Dehydration = bad

I'm not a fan of dehydration. First, it makes it hard to pedal a bike. But that's really secondary. What I dislike most about it, is how thirsty you are for the entire freaking day after a lengthy, high-temperature ride. I've consumed at least a gallon of various beverages (Diet Coke, Hawaiian Punch, 7-up, strawberry milk, water, Gatorade) since the end of today's ride, and I'm still thirsty! But my stomach is full to bursting. So even though I want to drink, I'm afraid to. A burst stomach can't be good for you.
Managed to slip between two major thunderstorm cells today. There was one to the east, and one to the west. Lightning, curtains of rain, the whole shebang. Nothing where I was, except wind. Towards the end of the ride, energy flagging from dehydration, the wind shifted and the temperature dropped. I hightailed it home, but the rain never showed.

Although I knew I'd be dehydrated riding today (still dehydrated from yesterday, after all) I went anyhow. And as it happens, it was a good move. Forecast for the week looks pretty storm-intensive. I don't mind riding in the rain so much, but lightning makes me twitchy. Get it? Twitchy? Tough crowd.