ew.
The theme for today's entry seems to be "stuff that sucks." Sorry about that! :)

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For example, I need a lot more water in order to remain happy than I thought that I did. I think it's generally true that people don't drink enough water during the day, but when you're out in the sun in full gear all day, that can be pretty dangerous. I've been reading up on the symptoms of heatstroke, and it's interesting how it can pretty much be completely avoided as long as you drink enough water consistently. On Saturday, for example, I spent most of the afternoon riding around town with Kim, and I noticed myself getting light-headed and tired a couple of times. I immediately drank a big glass of water, and within a half-hour, I felt 100% better and could get back on the bike with confidence. Obviously, I should have been drinking the water continually to avoid feeling light-headed at all, but I'm glad I found that out while tooling around town, as opposed to 70 miles from nowhere halfway up to Redding.

I was blathering my new hypothermia trivia to Peter over the weekend (see how much fun I am to hang out with?), and I think I was making him a little nervous. "You be careful riding up there!" he said, but I still maintain that it's much better to know the symptoms and remedies for stuff like heatstroke than to be surprised by it. My chances of actually coming down with heatstroke are much reduced now that I know to drink water at the first sign of leg cramps or headache, rather than waiting until I'm incoherent and delirious. I also learned that once the ambient temperature exceeds 99 degrees (i.e. body temperature), it's best to zip up your vents altogether. When the outside air gets hotter than your body, your body will actually suck heat out of the air. If you're wearing a T-shirt and shorts, you're actually just providing a greater surface area for heat suckage. Soon, the sweat will evaporate off you, and then you've got hot dry air quickly heating up your hot dry skin. Not good. If you keep all your gear on, close up the vents, and stick a wet T-shirt, scarf, etc around your neck and keep it drenched with cold water, you're much better off. Your neck holds all the major arteries going into your brain (hope that wasn't a shocker for anyone), so keeping it cool will help keep your body's core temperature cool.

There's today's medical tip.

speaking of stuff you don't want to happen.
I decided that it'd also be a good idea to get a first aid kit if I'm going to start doing long rides like this. I'd rather be safe than sorry, y'know. I did some research online, and found this list of what a good kit should include. On the author's suggestion, I ordered the American Red Cross Sport Pak First Aid Kit (whew, say that all in one breath!). I plan on supplementing it with the suggestions that Deborah Morris makes in the first link above. I figure, I bought the saddlebags, I'll have enough room, I really should carry some emergency materials "just in case." God forbid I'll ever need to use them.