Get on your Bike 🚴

[Skygod44]

You can't grumble at views like that en route to school.

That's exactly what my Mum's been saying, David.

She just sent some photos to my cousin's son in Norfolk, and he said, "All I see are flat fields, and then brick walls out of my classroom window".

 

[Skygod44]

Another swift ride, after taking my daughter to school, and this relatively large house caught my eye.

In B&W...


...and colour.


My dear ol' Mum said, "Well I suppose the B&W one is more artistic..."

 

[Kuma5]

That's a BIG house!The detached building on the right looks like a workshop. Is this area known for any particular crafts-arts?

 

[West Coast Birder]

I’ve not spent too much time outside the city in Japan, but that house seems incongruously big for Japan regardless.

 

[Pantry42]

Another ride along the river, but this time I went to see an old mate who lives over the border in Hertfordshire...A quick stop at St Mary's to see the recently installed Blue Plaque to an enslaved woman from the 1700's on the way...

Hester was a slave who was owned by members of the Woodley and Parson families. She was taken from the Montserrat plantation where she was enslaved in 1741. Her mistress's son in law, Edward Parson, moved the family to the Upper House in Little Parndon. Hester was one of several slaves that travelled to England. An entry in the Little Parndon parish records shows that ‘A Negro woman of the age of 25 upwards was baptised by the name of Jane Woodley on 6 August 1761’, who was likely Hester’s adult child. Although Jane was ordered back to the West Indies, Jane’s daughter, also named Hester, was sent in exchange to work here for Mary Woodley in 1755.

Hester served Edward’s mother-in-law Bridget Woodley in her rented house in Hunsdon. During this time, Edward and Bridget’s daughter Mary Parson rebuilt the Upper House (where Princess Alexander hospital stands today). When Bridget died in 1756, Hester became Mary Parson’s servant and was moved into the Upper House. Hester probably lived and worked like any other domestic servant at the time, except she was likely never paid, nor was she free to leave service. Hester died in 1767 (age 62) and was buried at St Mary's church. During the 1770s, it became increasingly difficult to own a slave in Britain. Slavery was ruled illegal on British soil but it was mostly social pressure that forced slave-owners to begin paying their black servants. It was not until the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 that Slavery became completely illegal. (Text from Harlow Museum)

 

[ramon-uk]

Another swift ride, after taking my daughter to school, and this relatively large house caught my eye.

In B&W...
View attachment 60564

...and colour.
View attachment 60566

My dear ol' Mum said, "Well I suppose the B&W one is more artistic..."

Looks like a roof tilers nightmare

 

[Pantry42]

On to the River Stort where locally produced Malt made its way by barge to London and started its export journey worldwide..

 

[Pantry42]

An old belgian Sailing barge coverted to a houseboat, and part of 'The Basin'

 

[Pantry42]

A Manifold Weir that keeps the river water flowing around the Lock and Peacock butterfly warming itself in the spring sunshine...

 

[Pantry42]

A sad picture...The small mounds of earth are on the road to where my old friends house is in Hunsdon. They are archeology trenches put is to survey the land for historic remains before another part of our countryside is tainted with 2000 houses , and finally a cup of Tea in my pals small rear garden. He lives in a converted cowshed, while his neighbour lives in the converted Dovecot of what was once a large farm attached to a nearby Stately Country house ...

 

[Skygod44]

That's a BIG house!The detached building on the right looks like a workshop. Is this area known for any particular crafts-arts?

Yes it is. A fancy kind of coloured glass. But not in private houses.
This is just a big house

 

[Skygod44]

I’ve not spent too much time outside the city in Japan, but that house seems incongruously big for Japan regardless.

They're a historically wealthy family, Sam. As far as I know, nothing more.

Out of cities, if you're smart, land can still be had for a reasonable price, and then it's a case of negotiating the construction costs of the house itself.

 

[Skygod44]

A sad picture...The small mounds of earth are on the road to where my old friends house is in Hunsdon. They are archeology trenches put is to survey the land for historic remains before another part of our countryside is tainted with 2000 houses , and finally a cup of Tea in my pals small rear garden. He lives in a converted cowshed, while his neighbour lives in the converted Dovecot of what was once a large farm attached to a nearby Stately Country house ...

View attachment 60642


View attachment 60639

Dennis, your last few updates are fantastic
Informative, fascinating, full of historical content, and all while enjoying the freedom of cycling.
(Nice bike, by the way )

My deal on ol' Mum is here until Thursday morning, when she'll fly back to Norfolk for the last time, and opposite her home, a construction company has been giving permission to build 4,000 new homes.
Where?
On a flood plain
And 5 ancient oaks cutting through the plain show the original cart-track from Norwich to London.


Catch you soon,
Simon

 

[Kuma5]

The construction sprawl of these once open lands is sad to see them disappear. The population continues to increase so they build. Same stateside into areas that were once open and desolate.

 

[Pantry42]

Dennis, your last few updates are fantastic
Informative, fascinating, full of historical content, and all while enjoying the freedom of cycling.
(Nice bike, by the way )

My deal on ol' Mum is here until Thursday morning, when she'll fly back to Norfolk for the last time, and opposite her home, a construction company has been giving permission to build 4,000 new homes.
Where?
On a flood plain
And 5 ancient oaks cutting through the plain show the original cart-track from Norwich to London.


Catch you soon,
Simon

Many thanks Simon , The countryside is under threat all around the area as people move out and away from London (spit !) Norfolk is no exception either I'm afraid.

I always try to include information about what I take photos of, I had my camera in a bag over my shoulder and the pics are a mix of both phone and camera.
As for the bike, its the first one I have had since being a young teenager before I rode Motorcycles from the age of sixteen. BearTrack make good bikes, and this one was in a sale at Halfords in 2014 for half price @£150. I Fitted it with Schwalbe puncture resistant tyres and tubes and a generous comfy seat, so yeah, I like it, quite light too !

 

[Skygod44]

Many thanks Simon , The countryside is under threat all around the area as people move out and away from London (spit !) Norfolk is no exception either I'm afraid.

I always try to include information about what I take photos of, I had my camera in a bag over my shoulder and the pics are a mix of both phone and camera.
As for the bike, its the first one I have had since being a young teenager before I rode Motorcycles from the age of sixteen. BearTrack make good bikes, and this one was in a sale at Halfords in 2014 for half price @£150. I Fitted it with Schwalbe puncture resistant tyres and tubes and a generous comfy seat, so yeah, I like it, quite light too !

Thanks so much for the extra info.
Are you only carrying primes for your Nikon?

And that seems like a bargain price too, for a sweet machine

We've more rain coming, but I'm itching to add to the thread, so I'll catch up with you soon.

Cheers for now,
Simon

 

[mcoren]

I usually go to Gravelly Point to watch planes taking off and landing at Washington DC Reagan National Airport (DCA). Today I decided to go instead to East Potomac Park, across the river. Got some good shots, despite a little bit of haze.

 

[Skygod44]

I usually go to Gravelly Point to watch planes taking off and landing at Washington DC Reagan National Airport (DCA). Today I decided to go instead to East Potomac Park, across the river. Got some good shots, despite a little bit of haze.

View attachment 63033

View attachment 63034

Very nice indeed, Michael
And welcome to the + thread.

Do you often ride and shoot?


I'm desperate to get out on my bike, but we're about to enter Rainy Season, so I hope my free time lines up with dry streets.

 

[mcoren]

Very nice indeed, Michael
And welcome to the + thread.

Do you often ride and shoot?


I'm desperate to get out on my bike, but we're about to enter Rainy Season, so I hope my free time lines up with dry streets.

Thanks. I try to combine the two as much as possible. Even if I'm just out for a ride on a weekend, I'll bring the camera with me. I had some medical issues this year, and today was my first time out on the bike this year.

When I go to air shows, I try to park a few miles away and bike to the show. Most shows have remote parking and bus service, but it's a pain, especially at the end of the show when everybody heads back to the busses at the same time. The big shows on military bases don't allow people to walk or bike in. They want everybody coming in on the busses so they can be funneled through the security checkpoints.

 

[Pantry42]

Thanks so much for the extra info.
Are you only carrying primes for your Nikon?

And that seems like a bargain price too, for a sweet machine

We've more rain coming, but I'm itching to add to the thread, so I'll catch up with you soon.

Cheers for now,
Simon

If I take the Nikon Simon, it usually only has the 18-140 on it, my everyday lens, the bike was cheap, an older ex display model they were selling off.