Fly along with me I can't quite make it alone

Let's get the moaning over and done with.

1. Weather forecasters

They have the best of intentions, and let's face it, they got half the forecast right. It was very, very cold. They were not to know that Doc and I would pick a route that followed every mucky lane on the levels, and tracked the rainclouds while we could see sunshine on the horizons we were heading to, and those we had come from. And we saw a lovely rainbow, and a heron standing on the road in front of us, numerous swans and a murmuration of starlings swooped all over us, though fortunately they didn't poop all over us. And there was barely a breath of wind.

So a big thanks to Kettley et al for their encouragement out onto the roads of Somerset. And a stunning exposition of Rule 9.

2. Italian cycle kit manufacturers

Clearly the Italians have a very different concept of "Winter" to us. The cold rain allied with the slightly flimsy bib tights, and moderately warm jacket, left me pretty cold by the end of the ride. That said, it's probably my own fault for going out at noon, on nothing more than a bowl of cereal. And I have to say the gloves are very toasty, and of course, the whole thing looks fantastic. So whilst there is a lot to be said for practicality and function, there is, on balance, tiny, tiny bit more to be said for style and aesthetics, and I stayed on the right side of Rule 17.

3. We nearly had a fantastic breach of Rule 59, when the Doc, on the right, and me, on the left, riding abreast (concentrate at the back) approached a turn and decided to go left and right respectively. Disaster, in the form of a tumble and even muckier and perhaps ripped kit, was averted at the last moment. I am particularly grateful to the Doc for answering the call and providing some great company today, and we mostly rode side by side, except where traffic forced us into said line. And I think we also saw good observance of Rule 67 on those occasions.

4. There was a point when it had been raining for a bit, when I was becoming a bit wimpy, and thinking of taking the short route home. But then, encouraged by the sterling presence of the Doc, I remembered Rule 5, and carried on, despite my foolish nutrition, kit choice, weather research and the mucky roads. No doubt about it, sometimes it's the only way to enjoy yourself.

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