Riding at Altitude

. . I have a new neighbor.  He is a mountain biker who has ridden off-road from the Canadian border to Mexico and routinely mountain bikes in Colorado.  I brought this link up to get an idea as to what he might do.  However, the important aspect is he has lots of experience riding at altitudes that we'll find in Wyoming.  So I asked him for advice.
. . He told me that he has a regimen that he follows.  The two most important parts of it is 1) he starts taking ginkgo biloba (80-120 mg/day) a couple of weeks prior to the ride, and 2) he drinks lots of water.  I paid especial attention to the water because that has always been my nemesis.  He did not warn of any serious experiences that he had.
. . The primary benefit of gingko is that it improves blood flow to the brain, which translates to more oxygen to the brain in these thin atmospheres and prevents against hypoxia (which can develop at altitudes over 5000 feet).  Here's a link to WebMD regarding gingko. 
. . Most people underestimate their water needs, because at altitude perspiration is not obvious and signs of loss are not obvious.I have heard that dehydration is a common altitude problem.
. . Then there are the obvious recommendations of acclimating at least 2 days at altitude and avoiding alcohol.
. . Altitude sensitivity is a personal thing.  I have skied and hiked at 11,000 feet with no noticeable effects of altitude, but I planned to be cautious because that was done before I had to make routine visits to a cardiologist.