Pretty morning - 70 degrees, sunny and calm. Tried a different route in today - not nearly as beautiful as my usual route, but also on pavement all the way (no need to carry the bike 1/2 mile up a steep unpaved trail at the very end.)

Upside: it's fast! (a bit over 13 miles, which I covered in under an hour).

Downside: about 3 of those miles are on a very busy road sandwiched between an industrial zone and a military base - lots of traffic, trucks, and the occasional F-16 overhead. (those things are LOUD.)

Provisional verdict: useful for when it's wet, but probably not my preferred route. Though I'll try it a couple more times, and scout around for some alternates that might cut down the time I have to spend on the arterial.