Bike Forums - 101 In the Shade and No Shade

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Rabgrai was tough enough last year - this year, it could be even tougher.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadfrog (Post 14423575)

I rode 33 hilly miles in 105 degree heat today in Alabama. Not really bad until you stop then it's hell to pay. My sister says I'm crazy. She may be right but, hey, I'm having fun. How many people in this country look for reasons to be miserable?

This is not only funny but so true. If we didn't find conditions to be miserable, our war stories would only be milk toast. Yeah, "Oh, due to the conditions I was so miserable, but I toughed it out." Like that.

I met 3 or 4 other riders on the local mountain bike trails today - at mid day. It's been 100+. You just drink more water, stop more often, and don't ride so hard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by qcpmsame (Post 14426203)

Tom,
I am in far Northwest Florida, Escambia County, (Pensacola) about 2 miles off of the Alabama state line at the Perdido and Styx Rivers junction. Got to 96 here today but the clouds stuck around and kept us out of the triple digits. Humidity was around 70% most of the day according to my cheapo gauge. it was 93 when I rode at 5:30 P.M. but the slight south breeze off of the Gulf kept it nice while I rode. I did make sure I hydrated all day before I rode and I did pretty well while riding.

Bill

I live about 25 miles (as the crow flies) from you on a heading of about 150 degrees, near NAS Whiting Field. These days I'm wearing a sweat band below my helmet in an attempt to keep salt water from blinding me. Even so, the band becomes saturated every 20-30 minutes and I have to stop to wring it out. The heat is tolerable as long as I keep riding but if I stop for some reason----

In an attempt to gain relief from insane home insurance rates down here, I was fabricating and installing hurricane window and door protection panels for my house last week. Tuesday mid-day I had been working in high humidity, high 90's by myself in direct sunlight and no breeze for 5 hours when I started getting dizzy. I just dropped my tool belt and got in the shower. I felt like hell for 2 days.

Here is a link to something I have used when out in the desert for offroad races. They work surprisingly well. http://industrialsavings.com/hard-hats/940.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artkansas (Post 14415288)

Yeah, many people don't understand that heat and humidity are two different things.

I used to live near Palm Springs. Heat, that's when you can't take the keys out of your pocket for fear of burning your fingers. I actually enjoy 107 degrees dry heat. My body slows down and relaxes to keep itself cool.

96 degrees and 2% humidity is barely warm. 96 degrees and 96% humidity is outrageous discomfort.

Many people think that when you are dripping sweat that's cooling the body. Not really. When you get into desert heat where the perspiration is gone almost immediately, that's sweat cooling the body. Adiabatic cooling baby! Dripping sweat is like an overworked swamp cooler struggling with the load.

One of the reasons I like it here on the Bruce, Lake Huron is about 60 degrees on one side and Georgian Bay is about the same on the other side, so if we get a breeze from the East, West or North then temperatures tend to stay lower, like in the high 70's when you get wind from the south, loaded up with smog from the unrestricted coal plants in the Ohio valley, it can get kinda putrid. Of course having a nice cool lake nearby, with very gradual shores makes it easy to just go take a dip when needed.

North Alabama like most of the southeast is hot with high humidity now. Normally ride early and look for routes with tree lining the roadsides for some shade. Rode 26 miles last Friday mid day on rail trail with lots of shade, really nice until you stopped moving, temp was 102 when ride ended. Saturday morning was a 31 mile road ride with lots of sun and some areas of shade. Rest stop was crowded with everyone trying to stay under the store canopy. Finished ride at 10:00 and temp was about 93 degrees.