I would recommend wearing a Camelback hydration pack if you're going to be riding for awhile in the heat.

 

When people ride in groups they don't necessarily like to stop once an hour, even in this heat. There is a way to ensure the stop though, make sure somebody in the group is always riding a Sporty. They have to stop.

Seriously, I hope your friend is doing well. Please all, stop and hydrate yourself often. When I was in the Navy I was a Boatswainmate and 95% of our work is done outside the skin of the ship. When we were out to sea in the Caribean or the Middle East I made sure my guys drank water and plenty of it, I wanted to see them hitting the head at least once per hour. I had this one kid who didn't head the warning to drink water and happened to be in the duty head the same time I was and I could smell the extremely strong stench of urine as he was peeing. Yes, I peeked over the wall and looked and his pee was extremely dark, dark amber. I asked the kid if he had been drinking water like I instructed and he said no. I also noticed he wasn't sweating very much either. I walked his happy little a$$ down to sick bay and the corpsman stuck him with an IV and forced him to drink water until he was peeing clear liquid. Never again did I have a problem with him drinking water, it turns out he has this phobia about needles and didn't much care for the IV.

 

I don't think you realize how hot you are with the hot air blowing on you . I did about 400 Saturday, drank more than I ever had. I have one of my men at work still in the hospital from last Friday. He just started stumbling around and lost all feeling in his left side. Heat stroke. Be careful.

 

Real sorry about your friend and hope he fully recovers. One thing I noticedin some of the posts here is the feeling that you're riding through a blast furnace. If it feels like that, you are underdressed. The hot air blowing over you rapidly evaporates the sweat before it can cool you off. I finally learned to dress for the heat like I do for the cold- layers. I wear a long sleeve cotton Levi shirt over my tshirt, gloves, jeans, boots and a 3/4 helmet with a faceshield. It's much more comfortable than riding with the hot air blowing on exposed skin, and the moisture trapped against your body cools you off remarkedly well. When I first discovered this, I had put the long sleeved shirt and the gloves onto protect against sunburn. I was amazed at how much more comfortable the ride was.

I still ride in a t-shirt on short hops around town and back and forth to work, but anytime I hit the open road I'm covered head to toe.

 

Yep.. another Arizonan here.... I agree with Time2... i wear long sleeve shirt and jeans.. and keep at least 36spf sunscreen caked on the other exposed parts.. Drinks tons of water. But I have to admit, riding in 110+ degree weather is the super suck. That's when you northerners can brag about yer cooler weather. But come winter time I will throw it right back in your faces!!

 

I love to ride but not in this heat. Friend that works with me never drinks water. Drinks Dr. pepper, and the caffeine just makes it worse, and then wonders why he feels dizzy and nauseated. . And the older I get the more I have to beware of the heat. we have been over 100 for the last seven days and it is forecast to be over a 100 at least through Friday. Be Careful out there.

 

I will 2nd what Time2Ride said.

It sounds weird, but it works well. I will wear a t-shirt, with a light colored long sleeve shirt over it. If you wish, soak the t-shirt down with water before putting the long sleeve shirt over it.

The water evaporates slow enuff to actually cool you, as to opposed to having your sweat evaporate before it has the chance to cool you, as happens when riding in a t shirt only.

 

Good luck to your friend.

I'm also in Kansas. Triple digits last couple weeks and triple digits for the foreseable forecast. Usually normal for Kansas, except that this time the humidity has been staying high, when usually the triple digit heat burns off the humidity.

Mr. bosnmate has a good point. Watch your pee, if it gets dark, looks like coca-cola, you are in trouble.

If you are going to go on a ride in hot weather, start drinking water before you go! And drink water throughout the ride. No alcohol, no tea, no coffee, no soda pop, just water. And make sure you are getting plenty of electolytes (minerals).

Another thing, may sound simple and obvious, wear light colored clothes! I can't believe it when I go on rides and events in the heat and I am the only one wearing a white t-shirt. All the bikers are wearing black t-shirts! Unbelievable.

May want to consider getting up at daylight and riding till about noon or 1 or 2, whatever you can handle, then pulling in somewhere cool for the afternoon, then taking off again in the early evening. What I did when I rode through the Mojave in the summer a number of years ago.

 

besides the obviousthings I have a few questions and don't mean to hj the thread.along wthe school of coverage, someone mentioned full face helmet coverage; I have a skid so would a bandana (bandit style) do any good? like w/evaporation and/or at least psychologically? also do you any hard gear bikers still wear chaps and thick leather jacket in this inferno weather?
I go w/a tank under my perforated fox creek jak & jeans.

 

I just did 2 days in the hospital, 3 bags of fluids and agazillion tests later, I came home today. I was moving my daughter into her condo at Auburn University, and with no warning, I passed out and hit the ground, woke up confused and felt like the day after a Buffet concert. I was sweating alot, but I was also drinking lots of water during the day. Everyone please be careful, I am used to the heat and working outside, but this heat (I'm in Al.) is the worst I have felt in a while, Boss