Author: BrownhillsBob

I told the truth - but told it bent. Wandering around bemused and ranty since 2007.

November 23rd – The rain had gone this morning, and it was the first truly clear morning for a week or more. There was a hint of frost, but the breeze and air were oddly warm, yet hard and clear. The lights of Lichfield and Shenstone sparkled in the distance as I poured myself liquid down the Chester Road to Blake Street. There were many good photos I could have taken of this dawn, but sadly, I was running late and had a train to catch, so I settled for a dawn shot of the twin Sutton Masts and Hill Hook from the station platform. The sky really was like this, is was gorgeous. Now the digital switchover is done, wonder when they’ll take down the temporary transmitter?

November 22nd – At least is was dry on the way home. Dry and getting colder, but as I shot through Walsall Wood the lights of St. John’s church looked warm in the gloom. I guess there was some event going on there, but I liked the contrast with the dark exterior. I noticed also that Walsall Wood again had a fine Christmas Tree – not yet lit up. This is probably the work of Councillor Mike Flower, who’s personally stepped in as an act of unusual generosity and felicity to get the Wood a decent tree since he’s been elected – a huge difference from Brownhills where they throw a string of pound shop lights over the trees by Morris Miner. Mike’s a nice lad, really. Shame he fell in with the Tories…

November 22nd – Oh look, another station. This time, it’s Blake Street near Sutton Coldfield at about 7:00am, after what must have been the worst commute in four years. I saw data recently that suggested a very low percentage chance of ever actually having to commute in the rain – which, in my experience, stacks up. Today, however, it rained solid and heavily into my face for 30 minutes. I was wearing good waterproofs, but I was still damp and dejected when I got to the station. Still, it wasn’t as bad for me as it must have been for the guy I passed pushing a stricken motorbike up from Mill Green towards Shire Oak. He looked really, really pissed off…

November 21st – I didn’t foresee the rain this evening, and had dressed for dry weather. Feeling damp and disconsolate, I stood waiting for my train to arrive. Telford Central is a horrid Station – incredibly busy, yet few facilities. With the winter closing in, it just seems even more bleak than usual. I’m praying for some dry, cold, clear weather of the kind we’re used to in November

November 21 – Back in Telford today. I had hoped for a change in the weather, but it was still lightless, grey and misty at 9am. At least on Telford’s network of traffic free cycle routes I didn’t have the drivers to worry about. Just like Redditch, there are miles and miles of this kind of track around the town.It’s such a shame that hardly any of it is mapped…

November 20th – I’m currently trying out the upgraded version of my bike cam – the GoPro HD Hero 2. One of it’s claims is to be better in low light, and I can vouch for that. This video would have been impossible with the original model, it simply wasn’t sensitive enough. This is a ride from the Top of Rookery Hill, on Rookery Lane in Hints, down to the ford at the bottom in pitch darkness. From here, there’s a section over the A38 pedestrian footbridge at Weeford, and section crossing the Birmingham Road at Shenstone, before crossing the churchyard at the top of St. John’s Hill. The light is a hope R4 on medium brightness – my usual light and setting of choice. On the downhill run, I’m hitting 25-30mph. 

November 20th – The daylight, such as it managed on this grim, mist-sodden day, gave up early and headed for the pub. At 4:15, it was nearly dark, and at Shenstone, the pumping station lights were on full blast – someone must have been working in there, they aren’t normally on. It’s nice to know that even on grim, grey, lightless Sundays, the essential services are working to keep things flowing smoothly.

November 20th – it’s an odd season, this. Coming back along the canal before heading towards Stonnall, I passed the gorse thicket by the Pier Street pedestrian bridge in Brownhills… remarkably, it’s in bloom. It’s been unseasonably warm and dry, surely these bushes don’t think it’s may again? From the ramp of the bridge, the damp spiderwebs made for an interesting contrast with the dark green foliage and yellow flowers.

November 20th – Spinning out this afternoon on what must have been the most un-photogenic day of the year so far, I took a snoop up round the top of Engine Lane where local riding instructor Stevie Ansell is preparing fields for use by her riding school. She does a huge amount of good work for kids in the community, and I welcome the move. Hopefully, more human presence will help moderate the behaviour of some of the illegal off-roaders around here, too. It’s nice to see Stevie has posted explanatory notices to tell passers by what’s going on. I wish her, her horses and pupils well.