Climate Crisis: Are we doing enough?

[briantrumpet]

It is easy to do. On hot days I plan a route where I know I can stop in multiple places and top up. I also try and make sure I am taking a drink every 5 minutes or so in order to keep on top. Just being at work/home takes a bit more discipline as it is easy to get distracted and forget to drink.

Oh, I know every water fountain within about 40 miles of my place in France, but sometimes there are longing gaps in the more mountainous areas. And there's one area for some reason there aren't the village fountains you'd expect, so even with 1.5L, it needs careful planning when it's proper hot. I guess I'd drink about 6L on the longer hotter rides.

 

[briantrumpet]

Sadly, as I have aged, my tolerance to heat has reduced. For some reason, which I cba to research, my energy levels drop a lot once temperature reaches the 30s. Today, even at 8.00 am it was too hot for a ride…and there’s no way I’m getting up at 6.00 am.

Once I'm out of the risk zone, it'll be interesting to see what my tolerance is, and whether I've permanently lost it... in the meantime, I won't be testing it though. "Listen to your body", they say. Not sure at the moment I entirely like what it's telling me, but I'm still being a good boy.

 

[Rusty Nails]

If I listened to my body I’d shoot myself now.

 

[Pross]

Problem if you drink too much water alone is the risk of hyponatremia. You need to replace the lost minerals too. I think a lot of the symptoms are similar to those of dehydration which doesn't help.

 

[First Aspect]

Sadly, as I have aged, my tolerance to heat has reduced. For some reason, which I cba to research, my energy levels drop a lot once temperature reaches the 30s. Today, even at 8.00 am it was too hot for a ride…and there’s no way I’m getting up at 6.00 am.

This. I remember rising around the vale of the white horse when it was 38C in the summer of 2004. The previous year I had ridden near Devil's Tower in similar temperatures. We used to do land training in pretty hot conditions in a metal roofed building. I remember all of those being hot, but not enough to stop me.

Last month I struggled on a day it was over 30 in the sun. Yesterday I was on the water for an hour at about 32 and the degree of fatigue was nothing to do with the level of exertion. I just couldn't regulate my temperature.

I could also bang on about increased used of warm cycle clothing over the years.

Lack of ability to cope with temperature extremes as you get older is a known thing.

 

[briantrumpet]

Problem if you drink too much water alone is the risk of hyponatremia. You need to replace the lost minerals too. I think a lot of the symptoms are similar to those of dehydration which doesn't help.

Yeah, that's probably what I've verged on just a few times.

 

[briantrumpet]

Problem if you drink too much water alone is the risk of hyponatremia. You need to replace the lost minerals too. I think a lot of the symptoms are similar to those of dehydration which doesn't help.

Since you posted that, I've actually bought some citrus-flavour High5 tablets to add to my drinking bottle water, rather than using squash. As the flavour is quite pleasant, and as it's certainly not going to do any harm, I will probably take a supply to France next week, to ward off lack of whatever's lacking in plain water, as I'm definitely not as heat-tolerant in my current state as I used to be.

 

[the snail]

I think in this weather you'd be better off riding at night. IMO this heat could be very dangerous, especially on a bike where you're completely exposed to the sun. It's easy to overdo it on a bike.

 

[briantrumpet]

I think in this weather you'd be better off riding at night. IMO this heat could be very dangerous, especially on a bike where you're completely exposed to the sun. It's easy to overdo it on a bike.

It's why I've been using the borrowed e-bike for rides into town - the benefit of ventilation with out any exertion.

 

[Pblakeney]

I think in this weather you'd be better off riding at night. IMO this heat could be very dangerous, especially on a bike where you're completely exposed to the sun. It's easy to overdo it on a bike.

Meanwhile, the TdF starts a week on Saturday.

 

[briantrumpet]

Meanwhile, the TdF starts a week on Saturday.

I can't help feeling that sooner or later they are going to be forced to rethink where in the calendar it goes. It's only going to get more insane.

 

[Pblakeney]

I can't help feeling that sooner or later they are going to be forced to rethink where in the calendar it goes. It's only going to get more insane.

I think everyone preferred the Covid Vuelta happening later. Lessons could have been learned.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

Last night's thunderbolts and lightning brought the temperature down by about 20°. With a little cloud cover and a sea breeze (albeit a headwind), 80km and low 30s in Normandy was a doddle today.

 

[Ian H]

The Wednesday pubrun was the first ever where I have taken a bidon with me. For a mere 83k (and a good beer break in the middle).

 

[briantrumpet]

The Wednesday pubrun was the first ever where I have taken a bidon with me. For a mere 83k (and a good beer break in the middle).

I had to check that you didn't say 'bidet'. There's another 'first' going begging.