Hot day cautions

[vstevens]

Sunday was a beautiful warm day.  I decided to ride the V7 through the San Diego east county.  My intention was to ride for about an hour and loop back home.  But after about an hour, on my way back home, I detoured down mt  laguna road.. an amazing route with hairpins and sweepers.  Another hour and a half later, I was headed down Sunrise hwy back to La Mesa.  Temps were 90+, but I never felt uncomfortable.  A few miles from home, I began to feel nauseous and dizzy.  'Only a few more miles' I thought to myself, but fortunately I pulled over on the shoulder in Interstate 8.  My vision got blurry and I remember struggling to push the kickstand down.  I put my head down on the tank and may have passed out for a few seconds.  Long enough for my right arm to dangle over the header and cause serious burns to my wrist. 




You can see my naked wrist was exposed to the header.  Fortunately, my hand and forearm was somewhat protected by my glove and jacket...

My mistake was not stopping to rest and drink water, I honestly didn't feel dehydrated until it was almost too late.  Besides serious burns and the pain that comes with it, my new Dainese jacket now has a partially melted sleeve... it did a great job protecting me... though a jacket is the least of my concerns. 
Yes, it was stupid of me and I make no excuses.

It's a cautionary tale - even if you don't feel you need it, force yourself to stop and drink water...

[Kev m]

Ouch man, sorry to hear. Heal up.

[Lannis]

Happened to me on one blazing hot summer day, 8 hour ride, mesh jacket, one pint of water with me.

Got to where I was going, sort of staggered into the bar where we were meeting up, and my friends had to help me to the table.
 
They filled me up with ice water and I was better in 15 minutes, normal in an hour.

I realized then that you GOT TO DRINK LOTS on a hot day on the road!   More than you think.   If you're not peeing, you're in trouble ...

Lannis

[fotoguzzi]

happened to me too. rode to Seattle from Mpls and didn't drink enough water.. took days to recover, I won't bore you with the details but dehydration is a serious matter.
Pedialite water brought me back.. 

[Seventy One]

Yikes. I did a 2,600 mile trip through South Dakota few years ago in a mesh jacket and blue jeans. Couldn't drink enough water and eventually got punchy enough that I sailed through a 4-way stop without stopping. I won't tour in mesh again.

My bike is currently loaded up and I'm trying to get out of here for a week or so but the weather down south is making me reconsider. Maybe I'll head west instead. Thanks for the post/warning.

[fotoguzzi]

Yikes. I did a 2,600 mile trip through South Dakota few years ago in a mesh jacket and blue jeans. Couldn't drink enough water and eventually got punchy enough that I sailed through a 4-way stop without stopping. I won't tour in mesh again.

My bike is currently loaded up and I'm trying to get out of here for a week or so but the weather down south is making me reconsider. Maybe I'll head west instead. Thanks for the post/warning.

west is best but North better.. have you been to Grand Marais?

[Johncolleary]

My rule is after 95 degrees I close up most of the vents on my gear and I always wear a Camel Back when it's hot. my recent trip first day from Long Beach to Beaver Utah I drank 4 liters of water and never Peed.  just shows how much your body can eliminate just riding.
Hydrate way before you are going to expose your self to the high temps and wind.
Hang in there and enjoy the ride.

[Zinfan]

I canceled a ride to Colorado this year when the week I was planning to go the temps in Ca, Nv and Ut were all highs of 110 or higher.  I decided it was too dangerous to try at that level, I did it last year when temps were at around 100 and it was ok but not great even with a camelback.  Glad you are ok.

[Shorty]

THAT brings back painful memories. Glad you pulled over before worse happened.

[pete roper]

It's also worth taking some sachets of those electrolyte replacements with you. Water alone isn't enough when you're sweating like a pig. Yes, you can buy those 'Gatorade' type things but they're gross and cost a fortune. Nipping to the chemist the sachets are cheap and you can mix them with a small amount of water and gulp them down, (Perhaps not without retching but it's usually possible to keep it down.) and then wash the taste out with another half litre of water!

A cooling vest and wet scarf work wonders too.

When Sean and I rode across west Texas, Arizona, New Mexico etc in high summer on our V11's, (I was on Chuck's Scura RC!) it was stupid hot, hotter than I've ever ridden in Oz, and we were stopping at servos along the way, buying a soft drink and then using the cup to shovel ice into our riding suits! We'd then waddle outside, soak ourselves with water, climb back on the bikes and hit the road. By the next fill up we were bone dry again and had to repeat the operation! Great ride, but hard bloody work!

Pete

[rodekyll]

Pete, we did that too in California, even walking into a lake and lying down with our helmets still on.  We were headed west from Chico, toward Ft. Bragg, and it was a little over 100f.  About a half hour later we crested the coast range and the temperature dropped to about 42 and it was pea-soup fog.  And we were still soaked from our dip in the lake.  That was miserable.

[oldbike54]

 I left Edmond Oklahoma for Muskogee on about July the 20th 2011 , the hottest month on record ever in the U.S. It was 116 degrees with a RH of maybe 25% , the kind of weather that kills people. Stopping every 30 miles or so and soaking down under a park water hydrant kept it from killing me. Finally about 40 miles from Muskogee I stopped in a restaurant and waited for the temp to drop to 110 which was at dark . Never again , it hurt me permanently .

 Dusty

[charlie b]

Learn the signs of heat stroke as it sneaks up on you.  Had it once and don't care to repeat it.  Also, the initial symptoms feel a bit different if you are in the desert or in high humidity.  Be careful.

[Two Checks]

As mentioned you need to hydrate enough to need to pee. On top of that if your urine isnt clear you arent hydrating enough. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

[Texas Turnip]

I laugh when I see the "real bikers" in 100+ degree weather wearing a black t-shirt and a black vest Is it true they tighten up the bandana and it cuts off the circulation to the lower extremities.

I had a heat stroke a number of years ago and ended up in the hospital. The doc said that a man of my size needed more than water. Now I drink PowerOne. Heat strokes aren't fun.

Only 99 today with no wind and high humidity. I'm about as excited as waking up on the morning of your honey moon with a weird rash.

[Lannis]

Been reading all the experiences (including my own) and can relate with ALL of them.   Lots of great advice.

But the thought that just hit me is ...

No WONDER lots of people think we're bloody idiots for riding motorcycles.   Just to get from one place to another we have to lie down in lakes, pour ice into our clothes, pour water up our sleeves, carry packets of electrolytes to choke down with warm plastic-tasting water, and still lose consciousness out in public if we don't do it just right.

Those lots of people MIGHT be right .....

Lannis

[Triple Jim]

If you guys think riding a motorcycle can dehydrate you on a hot day, you should try bicycling.  On a typical NC summer morning, I can go on a relatively short 20 mile ride, and in that hour, despite drinking a pint of water before I go, and drinking another pint during the ride, be a quart in debt when I finish.

[Kev m]

One of the doctors I ride with sometimes taught me a long time ago the answer is:

Gatorade and Funions!





Though in retrospect I probably could have used some sunscreen too! 

[Seventy One]

west is best but North better.. have you been to Grand Marais?

Yep. Twice. Won the Hard Luck award there last year. Left the rally a bit early this year because I'd been cold and wet for two strait days and that was my limit. Beautiful area though.

Looks like Sturgis is going on now. Would rather not be in South Dakota during that. Maybe I'll do the UP and Michigan.

This will be my first 100% cotton-free trip. Everything I plan on wearing will be bambo, Merino wool, poly and/or synthetic. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all performs. I suspect it'll be great.

[SportsterDoc]

I've been in the desert extensively since I got out of the military in 1969:
Hiking
Motorcycling
4 wheeling

No issues, but take sufficient water

I do not like being forced to wear a helmet, especially for errands, but appreciate the warmth in the winter and sun protection in the summer.   Sometimes I don my helmet before leaving a store, so that I can put on my goggles and gloves, while walking out to the bike.   My head is comfortable, but the top of the helmet (HJC 3/4 CS-5N anthracite) will become uncomfortable to touch the top in the minute or two to reach the parking lot.

This time of year, my torso is covered only with a long sleeve T (heavy weight Carhartt).

[poorBob]

My rule is after 95 degrees I close up most of the vents on my gear and I always wear a Camel Back when it's hot. my recent trip first day from Long Beach to Beaver Utah I drank 4 liters of water and never Peed.  just shows how much your body can eliminate just riding.
Hydrate way before you are going to expose your self to the high temps and wind.
Hang in there and enjoy the ride.

Hydrating well before a ride is great advice! Preventative is much cheaper than the cure.

I'm planning a 2000+ mile trip next month and will be pre-loading for 3 days prior to departure.

[Markcarovilli]

After reading all this I gotta go get a drink of water - boy am I thirsty......

Mark

[Lannis]

Hydrating well before a ride is great advice! Preventative is much cheaper than the cure.

I'm planning a 2000+ mile trip next month and will be pre-loading for 3 days prior to departure.

You'll be spending so much time in the loo that you won't be ABLE to get overheated.

Well, unless you're not an old man yet ... not that I'd know all about it ....

Lannis

[Triple Jim]

Yeah, I don't think the body stores up water that's consumed three days ahead of time.

[Lannis]

Yeah, I don't think the body stores up water that's consumed three days ahead of time.

More like about 25 minutes ..... 

[TimmyTheHog]

Damn man! Good thing you were not riding...

I had a similar incident but I didn't pass out, rather puked my guts out in the traffic...

The car beside me was freaking out...and I had to pull over and literally lay in the shade for 30 mins before my body decided to function again