December 20th – A day of horrid weather – wet snow and cold winds. I stayed indoors after an awful night’s sleep, waiting until dusk to dash out on a circuit of Brownhills, which I have to say, against expectations, I enjoyed.
I passed the Watermead Estate swan couple, preening and feeding in the snow. They seemed unconcerned by the cold, which I guess they don’t feel. But I wonder if it annoys them?
It’s almost like they don’t notice it. Birds are odd.
January 8th – Off to work on a miserable, grey and cold morning. I hit the canal in Walsall to avoid the morning crush hour and was accosted in Pleck by a very cross character demanding food. Sadly, my supply of corn was in another jacket, and the swan who was so aggressively begging showed it’s displeasure by repeatedly pecking my feet.
Of course, the swan was not starving, but urban swans are very lazy and accustomed to the high life, and when loafing in ice-free swim holes near bridges on cold days, they have little better to do that harass passers by for tidbits. I suspect the policy works best on passing mothers and fathers with children, whose guilt twanged, will come back with food.
The ice itself wasn’t severe. Moorhens and coots skittered about on it, but I doubt it would have supported the portly resplendent girth of your average drake mallard.
On the wonderful Dru Marland Canal Ice scale, I guess it was somewhere between IC2 and IC3. Check Dru out here: she’s wonderful.
January 7th – It was a very cold afternoon as I set out, not feeling 100 percent. Black ice lurked in the country lanes around Stonnall and Shenstone, but I felt secure on the ice tyres. I pottered through a very decent golden hour and pressed up through Weeford to Whittington as a very frosty night fell. I was cold, my shoulder was aching, and in the dusk, I suffered a puncture.
It wasn’t a bad ride though, and I did enjoy it on the whole. After all, it was still fairly light at 4:30pm so the night really is on the run now.
There was that, at least.
I noticed that the Ivy House in Shenstone had had some love since I last looked a few years ago and now was looking in excellent condition after several decades of neglect. That’s a huge, rambling house. I bet it’s interesting inside.
December 28th – It’s rare I’ve seen roads this hazardous.
Many of the backlanes as I returned at sunset, where gritters can never be expected to reach were thick with lurking black ice. On the ice stud tyres with lower air pressure I was sure-footed but careful; in a car or on a motorbike, hitting this at even moderate speed and braking would have you in the hedge.
Fine on the bike, when dismounting several times I slipped on foot.
This is of course the kind of weather we used to get every winter, but in recent years have been relieved of, so take care folks, particularly if on two wheels.
I know the forecast was to warm up overnight with rain, but this is dense, thick ice that will be well lubricated with meltwater in the following 24 hours.
Take care folks.
December 28th – A ride out in ice, after overnight light snow. I was still nursing a shoulder strain which made the ride slow and plodding, but it was very enjoyable in the clear light and snow-dusted countryside.
I went to Chasewater to practice ice skills in safety, and even had a go at the boardwalk on the north heath, which was enjoyable once I got over the fear.
Staffordshire looked wonderful and the run out via Shenstone, Wall, Canwell, Hints and Weeford was a joy.
Just hope this shoulder improves soon.
December 27th – Crossing Catshill Junction Bridge, the ice was treacherous and I was glad to be on studded tyres. Whilst taking the photograph of Humphries House, I could hear a nearby radio, and was confused where it might be coming from. Coming down the bridge towards Brownhills, I noticed a tent in the darkness; there was a fisherman there on the far side, with all the kit for night fishing.
That’s hardy on a night like this – respect.
December 19th – The weather was really warming up – indeed, it felt positively tropical on my first daylight commute for ages into Darlaston – but the hazards were still there, lurking, just waiting to steal my wheels; short patches of shaded road that get little sun on industrial estates and minor roads still hosted lumps of meltwater-lubricated solid ice that were hard to navigate and chillingly jarring when ridden over.
I’ll be glad when the ice goes.
December 18th – Off to Telford again, and caught out by a sharp frost, I nearly lost the bike on black ice, having chosen the one bike without ice tyres as I thought it was too warm.
I’d set out at dawn, and in Brownhills, it wa misty and warm. Unusually, as I got to Mill Green, it was cold, clear and frosty. This was unusual, as normally the reverse is true. Turning into Mill Lane I realised ice was a problem and about 100 yards on I did a series of shimmies that would have please Torville and Dean.
Luckily, I had no following vehicles, and relaxed, I let the bike go where it wanted and gradually let the velocity drain away, before walking back up the lane to the main road.
A close shave, which meant I missed my train; but it did give me chance to catch an icy dawn over Hill Hook.
December 17th – Sunday was a much better day, but whilst the ice didn’t melt as much as I’d hoped, it was well on the way. I love ice and snow. But when it’s fresh; I can’t bear it hanging around. I like a good heavy snowfall, a few days of fun, then a fast thaw.
Not so with this one.
I looped around Brownhills on errands, delivering Christmas cards as night fell: The High Street was grey and damp in the drizzle, but the canal at Silver Street fascinating with the ice, broken up by a passing boat.
Not feeling terribly Christmassy yet. Hope that changes soon.
December 15th – In Walsall Wood for a takeaway, and the church looked beautiful with the Christmas tree in front like that. I was tired, it was late, and a snatched mobile phone picture.
I was glad of the ice tyres, though: there was black ice everywhere and it was a cold, hard night.
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