#365daysofbiking A treat:
October 31st – Happy Halloween!
In The Butts, Walsall, a house decorated for the occasion. The more you look, the more you see. I particularly like the cat pumpkin.
I’m generally indifferent to this particular festivity, but this snatched shot on the way home captured the warmth beautifully.
#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.
#365daysofbiking Night falls:
October 29th – Travelling back home in the first of the end of British Summer Time commutes is always hard: I wasn’t late, but it was dark, and cold. I got passed by two gritters. Progress was slow.
Winter is upon me.
This means rejigging the photography a bit, as it’s had to find subjects in darkness, so the activity tends to shift to morning, or during errands or trips in the daytime.
Oh well, it’s here. Let’s do this.
#365daysofbiking Finding what’s important:
October 28th – I was lost. The week had been stressful, Saturday had been a disaster in many ways and I felt beaten, down and hopeless.
I did what I always do at times like this – wrapped up warm, got on my bike and hit Cannock Chase.
I found rutting deer at Brocton Field; marvelled at the sunset over Sherbrook Valley, laughed at a retriever playing fetch in the water at Stepping Stones. I raced down to Seven Springs, listened to owls calling in Abrahams Valley and rode the night forest braking sharply for foxes at Brindles Heath.
Some days. the forest is all you really need, and it does just what you require.
#365daysofbiking Platform game:
October 25th – Unusually, I had stuff to do in Bloxwich, so returning from a meeting in Birmingham, I alighted there instead of Walsall. It was dark and the only lights on the platforms were in the waiting shelter.
So here come the late night feelings again…
#365daysofbiking Dusk:
October 23rd – The return of the dark is a welcome chance to experiment with night photography once more.
These shots of the churches of Wednesbury – the twin sisters – from Kings Hill Park were a hurried experiment with the Cannon G1X which is a camera I’m learning to love.
These are way too grainy, and I obviously need to up my game. But I love the clarity and colour.
More practice required.
#365daysofbiking Falling, down::
October 20th – I was very down today. At the moment I’m working hard, long hours and it caught up with me when everything I attempted failed, or had proven to need more stuff than I had to do it with: From DIY to bike repairs, the day was an utter failure.
I slipped out at dusk, and in a half-light Brownhills, unusually my mood did not improve at all.
The gorgeous avenue of trees on The Parade few locals seem to realise is there is as photogenic as it is every autumn, and the M6 Toll and Chasewater are always good for the photographic, darkness soul.
But today, rarely, cycling didn’t help.
#365daysofbiking Stars of the fall:
October 17th – It was a beautiful crisp, clear evening as night fell, and I was pleased to see in the western skies the stars were out, just discernible beyond the trees.
I might not like this time of year that much, but the sunsets are well worth it.
#365daysofbiking That same old feeling:
October 15th – A slightly late commute back from a meeting in Birmingham – thankfully mostly dry – was brightened up by the realisation that with the dark commutes come the return of my beloved stations in the dark obsession – what I call Late Night Feelings, after a lost record label.
Coming back to Shenstone after a round of delays, holdups and frustration, stepping into the chill night air, I realised how enchanting the lights, signals and reflections were.
Shenstone Station is always lovely at night in that kind of nether worldly, desolate way, but also it pulls at the homecoming, journey’s end vibe rather well too.
This is my favourite little station – always a joy to start out from, but even better to return though!
#365daysofbiking Lost weekend:
October 14th – Sunday was again bad for most of the daylight hours, only improving during the late afternoon. The wind had again been strong, and continual rain again kept me in. I got things done though, and that in itself made me feel better.
Nipping out for the shopping I’d forgotten the day before, I noted the swan family by Pelsall Road where thriving, and they didn’t seem to mind the gloom.
I’m curious though, about Morris and his lights: They haven’t actually been on the last couple of days at least. I wonder if they’re broken? That’s sad if they are.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 