HEAT WAVES

 I ride all year. Each season has its own challenges and joys, and when I’m freezing my fingers off in winter, squinting in the mid-afternoon glare of LED headlights in the dark, I long for summer days and long, late hours of sun. I forget about the other things that come with summer. Heatwaves, which make the tarmac tacky, sticking to tires so every metre is like riding through chewing gum.  The summer traffic, backing up in ways that don’t want to let you through so your air-cooled engine starts to overheat (which at least comes with some notice - that ominous change in the engine note at idle), the sensation of overheating in your gear as soon as you’re doing less than 30mph, or when you get off at the pub. The glare of the sun, which somehow always manages to be at just the wrong angle for your visor, glaring of any and all glass available, strong enough to make even the dirtiest chrome blinding. 

The bugs. Although there have been fewer of those lately, according to the state of my headlight and visor. The peculiar pattern of the tan afforded by summer gloves. 

But none of it outweighs the clear days, the long hours of daylight riding, and the freedom of not having to wear at least four layers against frostbite.