It’s the longest day of the year, and is it ever a scorcher. Ninety-nine in the Duke City at the moment. A tip of the sweatband to Willis Haviland Carrier, who gave us air conditioning.
Got a couple nice rides in recently as part of a concentrated effort to (a) not read every word written online about the Charleston massacre, and (2) not apply for emigration to Mars.
On Friday, Adventure Cyclist contributor Merrill Callaway and I rode down to Two Wheel Drive on Central to chat a while with owner Charlie Ervin. If you’re ever in Albuquerque make sure you pop into Charlie’s shop. Lovely people, a friendly dog, and bike stuff, too. If TWD had a taqueria, bar and swimming pool the place would be perfect. But then pretty much anyplace would be, que no?
On Saturday Herself and I rode out to Tijeras and back. She claimed afterward that she would have ridden faster without me. I proposed that she get in line with all the other people who are faster than me. That would be quite the paceline.
The underpass above is about the only shade between here and there and back again, so it seems that I must become an early riser if I’m to be cycling up to Madrid, Santa Fe and points north in this brand-new summer.
But I’d have to get up very early in the morning to even come close to thinking about maybe, possibly, approaching the marker that our most recent guest at Chez Dog has laid down.
First, he cycled from Las Vegas to Bibleburg for a nephew’s wedding. Then he rode up Pikes Peak.
Mad Blog Media 
Yes, happy Solstice to all you folks out there. Was going to post something myself in the way of a pretty picture, but after spending the better part of two hours fixing the Cannonball, all I wanted was to um….power wash the deck, do the shopping, and finally sit down with a cold one.
It has been a bit warm down here as well. Riding must start early, as I assume ex-Tucson resident Patrick remembers.
Well shit fellas, it’s only 92 over here; but it’s a wet heat, so there you go.
Hot here in SoCal too. Looks like everyone’s getting hit with solstice heat.
Morning rides to the office have been perfect however. Cool and clear.
Late afternoon rides from the office are a sweat fest. Thankfully I finished the outdoor shower earlier this spring. A godsend 🙂
Looks like you celebrated in fine fashion!
Willis Carrier for sainthood! Think about it. All the saints we have either are martyrs or did something great for some people. And for the most part the selection is self serving on the part of the Catholic Church, which picked them to help promote their religion.
Let’s pick the real saints, who had a positive impact on the entire human species. Carrier benefited millions. How about Norman Borlaug too? Robert Noyce?
Not too hot here in Italia on the longest day of the year. On the sea just north of the Cinque Terre we could sleep with the windows open for natural A/C.
http://cycleitalia.blogspot.it/2015/06/vineyards-to-sea-2015-part-two.html
Nice Larry! And Patrick, I will ride with you. We appear to be going about the same average speed. When someone yells “on your left” when passing me my response is always “everyone is on my left.”
Thats for the shop recommendation, if I am ever in Albuquerque to make that left turn I will check it out. While the don’t have a taqueria or pool Velo Cult in Portland Or, does have a bar, coffee and occasional life music.