Maple Syrup Ride

Did a bit of exploring yesterday and I think I have found close to the most awesome route around here - cannot wait to go back and try a variation with a bit less main road and a bit more exploring of the hills in the north.  http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1411544  This ride has the highlights of starting place a short half hr drive from my home- and 15 min from a Pho restaurant to grab carryout on the way home.  Cycle friendly roads the whole way.  Some opportunities for solid efforts on hills and fun descents.  Shade.  Goes by appealing farms in the hills with the opportunities for a stop for ice cream here https://plus.google.com/116956412404407061357/about?gl=us&hl=en.  Ice cream comes in a portion size perfect for mid ride and tastes incredible - favored with maple syrup from the farm.  Also has a stop at a public water fountain with shade and park bench in Townsend. 

Other cycling misadventures - last weekend - threw the chain a few miles into what promised to be a fun race at Purgatory.  Had a fairly solid and enjoyable 50 mile TT after that - just too out of shape to catch back on.  Did manage (true sign of out of shapeness) to tweak my lower back grinding up the little wall there which has put a damper on subsequent efforts this week.  Had intended to go to Wells (practice crit) 3 times now and keep finding excuses 1 rain, 1 got an invite for social ride, today used the back and Patrick's reluctance to drive an hour when we plan to entertain this afternoon and have massize clean up to do yet as an excuse.  Not getting any faster here.

I have overall felt considerably better this spring than all previous here.  Better rested, less irritable, more able to clear the mind.