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March 5th – I had to nip to Telford, and visit two different places, one of which was on Stafford Park. I don’t often go there, but the one memorable thing about the place is a very peculiar feature. This huge industrial estate is one of several around the town, whose streets bear only numbers. Just off the romantically named Stafford Park 6 stands this peculiar edifice – the base of Enta Networks, a computer component import company. It certainly makes a change from the endless sea of flat metal warehouses that populate here, Hortonwood and Halesfield, but there’s something awfully tasteless about it too. An odd thing.

March 4th – Somebody switched off spring. It had rained all morning, and as I slunk out of the house for a spin before tea, it was cold, windy and an eternity away from the sunny afternoon of the day before. I cycled towards Chasewater, but wasn’t dressed for the cold conditions I was experiencing, and headed back to Brownhills. I ended up looping through Clayhanger and took in yet another sunset – this time from Clayhanger Bridge. Hope the spring returns soon…

March 4th – I noticed whilst passing Ogley Junction the dredger which had sunk in Chasewater Basin the week before had been hauled out of the water and placed on blocks. All was clearly not well with it. The odd thing is that behind it, with the yellow arm, is a virtually brand new dredger that’s been stationed there for at least two years, without ever seeming to get used. That’s a valuable piece of equipment to be left doing nothing…

February 29th – I keep passing this odd house in King’s Hill, Darlaston, and it’s strangely fascinating to me. It’s not a bit like it’s neighbours, and seems like a real stylistic miss-mash. It’s an odd building, and I wonder what its history is? It’s clearly quite old. The bay doesn’t match either of the upper windows, which themselves clash – although the sills are the same. An odd little curiosity.

February 28th – Returning very late from work, cresting the Black Cock Bridge (no sniggering at the back) I stopped to take a picture of the night-time view of Camden Street down towards Oak Park. When I turned around to climb back on the bike, I realised the view behind me was far more interesting. This footbridge (actually green in the daylight) was added to the canal bridge in the 1980’s, and is made from tubular steel, which, when lit by my rear light, looks quite stunning… beauty in unexpected places.

February 28th – Unusually, I passed through Aldridge on my way to work today. While popping into the shopping centre, I noticed a Royal Mail bike parked up near Anchor Road. These are a longstanding design, manufactured by Pashley in the UK. They weigh a ton, but have lots of solid, dependable tech – hub brakes and gears by Sturmey Archer, step through frame, Scwalbe marathon plus puncture resistant tyres, and dutch-style wheel lock on the rear, as well as the all important sturdy rack and front tray. Sadly, these bikes could be a passing tradition, as the wonks at the Royal Mail are apparently considering discontinuing the use of bicycles. Idiots.

February 27th – Out early to Telford again today – hopefully for the last time in a while. Standing on platform 4c (sort of like New Street’s version of Harry Potter’s platform 9 and three quarters, only less feasible) I looked across the dismal concrete and steel architecture and noticed the steel horse. Life size, jet black and approaching 25 years old, this is part of one of the better public artworks I’ve ever seen. I think there are twelve metallic equine silhouettes in total, at various locations between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, all in animated poses as if racing the train. They are regarded with surprising affection by travellers, and after two and a half decades, they still make me smile.

February 26th – Not far away from the crutch, but hopefully not connected with it, I spotted this on a Brownhills canal bank. Possibly caused by the hedge clipping I posted about yesterday, I hope the owner continued to feel deflated. Some cyclists make me ashamed to be on two wheels – and those who leave litter fit into that category. Drink bottles, energy bar wrappers and detritus like this shame us all – and the inner tube is a particular hazard to waterfowl who get tangled in them. Apart from anything else, it’s a waste. Or at least it would be, but it’s my size, so I took it home, repaired it and popped it in the spares box.

I have a simple message for those cyclists who litter: You brought it with you, take it the hell back. You disgust me.

February 25th – Chasetown has always had an odd atmosphere to me. The hillside town – occasionally bustling, but usually giving the impression of any given place at 4pm on a Wednesday – has a really nice High Street, with lots of stable, longstanding traders. The street is on a considerable incline, which gives it atmosphere and character. Sadly, at the moment, the entire road is closed do to gas and sewerage works at the top of the hill by Sankey’s Corner, and at 4:30pm, the place was even more ghostly and deserted than usual.

Perhaps this is the time to stage what I’ve always fancied doing here – a decidedly low rent re-enactment of the stunning car chase from Bullit, on bicycles. In Chasetown High Street. Steve McQueen optional. You know it’d be a blast…

February 23rd – Returning home late through Shelfield, I passed Bunker Service Station. I have no idea why it’s so named, but I noted diesel was now 1.43 a litre. People have often asked me how I can afford to keep buying bits for the bike and feed my  gadget addiction – it’s simple. I’ll run for days on a gallon of earl grey, marmite sandwiches and sweet treats like Haribo. I’m not spending huge amounts of dough to sit stressed in a car, watching my sanity and bank-balance wane with the fuel gauge pointer…