January 15th – Long exposure photos continue to fascinate me, and at Catshill Junction the night sky looked a gorgeous, reflected-sodium oranger in these 30 second images taken by popping the camera on timer and sitting it on the bridge rail.
This is a classic and favourite local view of mine but I never tire of photographing it.
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January 14th – And on my return that evening, it was similarly cold but still.
The ‘new’ Silver Street pedestrian bridge fascinates me. I love the shapes in the framework, the views it offers and even the sound it makes as you walk and ride over it.
Although it’s. 11 years old now, I never tire of photographing it at night.
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January 15th – Painfully early morning, and it was cold. I needed to drop something off in Pelsall on my way to work, so crossed Clayhanger Common via the old Spot Path.
In the strange, ethereal pre-daen light it was almost beautiful.
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January 13th – For some reason the overflow at Silver Street was running heavily, which surprised me as we haven’t had that much rain and I don’t think the Chasewater valves are open at the moment.
It made for an interesting 30 second exposure over the canal surface though, looking a bit like ice.
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January 13th – A windy day on which I hunkered down, slipping out for a circuit of the town after dark, hoping the wind had subsided. It hadn’t.
On the cycleway between Engine Lane and the Slough (Old Cement Works) bridge, I encountered a fallen tree and was glad for my powerful front light. It was passable, but posed a danger to others, so I posted this pic on Facebook as a warning.
Fantastic service to the community. Thanks so much.
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January 12th – Crossing Festival Gardens at night, the very old subway under the main road is always worth a visit. The effect of the corrugated street it’s made from combined with bright lighting and cram paint makes for a very otherworldly sight in a dark environment.
It’s like something out of a science fiction film.
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January 12th – In Lichfield on an errand as night fell, and as always, in love with this place.
From the quiet of Cathedral Walk with it’s remarkable perspective, a somnambulant Minster Pool to the hectic traffic of Saint John Street, this tiny city never disappoints.
It’s not a bad old place really…
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January 11th – I’ve had a winter of mechanical problems with the bikes, and one has concerned suspension.
Forks with suspension can be a blessing and a curse, and the ones I use have a sealed air spring with a hydraulic damper, and several adjustments – air volume, pressure, slow rebound, fast rebound – all of which significantly affect the ride.
If you don’t have suspension tuned correctly, you can lose a lot of efficiency in compressing the forks with every pedal revolution. The ones I use can be locked out to make them rigid in use on road, but that’s only half a solution.
Since the forks have had work done, they’ve lost all my fine tuning and I need to start from scratch, so I’ve cheated on the lengthy process of dialling them in – I’ve borrowed a Shockwiz.
Shockwiz is a small electronic gizmo (a bit smaller than a matchbox) that is cable tied to the fork, and connected by a small hose to the air spring valve. It uses pressure and other sensors to detect the motion of the forks over a variety of riding conditions, and it just sits there, logging the data.
With a brilliant companion phone app connected via bluetooth, you set various measurements and chose what kind of profile you want, and over successive rides, the app will make recommendations on adjustments to make, and request you ride certain surfaces – like bumpy trails or whatever.
You adjust, then restart the process.
Within a few rides you get a fantastic ride that really is what you’re looking for – often by telling you to make adjustments that are counter-intuitive.
Shockwiz is very expensive, but if you can borrow or hire one like I did, it’s a godsend. A month or more long process sorted in a few days. And probably far better.
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January 11th – On a grim, overcast day little caught my attention but popping out of work mid day I did stop to look at a pub I thought was lost, but has found a new life – and has actually been refurbished quite well and sensitively.
The former Scott Arms in Kings Hill had been derelict for many years, having closed following the decline of nearby large factories. I had thought it would be lost forever, such was it’s decay.
However, it was bought, and permission granted for a takeaway, and over the preceding months the building has been modified and renovated.
I’m not sure if it’s actually ready to open yet, but it looks close. My best wishes to the new owners.
It’ll be handy for a spring roll when I’m working late…
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January 10th – A grey, damp and misty day made for trying journeys to and from work, with frenetic, inattentive traffic and poor visibility with a somewhat patchy, unpredictable kind of fog.
There was no escape, but diving onto the canal at the Black Cock Bridge for the last run to Brownhills was a welcome respite from the tension.
Clayhanger bridge wasn’t terribly mist-shrouded, but the hazy air made for a great twist on one of my favourite local muses.
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