Quote Originally Posted by nancyBug View Post
One other quick comment, I see that several of you are from Texas - I have made several trips to Texas and it is even HOTTER than Tennessee in the summer.

How do you manage riding in the heat - that is one of my big concerns with summer.
I live just outside of Houston and you are right about the heat. I'm older than you and am not very heat tolerant. The thing that keeps me going all summer is a Camelback hydration pack. I have a good size pack which I fill with ice and water. In the hottest part of the summer I carry a bottle or two with me so that I can refill the pack during my ride. With the hydration pack I drink much more frequently than if I am using bottles. I know that some riders don't care for the backpacks but I couldn't ride in the summer without one.

As for helmets, before I started riding I was like you and assumed a helmet would be hot. I'm pleased to say I haven't found that to be the case at all. All those holes in the helmets are there for a reason. Although I haven't put it to the test, I suspect the sun direct on my head would be hotter than the helmet.

One word of caution - biking can be addictive.