hack hack

[fastrog]

anybody having breathing/severe allergy issues on the transam in western kentucky? i had red eyes, scratchy throat after resuming my tour this year. coughed all night, breathing not right on the climbs, etc. went to an urgent care in owensboro and was diagnosed with severe upper respiratory infection, given an antibiotic and a steroid and told not to ride for two days. the doctor says it is "going around" and a fried with a business 100 miles away says many of his employees have had it. anyone ride with one of those neck/face covers or with a medical mask?

[staehpj1]

500 miles south of there in Tallahassee lots of folks seem to have a similar bug this year.  It has been pretty persistent and hangs on quite a while.
On the other hand you will get similar symptoms when there are either wild fires or controlled burns.  Sometimes I get symptoms before I can tell it is smoke.

[John Nettles]

I tried riding once in a mask due to dust but it was miserable.  However, last year I had a Japanese guy stay with us (via WarmShowers) and he rode in the full on sun-protection mode, i.e. La brim helmet cover, bandana over back of neck and face, long sleeved shirt, long pants, and even full-length finger gloves.  I would have suffocated but I guess you get used to it.

Anyway, you already have the virus so a mask won't really help I would think.  Be sure to finish the prescribed doses of antibiotics.  Don't pull the "I feel better now so I will save these for later" routine as it is the last tough little bugs to die that make life miserable.  In a week's ride you will be 350 miles away and hopefully away from the infected area.

Tailwinds, John

[bbarrettx]

If the respiratory issues persist I'd try to get on Advair or equivalent. I finished up a XC tour last summer that had been halted in Wisconsin the previous summer due to my riding partner's injury, and I was quite ill with a respiratory illness for six weeks prior to the tour resumption. They got me all jacked up on Prednisone so I could train but it interfered with my ability to regulate heat and, of course, we had temps in the 90's for the first week. I also had crazy allergies, likely because I was coming off of Prednisone and my body was overreacting to everything. The only thing that worked for me was Advair. It's expensive, but it's what got me through the tour. I hope you heal up soon!

[BikePacker]

Slow 'n' lower mileage yet healthy is probably better than otherwise;
hence, less can be more.
Also, for me anyway, any time I am on any meds I may not be as alert
(& therefore more prone to injury) even though I may feel more alert.

[jbaker]

I've been really sensitive to smoke since my house burned down six years ago and I inhaled a lot of smoke while I was trying to keep the fire from spreading before the fire fighters arrived.  When wildfire smoke is bad, I use a mask similar to this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077ZQ36SM/
when I'm riding.  It has a one-way valve, so it doesn't interfere with your breathing as much as masks without one.  I don't love it, but it keeps me riding.

[staehpj1]

I've been really sensitive to smoke since my house burned down six years ago and I inhaled a lot of smoke while I was trying to keep the fire from spreading before the fire fighters arrived.  When wildfire smoke is bad, I use a mask similar to this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077ZQ36SM/
when I'm riding.  It has a one-way valve, so it doesn't interfere with your breathing as much as masks without one.  I don't love it, but it keeps me riding.

Smoke from canadian fires is dipping all the way to close to where you (the OP) are.  Also there are small wildfires all over the southeast.  https://wildfiretoday.com/2019/05/30/maps-wildfire-smoke-conditions-and-forecast/

Wildfire smoke has been a big challenge for me in recent years on backpacking and bike touring trips, especially in the Sierras, but it can be bad elsewhere too.

[jbaker]

It was a problem over the weekend, but seems to be improving (the smoke drift in Montana, not the fires in Alberta).