Tag: lights

August 16th – A dreadful morning commute in heavy rain to the railway station was a shock to the system, on slippery roads with a worrying amount of spray. Getting to the station, when the train arrived I found I was sharing the bike space with a hardy cyclist in shorts.

Looking at his bike, a respectable singe speed, I saw what can only be regarded as the worst bit of rear light positioning I’ve ever seen.

Almost lower than the rear wheel, on the seat post behind the seat stays.

I hope this guy doesn’t do anything engineering-based for a living.

July 16th – In the bike shed at Telford, something that worries and irritates me.

So many companies sell seat post mounting rear lights and reflectors, which seem like a good idea.

Until the rider wears a jacket that overhangs the saddle. Or uses a carrier.

I’m surprised this issue never, ever seems to have been addressed.

December 29th – I had to pop up Walsall Wood, late. A curious thing about Walsall Wood is looking back up the High Street towards Streets Corner, it always looks like it might be Christmas, even on a midsummer night, such are the many lights that make it such a charming view.

Walsall Wood is a place people pass through without studying. It really is worthy of closer study; it’s a lovely place.

December 23rd – I was aiming for a great ride; I needed to go to Whittington to get some Christmas food in from a trader I know there. I rode out as dusk fell, but this last Saturday before Christmas the roads were full of drivers – mainly taxis and private hire, it has to be said – who weren’t concentrating, or at least not focussed. I got cut up. I got close passed. The roads didn’t feel safe, and neither did I.

Rolling into Lichfield, my nerves were shot.

The city was equally odd. This was to be the last real shopping day before Christmas, as it falls on a Monday this year, and Sunday restrictions would apply. But the place was full of high spirited drinkers and stragglers, and the atmosphere was quite hostile. I took some hurried shots, and rode home.

Not as festive as I’d hoped, to be honest…

December 22nd – Often if I’ve had a long day away, I come to see Morris, the Brownhills Colossus, as his creator John McKenna called him. I have mixed feelings that are well known about the origins and personal politics surrounding Morris, the Brownhills Miner but I do love him to bits. Seeing this 30 foot demonstration of finite element modelling always makes me feel at home now.

Just wish they’d fix the spotlights.

I love how, at Christmas, the lights on the trees give the sculpture a little bit of a ‘Last performance at Vegas feel.

We’ve all got a bit of Vegas in us. Especially Morris. 

Rock on my metal mate. Rock on.

December 19th – It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas. The office at work is emptying of people as they drift off on holiday, the roads are quieter at rush hour, and as I gradually get my year-end tasks completed, I relax and enjoy the sights a bit more, like this Christmas tree, unusually lit by subtle, static lights in a Rushall garden.

As I stopped to answer a text, I noticed it and the way the lights glinted off the needles. It was beautiful, so I thought I’d capture it for posterity.

Merry Christmas folks, not long to go now…

December 18th – I did return however in mist which was pretty eerie – coming back from Shenstone I was wary of ice but the biggest issues were remarkably daft driving (overtaking on a bend in reduced visibility?) and a huge pothole I narrowly missed in Cranebrrok Lane.

My muse, Shensone Station, looks excellent in mist with it’s metal halide lights, and rolling into an ethereal Brownhills from Shire Oak in the orange glow of sodium streetlights was pretty beautiful too, despite the traffic.

November 5th – Returning via Longdon and Burntwood, the moon, rising through a cloud of firework night fug, was a lovely orange colour while still low. From a fence-post in Cold Well, it didn’t make a bad image. Apparently it was a super moon or something, but every moon seems special these days, and I hanker for the days when we just had a normal moon that was just as beautiful but few noticed.

Crossing the M6 Toll at Brownhills this time, I was interested in the way the lights caught the smog, but the photos didn’t turn out so well. The change to LED lights on the toll road has certainly made it more ethereal at night.

December 28th – Where the cycle route NCN 5 leaves the canal at Yew Tree, just north of Rushall Junction, the path is dark and unlit – so a solution has been found.

There are little white LED solar cats eyes marking the centre of the trail in the darkness. They’re really effective.

What a clever idea…