Oh very cool ride report, Mimi! What an adventure!
I just love the way you and RD are 'gotten up' for riding- you both look so warm and happy and ....bright.
I can't believe your lunch place was the Red Bicycle.

(My fastest ever speed was 40.2mph....and it was quite scary I remember. I had a nice smooth straight road with no traffic and great visibility though- that really helps.
Odd though...that was about a year ago, and since then I have hit 38 once in a while and it didn't seem that scary. I wonder if the next time I hit 40 it will seem scary like it did before?)