Hot Weather Riding

[BigTom]

It may not be so hot where you are, but it was 115? at MCAS Yuma today. Time to review hot weather survival tips.

RULE 1. Hydrate. Before, after, during. The Marines say you need to drink one ounce of water per kilogram of body weight when it is really hot. Something over 100 oz per day for me. OK, OK. 110 ounces per day for me. If you are riding in this sort of weather, you can not catch up. You MUST keep putting fluids in all day. A good rule of thumb is "Drink enough water that you pee completly clear once each day."

2. Shade yourself. I use a mesh jacket, wear it all the time. It is much cooler than riding in a tee shirt. If you are not ATGATT, at least wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt. The more skin you expose, the more evaporation and de hydration you encourage.

3. Stop and smell the shade. Generally speaking, I try to stop every 100 miles when it is 110? or over. I carry a hydration pack, so I can keep hydrated while I ride, but a little time under the air conditioner or at least in the shade makes a BIG difference. Is a good time to have a cold ice tea. If you start to feel punky, get stopped and shaded with a cold (non alcoholic) drink in your hand. Alcohol will speed the de hydration...

I use an evaporation vest, makes a huge difference in my riding. Doesn't just extend it, makes it pleasant even at the high temps we get. I also try (it doesn't always work) to do the bulk of my riding in the very early am this time of year...I head for the high country at 4:00 am regularly...

NWS said to stay inside unless it is an emergency today and tomorrow. No can do, I fear I will try to be as wise as I can in regard to the heat, however.

Ride safe. I suspect that half the single MC accidents in hot weather are at least compounded by heat fatigue or de hydration. It sucks out your brains.

 

[Capt_Gruuvy]

... It sucks out your brains.

I hate when that happens !

 

[pretbek]

It may not be so hot where you are, but it was 115? at MCAS Yuma today.

It's all relative, innit?
I remember last year that I was riding here in Pennsyltucky and it was HOT indeed, topped out at 93 degrees! :crackup

You know what, I enjoyed the Arizona heat a lot more, which is dry. But that was November heat of just over 90, not the summer heat of 115 that you talk about. Ugh!

So when do we get to go out for food and apple pie, then ride together again?

 

[BigTom]

Well, I'd be ready for the Julian Pie any day you want to come by

The up state NY pie is probably going to have to wait a couple of years

 

[Mark]

Good reminder Tom.

Just a thought on mesh...

I feel that a long sleeve (very thin) cotton shirt under the mesh keeps the wind from dehydrating me even better than wearing a short sleeve shirt.
Same for shorts under mesh pants: I wear a very, very thin pair of long cotton pants.

I guess the wicking athletic wear for both top and bottom would work as well...

Mark

 

[AzDesertRider]

Great post Tom.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[John H2]

I soak my long sleeve cotton pull over shirt with water and put my mesh jacket over that. Also a soaked bandana around the neck. We went across Death Valley last July this way. Shorts under the mesh pants. Works for me.

 

[josephthreedogs]

Having lived in the desert all my life I am surprized by the number of people who don't know how to survive the heat. It comes second nature to me I seldom think about what needs to be done I just do it.

 

[SupraSabre]

Last year I had the Heat experience of my life! I rode out to George's Route 666 ride and the starting temps here in San Burn-arse-dino was 102?. As I approached Palm Springs, it went upto 113?. I stopped at one point where it was only 109? and re-hydrated my Cooling Liner with cold water (from the frig at the store) and drank an bunch of the water myself. I then procedded on I10 and around the CA-AZ border, it was 115?, which lasted for an hour and a half! Now, THAT was HOT! I stopped just short of Phoenix for a sandwich and more water for me and the cooling liner. Then proceeded to my destination, just east of Tucson. It was 9 hours and much of it was in 100+ degree temps.

Even on my way home I had to re-hydrate the liner a number of times, like BigTom was saying, about every 100 miles or so. Sometimes I had to do it sooner.

 

[Blrfl]

You know what, I enjoyed the Arizona heat a lot more, which is dry.

It's a dry heat... Like my oven!

--Mark

 

[MidLife]

Anybody has problems wearing ear plugs in hot weather?

If the temp climbs in the 90s, they become uncomfortable for me (painful) after 2-3 hr of riding in the heat.

Any tricks here?

 

[sherob]

Anybody has problems wearing ear plugs in hot weather?

If the temp climbs in the 90s, they become uncomfortable for me (painful) after 2-3 hr of riding in the heat.

Any tricks here?

I never had problems wearing the squishy foam ones... I wore those all day I hated the hard plastic ones :

I found some really good ones at that drugstore that is 3 letters in Houston... LOL!!! Can't remember the name now... LOL!!! They had one at the corner of Richmond and Wilcrest Starts with a "C"

 

[Mellow]

Anybody has problems wearing ear plugs in hot weather?

If the temp climbs in the 90s, they become uncomfortable for me (painful) after 2-3 hr of riding in the heat.

Any tricks here?

For some reason, I had problems riding with foam earplugs going to CampSTOC. It wasn't hot or anything and I've ridden with them many times. I even have the plastic flange type as well but once your ear gets sensitive, the only cure is to leave them out.

I recently added a laminar lip which helps to quiet the wind noise so I left mine out for 2 days and then on the trip back home put in the flange ones. For some reason those don't irritate me as much as the foam ones do.. go figure.

To answer your question, I've never notice an issue based on the temperature.. .they either hurt me or I'm fine with them.

 

[Mellow]

I never had problems wearing the squishy foam ones... I wore those all day I hated the hard plastic ones :

I found some really good ones at that drugstore that is 3 letters in Houston... LOL!!! Can't remember the name now... LOL!!! They had one at the corner of Richmond and Wilcrest Starts with a "C"

CVS Pharmacy ?

 

[MidLife]

I never had problems wearing the squishy foam ones... I wore those all day I hated the hard plastic ones :

I found some really good ones at that drugstore that is 3 letters in Houston... LOL!!! Can't remember the name now... LOL!!! They had one at the corner of Richmond and Wilcrest Starts with a "C"

CVS?

I have some soft "waxy" ones that work well for me on short hops, but become painful after an hour or so, even worse in the heat.

I can wear the squishy MaxLite all day long in 40-50 F CO fall weather, but not in the 95+ Tx days.

 

[sherob]

CVS?

I have some soft "waxy" ones that work well for me on short hops, but become painful after an hour or so, even worse in the heat.

I can wear the squishy MaxLite all day long in 40-50 F CO fall weather, but not in the 95+ Tx days.

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/detail?prodid=317536&previousURI=/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/search?page=1^Query=ear+plugs^ActiveCat=65

CVS is it... remember, I lived in Katy/Houston for almost 30 years... and I wore them all day when I rode anything other than the Wing

The "wax" ones just don't work for me either... the foam ones you can squish up and push in that expand for a good fit always worked for me. Just like anything else I guess... what works for me, may not for you

 

[MidLife]

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/detail?prodid=317536&previousURI=/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/search?page=1^Query=ear+plugs^ActiveCat=65

CVS is it... remember, I lived in Katy/Houston for almost 30 years... and I wore them all day when I rode anything other than the Wing

The "wax" ones just don't work for me either... the foam ones you can squish up and push in that expand for a good fit always worked for me. Just like anything else I guess... what works for me, may not for you

Yes, I remember your being in the neighborhood!

I was thinking about using some lube on the foam plugs on the next longer "hot" trip, to try and see if it makes any difference. Like Mellow said, it comes to a point were there is so much discomfort that you have to leave them out!

 

[Mark]

Chris and I don't do 100 mile stops... we stop when we want or need too...
Just make sure you stop if you get drowsy with the heat or bored... get off walk in a circle, do jumping jacks, whatever. Bored in the heat leads to mistakes in judgment...

Mark

 

[Mellow]

If you don't want to stop... then get a couple camelbaks and fill them. Take a sip every now and then.. don't wait 'til your thirsty then take big gulps... just go 5 or 10 miles and take a sip.. or 20 miles.. whatever.. it's truly amazing what this simple little thing can do for you. Trying to put a full tank under you in the desert during the summer is not a bad idea... it's a foolish one that you'll pay for...

I never saw many camelbaks in TX... but, when I went to my first WeSTOC in Minden, NV it was funny how many had them. When I did my CA trip a couple years ago the three of us had them and it made a huge difference.

 

[STrep]

Thanks for the hydration reminder Tom,

We won't have to worry too much today however, it was 38 on my ride in to work