Despite having ridden in temperatures over 100 degrees (Fahrenheit) in the past, I appear to have failed in learning the important lesson that riding in extreme temperatures really takes a lot out of you. That was abundantly evident during today's 60-mile ride; even though I started early to avoid the hotter temperatures, as the day wore on I found myself suffering through the worst temps of the day, as evidenced by the following photo of my GPS when I approached the 50-mile mark of the ride:
When I'm riding during the hotter times of year, I tend to arrange my rides in something like a cloverleaf pattern, where I am always trying to get back to the entrance of Saguaro National Park (SNP) in order to refill my water bottles. (I try to do that every 15 to 20 miles.) During this ride, however, I was still several miles away from SNP when I realized that I wasn't going to have enough water to get back.
With that in mind, I called Kathleen, and the following conversation transpired:
- Kathleen: Hello? Where are you?
- Me: [Panting.] I'm not sure; somewhere way out on east Tanque Verde.
- Kathleen: Are you okay?
- Me: I've just realized that I don't have enough water to make it back to my refill location.
- Kathleen: Okay, I'll come get you.
- Me: Oh no, I don't want to quit - I just need you to bring me some more water.
- Kathleen: You realize that you're nuts, right?
- Me: Yup.
And my darling spouse, being the wonderful person that she is, drove out to meet me and brought me several bottles of water so I could refill and continue my ride for another 10 miles.
Ride Stats:
- Primary Statistics:
- Start Time: 9:25am
- Distance: 60.1 miles
- Duration: 4:32:22
- Calories Burned: 2526 kcal
- Altitude Gain: 2681 feet
- Speed:
- Average Speed: 13.4 mph
- Peak Speed: 33.3 mph
- Average Cadence: 71.0 rpm
- Temperature:
- Average: 99.6 F
- Minimum: 78.8 F
- Maximum: 111.2 F
- Heart Rate:
- Average: 152 bpm
- Maximum: 182 bpm