Unless you felt like you had worked hard for that 35 miles, it doesn't sound like you are in need of a "recovery" ride.
3000 miles a year averages to 9 a day. Hardly strenuous for most humans.
But for the sake of improvement, rest and recovery are more important than the effort/ workout. Like others here, sometimes I have trouble going slow. But once you figure it out, the gains come better.
For fun, here's an oldie but goodie.
Fat Cyclist » Blog Archive » The Fat Cyclist Explains: How to Do a Recovery Ride