The Magic Mushroom Forest

It's been another unremittingly grey day. We've not seen a glimmer of sunshine here since first thing on Monday morning and the forecast is no better for tomorrow. Wanting to avoid posting yet another moody mono shot, and in an effort to brighten up what has been a rather dull day on every front, I've processed this just a wee bit! Did you guess? The thing is that the woods do indeed have a magical and ethereal beauty in the misty half light of the early morning, but it's simply impossible for me to capture it directly with my little compact camera. It's probably difficult enough with a really grown-up camera. So, much like with the black and white, where I've been trying to conjure up a mood, I've tried to recreate a bit of the magic that I felt running around Middleton Woods first thing this morning. I hope you like the treatment - although I would guess that it might not be to everybody's taste! This may not have been exactly what the woods looked like, but it was pretty close to what they felt like. These drugs I'm taking are quite wonderful! I can thoroughly recommend them!!

Thanks for all the great feedback on my plans for 2012. You really are a lovely bunch of people. I think the support of this community is going to play a big part in preparing for and hopefully completing this event. Hopefully I can use blipping as a vehicle to record my training and all the experiences and feelings, both high and low, along the way. I'd like to think that it might inspire a few of you to take on some challenges of your own. I'd love that! I'm going to spare you from having to read any more tonight because the training program actually begins in just a few minutes time. I'm leading a night ride for the cycle club. Last time I led a ride I contrived to lose my group and rode a hard 40 miles on my own trying to find them. I can't quite work out whether it will be harder or easier to lose them in the dark? I'll let you know!