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Heat.....and more heat.

2K views 22 replies 17 participants last post by  Biohazard74 
#1 ·
Man, it's relentless.....Way too early in the season to be experiencing "feels like 100 deg." by 10AM.
I read about some racers filling pantyhose with crushed ice and the putting it around their necks and inside jersey's......I'm leaning towards some type of cooling.
 
#5 ·
I don't like reading this. I'm heading WAY south this weekend just to get ANY trail miles. It's been so wet in Indiana that you need a canoe for some of our trails (quite seriously).

I'm headed down to Mulberry Gap, and will be stopping to ride Raccoon Mtn on Friday on the way. I stocked up on electrolytes today because of the heat down there.

Getting any riding will be a welcome change. It's even too wet here to do any decent work on the trails, some of which are in serious need.
 
#7 ·
Mulberry Gap won't be quite as hot as some of the lower elevations here in GA, but it will still be a bit toasty, upper 80's to low 90's.....depends on the day..........thinking about going there myself pretty soon - have ridden quite a few trails this summer, but I've never done P-1 section or P-3..........
 
#8 ·
That's good to hear. Upper 80's to low 90's are doable. I lived in East TX for 4.5yrs in grad school and remember the days when that was great summer weather (and I would avoid the 100-110 stuff).

The cabins at Mulberry Gap are a bit out of my price range right now, so I'll be doing the camping thing. Based on some intel from friends we're going with who know the place well, the wife and I THINK we got a campsite that'll let us hang our hammocks, but we'll have a tent along just in case. I think that's our best bet for a comfortable night's sleep in the heat. Might go buy a couple battery-powered fans for insurance.

Anxious to get on the bike and just blow up my legs. It's been a shitty week and I need that kind of release.
 
#9 ·
ATL area has been toasty. 93-95 and max humidity. Every year it's the same. When it peaks, everyone says it's too soon. But we are late June, almost July, this is perfectly normal.
It's always worst until our bodies adapt some.

At 5p when I get to the trails, have turned into ghost town. Have them to myself.
 
#11 ·
Not staying in Chattanooga. Leaving in the middle of the night Thursday night, riding Raccoon in the afternoon, then finishing the drive to Mulberry Gap in the evening. I should sleep well.

I did a similar sort of thing when I went to Brevard, NC in April. Left super early. Got to Brevard about lunchtime, got food, maps, and set up in the hotel. Then went to ride in DuPont in the afternoon. Didn't do a huge ride, but got intel on a perfect route for our situation from the local shop. Lots of climbing, but nothing too steep or difficult, and then one helluva bomber descent to finish the ride. Got about a 10mi ride that day. Possibly could have done more, but had a big day in Pisgah planned for the next day and wanted to make sure I got plenty of sleep before an early rise the next day.

Overall, it worked out well. Plus, leaving in the middle of the night is a great way to avoid lots of traffic.
 
#13 ·
Supposed to cool down a little bit for the weekend. Should be tolerable. 60s at night will make tent camping a little more manageable and low/mid 80's for daytime highs.

Then there's Mulberry Gap and the sweet sweet single track that makes it all seem that much better : )
 
#17 ·
Man, we rode 16mi at FATS on Sunday on the way back from the mountains. It was brutally hot. Hadn't been there since the ice storm and there is a lot of canopy missing so the sun is baking on parts of it. If you're coming from FL just drive a couple more hours and get up into the mountains to find some relief.
 
#21 ·
Pre-hydrate is he key. Rode Saturday (Bartram) and Sunday (FATS) and felt fine. Then again it was only 12-15 miles each day. There is that fine line when really hot, push beyond it and I crash hard. Get just below that point and I can keep on riding ad long as the cold liquids keep flowing into me.
 
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