Our travels through Mexico have been unmistakeably hot.  Some sections have been defined by a dry desert sun cracking the earth and melting the tar on the road, where my sweat evaporates before it has a chance to cool me off and once I remove my gloves assume a statuesque pose, as if my hand was still there.  More recently, it has been a humid heat, where sweat pools up on my arms and saturates all my clothes.  In either situation, after multiple hours of riding, mere water does not suffice.  You need the salts that you have just sweated out in the hours of riding.

   While inexpensive and accessible anywhere in Canada and the United States, electrolyte powders such as Gatorade are impossible to find in Mexico (unless, we´ve been told, you go to Wal-Mart).   Some people may find the Wal-Mart or have some shipped to them en route.  

 The dirtbag solution is to go to any of the local community health centers or hospitals and get ”Vida Suero” with a picture of a chubby baby in a diaper with one tooth and red cheeks.  It has all the salts you will need and it is given away FREE.  It is just the salts and somewhat unpalatable during a ride.

So we´ve been mixing it with a tiny portion of Zuko.  A fruit juice powder that does not require sugar, because there is a disgusting amount already.  

The better blends have included a half package of Suero mixed with 1/5th  of a Zuko package.   And the dirtbag has their own sports bevergage powder at the cost of a few dimes.   

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We will post more Dirtbag Tips periodically.  We´ve got a bunch!!