Wow! Friday about put an end to my short-lived love of mountain biking. I planned for about two hours, but thanks to a malfunctioning odometer, I got in over my head. I brought along a camel-pak with 100 oz of water, but that went quicker than I thought it would. I ended up getting turned around, and before it was all said and done I ended up on a complete stranger's doorstep more than 8 miles from where I was supposed to be. I know the vets on this site would laugh at 8 miles, but this was all at Stillhouse Hollow with lots of hills and rough terrain that I could've handled on a normal day, but not Friday. Once I realized I was in trouble, it was too late. By the time 1pm rolled around, I had been out 3 1/2 hours in 95-degree-plus temps and little shade. I could only push my bike up a steep trail 10-15 feet at a time before I would collapse in the shade. It was truly terrifying. When I finally reached a road by climbing over and through some barbed-wire to follow the car noise, 20 cars drove by and nobody stopped. I stopped at a few houses before there was finally someone home that gave me cold water and an address so my worried wife could pick me up. I was too scared to be embarrassed, but now that I know I'm going to live, I'm embarrassed. How does someone get that turned around and into that much trouble on what's supposed to be a quick ride? Lessons learned: There's no such thing as "too much" water, buy a GPS, straight up the side of peak/hill when suffering from heat exhaustion is never a good idea, and go in the evening when temps will only go down.
Reminds of me of getting stuck four wheeling in the Summer on the Llano River. Did you do East Stillhouse again?
Since you're both from Texas, you might be able to appreciate that the worst bike ride of my life occurred in Wichita Falls, TX. I wrote up a multi-page commentary on it. I'll try to find that. It was the Hotter'n Hell Hundred. It definitely lived up to its name as it got well over 100 degrees that day. I ended up in the medical tent where they decided they had to take my temperature in the most unpleasant way.
113 yesterday in Leander not including the heat index. Today in San Marvelous, its suppose to reach 118 with the heat index. I haven't ridden in weeks because of this damn heat wave. The last time I did, I went out at night in about 97 degrees and 60% humidity, I did about 45 minutes of urban downhill up and down the campus twice on my 40lb 7" freeride rig and about stroked out when I got home..infact I threw up in the shower trying to cool off. I love mountain biking THAT much.
Ugh! I wish we could get the long days without the heat. I missed our first heat wave here a few weeks ago because I was in Belgium. Beautiful weather there with clear skies and low 70s for highs. It was around 100 here with high humidity. It's that humidity that makes it so bad. But no matter what the humidity, those temps you are talking about are rediculous! Looks like we got another heat-wave rolling in here this weekend. It's been pretty nice the past two weeks with temps only in the upper 80s. Stay cool out there!
I did a relatively short ride yesterday in 95 degree heat. It wouldn't have been so bad, except we started at around 7000' and did about 1500' of climbing over 8 miles. I'm used to riding at around 1 to 2000' at home. The key for me when riding in high heat is to mix in plenty of electrolytes with my water. I use 3 scoups of endurolytes per liter on a hot day. Make sure that you bring more than enough water for your ride. In addition to a full 3 liter Camelbak, I will often carry a water bottle back up. Bring some food too. It's easy to bonk on a hot day even if you keep well hydrated. I imagine in TX, your out in the open sun a lot too. That can really take a toll. Rest often in the shade if you can find some to keep from over heating.
Out in the open? You kidding me? This is the hill country man, its more like a rainforest than a desert. Cypress trees line every creek and river, the lakes are all big, clear, and cool. the girls actually have a hard time finding decent sun after 3pm or so because of all the shade cast by the trees.
I guess someone upstairs is trying to tell me something because the first time out after the "incident" I decided just to hit the roads around my house. Four miles in, my chain broke... again. That's two chains and two tires in less than two months. The guys at Sun Country told me it was a bike built for a 12-year old, but I just thought they were trying to sell me a new bike. Good timing, I guess. I'm giving up on that bike and won't be able to get a better (AKA: more expensive) bike for a month or two, which means by mid-September it should only be 98 degrees. I do a radio show in Central Texas and once a week I do a live broadcast and host a trivia competition outdoors on a deck overlooking Lake Belton, which means no shade. A family member recommended a Frog-Togg, which is like a shamois (?) but gets cooler the longer it's wet. If it works, that'll be huge to keep my body temp down on hot days. It aint always easy being hairy like an ape. When I lived in Alaska... that was the weather for a polar bear like me.
After a long stretch of 95ish degree weather we have a cool front coming our way tonight, the hottest day on the 10 day forecast is 87
Got me hoping, so I checked our extended forecast. High of only 81 Saturday. Looks like it will be perfect weather to bust out a long day in the saddle!
Yeah Saturday looks to be an awesome day to go riding here, but my sister's wedding is Friday night and I'll probably be nursing a big hangover.
I've been riding around Houston in the heat by cutting my training rides down to 40- 50 mile stretches which means that I am off the road by 10:30 or 11:00. I make a point of stopping and stepping into ac at a gas station at least once a ride, I carry 2 28 oz water bottles of electrolytes (FRS in 1, Endurolyte in the other} and I refill them with ice when I stop. One thing that has been a tremendous help for me is arm coolers which have a high UV rating and are excellent at wicking thus keeping my fair skin from burning off,and a wicking under layer. I also have a couple of training routes that have some patches of shade here and there which also helps, but mostly it's beein a case of mind over matter and getting used to riding in feels like temps of 105 plus. I ride a steady 17 mph with occasional spurts of 20 when I have to make up some time lost to traffic and traffic lights. I also eat before I ride, have a banana at the turn around . all that being said, I sure will be glad to welcome fall temps, preferably sooner rather than later.
Yesterday in Houston the high was well over 100. But, the humidity at that time was only 35%. Normally we see humidity of 90% and more this time of year. Miserable! So far today 9:53AM 86F and 56%. Just doesn't seem to be as humid as it has in past years.
I feel so wuss... I rode a 2 hour training ride y-day. A hard ride. It was 83* ( no humidity, we don't have such things)at my turn around point. Got off the bike at the end of the ride and felt completely sun and wind spent. I would not survive in Texas...
