It's Heating Up in the Desert Southwest

We've reached triple digits in Arizona.

Summer comes early in the Desert Southwest.

Barely two weeks after complaining about the “cold” in California, we’re already breaking into the triple digits. At my new spot in Arizona, we expect to see at least 100°F for about three days this week.

Summer in the desert isn’t for everyone.

When you have a tiny house on wheels, you have the privilege of chasing good weather. You can head south when the north is freezing and flee north when California and the rest of the desert states are on fire—often literally.

When you winter at RV parks, you learn your neighbors’ heat tolerances based on when they leave. Some—like me—just had previous engagements. But others start packing up as soon as the weather reaches 80°F.

By the time it gets to 90°F, most people with a choice have already opted out of desert life. Parks that were full and vibrant all winter become ghost towns by the summer.

But what happens if you need to stay?

At my current location, several of my neighbors work nearby on projects ranging from solar plants to gas rigs. Others work inside the park or at local businesses, like a diner or a Dollar Tree.

They’re already hunkering down for the summer heat, and not a single one of them seems concerned. This isn’t their first rodeo.

“The highest bill I’ve gotten?” one of my neighbors said, scratching his chin. “About $800, I think.”

I looked at him like he had lost his mind.

He noticed and laughed. “I don’t care! I’ll pay whatever it takes to stay cool.”

I’m never paying an $800 electric bill.

To each their own, but the day I pay $800 for an electric bill is the day I unplug the RV and go completely off-grid.

The most I’ve ever paid is about $160 in California. I raised hell over that bill and did everything possible to ensure it never got that high again. Outside of Cali, my electric bill has never been above $60, even with my hot tub running around the clock.

I’ve also gone through desert summers without electricity, which means no air conditioning. In fact, I’ve yet to turn the AC on despite Arizona reaching 96°F already.

So, how do I beat the heat without air conditioning?

And how do I ensure I don’t have a crazy $800 bill when I do run the air?

I have quite a few tricks up my sleeve. I’ll share them all with paid subscribers next week. See you then!