Edale & a faint red light

Strange how I seem to have had less time to do stuff this last week than when I'm at work. Good prep for being retired, I suppose. I've been pottering around the house, keeping busy, nipping to Tesco for a few bits, etc, etc. I've stopped short of wearing beige, distrusting foreigners and demanding the return of National Service/Capital Punishment but I suppose it's only a matter of time....................

Anyway, Edale, Edale, Edale, EDALE. What a place. Shameful to say that I'd forgotten how beautiful the Edale Valley was. The number of times we've driven to Keswick etc when Edale is 30 miles away....... Don't suppose I'm really comparing like with like but so be it. The constant sunshine was a major factor (isn't it always?) & we quickly got into "being away" mode, didn't we Stu?  Coopers Campsite was only £24 for 2 nights, 2 nice pubs within 400 yards, a cafe on-site, shower/toilet block a little primitive & unclean but we managed.

We ate & drank like kings, walked a fair bit (for us) and felt slightly guilty that Ann (my beautiful wife) wasn't with us. Assuaged that guilt by taking her there on the following Saturday for a day out/good pub lunch. She confirmed the bogs etc to be a little too primitive/unclean for her delicate constitution (Princess & the Pea springs to mind, should that be Princess & the Pee?) so we'll need to find another site if/when she comes with us.

We'd taken the laptop to use as a DVD player & had a couple of late nights watching League of Gentlemen - no slur intended on the good people of Edale - and by the end we'd have been happy to never leave even if we did start calling each other "Dave".

Arthur ran like a dream coping with the drive out over Mam Tor with ease. Minor panic yesterday though when the temperature light came on but only very faint. Hot air was still coming through heater so I carried on driving (engine didn't overheat or seize up in a cloud of steam so I made the right call!). Having consulted the Club 80-90 Wiki about this, it suggests that it's almost certainly an electrical short or mucky temp sender unit so will be sorting that this afternoon.

No days away this week due to funds/crap weather/jobs to do so will look for a 1 nighter next week. VWNW show at Tatton Park on Sunday so will toddle over there & camp for the day while wandering around looking at/lusting over all manner of things VW.

Wales on 16th for 6 nights anyway - I've decided that IT WILL BE DRY.

Start your engines................

So work is on hold for 6 weeks while I devote (?) myself to being the main carer to the Son & Heir. The fact that my unpaid leave started the day before the First Test against India is purely intentional. The vague petrol smell around Arthur has disappeared, and although the warmer weather insists on melting the glue holding the headlining up, all is ready for out first trip of the summer. He's running well & looking good.

Just me & Stu off to a place called Coopers Farm in Edale. Was recommended by Richie, a fellow T25er who blogs here under the name "Travellin'Van". Worth a read and some great photos. Apparently, it's very near a good real ale pub, a good cafe & it turns out that it's only 27 miles from my door. Was thinking of a trek to Shell (suit) Island near Harlech but that's a couple of hundred miles round trip & if I really wanted to watch/listen/despair of chavs revving up their Saxos and Corsas at night, there's plenty of that round Manchester. Probably being really unfair to Shell Island (it was fantastic during the day) but I've only been once & that was 100% my experience at night. Combine that with Liverpool being on the telly in the bar (Europa 5th place losers cup or something) and me being unable to refrain from making ill-judged comments within the earshot of dull-witted mickeys. They wouldn't even Calm Down, Calm Down when I suggested it to them. Peasants..................no hurry to go back.

Anyway, we're off first thing in the morning for a couple of nights - as much a recce for later visits with Ann (my beautiful wife) if I'm honest but I've got a stack of books, San Miguel & wine to get through so that's that. Will pack Arthur in the morning, call on my mum in Glossop on the way out & will report back later in the week.

Speaking of my mother, a question to my legions of non-existent readers. I seem to be starting lots of sentences recently with "Is it just me or....." so here we go:

Is it just me or do you have conversations with elderly relatives that go:

Relative: Do you remember so & so?

Me:  No

Relative:  Oh yes, you do. You were at primary school with them/their sister/brother, they lived 3 doors up the road, they worked with your dad on the cables...................(delete as applicable)

Me: That was over 35 years ago

Relative:  Anyway, they died, had a grandchild, got 12 years for kiddy fiddling.................(as above)

...............& then when I either express my total disinterest or do a pisspoor job of pretending to be interested, it's MY fault.

Answers on a postcard please

Cool Runnings

All been a bit quiet really. Powerflex bushes & new shocks fitted - cheers Paul - & while not silky smooth, the difference made by a functioning suspension is noticeable, if only for the lack of oohs, aahs & various other moans from the passenger seat. Can now drive over leaves & small twigs without triggering full Princess & the Pea mode.

Got our wristbands for Blackpool Breeze 16-18th September and looking forward to VWNW at Tatton Park on 7th August. Might even get on the South Manc VW Club stand so major clean needed. Oh, I am a lazy bastard.

Just remembered, the hot weather last weekend (remember that, summer, eh, what, garlic bread, can you remember, Peter Kay, oh never mind) - it melted the glue holding the lining carpet onto the roof panel so I had to re-stick/re-fit all that. Instructions say to use in a well ventilated area but wheres the fun in that?  Didn't need wine that night....................

Result............

I like to think that I try to live my life right. I recycle, I do my bit for the less fortunate in society by coming to work every (nearly every) day & no matter what, I never ever covet my neighbours oxen (& he's got a fcuking nice one too). As a believer in karma & fate, I was waiting for my turn.

So with the above in mind, I'm happy to announce, to my band of 3 subscribed followers and various curious Facebook "friends" who clearly have little else to occupy their time, that:

THE GEARCHANGE IS FIXED. I CAN GET 1ST GEAR. I DO NOT HAVE TO MENTALLY PLAN EVERY JOURNEY AVOIDING TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR JUNCTIONS ON UPHILL SLOPES.

Enough of the hysterical reportage - after all, this was done last Thursday & I've only just got round to typing it up. Hardly Hold The Front Page.

Story is that Arthur went off for his MOT with some new little neoprene blocks that attach to the bottom of the gearlever. Some more research on Club 80-90 suggested this could be the thing to do so Paul at Minichanics (http://www.minichanics.co.uk/ for all your classic car repairs/maintainance) was tasked to fit them. MOT went well, probably better than expected, failing only on a non-working fog-light and a gay sounding horn that has been getting on my wick since I bought Arty last November. The old Arrugah sounding horn has been replaced by a straight-forward normal sounding horn that releases me into the world of road-rage once more. You can't really beep someone in traffic if you're embarrassed by the sound you make. Maybe that's the solution to road rage, camp sounding horns..........(mental note:  patent this along with replacing airbags with metal spikes to make people more careful drivers and foam rubber cars in dedicated lanes for drunk drivers only).

Anyway, Paul fitted the blocks but said they didn't make much difference. Whilst underneath, he noticed that part of the linkage at the back looked a little worn so stripped it & wrapped the shaft (oooh missus) with tape. The gearshift is now a thing of beauty, slipping like silk between gears (don't go overboard....). I can get 1st easily & everything else is better too. Paul said it might need re-taping every 6 months & to be honest I should probably get a replacement part but at the moment, I'm too giddy at NOT having to lash out £1k on having a gearbox fitted to do anything remotely practical. Besides, you can buy lots of gaffer tape for £1k.

What else?  I've been a little concerned with the harshness of the ride since lowering and the state of some of the bushes on the front suspension. They all passed the MOT but look tatty & near the end of their useful life so decided to invest in a set of Powerflex bushes. Will have the rollbar done first & stash the rest of another time. Will throw on a pair of uprated shocks too.

Have booked a North Wales break in August. 6 nights split between Aberdaron on the Llynn Peninsula and a place just north of Barmouth. £84 for 6 nights including hook-up can't be beaten if the sites are as good as the reviews. We'll see.........................

Not a lot to say really........

.........bus-wise. No trips other than an odd jaunt to Tesco just to stretch Arthurs legs. Looking forward to the MOT & summer hols. Trips to Grizedale, North Wales & the Dales in prospect but nothing is getting booked until I've got the new MOT in hand!

Might be some hope on the gearbox - a couple of other cheap things to try before the cheque book comes out big-stylee

See you soon

Dog Weekend without a dog

Where have the last 2 weeks gone?  The first week disappeared doing real-life stuff, broken washing machine & general domestic bullshité but last week was a build-up to our second family weekend away. Months ago, Cal (my VW Bay owning sister-in-law) invited us to a dog agility weekend in Bakewell - free camping in return for helping out with various jobs. We went last year for the day & enjoyed watching the well trained & not so well trained hounds jumping & weaving round various courses so it seemed like a good idea. We don't actually have a dog - I really want one, Stu really wants one, Ann my lovely wife doesn't want one - end of...............

Naturally, 3 or 4 weeks of good dry weather came to an end a few days before we were due to go & wet windy weather was on the forecast. Would we cry off with tales of bad knees or dodgy gearboxes? Absolutely not - we packed up (remembering everything this time), set off (avoiding the A6 during Friday night rush-hour) and rolled into Bakewell with no dramas whatsoever at 6.30pm. Found our pitch, parked up & then noticed the biggest blackest cloud bearing down on us. 30 minutes of mad panic getting the awning up ended with the cloud passing over us without a drop of rain. Ann (my lovely wife) had invested in a new sleeping bag & liner that hopefully would prevent a repeat of the tears of Hope Valley 4 weeks ago. I'd taken extra San Miguel, wine & chocolate.

All went well. Stu decided to sleep with us in the van but the full-width bed was plenty big enough for all of us. Ann was, & I quote "nice & toasty" & I chilled out with chilli, beer, wine & chocolate. Saturday dawned with an 8.30am start booking in competitors & the day followed with showers & bright sun. Stu got a go at running one of Cals Springer Spaniels over a course & Ann got to listen to citeh winning the FA Cup. We had been to a pub to watch it but walked out at half-time as the game was shité. I had San Miguel, wine, chocolate & Tramadol.

Sunday - more of the same minus FA Cup, San Miguel & wine & home again at about 4pm. Bus ran like a dream and Ann is talking about "next time" - can't be bad. Had talked about a week in Cornwall but at 23mpg, 330 miles each way gets a bit pricey so a tour of North Wales Llyn Peninsula looks favourite. We'll see......................

Lets do it again, and again, and again.............

So, after the first time away, what to do next? Go again of course. Ann was in work but I was off with Stu so we decided on a single night to check out a place we all liked the look of for later in the year. A Boys Own trip wouldn't hurt either - it's why we bought Arthur in the first place, Ann saying I was too old & knackered to sleep in a tent anymore.

Red Bank Farm is a working farm in Bolton le Sands right on the shore of Morecambe Bay (www.redbankfarm.co.uk). Licensed cafe, good reviews on UK Campsites, and would only cost us £9 for the night (£6 for adults, £3 for kids all year round).

Weather was brilliant all week so we packed light (no long trousers!), took plenty of "refreshment" (just for me although a glass of cider had been promised to the Boy), bbq coals & the laptop for a bus-based cinema night (So I Married an Axe Murderer - Channel 5s Royal Wedding night film apparently. Has Kate got a mad sister & did Wills last girlfriend smell like Beef Vegetable soup?).

Run to the coast went well. A few struggles with 1st gear during a brief encounter with Carnforth & we were there. No awning as just the two of us so setting up was simply leveling up on chocks & putting the handbrake on and then off for a wander. "Don't wear your flip-flops, Stu. We're walking a long way". "I'll be ok, Dad. Leave me alone, I'm not a baby........"

Half an hour later, Stu's feet were on fire as I walked him all the way to the village to find a nice pub for an afternoon drinkie - he'll learn. Feeling a little guilty, I suggested he sat with his feet in the canal for a while to cool off. Not for too long though - the pub was just over the bridge.

We should have stayed at the canal - I've never been in a pub before that didn't have any bottled drinks or crisps because "we're still waiting for a delivery". Deliverance would be nearer the mark in there and would be viewed by the regulars as a documentary, not fiction. A collection of creatures lurked near the pool table, possibly because they worshiped it as some kind of God, possibly because they were waiting for a non-local to bend over it. As I didn't want to find out exactly what they did with the chalk, 2 quick beers & 2 quick Cokes later we were out of there "before our IQs dropped too far" to quote the increasingly cynical son of mine. Note that it was 2 beers, I wasn't going to let the fear of bum-rape stop me having a second pint.

Walk back to the site was good for a laugh too. We got stopped at a level-crossing for about 30 minutes while various trains went past. Realising that Stu had never been up close to a train track before, I suggested that he stood close to the barrier looking straight ahead while I watched the Virgin Express approach at high-speed. Ah, bless, he fell for it and the sheer terror on his face after the train thundered past 6 feet away seemed to have made him forget all about his aching feet. All this fun & child benefit too......................BBQ followed by campfire with toasted marshmallows on sticks ended a wonderful day so we climbed into the bus & watched the DVD. Great nights sleep too.

Up early next day & another wander before breakfast in the cafe, pack up & home. Massive queue heading north into Blackpool as we pottered down the M6 towards home - who are these people?

Rest of the week? Not much really, gave Arthur a wash on Sunday morning & went to a VW meet at a pub in Didsbury with Cal in the afternoon. Steve, Ann, Stu & Albert all came along but we mostly ignored them & chatted to other owners like the nerds that we are. Not many others there to be honest but it was Easter Sunday so maybe other families aren't as accommodating.

Have re-fitted the cupboard in the back & sorted out the hook-up. Amazing how well electricity works if you actually connect it all up right - it could have been worse, we could have been electrocuted..............

2 weeks til Ann (my lovely wife) tries again, free camping weekend in return for helping Cal's dog training club at an event in Bakewell. New sleeping bags have been bought for Ann & Stu after Ann tried one out on the floor of Millets in Altrincham - so wish I'd been there but the mental image will keep me warm for a while yet. Hope the sleeping bag does the same for Ann.