There was no rally today, so I rode with my longtime friend Phil. We started early (7:30), so as to beat the heat. The high temperatures this month have been 107, 110, 109, 108, and 107 degrees Fahrenheit, and the forecast was for more of the same. By leaving 30 minutes earlier than usual, we replaced a brutally hot half hour with a merely warm half hour. Just to show you how hot it is in these parts, it was already in the mid-80s when I rose at 5:30.
Phil and I had a great time. The course is varied, with everything from frontage roads along Highways 360 and 287 to country lanes to busy two-lane roads. We stopped only once, at 42 miles. Both of us were out of water. We bought a three-liter bottle of Ozarka water (which we shared), a quart of Gatorade (for me), and a Diet Coke (for Phil). I also ate a pineapple fruit bar, which was deliciously cold and sweet. The liquid rejuvenated us; we felt stronger than ever during the final 21 miles.
All told, we pedaled 63.47 miles. I averaged 15.77 miles per hour. (Elapsed time = 4:01:26.) I burned 3,515 calories. My average heart rate was only 105, which suggests that I didn't work very hard, and my maximum heart rate was 144. We took it easy during the first hour, when we had a headwind. After that, we had a better speed. I lost five pounds between the time I woke up and the time I showered after the ride.
Guess what? Neither of us got hot or felt uncomfortable during the ride. We finished just past noon, before the real heat settled in. Also, the relative humidity is low today. It reminded me of Tucson.
