twmiller, 2012-07-14 10:45:35
Is anyone riding the trails in this heat? We are still having temps over 100 everyday in Paola. I need to get out and start riding but being out of shape and in my 50s I dont want to have a heat stroke. Is anyone else getting sick of this heat or is it just me.

Todd Miller

Timon of Athens, 2012-07-14 14:34:49
I’m tired of the heat.

So I go out as early in the morning as I can manage. I am usually done by noon or 1, just as the temps start hitting the upper 90s.

I still drink a ton of water and/or Gatorade. Every 5 minutes whether I want it or not. I usually want it.

A nice cool shower makes you ready for the rest of the day.

JD_Shawnee, 2012-07-15 14:10:05
Yeah, man..that’s for sure. This heat and dryness are the pits. Some of the low-lying trails that don’t have much breeze or ventilation become suffocating roasting bins around high-noon and after. I did 50-plus miles on one the other day, out of state.

During that ride, my lips and mouth got parched all the time. So, I’d take a small sip of my luke-warm bike water, and hold it in my mouth for as long as I could, which forced me to breath thru my nose. That kept my mouth moist for a while. Then, after I spit it out (didn’t want to swallow any phlegm), my mouth would parch up again, just from breathing. I would then want to drink more water which I might or might not have needed at the moment. Fun.

Apparently, early morning is the best time right now. I also look for shade to ride under, carry lots of water, and will take an under-a-tree snooze as well. 🙂 I’ve read where other trail riders do that too..a lot.

rebelLT, 2012-07-16 07:46:57
I only ride in the morning, starting at 6:00 to 8:00 and trying to be done around 11:00. Some days I have done twenty miles, some days, like yesterday, 45 miles. I strapped a hydration backpack to the side of the rear pannier and carry a small cooler with Gatorade and Ice on the rack. I know it weighs more, though I don’t care cause my goal is to ride the Trans America here in a few years when I retire. I plan on starting in Iola early Saturday and riding till my wife is tired!!
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