Imagine something of your very own

2013 is all coming together quite nicely, bit by inexorable bit. The Eisenhower principle in operation in all spheres.

Today was one of those impromptu ACG rides to Glastonbury that I have complained of being tired of. I am now going to argue with myself, for I will never tire of days like today. Weather was a bit murky, but that's just being picky, a lovely social ride over the levels in fairly warm, windless conditions for the time of year, with great company.

Heaphy's cafe was empty except for us, and the town was devoid of fairy wings and purple DM boots, but we made up for it with some lively chat and banter. Jennifer took some photos and I picked Steve's brain for cycling tips of Tenerife (where I am going in a six weeks time, yippee), and we all swapped tales of our musical beginnings. I guess you had to be there ;-)

Loads of other cyclists out and about of all denominations, and all got a cheery greeting from us, even the 20 or so from Clevedon cycling club who were lolling about in Mark.

Here is the route for today showing a fairly flat 42 miles or so. Reasonable time for this time of year too, as usual Martyn was pulling us all along.

In other news I can confirm the dates for the first set of longer rides that I am going to organise:

Saturday 23rd February   60 miles
Saturday 39th March       80 miles
Sunday 5th May              100 miles
Sunday 30th June            100 miles

In case you had forgotten, I'll outline what I have in mind. Rides will start from a location about an hour's drive from our Axbridge base, and I will aim to pick mainly quiet roads using my knowledge of other sportives. We will drive together and ride together at an easy pace, with no-one getting left behind.

If there is sufficient demand I'll do "half-routes" so people who want to come and do shorter rides can do this, and aim to have a cafe stop in the middle where we can all meet up. You can imagine I have a fair logistical challenge to sort all this up, so I'll let you know the destinations and routes nearer the time.  I am planning on having one in the Quantocks/Brendons/Exmoor, one ride near Shaftesbury/Cranbourne Chase/Dorset, one in the Cotswolds and the final one in either our own back yard or around Warminster/Salisbury plain.

We will sort out logistics, such as food, travel and the like when I know who is coming, but they will be done under the ACG banner, and I think membership of that is due for renewal soon, (Jennifer?) so we will have 3rd party insurance if you join. But you will ride at your own risk and mechanical/medical support will be what we can do for each other.

I'll keep you posted, but if you are interested, save those dates now.

Entries for the sportives that I am going to do are either in the bag or in the post awaiting the lucky dip of the organisers, this last applies to the ride the media will talk about, and the ride that is probably the hardest you can do in the UK.

Back to work for me tomorrow, nice two weeks off, but it's time to stop playtime now and earn my daily bread. But in-between it's going to be challenging and joyous, oh yes. And seeing as we were talking about 1979, here is something I forgot to mention, if you don't like the music, the energy and the fun of it, you were probably into heavy metal!

It's going to be a good year!