They say be careful what you wish for...
They are right.
I knew I needed sun training if I'm to survive the desert crossing America.
But not on my 130 mile day!
The day started out fresh for my 65 miles into the wind...
...past fields and cows.
The cows knew to stay in the shade.
But Phoenix and I found no shade for our rest ...
No workers to be found in the heat.
The farmers turn the warm hay from inside their cabs.
I began dreaming of fountains...
water...
cool.
The road got hotter.
Long ago, on a hot bike ride, KC asked me - Mom, if you take a picture of a garage, is it still there?
My brain addled - I thought that was a strange question.
I had strange thoughts.
Will we have clouds in the desert?
Will there be shade?
I'm staring at the wheel on the road...
spinning
spinning
spinning.
My mind goes blank.
Whoa! I had blacked out from the heat, but kept my bike upright.
I was at heat exhaustion!
What could I do?
No shade around.
I should stop -
- but with no gatorade and no shade I wouldn't recover.
Would I pass out?
Would I crash?
I kept going...
..sweat soaking my skin.
Finally, yes!
The Flying Sauser Truck Stop!
My oasis!
Long stop.
Gatorade.
A/C.
Then time to head home with a tail wind.
But no, my head was still dizzy.
It seemed hotter with no breeze in my face.
Was I seeing things...
...a UFO over that field?
Only the cemetery seemed to offer shade....
...crowded with the Memorial Day crowd.
Stopped again at the Corner Mart.
More Gatorade.
88 degrees still!
Texted Tom - don't know if I'm going to make it.
....burning into my eyes.
Electrolytes askew.
Finally at mile 119, I turn south.
I find shade.
The sun is lower - it catches the trees.
The heat loses its edge.
My skin stops burning.
My head stops spinning.
I see the fountains of home.
And the sun finally drops behind the trees.
3 comments:
dang IN heat kills! and 130 miles easy peasy =P
There will not be clouds or shade in the desert. Your route though is taking you mostly through "high" desert isn't it? It won't be 120 like the desert down here in the summer but it will likely be 88. No humidity though. "Camelbacks" are very popular with the mountain bike crowd. Might be worth a look for you.
CRS
I used camelbacks for a while. I didn't like the pack on my back in the heat.
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