One thing that we all have to pay
attention to and be extremely careful about this time of year is
dehydration. Dehydration is a loss of water and important blood salts like potassium
and sodium which can be very serious, especially when riding a motorcycle. It
occurs when the amount of water in the body falls below normal, which, in turn,
disrupts the balance of sugars and salts (electrolytes) in the body. A lot of
us, especially those that are new to the area, don't really know that much
about dehydration in general, and certainly not as it applies to riding. I
didn't know that much about it either until about 5 years ago when Mr.
Dehydration introduced himself to me as I was riding South down
I-17 just North of Rock Springs. He made a believer out of me. It is
one of those days that I won't soon forget, and it taught me a big lesson about
not getting into that situation again. I, like a lot of other riders, had
underestimated the impact of dehydration on my body.
I was heading back to
the Valley in the late afternoon heading into temperatures
of about 109 degrees, which was of course much hotter on the Interstate.
About 20 miles North of Rock Springs I started noticing that I had
cotton mouth so bad that I couldn't have mustered up a spit for a $100
bill. A few miles later I noticed that my sweat glands were no longer producing
any sweat. My arms and face were completely dry. Shortly after that I remember
that I starting having blurred vision, almost like I was seeing stars
followed by a dizzy feeling and weakness in my muscles, like I really
wasn't in complete control. Not being an expert in dehydration, or for that
matter ever experiencing it before, I didn't know clinically what was going
on, but I had a pretty good idea that was what was
happening.
My immediate problem was, I
didn't have any water with me, and I was still about 15 miles from Rock
Springs where I could get some. The closer I got to water
the worse my symptoms were getting. More blurred vision, getting more unsteady
and weaker by the mile. It was like when I started going downhill physically, it
was a rapid decent and every mile I rode doing 75 mph in 107 degree temps with
no windshield just seemed to be sapping every ounce of moisture out of my body.
I was almost to the point that I couldn't even swallow and considered stopping
and letting my riding buddy go get me some water. I wasn't sure that I was
actually going to be able to make it. But I decided to focus while counting
down each mile in hopes that I would soon get to
water.
We finally made it
to the gas station next to the Rock Springs Cafe. For me, that
old place had never looked so good. It was truly an oasis in the
desert. I
promptly threw down the kick stand and headed to the cooler to make my
claim on the biggest bottle of water I could find and downed it in two
gulps. I followed that with a big bottle of Gatorade. It wasn't long until I was
starting to regain some of my faculties while getting back to
normal vision and able to think straight. Needless to say, this put a little
scare in me and I learned my lesson without it turning ugly on me. Now
when I am riding in the heat I pay attention to maintaining hydration in my
body.
Now, what should you do to avoid what
happened to me?
Here are some tips to keep yourself in
good hydration all the time and while riding.
1. Keep the direct sun off of
your skin. Wear a light colored long sleeve shirt over your arms and a
helmet or a bandanna on your head. Exposing your skin to sun and wind is a
double whammy that only increases fluid loss from your body. Wear generous
sunscreen on exposed areas. Your brain is about 75 percent water, so anything
you can do to keep your head covered is a good thing. A helmet can go a long way
in preserving fluids in your body when it is extremely hot.
2. Pour water over your
shirt. A good
way to create a natural evap cooler for your body is to pour water over you
arms, neck and the front of your shirt. While you are riding this provides a
cooling sensation for your body.
3. Drink LOTS of water. You should be drinking at
least 8 ounces of water every hour when riding and probably more. Sports drinks
like Gatorade are also good as they replenish needed electrolytes as well as
fluid. Caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee, and soda pop, as well as
alcoholic drinks, should not be considered as alternatives for hydration. In
fact, caffeine and alcohol can actually contribute to
dehydration.
4. Drink water BEFORE you are
thirsty. Once
you have gotten to the point that your mouth is bone dry, you are on your way to
dehydration. It is best to drink a bottle of water before you take off for a
ride.
5. Take in more fluid than you are
losing. If you
are not making a trip to bathroom regularly, or your urine is a dark color, this
means you are not getting enough liquids in your body. This is something to pay
attention to daily, not just when riding.
6. A good idea for keeping you
hydrated while you are riding is a CamelBak Hydration System. This is a 70 ounce pack
that fits on your back with a tube that comes around for you to drink water
while you are riding. Click Here to view. Click Here for some more ideas.
7. Symptoms of
dehydration: Thirst, Dry Mouth, Dry Tongue, Fatigue, Dark Colored Urine, Infrequent
Urination, Dry Skin, Rapid Pulse, Dizziness, Blurred Vision. Here is a good link
for Preventing Dehydration.
With the humidity being as low as
4% on a daily basis right now. Dehydration can come upon
you very quickly. Stay ahead of it by drinking plenty of water or sports drinks.
As you are taking trips in or out of the Valley area, be sure and take water
with you when you travel and make a note to drink some at every stop. Just be
aware, this could happen to you.