Clyde1820

One trick I've used, in that situation at a "convenience" store is to buy a small hot coffee along with the couple of bottled liquids I'm needing. Then, in a big cup, I mix half that hot coffee with one bottle's worth of fluids, then the other half of the coffee with the second bottle's worth. That way, the amount of fluid I'm buying gets "cut" with hot coffee and warmed sufficiently right away. Plus, a bit of caffeine doesn't hurt either. Then, I can start drinking immediately, without getting "brain freeze" that cold drinks occasionally create. Any extra bottles of fluids get used to recharge the bottles in the carriers on the bike.

Of course, this won't work on longer, remote routes where such spots are few and far between. But it can work well, if cycling anywhere near such places, or if slightly altering the route to incorporate a couple of intended watering stops along the way.

livedarklions

Yesterday was interesting. 80 miles with 4750 feet of climbing in 90+ heat. I definitely was not fast, but made it through consuming approximately 126 ozs. of water. The good news is going down a similar number of feet is rather cooling, and the route I was on alternated down and up fairly evenly.

I seem to have inherited a high tolerance for heat from my Semitic ancestors.

N2deep

Almost same circumstances, 65 mile coastal ride, 110 degrees and windy. Drank tons of water but the cramps stopped me about 5 miles from the finish line. Thankfully another rider gave me some pickle juice and some electrolytes, I finished but it wasn’t pretty. Now I keep the pickle juice and some electrolytes for those last miles. interesting that I didn't realize that I was in trouble before it became a real issue.

50PlusCycling

I once did a solo ride across the Everglade in August. Bright sun, incredible heat and humidity, and no trees or any other shade. I had lots of water, but sweat so much that my clothes began to turn white, and I had salt crystals on my arms and legs. The only way to keep cool was to keep moving, if I slowed down my body temperature would jump and I would start to feel dizzy. Toward the end of my ride, the last hour of 5 hours in the saddle, the weather clouded up, and one of those South Florida afternoon thunderstorms broke out. The downpour was terrific, but it cooled me down, and I needed a shower anyway. I don't recommend long rides in the Everglades in the summer.

Pratt

Several times, I have been on the brink of going for a ride, but the conditions looked too hot/cold/rainy/threatening rain/etc. and I stayed home.

rsbob 

Last summer did a 30 mile ride in the low 90s. Being in the Pacific North West we are more used to cool temps most of the year. Anywho with about 5 miles to go I stopped, got off my bike to take a picture. Then I became incredibly dizzy. So dizzy I had to sit down on the guard rail next to me immediately. I had about 1/4 of a bottle of water left, so chugged that down and sat there for about 10 minutes until I was only a little dizzy. Was able to get back on the bike and finish. In the future, if it happens again, will make the call of shame rather than risk it. Never had that happen before.

Speaking of future, I will drink far more and take it easy, rather than push. The ironic thing is that in my 30s, I loved the heat, but that was 30+ Years ago. Funny how age affects heat tolerance.

A350driver

You must stay hydrated!
This picture was about 45 miles into a 62 mile “Birthday Ride”. Our group has a tradition of riding your age on your birthday. My birthday is in July so it was hot and humid, the cold beer went down well!

jon c. 

Never had a problem while riding. I don't push myself that hard. I've had a couple of bad heat stroke episodes doing clearing and landscaping work in high heat, I work harder than I realize doing that.

zandoval 

In training yes but for survival no. At high altitude and low humidity it is hard to find anything even damp enough to distill. I made a solar still out of a 10x10 sheet of plastic and only got about a full cup of water in a day of cooking off. And that was in Central Texas. We would have needed about five solar stills per man.

I have heard of the "Auqamate Inflatable Solar Still" that can be used off of boats. I don't know how much water they are capable of producing but it would appear that having a few on board a water craft would be a good idea.

SpeedyBlueBiker

About 20 years ago I was riding my fully loaded mountain bike in the extreme south of Thailand in late May between Pattani and Narathiwat. The temps were in the upper 90's with humidity to match. I pulled in to Narathiwat extremely tired and hot. Found a hotel with a pool and after getting my gear and bike into the room I soaked in the pool to lower my body temperature for about 45 minutes.

MoAlpha

I once paid a visit to the AFMESA facility at Ft. Detrick to look at their cool portable hospitals, back in the post 9/11 counterterrorism heyday (long story). They gave me a single-use osmotic water purifying kit they said would work on anything. Never used it, but that’s what I’d want in my go-bag.

rumrunn6

"the better part of valour is discretion", eh?

prj71

Only happened once in a mountain bike race. Was in the 90s and humid when I did it. Maximum effort to hold my place.

Road cycling I can ride in the 90s all day long and not notice a thing.

jack pot 

I ride in 90+ heat and humidity and i always carry a BUFF. you can soak it in H20 and it will stay damp for hour(s)

A350driver

Speaking of pickle juice for cramps, how about those little mustard packs you can get in a convince store- gas station, usually by the hot dog grilling rollers? I’ve occasionally used those to stave off cramps, seems there’s something in mustard that helps. I grab a couple of those on my way to the chiller to grab a cold drink, seems to work on the long, hot FL summer rides. I also take a magnesium pill every morning before I ride, some gal at the health food store told me that helps stave off cramps.

rsbob 

Didn’t know about mustard but the Google backs you up. Evidently its the turmeric in mustard that does it. Recommended dose is two tea spoons. https://www.tankersleychiro.com/25-m...-cramp-relief/. And just when I got used to drinking pickle juice…

2_i 

The ancient capital of China, Xian, once was surrounded by fertile fields, but the climate began to shift and the surroundings became more a desert, with Gobi, in particular, pushing down from the North. I had to do errands on a broken city bike during temperatures of 105-108F. The combination of broken pedals, bike generally resisting the riding and the summer temperature in the city was really rough - I felt I could vomit, but I had no time for that - needed to push. During the days in Senegal, temperature was normally going up to 99F. When I could I waited with the errands until late afternoon when it went down to 93F, but often I had no choice. By then I learned that the most important protection against the conditions was a a hat with a generous brim, more important in practice than supplies of water.

rumrunn6

hats are good

prj71

Hats are nice until you fall off the bike.

Always should be wearing a helmet when riding a bike.

rumrunn6

only made that exception for a slow 2 mile ride over sand, to a 1 mile beach hike

DMC707 

Amazing how that nasty stuff is an amazing elixir! I even drink a bit of it before a beer drinking night to stave off the typical dehydration that goes along with such activities. I actually like it now

DMC707 

A hot weather treat is getting home from a ride and realizing i have a cooler full of beer from an outing a day or 2 before and now the ice is half melted with 3 or 4 ice cold domestic tallboys of light beer floating around in there .
The beer seems as cold as it can ever get and that is where domestic light beers of all types are really tasty !

Amble to the back porch, turn on some Yacht Rock and survey my small fiefdom and think that "Life is good !"

rsbob 

An excellent article on heat and aging (you young-uns can run along) courtesy of Road Bike Rider: https://www.roadbikerider.com/cycling-in-high-heat/

rumrunn6

interesting website. followed it's link for electrolytes & discovered "chloride". that's a first. don't think I've ever seen a jar of that with the supplements

pdlamb

Heh. Since most electrolyte supplements start with chlorides of sodium and potassium, I don't worry about the chlorine. If someone's concentrating on chloride instead of Na and K, you're probably in a hospital in very bad shape.