There\’s an AA for cyclists?

Who hasn\’t heard, \”Don\’t drink and drive\”? And who hasn\’t heard of AA as in Alcoholics Anonymous?

I have a lot of trouble controlling a bike one-handed in a strong wind; but I have to do it while trying to get a drink of water, and I swerve all over the path! It got me to thinking about a different AA: Aqua Anonymous!

I\’m joking, of course. We need to keep hydrated while riding; and a cyclist who wants to put in the miles needs to learn how to handle a bicycle in all sorts of conditions, including a strong wind (I\’ll stop short of a tornado, though). That includes being able to get a water bottle in and out of its cage on the down tube, even with a sidewind pushing you around.

Using the Camel-Bak would make hydration ever so much easier on a windy day. With the drinking tube I don\’t have to reach down for that water bottle; but doing so as a regular thing would be a cop-out. Even with the Camel-Bak, on a long ride I take along a bottle of electrolyte drink; and where do I put it? In the bottle cage on the down tube! Back to the point made above: I have to be able to manage it.

If I can\’t manage it, it\’s either stop every time I need a sip of water, or don\’t drink and risk dehydration. I\’ll skip the dehydration, thank you. Do you think AA will take that into account?