I had some time in the late afternoon and, based on a quick check of the weather radar, and an unwillingness to go on yet another BFRT run, decided on a short but intense ride, mostly on roads. However I was momentarily without more than a mini pump and so once again needed to keep a modest pace downhill into Chelmsford center until I could properly top off at the tool station at the Brickhouse. The BFRT then served as the quickest connector to where I was really headed, i.e. the quiet roads on either side of the Chelmsford/Carlisle line and the cranberry bog. This is fairly flat terrain and served nicely as no-shift training for the track. I did not have any gizmos running but did glance at my watch at the beginning and end of the flat stretch. About 17 minutes for 5.3 miles, which comes out to 18.7 mph on average.
From the cranberry bog over to Great Brook State Park is a nice bit of climbs and descents through (gentlefolk) farmland. I stopped to take a panoramic shot that I'm not happy with, as well as this one that would have had plenty of birds sitting on the far fence if my phone hadn't spooked them. A flash of reflected sky, I suppose.
As I was ready to get back on the road, I paused for a fellow cyclist on a recumbent bike coming the other way. Not sure why he felt the need to ask if I was OK but we've had this conversation before. By and large, I appreciate the gesture.
Coming to the stop sign and left uphill turn at Lowell St moments later, I somehow forgot to shift down and so found myself climbing out of the saddle in 52x19 for a moment. Which worked better and was more fun than I would have thought, so I went with it.
I was now working my way back to Chelmsford center and traffic was picking up. Route 4 in particular was nasty as always, between cars whizzing by and the very degraded right hand side of the road. One or two of those knocks made me glad I took the time to inflate to 90 psi! Could easily have been pinch flats.
It was still only about 5 and the sky not too threatening yet, so I pulled into the Warren-Pohl reservation. Just like most of today's ride, I hadn't been here since last year, and while my 23mm tires would not allow riding it this time, I was hoping for a nice wildflower display.
The place was once again completely empty and I simply left the bike and strolled along the meadow trail a bit.
The meadow, however, was a bit of a letdown. Not a whole lot of variety. I couldn't think of the name of the common purple flowers but later consulted a plant ID app. It's cow vetch (Vicia cracca). Pretty enough, good for grazing animals and bumblebees, improves the soil, but again an invasive plant that's bad news in more fragile habitats.
Lucked into a gap in the traffic for the left turn onto Route 4, and my now rested legs allowed for a speedy run for the rest of the way into the center, and off the busy road.
13.7 miles and 568 vertical feet.