Pfingsten - The heat is on

Pfingsten (Pentecost) weekend brought the first of the summers heat - and today it was 25 degrees at 8am in Freiburg. The first challenge of the day would be getting the bike to Freiburg. A quick check on the timetable showed many trains, but all InterCity Express trains, which do not allow bikes. For the next two weeks, some construction work is taking place so there are no local trains between Basel and Freiburg. This means more ICE trains, so in a way in Germany when theres construction on the line, the service improves! (only if you want to go from Basel to Freiburg of course)
Normally its easy to avoid the ICE trains in Switzerland, as there are so many regional trains which travel the same speed.  Today I took out the rinko bag I used to use on the trains in Japan, it covers the bike completely apart from the saddle, and no questions were asked so I arrived in Freiburg a mere 31 minutes later, ready to roll.

Maibaum -May tree - Bernau

The roads were nice out to Kirchzarten, then right up to Schauinsland, fast down to Todtnau then a long climb up and over the Feldberg. I've done this once before, and I remember its not nice, far too much traffic. Quick loop of Titisee, Schluchsee then the heat really was building. 37, 38 - my only thought now was to get back home and out of the heat, so no extra climbing of Gersbach but straight down the Wehrtal. It was here that a fast group from VMC Liestal overtook me, so I sprinted and jumped on the trail as we raced down the gorge. Too much work in this heat? Could be, but I just wanted to get home at this point.
Luckily they were taking the same route, down to Wehr, turn right along to Rheinfelden and fill water bottles/refresh/swim in the water fountains before the final segment. A fast group, and they invited me to Wednesday evening rides, I could look into this.
Highest temperature ever seen on the Garmin, 40.5 degrees!