Walsall – Page 40 – BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking

November 9th – Since it’s Remembrance, I thought I’d feature this little-noticed war memorial, which I pass often. It sits in an anonymous, unremarkable wall near shops and industrial units on the Pleck Road in Walsall, just opposite the Manor Hospital.

I know nothing at all about the Cyclops Iron Works, and must check it out, but it’s nice the memorial was restored and survived, unlike many other industrial plaques which were lost as factories closed.

I wonder how many pass this every day, and not realise what it is?

November 6th – I was crushingly tired as I trundled home with a thankfully assisting tailwind. It was wet again when I started out and I was damp and miserable. The traffic was hell, and sweeping off the ring road at Walsall, I looked westwards to an unexpectedly beautiful sky.

Cheered, I pressed on and noticed that at the Black Cock pub, their annual bonfire and fireworks display were starting, with stalls and a merry go round on the front car park. The lights looked so beautiful in the dark.

It’s been a hard few weeks. I’m tired, I’m grey and I need rest. Thank heavens it’s the weekend.

November 4th – These are interesting little brown toadstools. I haven’t a clue what they are, and I’m curious. They are growing on the canal towpath near Bentley Bridge and I don’t think I’ve ever seen them before. Can’t find them in my book of fungi, either.

Anyone got any ideas, please?

November 3rd – The commutes are not being good to me this week. Yesterday was foggy and damp; the journey in was OK, I suppose, but the journey home was in steady, persistent rain. I’d had to call in at the Gallagher Retail Park by Junction 9 on the way back, and when I left B&Q it was raining heavily. Nothing for it but to don waterproofs and go for it.

The traffic was mad, as it always is in the wet, dark evenings. I got soaked. But at least it was relatively warm.

I could do without this, to be honest…

November 2nd – The mist and horrid weather continued throughout the day. Patchy, it would be relatively clear one moment, and quite dense the next. Commuting was a challenge – it’s amazing to see people driving and riding around in these conditions without lights.

Fog is horrid to ride in. It drenches you and gets into your clothes and hair. It’s cold, and the extra vigilance it requires is mentally exhausting on a long commute.

Hope it clears up soon.

November 2nd – A hard commute to and from work, but I wasn’t the only local whose activities were restricted due to fog.

This buzzard, hunting curtailed by the poor conditions, was loafing off the Mellish Road in Walsall.

He looked well fed.

October 13th – Hurriedly snapped in evening traffic at Rushall. Michael Jackson didn’t die, clearly – he’s now keeping his head down. starring in recruitment adds for Travel West Midlands.