Your eyes blue as the ocean between us, smiling at me

My current working life revolves around the topic of feedback, and we are not talking electricity. Although my training has been described as many things over the years, the feedback workshops I'm running owe little to Messrs Volt and Ohm. And yes they were real people. But I have also had some feedback from my professional colleagues about this blog, and how it could be improved.

Of course there is always a temptation, like walking down the banned staircase (it's a long and not very exciting story), let's just say that I'm a close friend of the word contrary. But, for once, I have to concede they are right, this blog needs more pictures. Now I was wearing white today, which as you know makes everyone who wears it, except slim, lithe Italian cyclists (there is a definite pattern of h-e creeping in again), look a bit porky. So no camera-carrying for me, but fortunately Skip does the honours, as well as the good old Internet.

Who would have thought that 15 mm could make all the difference. Now before you take a flight on the wings of fantasy, have a look at my first picture up above. For the initiated it's a road bike stem. Like the one on my Red Madone, and my new one is 15mm longer than my old one. This has caused me unbridled joy, because thanks to that, and 5mm lower saddle height, no more pain and discomfort, (well not much) and said bike is a dream to ride.

So, if you ever doubted it, this is the official proof that size matters.

So today's ride, well at 8.30AM I looked out of the window and it looked a bit like this:

Obviously I was a bit shocked, because you don't expect to see a witch in your garden before you go for a bike ride, but I figured she was just reminding me of the prevailing conditions and the need to carry some lights, which I duly did. And off I toddled to join the ACG ride down in the Square. Which sounds a bit masonic but really isn't.

Unlike my commuter ride on Friday of this week, there was barely any wind, and also unlike Friday, there was a well-planned and thought-out route over to Langport, courtesy of Skip. On Friday I had the stupid idea of cycling home via Dundry, Dundry hill, albeit up a new lane I had never cycled before, then a 43 mph descent in the dark on the other side, and a truly brainless idea of going up West Harptree Hill and over the Mendips to avoid the wind!!!! I know.

I think every Somerset cyclist should do one full speed descent of Cheddar gorge in the dark before they die. You can go way faster than any car, take any line you like as you see the car lights round the bends, and hope you don't meet any goat-like sheep.

Skip took some great photos today, and this is my favourite, and yes I could see the camera:

I think she has been a bit unkind calling it "GB posing", I was merely explaining to non-Geordie boy why size matters. Maybe. You can read Skip's blog and judge for yourself, suffice to see that even 3 hours after I left home it was still looking a bit grey.

Charlie registered my Warm up 4 miles, which together with the Main ride meant a total distance of just over 50 miles for today. No wonder I'm smiling. It was a great route too, mainly flat, but with some nice climbs thrown in, together with some fast descents, including my fastest speed of the year so far as I came down into Weare. Predictably the sun came out just as I arrived home and my sofa-slump afternoon was a contrast to the glorious spring day outside.

But every cloud has a silver lining, as there wasn't that much traffic about this morning, put off by the fog no doubt. And I think today's ride energised me a bit, I was feeling a bit sluggish after last week's efforts on the Mad march Hare, and with the Endura Trek Lionheart next week, I need to be at my best. King Alfred's tower hill awaits, and that is steep.