What really horrifies cyclists

[Cataboo]

Yeah, we were rolling by 7:00 or so. The cool temps and cloudy skies were wonderful, as were those donuts!

I hope that Bike VA comes through for that guy and his toasted bike!

What was the story with the ambulance on Tuesday? We were trying out a tandem on Park Drive and saw it arrive, but had no idea what was going on...

Which one? The one at lunch or at dinner? Lunch was heart attack guy. Dinner (around 7 at tent city?) seemed to be just someone feeling ill. I think the heat & dehydration from Sunday got to a lot of people. There was an ambulance on Sunday's ride just after the lunch stop - at a left turn, dunno if the guy just wiped out or a car was involved. I didn't really look as passing, but it looked not gory, and his bike looked okay. There was an ambulance about 3 miles out on Monday morning, dunno what that was about.

[Becky]

Which one? The one at lunch or at dinner? Lunch was heart attack guy. Dinner (around 7 at tent city?) seemed to be just someone feeling ill. I think the heat & dehydration from Sunday got to a lot of people. There was an ambulance on Sunday's ride just after the lunch stop - at a left turn, dunno if the guy just wiped out or a car was involved. I didn't really look as passing, but it looked not gory, and his bike looked okay. There was an ambulance about 3 miles out on Monday morning, dunno what that was about.

The dinner guy. I missed the lunch stop on Tuesday, but heard about it afterwards, and T took the day off.

Saturday's and Sunday's heat were brutal. We opted out of the century just because it was so warm.

We didn't see any accidents or medicals- from the stories that I'm hearing now, maybe we were just lucky!

[Cataboo]

Yeah, I had been tempted to do the century until I felt the heat. 58 miles was enough. The accounts that I was getting from people that did the century weren't pleasant - no water up at the top after doing vesuvius climb and no water stops up on the blue ridge parkway section.

[skibum]

I did the century and it was brutal. I handled the heat okay, several weeks of riding in 95+ weather in GA had me somewhat acclimated. Although, honestly, when it's that hot, it's rough even if you're used to it.

The placement of the water stops almost did me in -- no water from just before the vesuvius climb until the lunch stop. I probably rode 10 miles with empty water bottles. I was trying to get up the nerve to knock on someone's door to ask for water when the rest stop came into view.

I know I was fairly dehydrated at that point and am amazed I was able to recover and finish. The final rest stop (I think that was the one at the winery) was a big help -- they had a sprinkler going and ice for our water bottles.

I was only doing two days of the ride. I would have opted out of the century because of the heat if I new I had several more days to ride.

[Cataboo]

It was a strange spring for acclimatizing to the heat - at least in Maryland, we would swing from 90 + degree days to 50-60 degree days. And it just basically made me kayak on the hot days and bike on the cool days...

So I'd completely not adjusted to biking in the heat.

One guy I talked to said he stopped at a church and used their hose to get water while on the century.

But even on the 58 mile ride that day, I filled up the 2-3 liter bladder in my hydration pack at least 3 times, and was drinking 2 cups of water at every rest stop. I think I had like 4 glasses of water with dinner, and I was still dehydrated.

[IFjane]

I did not ride Bike VA this year but know the Vesuvius route well. I heard the same complaints from a friend who only rode that day (the century). He was out of water at the top. Not good planning for the BVA folks. There is nothing between Tye River & Love Gaps for refilling bottles.

Last year the route was literally in my backyard & I never heard complaints like I have this year. Not sure what happened ~ I hope next year is better!

[Becky]

I did not ride Bike VA this year but know the Vesuvius route well. I heard the same complaints from a friend who only rode that day (the century). He was out of water at the top. Not good planning for the BVA folks. There is nothing between Tye River & Love Gaps for refilling bottles.

Last year the route was literally in my backyard & I never heard complaints like I have this year. Not sure what happened ~ I hope next year is better!

I'm glad to hear that this was not normal. We didn't have any issues with water, but had a few with rest stops not being "open" for food when we arrived. Hoping for better planning next year, because we really did have a good time. Food in general seemed to be the biggest challenge.

Do the Bike VA folks send out a questionaire/review form? after the event?