Tear down the walls

"Do you really want me to answer that question?" I said to my new colleague yesterday morning. "I'm happy to, but you should be clear what you are letting yourself in for".

The Organiser, the heartbeat of the team, the one who makes things happen after all the high fallutin ideas have come tumbling out, and is exceptionally helpful had sat next to me on the train the night before on the way back from Reading. "Who is Mark Cavendish?" she said, in response to me waxing on lyrical about his stunning example of a winning mentality. The following morning, yesterday, after I had arrived by bike at the office for the first time, and the typically English conversation about the change in the weather and how cold it was, she asked me, "what did you wear on your bike?"

I can see I have a job on. Not the L & D stuff, building capability in a modern organisation, linking it to performance and making it a central part of what people do. No that's easy by comparison. No, I have a huge job of cycling education, but I've done it before and I'll do it again. By the time I've finished I'll have them wearing SL cleats on carbon-fibre road bikes.

And in case you are wondering, I overcooked it on the clothes, going for a Gore windproof jacket when it didn't need it. Although by the time I headed home into the strong breeze it was nice to have it on. It was also totally dark when I left at 6.30AM, but it was worth it to experience the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen when commuting into Bristol. I won't bore you, but it's sights like those that make getting up at 5.30AM so worthwhile. Lifts the spirits.

This morning I'm preparing to go and ride the Etape Cymru, wondering about which wheels to take and whether to wash my bike. I probably should, only I know it's going to get a soaking. I think we are also in for a bumpy ride on gravel where the streets have no name.

Last Sunday, when I was a mile from home I heard a pop and a sizzle from the rear tyre and got an instant flat. I was the same time away from home by walking that it would take to change the tyre, but I did it anyway. Well it was going to have to be done sometime. But it's left me with that nagging feeling about why it happened, especially as I couldn't find the source of it. I rode yesterday and it was fine, but you never know do you?

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/119730495

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/413343