Keeping cool on long trips

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Keeping cool on long trips
from Ron Ayres, Iron Butt Association

On those hot summer days when you're sweating in your helmet, try this trick. When you stop at the gas station that has those outdoor Ice bag freezers, put your helmet in there before you pump your gas, use the bathroom, pay for your gas, and eat a quick snack with a cold drink.

Remove your helmet from the Ice Cooler just before you are ready to get back on the bike. Voila'! Poor man's air-conditioning. Just the ticket on those long rides. Makes stopping a treat instead of a chore.


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Another Use for the Ice Cooler

I was told a story by a friend of mine who toured the South one summer. He stopped for gas and saw a rider putting two bags of ice on the shelf on the fairing. He punched a few holes in the bags. He said the water drips out of the holes as the ice melts and sprays a little as the wind circulates, helping to keep him cool. He could also dip a bandana in the water and wipe his face and neck.


Marty Ambrose


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Evaporate your heat away

I wear a black on black stich [Aerostich riding suit - Ed.] and the sun can do a number on me if stopped. However, I found a technique that worked amazingly well. Wet, long sleeve t-shirt under the stich with the vents open and the zippers closed most of the way. The sleeve cuffs were open and I wore light weight gloves. The air entering the sleeves kept my arms cool and the air entering the under arm vents caused the jacket to balloon out from my torso. The lining of the jacket would cling to me and the pocket between the jacket and liner contained swirling cool moist air. The evaporation of my wet shirt was slowed by the jacket and allowed it to last a couple of hours. If I rode in those conditions with just the wet t-shirt it would be dry in less than 20 min.

Randy Carlson, LD Rider List

[Editors' note: When I first heard the idea of intentionally putting on a soggy t-shirt - or worse, a jacket over a soggy t-shirt - in high heat, I thought it was nuts. I was already sweating and that didn't seem to help. I also knew that in very high temperatures that there is no wind chill (see Wind Chill Table). But evaporative cooling not only works, it can save your life by preventing heat prostration. In fact, this technique can sometimes work too well and over cool you. That's why having a jacket or riding suit over your wet shirt is useful. It lets you regulate the speed of evaporation. Some LD Riders fill the outside pockets with ice for a timed release evaporative system. Just don't put the ice on the inside of the jacket. Get yourself too cold and you could get frostbite (seriously) or shock your system.]