It’s still broiling here. Most days in the last week and a half, we’ve had heat advisories; and today there’s an excessive heat warning. So we have to find a way to beat the heat.

One way is to ride early in the day; but now that I’m retired, that’s less easy than it used to be. If I don’t set my alarm clock, I might not even wake up before 8:00 am; and it could be an hour before I get out on the bicycle. By then, the temperature is already well into the  80s!

Today I got going around 7:20 am; and five miles or so from home, I got a flat tire. That’s the second one in less than ten days! I don’t know what’s going on; I use tire liners. Do I need new tires?

Luckily another rider helped me; and in fact, to be honest, he did all the work. After I got home and stowed the bike, I walked to the bike shop to buy supplies; namely: two new tubes and four CO2 cartridges.

I’m left me wondering whether I would have gotten a flat at all, if I had followed my original plan for this morning: a trip to Whole Foods; and only then a ride. But when I saw how hot it already was shortly past seven o’clock, I decided to ride.

Even at night, it’s still broiling. Last night it didn’t get below the mid-80s. It’s going to be a long, hot Summer!