ddeand 

Went for a ride yesterday - a 32-mile mixed gravel/road jaunt that is one if my favorites. I checked the wind before I went, then set out. Figured it would be a decent ride - into the wind on the way out, with the wind on the return. I felt pretty good on the way out, but started feeling the effort on the way back. I got to a park with about five miles left in the ride, and I had to stop because I was feeling physically sapped and slightly dizzy. I sat for about 30 minutes and decided to ride home (should have called my wife to come and get me). The last five miles took me almost an hour - barely hit 8mph. When I got home, I crashed while trying to recover from the ride (usually takes me about 10 minutes on a normal ride). Five hours later, I was still feeling the effects of the ride. After eating and getting some sleep, I finally feel I’m back to normal - a day later. My wife said the Heat Index was 99 when I got home! High temp and high humidity damn near did me in! Lesson learned - check ALL the conditions before setting out on a ride!

So, again, let’s be careful out there!

Troul 

I checked the radar 30 minutes before a ride today. 1/2 miles into the ride it started to rain. 1 miles in it started to rumble. Halfway into the ride it begun to downpour. On the way back it stopped all the wetness & boomers. Sun was just coming up at the end too. Was worth the effort though.

Reflector Guy

I do that too when I ride after work. Trouble is, I think many times the wind shifts as we get close to sunset. I don't like to ride home against the wind but it seems it happens even when I plan for it not to happen.

I might ride this evening; its crazy hot but probably too windy for my liking. Hot wind is no better than a hot day with no wind.

Hypno Toad

Sounds like my ride at the start of last month, my worst mistake was making a on-ride change to route. I was expecting a river trail to be passable, but after committing too much time and energy, I had to turn around because of flooding. I got back on the original route as was so drained the miles home were miserable/slow. I got home took a quick shower and fell asleep ... not typical for me (heat exhaustion). Temps were around 90F and heat index around 100F (Likely higher on the river trail without any wind). I trained in the heat and could have dealt with it if I'd avoided dragging my bike through a couple miles of over grown trails.

Yes be careful out there in the heat, it's not messing around!

Troul 

Hot wind = a dry fart without the stench.

genejockey 

Sounds like heat exhaustion. Or maybe bonking? Or both.

A couple times that's hit me, generally early season when I'm not acclimated to heat. Lightheaded, weak, mildly nauseated. Best to call for a ride.

Did you eat anything before you rode, though? The one time I bonked thoroughly, it was about 2 miles from home in the pre-cell phone days. I felt weak, like barely able to keep going. My brain didn't seem to be working properly. Exhausted. I got home and 95% of me just wanted sleep. But a little voice said, "Eat." I ate a candy bar and felt normal in 10 minutes.

ddeand 

I’m pretty sure I had heat exhaustion. At the halfway mark, I ate a couple granola bars and drank some water. For a day like that, though, I think I would have needed two bottles of water - one with an electrolyte supplement added. I’m 72 and should know better!

JohnDThompson 

Not around here, with the CAFOs spreading their manure on the fields. We get the full effect. "Come to Wisconsin and smell our 'dairy air,'" as they say.

frogman

My doctor told me that as we get older it is easier to get heat exhaustion because we have diminished feeligs that we are thirsty as we did when we were younger. Stay hydrated my friends.

bwilli88 

Living in Cambodia, I alway take some water, sometimes get a coconut for the juice. once in a while I get some sugarcane juice with lime mixed in with the coconut juice.

It is always hotter than the mid 70s and up to 100 often. I have to watch my water intake along with my food intake, too much water without food will make me sick.

hillyman

Just glad your alright. Me being 60 your my hero

Riveting

Or dehydration. Or over-reaching. Or lack of electrolytes. Or all of the above.

Riveting

Eating a complex carb like a granola bar with only 15 miles to go means you probably didn't actually start digesting and absorbing it until after you got home. Try GU or Powerbar gels, because they're liquefied simple carbs, and the time to digest and absorb the energy is much less. Or add a sugary pack to your water. On the other hand, it IS recommended to ALSO consume complex carbs when you still have 2+ hrs of riding to go.

Here's the complex and simple "bike" carbs I ate for a 24 hr ride I did (326 miles) a couple years ago. Not shown are the multiple PB&J sandwiches, Italian sub, bananas, and beef jerky.

Leebo

Chug water beforehand. On long mt bike rides I drink 80-100 oz of cold water from the camelbak, plus a bottle of gatorade plus always have some snacks. I've been there, heatstroke is brutal.

hillyman

So what I see is Reese's is your secret weapon...I knew it!

Riveting

Heck yeah! Reese's are my favorite pick me up, just don't store them in your jersey pockets.

Troul 

it'll become just a reese's piece.

Milton Keynes

This is often when I feel the hottest, riding at the same speed as the wind. If it's a 12 MPH breeze, and I'm riding about 12 MPH, it feels like there's absolutely no wind moving around you except for maybe a few eddy currents around you. For the most part, there's not enough wind to evaporate your sweat and you start feeling the humidity, and no matter how hard you sweat you still feel hot. I wonder if this might have been your case on that day.

Milton Keynes

Or a Reese's blob.

genejockey 

The times I've had what I later figured was mild heat exhaustion weren't associated with dehydration or low blood sugar. One was just a hot day, and it felt like I wasn't getting rid of the heat. I'd drained 2 bottles of sports drink on the ride. What actually helped was dumping water over my head and back.

Cougrrcj

Reeces Gu

bikecrate

I've been riding in triple digit heat index after work. I try to take it slower, drink lots of water, pour water on top of head often and take more breaks than usual.

downhillmaster

Hrmmm...
You wouldn’t happen to hand wash your cycling clothing, would you?

ddeand 

Thanks for the responses everyone. I appreciate the suggestions.

808HIcycler

Even on my weekend long rides starting at 5-6am, it is still 80+ degrees with 70-80% humidity here. Granted I am significantly younger (see only 36) than you, but I always put either 4-6oz of pedialyte and the rest water, or gatorade in my bottles. I have some hydration packs I ma going to try tomorrow to see how it works in this heat since it has rained for the past three days now.