60 miles / 96.5 km is pretty far to ride a bike
The title does not mention that it was also 87F or 30.5C this afternoon which adds to the fatigue for me on this particular ride.
I started the ride passing one of the routes that I have ridden a lot over the years, past Almaden lake.
The ride logged in at 59.74 miles on Strava, my Garmin read just over 60. With 2300 ft of climbing.
GPS loaded up to Strava
About 16 miles in, there was some private property with the cows in the shade. A signal that it is getting a bit warm...
Going up to Uvas park is a nice little climb, there are plenty of redwood trees providing shade.
Uvas has some camping sites and a lot of hiking trails. A few fresh water streams of water are still running.
It is nice and green at the park, a great place to relax. (But not for me)
On the road up to the park, there is a place where you can ride horses. They were also in the shade... At the end of my ride to the park, I was going to make a decision on whether to turn around and head back or continue to do a longer ride. This was at mile 27 and I felt pretty good, so I opted for the longer route.
Well I kind of bonked out. I had oatmeal a banana, strawberries and blueberries for breakfast. I ate a breakfast bar after Uvas and the only thing I had left was a small squeeze applesauce. This was clearly not enough for 60 miles at 87*...
Around mile 48, I took a rest under a tree near a remote intersection. My cycling shorts had salt stains from all of the dried sweat, quite a bit... A cyclist lying on a sidewalk did not catch too many peoples attention as none stopped....
Then I took another break at this middle school which had a greatly appreciated water faucet seen in front of my bike on the wall. I drank 1.5 bottles and used one over my helmet and on my back which felt pretty good.
When I got home, I layed on the floor for 40 minutes + after eating a piece of pepper jack cheese. I waited for all of the sweat to dry before getting enough energy to take a shower...
I need to prepare better if I decide to do a longer route. Leave earlier in the morning for cooler weather and bring enough to eat. (I'm getting sick of cycling food....................) Maybe I need to bring sweet potatoes in a baggie?
Wow, that was a long, hot, and gorgeous ride! I love being around trees and water :) I noticed your story resteemed on the #cyclefeed page and am looking forward to following you and hearing about more of your adventures. Thanks for sharing the love of cycling!
Glad you enjoyed my ride/post. Cycling has so many positive things associated with it which is why it is so addictive for some people. It's just times like the ride above which makes it very tough at times.
I agree! Each summer for the past three years I rode a century (100 miles in a day). One year it was a really hot day and I needed more breaks. It's a fun tradition for me and feels great to accomplish. This year I'm hoping to choose a day with cooler weather for my fourth annual century.
Wow you have endurance. The most I have ever ridden is 83 miles and I was toast after that. There was quite a bit of climbing too. I've heard that supported rides make it easier...
Great ride! and photos! I do a lot of long rides in hot weather. I make sure to drink a lot. I use Nuun tablets in my water. I also like eating clementines (mini oranges). Real food and easy to carry!
I ran out of my hydration powder and haven't gotten around to get more. I've used a variety of brands and they all work pretty well. I've used the Nuun tablets as well, got them from a bike festival.
Yes, you would think I should know by now regarding the temp. I paid dearly for that ride in terms of suffering... My joints ached!!!
Yes, friend, I've seen news and I see the high temperatures that cause fires. Take precautions, my friend, as physical work is twice as hard. Take good care of your joints. Happy day. Happy day.
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