BRAG and heat

The Bike Ride Across Georgia, or BRAG, is riding this week, out of Oxford to Griffin and Macon and on to the coast. I rode BRAG a few times in the past (usually with kids) and have a few more ideas to share based on that experience.

The best idea is first. Get a bandanna or scarf. Put ice cubes in it. Roll it up and put it around your neck, so the ice is melting at the back of your neck. You'll freeze for a second, but after a very short while it will feel wonderful, and will continue to feel good until it melts. Even a wet bandanna can feel good. Of course, it may leave a trail of water down your back, so it's not a great idea if you're riding in dressy clothes. (In fact, I change into my dressy clothes when I get there, in this sort of heat.)

A lot of people make their drinking water as cold as possible. If you can't try this old trick: put a wet sock around your water bottle, and get the sock nice and wet whenever you refill it. As you ride, the water evaporates, cooling your water.

BRAG also emphasizes sunscreen and drink, drink, drink. They remind me of something I read a long time ago as rules for touring:

• eat before you're hungry
• drink before you're thirsty
• rest before you're tired.

If you can anticipate your needs, you won't be stuck, overtired, underfueled, or without a water bottle and no convenient water for another hour.

I also am a shade fiend, sometimes zigzagging down the road to catch the shade on either side (if any) while in a rural location. On BRAG, where you may not see a car for five minutes, this can work. In Atlanta, where you see a car every fifteen seconds, this is not really advisable.

Sometimes people who sweat a lot have trouble with cramps, because their sodium-potassium-electrolyte ratio gets out of balance. Many moons and dollars ago, a bright guy in Florida had the bright idea to have a beverage with electrolytes (and sugars) in it. We know it as Gatorade. Currently, you can get various kinds of electrolytes as pills or capsules, without the sugar, if you prefer, or with sugar, protein, etc. Does it work? This depends a lot on the individual. I ignore it for my half-hour commute, but always take something on a century.

My best advice is still what I said already: put water on your arms and legs while you're moving, and let it evaporate, instead of your sweat. It always works for me.