That's Hot

The heat... the heat. It seems to be an ongoing theme at the present. Yesterday, temperatures got above 100 degrees F, which, if I'm honest, was like being in hell for me personally. Today, the forecasters suggest that temperatures will be pretty close to that mark again. When I see the national weather maps, it appears that most of the country is dealing with similar (or worse). I have to admit, getting out on the bicycle isn't the most exciting thought on these days. While I do ride, it tends to be either in the earlier hours of the day, or after the sun has set so that I don't have to contend with the blazing heat. However, that isn't always a possibility.

Early temps don't seem quite so bad, but it seems to get worse later in the day
Image from weather underground

I know that once I'm rolling, at least there is a breeze (even if it is a very warm one) and I will begin sweating, so it tends to keep me from burning alive -- but it's not always convenient to arrive sweaty to a location either.

Afternoon temperatures are getting worse... and why is it hotter here then in southeastern TX?

I do take some solace that many of us are suffering right along together, and also in knowing that generally these super hot days don't last for more than a week at a time (at least let's hope) for these parts. These are the days though when a rainy Seattle or Portland sounds fabulous! Do you think they'd mind if the rest of the country moved in for the summer? Hang in there all... hopefully we'll be through this sooner than later.

WARNING: Does Not Play Well with Heat

Today's bicycle adventure took me off to visit with a friend in town for lunch. One of the funniest things of note for me, was the fact that the friend knew I'd be riding, rather than driving. It can be amusing when the norm becomes what used to be abnormal behavior. Regardless, I set off on the newly acquired hooptie bicycle (as he has affectionately been nicknamed) to meet up for lunch. While normally I'd prefer the Pashley because I'd be able to dress appropriately for lunch and take my time, I have become enthralled with this ride and thought I'd see if I could make it into town quicker, as well as just wanting to take it for a bit of a longer ride. As I started to leave the house, my sixth sense started to kick in and I questioned whether I should be riding in the 90 degree summer temps, with no cloud cover in sight. I twinge set through me and I thought that perhaps I should skip the ride.  But, stubborn woman that I am, I decided to just go for it.

One important fact to mention about the Raleigh is that he has no cage for a water bottle. As I was leaving I thought I should take water, but I had no idea where I would carry it. So, I opted not take along water, thinking it would be fine and I'd drink some water when I arrived at my final destination. Unfortunately, about a mile and a half from my final destination, I began experiencing signs of heat stroke, which really scared me. I've had heat strokes in the past (yes that was plural) and I've been told that it can make one more sensitive to the heat. Today, I found that to be true, and had to call Sam to fetch me on my way to lunch with Linda.

After a dramatic afternoon ride, it was nice to see a friendly face and have a chance to quiz Lin on her upcoming interview. What are ex-HR friends for, right? So, now we've learned our lesson: always take water on bicycle rides during hot summer days. Thanks to Sam, I now have a cage to PUT a water bottle in, so I hope to not experience this again any time in the near future.