Is it too hot to ride?
All depends on what you can handle and how you prep and take care of yourself along the way (ie - water and cooling breaks, etc).
Riders have died due to heat exposure this year, so take your preparation seriously and listen to what your body is telling you.
Warm, sunny weather and long days make hot summer time for motorcycling.
But with the days hot as hattas, I myself try to be prepared to deal with above-average temperatures, especially on multi-day tours where I’ll be riding several hours per day.
With plans to go on another long distance tour this year, I'll be sure to keep hydrated. I’ve been exposed to high temperatures before, and it often is accompanied by dehydration.”
In fact the record hot ride day for me was a 114° ride to Las Vegas.
Remember heat exhaustion can include water depletion and salt depletion, so I've grabbed drinks of water supplemented by sports drinks (to restore electrolytes lost through sweat) and then stock up on those salty snacks helps too.
I've found that a cooling vest or wicked clothing works wonders.
My experience & tip with cooling vest is wet it down, leave it even dripping & put your water soaked shirt over the soaked cool vest to make the moisture last longer! Trust Me It Works Better!
Sweating is how our bodies regulate temperature. When sweat evaporates, it cools the surface of the skin, and the hotter we get, the more we sweat (which is why we need to make a concerted effort to stay hydrated).
Wearing synthetic base layers wicks moisture away from our skin, which increases the efficiency of evaporative cooling.
I also go a step further by adding an evaporative cooling neck wrap, that is 100% cotton neck tie is “filled with water-absorbing polymer crystals which can hold 350–400 times their weight in water and they release it slowly (over a period of days).”
You can also wear a bandana or neck gaiter soaked in water, but they dry out much faster.
Also, neck wraps have the added benefit of protecting your neck from sunburn.
Since the hottest time of day is usually between noon and 5 p.m., if possible, I plan to ride during the cooler morning and early evening times.
I wake up early, have a light breakfast and cup of coffee, then hit the road.
I can ride for several hours and then take a break for lunch, nap in the shade or I have even caught a matinee in a cool, dark movie theater before.
Early evening rides can be a real treat, but I have found to beware of dawn and dusk times because I could often see greater wildlife activity, such as deer crossing the road.
I find on scenic, back-roads rides often I don’t stop until the low-fuel light comes on. But on a motorcycle with 200-mile-plus range, that often means riding for several hours between stops.
So on hot days, I stop more often.
Frequent stops allow me to drink some water and have a snack, or take off my helmet and pour some cool water on my head. It does good to walk around and do some light stretches to get the blood flowing throughout the body.
Also, I sit down in the shade for a few minutes.
I have learned that if I start to feel lightheaded or dizzy, have a headache or cramps, or my skin becomes unexpectedly cool and clammy, my body could be overheating.
Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which can be extremely dangerous, even fatal.
I have learned to "Not to try to be tough and “ride through it.”
I pull off at the next exit or stop as soon as possible and immediately find a way to cool down... by removing my helmet and put a cold, wet towel around my head. I have walked into an air-conditioned store or restaurant and order a pitcher of ice water if necessary.
Even taken a dip in a cool lake, river or swimming pool.
We go on motorcycle tours because we like to ride, but sometimes it pays to take a day off.
Long, hot days in the saddle are more likely to leave me fatigued, dehydrated and sore than long days in cooler weather.
We Americans are constantly in a rush, always on the go. Summer motorcycle rides are fun, but when it gets really hot sometimes the best thing to do is just put your feet up and chill out at the hotel.
Then I scream for ice cream!
Still Enjoying The Ride...
Nana
Comments