April 7th – It’s that bird again, at least I’m assuming it’s the same heron I saw a couple of weeks ago on the stretch of the Walsall Canal just where it turns the bend at Pleck and heads off for Bentley.
Here was there late afternoon, enjoying the golden hour. I was trundling home from work, tired. He posed beautifully unperturbed by me, or his competition for angling rights further up.
This bird is a star and I adore it…
April 6th – East Staffordshire was positively glowing on a sunny, warm spring afternoon; the rolling countryside, spring flowers and greening countryside was gorgeous.
These views never grow old – and I couldn’t resist Clifton Campville and Lullington for Pedro Cutler.
I’m rediscovering this countryside again. It’s still gorgeous. Summer is going to be brilliant.
April 6th – Spotted in Shuttington. Curious.
Do you think there’s a connection?
April 6th – Out for a sunny afternoon ride, gradually getting longer as I get back into the swing of better weather. Down to Middleton, then up the canal through Tamworth, then out to Alvecote, Shuttington, Seckington, then back via Clifton, Lullington, Edingale and Harlaston. A fine ride on a lovely day – I even caught the sun.
I spotted this boater cat in Tamworth. He’s a big fellow who looks like he doesn’t stand for any nonsense.
April 5th – A ride marked by the growing trend towards renewable power. At Thatchmoor, a huge wind turbine turns slowly in the afternoon breeze. Beautiful, elegant and awe-inspiring, I love these silent harvesters of the wind.
Yeah, bring it on. I’d love one in my garden. Hell, make that a whole wind farm….
At Hademoor, huge solar panels rotate as the sun moves through it’s daily arc. Much as I adore Rugeley, it’s clear to see that power generation of the future will be working with, rather than against nature in the decades to come.
I’m glad to see it.
April 5th – I wasn’t terribly well, so with a heavy heart and bad stomach I left in the afternoon for a ride to Lichfield. As often happens, I was on my cyclic antidepressant, and after 30 minutes of riding, felt better. The ride to Lichfield became a ride through Huddlesford, Wetleyhay, Roddige and Croxall. Back to Elford, Whittington and home, it worked out to a nice 45 miles, and I felt loads better for it. It was a gorgeous day.
Early oilseed rape is coming into boom at Elford, where I noticed the stone guy with the club I’d never registered before. The Tame looked peaceful at Whitemoor Haye, and pheasants pottered at field margins.
The posh house at Thatchmoor had peacocks and other fancy fowl roaming the lawn; anyone know what the peculiar-looking black and white bird is, please?
A great ride that perked me up no end.
April 3rd – This is a crime warning.
The canal towpaths and waterside footpaths are, as is usual at this time of year, inhabited by attackers, muggers and aggressive beggars. Hormonally aggressive, the Canada geese and swans really aren’t messing around at the moment and will go after anything – walkers, cyclists, dogs.
This pair at Walsall Wood have been hanging about all week, and I now carry tidbits for the male to stop him pecking my ankles as I pass.
I’ll be glad when mating is over and they go back to their usual grumpy but relatively nervous state.
April 2nd – Slow handclap for the Canal & River Trust, then, who micropiled around this sluice earlier in the week – there’s little evidence of their handiwork and you can barely tell they were there. Excellent.
Except for the existing trip and accident hazard no effort has been made to fix at all. Someone on foot or a bike is going to go flying off that, you muppets.
I’ve reported it several times, but I may as well have been peeing into the wind.
April 2nd – The shoots and leaves are coming now, and it makes me happy. Spotted beside the cycleway in Goscote, and interesting variety of nascent foliage, and once again, the greening commences.
I adore the promise of this time of year; it may be grey and dull now, but these signs of life promise warm days, sunshine, long rides and open trails.
Bring it on.
April 1st – It doesn’t feel like spring right now – another pair of wind-blasted, periodically damp commutes; but in the hedgerows, verges and field-margins nature is stirring. The pussy willows are flowering well, the blackthorn is smattered with blossom and there are the bright green shoots of a new growing season beginning to show.
I have the feeling that if I hold on, spring will kick in very shortly…
Which is just as well, as today is the 4th birthday of this journal. On April 1st, 2011, fellow cyclist and full time Dutch Cycling Girl Renee Van Baar persuaded me to do #30daysofbiking for the April social media project. The rest is history.
I have ridden a bike without fail every day for four years, all but for two lost days to illness over New Year 2011/12. I have now cycled well over 1,000 days continuously, and logged a picture or short film from every day.
I couldn’t give up now. This is ingrained in me, as part of my daily riding habit. Tens of thousands of miles in everything from bright sunshine to heavy snow, I’ve chronicled my life on two wheels. The drive to keep the journal keeps me connected with my environment and still makes me look at things afresh, and sometimes, gets my arse into gear when I otherwise wouldn’t.
I will continue this as long as I’m able, but if it gets embarrassing or unseemly, just tell me to stop. Relying on you lot there, so I am…
Thanks for riding with me. I’ve had a great time so far, and I’m looking forward to a great summer. You lot up for it?
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 