April 24th – First of the year for me, spotted on the riverbank in north Leicester, these goslings were very cute. Not at all nervous of me, mum and dad were quite content to let me get close. They clearly weren’t very old and had cute in shedloads.
The photos didn’t work out too well, but I think you get the idea!
Now there’s a sign of spring!
April 24th – A long ride today. I had an early meeting in Leicester, so I decided to take advantage and ride home – via Derby. I followed National Cycle Route 6 up through Leicester, Mountsorrel and Loughbourough, through Shepshed and Belton and from Worthington up the old rail line to Swakestone; from there, short hop on the canal, then up the old canal line that’s now a cycle trail right in to Derby.
I left Derby on route 68 through Mickleover and Mackworth, to Etwall; from there to Burton, then Barton and Lichfield. A bit shy of 100 miles, but the wind was punishing and I’m not yet back to peak condition.
I loved the whole thing. Route 6 is ace and I saw lots of places I need to go back to – not least Mountsorrel which looked gorgeous. Derby was as wonderful as ever.
The sun disappeared at lunchtime, but it was a nice enough day, and the ride reminded me of places I’d forgotten and needed back in my life.
Enjoyable, but tiring, I was glad to get home.
June 18th – A little curio I’ve been passing for years in Leicester. A higeldy-pigeldy row of water stopcocks in a pavement, numbered from 3 to 16. One is unnumbered.
They start in an orderly fashion, then the seuence falls to pieces.
They are labelled in weld – that is, someone drew the numbers using a welder, so the digits stand proud, like metallic icing on a cake. Over years and years, people walking over them have polished the digits to a shine.
But what became of 1 and 2?
June 11th – An odd day, really. I went over to Leicester early afternoon on a short notice call, and ended up leaving there late afternoon. Like the muppet I am, I left my camera there, and ended up having to use the phone camera, which I hate.
Waiting for a return train at South Wigston, I spotted this moron. Sat with his legs dangling over the platform edge at a station that sees fast through traffic, he ignored anyone (including me) who remonstrated with him to get up.
A candidate for a Darwin Award if ever there was one.
May22nd – I left Leicester early in the afternoon, when it was still a pleasant day; I’d set off in light morning rain, which had cleared. I did what I had to, then nipped over to Spinney Hills to pick up Indian snacks, and headed home. As the train pulled from Leicester, the rains came.
I had an inkling from passenger information that there was disruption to northbound local services out of Brum, and changed trains at Nuneaton for a service to Lichfield Trent Valley, which was also heavily delayed. It was the right decision though, which was a relief.
I alighted at Lichfield in a thunderstorm and torrential rain. Waiting it out, I gave up, and cut a run for it.
I got soaked. The roads home were like rivers, and progress was slow. I hadn’t been that glad to get in, and have a hot shower for a very long time.
May 22nd – Leicester again. I love Leicester, it’s bustle and cosmopolitain air. One of my favourite aspects of this interesting and engaging city is the station – not huge, but a good, airy atmosphere, comfortable and excellent facilities. Every time I come here, the amount of cycle parking has increased – there are now 10 of the bike parking carousels here, and still cyclists are having to use the railings.
This excellent provision – you’d not see anything like it in Birmingham, for instance – is reflected on the streets, where I see far more cyclists, despite Leicester Council not seeming to keen on cycle lanes or silly coloured tarmac.
It just goes to show, build it, and they’ll come.
May 20th – In Leicester today, I noticed this graffiti on a railway bridge. The original text says ‘Small minded vandals’ and some wag has added underneath ‘wearing socks with sandals’ – top marks though for the Anti-Nazi League stencil, and the remarkably detailed stencil of a woman on the capstones.
Graffiti can be a pain in the arse, but I do appreciate it if it’s creative, witty or makes its environment more interesting.
February 3rd – In Aylestone, Leicester: a little bit of utterly nonsensical cycle ‘infrastructure’.
This is so bizarre, I have nothing to add.
February 3rd – I was in Leicester for an important meeting, but the travel gods were not favouring me. I left with good time to spare, but a bastard of a headwind made me just miss my train; a frantic Clockwise-esque fiasco ensued. I got to Leicester, and had to head to the outskirts of the city. I took a wrong turning. I found myself battling the headwind again. I arrived with just minutes to spare.
The person I was due to meet was running an hour late, so at least I had time to freshen up. Thankfully, the journey home was less eventful, and with an assisting wind.
At Leicester railway station, apropos of nothing, an apparently abandoned table tennis table. No, I haven’t a clue, either.
Nice to see Notwork Fail have actually recognised the shortage of bike parking here and stopped getting shirty with people chaining their steed to the railings. So good to see so many bikes.
December 4th – Also in South Wigston, a postie’s bike. I was intrigued by this one as it shows how heavily loaded these things are these days – and why they’re being phased out in favour of electric carts and vehicles. Postmen and women these days deliver far more parcels and packets than they used to, and less letters, which make for heavier, bulkier delivery pouches.
This bike is interesting, too; not the usual design I see around, this is a step-through and has 3spead hub gear, with Bendix hub brakes. The water bottle made me smile, too…
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