Weather

[Sluggo]

I appreciate the effort it takes to maintain riding this time of year. 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Sluggo

[quixoft]

On 7/6/2023 at 5:57 PM, CBaron said:

My first car didn't have AC and I owned it for 3 yrs and drove it all over TX without giving it much thought. 

Ah, the old 255 A/C. Two windows down at 55mph. I had my A/C in my 20 year old truck go out right before that heat wave in 2011 and drove it through that heat and four straight years without A/C until I finally gave in a bought a new one because of other mechanical issues.

I do have to admit that air conditioned seats blowing cold air up your bum is pretty nice.

[ATXZJ]

Spent last week in Austin for work. Was lucky enough to get a spare gravel bike to ride from @chief, for a trip to the brushy creek trails. Can say with certainty that a gravel bike is the ONLY way to go in the summer. It also makes the admittedly monotonous trails pretty fun. There were a couple oh shit moments that had me laughing like a fool. 

Returned to El Paso yesterday and saw the thermometer get to 105* at one point. Sun was hot AF. Luckily we got a thunderstorm around 10pm and the temps cooled off to about perfect by the morning without the oppressive humidity in ctx. 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2023 by ATXZJ

[CBaron]

On 7/11/2023 at 1:05 PM, quixoft said:

 I had my A/C in my 20 year old truck go out right before that heat wave in 2011 and drove it through that heat and four straight years without A/C until I finally gave in a bought a new one because of other mechanical issues.
 

Once again...EXACT SAME THING!  My Honda Accord I had for 17 yrs finally had its AC go out in 2010 and I too went thru the 2011 ATX furnace without AC.  My wife doesn't see things (TX weather) the same way I do and that summer of 2011 W/O AC caused me to conceed to her that it was in-fact pretty damn hot and miserable.  Last summer (22') wasn't quite on that same level but I was having flashbacks to that brutal summer of 2011.

Cheers,
CJB

[Shinerider]

Ditto on the no AC for at least 1 summer in Austin.  Actually got to a point of changing into shorts to drive to and from work!

[ATXZJ]

First thing newcomers to TX learn is never rage at anyone in traffic who has no A/C. I saw more than my share of roadside fistfights back in the 90s.

It was kinda fun back then🤣

Edited July 13, 2023 by ATXZJ

[mack_turtle]

I had a car with no AC in 2004, San Antonio. It was a mixed blessing when i was stopped at a red light and someone rear-ended the car behind me, which plowed into my car, totalling it. I was smart enough  to not tell any insurance company that the AC had been "fixed" five times before my broke ass gave up. A car without  AC in Texas is worthless in the market. Driving a few miles to a minimum wage job with no AC meant I kept a towel on the seat and just drove to and from work shirtless. Every trip in that car sucked balls.

Edited July 13, 2023 by mack_turtle

[AntonioGG]

I grew up in Mexico, one city (Sa Luis Potosi) had nice weather, the other (Monterrey) had extreme weather.  We never had AC in a car (with vinyl seats too) until 1987 a year after moving to SA.  Temps in the 40’s (Celsius) were common in the summer.  Then I never had AC in my own cars until I graduated college and bought my first new car in 1996.  I’d commute from Richardson to north Dallas for my summer internships, and proceeded to completely strip down as soon as I got home (lived alone.)  lately I’ve been spending my weekends in the garage with nothing but a fan.  It’s definitely been building my tolerance.

Edited July 13, 2023 by AntonioGG
Autocorrect

[Chief]

3 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

 lately I’ve been spending my weekends in the garage with nothing but a fan.  It’s definitely been building my tolerance.

The wife and I do weight training in the mornings it's pretty brutal. But as you said it does build tolerance.

[throet]

I think I'm hating the horse flies more than the heat. Finally ventured out on Brushy the other evening at 7:30, first ride in 2 months. Was hating on the heat something awful, until a relentless horse fly chomped through my shirt and maintained full pursuit. Suddenly the motivation to pedal hard and fast fell upon me, in spite of the miserable heat and humidity. 

P.S. Picked up some Deep Woods Off today! 

Edited July 13, 2023 by throet

[Ridenfool]

Agreed.

Got a couple of bites at RHR today. Hopefully they'll be gone in a few weeks.

[Charlie193]

I’ve also had enough of sock-burr season. Not sure what they come from, hedge parsley maybe? They’re a pain in the arse to remove but any I miss are immediately happy to transfer to my wife’s clothes in the laundry to get me in trouble.

[Chongo Loco]

Yeah, DEET doesn’t repel horseflies. Literally tens of millions have been spent in the equine industry on horsefly repellents, none are very long term. They are horrendous where I grew up riding in S La this time of year. Best bet is to not wear dark clothes. They zone in on CO2 and dark colors and fly about 3 times as fast as you can ride. If you stop, stop in sun, they stick to shady areas when it’s this hot.  Hate those fuckers. Crashed once smacking one that has munching on my butt cheek and pulled the bar, bam right into a tree. 🙄

[AntonioGG]

I hate the horse flies too. I was bitten >20 times once at Emma Long through my bibs.  I had nightmares about that for a while.

[Chongo Loco]

53 minutes ago, AntonioGG said:

I hate the horse flies too. I was bitten >20 times once at Emma Long through my bibs.  I had nightmares about that for a while.

Black shorts/bibs are the worse. I’ve gotten 3 or 4 huge welts on the ass from bites on rides…20 ouch!

Took the wife blackberry picking on the trails in Baton Rouge ONCE.  On a pipeline ROW about a mile back in the woods the briars get big enough to hide a school bus!  Tons of berries each summer. As we’re picking clouds roll in and it starts misting. Temps drop, sun gone, Horseflies come out, wife not amused. We’re walking a mile through the woods back to car as 20+ are swarming us, wife futilely spraying OFF, flailing arms, pissed at yours truly.  Blackberries are now purchased in our house  🙄

 

[rockshins]

Living in Singapore for my secondary school years it was hot and humid. Had lots of local friends who either didn’t have “aircon” or never used it (people that bought our house never used our amazing mini splits in every room setup). Just open window and fans, not a lot of wind unless there was a storm. We played sports like basketball in open air gyms, American football in full pads etc. Definitely took some acclimation but totally doable and you just stay hydrated and enjoy the daily rain. It was weird seeing the Chinese teams drinking hot water during games. When I visit Singapore I don’t suffer and my friends come here and say, “it’s almost as bad, lol.”  So guess these brutal summers keep me honest and it makes sense why I prefer the muggy mornings! 

[TAF]

2 hours ago, rockshins said:

Living in Singapore for my secondary school years it was hot and humid. Had lots of local friends who either didn’t have “aircon” or never used it (people that bought our house never used our amazing mini splits in every room setup). Just open window and fans, not a lot of wind unless there was a storm. We played sports like basketball in open air gyms, American football in full pads etc. Definitely took some acclimation but totally doable and you just stay hydrated and enjoy the daily rain. It was weird seeing the Chinese teams drinking hot water during games. When I visit Singapore I don’t suffer and my friends come here and say, “it’s almost as bad, lol.”  So guess these brutal summers keep me honest and it makes sense why I prefer the muggy mornings! 

We lived in Melbourne, and often used to stop off in Singapore to buy electronics. That humidity was nuts! I remember walking outside and you’d count to three, by which time you’d be dripping in sweat.

[rockshins]

35 minutes ago, TAF said:

We lived in Melbourne, and often used to stop off in Singapore to buy electronics. That humidity was nuts! I remember walking outside and you’d count to three, by which time you’d be dripping in sweat.

Brutal humidity, ladies would spend a lot of time on their hair for it to flop down as soon as they walked outside. I had a whole collection of VHS tapes that got ruined in the shipping container b/c of the humidity. I miss haggling on electronics prices, back when I lived there it was years ahead of the west on electronics. 

[June Bug]

On 6/26/2023 at 9:17 PM, mack_turtle said:

But i keep hearing randos saying that they wait to go outside when it's well over 100° in late afternoon and go running or just sit in the sun and wait for death, apparently. Are they mutants? Did They make a deal with the Devil? Are they just trolling?

Mr. June Bug, who is 78, thinks nothing of hopping on his bike at mid day for a 30-mile ride in 100 degree heat  (although not since things are topping out at 105).  He's come home every time under his own power and doesn't seem to be demon possessed, but damn!    I don't like cold weather, but my heat tolerance keeps dropping.  

Tomorrow I'm planning to ride to a swimming pool that opens at 8 am (maybe Walnut), do a water workout and ride home, getting back no later than 9:30.  Balcones (on Amherst) and Beverly Sheffield North West Dist Park on Shoal Creek are also options.   Each one is closed one weekday.  

[June Bug]

On 7/14/2023 at 9:09 AM, AntonioGG said:

I hate the horse flies too. I was bitten >20 times once at Emma Long through my bibs.  I had nightmares about that for a while.

Was at Palo Duro at the end of a rainy May.  They  were biting my "flanks" through my bike shorts, even after drenching skin and clothes with something DEET based. They were undeterred.  Could be related to this: 

Pestworld.org: "Adult horse flies typically feed on nectar, but females require a blood meal before they can reproduce effectively. Female horse fly bites,especially in large specimens, can be quite painful because their mouthparts are used for tearing and lapping, as opposed to mosquitoes which simply pierce the skin and suck blood."

Picaridin and citronella-based repellents may or may not work. 

Edited July 16, 2023 by June Bug

[TAF]

54 minutes ago, rockshins said:

Brutal humidity, ladies would spend a lot of time on their hair for it to flop down as soon as they walked outside. I had a whole collection of VHS tapes that got ruined in the shipping container b/c of the humidity. I miss haggling on electronics prices, back when I lived there it was years ahead of the west on electronics. 

I bought my first PC in Sim Lim Tower!

[rockshins]

2 minutes ago, TAF said:

I bought my first PC in Sim Lim Tower!

Oh wow, great memories!

[AustinBike]

23 hours ago, June Bug said:

Mr. June Bug, who is 78, thinks nothing of hopping on his bike at mid day for a 30-mile ride in 100 degree heat  (although not since things are topping out at 105).  He's come home every time under his own power and doesn't seem to be demon possessed, but damn!    I don't like cold weather, but my heat tolerance keeps dropping.  

I started out slower than previous years, but in the past 7 days have done seven rides. All trail rides were 15 miles, all urban rides were 20+ miles. Typically state between 9 and 11. I am finally acclimated. 

This morning Texas Blood texted me about my regular donation and I told them I can't do that until the fall. It's hard enough to ride now, but take away some blood and it is 10X the impact.

[AustinBike]

And despite having industrial-strength AC inside the house, Herr Glücklich prefers to sit outside in the hot screen porch.

[spicewookie]

I don't mind riding in summer weather as long as it's in New Mexico or Colorado.