Friday Night Vanity - Heatstroke, and Dumbass "WINNING!"

[West Texas Chuck]

A story of Texas summer heat and a couple of mistakes.

Oh yeah, near death too. More or less.

[West Texas Chuck]

Let me tell a little story about a man named Chuck. A fat white boy just tryin’ to make a buck. And then one day when actin’ like a dude … Amazingly survives to recount his mood.

Yeah, Texas foolishness, dumbass gold.

I ride my bicycle around Dallas County. Laugh if you feel the need, been doing this for almost 40 years. I know my way.

About I guess, one year ago, I did one of my urban wanderings. Pretty sure I was not thinking that day, it happens sometimes, I left my place in July with 2 large cycle bottles of water, one frozen solid the other with just ice cubes. Cue the friggin’ dumbass music.

I head generally west and cut under Central at Buckingham, easy lope from there over to the north end of the Cottonwood bike trail. There are some sketchy places along through there, but MS-13 is in the A/C this time of day, recovering. I don’t have the fear through here.

Once I make the main White Rock Creek I head south to Forest. From there I know how to get to Bachman Lake, used to live over that way. From there it is by the biker barz and into the river bottoms. Trinity River Levee, all the way to downtown Dallas. Twelve miles, steal the railroad bridge into the West End if the way isn’t blocked by a train, or three. Been there, did that, leading a group of 50 mountain bikers one time. Ooooopsy, sorry occifer. But we ain’t there yet, remember those 12 miles?

OK, I’ve ridden this dozens of times. That’s when I realize I just finished the last of my water. WUT? How did that happen, it didn’t seem that hot when I left Garland. Well I am pretty much screwed now, I have neglected all opportunities to catch a refesh at the QT. Or else maybe the heat was already working its way into my cerebral cortices and I missed it. That must be what happened because now I am in The Bottoms, out of water and here comes some dude jogging along the old dirt road.

Jogger dude turns out to be some SMU football-looking beefcake, he ain’t even sweating. Trots right by me and on down the way, as I sit in the shade of some bridge down there. Not a lot of shade around here, you take it where you can find it.

Me and beeferz play leapfrog for several miles, him galloping down the dirt, me stopping in every shady spot and asking myself how my old daddy ever raised such a dumbass who would die in a place like this from dehydration. And I’m about done, starting to feel the distress. I’m screwed, people. Not soon enough I’m behind Lew Sterritt.

Now I’m in striking distance of downtown, West End Dart station is right over there. I steal the railroad bridge over 35 behind the jail and starting stumbling over toward the West End DART Station. Please God, don’t let me die yet, save it for the train.

I almost stopped at the McDonalds and got a Sprite, definitely should have, but I’m about stubborned as hell so I headed on over to the light rail. Before I can say “I am so F**KED” I am in the crowd, probably 200 black people and me and a couple of tourists. Now I try not to care about pigmentations, I weren’t raised like that, but them dudes with their pants around mid-thigh creep me out. This crowd makes me nervous. I am in one of the seats at the train stop, back to a wall and bike between me and the rest of the peeps, trying not to catch anybody’s attention. I am a 60 yo white man, in cargo shorts and a fishing shirt, with a bicycle. But I am also wearing a bike helmet and gloves, and I look like I do this all the time, because I do. I have the bike between me and the possible aggressors or cops or whatever, just trying not to pass out. At this point I’m all dizzy and border-line delirious, trying not to die. Please God, make the next one a Blue Line.

Nope, Red. Now I have the homeless peeps coming over to me, they skip every single black person and come straight to me and want to know if “Hey man, you got a smoke? Got any spare change, man?” I have a Glock-19 on my hip, and a scary sharp folder in my pocket, so I don’t really want any human interactions, you know, I just want to get home alive. I say nothing, just shake my head. This happens about 4 or 5 times, the last one is some Mexican looking hombre that smelled worse than any other human I ever was so close to. Finally, the Blue Line arrives.

I get in the back, as always, the handicap area is fortunately unoccupied so I can stow the bike next to me and sit down. Those trains can be scary places. That Sunday afternoon I thought so, but I’ve been on them late a night too, keep yer eyes peeled. I make it to Garland, then home, and don’t die. Or have to kill anybody.

Good times. Ain’t made that run yet this year. Waiting for cooler weather.

[Dawgreg]

Lawd......a trip to the mailbox here in Southeast Texas kills us. I was up in Dallas a couple of weeks ago and thought I had died and gone to hell and you ride your bicycle all around??? God bless ya son, God bless ya...

[Rome2000]

Epic tale sir!

Used to ride quite a bit myself, want to get back to it.

I’m in South Florida, its flat.

Any recommendations on a new ride?

[jospehm20]

Walked my dogs 4 miles in CENTEX today. It was hot.

[Vendome]

Went to a bar in Sacramento and there were a bunch of people with “Trump” hats on.

Don’t see how the “Hill” is winning...

[Squantos]

Yer gonna have to get yourself a yeti cooler for that tricycle Chuck ......:o)

Kept one full of frozen water bottles, covered in ice. That was a mistake. They took an hour after I got thirsty to turn back into water even in this Panhandle heat.

Stories like this your gonna to put Baxter Black out of business.

http://baxterblack.com

Stay Safe .

[Robert A Cook PE]

Did a bike trip one summer afternoon.
San Antonio (NE corner, right at Eisenhower Rd and I-35) out to Seguin.
North to New Braunfels on the Farm-to-Market rd.
Back to San Antonio.

No ID, no money, no water.

Never did tell my folks when I left, nor where I was going.

[tet68]

Dude, hydration pack with a bite valve in addition to the bottles.
Glad you made it, you were probably
Well into hyperthermia when you didn’t stop at mcd’s. Hypothermia doesn’t start with the chills it starts before. Same same hyperthermia..

[Paleo Pete]

When I was a lot younger and dumber I used to mow 3/4 acre of grass with ap ush mower in 102º central Texas heat. Around Bryan, a couple hours east of you. (near Lufkin now)

I was working on my mother’s porch in some of that good ol’ 102º, wiped my forehead and it was dry. HUH? Checked again...forehead, arms both dry. It’s 102º, maybe more. I should be dripping...no wonder I’ve been lightheaded.

I sat down on the porch. My uncle started to bitch because I wasn’t working, he turned white, when he looked at me it scared him. I told him get me a pint jar of water I got too hot. He started telling me I didn’t need to drink a lot of water, I told him just get it.

I took a small swig, swished and spit it out. Poured half over one forearm, half on the other, told him get me another. Did another swish and spit, spent the next 45 minutes drinking a pint of water. Next morning I thought I was going to have to crawl to the bathroom...took me a week to recuperate. Took a month to get back to normal, I still can’t take the heat like I did the day before that. By the way, I’m 60 too. And ride a bike a lot but not like that any more, just short rides in the AM usually for fun. I rode the hike and bike trails in Austin in the mid 80’s almost daily, usually at least 10 miles a day. Now I’m doing good to get in 2 miles in a day.

If that happens...Stay out of the heat for a couple of days, get some rest and plenty water. I overdid it, I’m still paying. Fortunately I had enough first aid training long ago I knew what to do, and hadn’t gotten to the delirious stage yet.

For those who don’t know, here in Texas we get some serious heat, and it’s not bone dry like t always is in places like Arizona and Nevada, the humidity here makes it worse. I’ve seen 107º right here in my yard, around 1997 or 98. With humidity rarely below 30%, that’s miserable.

Never drink a lot of water if you get too hot. I get a bottle of cold water and roll it up and down both forearms, that helps cool you but not too quick. Worst thing you can do is get too cool too fast or drink a lot of water. Take a small sip, swish it around and spit it out. Do that at least twice. Then take small sips, for a normal 16 oz bottle of water, take 30 minutes to drink it. SLOW is the ticket. Do not go into a room with AC, sit under a shade tree. Cool down slow. A place with a breeze is nice, but here in our Texas summers, that’s not common.

What to watch for...you stop sweating. Not good. You feel light headed. Not good. Dizzy and weak, very not good. You faint. Hope somebody finds you and gets you to a hospital quick. If you get delirious, no telling what you will do, hope someone is around who knows how to handle it.

Never drink a lot or too fast. Slow and easy is the key. Never cool down too fast, both will throw your body into shock, then you’re in real trouble. Rub some ice or a bottle of cold water up and down your forearms. That will cool the blood in the surface vessels, but not too fast. Drink small sips, room temperature water is best, and water only. After you get some water in your system, then maybe something like Gatorade, but water first. NEVER drink cold water if you’re seriously overheated, that will throw you into shock too. Cold water on a hot day is not great, but will do ok, as long as you’re not in trouble. If you get overheated, room temperature water only. You do not want to go into shock, then it’s hospital time. No cold liquids, no beer or soda. Water only.

This is experience speaking. And some training...What I got is called heat prostration. Not quite a heat stroke, if I hadn’t caught it in time, it would have developed into heat stroke within 2 or 3 minutes. I was very close to real trouble, fortunately I knew it, and knew how to deal with it. Another fortunate thing is I don’t have a tendency to panic. I’ve dealt with life threatening situations several times, saved 3 or 4 peoples’ lives, including mine, been the first one to a couple of pretty bad wrecks, I don’t lose my head. Fire fighter training helped too.

Don’t panic. Room temperature water only. Sip it SLOW. No AC, find a shady spot for a while till you cool down. Roll a bottle of cold water on your forearms. Stay out of the heat for a couple of days. If you wake up the next day weak as hell, you got way too close to a heat stroke, take it easy for several days. Drink plenty water.

It’s this time of year people die from the heat folks, watch yourselves out there. Watch the people around you. Know how to deal with it.

If someone else is overheated, make sure they know their name and what day of the week it is, their address... if they can’t answer those questions, something is seriously wrong, consider a hospital trip.

[Falconspeed]

Thanks for the story. I ride my bike daily here in So Cal.

You are a good writer and know how to keep suspense with the pounding thirst.

I am reminded of how Crusaders marching from Paris to Jerusalem in the 1100’s would get very, very thirsty. Then they would see a river and then some soldiers would die from drinking too much. Sad.

Sorry to hear about the negroes and cholos. Glad you know self defense and carry weapons.

I see on google that Dallas is 81º with 78% humidity. Not the best cycling weather.

I ride along Wilshire Blvd from Santa Monica to downtown LA. 90% peaceful and 10% sketchy because of bums.

I see a lot of cyclists wearing bladders of water on their backs. Hint hint.

[Delta 21]

Kansas heat has been brutal the last few years with the drought. Now that its over its hot AND humid!

Blew out a few disks in December and am back on my feet. My physical laboring days are overwith! Any small exertions or lifting the way I did in my youth (7 months ago) sends me into head spins and profuse head sweats.

Trying to accept the fact that tomorrow or maybe next week I am going to have to start pacing myself better.

[moovova]

Thank you for that. I’ve been working out in the heat a lot lately...90 to just over 100°. Your recommendations will stick in my mind.

[fruser1]

Pulmonary function decreases with age whether you like it or not. Start carrying more water or go shorter distances.

This will have more of a noticeable impact as time goes on. You've now discovered your own personal limit in the high heat range. It'll be a lower limit next year.

The only "exercise" I know of to attempt any mitigation of this is playing with a spirometer type device. Something they give to COPD folks. You probably won't notice a difference using it since you're obviously in generally good health.

Nevertheless, age is a hard reality, regardless of how many of those happy baby-boomer directed commercials you see.

Pulmonary capacity provides an overall ability to deal with exertion. Exertion is increased in a pulmonary sense, in high (over 90) and low (below 30) temps.

[outinyellowdogcountry]

I don’t understand passing up McDonalds. There is all manner of drink, water included and air conditioning. Were you trying to pretend you were in the middle of a desert? I am glad you survived but that stubbornness sounds like a big problem.

[zzwhale]

ME AND MY SON RODE MTN BIKES 72 MILES OFF ROAD IN 98 DEG HEAT AND HIGH HUMIDITY...
STOPPED ENROUTE AND DRANK 2 LITERS OF WATER WITHOUT HAVING TO PEE
HAD A CAMELBACK DRANK THAT AND REFILLED IT AT THE BEACH AND STOPPED FOR ANOTHER 2 LITERS ON THE RETURN TRIP AND MADE IT BACK
OK
SO TEN YEARS LATER I MOWED THE LAWN IN SIMILAR CONDITIONS, DRANK A SIXPACK AND WENT TO PLAY GOLF AND DRANK A FEW MORE BEERS...
WE WERE WALKING TOWARDS THE 17TH HOLE WHEN I CLIMBED A SLIGHT INCLINE AND SUDDENLY FELT THE LIGHTS GOING OUT..
I KNELT DOWN AND THOUGHT I RECOVERED BUT WHEN I WENT TO STAND ALMOST LIGHTS OUT...
I LAY PRONE ON THE GROUND AND MY SON WANTED TO CALL AN AMBULANCE.
I TOLD HIM TO WAIT AND I LITERALLY COULD FEEL THE GROUND ABSORBING THE HEAT FROM MY BODY... WE SKIPPED THE LAST HOLE AND GOT TO THE A/C CAR AND MADE IT HOME AND DRANK TWO LARGE BOTTLES OF GATORAID...
THAT SAME DAY TWO PEOPLE WERE REMOVED VIA AMBULANCE WITH HEAT STROKE...
NOT AS EXCITING AS YOUR STORY BUT AS THEY SAY... “HYDRATE OR DIE”.....

[octex]

Really enjoyed your recounting of that day. You have a talent using words to tell a story.

I was bred, born and raised in Dallas, so I understood a lot of your story. Don’t relate to DART, though, since I have lived in the Mid-Cities area since ‘69 (near DFW).

[octex]

Friday, 8/12/16: DFW airport = 107*F

[octex]

Thanks for some very good advise!

[octex]

I see on google that Dallas is 81º with 78% humidity.
******************************************
That’s only because we had thunderstorms hit about 4pm CST and the Rangers game was delayed from 7 until 9:45pm CST. The temp hit 107*F at DFW airport prior to the storms.

[Windflier]

I feel ya, bruh. I work outdoors in DFW, and understand the heat distress you were in, all too well.

I take sea salt tablets and lots of cold water to survive the summers. The salt alleviates muscle cramps, exhaustion, dizziness, headaches, cold chills, nausea, etc. I used to suffer all those symptoms working outdoors, until a nutritionist educated me on some basic human physiology. She had me try sea salt to handle heat sickness, and it worked so well, I’ve never gone without it, since.