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Nothing to be embarrassed about, man. Everyone makes mistakes and it's hard to recognize what's happening while it's affecting you. We're just glad you got home safe.
I admire your authenticity and honesty. Thank you for sharing. It's a great reminder to be vigilant and that we often overlook our own symptoms. I have also suffered from heat stroke and heat exhaustion... Indeed, no fun. Glad to hear you are better and look forward to more video stories. Thanks! 😊
I too have had heatstroke early on in my life. I work outside, in all weather. What’s for sure is it comes out of nowhere. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re in trouble. It’s nothing to play with. Like you said, avoidance is key. Thank you for putting this out as a learning tool for the community. I live with temperature sensitivity now and it gets worse with age. It’s no joke. I’m glad you got help and are recover(ed)(ing). Stay hairy.
As a Canadian and heavy set guy at 58 years and new to motorcycling i found this video spot on. I have not got a lot of medical or first aid training. Something l will updating thos off season. We northerners don't find the high temps you guys get in the States but we are starting to high temps for us now. This was a wake-up call. Be hairy and healthy. Ride on!
Brother, thank you for being so honest. It really helps people learn how to look out for themselves and others. I saw Ben's video and thought I'd learned something, but this video was NECESSARY. I'm going to be doing some desert riding later this year and your input will help keep me safe. Please don't feel too much shame--just like hypothermia, one symptom is a reduced ability recognize symptoms. It was an accident. I'm just glad you survived it. Please be well. Thank you. Edit: I experienced heat exhaustion recently while driving in my car. No AC, hot weather, bumper to bumper stop and go, very slow. I zoned out twice and just didn't move my car in a merge. Clutch pedal down, in gear, conscious, but didn't recognize when I had to move my car. It took me HOURS afterward to realize that the people honking at me weren't being nasty and aggressive. I was the one messing up, and didn't even realize it. It's so insidious. Again, please don't come down too hard on yourself.
it is always more difficult to recognize symptoms in oneself than in others... and once one has started to be affected by heat stroke, one will have even more problems in picking up other symptoms that one would easily have seen in others... That is also the big problem with dehydration, hypothermia, dry drowning, blood loss etc. a little tip I learned some years ago: Often when it is really hot and dry, it is better to have a closed jacket, and try to block the heat out... draining your base-layer in water and close up the jacket will often help, the evaporation of water under the jacket will cool the body, just like when you wrap a can or bottle of drink in a wet towel and put it in the sun. The constant dry warm wind through a mesh jacket can dry you out extremely fast... --- Really glad you recovered without more complications...
Hey Travis. I didn't realize how bad it was from Ben's perspective. I realize it when I see it from yours. I'm glad you're ok. It is real and is very scary. I had it happen and the headaches are the worst. Glad you shared and made it!
Thanks for putting this out man. I'm a medic and there's a lot of people that wouldn't recognize what was happening to them. Maybe this can make them more aware of what's happening. Ride on brother!
Glad you are OK! I am 53 years old. I have been in the swimming, pool construction business in the deep south my entire life. The heat always was second nature to me. Then in an instant it almost killed me. I have multiple residual affects from my heat stroke to this day. It’s no joke guys. It’s usually too late once you realize what’s happening. Your video will hopefully let other folks know how quickly and how bad it can turn ugly even if you’re aware of the potential. I no longer participate in any summer time ADV’s. Can’t risk it. No shame in it. Fall and Spring rides only from now on.
TRAVIS.. so sorry I mentioned liquid IV, in Ben's live feed. I also being a FFer and EMT (injured now) I know the warning signs, but it's so hard to see in ourselves....I also have had heat stroke and exhaustion, even when I was given an ill fitting mask during propane fire training, and it was shoved onto my face to "make it fit" w t h ? I actually passed out as 2nd position on the hose...By an out of district Captain, wanting me to go earlier in the training..no bueno...talk about embarrassing! I so appreciate you and your honesty, and we all are just human. You guys had planned this for sooooo long, and watching this, points me back in the direction of a smaller dual sport for my upcoming trip....THANK YOU SO MUCH and I guarantee you have taught many more folks out there the signs that they have not been taught.. Cheers!!
How you handled the situation in the moment, was still more levelheaded than one could have not having had your training. I have tremendous respect for how you self-reflect and the way you assess future plans. Thanks for putting this (and your other stuff) online, I for one learn a lot.
3:21 I had a hard hit just like that - it was a dip in the road. I was standing up, riding my 450 EXC-F. I hit it hard and it jarred my wrist, and broke it. That was my first ride of the season and probably my last. The incident has changed my though process about riding long trips. Thanks for sharing your story on this ride, even though things didn't go as anticipated. Your experience and description of the ORBDR has made me decide I won't every ride this BDR. I may even sell my T7. The darn thing weighs three times what I do.
Thank you for putting this out. Heatstroke is not something I’ve taken seriously much, and never really worried about because I suppose I never knew how serious is could be. Glad you made it back safe(ish) and thank you for the cautionary tale.
First, I’m glad you are OK. This video is probably one of the most important ones I have viewed in a while. It’s important for all of us to understand what the symptoms are when dealing with sever heat. Look it up, read about it and don’t push yourself past your limits…listen to your body. My biggest problem, now at 58, my brain seems to think that I’m still in my 20s on a motocross bike and can handle anything.
Trav, one of the qualities that draws me to watch your videos is your humbleness. You were humbled out there. There is no shame in that whatsoever. No matter how hard we try to prepare and execute our perfect plan, things happen out there. I just really appreciate you and how you come back full circle to talk about it. THAT is what makes you different from the masses. We can all take an important lesson from this. Kuddos to Ben & Tim for being there, good dudes. Glad you are still with us brother. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you made it out of there safe! Heatstroke is no joke, you're a stud for pulling through on a big bike. Well done! I have ridden a lot out there solo and you definitely want to be prepared and in shape. I was underprepared once and "bonked" really hard about 15 miles from the hot springs campground while riding solo, crashed twice because my muscles wouldn't work, had to ditch my bike and walked (ahem, stumbled) like a zombie back. It can be very scary. SE Oregon will humble you. These aren't directed at you, nor a critique and are more for awareness/discussion. A key to any activity with exertion in the heat is not just water but water WITH ELECTROLYTES, this is so key. Electrolyte depletion can and usually does render you useless. Also taking constant little sips from your water bladder is another key, if you end up being thirsty it's too late. Constant sips. A good rule is keeping a fist full of fluid in your stomach most of the time. Not wearing black in these conditions also helps! The BDR folks would put a few alerts on the first two sections for this coming summer season. Number 1, informing people that they should leave EARLY to be well on their way before the heat starts. This is a good rule in general when you know its gonna be a hot day. Number 2, checking the Hart Mountain website for road closure notifications, they keep this very up to date. Had you guys known about this you would have known about the road closure and could have prepared for it with a reroute in advance. Hart Mountain, Steens, etc they keep the road conditions notices up to date because they don't want people getting in a jam way out there. Calling the ranger station a week or two out also helps, they have always answered or called me back. This is especially helpful for the Steens loop, because they grate the road every year (late June into July depending on the year) and if you time it right you can avoid gnarly washboard and have a freshly grated road! Ultimately riders should do their homework. Spread the word! Ride safe and thanks for the video as I think it will bring some needed awareness to this section.
Came here after catching Ben's video. Wow, I didn't realize just how bad it was for you. I'm glad you are doing better now, and I appreciate you putting the info out there as a PSA. Who knows who you might save from that kind of experience. Personally, I can totally relate to overdoing it in heat, as I did it on a job in a crappy situation. That mental fog that comes from it is just how you explain. It's so easy to miss it, because you just can't think straight. It makes it so hard to catch what is happening, so don't feel embarrassed. It can happen to the best of us. Like you, I was fortunate to have a friend there and I'm glad I did. He got me to stop and cool down, and I think I he saved me from something similar to what you went through. I'm still sensitive to the heat, but I didn't have the level of exhaustion and damage that you did. I was lucky.
I saw the Dork in the Road video and found your video this morning. Heat can get you quick, so don’t feel bad. It got me in 29 Palms in the Marines. I was trying to get my mortar section guns in line and none of my orders were making any sense to anyone else. I couldn’t figure out why nothing I said was making sense to anyone else but was perfectly clear in my mind in the moment. After the USMC, I did land surveying in Houston. I remember having a guy who started talking to a tree one day because the heat fried his brain. Heat stroke is so often fatal, so I’m glad you made it. Thanks for sharing your lesson.
Thanks for making this video. It's quite a lesson in decision making and support, and it is also enlightening to see Ben's video to experience his perspective.
Glad you’re safe. There are valuable lessons here - thank you for sharing this very real example of a danger faced out there on an adventure like this. Ride safe and be well!
Nothing to be embarrassed about brother... that's part of the danger when you're in the middle of a heat injury... you dont know it and our drive to push on is hard to ignore. Thank you for putting this out there as a reminder to us all about how dangerous heat injuries can be. Keep riding... hope to see you out on the trail sometime.
Thank you! For posting this video. I am new to adventure riding and would like to ride WA BDR. And your video really gives me a lot to think about and how to prepare. So, although you were embarrassed, I am GREATFULL that you did posted this video. Thank you. Al
Great video heat stroke is definitely no joke. I’m 54 and younger in my life in Kansas. I had heat stroke and I had no idea and it was also very embarrassing to me. Thanks for the video. I was also somebody they consider myself an outdoorsman very experienced hiker, and I still overlooked the symptoms. Keep your chin up.
Thanks for this video Trav. It’s good to have what I see as an educational perspective to riding in the heat. Glad you came through and are doing better
Travis I am a Mailman just north of Houston and a walking route. I have lately been taking up to 6 liquid IV pouches in 3 Liters of water and 4+ 28oz Gatorades/Powerades just to make my route each day…. Travis remember heat stress happens SLOWLY and in the moment seeing it and recognizing it can be hard as you justify it away…. Most often recognized by others even in the Navy as a engineer in the steam plants, I had to be told to get checked or even had to tell others as it was common on a cruise in the Persian Gulf to have to put guys in bed after IV rehydration in AC for 24 hours… It is great you researched heat stress futher and hopefully seared it in your mind and will help prevent a repeat. God Bless, Take care of you, and it is rough out there and you were at least smart enough to call it day 2 and then again on day 3 and not push a bad situation……. Maybe you could weekend warrior the BDR and do section 2 one weekend then 3 etc…. Drag Ben along he owes you… LOL
@@ExploreAdventureMoto that is awesome! Just a few sections left and you’ll have it complete! More than one way to skin a cat! Great to hear your back on the trails!!!
Authentically valuable video. Solo at 73, southbound on ORBDR camped just north of Christmas Valley. Cold night and the bike nearly did not start in the AM. I decided not wise to venture deeper into the remote section 2 & 1. Your video confirms that was a wise decision on several levels. I experienced heat stroke @ 28 years old. Cramps, disorientation, dizziness and passing out. It’s no joke. Glad your good to go and shared the story.
Hi, we met at the touratech rally this year; don’t be too hard on yourself, we are all humans and we make mistakes! Good on you for keeping on riding and sharing a difficult experience, thank you, I will try to learn!
Its great that you shared all of this. Far too many people simply brush it off, or pretend that they are not susceptible to heat stroke and exhaustion. The most noteable thing is that forever after, you ( we ) become even more vulnerable to it next time we encounter those conditions.
Thanks for putting out this video, and please don't be embarrassed. This adventure ride is challenging and can be dangerous. You have all of my respect and I look forward to follow you.
Solid effort fella, don't be embarrassed, even the most experienced of us can get caught out. You knew when to pull the pin and that is the smartest move. I knew crews who would just push on and push on until it's too late. They became statistics. Bloody good to see you live to ride another day. Proud of ya.
WOW !! I am Glad you are OK !! i am clueless about medical stuff so thank you for that info at the end and your own openness and honesty to share it !! i took some notes . i am also worried about the heat so ill be carrying water and Pedialite try to take it easy , that a good plan ?? but my son and i are riding the ORBDR from about section 3 on up (starting from Lakeview OR) & through and the first few sections of the WABDR upto Wenatchee starting 08/06 cant wait.. well done ! the most important part/thing of any ride or hunt or hike ect is that everyone gets back home safely and unhurt !!
Learned quite a bit from this, even as a trained EMT (never certified) there were symptoms there that I didn't recognize. 👍 I guess I need an update on my training and maybe some wilderness training too. Glad you're okay.
Thank you for this update, very glad you made it out of that situation. This is the kind of real world information that's far too easily hidden in the realm of modern content creation, and takes some serious ego wrangling to put out there. But arguably this is some of the most important content, unlike showing when everything goes well this might actually save someone's ass in the future. Hope you continue to recover and are able to get out there on some of those much more enjoyable adventures!
That heat exhaustin/stroke is no joke and I am glad you made it back safe with lessons learned. Thanks for presenting this topic and showing us your trials, pain, and symptoms. This will help someone in the future possibly me. My old riding buddy was affected by heat and stopped more than once to puke on the trail and suffered from cramps. We were just to young and stupid to realize what was going on. Thanks for being honest and reminding us what to watch for.
I did the same thing in September out here in AZ. Pushed it farther than I should've after running out of water and ended up in the hospital for heat exhaustion. Much more cautious now!
Zero to be embarrassed about, we're all human, and you've done us all a solid by posting your experience so we can all learn. Do the Idaho BDR - you'll love it, nice flowing gravel and packed dirt for days in the Rocky Mtn forests - great camping spots. My friend and I did it on ATs. We skipped section 1 which is mostly open sage country.
Great insight man! We’re all in this sport for the enjoyment of the out doors, being safe is a huge part of that! Thanks for your perspective! Hope to see you on the trails!
Nothing to be embarrassed about at all. Good on ya for putting it out. I love riding my big bikes, and agree completely with what you said. I like short technical sections, with lots of fun stuff in between. That’s my kind of fun!! Keep the rubber side down 🤟🏼
Thanks for sharing Travis and I'm glad you're alright. It's a great reminder for all of us to take care of ourselves and be there for each other when we're out riding. There's also absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. We all miss little ques or things that may not be right with us. We're all humans and we make mistakes and that's nothing to be embarrassed about. I wish you well and happy riding.
I am glad you made it out of there alive. But I understand why you would want to push yourself and keep up with your buddies at that time. That is a hard situation to deal with. I really appreciate the great comraderie you have with those guys. Again, glad you made it out, and stay safe!
I can’t believe I wasn’t subbed to your channel. Glad to see you’re OK. If anything this video is a great tool for those of us who could find ourselves in the same exact situation and hopefully recognize what’s happening and take action.
I salute you for having the balls to share this. You probably will end up saving a life by having done so. I'm used to hot Alabama summers, with high humidity. I work outside a lot and do have a pretty good habit of hydrating. But as you well know, ANYONE can slip up and once you are behind the curve its almost impossible to catch up. Your experiences will be fresh in my mind when I visit to ride in a couple weeks. I'll be barking "hydrate!" periodically to anyone around to hear.
In my youth I was very well trained in back country rescue and was part of a rescue team. Then I got lost while hunting, it started to snow, and I suddenly realized that I was doing all the things I was taught that people do when lost that get them dead. I fortunately got smart, like you did, and am here today because of it. It can happen to anyone, regardless of training, at any time. Glad you’re a survivor. I hope someday to ride with you on my AT!
Like others, glad you made it out in one piece and your experience and willingness to share it may indeed save a life or help someone avoid serious health incident.
Thanks for sharing. Years ago I hiked Mt. Whitney with my 24 year old son-in-law. He was in training as a firman. A quarter mile from the summit he began evidencing signs of altitude sickness. He stopped and waited with my older brother for the rest of us to summit and return. Had I not known the signs, it could’ve been fatal. Again, thanks for sharing.
Thanks so very very much for putting this out for us to learn from! Man let us know when you are doing the idbdr, I’d love ride some of it with you! Take care brother!
Damn man. I knew you'd had a rough go of it, but didn't realize just how severe it was. Thanks for sharing your experience with the rest of us. If it helps out another rider who may not have known the signs to look for in themselves or one of their riding companions, that will definitely be a positive takeaway. I'm glad you were recovered enough to be out there this past weekend, was great chatting with you.
It's a big thing, it's so easy to push too hard, and that part of OR is just harsh on everything, including humans. Its good you put this out, and people listen, it might just save someone else. I really think that southern end of the route, is going to catch a lot of people out and surprise people how hard it is. I hope people watch this kind of video before trying it, and really judge their abilities and their choice of bike when they go do it.
Glad to hear that you're doing well now. I live in Las Vegas and have experienced heat stroke myself. It's not too be taken lightly, even commuting across the valley in 110°+ you can get you in trouble. Again, glad to hear you're doing well.
After spending a good chunk of my life in hot places, one thing I learned early on was to drink water even when you're not thirsty, and that when you are thirsty, its already too late; heat exhaustion is happening! It's always a good thing to live vicariously through the experiences of others. Glad you were able to get out of it okay and have the candor to talk about it.
I am glad you made it out safe!!! Take your time and have fun again. Shit happens … Sometime even riding street bikes. People get in a hurry and things happen out of your control. So go at your speed not the group. Thanks for sharing. Around Bend Oregon out on 2 wheels
Thanks for your video and straight forward presentation. No need to be embarrassed as I am sure that it's happened to many of us me included. Your unfortunate experience has helped me with more knowledge and I thank you for that. Ride whatever makes you smile!
I watched Dorks series on this and having seen you struggle and tap out, I’d wondered how you were doing. That really is no joke, fair play for attempting it on the AT, looked bad enough on the CRF. More than anything, fair play for posting this video, it’s great content and could well save someone from doing the same. Nothing to be embarrassed about either, having the knowledge was almost irrelevant, your head wasn’t in the game. Cheers from 🏴 and hope you’re doing well now 👍
I'm glad to see this one. Not to see anyone struggle, but to learn what to look for. I'm sure I've had some of this when doing multi state rides in the south, pushing 8-10 hour days and thats on pavement. It's worth learning about the low times and not just the fun easy times. glad to see/hear you are in better shape now. take care.
I hear you Travis. The ORBDR is perhaps not one of the most challenging BDRs for the technical aspects of the riding, but because if 1) it starts in a very remote area, if you had needed assistance where you started feeling the heat stroke effects, it would take a while for the support to arrive (I know this for a fact, I witnessed it in that region of the state/country). And I hear you about not feeling the symptoms of heat stroke, it happens to all of us , even when we know better. b) if someone wants to do the entire thing from section 1 to 7 in one sitting, you either have good temperature at sections 1, 2 and 3, and snow on later sections, or too hot on sections 1, 2 and 3 for no snow on sections 5, 6 and 7. iii) It's long, and it looks like it does not offer much rest miles as you ride it. I've done bits and pieces of several sessions before it was the ORBDR, some of them solo. Now I'm older and I can feel my health declining, not sure I would do any of it solo these days. Maybe knowing someone will ride by and find me... Nah. Looking forward to running into you on a ride in the future.
Oh man! Just had a similar experience on section 3 of WABDR. Absolutely the best conditions I could ask for, but (likely due to my age) was still over exerted and started making mistakes that compounded. Final straw was failing 20 yards from the top of babyhead. Took me an hour to recover the bike so I could ride back down. 3 days later I haven’t recovered from the exhaustion. Lesson learned (I hope). I should have been more clued in to my exhaustion level before taking that on. Feels like I was not far from the level of damage you faced.
Originally from Arizona desert (now Portland 22 years) the desert heat is no joke!! As a kid, pretty easy to deal with, but as an older dude (50) the heat is brutal and harder to deal with as we forget that we ARE older. Heat exhaustion is no joke and I’ve fallen there a few times. Easy to forget about. Thanks for the video reminder that the desert is can take its toll!! I rode back home (AZ) couple years ago into 111 temps. Got to moms and took 5-6 hrs to kool down and feel a little better. Worst part was I thought I was feeling tired so drank caffeine…………made everything 10x worse!!!! Very difficult to ride last miles to moms. I hadn’t recognized the signs either and could have been real bad!! I hope folks see this video and understand the dangers of hot deserts!!! Sisters on to the end of route is pretty fun and much kooler. Thanx for sharing!!!! 🏔🏍🤙🍻
This potent and engaging content couldn't be more important. Thank you for this life saving and educational content. That it is so interesting, especially with the benefit of your hindsight, helps get the message across.
Thanks my brother i saw alot of myself in this vid i live in So oregon and ride alot off road on a GS im 70 years young in good shape i do have A-Vib and on blood thinners just last week im back in the ER. I do ride alot solo my son and wife know how much i love riding they got me a Garmin GPS for a piece of mind i am careful were i ride i know things can change in one turn! I really appreciate your honesty i need to find a buddy to ride with. Ya got me thinking brother thanks and God Bless
I got heat exhaustion on a ride last Friday. Nowhere near as bad as yours, but I was still down the next 3 days, headache, exhaustion, loss of appetite, and apathy. You may have missed the onset, but when you realized it was bad you made very good choices, so no shame brother.
Super glad you are recovering, thank you for the education. The seriousness of this condition is not commonly known, and the lasting effects are hard to deal with. Ride ON.
Thanks for putting this out there and most of all for respecting yourself. It's tough to do. I'm 69 and ride a ktm 390 Adventure. Sometimes it's hard to admit our limitations. Great job Travis
As a older rider I’ve been close to what you’ve experienced. I’ve concluded that for me big bikes have their porpoise but I’ve discovered using a smaller bike is way better! I have a Tenere and a 500 KTM set up for longer distances. Glad you had the good since you break off and re-evaluate. Be well!
I did that exact same wrong turn. I ended up just following the cow trail down the hill and across the field and back to the road. Oregon is a serious route for sure.
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Nothing to be embarrassed about, man. Everyone makes mistakes and it's hard to recognize what's happening while it's affecting you. We're just glad you got home safe.
I admire your authenticity and honesty. Thank you for sharing. It's a great reminder to be vigilant and that we often overlook our own symptoms. I have also suffered from heat stroke and heat exhaustion... Indeed, no fun. Glad to hear you are better and look forward to more video stories. Thanks! 😊
I too have had heatstroke early on in my life. I work outside, in all weather. What’s for sure is it comes out of nowhere. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re in trouble. It’s nothing to play with. Like you said, avoidance is key. Thank you for putting this out as a learning tool for the community. I live with temperature sensitivity now and it gets worse with age. It’s no joke. I’m glad you got help and are recover(ed)(ing). Stay hairy.
As a Canadian and heavy set guy at 58 years and new to motorcycling i found this video spot on. I have not got a lot of medical or first aid training. Something l will updating thos off season. We northerners don't find the high temps you guys get in the States but we are starting to high temps for us now. This was a wake-up call. Be hairy and healthy. Ride on!
Brother, thank you for being so honest. It really helps people learn how to look out for themselves and others. I saw Ben's video and thought I'd learned something, but this video was NECESSARY. I'm going to be doing some desert riding later this year and your input will help keep me safe. Please don't feel too much shame--just like hypothermia, one symptom is a reduced ability recognize symptoms. It was an accident. I'm just glad you survived it. Please be well. Thank you.
Edit: I experienced heat exhaustion recently while driving in my car. No AC, hot weather, bumper to bumper stop and go, very slow. I zoned out twice and just didn't move my car in a merge. Clutch pedal down, in gear, conscious, but didn't recognize when I had to move my car. It took me HOURS afterward to realize that the people honking at me weren't being nasty and aggressive. I was the one messing up, and didn't even realize it. It's so insidious. Again, please don't come down too hard on yourself.
Wow what a scary situation. Thank you so much for putting this whole video out, especially your segment at the end. Stay hairy 🤘
Glad you are feeling better Travis.
it is always more difficult to recognize symptoms in oneself than in others... and once one has started to be affected by heat stroke, one will have even more problems in picking up other symptoms that one would easily have seen in others...
That is also the big problem with dehydration, hypothermia, dry drowning, blood loss etc.
a little tip I learned some years ago:
Often when it is really hot and dry, it is better to have a closed jacket, and try to block the heat out... draining your base-layer in water and close up the jacket will often help, the evaporation of water under the jacket will cool the body, just like when you wrap a can or bottle of drink in a wet towel and put it in the sun.
The constant dry warm wind through a mesh jacket can dry you out extremely fast...
---
Really glad you recovered without more complications...
Hey Travis. I didn't realize how bad it was from Ben's perspective. I realize it when I see it from yours. I'm glad you're ok. It is real and is very scary. I had it happen and the headaches are the worst. Glad you shared and made it!
Thanks for putting this out man. I'm a medic and there's a lot of people that wouldn't recognize what was happening to them. Maybe this can make them more aware of what's happening. Ride on brother!
Glad you are OK! I am 53 years old. I have been in the swimming, pool construction business in the deep south my entire life. The heat always was second nature to me. Then in an instant it almost killed me. I have multiple residual affects from my heat stroke to this day. It’s no joke guys. It’s usually too late once you realize what’s happening. Your video will hopefully let other folks know how quickly and how bad it can turn ugly even if you’re aware of the potential. I no longer participate in any summer time ADV’s. Can’t risk it. No shame in it. Fall and Spring rides only from now on.
Thanks for posting honest video. I saw you on Dork in the Road and conclusion of your adventure was good to see.
TRAVIS.. so sorry I mentioned liquid IV, in Ben's live feed. I also being a FFer and EMT (injured now) I know the warning signs, but it's so hard to see in ourselves....I also have had heat stroke and exhaustion, even when I was given an ill fitting mask during propane fire training, and it was shoved onto my face to "make it fit" w t h ? I actually passed out as 2nd position on the hose...By an out of district Captain, wanting me to go earlier in the training..no bueno...talk about embarrassing! I so appreciate you and your honesty, and we all are just human. You guys had planned this for sooooo long, and watching this, points me back in the direction of a smaller dual sport for my upcoming trip....THANK YOU SO MUCH and I guarantee you have taught many more folks out there the signs that they have not been taught.. Cheers!!
How you handled the situation in the moment, was still more levelheaded than one could have not having had your training. I have tremendous respect for how you self-reflect and the way you assess future plans.
Thanks for putting this (and your other stuff) online, I for one learn a lot.
3:21 I had a hard hit just like that - it was a dip in the road. I was standing up, riding my 450 EXC-F. I hit it hard and it jarred my wrist, and broke it. That was my first ride of the season and probably my last. The incident has changed my though process about riding long trips.
Thanks for sharing your story on this ride, even though things didn't go as anticipated. Your experience and description of the ORBDR has made me decide I won't every ride this BDR. I may even sell my T7. The darn thing weighs three times what I do.
Thank you for putting this out. Heatstroke is not something I’ve taken seriously much, and never really worried about because I suppose I never knew how serious is could be. Glad you made it back safe(ish) and thank you for the cautionary tale.
First, I’m glad you are OK. This video is probably one of the most important ones I have viewed in a while. It’s important for all of us to understand what the symptoms are when dealing with sever heat. Look it up, read about it and don’t push yourself past your limits…listen to your body. My biggest problem, now at 58, my brain seems to think that I’m still in my 20s on a motocross bike and can handle anything.
Trav, one of the qualities that draws me to watch your videos is your humbleness. You were humbled out there. There is no shame in that whatsoever. No matter how hard we try to prepare and execute our perfect plan, things happen out there. I just really appreciate you and how you come back full circle to talk about it. THAT is what makes you different from the masses. We can all take an important lesson from this. Kuddos to Ben & Tim for being there, good dudes. Glad you are still with us brother. Thank you for sharing.
You should never be ashamed of how your body reacts. I think you guys did a great job!
Glad you made it out of there safe! Heatstroke is no joke, you're a stud for pulling through on a big bike. Well done!
I have ridden a lot out there solo and you definitely want to be prepared and in shape. I was underprepared once and "bonked" really hard about 15 miles from the hot springs campground while riding solo, crashed twice because my muscles wouldn't work, had to ditch my bike and walked (ahem, stumbled) like a zombie back. It can be very scary. SE Oregon will humble you.
These aren't directed at you, nor a critique and are more for awareness/discussion.
A key to any activity with exertion in the heat is not just water but water WITH ELECTROLYTES, this is so key. Electrolyte depletion can and usually does render you useless.
Also taking constant little sips from your water bladder is another key, if you end up being thirsty it's too late. Constant sips. A good rule is keeping a fist full of fluid in your stomach most of the time. Not wearing black in these conditions also helps!
The BDR folks would put a few alerts on the first two sections for this coming summer season.
Number 1, informing people that they should leave EARLY to be well on their way before the heat starts. This is a good rule in general when you know its gonna be a hot day.
Number 2, checking the Hart Mountain website for road closure notifications, they keep this very up to date. Had you guys known about this you would have known about the road closure and could have prepared for it with a reroute in advance. Hart Mountain, Steens, etc they keep the road conditions notices up to date because they don't want people getting in a jam way out there. Calling the ranger station a week or two out also helps, they have always answered or called me back. This is especially helpful for the Steens loop, because they grate the road every year (late June into July depending on the year) and if you time it right you can avoid gnarly washboard and have a freshly grated road!
Ultimately riders should do their homework. Spread the word!
Ride safe and thanks for the video as I think it will bring some needed awareness to this section.
Came here after catching Ben's video. Wow, I didn't realize just how bad it was for you. I'm glad you are doing better now, and I appreciate you putting the info out there as a PSA. Who knows who you might save from that kind of experience.
Personally, I can totally relate to overdoing it in heat, as I did it on a job in a crappy situation. That mental fog that comes from it is just how you explain. It's so easy to miss it, because you just can't think straight. It makes it so hard to catch what is happening, so don't feel embarrassed. It can happen to the best of us.
Like you, I was fortunate to have a friend there and I'm glad I did. He got me to stop and cool down, and I think I he saved me from something similar to what you went through. I'm still sensitive to the heat, but I didn't have the level of exhaustion and damage that you did. I was lucky.
I saw the Dork in the Road video and found your video this morning. Heat can get you quick, so don’t feel bad. It got me in 29 Palms in the Marines. I was trying to get my mortar section guns in line and none of my orders were making any sense to anyone else. I couldn’t figure out why nothing I said was making sense to anyone else but was perfectly clear in my mind in the moment. After the USMC, I did land surveying in Houston. I remember having a guy who started talking to a tree one day because the heat fried his brain. Heat stroke is so often fatal, so I’m glad you made it. Thanks for sharing your lesson.
I am very glad you are okay! Thank you for the info.
Thanks for making this video. It's quite a lesson in decision making and support, and it is also enlightening to see Ben's video to experience his perspective.
thank you for sharing your feelings on this trip Travis. You rock buddy! Glad you are feeling better.
Glad you’re safe. There are valuable lessons here - thank you for sharing this very real example of a danger faced out there on an adventure like this. Ride safe and be well!
Thanks for sharing your experience. Glad you’re ok now man!
Nothing to be embarrassed about brother... that's part of the danger when you're in the middle of a heat injury... you dont know it and our drive to push on is hard to ignore.
Thank you for putting this out there as a reminder to us all about how dangerous heat injuries can be.
Keep riding... hope to see you out on the trail sometime.
Thank you! For posting this video. I am new to adventure riding and would like to ride WA BDR. And your video really gives me a lot to think about and how to prepare. So, although you were embarrassed, I am GREATFULL that you did posted this video. Thank you. Al
Great video heat stroke is definitely no joke. I’m 54 and younger in my life in Kansas. I had heat stroke and I had no idea and it was also very embarrassing to me. Thanks for the video. I was also somebody they consider myself an outdoorsman very experienced hiker, and I still overlooked the symptoms. Keep your chin up.
Thanks for this video Trav. It’s good to have what I see as an educational perspective to riding in the heat. Glad you came through and are doing better
Travis I am a Mailman just north of Houston and a walking route. I have lately been taking up to 6 liquid IV pouches in 3 Liters of water and 4+ 28oz Gatorades/Powerades just to make my route each day….
Travis remember heat stress happens SLOWLY and in the moment seeing it and recognizing it can be hard as you justify it away…. Most often recognized by others even in the Navy as a engineer in the steam plants, I had to be told to get checked or even had to tell others as it was common on a cruise in the Persian Gulf to have to put guys in bed after IV rehydration in AC for 24 hours…
It is great you researched heat stress futher and hopefully seared it in your mind and will help prevent a repeat.
God Bless, Take care of you, and it is rough out there and you were at least smart enough to call it day 2 and then again on day 3 and not push a bad situation…….
Maybe you could weekend warrior the BDR and do section 2 one weekend then 3 etc…. Drag Ben along he owes you… LOL
Did most of section 4 and a good part of 5 this weekend actually 🤘
@@ExploreAdventureMoto that is awesome! Just a few sections left and you’ll have it complete! More than one way to skin a cat!
Great to hear your back on the trails!!!
Just glad you are ok
Glad you made it back safe and went to the Dr. To see what was really going on. Good to see your doing better as well
Thank you very, very much for sharing your experience, an experience that can save others.
Authentically valuable video. Solo at 73, southbound on ORBDR camped just north of Christmas Valley. Cold night and the bike nearly did not start in the AM. I decided not wise to venture deeper into the remote section 2 & 1. Your video confirms that was a wise decision on several levels. I experienced heat stroke @ 28 years old. Cramps, disorientation, dizziness and passing out. It’s no joke. Glad your good to go and shared the story.
well done man
You're so awesome dude. Glad you're ok.
Hi, we met at the touratech rally this year; don’t be too hard on yourself, we are all humans and we make mistakes! Good on you for keeping on riding and sharing a difficult experience, thank you, I will try to learn!
Glad to hear your better,early morning is hard sometimes to do BUT,ride before the heat of the day.Keep em coming,love the videos
Hello, glad you are doing better. Thanks for your insight into to situation. Keep riding and exploring!!!
Its great that you shared all of this. Far too many people simply brush it off, or pretend that they are not susceptible to heat stroke and exhaustion. The most noteable thing is that forever after, you ( we ) become even more vulnerable to it next time we encounter those conditions.
Thanks for sharing. During the heat of summer my bike is parked. A man has to know his limits. Be safe!!
Thanks for putting out this video, and please don't be embarrassed. This adventure ride is challenging and can be dangerous. You have all of my respect and I look forward to follow you.
Solid effort fella, don't be embarrassed, even the most experienced of us can get caught out. You knew when to pull the pin and that is the smartest move. I knew crews who would just push on and push on until it's too late. They became statistics. Bloody good to see you live to ride another day. Proud of ya.
Glad to hear you're doing better. Take care.
WOW !! I am Glad you are OK !! i am clueless about medical stuff so thank you for that info at the end and your own openness and honesty to share it !! i took some notes . i am also worried about the heat so ill be carrying water and Pedialite try to take it easy , that a good plan ?? but my son and i are riding the ORBDR from about section 3 on up (starting from Lakeview OR) & through and the first few sections of the WABDR upto Wenatchee starting 08/06 cant wait.. well done ! the most important part/thing of any ride or hunt or hike ect is that everyone gets back home safely and unhurt !!
Learned quite a bit from this, even as a trained EMT (never certified) there were symptoms there that I didn't recognize. 👍 I guess I need an update on my training and maybe some wilderness training too. Glad you're okay.
Wow, just Wow. Oh yeah, I am definitely taking pointers. Glad you're healed up.
Thank you for this update, very glad you made it out of that situation. This is the kind of real world information that's far too easily hidden in the realm of modern content creation, and takes some serious ego wrangling to put out there. But arguably this is some of the most important content, unlike showing when everything goes well this might actually save someone's ass in the future.
Hope you continue to recover and are able to get out there on some of those much more enjoyable adventures!
That heat exhaustin/stroke is no joke and I am glad you made it back safe with lessons learned. Thanks for presenting this topic and showing us your trials, pain, and symptoms. This will help someone in the future possibly me. My old riding buddy was affected by heat and stopped more than once to puke on the trail and suffered from cramps. We were just to young and stupid to realize what was going on. Thanks for being honest and reminding us what to watch for.
I did the same thing in September out here in AZ. Pushed it farther than I should've after running out of water and ended up in the hospital for heat exhaustion. Much more cautious now!
I am positive this video just spared a fellow rider from a really bad day and/or premature demise. ❣
Zero to be embarrassed about, we're all human, and you've done us all a solid by posting your experience so we can all learn. Do the Idaho BDR - you'll love it, nice flowing gravel and packed dirt for days in the Rocky Mtn forests - great camping spots. My friend and I did it on ATs. We skipped section 1 which is mostly open sage country.
Great insight man! We’re all in this sport for the enjoyment of the out doors, being safe is a huge part of that! Thanks for your perspective!
Hope to see you on the trails!
Nothing to be embarrassed about at all. Good on ya for putting it out. I love riding my big bikes, and agree completely with what you said. I like short technical sections, with lots of fun stuff in between. That’s my kind of fun!! Keep the rubber side down 🤟🏼
Thanks for sharing Travis and I'm glad you're alright. It's a great reminder for all of us to take care of ourselves and be there for each other when we're out riding. There's also absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. We all miss little ques or things that may not be right with us. We're all humans and we make mistakes and that's nothing to be embarrassed about. I wish you well and happy riding.
I am glad you made it out of there alive. But I understand why you would want to push yourself and keep up with your buddies at that time. That is a hard situation to deal with. I really appreciate the great comraderie you have with those guys. Again, glad you made it out, and stay safe!
I can’t believe I wasn’t subbed to your channel. Glad to see you’re OK. If anything this video is a great tool for those of us who could find ourselves in the same exact situation and hopefully recognize what’s happening and take action.
Dude! That was some crazy scary stuff! Glad you are doing well now. Great PSA at the end. Totally see how it can sneak up on anyone 🥵🤟🏻😎
Thanks for sharing! Glad you are ok and appreciated that you shared “reality”. Nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about.
I salute you for having the balls to share this. You probably will end up saving a life by having done so. I'm used to hot Alabama summers, with high humidity. I work outside a lot and do have a pretty good habit of hydrating. But as you well know, ANYONE can slip up and once you are behind the curve its almost impossible to catch up. Your experiences will be fresh in my mind when I visit to ride in a couple weeks. I'll be barking "hydrate!" periodically to anyone around to hear.
In my youth I was very well trained in back country rescue and was part of a rescue team. Then I got lost while hunting, it started to snow, and I suddenly realized that I was doing all the things I was taught that people do when lost that get them dead. I fortunately got smart, like you did, and am here today because of it. It can happen to anyone, regardless of training, at any time. Glad you’re a survivor. I hope someday to ride with you on my AT!
Like others, glad you made it out in one piece and your experience and willingness to share it may indeed save a life or help someone avoid serious health incident.
Thanks for sharing. Years ago I hiked Mt. Whitney with my 24 year old son-in-law. He was in training as a firman. A quarter mile from the summit he began evidencing signs of altitude sickness. He stopped and waited with my older brother for the rest of us to summit and return. Had I not known the signs, it could’ve been fatal. Again, thanks for sharing.
Glad you're ok and stopped when you did , good on you for getting this out so other People may recognize symptoms , could save someones Life....
Thanks so very very much for putting this out for us to learn from! Man let us know when you are doing the idbdr, I’d love ride some of it with you! Take care brother!
Video had a lot of great info. I’m glad that you are ok.
Damn man. I knew you'd had a rough go of it, but didn't realize just how severe it was. Thanks for sharing your experience with the rest of us. If it helps out another rider who may not have known the signs to look for in themselves or one of their riding companions, that will definitely be a positive takeaway. I'm glad you were recovered enough to be out there this past weekend, was great chatting with you.
Glad you’re okay! Thanks for the insight into what can happen.
Dude I'm glad you're okay. As I was watching this I realized I gave myself heat exhaustion. I'm glad I watched this
It's a big thing, it's so easy to push too hard, and that part of OR is just harsh on everything, including humans. Its good you put this out, and people listen, it might just save someone else. I really think that southern end of the route, is going to catch a lot of people out and surprise people how hard it is. I hope people watch this kind of video before trying it, and really judge their abilities and their choice of bike when they go do it.
Hi buddy! I watched Dork's video. It's nice to see it from your side!
Spring and fall keep cool good ride ing
Glad to hear that you're doing well now. I live in Las Vegas and have experienced heat stroke myself. It's not too be taken lightly, even commuting across the valley in 110°+ you can get you in trouble.
Again, glad to hear you're doing well.
After spending a good chunk of my life in hot places, one thing I learned early on was to drink water even when you're not thirsty, and that when you are thirsty, its already too late; heat exhaustion is happening! It's always a good thing to live vicariously through the experiences of others. Glad you were able to get out of it okay and have the candor to talk about it.
I am glad you made it out safe!!! Take your time and have fun again. Shit happens … Sometime even riding street bikes. People get in a hurry and things happen out of your control. So go at your speed not the group. Thanks for sharing. Around Bend Oregon out on 2 wheels
Thanks for your video and straight forward presentation. No need to be embarrassed as I am sure that it's happened to many of us me included. Your unfortunate experience has helped me with more knowledge and I thank you for that. Ride whatever makes you smile!
4:18 some amazing views up there!!
Yes, The heat will wreck a rider. 90°+F can catch up to you especially with ATGATT. Thanks for sharing.
I watched Dorks series on this and having seen you struggle and tap out, I’d wondered how you were doing. That really is no joke, fair play for attempting it on the AT, looked bad enough on the CRF. More than anything, fair play for posting this video, it’s great content and could well save someone from doing the same. Nothing to be embarrassed about either, having the knowledge was almost irrelevant, your head wasn’t in the game.
Cheers from 🏴 and hope you’re doing well now 👍
I'm glad to see this one. Not to see anyone struggle, but to learn what to look for. I'm sure I've had some of this when doing multi state rides in the south, pushing 8-10 hour days and thats on pavement. It's worth learning about the low times and not just the fun easy times. glad to see/hear you are in better shape now. take care.
I hear you Travis. The ORBDR is perhaps not one of the most challenging BDRs for the technical aspects of the riding, but because if 1) it starts in a very remote area, if you had needed assistance where you started feeling the heat stroke effects, it would take a while for the support to arrive (I know this for a fact, I witnessed it in that region of the state/country). And I hear you about not feeling the symptoms of heat stroke, it happens to all of us , even when we know better. b) if someone wants to do the entire thing from section 1 to 7 in one sitting, you either have good temperature at sections 1, 2 and 3, and snow on later sections, or too hot on sections 1, 2 and 3 for no snow on sections 5, 6 and 7. iii) It's long, and it looks like it does not offer much rest miles as you ride it. I've done bits and pieces of several sessions before it was the ORBDR, some of them solo. Now I'm older and I can feel my health declining, not sure I would do any of it solo these days. Maybe knowing someone will ride by and find me... Nah. Looking forward to running into you on a ride in the future.
Oh man! Just had a similar experience on section 3 of WABDR. Absolutely the best conditions I could ask for, but (likely due to my age) was still over exerted and started making mistakes that compounded. Final straw was failing 20 yards from the top of babyhead. Took me an hour to recover the bike so I could ride back down. 3 days later I haven’t recovered from the exhaustion. Lesson learned (I hope). I should have been more clued in to my exhaustion level before taking that on. Feels like I was not far from the level of damage you faced.
Originally from Arizona desert (now Portland 22 years) the desert heat is no joke!! As a kid, pretty easy to deal with, but as an older dude (50) the heat is brutal and harder to deal with as we forget that we ARE older. Heat exhaustion is no joke and I’ve fallen there a few times. Easy to forget about. Thanks for the video reminder that the desert is can take its toll!!
I rode back home (AZ) couple years ago into 111 temps. Got to moms and took 5-6 hrs to kool down and feel a little better. Worst part was I thought I was feeling tired so drank caffeine…………made everything 10x worse!!!! Very difficult to ride last miles to moms. I hadn’t recognized the signs either and could have been real bad!! I hope folks see this video and understand the dangers of hot deserts!!!
Sisters on to the end of route is pretty fun and much kooler. Thanx for sharing!!!!
🏔🏍🤙🍻
This potent and engaging content couldn't be more important. Thank you for this life saving and educational content. That it is so interesting, especially with the benefit of your hindsight, helps get the message across.
Thanks my brother i saw alot of myself in this vid i live in So oregon and ride alot off road on a GS im 70 years young in good shape i do have A-Vib and on blood thinners just last week im back in the ER. I do ride alot solo my son and wife know how much i love riding they got me a Garmin GPS for a piece of mind i am careful were i ride i know things can change in one turn! I really appreciate your honesty i need to find a buddy to ride with. Ya got me thinking brother thanks and God Bless
I got heat exhaustion on a ride last Friday. Nowhere near as bad as yours, but I was still down the next 3 days, headache, exhaustion, loss of appetite, and apathy. You may have missed the onset, but when you realized it was bad you made very good choices, so no shame brother.
Great that you decided to be safe, instead of taking chances on the BDR, very smart, even if difficult to make that decision….
I’m glad you called it when you did. You were smarter than most.
That is something I’ve never been accused of before. First time for everything 😂
@@ExploreAdventureMoto That'd make two of us then. I've never been accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed. 😆
Thank you
Super glad you are recovering, thank you for the education. The seriousness of this condition is not commonly known, and the lasting effects are hard to deal with.
Ride ON.
Nothing to be embarrassed about. Just glad that you are OK now.
Thanks for putting this out there and most of all for respecting yourself. It's tough to do. I'm 69 and ride a ktm 390 Adventure. Sometimes it's hard to admit our limitations. Great job Travis
As a older rider I’ve been close to what you’ve experienced. I’ve concluded that for me big bikes have their porpoise but I’ve discovered using a smaller bike is way better! I have a Tenere and a 500 KTM set up for longer distances. Glad you had the good since you break off and re-evaluate. Be well!
Rest up, and come back strong brother!
Excellent video! Thank you!
Heat stroke is no joke been there. I switched all my riding gear to lighter/ vented colors for the summer, warmer riding. It made a difference for me.
I did that exact same wrong turn. I ended up just following the cow trail down the hill and across the field and back to the road. Oregon is a serious route for sure.
You're in my stomping grounds. I was born in Lakeview and spent lots of time at Hart lake, plush and Hart Mountain.