Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

IN THE·S_ aj 0. " c( ~ w Z W ..J U > U .. ~ ./ ,. .~ "You've got a big, big lead, Tom'" Tom Brooks, Sr. is more than a little enthusiastic about his son's back to back wins. e M. ~LL Y BLUE gives you more By Alice Rhea HIGH VISTA, CAL., July 30, 1972 _ Sixteen-year-old Tom Brooks, riding a super-fast 125 DKW swooped both sides of Cactus Cats' and Master Links' Dual in The Sun. On the Cactus Cats' side of the event, Bill Friant (Puc) took the lead early, but soon gave it up to a hard riding Brooks. Tom just kept on increasing his lead and won by a wide margin, followed by Friant and Gregg Hawks, both mounted on Puchs. On the other side of the course, everything went wrong for Tom and he got off the line next to dead last, but it didn't take him long to get his problems sorted Qut and charge in for the win, again followed by Frian t and Hawks. It looked like those three were playing follow-the-Ieader as they stayed in order for both races. Several other doubles happened today. Division II Novice Dan Dawson (Yam) won both of his races, showing that he could handle that bike. Two transfer ~ides in one day must be pretty heady stuff, eh, Dan? . Trail Expert Dean Daily (Hod) took two seconds and Craig Forney (Yam) finished righ t behind him both times. On the Cactus Cats' course, which was pretty challenging with lots of twisty.turny stuff, some up-and down-hills and a smattering of rocks, Steve Holladay (Yam) led the 250 Experts for a while, followed by Jim Fishback (CZ) and Larry Pfutzenreuter (Bul). On the second lap, pfutz had . passed.. Jim and was pulling up on Holladay. After the second lap it was Pfutz's race and he was pouring on the coals. . Over at Master Links', it was another story with Jim Brown (BuI) taking the win followed by Fishback (CZ), Doug Winchell (Yam) and Pfutz. Larry said later that he "Just plain ran out of gas." (His body, not his bike.) A.C. Bakken (Hus) grabbed the lead on the Cactus Cats' side of the 500 Expert race and managed to hold off' Jerry Jones (Hus) for a third of the first lap. But J.N. Roberts (Hus) was there today and neither Jones nor Bakken could hold him off. J.N. roared by for an easy win, SaR Down Yllir Body than you expected to get ...from a chain lube. WHAT TO DO By George A. r.~agallon, 1\1.0. THE RACER'S BODY This bike pound for pound is the greatest mini cycle bike yet to appear on the U. S. market ... and that goes for any of them [rom anywhere ... its.specifications are spelled out above, look them over carefully ... first the power plant. 50 c.c. ,s the maximum power necessary for a bike of this size and type ... also note the front and rear shocks. When you ride it just try the brakes, soft yet strong ... ,ts got everything, lights front and. rear .... a true Gemini. Arctco, Inc. Fargo Ind. Park Box 2307 Fargo, No. Dakota 701/282.Q833 Cycle Centers, Inc. 1406 E. North Harvard Tulsa, Okla. 74115 918/932·1829 san Tong Co., Inc. 15514 S. Figueroa Gardena, Ca. 90247 213/532·1 780 58102 Sno-Line Inc. 2923 W. Superior St. Duluth, Minn. 55806 218/62B·2377 Northwest Cycle & Access., Inc. 171 5 Pettygrove N.W. Portland, Or. 97209 503/227-6167 A question was posed in a recen t issue of Cycle News concerning the use of sal t table ts as a me th od of preven ting heat exhaustion. As a physician who also does some desert racing, I feel that the commercially available solutions, such as Gatorade, are far superior to salt tablets for this purpose. These solu tions, which approximate the composition of sweat lost during physical exertion, eliminate the problem of nausea often associated with salt tablets. Also, it has been noted that excessive salt tablets taken without an adequate amount of water can result in dangerously high levels of salt in the body. For example: if the rider should suffer a heat stroke, which in itself will cause salt retention, the combination of heat and salt can cause severe and permanent damage to some of the vital organs. There are several important points concerning heat and exertion which should be understood by the desert rider. Think of your body as an organic furnace constan tly producing heat. If this heat is not released, the system will bum itself out. A prolonged desert race could produce enbugh body hea t to elevate body temperature from the normal 98.6 degrees to well over 200 degrees, were it not for heat regulation mechanisms. Sweat evaporation is the main method for cooling the skin. The lungs also help by pumping heat out of the body and in to the atmosphere as you breathe. Another important factor in cooling the body is motion. 1 am sure we have all felt that familiar rush of weakness which occurs when, in the course of a race, we suddenly stop. This feeling subsides when motion is _~sumed. The above knowledge can be incorporated 'by the individual into a program designed to. reduce heat exhaustion. Such a program should include: 1. Acclimating yourself by gradual exposure to the desert heat for 4-6 weekends, riding at a reduced rate until your system adjusts to the change. NOTE: Weight loss during exertion is the best i1!dex of how a person is adjusting to the heat. If you lose 4·5 Ibs., you will have lost about one quart of water and ten grams of salt in sweat. A weigh t loss of 10 lbs. is considered dangerous. If possible, you should weigb yourself before and after a race. This would be a hassle, I know, but it would be useful. . 2. Increasing your in take of Gatorade or similar liquid- to replace what will be lost in a race. 3. Wearing light colored, loose-fitting clothing which reflects the heat and permits air to circulate near your skin. NOTE: Here we must compromise because our protective gear does not permi t this. However, do' try to wear ven tilated shirts with open-type collars and ligh t colored leathers. 4. Following a good athletic training program. Basically, [ feel that most riders are not taking in sufficient fluid to replace what is lost during a race. For example, a marathon runner will lose a minimum of two quarts of sweat just to cool his skin. A man working hard in a tropical climate needs 10 quarts of water just to stay even. Of course, I do not suggest that we should drink 10 quarts of water just before a race! If we did that, they would have to rename the pit stops. It is, however, advisable to take in liberal amounts of fluids in the 24·hour period before a race, as well as a quart of Gatorade or whatever, one hours before the race. This is not a hard, fast rule. You can adjust your in take according to your individual needs. N EXT WEEK: Treating Heat Exha&&ati

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