Images

December 11th – I’d run around in the morning sorting displaced family members out and getting them back where they needed to be in the chaos of a snow-hit morning rush hour, so spent the day working from home. It was bitingly cold and with the snow a wee bit to deep to ride far in, I contented myself with getting caught up in the peace of a warm, quiet house.

Nipping out to take the air late afternoon in a lazy loop around Walsall Wood and Brownhills, taken slowly due to the conditions, I caught a lovely bit of snow day sunset at Anchor Bridge.

It caught me short for a bit. What a a gorgeous view that is.

December 5th – A very dark, grey and overcast day without anything really to commend it.

And then, just when you think there’s no beauty, these little fellows on a roadside verge, clearly oblivious to the season.

I think they were there specifically to cheer me up…

December 4th – Although it suddenly got warmer over the weekend, I’ve taken the plunge (late this year) and fitted ice tyres to a couple of my bikes as I do every winter.

Slightly fatter than my normal road tyre of choice at 35mm, these have a pronounced tread more akin to a cross tyre, with 4 radial bands of carbide-tipped spikes that bite into ice and packed snow.

Last week was cold, but mercifully, due to the dry spell, not too icy, but a close shave with a frozen puddle concentrated my mind. Although noisy and draggy, these tyres won’t slip easily on ice and wash down slime and will make me feel more secure on those dark, icy commutes.

If you’re out on the roads in a cold spell, here are my tips for safe cycling, even if you don’t have winter tyres…

  • Stick to main routes where possible. Avoid backlanes and canal towpaths.
  • Ride on the road, out of the gutter where standing water freezes.
  • Take it steady, and ease off on the speed – particularly downhill.
  • Use your momentum and judge it – avoid braking where possible.
  • Turn gently without braking.
  • Use your back brake rather than your front, and pulse it don’t clamp it on. Just light touches.
  • Move with the bike. Go with it if it slides, don’t fight it.
  • If you lose the back, you can pull out of it with care. Lose the front and you’re gone. Bear that in mind in a slide.
  • Give other roadusers more space, and consider the consequences if they slide.
  • Let a little air out of your tyres to increase contact area.

Take it easy, folks.

December 3rd – A quick, snatched photo taken while on an errand to the shops, my only bike ride of the day. It was much, much warmer, and quick damp: The sorry of oily, greasy, muddy day that leaves everything filthy and wet without raining properly. It was dismal.

At the moment I’m up to my ears in financial stuff for work, as I am at this time every year, but this year it’s worse as we’ve been busier and there’s lots more of it.

I slid out as darkness fell, and took some photos around the Pier Street footbridge that I though would be good. They are all grainy, out of focus mush. 

Which could equally describe my brain right now, too… still, soon be over.

December 1st – It was still very cold on Friday evening, and again taking the canal to Walsall Wood – this time from Aldridge – I was reminded of the perils of black ice. Hitting this frozen puddle at speed, in the dark? I didn’t take a spill, but I did feel the back wheel slip.

Ever year there’s a little warning to be more sensible.

Take care if you’re out when it’s frosty, folks…

November 30th – Heading home that evening I hit the canal at the Black Cock Bridge and rode into Brownhills in peaceful, cold darkness.

I stopped to have a go at one of my favourite muses – Clayhanger Bridge by night – and by removing the bike light, putting it on full and shining round, I don’t think I got a bad pic. 

That’s ice on the canal, by the way.

November 30th – In Telford mid morning again, and fascinated to note that on what had been a very cold night, there still wasn’t a great deal of surface frost due to the dry conditions, which pleased me as I haven’t yet got the studded winter tyres on.

Also, I think that’s probably the last vestige of Autumn now and we’re well into winter… oh well, soon be time for a break.

November 29th – As I got to Redditch, the frost was still quite pronounced and coated grass and fallen leaves. It’s been a bit of a shock this year, we’ve been plunged into comparatively cold weather surprisingly quickly in the season after several mild winters with only a few really cold days.

I do hope this is a portent and we have lots of cold weather to come – maybe even a decent fall of snow…

November 29th – A very cold, frosty morning, but thankfully the roads weren’t terribly icy due to the dry weather, but a morning journey to the station was taken carefully, particularly down the backlanes.

Waiting for my train, I caught the sun rising behind Hill Hook and the Sutton Transmitter, and thought how long it’s been since I saw this at dawn.

A great view, but also rather chilly.

November 28th – In winter, as I’ve often observed, you have to take beauty where you can find it, and to find it one must maintain a keen eye.

Hurrying into Wednesbury today, I noticed this confused thistle, in perfect full bloom. It was immaculate, this king of the wasteland, and made my day.

I must have passed this a few times and not noticed, like so many must. I need to sharpen my eye, and keep my sense of wonder in these coming dark months. Doing so it what keeps me going.