HEAT

Its 40 degrees in Tamworth tomorrow - I really do need to look carefully at the temperatures around the country as I approach the time for my tour. That sort of heat would rule out my tour if it was to continue. I have ridden in high 30's and even 40 degrees once and it is quite unpleasant and demanding with dehydration and exhaustion becoming a very real issue.

I can handle the typical low to mid 30's here because I have suitable mesh riding gear. If you aim for the hills or stay on the ocean side of the hills then the temperature is mostly a little cooler. You will get some relief from either ocean breezes or the altitude as you climb in mountains as well as the partly shady roads help. Yesterday it was just the occasional place I felt the heat encompass me like a blanket for few minutes before I was free of it again.

Riding anywhere here west of the ranges on flat open land is quite hot and just on the borderline of comfort whilst in low to mid 30's (don't stop or you slow bake). I mostly skip any of the areas like that around Brisbane in mid Summer and find the only place that really blasts me with heat is the ride back from the southern coastal areas on the M1. As I get further inland from the ocean riding north I can very noticeably feel the temperature climb the 4 or 5 degrees as the cooling effect of the ocean fades and the road then reflects all that back at you.

And so as my mate said to me yesterday - better rethink my route and plan in general for the tour if there isn't a cool change about the time I am going.

I have a back up plan to get some riding in if the worst eventuates however I hope not as that would be two attempts to ride more or less the same roads that have not come to fruition.