#365daysofbiking Fade to grey:
November 24th – A grey , dark day with few redeeming features. A little maintenance on the bikes failed in the face of a more serious issue, and I headed out before nightfall for a breather. A full circuit of Chasewater and Chasetown offered little in the way of photo opportunities, and the images, apart from one, reflected the colour of the day.
The night, some what perversely however, was a bit more dramatic, as I captured at Anchor Bridge.
#365daysofbiking Reflections:
November 17th – I returned to Brownhills on the canal and that was much more rewarding. Although the sunset wasn’t anything significant, the reflections on the water and the light around bridges made for some lovely views.
You really can’t beat riding the canals at dusk.
#365daysofbiking The experiment continues:
November 15th – More camera experimentation, this time the other direction from Catshill Junction Bridge.
I’m interested in the way this camera picks up stars in the sky, and the colouration.
Tat’s not a bad result to me for a handheld phot in near pitch darkness.
#365daysofbiking Clarity:
November 14th – I’m finding the Canon G1X a bit of a conundrum: The smaller, more limited G7X was a lot easier to take low-light images with, but the pictures were not as good in my opinion. I had expected to flow from one camera to the other seamlessly, but that’s not been the case.
But I’m learning. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
On this warm, breezy but glass-clear evening, I couldn’t resist hopping up onto Catshill Junction Bridge for a shot of the moon over the canal, before heading back to Brownhills.
#365daysofbiking Ooh matron:
November 14th – Coming home from work, late. Diving off the main drag onto the canal at the unfortunately named Black Cock Bridge, which takes it’s name from the adjacent pub, The Black Cock.
Subject of schoolboy humour for over a century or more, this steep, precarious canal crossing probably hasn’t got many years left in it’s current form. decidedly too steep for many vehicles, weak and narrow, it’ll be interesting to see what happens to The Black Cock Bridge in the long run, as the geography has changed so much since the bridge was built that and undebridge with an aqueduct would no be more suitable.
In the mean time, at night, it’s wonderfully photogenic.
#365daysofbiking Colour me surprised:
November 10th – A late afternoon round trip to Aldridge and back to Pelsall was started along the canal, and in the dying afternoon light autumn had caught the trees of Walsall Wood on fire.
The autumn colour has been unusually and surprisingly vivid this year. This was absolutely beautiful.
#365daysofbiking Where the night is lighter:
November 3rd -Returning to Brownhills, where the night is lighter, a classic shot from Anchor Bridge of the canal and Lindon Road, a night-time vista I’ll always enjoy.
The camera acquainted itself well, and I don’t find the result to be at all bad.
I know I keep saying this, but it’s true: Brownhills can be a remarkably beautiful place. Even at night.
#365daysofbiking The dark side:
November 2nd – Returning that evening, drained after a heavy, stressful week, I hit the canal.
Riding the canal towpaths after dark requires a couple of things – nerves of steel and a good front light.
The nerves are necessary to spot the familiar hazards of the towpath in unfamiliar lighting conditions – ducks, geese, foxes, cats etc, as well as deep potholes, bumps, wooden trail edge boards and paver edges. It’s also challenging to predict sudden curves in the path you navigate automatically in daylight.
I can also be a bit… lonely.
But I love the mental challenge and peace of it.
#365daysofbiking Wellness:
November 1st – I’m running behind at the moment, please bear with me.
I had to go to the hospital for an appointment, and went from work mid morning. I was apprehensive, tense, and sad. I looked back down the Walsall Canal from where I came and noticed the curious, dull sunlight on the yellowing trees.
I felt the very chill of autumn in my bones there and then. However beautiful, autumn is always, always melancholy.
#365daysofbiking Stark:
October 29th – I took a stop at an old night-time favourite, for old time’s sake.
Clayhanger Bridge and the overflow still captivate me at night. So many possibilities. So still. So starkly beautiful.
The G1X seems to like it.
I hope the darkness will be my friend this year.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 