I fueled up at the Purcelville stop (right).This would be the longest stretch without water -- about 15-20 miles -- and the temperature was rising.
The problem was a lot of people didn't notice it.
The bike gear is designed to wick sweat away and use it like air conditioning while you're moving. And as long as you're moving, you don't feel the heat. Problem is, you don't realize how much you're sweating out fluids.
In the last two stops, I saw tons of people blazing through without stopping. And the last 20 miles were all in the sun.
In the final five miles -- moving up a long, slow grade with a 125 foot increase in elevation -- I saw tons of much more experienced riders falling out anywhere they could find shade, looking for the last drops in a water bottle, cramping up from the heat.
People were huddling under tiny little Bartlett Pear trees for what shade they could get.
I finished the ride back at the Reston Town Center in 4 hours, 53 minutes total time -- 4 hours, 3 minutes actual riding time.
And the coolest thing -- Marti, a woman I'd been seeing -- was waiting at my house with steaks and beer when I got home!
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