Thought about this thread all day.
A while ago I figured it takes me 200 m to get into The Zone.
Then, The Bike and I are one unit. I feel a perfected creature as I corner one leg up - one leg down, go over lumps and holes standing on the pedals at 9 and 3 o'clock,knees flexing, changing gears at exactly the right moment...
So as long as I can ride 200 m + I will be *happy*

(not that I don't enjoy the usual mind-altering agents: chocolate, gin, nutmeg,beer of course)