Originally Posted by Minerva

Well, the ride in was great. Unfortunately, I got all excited on the way home and decided to try an untested route that I envisioned would bring me down beautiful country lanes with wide shoulders and light traffic; past farms, parks and gardens. It would be an extra 2 miles, but based on the aerial map, it looked worth it. Worst darn mistake ever. Instead of bucolic farms and serenity, I was gripping my handlebars on winding backroads that had no shoulder and traffic that whipped around each corner at 40 mph. 13 miles of nerve-shattering cycling; cars passing within inches, not knowing what was coming around every corner. I passed what must have been the biggest cemetary in history, and at one point, I saw the disturbing remains of what was once someone's blinkie.

When I finally rolled into familiar territory, I had a wizard-of-oz like homesickness for my usual route. There's no place like home... there's no place like home...