Anyone Cross the Mojave Desert?

The wife and I are riding our bikes across western AZ, and the California
Mojave desert in about two weeks (on or about June 22 this year).

We've heard and read horror stories about the heat. Here are the tips we've
received and what we plan to take and do.

1. Try to get on road on or before 5:00 AM and ride until 12 noon or 1:00
PM to get 300 miles in per day before the hottest part of the day.

2. Ride in 50-100 miles intervals, then take a break to hydrate in any
available shade.

3. Wear light/white colored clothing to reflect the sun's heat. Stay away
from black/dark clothing.

4. Use plenty of 15-30 sun block.

5. Fill anything with ice (like a Camel hydration pack) to take short,
frequent water drinks.

6. Drink Gatoraid to replace electrolites faster. We've heard good things
about Ultima from a long distance runner.

IF you have any tips/suggestions/comments to add that would help, please
feel free to pass them along.

Ride safe,

Manjo 1995 Vulcan 1500A

 

Please note:
If you put sunblock on your face or many other things that have a
carrier/chemical combination on your face, it will cloud up a full face
helmet visor.

 

Lemon drops or Halls throat lozenges for dry mouth. I'd be on the road
earlier than 5am too, maybe 3:30 or so. I call it quits around 95 degrees.
Go to a welding shop and get some of those neck coolers you soak in water.
I keep mine in a plastic bag at the ready. Keeps the kinks outta your neck
pretty well.
Your sunblock is a little weak. Go for the 50 stuff. Good sunglasses help
too.
Plus, your tires will wear faster than hell in the heat. I seem to only get
3000 miles out of set.
Watch out for tar snakes. You'll think you got a flat if your die over too
many of them.
Mesh clothing works pretty well as does a water vest when it gets really
bad.

B~

 

All suggestions have been just awesome and are noted. PLease add any others
you may have thought of since this morning.

We were in the South a couple of weeks ago. We ran into 85-90 degree
weather. We had Camels for hydration, and evaporation vests. The vests
helped for about 40 minutes unless you were able to pour water on them to
renew the cooling effect. My wife is at Americade this week and she'll be
looking for neck coolers. I'll make a note to get throat lonzenges.

We each had a white or gray long sleeve T-shirt that helped to reflect the
sun light. But we each wore faded blue jeans. We have since purchased
white jeans. She found a good denim white jacket tht should be good to
provide insulation, and slow evaporation. We'll have to do soemthing about
the black boots. I have some tan construction boots tht have a few miles
left in them.

The Ultima drink has far less sugar than the Gatoraid, so it will now
definitely be the drink of choice for electrolite replacement.

We rode in the South with half helmets part of the time, and t-shirts or
tank tops (for the wife). We used #30 sun block, but will "upgrade" to #50,
for any exposed skin, which we will keep to a minimum this trip.

We'll also try for earlier starts. I like the idea of stopping when the
temps hit 95 degrees F.

It makes sense that so much sunlight will cause sleeplessness. Sort of the
reverse of the winter blahs from too little sunlight.

Thanks,

Manjo and Lil Doc

 

Manjo wrote:
:: The wife and I are riding our bikes across western AZ, and the
:: California Mojave desert in about two weeks (on or about June 22
:: this year).
::
:: We've heard and read horror stories about the heat. Here are the
:: tips we've received and what we plan to take and do.
::
:: 1. Try to get on road on or before 5:00 AM and ride until 12 noon
:: or 1:00 PM to get 300 miles in per day before the hottest part of
:: the day.
::
:: 2. Ride in 50-100 miles intervals, then take a break to hydrate in
:: any available shade.
::
:: 3. Wear light/white colored clothing to reflect the sun's heat.
:: Stay away from black/dark clothing.
::
:: 4. Use plenty of 15-30 sun block.
::
:: 5. Fill anything with ice (like a Camel hydration pack) to take
:: short, frequent water drinks.
::
:: 6. Drink Gatoraid to replace electrolites faster. We've heard good
:: things about Ultima from a long distance runner.
::
:: IF you have any tips/suggestions/comments to add that would help,
:: please feel free to pass them along.
::
:: Ride safe,
::
:: Manjo 1995 Vulcan 1500A

Since I live in the desert...well at least they call Utah a desert
state...<LOL>...I can only say that everyone has posted good tips.. I'd add
is some good skin lotion and a couple of tubes of lip balm...Cornhuskers is
my preferred lotion, and Caramex for lip balm...The lack of humidity will
dry your skin in a hurry, and you'll have split, peeling lips after the
first day (if not before the end of the first day) which are not fun when
you grab your first meal (or heaven forbid a Margarita with a salted rim
!)...Forget about the tank tops and tees mate...It's bad enough going down
on asphalt, but asphalt that's 140° F is not quite hot enough to cauterize
the road rash..Definitely go for 50+ SFPF on the sunblock unless you happen
to be an American Indian...

 

Where do they sell while Elvis suits?

 

M. J. Freeman wrote:

Your nose. Trust me, you want sunblock on your blisterable nose.



--
Later,

Charlie

What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.