Heat Exhaustion

[Wide Track]

A spoke with a friend of mine who is an old dude the same as my self by phone,  as we do every Sunday whether we have ridden together the past week or not.
He and his wife ride together several days each week, today he informs me his wife passed and fell off the bike while stopped for a traffic light in Arcadia, FL. Yes its been hot here also, temps in the shade pushing 100°.  Here we are talking about ambulance, hospital and doctors. Fortunately she was not hurt but the doctors are baffled. Her memory of this is zero.
I suggested to my friend heat exhaustion as they only wear helmets no other protective gear and I doubt if they carry any water with them. So the Florida sun beats on them, as we get older we are not able to withstand what we did 40 years ago.
So with all that in mind I believe I will look into some of this heat/sweat wicking underwear.

[Justin]

I think drinking lots of water is step one. Wicking undergarments won't keep you hydrated. Hope your friend's wife is OK!

[Kneescrubber]

I moved away from the Gulf Coast 30 years ago for a reason.

[Bill-Z]

Years ago, my wife and I were out riding in about 95' heat for the afternoon.  It was my birthday and I chose to ride as a special treat and we took a rather longish ride to a state park that we'd not been to with the idea of possibly camping at a later date.  On our way home, we decided to stop in a local theater for a movie.

After riding for almost three hours, after visiting the park, we didn't know and didn't feel the effects of riding in that heat until we stopped and got off the bike.  The heat stroke/exhaustion was very obvious.  The blessing of going into a theater with supersized cold drinks and excellent air conditioning including very comfortable seating probably saved us from severe accident that day.

I read on another forum that the normal temperature of the human skin is 93' and that any riding over that temperature defeats the normal evaporative cooling system of sweating by quickly drying you out.  If this is true, the longer you ride, the deeper into trouble you drive you body, unless you are rehydrating regularly.

We were very lucky that day and we both knew it.  By the time the movie was over, we were both revived and refreshed while still being exhausted from the physical demands of recovery.  It was only 25 miles home and we were wiped out for the rest of the evening.

Y'all be careful out there...

[Cablebandit]

I've been measuring my skin temp and I seem to run between the mid to upper 80°'s at most.  That may explain why I hate hot weather (anything over 75°) ...or I'm a Zombie.  

[black hills]

rode dirtbikes all day yesterday in full gear and 90 degree temps. drank 2 gallons of water and never peed once

[kyzrex]

100+ in Nashville for the last 3 days, and again today.  Got out riding around 6:30 am both sat and sun.  Yesterday, coming home late morning yesterday and a out a mile from home, I suddenly found myself riding down a road that was not the way home, and which I don't remember turning on to.  I had taken several stops during the morning and had drunk about 3 bottles of water and 1 of Gatorade, so I was well hydrated.....I peed 2x...and with mesh gear, wasn't feeling overheated.  Hate to say it, but it's probably just age and not being used to the heat.

As a kid, I grew up without a/c and spent most of my time outside.  A serious athlete at the time, I would make it a point to train in the heat of the day and took summer jobs either working outside, or working in hot kitchens.  I don't ever remember getting overheated, but nowadays I make it a point to drink plenty of water and wear hats when out in the sun.  I am also a big believer in making sure I wear skin covering gear when out riding in the sun.

[HipGnosis]

You'd be better off looking into 'cooling vest'
Or, like I did, home made 'neck coolers'.  I have 2, I'm thinking of making a BIG one.

[Yankee Dog]

You'd be better off looking into 'cooling vest'
Or, like I did, home made 'neck coolers'.  I have 2, I'm thinking of making a BIG one.

what did you use to capture the moisture???

[Justin]

I'd kill for one of these this year.

http://www.veskimo.com/

Cooling vest and 9 quart water pack with a pump lol

[Liquidsilver]

rode dirtbikes all day yesterday in full gear and 90 degree temps. drank 2 gallons of water and never peed once

 
Funny, same here, exactly... but we had an honest 101!  

[Wide Track]

I moved away from the Gulf Coast 30 years ago for a reason.

Kneescrubber,

In the summer it's usually 3-6° hotter on the gulf coast , than the east side. Also colder in winter on the west side as compared to the east.

Years ago my wife bought to snake like thingies with some sort of beads in them, you soak these in cold water then place one around your neck, here where hot is hot that lasts about 10 minutes. I have in the garage a vest used by the forest service that you also must soak on cold water before putting it on, well you will feel cooler but in 20 minutes it will appear that you have wet your pants. Gravity insists water runs down hill.

I have taken an old bath towel and cut it in half length wise, I soak this in water ring some water out, place it around my neck, zip up my mesh jacket and go. Yes my shirt gets very wet but I feel cool, my neck actually feels cold. Give it a try.

[SoCalFJR]

You may be suffering from heat exhaustion if you suddenly crave a 44 ounce Big Gulp every twenty minutes but can't figure out why............

[Bounce]

Quit wondering the whys and wherefores. Here's an accessible explanation of the science behind surviving the heat.

http://www.ironbutt.com/ibmagazine/IronButt_1002_62-66_Hot.pdf

[jesse v]

Quit wondering the whys and wherefores. Here's an accessible explanation of the science behind surviving the heat.

http://www.ironbutt.com/ibmagazine/IronButt_1002_62-66_Hot.pdf

Good article.  Basically, if the temp is above your skin temp (about 93 deg) you're better off keeping your body covered with lightly ventilated gear.

[bluedogok]

I found out that if you are wearing a mesh jacket you are better off wearing a cotton t-shirt, it holds moisture and creates an air conditioning effect. The wicking shirts just dry out too quickly if you are moving. I have emptied many a Camelbak on rides refilling them at gas stations more than I have needed gas or a bathroom break.

The conclusion that I ultimately came up with was that summer became my winter in Central Texas, I am very hot natured and it just became too miserable to do anything. At least now in Colorado it has been hot but the lack of humidity makes it feel not so bad.

[Thundergod]

+1 on a mesh jacket and a wet T-shirt. Evap Cooling.
+1 on carrying a CamelBack - I got stuck in traffic one day and was close to heat stroke it was 100+, I had water and dumped it down my back.....its the only thing that saved me. On hot day rides I fill the camel back with ice water. A quick sip is all you need to stay hydrated.

[Cablebandit]

Rode 541 miles today in mesh with a wicking shirt underneath.  I didn't die.

[riverbound51]

I saw this on a Gold Wing Site.  Looks interesting and not affected by high humidity

http://www.polarvest.com/motorcycle-riding/    

[Bounce]

Mesh will increase dehydration once past the tip over temp.