The perfect ride

After weeks of obnoxiously hot weather, the last week has been obnoxiously wet. Heavy rain, solidly, for days.

This morning I woke up and found the perfect cycling day: cool, crisp, cloudy. Too good to pass up.

I met up with Ross and Adriano and off we went on a new route of Ross' making, which turned out to be probably the nicest route I've ever ridden. A bit of everything: tricky climbs, ripping descents, rolling countryside. Almost total solitude. Really amazing.

The weather held. Cloud cover kept the temperatures down around 20C - a rare pleasure at this time of the year! We rode in and out of low clouds, through occasional sprinklings of drizzle... relishing each refreshing second.

This... this was one of those rides that reminds you why you love cycling. It was PERFECT.

At the top of the first major climb out of Arashiyama.

Rice paddies up in the mountains.

On the bridge before Hiyoshi Dam.

Hiyoshi Dam.

Adriano posing in front of Hiyoshi Dam, looking way too happy!

...and Ross, looking way too serious...

The route is so good, in fact, that I've offered to ride it again with Grecia tomorrow. I forsee pain in my future!