Riding With MoC

I arrived at Ben Guriun Airport at 4 a.m. Friday morning. By 7 a.m. I was on a rented road bike flying down the 3.5 mile hill from Neis Harim to Beit Shemesh at speeds easily exceeding 40 mph. The rub, of course, is that I had to climb back up that self same hill. This climb is the one we will be doing on the last day of the Alyn ride and one which I've done many times over the years. All in all, the climb went well even though I didn't have my bike shoes with cleats.

Then came Sunday. Despite the heat wave that had affected the country, I bravely (or stupidly?) decided to ride that morning again, doing the same ride. I figured, "how hot can it get at 8 a.m.?" The answer? Very, very hot.

I knew I was in trouble when I was actually hot on the way down the hill despite the extreme speed of the descent. When I got to the bottom I reloaded my water at a kiosk that sits just at the foot of the hill. That move may have saved me.

I made it about halfway up the hill when I became overwhelmed by the heat. I had been drinking constantly and even pouring water over my head from time to time. To no avail. I was cooked.

Finally, I hopped off the bike. This was the first time I've had to stop on that hill in about ten tries over the last few years.

I drank some more and then poured a quarter of one of my water bottles over my head. After about three minutes, I started to feel better and got back on the bike. I made it to the top uneventfully.

When I finished my ride I bought another bottle of water and a can of coke. I also poured another bottle full of tap water over my head. I changed out of my bike clothes. I was fried.

It took me all day to recover. I kept drinking liquids and spent much of the rest of the day in air conditioned rooms but I didn't feel ok until around 9 p.m.

Sometimes you have to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Riding on Sunday morning was just plain dumb.

Labels: The Alyn Ride