Climb to the Clouds

Somerville, Mass - Now that I have cycled across Africa and I know how to change a flat tire, I finally feel comfortable calling myself a "biker".  Plus, I have the gear now, so that pretty much settles it.
That said, I'm not sure that I will ever again ride the distances that I did over the winter and spring. I enjoyed the training - I really did - but it was so time-consuming. And while I would like to do some more long-distance bike tours, I would prefer a route that averages 50 miles a day instead of 100 miles a day.
Since my return from my inter-continental journey this spring, I have resumed riding pretty regularly. Indeed, it's a joy to be out on my bike. But my standard route follows the Minute Man Bike Trail, either its terminus in Bedford (about 28 miles roundtrip) or the slightly extended trip to Walden Pond (35 miles). No strong desire to go too much farther than that at this point in my life.
Today was the first day I joined my old riding group, the Charles River Wheelmen for an organized ride. Although it was the group's summer century, I opted for the shorter 62-mile ride. It's called the Climb to the Clouds because the route takes in Mt Wachusetts in Princeton, Mass. So, yes, there's some serious climbing involved. This year we were warned that the access road to the 2000-foot summit was closed for repairs. Let me tell you, I was thrilled. It was hard enough getting up Mountain Road to the visitors center.
So that was the longest distance - and certainly the hilliest route - that I have ridden in a while. No wild animals were spotted, but the weather was perfect and the scenery from the mountain was spectacular. And after 62 miles, I was beat. What more do I want from my bike ride?