The topic of conversation the past week here in Girona has been the heat. It seems like everything is revolving around it at the moment.

Today on the ride I knew it was going to be another brutal day when I was reaching for my water bottle before I was even out of town at nine in the morning. At this point in the day the sky is a clear blue and you can even make out the Pyrenees in the distance. As the day progresses it is as if the sun is so strong that the blue burns off and by late afternoon the sky is a bright white. Something that you wouldn’t dare look directly into.  The mountains become a blur, even the trees and buildings lose their lines. Its hard to make out much of anything other than the sweat pouring down your face.

It is day just like today that you fully understand why siestas were created so many years ago. It simply is impossible to work in the afternoons.  As a cyclist you just have to survive these few hot weeks each year. We ride early, almost two hours before our normal start times the rest of the year. Some even chose to head out before the sun is up, with lights attached to their bars. I guess I just enjoy sleep too much for that.

Our rides become very predictable, with our routes being planned around water stops. Venturing out to a new road or a new climb just doesn’t happen this time in the year.

Off the bike is still all about survival. Drinking cold water to restore the body’s supply and putting off all trips out of the house until the latest moment in the day when the heat is subsiding.   Fortunately for us here in Girona the heat won’t last forever and like the rest of life it seems to pass very quickly.