nun

Last Saturday I did my first century of the season doing a loop out past Boston's 495 through Hudson, Bolton, Harvard and Westford and back into Boston. At mile 50ish I was going up a hill and the forecast showers decide to become fairly heavy rain for about 15 mins. I was having a good ride, but at that point I thought "Why am I out here doing this?". After I got home I had a warm shower and as the heat seeped into me, and I washed the combination of road dirt and salty dried sweat off my face I felt great having completed the season's first 100 miles.

Then I realized I only do the cycling so I can feel that good after a shower........

dejansen

You got a point. Sometimes I have to remind myself how lucky I am to be out riding in the countryside, soaking up the sunshine when it seems like all I'm focused on is completing my loop.

knatchwa

absolutely to enjoy the experience not just to have it.

sringlee

What route did you take? I need a good idea for a Saturday century, out and back from Jamaica Plain. I was thinking of Boston to Provincetown on the Saltonstall bikeway, taking the ferry back, but yours sounds like a good alternative.

nun

My ride was basically the Apple Hill Long ride on this link.

https://www.crw.org/CueSheets/index.htm#West

I took the Minuteman trail out to the start in Concord and a diversion into Hudson to have breakfast. It's a pretty ride with a couple of short, but steep gradients

thePig

It is strange that things can be so much better after a really long ride. Showers are one of those things, beer is another :-)

nun

Yes showers and beer are good. After my ride and shower I was going to have a beer, but instead had the
first Pimms of the year. If you aren't familiar with this cocktail here's a link

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimm%27...%28cocktail%29

thePig

Yep, Pimms is a good idea. Is just becoming the weather for it.