January 29th – Despite an icing sugar dusting of snow and a very cold wind, the dates and emergent daffodils of the industrial estate where I work know spring is a thing.
Jack in the Green has tapped the ground with his stick and it’s all systems go.
The cold might slow things up a few days, but it’s underway now. It’s coming.
This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/2UC4sG5
via IFTTT
January 27th – It’s good to see the water rising again at Chasewater. I noticed today that the level had now reached the balancing culverts at the Nine Foot Pool, and now was probably around a metre off being full.
This is quite good progress considering how low the level was late last year to facilitate anti-erosion work on the causeway.
Of course, to make up that last metre, it takes a lot of rain, but it will be nice to see it full once more.
Tat awful quandary, the needed but unwanted rain…
This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/2G9Uur9
via IFTTT
January 23rd – The journey home was not so enjoyable. The snow had thawed, but it had gone cold again, and there was a lot of ice. I made an awful decision to try the canal between the Black Cock Bridge and Brownhills, and the towpath was barely ridable: The thawing snow had frozen hard and the problem was not the ice, but the ruts in it which were numerous when they took your wheel.
Almost worth it though for my regular muse Clayhanger Bridge at night, with a very different appearance for a change.
This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/2Hwgr6g
via IFTTT
January 23rd – The snow quickly petered out, and it went very cold overnight, with a small, further flurry in the early hours. I had stuff to do near home early in the morning, so left for work when the sun was well up and the sky a precious, azure blue.
Jockey Meadows in Walsall Wood and the Mystic Bridge in Darlaston were nothing short of stunning.
It’s not often we get sun and snow together like this. It was absolutely captivating, and a joy to be cycling in it.
For a while, my commute was like the kingdom of Narnia, and it ma=de me happy.
This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/2S1fRl5
via IFTTT
January 22nd – A further shock to my sensibilities was the snowfall. I left Telford in relatively dry, clear conditions, but noticed the icing-sugar dusting of snow becoming more evident as the train neared the Black Country.
Leaving the train at Shenstone, there was more snow, but it was very wet. Whilst there was a little snow falling, I thought I’d missed the worst.
Within ten minutes I was cycling in persistent, large flakes of snow, making visibility difficult and soaking me to the skin.
I was glad of the studded tyres once more, and when I finally got there, glad to be home, too.
This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/2HsR311
via IFTTT
January 22nd – This winter has been so mild that I’ve not got used the cold yet, and neither have I yet regained my confidence in my winter tyres.
A morning journey to Telford was chilly and felt precarious, with lots of black ice. I stayed upright, though, and honed my skills for another season – but I must say, I felt sorry for the blackbird on the cycleway at Telford looking for scraps of food. He clearly didn’t want to move!
This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/2SbUY6U
via IFTTT
January 18th – Despite the cold, spring was still gently pushing forward in a garden in Darlaston – with snowdrops in full bloom and crocuses now up and in bud.
At such a very cold, grey time it’s good to see some signs of spring around the corner.
This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/2DtikMV
via IFTTT
January 16th – Although, on the way home I stopped to take a call and noticed that sunset was now over thirty minutes later the at Christmas.
Soon, it will be 5pm. And I will start to see fingers of the day creep into the skies of my journeys home.
Can’t come soon enough…
This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/2RB5vJ1
via IFTTT
January 10th – The signs of life continue in the still overall very mild winter; pansies and the first snowdrops – not here a week ago – in Kings HJill Park, Darlaston.
It’s great to see them, they really bring a splash of welcome colour to a grey world.
Just hope we don’t get a cold snap to set them back – after all, last spring was very late. Let’s have an early one this year, eh?
This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/2M2h8mv
via IFTTT
January 7th – I rode in to work from Walsall along the canal for the first time in a few weeks – it wasn’t;t a bad ride, though I forgot how grey it can be on a dull, overcast winter day.
Nice to see Canal and River Trust litter picking crews out at the birch ills end, and hopefully they can clear some of the mess left by the magnet fishers – what a pain in the backside they are.
At Bently Bridge the view was trying to be green, but it’s heart wasn’t;t in it, sadly. Maybe some sun tomorrow…
This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.
from Tumblr http://bit.ly/2QunwDG
via IFTTT
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 