February 26th – Another blustery, wet day and although I had plans, I shelved them and had to be content with a spin around Chasewater. That wasn’t so bad, as I was weary and hadn’t scoped the place out for a while. I checked out the recent dam works, which contrary to local conspiracy theory seemed to make sense, and also noted that the dam road is now closed, which is something that should have been done long ago – only the residents and rangers have business down there and hopefully the locked gate will prevent further outbreaks of fly tipping and ASB.

I had a snack at the cafe, then arced around the lake over a very wet and muddy north heath – I was looking for deer, but saw little wildlife except the burgeoning grebe population and a very depressed looking kestrel on his usual pylon perch. 

Looking for something – anything – to make the ride better, I remembered the cemetery and St Anne’s Church, just over the bypass, as surely the crocuses must be in bloom. I wasn’t disappointed.

I commend visiting this cemetery in the next week or so to any locals – my photos don’t do this veritable carpet of blooms justice and it’s thoroughly captivating. 

I left sometime later in a punishing, rain-soaked headwind, a much happier man.

February 25th – I love daffodils – harbingers of spring, I eagerly await their appearance to herald the light and sun every year.

By now, I know where the earliest local ones appear – the miniature ones (possibly actually narcissus) in Kings Hill Park are usually competing to be first with this patch on the Chester Road near Stonnall, at the Wood Lane junction.

I know they’re both unnaturally early. But a man can dream of spring, after all.

They are a delight to welcome back every year, and on this dull, wet and blustery ride up the Chester Road, they gladdened my heart.

February 25th – An unusual Saturday morning that saw me at work in Darlaston, and the commute there had been very hard, as it had been solidly against the wind. I left around lunchtime for a run into Birmingham on the canal, hoping to stop off for some Caribbean food at my favourite cafe on the way through.The plan was to have the wind behind me back up the canal through Hamstead.

The cafe was rammed, so I got back on the canal, and went to the Soho Road, where it has to be said, excellent curry and breads were devoured; but whilst eating, the rains came and winds got up, much against the forecast.

Whilst on the Soho Loop I spotted this curious, brutalist sculpture in a really odd, forgotten spot by Asylum Bridge. It seems to have been revealed by scrub clearance work, and I have no idea what it is, or why it’s there. Does anyone out there know, please?

I don’t mind the rain and I’ll tolerate the wind, but the two together are evil. So I popped to see a mate in Aston and got the train back to Blake Street. 

A sort of lost day, really.

February 24th – The end of a very long, hard week. This week, I’ve worked a lot of hours, and found myself fighting the elements and often returning home late and tired.

I don’t mind the work, as I’m lucky enough to really enjoy my job, and being busy at this time of year is good as it makes those last, hard weeks of winter pass quickly.

But right now, as I crested the Black Cock bridge and looked down towards Camden Street, I could do with a break.

I’m knackered and I’m worn out!

dry-valleys:

A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens, brainchild of the great 19th-century botanist and designer John Claudius Loudon, which as you can see is a hit with the locals.

The cat honoured Ken Featherstone in his own way: spurning the arid house (2), his preference was for the subtropical room, which dates from 1871).

This offers a perfect microcosm of the seasons, with places like the rock garden (5-8) and the rhodedendron walk (9,10) changing dramatically.

Today and (4,7) April, (6) February and (9) June.

February 23rd – Back to brakes. This has really caught my attention, sorry.

Following the brake trouble I’ve talked about where pads suddenly lose effectiveness in my hydraulic disc brakes, I’ve decided to try alternatives to the stock Shimano pads. 

I wasn’t expecting them to be any good – I was wrong.

I’ve tried the Kool-Stop first. This company makes a very highly regarded road brake block, and I was interested to see how that translated. After initial disappointment, I’m actually quite impressed.

These resin pads are described as having a ‘rotor saving compound’, which usually means they’re soft and not too effective. My fears seemed to be confirmed on the first two or three days of use, when stopping power was poor and the brakes noisy. 

I then rode in the rain. This appeared to bed the pads in and they’re now every bit as good as manufacturer originals in use. They aren’t quite as snatchy, which is good, to be honest, but they do bite when demanded.

The question is, how long will they last? We shall see. But my initial feeling is that although they took an age to bed in, they’re great pads.

February 23rd – Doris wasn’t messing about…

Storm Doris hit the UK, and I considered my commute carefully before I left for work. Cycling in very strong winds is hard enough with them behind you, let alone against you, but also of concern are very strong cross winds which can have you into the centre of a road, or in a ditch.

I decided not to cycle to Darlaston which would have been almost 100% into the headwind, and instead went to Shenstone, where I caught the train to Birmingham, then another to Coseley, whence I rode with the wind at my back to work.

Yes, I guess it’s cheating, but I felt safer, and also make it to Shenstone in 14 minutes, at a frightening average, topping 40mph plus down Shire Oak Hill. That was fun.

On my arrival at Coseley, I noticed how well looked after the flowerbed was, and realised how much the little garden there reminded me of South Wigston, where I used to spend so much time.

The primroses were gorgeous, and really brightened a… memorable commute.

February 22nd – Also in Kings Hill Park, I found this stripy fellow watching me with his one eye. I’ve never seen him before, and although he’s clearly been in the wars with the sight deficiency and the battered ear, he was a very proud, lithe chap whom I don’t think was very old at all.

I took this blurry photo, which although not well focussed gives you an idea of the cat. I instantly fell in love with him. Just look at that magnificent tail.

He didn’t hang about, and clearly had business to attend to. I do hope we meet again, hopefully when he’s feeling a bit friendlier…

February 22nd – It was a grim, wet morning commute and I wasn’t in the best of moods. I decided to cheer myself up by calling into Kings Hill Part to check on the progress of the miniature daffodils and other spring flowers.

I wasn’t disappointed, and spotted with raindrops, they looked fresh, vital and beautiful.

I left in a considerably better frame of mind.

February 21st – Unfortunately, I forget my camera so just one picture for today, and that’s not brilliant, sorry.

I had to nip into Tipton on a day with an evil southwesterly, and crossing theBlack Country New Road at Moxley, I was once again captivated by that marooned, beautiful church – like Wood Green, and a host of others in the conurbation, urban churches are often extant on odd islands or spurs as road systems grow around them.

Thirty years ago, this view would have been completely different.

I love that these wonderful buildings are preserved and they’re like lighthouses to the past in the changing landscape.