<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Tahoma>SUMMER RIDES<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>AND<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>SUMMER RUNS<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></DIV>
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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT face=Tahoma>by John Del Santo<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma>We’re spending a lot of time on the road, and Loving it !<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Knees in the Breeze !<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The weather is fine, but there are still hazards around.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Summer temperatures overheat tires and batteries….Are yours in good shape and not too old ?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>How’s the tire pressure ?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Many people who are broke down on the shoulder of the road are struck by cars….That can be a Major Bummer on a nice day.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The heat also affects the tires of other vehicles.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Even though you will see big pieces of truck tires, “Road Gators,”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>on the road all year long
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>there will be a lot more during the hot weather.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Point down to give the “road hazard” signal to riders following you. </FONT></DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma>Group Rides can be fun.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We should be considerate of any riders with us who are less experienced…They may try to stay up to the speed of the pack even if it is beyond their ability. Breaking the pack into two groups, with the less experienced riders in the rear pack, works.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Each pack should have several of your best riders bringing up the “back door” so they can keep an eye on the group and one of them can drop out to assist anyone with <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>problems.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Ideally, they should have cel phones and phone numbers of the Lead Rider.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Bikers don’t desert their comrades.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Everyone should know the exact destination you have
planned so they can find you if they need to drop back.</FONT></DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face=Tahoma>Summer riding pulls a lot of water out of our system.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>You can ride naked if you choose, but the more skin you have exposed, the more dehydration will occur. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For extreme hot weather riding, some people soak their shirts with water, and then put a dry jacket on over the shirt….this helps keep the body temperature much lower, kind of a “Swamp Cooler” effect. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Tahoma><FONT size=3><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Taking frequent breaks is a good way to stay well watered, or our reflexes and reaction can drop off just when we need them most. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If we stop to fill up our tanks, and someone <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">doesn’t </I><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>need to use the restroom…that’s someone who is probably dehydrated.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Just a cuppla cold ones”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">sounds </I>good….but beer is a diuretic that will drain more out of our system than it puts in.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Heat Exhaustion is serious stuff </FONT><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt">that</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"> can make us feel like just stopping and laying down next to the road and going to sleep. Maybe forever. Drink! Drink! Water and </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Sports drink</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma">, Get in someplace cool, dump water on your head and down your shirt, rest….Because next in line comes the worst…</SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT size=3> </FONT></SPAN><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Heat Stroke</SPAN><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma">…</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma"> which can worsen from heat exhaustion with little
warning. <U><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></U>The body’s temperature-control</SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><FONT size=3> </FONT></SPAN><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma">stops working….Feeling <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>hot dry skin, severe headache, exhaustion, hallucination.<U><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE</SPAN></U> <U><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">POSSIBILITY OF DEATH. </SPAN> <SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">First</SPAN> call <SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">911 </SPAN></U><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Move the victim to a cool place, douse with water, fan breeze onto the victim. If we act quickly and correctly, maybe we can prevent permanent brain damage or
death. Once someone has suffered a heat-related illness, the chances of it happening again in the future are higher.</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma>Do you see someone parked on the side of the road,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>off their bike, jumping around doing the “Bee Dance” ?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If you have (“non-drowsy”) Antihistamines in your First Aid kit,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>it could help them out.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Is there anyone on the run with special medical problems ?....They should tell at least one other rider about it.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There are many riders who will be carrying a small First Aid kit, and the Leader should know who in the group is qualified for CPR.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We don’t go around <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">looking </I><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>for trouble (most of the time) but it’s nice to be
prepared.</FONT></DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma>So<B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">…..</B> Enjoy the weather and the road and the company of good people. </FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face=Tahoma>Ride Free, and <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">….</B>Ride Safe !</FONT></DIV>
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