BONITA (KGTV) — Eric Quillen has been riding the trails in San Diego for 12 years.
"For me, it’s my exercise. It’s my hobby. It’s my passion. Everything I do," says Quillen.
When it’s hot, he prepares for a ride at least a day before and carries several bottles of water.
"Typically, 24 hours of hydration prior to the day; 48 hours for some. It’s not something you can do just during the ride or workout. You can’t all of a sudden think you are carrying two water bottles, and it’s going to be fine outside," said Quillen.
Quillen and a group of volunteers from the San Diego Mountain Biking Association are helping resurface the Sweetwater Bike Park in Bonita.
Earlier this week, a mountain biker from Otay Mesa died after helping dehydrated hikers in triple-digit heat.
The biking group said they were sad to hear about the death of a fellow rider over the weekend in the Jacumba Mountains.
"It's always gut-wrenching to find out a fellow mountain biker lost their life," said Quillen.
The recent heat wave is a reminder of how brutal the summer heat can be. Some mountain bikers say to pack plenty of water and never put yourself in jeopardy.
"It’s kind of a thing in our mountain biking community. You always check on someone who might have a flat tire or needs a snack. But you do have to be careful. If you do come across someone who is in distress," said Susie Murphy.
She is the executive director of the San Diego Mountain Biking Association.
"When there is a heat advisory in the summer, and it's this warm, go out early or as the sun is going down. Those are great times to ride," said Murphy.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help with the funeral and memorial expenses for Kai Torres Bronson.
