A bonus 30 mile ride in glorious weather today. Shoved the Christmas tree up in record time to fulfill my part of the bargain, then made myself scarce for 3 hours, heading for the hills while Mrs Donger added the decorations. Set off along our club ride's usual start from the Kingsway estate along the curiously named Naas Lane and out to Stroud via Haresfield and Stonehouse. I don't normally have the time to stop and reminisce, but this time I got a shot across the fields of St Margaret's Church at Whaddon - where Mrs D and I got hitched back in 1988.(Hope the church squeezes into shot on the reduced size version):
On the way to Stonehouse, I disturbed this massive buzzard, which had been sitting on a fence post minding his own business:
Between Stonehouse and Dudbridge I did what some of my clubmates would regard as wimping out, and took to the cycle path instead of the main road. When they build them like this, why not?
When I hit Dudbridge (on the outskirts of Stroud), the climbing began in earnest. First Dudbridge Hill, without much of a clear plan where I was going next, then a moment to decide when I hit the red traffic lights on the Stroud to Bath road. I didn't fancy carrying straight on up Walkley Hill, so I hung a left and dropped back down into Stroud, where I turned right onto the horrible Rodborough Hill (marked as "1:8"). I was a bit cocky at the bottom, and set off too fast - and boy did I pay for it. Gasping like a fish, I turned left into what turned out to be a no through road, just to stop and get my breath back. At least I got this nice view of Stroud:
After being doubled over like someone who has just run the London Marathon in a full suit of armour, I eventually recovered enough to turn around and carry on up the hill (to the left in this shot):
Got back into the groove, and got myself in climbing rythm quite soon after that, and made my way up out of town and over the cattle grid signalling the start of Rodborough Common. In this shot you can see Rodborough Fort at the top of the hill among the trees:
Got as far as the Bear Inn at Rodborough before turning round and dropping back down Butterrow into Stroud and back home again.I wanted to get a nice shot of the Bear, but from its most impressive side it would have been straight into a strong, low sun. Shame about the scaffolding in this shot. I have always thought this strong, imposing looking pub would look equally in place in the Black Forest (except for the Union Jack):
Just when I got to the most picturesque part of the whole ride, descending from Rodborough Common down Butterrow, my camera went and conked out due to low battery power. Bummer. It has always struck me as being a bit like parts of Yorkshire round here, with high moors giving views of hillsides covered in terraced houses, and it all looked fantastic in the bright sunshine today. Never mind, I'll get a shot next time I am this way. By the time I got home, I had done 30.1 miles in a little under 3 hours of mostly relaxed riding, but with a couple of nasty hills thrown in. Just about the perfect ride. Back out with the club tomorrow. Can't wait, even though it will be raining.
Cheers,
Donger. 
Not sure how that happened! Anyway, it went on like the hottest knife through the most melted butter, but now the rear end of my bike was behaving like the most obstinate tentacled octopus, or is that octopi?
Probably hadn't been in there for over 15 years ! Hasn't changed much 
although jukebox was playing Pink Floyd !!!
