Winter riding and Embrocation

I have two choices. I can either go with what i know what works, or take a few risks and try new things.

Since riding the lake is a known entity, trying new things seems like a great idea.

Normally, in a 50-65F weather, i would set up my clothing a specific way.  For gloves, I would wear the slimmest fitting fingerless gloves and a pair of large liners over them.  But This time, i tried some winter gloves and taking a pair of small fingerless with me in case my hands got hot.

The trick with winter riding, is not only taking in mind the temperature, but also how long you plan to ride, will the temp increase or decrease, wind velocity, cloud coverage, etc.

Today, 50-60F, sunny and very little breeze.

Not an entire fail, but definitely not the way to go with the gloves. I am going back to my finger-less gloves with liners worn OVER them.  You can strip off the outergloves when your hands get hot and sweaty. 

Second...i wore my Gabba jersey on top of a super warm base layer and a jersey with arm warmers.  Within 15 minutes, it became clear i was wearing too much. Thankfully, my BF offered to carry my Castelli SS gabba.    In the future, the base layer and jersey will be more than plenty for these conditions.

But now lets get to the heart of the experiment.

Embrocation.
I've toyed with this idea for sometime now.  The concept is wearing this balm to heat the skin and muscles, instead of wearing leg warmers.  Leg warmers, in a cross race, can become heavy with mud and water, and not warming at all. Wearing this balm with bring heat to the legs and reduce the need for fabric covering.

I got mad alchemy, referred from a fellow racer chick.  I slathered it on my lower legs and upper arms, as that was where i would have the least amount of covering.

My upper arms immediately started to burn, so i tried to wash it off.  It seemed to calm down, so i left it at that and went on my way.

After yanking off my gabba, i continued to ride.  when my hands become too hot, i switched to my summer gloves.  The backs of my hands began to burn.  Damn you Embro, you somehow managed to get on the back off my hands, probably when i washed my hands.

The more we rode, the less the burning became and the wind wicked the burn out of the balm.

Once we stopped for a snack at the local bar, the burning started again. Tolerable during dinner,  I rode home thinking the worst was over.

I am wrong a lot, but i was SO much wrong on this stuff.

I took a warm shower, and my upper arms and lower legs began to really burn. CAn this shit be water activated???

A bike shop owner had previously suggested some embro wash. I happened to have it. All it did, was make the stuff burn more.

Standing in the shower, begging for relief, i finally had to towel off and look for another solution.

OMG my body was really on fire.  I frantically ran to the nearest computer and desperately looked up solutions.

Here it is.

Take a folded paper towel. Poor a few drops of any dishwashing liquid.  Run under cold cold water and lather up the towels.  Then wipe it over the affected skin.

You might need a few applications. I needed two.  Suddenly the skin eased up, and the heat subsided to a more tolerable level.

I now refuse to touch an of that skin until tomorrow morning. I'll like with the thin layers of dried soap on my skin, if the burning doesn't return.

So that embro, stayed hot SIX FREAKING hours after I initially applied it.

Honestly, I cannot see the benefit to this stuff.  I am convinced i am using it incorrectly, but the couple we ran into at the bar, good friends of mine, just laughed hysterically at my plight. As they should, because damnit, this is just so ME.

I have never been accused of sacraficing style over comfort. I really don't care.  As an athlete, the game is the key, not how I look doing it. But F ME, I will never use embro again.

Unless someone has some advice on how to use it properly, so ends my Embro adventure.

Btw..as i speak, my leg is heating up again.  Time for more cold soap...

Clear skies!!