Cry, Puke, Continue

So my friend Brad moved out to New Mexico to some region called "4-corners" due to 4 land locked states bordering each other. No ocean doesn't make much sense to me, but he is answering to a higher calling (sustainable energy, not peyote ceremonies) He has been enjoying less oxygen and longer climbs for a couple months now. He has also started blogging. His most recent bike camping trip is well worth a read. check it
I have a hard time visuallizing all this open space without White Hen Pantries every 8 miles so I had to send him some follow up questions about how you survive riding in the heat and how do you carry enough water to survive(remember this trip took place in 97 degree heat with full sun)?

Q:How did I carry enough water to get myself 8 liters?
A:A lot of the roads have mile markers so when you get in car accident or are getting shot at you can identify how far down the road you are. I started on mile 0 of Navajo Dam Road. At mile marker 4, I stopped to have dry heaves, not sure why the raisin bran didn't come up. Maybe if it had I would have turned around. I decided to push on and suffer until Navajo Dam where I could camp at a car camp place and continue the next day. Got there and the road settled down a bit, but then had to climb the dam wall road - 15% for a long time. Cry. Puke. Continue.
I started with two bottles in the cages attached to the bike frame, 750mL each. I couldn't find my 1L nalgene bottle, so I used a 600mL spare, tied to the panniers.
At mile 15 I was out of the first 2 liters. I knew I had a gas station for a refill there.
At mile 30 or so, I was out of water. 10 miles or so to Ignacio, roughly 25 miles without a water stop.
Mile 40 I saw a woman selling tamales on the side of the road. Two of them at $2.25 each was brilliant. Hot, spicy, and REALLY GOOD. Love Her! She is in Ignacio on the side of the road every Friday. I will be back.
Getting lost and wandering, left me out with no more water stop options until mile 75 or so. I was dead by then. Totally bonked. Sunburned face. Blood shot eyes from the sweat pouring into them all day.

Just want everyone to return to the end of the first paragraph "Cry,Puke,Continue" That is a training philosphy you should all get behind.
Hopefully I can get some more ride reports from him in the future. Otherwise save your pennies so he can do your solar panels when he gets back.


Found a mapmyride loop in the general area he was riding here if you want to investigate. You know you are in trouble when roads are called "Road 4050".....