HEAT - How do you deal? (Im looking at you SoAZ folks...)

[eBAUMANN]

So the past few days here in Tucson have been hot...REAL hot.
Its 99* as I type this. Will be 100* +/- 5* for the next.....?

It went from mid-low 80's to upper-90's in a day and its completely nuked my prospects of doing ANYTHING outside between 11 and 5pm.

Its not even May. This is scary to think I have another month and a half of this to deal with.

No doubt about it, this is the New Englander in me coming out but how the hell do you folks cope?
I feel like AC is the only real solution.
Which means the only times you can do something outdoors is early morning/late evening or night.
Maybe night rides are the answer...

How do you people live here YEAR ROUND?! I dont get it.
My brain is melting.

[XXtwindad]

So the past few days here in Tucson have been hot...REAL hot.
Its 98* as I type this. Will be 100* +/- 5* for the next.....?

It went from mid-low 80's to upper-90's in a day and its completely nuked my prospects of doing ANYTHING outside between 11 and 5pm.

Its not even May. This is scary to think I have another month and a half of this to deal with.

No doubt about it, this is the New Englander in me coming out but how the hell do you folks cope?
I feel like AC is the only real solution.
Which means the only times you can do something outdoors is early morning/late evening or night.
Maybe night rides are the answer...

How do you people live here YEAR ROUND?! I dont get it.
My brain is melting.

Born in Tucson. Raised in Sacramento. No thank you....

[Jaybee]

So the past few days here in Tucson have been hot...REAL hot.
Its 99* as I type this. Will be 100* +/- 5* for the next.....?

It went from mid-low 80's to upper-90's in a day and its completely nuked my prospects of doing ANYTHING outside between 11 and 5pm.

Its not even May. This is scary to think I have another month and a half of this to deal with.

No doubt about it, this is the New Englander in me coming out but how the hell do you folks cope?
I feel like AC is the only real solution.
Which means the only times you can do something outdoors is early morning/late evening or night.
Maybe night rides are the answer...

How do you people live here YEAR ROUND?! I dont get it.
My brain is melting.

I lived in Tucson for 13 years. Lots of dawn patrol, lots of late evening into sunset or night rides, make hydration an all day every day project. More trail rides on Lemmon.

And you have 4.5 more months of this to deal with - the monsoons reduce the air temp but the humidity spikes. Then it's back to 95-100 until mid-Sept. I kinda miss it.

[eBAUMANN]

I lived in Tucson for 13 years. Lots of dawn patrol, lots of late evening into sunset or night rides, make hydration an all day every day project.

And you have 4.5 more months of this to deal with - the monsoons reduce the air temp but the humidity spikes. Then it's back to 95-100 until mid-Sept.

Oh dude im outta here mid-June at the latest ha.
I was thinking maybe we could push through till the end of June but after 3 days of this, NOPE.

Our departure was originally planned to coincide with the start of the Tour Divide (which has been effectively cancelled this year) as I wanted to ride it south to north. Now its kinda up in the air, pending what happens with the whole virus situation. Hoping I can responsibly put together some sort of GDMBR tour up to the Canadian border but at this point, its anyone guess where the country will be in 1-2mo time.

[Seramount]

some people just tolerate heat well, I'm one...grew up in the desert.

70F is 'nice,' but if you have to do 30 degrees either side of that, give me 100F any time over 40F.

in cold weather, my eyes water constantly, my nose runs, fingers and toes go numb, and my joints ache....

not so much when the temp is on BROIL. I just sweat, hydrate, and remind myself it's not that bad.

[XXtwindad]

some people just tolerate heat well, I'm one...grew up in the desert.

70F is 'nice,' but if you have to do 30 degrees either side of that, give me 100F any time over 40F.

in cold weather, my eyes water constantly, my nose runs, fingers and toes go numb, and my joints ache....

not so much when the temp is on BROIL. I just sweat, hydrate, and remind myself it's not that bad.

If those are the only options, I'll take the 40 degrees. I can always bundle up. Only so much clothing you can discard. Unless you're doing the "World Naked Bike Ride."

[CNY rider]

So the past few days here in Tucson have been hot...REAL hot.
Its 99* as I type this. Will be 100* +/- 5* for the next.....?

It went from mid-low 80's to upper-90's in a day and its completely nuked my prospects of doing ANYTHING outside between 11 and 5pm.

Its not even May. This is scary to think I have another month and a half of this to deal with.

No doubt about it, this is the New Englander in me coming out but how the hell do you folks cope?
I feel like AC is the only real solution.
Which means the only times you can do something outdoors is early morning/late evening or night.
Maybe night rides are the answer...

How do you people live here YEAR ROUND?! I dont get it.
My brain is melting.

I feel for you man.
Sort of.
Because it is pounding snow here right now........

[eBAUMANN]

I feel for you man.
Sort of.
Because it is pounding snow here right now........

There is nothing that will make you miss snow and 40* more than 100* in the desert.

As far as the 30* swing on either side of 70 goes, I’ll take 40* every time, don’t even have to think about it ha.

[AngryScientist]

i hear ya.

i rode what should have been an easy century last year in serious blazing heat and really paid the price for it for a while afterwards.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=239647&highlight=heat

[Spaghetti Legs]

Beat the heat on Mt Lemmon or you could head down to Bisbee. Cool town, literally and figuratively at I think 5000 feet or so of elevation with a neat bike shop.

[gbcoupe]

Maybe it's because I'm cold blooded. 97* norm. Maybe because I grew up without air conditioning for the most part. Been spoiled for the last 13 years, AC was a deal breaker for my wife. Installed central air for her.

A lot of my work is outside and after a few days of steady temps, hot or cold, I'm OK. However, work or play, I'll take 100* and humid over 40* and rain any day! I can enjoy the heat. Cold and especially damp, just sucks.

[gbcoupe]

Beat the heat on Mt Lemmon or you could head down to Bisbee. Cool town, literally and figuratively at I think 5000 feet or so of elevation with a neat bike shop.

And that too. One of these years I'll get back there for a visit.

[eBAUMANN]

Beat the heat on Mt Lemmon or you could head down to Bisbee. Cool town, literally and figuratively at I think 5000 feet or so of elevation with a neat bike shop.

Oh yea I know how to escape it temporarily I’m just trying to figure out how people live with it year round. I spend all day every day effectively outside and today was the first day I had to throw in the towel and retreat to the indoors for AC, as my computer was borderline overheating just sitting there turned on.

I’m just gonna chock it up to inherent differences in body chemistry, or something...as I know I could never live here year round. Only took 3 days of these temps to validate that ha.

[ahsere]

I grew up in the tropics, hot and humid all year. I hated it even as a kid, and in college I used to joke that I was going to request climatic asylum in a Nordic embassy. I visit Florida a couple of times a year and I always come back to New England feeling grateful even if I hate our winters. But as for your question, in my experience there's nothing you can do except stay hydrated and push through. We used to play soccer for hours in 100 degrees with 100% humidity, when I think about it it seems impossible that I ever did that.

[Ralph]

I don't think any where in USA is perfect. But I like Central Florida. If you lived in AZ, you would adapt.

This is how we do it. Been here over 50 years. Sure it's hot much of year. So AC runs 24/7 365 days of the year. Windows and doors never left open, even though they do have screen over them. Digital (wi fi) climate control unit adjusts to heat and humidity. So humidity is set at 50%. Every room has a ceiling fan....including patio and wall fan in garage. Shade trees all around house.

All rooms open to a screen enclosed patio/pool area. Screen blocks about 10 degrees of sun heat. Thermostat controlled solar system can cool it down (from clouds) as well as warm pool water. Water temp there is always cooler than air.

Bike rides and any other outdoor activities are done in morning. All yard work is hired out. Unlike desert, in warm months, it doesn't cool down much here in late afternoon or night.

All vehicles have AC, which is always on.....all year around....even if in our winter it is making some reduced humidity heat. Usually in the recirculate mode unless on a long trip. My vehicle windows are never rolled down. Vehicles are never parked in sun at home. Garage kept all the time.

My wife does the grocery shopping early in AM. if I go out....it's always in an air conditioned vehicle to an air conditioned building.

So basically.....I'm really not out in the heat much or notice high humidity much....except for 8 AM to 10:30 or so bike rides.

We get a big kick out of seeing tourists in rental cars with windows down...or partly down. Are they crazy? it's like they think AC units aren't to be used all the time. Don't they understand the units are called climate control units? LOL

I assume AZ people do about the same, although supposedly they have a "dry" heat. I think our home and neighborhood is a fairly typical Florida house.

[Bici-Sonora]

We don’t usually turn the AC on until June. 40 degree swings between highs and lows. 100/60 is typical high/low temp spread in May and June with 5-7% humidity. You can cool your house off just by opening windows at night until monsoon storms arrive in July and August. I do all of my riding from 5am-9am in the valleys. If You want to cool off, you leave early and climb mountains. It’s a lot cooler at 9k feet.


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[Bici-Sonora]

Also—dynamo lights let me do a lot of late night rides. IME, it takes a couple summers before you get used to the heat.


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[mtechnica]

Buy some really nice lights and ride at night. I rode last night and it was awesome (it was almost 100f during the day yesterday). You can kinda get acclimated to riding when it’s really hot (I did when I was a messenger I guess) but it mostly sucks the older you get (imho).

[dbnm]

I live in Albuquerque and in the heat of the summer, I tend to ride from 8am-12pm and then 6pm-9pm. Only way to do it.

[Ken Robb]

I was stationed with the Army in Alabama from 1967-69. We got used to the heat/humidity such that when our soccer practice was 7-9 pm I came home and wrung out my uniform that was as soaked as If I had jumped in a pool.

Now as a full-time civilian I would try to avoid exerting myself mid-day AZ. On the visits I have made to AZ. I must say the dawn smells and coolness mead the rest of the days worthwhile.

[zmudshark]

My AC went on two days ago. It's not usually this hot this early, but 2020, eh?

Ride early, hydrate. Early is better than late, IME, unless you have good lights and want to go out at 2AM.At least the bars aren't open, so you have that going for you.

[Buzz]

I do all of my riding from 5am-9am in the valleys. If You want to cool off, you leave early and climb mountains. It’s a lot cooler at 9k feet.


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We briefly lived in Tucson for 9 months. When I first moved there I asked some local riders about dealing with the heat. They told me that they rode at 5:00. I asked them if it really cooled down by 5:00 in the afternoon. They laughed and said 5:00 a.m. and be sure to be done by 9:00 a.m. I quickly learned they were 100% correct. I guess things haven’t changed there.

[jlwdm]

I grew up in Washington State and then lived in North Scottsdale for 16 years. I did not find it that bad, although I was out of the city where the concrete and cars keep the heat high.

I found I rode more in the summer than I did the rest of year. It is just a matter of keeping hydrated. I find DFW similar - lower temperature but more humidity.

Jeff

[jlwdm]

I don't think any where in USA is perfect. But I like Central Florida. If you lived in AZ, you would adapt.

This is how we do it. Been here over 50 years. Sure it's hot much of year. So AC runs 24/7 365 days of the year. Windows and doors never left open, even though they do have screen over them. Digital (wi fi) climate control unit adjusts to heat and humidity. So humidity is set at 50%. Every room has a ceiling fan....including patio and wall fan in garage. Shade trees all around house.

All rooms open to a screen enclosed patio/pool area. Screen blocks about 10 degrees of sun heat. Thermostat controlled solar system can cool it down (from clouds) as well as warm pool water. Water temp there is always cooler than air.

Bike rides and any other outdoor activities are done in morning. All yard work is hired out. Unlike desert, in warm months, it doesn't cool down much here in late afternoon or night.

All vehicles have AC, which is always on.....all year around....even if in our winter it is making some reduced humidity heat. Usually in the recirculate mode unless on a long trip. My vehicle windows are never rolled down. Vehicles are never parked in sun at home. Garage kept all the time.

My wife does the grocery shopping early in AM. if I go out....it's always in an air conditioned vehicle to an air conditioned building.

So basically.....I'm really not out in the heat much or notice high humidity much....except for 8 AM to 10:30 or so bike rides.

We get a big kick out of seeing tourists in rental cars with windows down...or partly down. Are they crazy? it's like they think AC units aren't to be used all the time. Don't they understand the units are called climate control units? LOL

I assume AZ people do about the same, although supposedly they have a "dry" heat. I think our home and neighborhood is a fairly typical Florida house.

AZ people do not do the same. Your program seems really extreme. A lot of the year, house and car a/c off and windows open.

And AZ is definitely a dry heat.

Jeff

[Cgeisler]

It hit 97 in Austin last Friday. The first few weeks of summer transition I always stick to the MTB (on shaded trails) or early mornings (road bike) to acclimate.

[Gsinill]

There is nothing that will make you miss snow and 40* more than 100* in the desert.


Not true for me, I take 100 in AZ any day over 85 in Chicago or anywhere in the so-called south.
I can handle dry heat but absolutely despise humidity.

My wife lived in PHX when we met and we did a lot of hiking and other outdoor activities all year round.
All it took for me was 100+ sunscreen other than that I did OK.
And yes, of course gallons of water ;)

[froze]

While I didn't live in S Az I did however live in the Mojave Desert area of California so I know heat real well, as I'm sure others do to.

First and foremost is you need to stay hydrated, I was caught by surprise when I moved there and was dehydrated for several months thinking I was drinking enough, but I wasn't. So I had to make changes.

My bike only held 2 water bottles like most road bikes do, so I bought a 70 oz Camelback to supplement my 2 24 ounce insulated water bottles, plus added a third water bottle cage to the underside of my down tube with a 20 oz insulated bottle (a 24 oz wouldn't fit due to the front tire hitting it).

The next thing I discovered was trying to keep my core body temps down so this is what I did. Night before I made a bottle of water with Gatorade (this is before Gatorade got sold and they started to add too much sugar, even then I diluted it 50% from the directions), I put a 27oz bottle in the FREEZER to freeze solid overnight. I then made a pitcher of my Gatorade and another with water and put them in the refrigerator overnight. The next day just before my ride I would chuck full ice the 20 oz bottle and fill with cold water, I then chucked full my other 27oz bottle full of my mix, and filled by 70oz Camelback with ice and filled with my mix. I would save the frozen bottle for last, usually by the time I got to that bottle about 3 hours later it was completely thawed and cold. The bottle I had just plain water in it was used for dousing myself with, even if the water got warm it still would cool you as it evaporated off your clothing, sometimes I drank from it too if it wasn't overly hot.

The other thing I found out is I started wearing nothing but white jerseys, that color kept me the coolest. The second thing I found out about clothing is a loose jersey was cooler than a tight fitting one because air would circulate under the jersey whereas a tight fitting one just made me hotter. Then I found an odd jersey at a store, it was either made for rugby or soccer, but it was all white with a whole bunch of holes about 16ths of an inch in diameter. I decided to experiment with that jersey and since it was only $12 what the heck...that darn jersey turned out to be the coolest jersey for hot weather I have ever found before or after, not only that but it's about 20 years old and has out lasted all my other more expensive cycling jersey's 3 times over! Soffe was the company that made that jersey but they no longer make athletic clothing.

Make sure you hydrate before you go out, about 2 hours before you go drink about 12 to 16 ounces of water. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be checking yourself for dehydration, your pee is a huge clue, if it's not clear with just a tinge of yellow and it's a darker yellow than that you're not drinking enough, if you pinch some skin on the back of you hand an it doesn't snap back fast your not drinking enough.

[eBAUMANN]

All good tips, looks like I'll be doing early/late rides up lemmon for the rest of my time here ha.

[sjbraun]

Lemmon starts to cool off once you get past 7 Cataracts. Come summer, or what other people think of as May, we just start our rides earlier, but generally not earlier than 6:00. We might dial back our mileage during the summer's peak heat. I think of the summer as our off season, where mileage and intensity drops. By leaving at 6, we can be done by nine and most days, that avoids the worst of the heat.
On a few occasions, I've gone out for rides at 4:00 a.m. I was surprised to see how many cyclists were out training at that hour.

Drink lots of water, before, during, and after your rides. Clear urine means you're adequately hydrated.

It's not so bad, really.

Steve-
Tucson resident since 1989

[Red Tornado]

I moved to Texas from Indiana in 2006 - in July. It took a few years to fully acclimate to the summer heat. Once Mother Nature kicks the furnace on most, if not all, weekend rides depart before 8 am. Tues/Thur club rides still roll in the afternoon, but in really bad heat the ride leaders will dial the pace back. Can't remember exactly, maybe 6-7 years ago, it was so hot that some club members actually followed us as SAG support. We would take a couple hydration breaks, SAG drivers brought sports drink along and more than a few riders were picked up and driven back to the parking area in those months.

I prefer the early morning rides, myself. Just have to know your body, ride according to the conditions and keep the fluids/electrolytes/sodium/minerals flowing.

[buckfifty]

The humidity in Houston, TX when it gets to summer weather (May-Aug/Sept) is stifling. You have to plan rides early to avoid the noon meltdown and the potential ozone warnings. Evening rides work too because of the long days. Other than that, well ventilated helmets and post ride beers are a must

[Tickdoc]

ice socks. Those knee high stockings that old ladies wear make a wonderful ice sock you can put down your back. By the time the ice melts the stocking squinches up to nothing. keeps your core cool on the really hot days .

[cmg]

it hit 98 in SA on Saturday. during the summer all rides end around 11:00am, starting times depend on the distance. A club i rode with a decade ago had club members provide the SAG on a rotational basis. Hydrate a lot, drink electrolytes, enjoy pickle juice. by end of May we'll be in full summer heat mode. i prefer the heat to the cold of winter.

[jlwdm]

The average temperature in Tucson is lower than Phoenix for all 12 months of the year.

Jeff

[froze]

ice socks. Those knee high stockings that old ladies wear make a wonderful ice sock you can put down your back. By the time the ice melts the stocking squinches up to nothing. keeps your core cool on the really hot days .

I did the same thing, except I put ice in my Camelback, so I had a slightly cooler back PLUS water to drink.

[farmerjosh]

some people just tolerate heat well, I'm one...grew up in the desert.

70F is 'nice,' but if you have to do 30 degrees either side of that, give me 100F any time over 40F.

in cold weather, my eyes water constantly, my nose runs, fingers and toes go numb, and my joints ache....

not so much when the temp is on BROIL. I just sweat, hydrate, and remind myself it's not that bad.

+1 on taking the 100 degrees over 40.

Desert heat (where I live now) is nicer than sub tropics and heat (where I was raised).

[Idris Icabod]

ice socks. Those knee high stockings that old ladies wear make a wonderful ice sock you can put down your back. By the time the ice melts the stocking squinches up to nothing. keeps your core cool on the really hot days .

I tried this out today in Tucson. I filled up a reusable Sprout's produce bag (which is just a fine mesh bag) with enough ice that I could then cram the bag and ice in my middle jersey pocket. I rode my mountain bike for 1 hour 40 minutes (from 11.50-1.30) with an approx. temp of 93-95 deg F. After getting used to the drip of water and the damp ar$e, it was actually quite pleasant and I believe it made the heat more tolerable. Surprisingly there was still ice in the bag at the end of the ride.

[jimcav]

I used to have to go to Yuma on active duty, would hit the trails at around 4 pm. Learned quickly the only way was to fill my camel back about 1/2 way the day before, freeze it overnight, and then add water right before i rode. That would give my cold water for an hour. In hindsight, if I'd crashed and was hurt I'd have likely been in trouble, but I always ride alone and pretty much don't push limits, and certainly didn't there.

I also did some road biking, but that was even worse--more evaporation and I burned though water faster. I ended up just doing loops on base to refill bottles.
Also, lots of agriculture near Yuma and the farms would kick up dust that was awful to road-bike through when it was 112. I have more fun on trails, and no one was ever there, just me...

[jamesdak]

Hmmmm..... I lived in Sierra Vista for about a year and a half. In the Army then and this was when I was still a serious runner. Usually day was a 5 mile morning run during PT time and then in the evenings around 1700ish I'd go do another 8 miles. I sort of liked it after growing up in humid Virginia. In AZ you just don't really sweat, it evaporates right away. And that is the real danger. You may not realize how much water your putting out. I just made it a routine to stay hydrated and found that the heat then is just more of a mental thing. Keep the fluids going and pay attention to your HR and you can work out just fine in really hot weather. I'll take heat over a strong head wind anyday.

[azrider]

Heat? What heat??? It's only in the 90's......pffffft.....this guy

https://media.giphy.com/media/BFYLNwlsSNtcc/giphy.gif