BrownhillsBob

#365daysofbiking Perfect:

October 22nd – In bright early morning sunshine, a perfect new arrival on the grass outside where I work.

Not often you see such a perfect field mushroom.

Despite my fears, this year has been most excellent for fungi.

#365daysofbiking Little gems:

October 21st – One of the best things about Cannock Chase in autumn is the fungi, and today there was a huge selection.

I never found the one thing I wanted to see – orange peel fungus – but I saw lots of great other types from polypores to boleta.

It’s always worth stopping and looking at that unusual flash of colour in Autumn.

#365daysofbiking Rebooting:

October 21st – The only way to rectify a downer like I was on was to hit Cannock Chase. I set out on a sunny afternoon but the weather quickly turned grey and drizzly – but it really didn’t; matter a bit. Heading from Rainbow Hioll, over Birches Valley, Penkridge Bank, Pepper Slade, to the Katyn Memorial, then Freda’s Grave, I returned down Sherbrook Valley and back through Hednesford.

It wasn’t the most photogenic day, but it picked me up and I found plenty of interesting fungi and drank in the autumn.

Just what I needed.

#365daysofbiking Green frame/white light:

October 20th – Still down, I headed across a darkened Chasewater to the Poole Lane pedestrian bridge, a photo favourite.

It’s not quite the same since they converted the motorway lighting to LED. But it’s not bad.

This is so Peter Saville and alien, and a complete fluke. I adore it.

#365daysofbiking Falling, down::

October 20th – I was very down today. At the moment I’m working hard, long hours and it caught up with me when everything I attempted failed, or had proven to need more stuff than I had to do it with: From DIY to bike repairs, the day was an utter failure.

I slipped out at dusk, and in a half-light Brownhills, unusually my mood did not improve at all.

The gorgeous avenue of trees on The Parade few locals seem to realise is there is as photogenic as it is every autumn, and the M6 Toll and Chasewater are always good for the photographic, darkness soul.

But today, rarely, cycling didn’t help.

#365daysofbiking Loaded:

October 19th – In telford at the other end of the journey, on the new bridge project, technicians are stud welding – mounting threaded pins to steelwork to enable attachment of another structure.

A better demonstration of the loading effect on a generator could not be found anywhere.

Every time they weld, watch and listen to the generator.

Science in action!

#365daysofbiking – Inverted

October 19th – At least when the clocks go back it gives a second run up at the dawns. This one, a full inversion, was gorgeous. Mist clung low over the fields and I caught it at Barracks Lane and Shenstone when I was heading for the train.

Mornings like this make you glad to be alive.

#365daysofbiking Golden:

October 18th – A lovely still evening, again with a beautiful sky it was a joy to cycle home in. At Stonnall, the last dying light over Sandhills was precious and suffused with gold.

I’d better make the most of it as the clocks go back in a week’s time, and that’ll end my sunset commutes for another year…

#365daysofbiking Optimal:

October 19th – The Japanese parasols are still bursting out a fresh crop every morning outside work on the industrial estate grass verge. They need to do this as these tiny, delicate fungi peak for a couple of hours but decay to nothing within 24.

It was lovely to see that in the October sun, I’d just caught these ones at their most perfect.

A lovely start to the day.

#365daysofbiking Stars of the fall:

October 17th – It was a beautiful crisp, clear evening as night fell, and I was pleased to see in the western skies the stars were out, just discernible beyond the trees.

I might not like this time of year that much, but the sunsets are well worth it.