.
Concrete is cold and your feet will be on it all day. Take care of your feet!
Also, as mentioned by another pede above, too many sock layers can restrict blood flow. Which will also freeze your little piggys!
1000% can confirm. I work outdoors in the lands of oil in the frozen north...-40°F. Canadians are you cold-weather gurus.
Thank you, friebdky neighbor to the north!
Layers means you can unzip, take off if getting too warm. Put your knit hat in your pocket. Put back on when cold. Overheat and you sweat, then you have a wet t-shirt that gets cold when it gets colder. Wool socks are also good.
If your feet get cold you're fucked. Get some boots and wear a couple pairs of socks.
Warm hat is a must! You lose a lot of body heat thru your head. Find a long watch cap you can wear under your MAGA hat. If its real cold, turn the watch cap’s edge down to cover your ears.
Ear warmers (ear muffs) are especially good if it’s windy as well as cold.
Just remember: cotton kills. It’s the fabric of death in the cold and wet.
Maybe add also if people organize to meet up at event northern pedes can bring extras of jackets thermals mittens hats ect for southerners!
Our stores down here sell thin jackets/coats ect. A Florida 'cold weather' jacket is a fall warm jacket up north.
If you carpool w/ 3 people(4 total & each bring if possible 2 extras of something thats 4-6 southern pedes to help keep warm.)
In exchange southern pedes can bring extra items like water snacks(cheaper down here)/chairs/blankets ect.
Also, u/ItsFunToSay-M-A-G-A pede has designed TONS of signs people can use (also has cool ideas to print out signs to post inside windows on cars to let other ppl know where youre going & it might encourage others to go too!) See comments on posts for more signs Link 1
Link 2
User submitted page with updates
Tuck everything in, but beware of constricting blood flow. Doubled up socks tucked too tight into pants in shoes that aren't big enough for 2 pair of socks... frozen feet. Thermos full of hot chocolate or whatever is great. Avoid alcohol.
Several pairs of socks and a decent pair of hiking boots. Cold feet are the worst!
And a thermos of warm beverages, but only if it won't require too many bathroom breaks!
It could be cold, but it probably will not be massively cold. Its probable the temperature in mid afternoon is in the 40s. Need layers and jackets for sure just for operational efficiency... not matter of survival. Evening will be colder.
Cold weather Fren here to chip in and confirm:
Layers are the secret, 'long johns' aka thermals aka just have that soft thin full length undewear, full sleeves, layer over and layer a 'Shell' type outerwear. By 'Shell' I mean its a waterproof/resistant type of jacket.
One of the other reasons for layers of clothing is quiet simply: You can always remove a layer if you are getting too hot. At worst you just remove a jacket and sweater which you can always put back on when temperatures dip.
Moisture is the enemy so you don't want socks that make your feet sweat but whatever keeps you dry.
I found a trick when i was in a lot of outdoor -40 C kinds of hiking: those workout wrist things, whatever that spandex things they sell as wrist or ankle supports. effing awesome, kept snow out of my cuffs and wrist (which is where blood is) but anyway, find your scarves.
Mostly confirming what Canada OP Pede has said and other Northern US frens. I know we'll have a lot of California, southern State people, Florida and this is very very good stuff.
and yes, there is a reason doughnut (aka donuts) are massively popular in cold northern areas because yes, this is the one time fatty fat, sugary baking is your friend, a hot cheezy pizza is great too. That doesn't seem like poolside food but you can burn that up in a wintery cold day outdoors marching, punching and wrestling no problem!