February 12th – a rough video, but it fascinated me. The sign hanging on the inside of the Walsall Wood Pithead sculpture was swinging well in the wind.
I hope it’s attached top the frame better than Bob the Fish was attached to the Walsall Wood Fisherman, which was by the same artist. Bob the fish famously escaped captivity and is presumably still living the life of a trophy fish somewhere in the locality.
Probably best not to stand in close proximity to the pithead during a gale…
February 12th – Will it never stop? Have we somehow opened a portal to weather hell? After a wet, cold and punishingly hard ride to Darlaston very early, I left in the afternoon with a 30mph wind behind me. In what was a heart-in-mouth ride, I rode up Navvys Hill into Rushall at 35mph and made it home in only a shade over 30 minutes.
Avoiding the danger of crosswinds, I tacked over Oak Park and noticed the bowling green here still flooded. I have been told by the Council that the flood is due to a broken drain, and will be sorted out. I was promised a press release, to no avail.
This still breaks my heart – this used to be such a fine little park. It’s like seeing an old friend become destitute.
February 8th – Chasewater does Whitby. It was certainly the last resort – this is no country for old men. I got back on the bike, and slogged home into the relentless wind, cursing all the way.
February 8th – I took a spin up to Burntwood in a fearsome wind. It was the first time in my life I can actually say I was blown off my bike. Fortunately, only against a fence, and no harm done.
The day was grey, periodically squally and oddly warm, really. Chasewater was pretty much deserted. Even the bargee Alsation dog, keeping watch onAnglesey Basin was finding the wind a bit harsh.
The outlet valve is still closed, and water continues to flow down the spillway.
There has to be an end to this soon.
January 6th – It was a beautiful morning, but with a heavy, harsh southwesterly wind. It took me longer than usual to cycle to the station, and I ducked through the backlanes to get there, the high hedges offering some shelter.
As far as the wind would allow, the air was soft and very slightly misty, and it made the countryside of South Staffordshire look beautiful in the watery sunlight.
I saw these trees in Forge Lane and recalled Joni Mitchell’s line ‘Trees are shivering in a naked row’.
Here’s to less aggressive weather for a while…
December 24th – It all went a bit astray. Time was tight, I had stuff to do. I wanted to get a good ride in, but the wind at lunchtime was punishing. I was visited by the p*nct*r* fairy. Then I caught the squall at Chasewater.
The skies darkened, and the waves lapping ashore at the north end of the dam were something to behold. There was horizontal rain, snow and sleet.
10 minutes later, blue skies and sunshine. I just gave up and pottered home, tired and wet. I just wish the weather would make it’s bloody mind up.
That wasn’t a ride, it was an endurance test. Nice to see folk looking after the swans and geese, though.
November 2nd – I left for Lichfield at a quarter to four, and was there by five. The wind today was crafted on Satan’s back step, and blew me there at a wonderful speed. Sadly, it took me forty minutes to get back.
The headwind on my return, loaded with the occasional burst of rain for good measure, was evil. I had my suffer face on all the way back. Winter is truly here now. I wondered how all those bonfires and fireworks parties would go in such blustery conditions.
I stopped for a breather on the M6 Toll bridge at Summerhill, and decided to have a play with the long exposure setting on the camera. I’ve found this one has a 15 and 30 second setting, so popped it on the handrail and had a go.
Not too shabby, and nice colour in the sky.
August 11th – It was hard going – I had planned a ride from the Chase, across Staffordshire to Tutbury and back, with the wind behind me. But the wind kept changing direction, and never found my back. Instead, I headed up the canal to Hixon, then through Newton and along the southern periphery of Blithfield Reservoir. The views and countryside were great, but I just didn’t have it in me today. It was a hard 40 miles.
July 28th – I wasn’t feeling great, but ambled out mid afternoon, with no clear direction. I ended up at Fradley Junction, near Lichfield, and took tea and cake by the canal. The sun was lovely when it shone, but the wind – after the stillness of the last few weeks – was a shock, and my attempts to cycle to Hopwas on the canal were cut short by a dodgy stomach.
I did get to Whittington, however, and noted the new marina just north of Huddlesford. The boater cat nearby was gorgeous, and friendly too. A pleasant afternoon, but it was hard going.
June 8th – From Lichfield, out to Croxall, Edingale, Harlaston and back via Hopwas. The countryside is a riot of colour and biordsong right now. The meadows are stunning with dandeliions and buttercups, oilseed rape in still flowering strongly, and all the fresh foliage glows in the sunshine.
I love the view of the wind turbine from Huddlesford: such a graceful machine.
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