Great ride this morning with four friends: http://www.sportstracklive.com/track...g/1104335/full

Mostly calm, unseasonably cool (63F when I got up at 4:30 am ) and flat. Plus, with four riders I can take my turn at the rear longer. One flat (not mine) less than 3 miles into the ride. A few dogs, none too serious. Virtually no traffic on the back roads. One black cat crossed our path, but the flat earlier seems to have satisfied that.