I got myself into big trouble on Saturday. I decided to ride 61 miles on the C&O Canal (3 miles from my home, canal is flat). So far this season, I've ridden just over 1,200 miles, mostly 20-25 mile ride, but only one 40 mile ride. Last year, in August, I did 60 miles with relative ease. On Saturday, I had two 20 oz water bottles with a 50% gatorade mix/water. It wasn't crazy hot like in the past few weeks, but 85 degrees by noon. At the 30 mile mark, I felt fine, and had drank 1.5 of the water bottles. I bought a bottle of water at a spot near the canal, and put in an electrolyte tablet. I was sweating a lot at that point. By 40 miles, I felt fatigued and had drank nearly all of the 1.5 bottles. I stopped at two wells on the canal (they are checked and treated weekly) to fill up and add another electrolyte tablet. Both were dry. So I rode to the 50 mile point, and both legs cramped so severely, I couldn't stand, sit or pedal, it was very painful. To the 50 mile point, I was averaging 15.5 mph. I had never experienced cramps like this. The last 10 miles were brutal, I couldn't coast, or my legs would cramp, but I could only pedal about 10 mph. I felt like a fool. Luckily, near my get-off on the canal (to the three road mile to my house, I encountered a fisherman with a cooler. I asked if I could buy a bottle of water, he graciously gave me one. That got me home, but for the next two hours, the cramps were awful. My quads and hamstrings are still very sore today. I hope never to repeat this problem - was I just not drinking enough?