When you ride a bike, you notice rough pavement. It may be interesting to watch the Paris-Roubaix, but when a local road reminds you of that race things are not good.
There is a 2-mile portion of one of our rides that rattled the bones. Drive the same road in a car, and the pavement didn't seem that bad. But on a bike, it was something you just endured. There was no way to avoid the stretch without a multi-mile detour onto the paved shoulder of a major highway. So you endured.
Sometime since our last ride on that route, the road was resurfaced. As we approached the area, I slowed somewhat and got ready for the bone-chattering entry to the bad stuff. But instead there was a smooth, fast, beautiful new road surface.
It was better than Christmas.
