Why Not to Ride Your Bike in 100 Degree Weather

I had every intention of getting up today at 6:30 and going for a ride. I really did. I even made plans with Jedi Joy to meet at 7:00. However, when 6:30 came around and the alarm sounded, Layne rolled over and put his arm around me and wouldn't let me up.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I dragged my butt out of bed somewhere closer to 8:30 and decided that I'd better do the yardwork before I did anything else. (It is Thursday, after all. Me and my schedule.) The kids were moderately helpful and we had the mowing, weeding, edging and blowing done by 10:45. (Ok. The edging wasn't all the way done, but it's not my fault. The battery went dead.)

I really wanted to put in some miles today, and, as I am still trying to get ready for the 111 mile around-Utah-Lake ride (ULCER) in two weeks, I figured riding in the sun might be good practice.

So off I went.

I didn't have much time, so I decided to make the most of it and ride up to Alpine and back as fast as I could.

Probably not a good idea in 94 degree weather. By the top of golf course road, I was seriously sweating and my heart was pounding. I noticed that, unlike when I ride in the morning, there were very few other cyclists on the road.

All smarter than me.

I got to Alpine in good time and turned around to find a nasty surprise. Apparently, I had a tailwind the whole way up that I hadn't noticed. Going the other direction, the tailwind turned into a hot, nasty, dry-out-your-lungs kind of headwind.

The real bummer about that is that the whole reason I like climbing into Alpine is that it means I get to descend fast on the way down. Not so with a head wind. That makes the downhill at least as hard as the uphill.

I knew it was getting hot, but didn't realize just HOW hot until I stopped at the four corners in Highland. Standing still there in the hot sun waiting for the light to change, I could feel a river of sweat running down my back. I grabbed my waterbottle and squirted a bunch of it down my neck-- much to the delight of a crew of Mexicans in a nearby car. You're welcome, boys.

I started feeling a little sick about a mile or two from home. I was ever so grateful to turn down the street to my house. I parked my bike and stumbled into the house, where my kids told me I looked like a tomato face. All I could do was lay spread eagle on the floor under the ceiling fan.

When I stopped seeing stars, I climbed into a cold shower-- which felt good for a minute, but did little good, as I was still sweating when I got out. My face stayed red for 3 hours and my head still hasn't stopped throbbing.

Today's ride leads me to two conclusions-- first, no more 11:00 killer rides to Alpine. And, second, I am in REAL trouble for the ULCER in two weeks. If 12 miles in 94 degree weather almost killed me, I think that I'm screwed for 111 miles in the 100 degrees we'll probably have then.

I don't think that I'm ever going to accomplish that goal...