Cold Sunday

New Scientist thinks that the most depressing day of the year will be Monday January 19 when the post holiday blues really set in. This is my antidote to the blues.

I joined the Wheelers bicycle ride from Stroud. The temperature was cool but climbing Wick Street and later up Stamages Road in Painswick warmed us up nicely. The heavy rain and winds last night had left the roads covered in windswept debris. But now the weather was mostly sunny and blue skies and the views were splendid. Coming past the entrance to the Rococo Gardens we noticed that the first snowdrops were starting to flower. This will be worth visiting in a couple of weeks. Then we trundled down the Holcombe valley glimpsing a thatched barn and a grand house. We also saw a woman jogging along in leggings so sheer and tight they looked like they had been sprayed on. Then we continued across to Edge and descended the worryingly steep road down to Harescombe and stopped at the black painted tin chapel. This time the door was open and we peered in to find some ladies preparing the room for Burns Night. We admired the stained glass millenium window with inset crystals. On chatting with the ladies it turned out that they would be happy to host teas for thirsty cyclists so come the summer I hope that a big group will make it there.
With time getting short Rob missed out the planned Whitminster loop and we went straight to the Spa Inn at Stonehouse, once the railway level crossing gates let us across. The staff at the Spa Inn could not be friendlier and more accomodating and we had a splendid meal. It was excellent value too. SWMBO turned up just as I was about to send her a text message asking her where she was. The portions were enormous and some of the group were seen to be wrapping up slabs of cheese from the ploughmans lunch to take home.

So a nice hilly ride on a bright crisp January morning, a pint of Wadworths IPA and a pub lunch with the lovely wife AND treacle sponge pudding with ice cream. Who could want anything more?