For Bakersfield residents...few questions (Long Beach, Fresno: hotel, home, neighborhood)

[Stelinzoe]

A couple questions Wikipedia can't answer:
1) Just how common is Valley Fever? I have looked up statistics which say half of the community has come across it, probably unknowingly, but the hotel clerk I made reservations with says its rare and she's only known one person to have it. What would you say reality is? Should I really worry about that for my family and myself?

2) Can I get a description for how the summer heat really affects life? I've heard "stay indoors or go to the pool" but I can't help but wonder if there's more than that? Is it difficult to sleep at night? How long can you stay outdoors? I was born and raised in Alaska and moved to Long Beach six years ago, live by the ocean, and enjoy a breeze all year long so I am a little concerned about how the heat will affect us. If things go as planned we will be visiting Labor Day weekend and I'm already getting nervous.

3) My husband spends six days a week at the gym working out. He loves to bodybuild and wants a good gym. Any suggestions for the best health clubs in town? Our current club does not service Bakersfield, and I have never been to Anytime Fitness. We won't have much time in Bakersfield when we visit so I would love to narrow down some recommended places when we do come.

Thanks so much.

[ecto]

1. unless you are bringing any elderly people or newborns and are out playing in the dirt it shouldnt be a big worry. i've been here for 4 years and havent knowingly contracted it.

2. yes. summers are spent indoors. it gets very hot. sometimes you will not see temperatures without 3 digits for days. it can be quite difficult to sleep if you do not have air conditioning. this is one reason to avoid the cheaper housing in oildale. (among a myriad other reasons)

3. we have a few body xchange gyms and from what i hear they are excellent. my personal trainer from work trains there when he's not out at our place and he seems to like it. we also have a 24 hour fitness which is pretty popular too. and many other smaller gyms no one has ever heard of.

[ecto]

one thing i should probably mention and you should seriously consider is that the air quality here is terrible and usually the pollution nestling in between the ranges blots the fantastic view of the mountains. on a clear day i feel like i'm in a completely different city. i wouldn't recommend bakersfield if you have any respiratory problems.

i never had allergies before i moved here but ever since i get the occasional allergic fit.

[FresnoFacts]

I'm not in Bakersfield but since Valley Fever is actually a problem throughout the Southwest including other parts of California, Arizona, Texas, etc. I'll add my thoughts.

For those not familiar, Valley Fever is a fungal spore found in dirt and dust. Although named for the San Joaquin Valley it does exist in other areas, Arizona had a large increase in cases a few years ago.

A typical year in all of Kern County (including Bakersfield) is about 1,000 to 1,500 reported cases (meaning the symptoms were enough to see a doctor which lead to diagnosis).

For comparison, there are about 800,000 people in Kern County.

Also as a comparison Kern County sees twice as many cases of Hepatitis C per year as it does Valley Fever.

For most people it is not a concern. about 60% get no symptoms, about 39% will have symptoms that resemble just a cold or flu, but in 1% of those who catch it Valley Fever becomes more dangerous. It can spread throughout the body causing serious problems or death.

Basically I think that it is rare, and even if contracted only a small number of people are really affected. But for a few it can become a very dangerous proposition.

[Roaddog]

Originally Posted by Stelinzoe

A couple questions Wikipedia can't answer:
1) Just how common is Valley Fever? I have looked up statistics which say half of the community has come across it, probably unknowingly, but the hotel clerk I made reservations with says its rare and she's only known one person to have it. What would you say reality is? Should I really worry about that for my family and myself?

2) Can I get a description for how the summer heat really affects life? I've heard "stay indoors or go to the pool" but I can't help but wonder if there's more than that? Is it difficult to sleep at night? How long can you stay outdoors? I was born and raised in Alaska and moved to Long Beach six years ago, live by the ocean, and enjoy a breeze all year long so I am a little concerned about how the heat will affect us. If things go as planned we will be visiting Labor Day weekend and I'm already getting nervous.

3) My husband spends six days a week at the gym working out. He loves to bodybuild and wants a good gym. Any suggestions for the best health clubs in town? Our current club does not service Bakersfield, and I have never been to Anytime Fitness. We won't have much time in Bakersfield when we visit so I would love to narrow down some recommended places when we do come.

Thanks so much.

I've lived here a long time and have only known 1 person who got valley fever.

It gets hot but you get used to it, it doesn't stop me from being out doors or doing anything. I run the AC so sleeping is no problemo.

I don't go to the gym but there are a bunch of them around.

[rkb0305]

I'm not in Bakersfield, but lived in Fresno for 34 years. If you are used to cool evening breezes, and having your windows open, the heat and bad air may really bother you. In Fresno in the summer, the AC ran pretty much 24/7, and the windows were never open. Even on a 100 degree day, you'll still see people outside walking or even jogging, but I think they're nuts. When it is that hot, the air quality is usually horrible, and the harder you breathe, the worse it is for you; so outdoor exercise isn't recommended.

[Stelinzoe]

I laughed when you wrote that you think those people are crazy, the ones running. Now I can't wait to see it with my own eyes. My goodness!
Yeah, I am already making my "game plan". My hubby is into bodybuilding so he'll be "breathing hard" indoors in A/C. For me, though, I rollerblade and jog with my kids in the jogger but plan on purchasing a treadmill for our home for the summer months, and doing my Pilates indoors. Probably will take the kids to the pools and water parks from 9-11 in the morning and stay indoors in the afternoons. Maybe an evening 8:00 walk around the neighborhood???

Another question though: What's up with everyone saying winters are foggy? Foggy when, and for how long? Is there sunshine or is it gloomy? I know we sometimes get morning fog in the winter here in Long Beach but we like it and then it burns off and the sun comes out. Any thoughts on that?

[FresnoFacts]

Central Valley foggy days total about 5 or 6 weeks a year, usually spread out during the months of December and January, although it can also occur in November or February.

When we say THICK, we mean THICK. There will be stretches of several days at a time when visibility is bad, dropping to zero visibility in the morning or at night and being only a few hundred feet during the day. It does eventually clear after a few days then we will have a nice few days of sun before it returns.

The most important thing is to learn how to drive cautiously during the fog season: slow down, turn on your lights, and allow plenty of time to get somewhere. Nearly all accidents in the fog are because people were driving too fast and too close together for the conditions.

Here is a picture of a foggy day in Bakersfield to show you what I mean.

Originally Posted by rkb0305

Even on a 100 degree day, you'll still see people outside walking or even jogging, but I think they're nuts.

LOL I know what you mean. But we had company visit this summer one from the Central Coast and the other from up in Davis. Both thought nothing about biking in the heat, it was the preferred mode for both of them even in the heat.

[ecto]

we get really dense fog at the lower elevations in the city. incredibly dense when the sun goes down. dangerous driving. especially on rural roads with no street lamps.

[Stelinzoe]

WHOOOAAAAA!~ I can't believe that picture.
Uh...okay, that answers my question.