Tag: 365daysofbiking

June 15th – I spent most of the day travelling before ending up back in Darlaston working late. I set out on yet another wet morning, in steady but warm rain, and it more or less continued until the last trip of the day, which was mercifully dry.

On one of my journeys, I noticed this bored, sad looking border collie who’d clearly have rather been out in the outdoors than stuck in a train. I loved his mismatched eyes. With the rain and murk restricting my riding, I know how the dog felt.

I don’t know where he was going, but I hope there was somewhere to run when he got there.

June 14th – I’ve been aware that Jockey Meadows has it’s own cat for a while. I sometimes see him disappearing into the meadow, or running over the lane into the wood. He always seems busy, and I think he lives at the cottages near Grange Farm.

Today, we met face to face – as I rode down Green Lane, I spotted him perched on a gatepost. Large, slightly long haired and with splendidly white whites he’s an impressive, large lad. We exchanged pleasantries, and then he continued his vigil.

That cat must have a ball. Acres of woodland, hedgerow and meadow right on his doorstep, he can while away his time dozing in any quiet spot he likes, or patrol a huge territory packed with interesting, small and squeaky things. 

What a life.

June 13th – At my destination, a very unusual steed was parked in their shed: an Elegance electric bike. It has a 3 speed Shimano Inter-M rear hub, driven by a shaft drive (yes, shaft drive, so no chain), rear roller brake, front disc brake, a large battery on the back and a motor in the front hub. 

It was a heavy beast, and seemed to have both electric pedal assist, full motor drive and pedal only options. It’s a nice looking thing, but it was very heavy, and I wouldn’t want to pedal that far without electric drive…

The shaft drive is clever, but it’s a lot of faith to put into small gears with high efficiency losses and worrying wear rate.

Having said that, it’s a lot of innovative design for a shade off £700.

I don’t like e-bikes, but I can see the utility of this. Find out more about it here.

June 13th – Another day, another rainstorm, another soaking.

I headed out mid-morning from work to visit a customer; sadly, I left just as the heavens opened. 

Fortunately, the flowers I saw on the way were so beautiful, they made up for the wet legs.

To the person who’s been practising the rain dance: I think you have the hang of it now. Please stop.

June 12th – Washed out.

I didn’t think rain was in store for today; I awoke to the sound of it, and it continued until early afternoon. I needed to collect something from Cannock Chase, so sensing a break in the weather, I went for it. 

I got soaked. 

I took shelter in Birches Valley, and watched the torrential rain until it stopped. I was there an hour. Very little of the standing water was there when I arrived.

As soon as the skies lightened I was off. No unpleasant particularly, but wet and uncomfortable, these are the only photos I took.

Some days are just a challenge.

June 11th – I also passed the swan family with the single cygnet, who’d nested near to Bentley Bridge. They were resting and preening together on last year’s nest in the disused inlet at Pleck.

They young ‘un seems to be growing and looked pretty relaxed, so providing mum and day can keep it safe I think he should be OK now.

I’m really rooting for this particular family.

June 11th – I had to pop into work late afternoon, and as sun tried to break through the generally overcast day, I stopped to look for my mates the coos at Jockey Meadows. 

At first, I thought they’d gone again, but I could smell them. The muddy field was freshly churned after the rain. I looked carefully.

The workforce was busy. Deep in the scrub or the water meadow, they were here and there, doing what they do best. 

Grazing, steadily. Getting the job done.

June 10th – Anyone interested in the canals of the Black Country knows about Smethwick Galton Bridge – the beautiful cast iron structure; the multiple railways, roads and two canals intersecting at different heights.

However, there’s something not half a mile away that’s as wonderful; where the M5 crosses a railway, which is running alongside two canals, and crossing a third.

This is a fantastic thing – right next to the sadly derelict Chance Glassworks, Victorian Aqueduct jars with 60s brutalism, which pays no heed to the water. A fine, fine thing that makes one wonder at the progress of engineering, the wildlife that perches in such situations, and the smallness the scale makes you feel.

You may not agree, but it’s beautiful in it’s harshness and ingenuity.

June 10th – I slipped out of work for the day near lunchtime, and pottered through the Black Country down the canals into Brum, then back home on the waterways to Aldridge. Unlike Brownhills, I had a mostly dry, temperate afternoon, and life is everywhere, from the lounging cat to the aggressive geese. Flowers and greenery are everywhere, and as ever, the landscape was the star.

It wasn’t a long ride at 35 miles, but the stop at a favourite Jamaican cafe for curried mutton, rice and peas and a good mooch around the architecture was good for my soul.

A lovely afternoon.