February 15th – My deer magnet is currently working well.

I stopped in Shelfield to catch the sunset, and came upon a herd of red deer near Coppice Woods on Green Lane.

They were comfortably loafing, and showed slight interest in me, but weren’t overly bothered. I still can’t believe these wonderful creatures roam free in out countryside.

A wonderful, and unexpected sight. Shame the light wasn’t better!

March 15th – Passing through Pleck on an evening commute at sunset, mashing into the wind. Not a pleasant ride, but stopping to wipe my eyes, I noticed what a lovely effect the light was having on the wonderful row of terraces on the Walsall Road.

Such fine chimneys, and remarkable symmetry. Even the sun over the canal – from what normally could barely be described as good view – was gorgeous.

I love these spring and autumn sunset commutes. Shame Walsall doesn’t have many good places to catch them from.

March 14th – A horrid return journey into an easterly wind was cold, protracted and unpleasant. I took a breather on Catshill Junction Bridge to catch my breath before heading into Brownhills. Only just dark, tonight it was shades of dark blue following a dull, overcast day.

I love this spot. It’s changed so much in the past 20 years or so.

March 15th – Nice to see another harbinger of spring today on the canal in Pleck – pussy willows. These curious, pollen-covered blooms are showing really well in the past couple of days, and bring some welcome colour to canal banks, verges and scrubs.

It really feels like nothing can stop spriing now – but it’s still a wee bit cold for my liking.

March 14th – Brooks Saddles. Made and broken in the Midlands.

I love a Brooks leather saddle – made in Smethwick for a century or more from real leather, they’re a marmite thing amongst cyclists – you ether love them or hate them. I adore them; I’ve ridden on a Brooks for tens of thousands of miles and I’ve never found anything that fits my ample arse better. 

However, some aspects of them are not great. the ‘Brooks creak’, where at an indeterminate point after breaking in, the thing squeaks noisily for 400 miles or so no matter what you do to relieve it; the sometimes middling build quality can be disappointing; but both of these pale compared to the real annoyance – poor quality tension pins.

The two metal objects above should be one piece. This bolt sits in a yoke from the saddle rails to the nose, the nut adjusting the tension of the whole thing. It rarely needs adjusting, but it takes the entire weight of my resplendent girth.

Until it fatigue-snaps on the way home. 

They are a bugger to replace, and cost a fiver a time. To snap like this (and it’s a common, longstanding moan with Brooks customers) the component is poor quality. It would be easier to fit were it threaded to the boss. The whole thing is weak and shoddy. That’s very poor for a £60 saddle.

It left me with an uncomfortable, rattly ride home and a horrid workshop job to do. 

But I still wouldn’t entrust my posterior to any other brand. 

Brooks you muppets, sort it the hell out. Please.

March 14th – So pleasant to be coming home in the light at last. Not so pleasant, several motorists today seemed to want me dead, which was a shock. People, check when you turn or change lanes, please.

The wind was very sharp, against me and I was cold, but the dusk falling over jockey meadows was beautiful, and it looked like a low bit was forming. 

It’ll be a while yet before the meadows green up for a new season, but right now, it’s enough that I can see them at all at gone six o’clock.

I note from sunrise and sunset times on the GPS that we’re approaching the equinox… it’ll be interesting to see when that occurs.

March 13th – Up onto the Chase via Pye Green over Brockton Field and down into Sherbrooke Valley: over to Milford, then onto the Shugborough Estate and the canal, returning via Rugeley and Longdon.

A remarkable, beautiful, mist shrouded sunset – and Sherbrrok Valley was as wide open, deserted and cinematic as ever.

I really missed this.

March 13th – Always nice to see the deer; this large herd were between Norton Bog and Cuckoo bank, and didn’t seem much bothered by me al all, eventually being scared off by a the noise of a siren on  the nearby main road.

It was quite misty so the photos aren’t as clear as I’d like.

They look healthy and content.

March 12th – Ah, the waterbirds of Birmingham are also getting busy. Cormorants, tufted ducks (not goldeneye as I said on Twatter), herons and Canada geese are all regrouping for the spring. Good to see the herons back, I haven’t seen many at all lately, and the prehistoric appearance of the cormorants is always a great thing to see.

March 12th – Since I’d had to miss the bike jumble last week, and spring always starts with a ride into Birmingham on the canals and cycleways, I took a gentle ride into the city via Sutton Park and the Witton Lakes cycleway, returning via NCN 5 through the Galton and Sandwell Valleys. 

It was warm, still and the journey was as full of surprise and delight as ever it is. Everything form the ladybirds to the urban cats is awakening, and I see Bill Drummond is still communicating with Birmingham via the patch of light under Spaghetti Junction.

A good start to spring.