July rides

[ny biker]

How is it July already? I am refusing to turn over the calendar to a new page. It seems like it was just early April.

Although the weather is definitely not April. I led a ride yesterday, 40 miles. If it had been just slightly longer it would have been miserable. There were four of us, two people who have been off the bike until last week due to medical issues, one person who just finished Bike Virginia so is in peak form, and me who is doing better than expected given how many weekends I have not been riding. We rode an easy, comfortable pace, which was important for the weather. Too often on hot days I end up "leading" riders who are faster than me and they finish strong while I am miserable from too much exertion in the hot sun. We also had a fair amount of shade, and at both rest stops we were able to go into an air conditioned building for a break. Overall it worked out well. Before the ride I had made cue sheets for various short cut options; the two people who just started riding again did opt to cut 10 miles off the ride, but it was due to their gradually easing back into cycling as much as the weather conditions.

The ride start was a park with a covered picnic pavilion but no running water, so I also prepared for the heat by having a cooler in my car with cold drinks, ice packs and a spray bottle full of cold water. I also had a microfiber towel, Wet Ones and a hairbrush in addition to snacks and clean clothes. After finishing the ride I opened up the car doors and then went and sat in the pavilion, sprayed cold water all over my head, arms and back, cleaned the sunscreen and dirt off my legs, and had a drink and snack while cooling down and drying off. Cold water on the back of your head and rinsing the sweat out of your hair does really help when it's that hot. Eventually I changed into clean clothes, fired up the A/C in the car and headed for home.

[Crankin]

Wow, you and I are twins, when it comes to heat. We are supposed to do a club ride Wednesday, with a high of 91. It won't get that hot by the ride's end, but with humidity, I am mildly concerned. However, the leader is my friend and he will stick to the moderate pace of an average of 13.5. It's pretty shady, but I am sure I will be pouring my water over my head.
I rode to and from the gym at 5:10 am and back at 6:40. It was cool, 70 and 93% humidity when I went, and much drier and pleasant when I came home. It's only 1.3 miles each way, and that is about all I wanted to do outside today.
Next weekend looks perfect for riding, but looking ahead, I am seeing heat again next week, when we do our annual Berkshires trip. It is hard and hilly riding; last year we cut a ride out and went out and did a 15 mile ride early in the AM, it was so hot one day. Not that there isn't a lot to do there, but I look forward to this trip every year.

[north woods gal]

Sounds like you both know how to deal with the heat. Our summer, so far, has been the hottest, ever, for us - way above normal for heat and heat index numbers. Not sure how I would have handled it all if I could bike, right, now. The heat has definitely been an issue for my walking, though. It's the pits for walking. Taking advantage of shade when I can find some is a big help, as you've mentioned. Going out, early, helps, too.

Stopped in at my local shop, today, to have the Log Lady single speed set up for more road duty. I'm switching out the tires to a more road friendly, faster tread and will up the gearing just a bit. I plan to use both single speed bikes when I get cleared to ride, again, as mostly road/gravel bikes with maybe some easy trail work. Mostly road bikes, though. I'll use the single speeds to get in condition and to use on the road as errand/utility/fun bikes.

Don't know if I can ever trust those skinny 2.2" wide tires again for serious trail work after this accident. Staying with fatter tires on the trails is definitely a move in a safer direction. I'm going nuts, though, not being able to get out and ride. The trainer is a good thing for conditioning, but it does nothing for my need to ride. Under two week to go, now, before my next doctor visit and X rays to see how much I've healed. I am so praying for good news.

[rebeccaC]

Under two week to go, now, before my next doctor visit and X rays to see how much I've healed. I am so praying for good news.

My prayers for that too…..and I’ve continued lighting incense to keep that going for you!!!!!!!!!

....I also prepared for the heat by having a cooler in my car with cold drinks, ice packs and a spray bottle full of cold water. I also had a microfiber towel, Wet Ones and a hairbrush in addition to snacks....

you organize like I do!!!!!



Our usual June marine cloud layer with its perfect low 70s weather is just about gone and with that there will be a few days this month in the high 80’s to low 90’s but thankfully not many and the low humidity and ocean breezes help here too. I actually enjoy the challenge of riding in high heat as long as I’ve acclimated to the temps (hot yoga helps in my body experiencing heat as less severe), keep very well hydrated/fueled and dress accordingly.
Still just commutes, rides for doing photography and the occasional bike path ride with Alex.

Next week I’m doing impact assessment work at some utility-scale solar plants in the desert and I’m thinking of doing a whole day’s ride in the eastern slopes of the sierra’s where temps will be much better than the high desert. I want a good long hard ride cuz it’s been toooooooooooooo long since I’ve had one.

[emily_in_nc]

We did our usual ride (35-36 miles) in the heat and humidity yesterday morning. When I stopped to pee at a park one hour in, I was drenched in sweat and could feel my heart beating really fast. After a rest in the air conditioning and drinking a bunch of water, I felt much better, and the rest of the ride was actually not too bad since we gained a light tailwind on the way back. It really is the humidity more than the heat, as the temp at the end of our ride was "only" 87. I don't know what the humidity was, but high.

After a nice cool down in the pool and lunch, we did a utilitarian ride on our cruiser bikes to the bank and vet to pick up meds for our dog. By the end of that one (~ 4 miles), I was sweating again, but stops in the air-conditioned bank and vet did help.

This morning we'll be leaving our our usual ride soon. It's so tempting to skip it in this heat, but it's not going to get any cooler here in Florida for a long time, so I might as well get used to it. The fact that there are still other cyclists (and even runners, which is hard to fathom) on the trail this time of year helps with not feeling so alone in my suffering!

[north woods gal]

Thank-you for the incense, rebecca. Very much appreciated and, yes, I do believe that such things have their effect. Again, thank-you.

No break in our weather, though nothing hotter than the upper 80s. That, at least, is more the norm for July at its hottest, up here.

On the day I get cleared to ride, hubby has promised I get to buy a new helmet, no matter how expensive. Then we'll celebrate at our favorite restaurant, that night. Next day, the new and safer me starts riding. I may do some mods on my trails by blocking off and/or destroying some of my trick object setups, just to avoid the temptation. Hubby has already helped remove one or two. As I walk along my trails, now, I shake my head when I see the worst of them and wonder how I ever managed them on a bicycle.

My neck brace and still slightly battered face have started a lot of conversations with strangers. Interesting to discover that so many folks have reported either knowing someone who has had similar mountain biking accidents (or even someone who died) or who have had bad bike accidents, themselves. I've always known that mountain biking at the intermediate level and above is a dangerous sport, but this has been a very real confirmation of it. Also confirms my resolve to retire and stay on the easy trails from now on. No bicycling is without its danger, of course, but at least I can choose to make it less risky by the type of riding I do. I do see a LOT more low traffic road riding, especially gravel road riding in my future. Gravel riding has been a favorite of mine, all along, not to mention I have the bikes for that kind of riding, even for the roughest of roads.