Rides without a goal are good- but they never last. You go out for a pootle to see the Countryside- just stretch the legs a bit or see if the bike still works and a nice downhill suddenly appears. You have to go for it- especially as to have had that downhill- you must have had a hill somewhere that you took in a lower gear than normal (Because it is an easy ride) but you found out that you can get a cadence of 120 uphill. Then there is that rider that turns onto your ride about 200 yards ahead that has to be chased down because he is obviously warming up and you might aswell be sociable. You either don't catch him- or when you do you blast past him because you are in the "Zone" Then there are those tailwinds that just have to be taken advantage of.

I admire your intentions but don't believe you when you say you had an easy ride. There must have been something that got your heart rate out of the resting rate.