[golgiaparatus]

Holy schmoly, what a deathmarch. 98 degrees at start, 111 degrees at finish.

I went into survival mode and I had to push a much lower gear than normal for the entire last half of the race. It's all I could do... I thought for sure I was going to get caught... but to my amazement not a single person came around. Everyone was just trying to finish.

I rode directly to a nearby pool and just fell in in full gear.

Ended up with 2nd... Next week Eureka Fat Tire Fest... We're doing the 30 mile point to point race, but wit this heat, I'm just going to ride it to enjoy the trails. Not even going to try to compete, it's just not worth it.

 

[clarkenstein]

yikes. that's the kind of heat that kills people. unless of course it was a dry heat. then 111 is like... 65 degrees with humidity.

 

[Westy]

Have you considered racing in a location that doesn't suck?

 

[golgiaparatus]

yikes. that's the kind of heat that kills people. unless of course it was a dry heat. then 111 is like... 65 degrees with humidity.

Humidity was about 35%. Wasn't horribly humid, but lots of areas in open sun, including the largest climb. My shoes are black and the heat was actually hurting the tops of my feet. At one point I sprayed water on my feet. Of course water was the temperature of coffee, so initially it wasn't very much help.

On the big climb I had a guy that I was following fairly close ... I could tell he was on the limit, but when started making weird groaning noises... I asked him if he was alright... and he told me he was seeing stars. I said, "dial it back dude, it's not worth it".

 

[-BB-]

There is a spot on the local mountain (near the top of a 4500 foot peak... about 5.5k feet above sea level) where they erected a monument/memorial to a guy who keeled over and died from a heart attack. As you said, it isn't worth it....

Congrats on your high place though!

 

[mountain_matt]

lol, welcome to a normal day in Bama. That's what we ride in on a normal day, except humidity is 60%+.

Congrats on the 2nd place finish though.

 

[Heidi]

I remember a National race back around 2004 or so that was held in Scottsdale, Arizona at McDowell Mtn. It was somewhere over 100 and people were complaining about halucinating! I did well, in fact, I think it was my best finish as a pro...top 10 baby! i like it hot.

 

[mantispf2000]

Excellent and congrats on your finish.

I used to live in Scottsdale/Phoenix when it was 3-8% humidity, and worked in construction when it'd get to 118. Too many water displays/golf courses/lawns that cause higher humidity now. Oh, and when I was there, I had a pick-up with black vinyl interior and no a/c. For 5 years.

Now you know what my reason for stupidity is................

 

[-BB-]

I remember a National race back around 2004 or so that was held in Scottsdale, Arizona at McDowell Mtn. It was somewhere over 100 and people were complaining about halucinating! I did well, in fact, I think it was my best finish as a pro...top 10 baby! i like it hot.

Thus the move from SD to bend....

 

[golgiaparatus]

I remember a National race back around 2004 or so that was held in Scottsdale, Arizona at McDowell Mtn. It was somewhere over 100 and people were complaining about halucinating! I did well, in fact, I think it was my best finish as a pro...top 10 baby! i like it hot.

Im the exact opposite... I race best when most everyone is complaining that their lungs hurt from the cold.

 

[Heidi]

Thus the move from SD to bend....

Well the riding options in San Diego suck!

 

[TreeSaw]

I raced a 24 hour race in 100+ temps a couple of years ago. In the middle of the night we had huge T-storms, a tornado warning and straight line winds. I was glad when that race was over!

 

[qkenuf4u]

CONGRATS ON 2nd PLACE ! .... love riding in the "DRY" heat here in havasu (arizona) i do a nice 10+mile loop daily if i can.. includes street and then some dirt single track thru the powerlines then back home on the street.. im lucky enough to have a small store at the beginning of the single track so i can take a 5min brake and refill my water bottle..... ill take this heat over the garbage humidity/winter weather in rainsylvania....

 

[golgiaparatus]

CONGRATS ON 2nd PLACE ! .... love riding in the "DRY" heat here in havasu (arizona) i do a nice 10+mile loop daily if i can.. includes street and then some dirt single track thru the powerlines then back home on the street.. im lucky enough to have a small store at the beginning of the single track so i can take a 5min brake and refill my water bottle..... ill take this heat over the garbage humidity/winter weather in rainsylvania....

96 degrees and 100% humidity is beter than 107 and 20% humidity in my book. I don't like feeling like I'm in an oven. Definitely don't like the feeling of my feet getting burned by the temperature of my shoes.