Watch out for the heat.

Good morning all! With temps expected to reach above 100 degrees this week. I thought I’d pass along some needed information. One way to avoid any of these illnesses is to stay hydrated. Consume at least 1 bottle of water per hour while exerting. Electrolyte replacement and food is also very important.

Recognize and care for heat related emergencies

Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms that usually occur in the legs or abdomen caused by exposure to high heat and humidity and loss of fluids and electrolytes. Heat cramps are often an early sign that the body is having trouble with the heat.

• Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. Lightly stretch the affected muscle and replenish fluids.
• Give a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not give liquids with alcohol or caffeine in them, as they can make conditions worse.

Heat exhaustion typically involves the loss of body fluids through heavy sweating during strenuous exercise or physical labor in high heat and humidity.

• Signs of heat exhaustion include cool, moist, pale or flushed skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea; dizziness; weakness; and exhaustion.
• Move the person to a cooler place. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths or towels to the skin. Fan the person. If the person is conscious, give small amounts of cool water to drink. Make sure the person drinks slowly. Watch for changes in condition.
• If the person refuses water, vomits or begins to lose consciousness, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

Heat stroke (also known as sunstroke) is a life-threatening condition in which a person’s temperature control system stops working and the body is unable to cool itself.

• Signs of heat stroke include hot, red skin which may be dry or moist; changes in consciousness; vomiting; and high body temperature.
• Heat stroke is life-threatening. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately.
• Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the person’s body by giving care as you would for heat exhaustion. If needed, continue rapid cooling by applying ice or cold packs wrapped in a cloth to the wrists, ankles, groin, neck and armpits.

Be safe and keep it upright! Happy Trails…..Mike

What drives you?

I thought we’d do a little Q&A for today’s blog. Well actually just one question. I know why I started cycling, but I want to hear from you. Why do you ride? We all have motivators in our lives. Be it weight loss, putting the base miles on before RAGBRAI or even training for a race. After last Wednesday nights grueling 100+ degree ride, it became obvious to me that most of us ride because we love it. Why else would 30+ people show up for a mid-week ride in insane temps? So…tell me your story. Tell me what drives you!

Be safe and keep it upright! Happy Trails…..Mike

No longer an intern!

After a grueling and exhausting 80+ hours interning at Kyle’s Bikes, I have completed my internship. This was an experience I won’t soon forget. I went in to this with the realization that I would learn something. And boy did I.

I learned that Kyle, RaeAnn, and everyone associated with Kyle’s Bikes and Discount Tri Supply are tops in their industry. Who wouldn’t want to work here? The vast knowledge base that our staff has is second to none. The best part is that they truly care for our customers.

Now that my internship is completed, I have been appointed the Social Media Guru by none other than Kyle himself. Among other duties as assigned, I will be updating our social media sites. Facebook and Twitter have become such an important part of our lives. So keep your eyes open and look for future postings. If your not already a friend on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, take the time to do so.

I will continue to be in and out of the shop from time to time. So stop by and say hi.

Be safe and keep it upright! Happy Trails…..Mike

Silent Auction today at Kyle’s Bikes

Become A Superhero – Join us for a silent auction to help those that can’t!

A Silent Auction to Benefit

the At Children’s Project

Wednesday June 27th

BECOME A SUPERHERO

Join Us For A Silent Auction To Help Those That Can’t

Wednesday June 27, 2012

ALL DAY

Kyle’s Bikes, 1840 SW White Birch Cir. Ankeny

Kyle’s Bikes is hosting a silent auction on behalf of

AT CHILDREN’S PROJECT & WORTH THE HURT

A host of packages, food, and beverages will be at Kyle’s Bikes.

Event to conclude by 7:30 pm

EXCULSIVE OLYMPIC MERCHANDISE, ATHLETIC GEAR, APPAREL, AND MORE ALL UP FOR BID

Please help me, Jason Bernstein, as I set out to run an ultra-marathon (52.4 miles) in San Francisco, CA. I am doing this event on behalf of Worth the Hurt. This is a new company attempting to help athletes generate donations for a charity of their choice. My charity, AT Cure, is a small tight knit family charity.

 

The disease Ataxia-telangiectasia is a terminal genetic disease that combines the worst qualities of Multiple Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Cystic Fibrosis, Immune deficiencies, and cancer. Children are often confined to wheelchairs by age ten and do not survive their teens. This disease affects nearly 500 families’ nation wide and currently there are 4 families affected in Iowa.

 

I sincerely appreciate your support in my effort to reach $10,000 in donations before my event in July.

 

On behalf of those kids that can’t, I have dedicated my entire season to helping them with every event, and every step I take. I challenge you to find a cause and make a difference in other families that need it.

Feel free to donate online under my name at www.worththehurt.net

Online donations are welcome under my name at the above website.

Today’s employee profile is all about Kobi!

This is the third installment of our employee profiles. Say hello to Kobi.

1. Name? Kobi V.

2. Hometown? Elkhart, Iowa

3. Education Background? North Polk High School and Grand View University with Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Minor in Chemistry.

4. Current Position? Manager of Morale.

5. What got you interested in cycling? Watching the Elkhart Time Trials that went right by my house.

6. What do you like best about working at Kyle’s? I get to do what I love and work with the best people in the business.

7. How long have you worked here? About 3 months.

8: If you could have any bike in the store, which one would it be? S-Works Venge

9. What is your bike accessory you can’t live without? Helmet

10. Where do you see your self in 5 years? Right here! Just with a bigger desk.

Become A Superhero – Join us for a silent auction to help those that can’t!

A Silent Auction to Benefit

the At Children’s Project

Wednesday June 27th

BECOME A SUPERHERO Join Us For A Silent Auction To Help Those That Can’t Wednesday June 27, 2012 ALL DAY Kyle’s Bikes, 1840 SW White Birch Cir. Ankeny Kyle’s Bikes is hosting a silent auction on behalf of AT CHILDREN’S PROJECT & WORTH THE HURT A host of packages, food, and beverages will be at Kyle’s Bikes. Event to conclude by 7:30 pm EXCULSIVE OLYMPIC MERCHANDISE, ATHLETIC GEAR, APPAREL, AND MORE ALL UP FOR BID Please help me, Jason Bernstein, as I set out to run an ultra-marathon (52.4 miles) in San Francisco, CA. I am doing this event on behalf of Worth the Hurt. This is a new company attempting to help athletes generate donations for a charity of their choice. My charity, AT Cure, is a small tight knit family charity.   The disease Ataxia-telangiectasia is a terminal genetic disease that combines the worst qualities of Multiple Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Cystic Fibrosis, Immune deficiencies, and cancer. Children are often confined to wheelchairs by age ten and do not survive their teens. This disease affects nearly 500 families’ nation wide and currently there are 4 families affected in Iowa.   I sincerely appreciate your support in my effort to reach $10,000 in donations before my event in July.   On behalf of those kids that can’t, I have dedicated my entire season to helping them with every event, and every step I take. I challenge you to find a cause and make a difference in other families that need it. Feel free to donate online under my name at www.worththehurt.net Online donations are welcome under my name at the above website.

Today’s Employee Profile.

This is the second installment of our employee profiles. Say hello to Alex.

1. Name? Alex P.

2. Hometown? Urbandale, IA

3. Education Background?  Mechanical Engineer student at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

4. Current Position? Assistant to the Head Mechanic

5. What got you interested in cycling? I started mountain biking when I was younger and my passion for cycling just grew from there.

6. What do you like best about working at Kyle’s? Awesome knowledgeable co-workers and the privilege  to assist people to help them get out on their bikes.

7. How long have you worked here? 1 1/2 years.

8: If you could have any bike in the store, which one would it be? Specialized Demo 8.

9. What is your bike accessory you can’t live without? Bike Computer.

10. Where do you see your self in 5 years? Working for Specialized designing bikes.

All-Carbon water bottle cages on sale!

Mike the Crazy Intern has a special deal today. While supplies last, all Serfas All-Carbon water bottle cages are 20% off. These cages are as light as 22g. Perfect for someone concerned about their bicycle weight.

Employee Profile – 10 Questions with Darrick.

Today’s blog is going to focus on one of our employees. This will be an on-going process to introduce the great staff we have here at Kyle’s. Come in and say hi!

1. Name? Darrick W.

2. Hometown? Waukee, IA

3. Education Background? Studied Culinary Arts at DMACC.

4. Current Position? Head Mechanic

5. What got you interested in cycling? My mother and sister got me in to cycling when they announced they were going to ride RAGBRAI.

6. What do you like best about working at Kyle’s? The laid back atmosphere and great customers that walk in the door.

7. How long have you worked here? 1 1/2 years.

8: If you could have any bike in the store, which one would it be? S-Works Venge.

9. What is your bike accessory you can’t live without? Bike Computer.

10. Where do you see your self in 5 years? Still here!

You want me to do what?

Just another typical day at Kyle’s. Hearing that sigh as I walk in the door. “The intern is here”. Not spoken in an upbeat manner but a “Oh great…the intern is here”. After the usual greeting from the mechanic staff, we do the morning roll out of the bikes. After scraping my right calf on what appeared and felt like 60 grit sandpaper and uttering a few choice words to myself, I was ready for what I hoped would be a highly educational day in the trenches. I’m doing an internship right? What is an intern? Websters defines an intern as an advanced student or graduate usually in a professional field gaining supervised practical experience. So that was my goal today. Tear apart a bike, clean and lube the components, and put it all back together. Luckily for me, it was my own personal bike that I was about to put in to little pieces on the floor of the shop. Apparently, using the wrong tool for the job will get someones attention and the “educational process” begins. All in all, it worked out in the end. And no extra parts were left behind on the bench. A big thanks to Darrick and Kobi for their guidance in my time of need. Oh what will tomorrow bring?

PS. Today’s food/coffee run was to IHOP. Who eats waffles for lunch?

Be safe and keep it upright! Happy Trails…..Crazy Mike