Got really sick. Lost a lot of weight.
Gave a speech, ended up in the Bremerton ER having fluids put in me. Had to cancel my first book thing.
Recovery, recovery.

Therefore, I offer this guide to sports drinks. Generally, I water these down a little for on-bike use, as the in-a-bottle versions are a little too sweet (compare Gatorade from concentrate prepared according to directions to the store-bought), but for sitting-around-rehydrating, they’re just flat soda without the caffeine.

Gatorade
Lemon-lime: the classic, the one I drink when on bike rides. Turns a little gross when it’s all you’re drinking.
Lemon-lime+berry: that solves it. Delicious.
Orange: ick
Fruit Punch: I never liked fruit punch for the weird aftertaste, but alternating with lemon-lime, it’s quite nice.
Cool-blue: yech
Berry: this is like what “blue” fruit-flavored gum tastes like, but worse.
Ice Punch: okay

Then Powerade was on sale, and I’m unemployed and cheap, so I bought a ton of those.

Powerade
Lemon-Lime: this is a little more lime than Gatorade’s flavor. Nice.
Orange Burst: slightly grosser than Gatorade’s gross orange
Fruit Punch: the same as Gatorade
Black Cherry Lime: mmm
Mountain Blast: another “blue” fruit one, but a lot less flavor. Not bad.
Jagged Ice: I didn’t think I’d like a purple one, but this was okay.
Grape: tastes like a grape-flavored gum, or “purple” on the artificial candy-flavoring chart. Ugh.
Arctic Shatter: I don’t even know what to say about this one. It’s white and tastes a little like a genetically cross-bred fruit’s ass.
Green Squall: super-bright green, kinda good
Strawberry Melon: like two liquified Jolly Ranchers. A little much.