Setting Out

Later in the season when you're in pretty good form, and if you've got no nagging little injuries, the first few miles of any ride are fantastic. When you set out you feel strong, your bike is a fine-tuned machine, you're confident and eager, you're not yet fatigued or slippery with sunbeam sweat.

So it's been for me lately. Like yesterday's 30 mile ride. Sunny, hot weather, the sun still a considerable force even though it's now lower in the sky earlier in the afternoon. I set out around 3:30 PM and felt terrific. And I took a chance of riding out of town via Holden and Brattle St.s, both of which had been grated over and unpaved as of two weeks ago.

There's good news! Holden St, Brattle St and Shrewsbury St have now all been paved. They are rough and dangerous no longer!

Shrewsbury St, paved at last!

Eventually I made my way to Causeway St in Holden, a true gem of a road, nearly bereft of cars.

The beginning of Causeway St in Holden

For a long while I rode alone on this street, several miles probably. Me, the sun, the green, the hum of late summer emanating from the New England roadside botanical abundance. At one point I saw some turkeys.

Turkeys

And then there was the farm.

Climbing toward the farm

Past the farm buildings and cresting the hill

Looking back, over the shoulder

The return part of the ride brought me past the Worcester Airport from the opposite side that I'm used to, which is the Big Climb up from Mill St. Today, it was Cat 4 downhill. It too has recently been paved, it's now like a slightly oily but luxuriant static river of sweet licorice un-flowing down the hillside.