January 20th – It was an awful day for travelling (and work generally, really). I went a long way on a fools errand, and on my return, got tangled up in travel chaos on the Cross City line. 

In between, however, the day was misty, bright and cold with a beautiful frost. Sadly, I spend most of my cycling time dashing late from one place to another and didn’t get chance to take many pictures.

I’d like a few more days like this if possible…

January 19th – Sometimes, a solution to a problem is so simple that you wonder why it’s not in common use. At the bike jumble the day before, I got two of these water bottles (known as ‘bidons’ to pretentious roadie arses everywhere) which have a dome cap that loosely clips over the nozzle and remains attached by a band around the collar of the bottle.

The purpose is simple; it stops mud thrown up by the front wheel from contaminating the bit you drink from. This is a common problem with mountain and cross bikes as you can see, and I’m not convinced drinking from a mud-contaminated bottle didn’t give me the dreadful bout of campylobacter I suffered over new year 2011/2.

In conditions like we’re enduring at the moment, this is a godsend, and ensures I’m not throwing away half bottles of drink due to the fear of the dirty nozzle.

These bottles are marketed by cycle accessory brand BBB and I got two for a pocket-pleasing fiver. 

Bargain!

January 19th – On the way back, I passed Chesterfield Lodge on Raikes Lane. It always looks so peaceful and welcoming at night, but on Victorian maps, this was marked as a workhouse. Whether it was this actual building or a predecessor, I never quite worked out. I’m still hoping Kate Cardigan of Lichfield Lore might weave some of her investigative magic here and find out the truth one day.

It’s an absolutely gorgeous house, that’s for sure.

January 19th – A beautiful day. After some time spannering the bike to cure the previous weekend’s mechanical ills, I took a sunset run out over Chasewater, down through Burntwood and Hammerwich, back up to Pipe Hill, and returned via Wall, Chesterfield and Hilton. It was a fine, cold winter ride. 

Chasewater, as I predicted yesterday, is now overflowing and irrigating the spillway. If you want to see this (and it’s worth taking a look), get there quickly, as I suspect it won’t be allowed to overflow for too long.

The gull roost seemed huge and was growing steadily as I cycled away. The view from Wall churchyard was as lovely as ever, and I was joined by a very affectionate and playful young ginger cat. I tried to take his picture, but he just couldn’t be still.

It was a gorgeous ride on a lovely evening. Let’s have some more of this, please.

January 18th – At the cycle jumble, I picked this hardback book for a fiver. Published in 1991, it has some great curiosities within about the origin of cycling and cycle culture. I spent an hour or two chuckling over it last night.

I’m pleased to see the Hobby Horse noted. So many cyclists, me included, have them. Sad to see the ancient cycle touring arts of skinflinting and grudge honing are not mentioned, though…

January 18th – Today, I popped down to Lichfield’s first bicycle jumble. I love a good bric-a-brac sale like this, and Erdington is on my list every year. I arrived at the Martin Heath Hall fashionably late, when things were well underway. It was banging. Loads of folk there, and not just the old nodders like me, but youngsters, fixie kids, tourers and hipsters. Loads of stalls, good tea, and plenty to tyre kick and haggle over. I actually spent more than a tenner, too, which is unusual for me. 

It was good to see Vickers Bicycles here too – their Lichfield made roadsters are a modern classic, as was the rather new-looking Charge fixie parked up outside.I loved the vintage lighting – from acetylene to Ever Ready, and I was seriously considering the Sturmey Archer five-speed hub gear (note the two cables).

A fine hour or so in the company of other cyclists, and my compliments to the organiser, Martin Cartwright. Lets hope for many more!

January 17th – I went up onto the Chase. It wasn’t an inspiring afternoon – there was a good sky, but the light was poor and it seemed to be mostly on the point of raining. The forest was stunningly bleak and beautiful as it ever is in it’s winter jacket, but the going was made tough by the sodden ground. The trails and tracks were all muddy soup, and I was covered in it. 

All I want is a week or two without rain, with some bright days. I don’t care if it’s warm or cold – but snow would be nice. Just an end to this ceaseless damp. 

January 17th – Chasewater is brim full, in the most literal sense. When I passed this afternoon, the water was lapping gently at the top of the breakwater, but not quite overflowing yet. Given rain tonight and the continued filling from the creeks and springs nearby, and the spillway will be functional again in a day or so.