It was a *hot* weekend to go biking! We were going to go down to Saratoga, but most of that ride is on open road and I didn’t want to be in the sun and heat for that ride. So, we were going to try to hit up 40 miles closer to home on the paths. The plan was to loop south and then turn around and go to the lake – with an ice cream visit tucked in there.
Ride prep: Bike checkup before leaving the house. We always do a tire check.
Then pack the bags that go on our bag racks. I found a good way to tote my sunscreen. I have a large bottle and then fill a small jar that goes in my bike bag.
Saves space and much cheaper than buying travel size sunscreen – since I go through so much! This is my 50 SPF. Thick cream and greasy, as I have said before, but it works.
Two water bottles. One for my water cage and one goes in my bag.
All ready to go!
We decided since it would be an ice cream ride that we would leave after lunch. We should have thought through that a little more with 90 degrees and humidity. 🙄
The first part of the ride going south was on open roads and in the sun. We had gone a few miles when I took the lead and John told me my bag was open in the back. Duh.
No shade to be seen!
I made sure to take small sips of water often to avoid having a ‘water baby’ and have it sloshing around in my stomach. I was sweating profusely by this time and the combination of my sunscreen coating and the humidity and I felt like I couldn’t get cool at all. Uck! Even my forearms were dripping sweat. After 12 miles, we pulled off onto the 1-mile Betar byway and into some shade so I could cool down.
I could have ridden this 1 mile stretch 30 more times and been perfectly happy.
After cooling down a bit, we continued on. Back to downtown Glens Falls and then we hit the bike path there. Again, I was starting to feel really hot. Why were we biking at 2 pm? I don’t know. At mile 17, we stopped for a bit of dried pineapple and to cool down again.
Helmets off to cool off faster. I never take my helmet off for short stops, but I did this day.
John has dubbed this spot “Decision Point.” It is a section where the bike lane sharing the road becomes just path only. This is just before the climbing stretch to get to Lake George.
With the heat and humidity, we decided not to do the climbs to the lake. The heat was wiping me out and we didn’t want the ride to become a dirge. So, it was time to turn around and head to Martha’s, which was a couple miles away.
Great Escape was full of people. That tall thing is the Sasquatch ride, which does a free fall thing. Not my cup of tea.
More my cup of tea was my sundae!
The scholarship sundae. I had red raspberry ice cream, which was topped with raspberry sauce, hot fudge and cookie crumbs.
It’s almost as pink as my shirt.
My hair was soaked, as was my shirt. I had gone through both bottles of water by this point and refilled both of them at Martha’s.
John had apple pie ice cream with caramel sauce. Equally yummy!
A slight cloud cover began to form, which was nice as it made the rest of the ride not so meltingly hot. We took the path home from here and then wound around a bit so we could get 30 miles in for the day. That’s a good ride.
I kept sipping bits of water all the way home. I was all crusty from salt when we got back. I felt like a personal salt lick. Ewwww!
Ride stats:
Total miles: 30.7
Average speed: 12.5 mph
Calories burned: 908
Water bottles consumed: 4!
We have decided any time it is this hot to just get up early and go out for a ride and not plan any kind of lunch or ice cream. That is why we went later and really hadn’t thought the heat would affect us so much. It was more me than John, though. I would have been better if we had not done the first part of the ride in the sun and gone straight to the path. Humidity and I don’t play well together. At least we don’t get a lot of days like this around here.
Hopefully this weekend will be a Saratoga ride. I am wanting a cupcake ride!
Those Sundaes look better than any cupcake I’ve ever seen! Not quite worth sweating for 30 miles though… 🙂
Actually – it was kind of worth it. The heat and hard work made it taste extra good!
Our ride yesterday was too close to noon, too. Lesson learned. I was interested to see some of what you take on your rides, your sunblock idea is great. I go through a lot, too. Maybe for a future post, you could inventory your must take list.
Sure, I can post about what we take. It’s actually a fair amount of stuff LOL!
I ride on the Katy Trail during this time of year because the heat and humidity in Missouri can really sap your energy. Knock on wood, but you and John are having a good summer as far as no flats (and no tacks on the streets:)
Were you watching the tour today with the tacks? Unbelievable!
I hope you didn’t jinx me. I have not had a flat yet this year since I got the new puncture proof tires.
I know that “sealed in” feeling of wearing sunscreen, sweating and being so hot…not fun at all! That is another reason why I prefer to run early enough that I don’t have to put on sunscreen. Well, that, and the death heat that is Texas, lol!
I just can’t take the heat and with humidty it just drains me. Early morning rides and hikes are the best for me too! Love that pink shirt you were wearing – so cheery and fun.
When I saw the first pick I thought you had a flat. We were watching the tour yesterday and it was incredible all those flats. I can’t understand why someone would sabotage the tour.
We’re the same: I don’t do well in humidity either and I think you did great going outside in that heat. That icecream was totally deserved.
The humidity really wipes me out too – I feel like each movement has weights attached to my body. Been hard getting any exercise in. What a crazy summer!! That raspberry sundae looked beyond amazing though. I could eat 2 right now!
YIKES with going out in the middle of the day in that heat/humidity! I always go out EARLY no matter what! I wonder about people running mid day around here during warm weather! 😉 I can see by your first & then your sundae pic that you earned that sundae! 😉
On your first pic I was thinking OH NO – another flat tire! 😉
With running in the sun/heat/humidity there is a point of no return for me and believe it or not that’s about 9 am! Which is why I did not run Saturday morning as we’d been out late and slept in late. I took an extra Muay Thai class instead. I bet those sundaes tasted like manna from heaven after all that sweatiness 😉
It’s not the heat that bothers me so much, but the humidity – I am proud that you powered through for as many miles as you did with that heat! I would have given up. 😀
I do feel your sweaty pain! Unfortunately, it’s a June-October thing here in the South. If you’re going to do anything besides raise a glass of iced tea, it’s best to do it before 9 a.m. 🙂
Ug. Humidity wipes me out. Yay you for getting out in it and riding. I could NOT do that free fall thing either. And I LOVE Martha’s “retro” sign. Have a great Monday Lori.
Bill’s gonna be so jealous when I show him that picture of Martha’s!! I hiked in the mountains today and although the temps were much cooler at 5,000 feet, the humidity still must have been 125%. It was not extremely comfortable! Better days are coming……