BrownhillsBob

#365daysofbiking Brand bland

May 10th – One of the odder brand crossovers of the last few years has been Land Rover branding bicycles.

Company 2×2 Bikes designs distinctly average mountain bikes and sells them under the Land Rover brand, hoping presumably that some of the off-road cachet is gained by association.

Looking at this one in a customer’s bike shed, it’s a decent, if unremarkable low end steed: Better than a bike-shaped object one would buy from a discounter but not great either.

I’d have expected a bike badged with this brand to be something unusual. I wonder if the bikes are less prone to breakdown than their 4×4 stablemates?

An oddly bland product with a strange association.

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#365daysofbiking Mountain excitement

May 10th – One of the most unnoticed blossoms of all that decorate the hedgerows and waysides this time of year is rowan, or mountain ash. This pretty, nicely scented flowers are mostly little appreciated because they appear at the same time as hawthorn flowers, so it all blends into one.

Rowan has beautiful orange berries that are good for jams and wine, and are a lovely splash of late-summer colour.

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#365daysofbiking Tunnel vision

May 9th – I had to go to telford – again, in stead but thankfully fairly light rain.

Whilst I might be rueing the grey and damp, the greenery appears to be loving it. On the cycleway from Telford Station to Priorslee, the green tunnel has now fully returned after months of barren bare tress and hedgerows.

This is actually a joy to cycle along – alive with birds and insects, different types of tree and blossom and such beautiful, vivid colour.

It is in the most unexpected, urban spaces one finds the most stunning, remarkable beauty.

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#365daysofbiking World of water

May 8th – A day when both the ride to work, and ride home were rain sodden and miserable. The traffic was mad, the roads terrible and it was cold and grim.

They say it’s set to warm up after the weekend.

I do hope so. This weather is seriously getting to me now, I have to say.

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#365daysofbiking A rose between two thorns

May 7th – Further up the canal at Bentley Bridge near Darlaston Green, another sign of spring: The roses are flowering on the edge of the canal – rather poetically between scrapyards either side of the canal, between which the green vein of the canal ambles, being beautiful.

The roses smell gorgeous and are a true joy to the heart in such grey times.

I don’t know where the warmth and sun are hiding but we could do with them back. But in the meantime, this is a wonderful burst of brightness for sure.

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#365daysofbiking Multiplication

May 7th – On a grey, cold and very un-springlike morning, real delights on the way to work: Cygnets from what I believe must be the Watermead swans near Clayhanger Bridge and similarly young goslings near Bentley Mill Way aqueduct in Walsall.

Such a delight to see new life and proud, protective parents.

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#365daysofbiking Adopted

May 6th – In Norton – a lovely village if I’m honest – a treat: The local Brownies and Guides have adopted a public open space and bus stop in the old village and have created a wildflower patch, a bug hotel of proportions a certain pUs President would welcome, nicely planted beds and lovely sweet decorations on the shelter.

A joy to behold, and a great way of showing – and fostering – community spirit.

Thank you to all involved.

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#365daysofbiking Way out west

May 6th – It wasn’t a bad day, really, and thanks to some emergency help from a doctor, I had some good medication and felt much, much better.

So I did what I always do when improving: Get on my bike.

This season I want to expand my horizons a bit. I want to explore places I’ve not been in years. So I thought I’d make a start by heading west rather than north or east.

West is difficult from Brownhills. Beyond Great Wyrley is miles of lovely, rolling countryside, but sadly, Great Wyrley and Cannock are in the way. When the motorway and bypasses came through, it left few peaceful, viable paths to the countryside of the west, meaning getting to it is a chore.

But as I reminded myself today with a 52 mile bimble, it’s actually gorgeous when you make the effort. So I will. Far more often.

I went via Norton, Washbrook, then into Wyrley, Landywood and Shareshill. Up through Hilton Park, Saredon to Four Ashes, then on to the canal north to Penkridge, Acton Trussell and Milford, and from there down the main roads to Rugeley and back over Red Hill and Chorley.

A really fine ride, sadly in mostly grey, cold weather but the scenery – and lack of discomfort – more than made up for it.

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#365daysofbiking The magic of the bells

May 5th – Up at Whittington Hurst, a lovely secluded bluebell wood by the roadside I’ve never noticed before.

I left the house seeking peace and healing. And in this wood in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by delicate, English bluebells, I found it.

Here’s to recovery, and a better day.

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#365daysofbiking It must be yew

May 5th – Still suffering, but a cold, grey ride up through Weeford, Whittington and Croxall to keep moving. Passing Shenstone Church on the way, something was missing.

I had an attachment to that old Yew: shelter in rain when I was a child, shady in summer and totally imperious, I’m sure it was felled for good reason, but it’s still sad.

And the mock gothic, dark and foreboding church of St John now looks even more harsh.

A great sadness, but everything must pass I guess.

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