feeling groovy: the somersworthit 200k

[So this ride report is somewhat belated; I kept meaning to do it but life has been stressing me out, and it's weirdly hard to write a report about feeling awesome when...not.]

One of the things I think I've mentioned before is what I find scenic: some things fit the standard definitions -- sun-dappled shady backroads (especially with the elusive bonus of glass-smooth pavement), quaint New England villages, etc. And one not: I would much rather see for miles by looking out over water than from a hillcrest; all of the hilltops look the same to me after a few, whereas water always looks different.

So a 200k heading up along the shore from Beverly sounded perfect. I'd been feeling blah and not riding much since DNFing the preride for the Ashburnham/Petersham 200k, but I started commuting again and figured a nice flat 200k would be great.
( It was... )