Hoses, trenches and fire dousers.

We needed water! And not just us. Camping on a proper site should be not have been a problem but with all three of our motorhomes wanting to top up the tank and having the awnings up, we would have had to take them down just to drive to the tap. A solution was found though. Three hoses, two connectors,  join them together and connect to the tap. Alan's Motorhome was the furthest away and it easily reached his filler point. We did get several bemused looks, though when the hoses were stretched right across the camp.

It reached!

Next Chris and Sheila turn

Finally, ours.

 

Sheila had a reasonable night, painkillers are a marvellous thing! Of course taking a bike ride was now out of the question, but walking was still in the mix. 

 

Alan (eldest) Sheila and Ian the baby.

With the temperature already soaring to 25 deg, ice creams were mentioned and so off we all went to the visitor center.

 

Well you had to didn't you?

 

Then because we are all kids at heart we followed the Gruffalo trail and entered the deep dark wood! As walks go most enjoyable. We found all the characters, and some where interactive.

The three men discussing what squirrel was made of! Men! Never changes, does it. They just have to know!

Back at the site and whilst the rest of the family chilled out, we went off with our bikes to find the WW1 trenches.

The area then known as Clipstone Shrogges in Sherwood Pines Forest Park was used by the military during WWI, and replica trenches were built for the purpose of training troops. Some of the trenches were open to explore and the information boards telling the story of some of the local soldiers were a fascinating read. 

 

 BBQ night and Alan volunteered (or maybe was coerced?) into doing all the cooking. The rest of us searched cupboards and fridges to produced enough food to feed the 5000! Then instead of playing UNO (tad difficult for Sheila to hold her cards) Mexican Train came out. During the game a right old to-do was heard across the way. Two lads had arrived in their car, loads of alcohol, music blaring and a BBQ lit with wood. It states very plainly in the rules that only gas BBQs are allowed, Rules are made for a reason and lighting a fire in a Forest is why this is so. Anyway we found out this morning that it was the chap in his camper van behind us that went and found the rangers. Armed with a bucket of water they threw it over the fire much to the lad's horror. Then told to turn off music and if they wanted to get funny about it the Forest commissioners were back at the reception and if informed, they would have been kicked off the site. We never heard another peep from them!

The blue pop up tent gave enough coverage for the top half only, the legs stuck out into the open air. The other guy slept in the car.

Another hot day forecast tomorrow, not sure what the plan is but I think Ian has just about persuaded me on another bike ride.

We have a man down!

 And the day started so well.

Family discussion and it was agreed, go to the Major Oak a mere 2 miles away. One slight problem, 4 of us had bikes and two didn't. Ah, but the two had towed their small car behind the motorhome, so the general consensus was for Alan and Angela to drive and meet us all there. But then unbeknown to me another discussion and it was unanimously agreed between them that I would go in the car with Alan and Angela.

Now don't get me wrong. I would have loved to cycle through the forest again, but this time, some road work would be involved. Me and road work don't get along! You can read that in yesterday's post and this time it wasn't just a small fairly quiet lane. Nop, it was to ride through a busy village complete with one way system and a lot of directional armography involved. So when I was told of their decision I was VERY relived!

All went according to plan. First the three bikers went to what I think is a brilliant idea, a service point for bikes. 

 

Within 10 minutes of arriving at Edwinstowe in the car all the family were together. First lunch at the Visitor center before heading off to the Oak.

 

Magnificent is too small a word to describe this tree. Estimated to be within 800 and 1,100 years old, oh if only it had a voice, what could it tell us? Did Robin Hood really exist for a start! 

The ancient limbs being help up by poles.

We were all giggling because I set the camera on timer and the run back to join the group must have been a sight to see!

 

Anyway after about an hour we headed back to the campsite, us in the car and Sheila, Chris and Ian on bikes. With Alan having the only vehicle transport, a shopping list was given and a shop at Co-op took another 15 minutes before we got underway. It stood to reason then that we would meet up with the yellow perils and was dismayed to see all three walking. Hmm, bet one has a puncture said I to Alan. But how wrong could I be. Nothing as simple, no Sheila had clipped the kerb, landed in a ditch with electric bike on top and trying to save herself, had put out her left arm as a shock absorber and broken her wrist! The obvious thing to do was for me and Sheila to change places. Before setting off on her bike Chris disconnected the battery. Pleased about that 'cos never having ridden an electric bike before I had visions of tearing down the road, passing cars along the route and disappearing into the distance never to be seen again! Anyway, back at the site and with Sheila in some discomfort both Sheila and Alan headed for the reception. Their advice, go to Mansfield hospital! 

So there you have it. They left at about 4.30 and eventually arrived back at 9.pm. Arm immobilised with a sling and a hefty plaster cast from the middle of her hand to the elbow. Methinks sleep in a large camper van for both Chris and Sheila may be slightly challenging and uncomfortable tonight!

This site is vast so here are a few photos taken earlier in the day,

What a great thing to have on this campsite, doggie washing station.

And wildlife,

No idea what species of Dragonfly this is. Smaller than an Emperor but similar looking.

Centipede of millipede?

Seen on the Major Oak

As this was too.

I never said I was fast!

 Still nothing much in the way of wildlife, mores the pity. That does include nasty biting insects too, so every cloud as they say!

Anyway.... Sunday.....the weather seemed to be warming up and a few glimpses of the sun was spied. A conversation after breakfast had resulted in the bikes coming off the back of MB. Blimey, they were filthy! Smack our hands for not removing the Kielder Forest mud! Maintenance was needed on Ian's bike brakes. One of the pads didn't even touch the rim, that was never going to stop him 'running away' on the steep hill. Then tires pumped up and we were all but ready. 

Alan and Angela, not bringing bikes with them, went off with Skye to walk to the Visitor center. Fully expecting to be gone before they returned, nop, a lot of fiffing and faffing by all other parties (including me) delayed the departure so it was after lunch before we finally waved them goodbye,

Right from the start, I had a problem. Blooming bike would not go where I wanted, and thankfully the road was not very busy 'cos my wobbling took me right across on the wrong side! Surely I hadn't forgotten how to ride the thing! Stopping on the verge and shouting to Ian for help, a discovery was made. The handlebars were loose, so no wonder I careered in all directions! That was easily fixed with an Allen key, but the next problem, not so.

Thats Sheila having her tyre pumped up

Ian testing my bike's handlebars.

 

We found what was called the family track, green on the map and nice and easy to break me in. Started off nice and level, but gradually the small hills started. Now, me and bike gears are not a marriage made in heaven! Trying to get my head around the 18 gears is impossible. I just couldn't remember if clicking the left-hand gear up would increase or decrease the drag. Likewise, the right gear, so when I wound it clockwise to the number 1, a horrible clanking and grinding greeted me and I found my legs turning at an alarming rate without going anywhere! So imagine this. At Kielder Forest, earlier this year, Ian raised the saddle. It was all to do with the knees and making my peddling pain free. But this meant I could no longer put a foot down when stopping. So there was I, little legs going around 19 to the dozen, and the reality hit me that the chain had come off. Almost in slow motion I started for the ground and at the same time a small child (hate her) came tearing past with the look of utter disbelieve that this adult was about to face plant the path! Ah, but some sort of survival mode kicked in as no way was I going to give this child the satisfaction of watching me lying prostrate in the dirt, and somehow, with splayed legs, I just managed to save my imminent embarrassment. By now, Chris and Sheila (who I might add have electric bikes!!) had stopped to see where I had got to. Ian was already on his way back and luckily had thought to bring the bike tools. He only needed a screwdriver 'cos by adjusting the tension on the gear linkage and reattaching the chain, managed to get me going again.

And we are off.

Halfway around and a short break

 

The 5-mile trip took well over 2 hours! Well, I never said I was fast! In fact, I definitely was the weaker link in this quartet! Back at the visitor center at last and a well-earned ice cream before the short ride to MB. Gosh, I was glad to sit on a soft seat. My nether regions felt a tad tender from the bike seat even though a super soft memory foam cover had been purchased a while back.

The sun had appeared and with all six being reunited, enjoyed a hot drink and a Churchill cake made by Angela followed by bread pudding cake by Sheila. 

It's game's evening tonight after I cook the dinner for all. Lasagna, Ceaser salad, coleslaw and Ian's Garlic bread followed by Banoffee pie. Nice and easy and stress-free.

Two meagre photos of a butterfly is all the offering for tonight.

Speckled Wood

But we need a map!

Talk about frantic! Going away a day after dry docking was always going to be hectic. Removing the grime inside and out of FS took the best part of Friday, and we hadn't even started thinking about what we should put on MB. When Ian eventually went to MB, his heart sank, he couldn't believe what he saw. The bonnet, windscreen and overhang of the roofline, covered it was with pigeon poo. If that was not bad enough, they had obviously been gorging on berries because red staining was the result! That took nearly an hour to clean! 10.pm and went to bed knackered with still no thought of what to take with us for the holiday. 

Rising early, it was all hands on deck to make ready for the off. By midday, we were just about ready to leave and had all but fastened seatbelt and engine started when I remembered the eggs! Not just that, but all the veg was also still in the cupboard. Imagine what we would have returned too in a months time! Anyway, eventually we got underway and another surprise. Arriving at Sherwood Pines and both Ian's brother Alan and sister Sheila were already there. Good grief....they live the furthest away, we the nearest, yet they beat us to the park! With no allocated pitch, (just turn up and find a site) they managed to claim three pitches near to each other and all with electric hookup. Forest surrounds us, so I live in hopes of spying some wildlife, although to date, I have noticed a lack of bird song!

 

After the usual meet and greet and after coffee and cake, we went for a wander. At the reception, we asked for a map of the walks and cycle rides. Got a big thumbs down on this request. The visitor center was where we needed to go and to be fair we were told to either walk along the road or head through the forest, the distance being equal "Roughly ten minutes walk" said he. Of course, we decided the forest route was the way to go but although he roughly pointed us in the direction, without a map we were always going to get lost! The ten-minute walk turned up to be nearly an hour and thanks to Ian's sister Sheila with  GPS on her phone, managed to eventually find the center. 

 

Hmmm, That sign doesn't bode well! Doggie in the foreground is Skye, Alan and Angela's gorgeous flat coat retriever. Yea, we get our doggie fix this week.

We had taken so long in finding the place that it was shut so all that way for nothing. Ah, but then Sheila spied a board and what should be on the board but a map of walks and rides. Phone cameras out to take a photo, and at least now there was some hope of finding the way. Deciding not to go back through the forest, sure enough the walk down the road back to the campsite was but a stone's throw away. Not the 10 minutes told to us but a 5 minute walk and we were back to the reception. 

 

If the weather holds (and it is looking decent) the bikes will come out. Hmm what will tomorrow bring!.

Crikey...how many anodes!

 Finally, time to black FS's bottom, we couldn't believe it was over 2 years since FS was last blacked. In fact it was April 2019 to be precise, unheard of for us as dry docking usually takes place once a year. What what, what.... Bit OTT, I hear you cry? It's all to do with checking that our home is not immanently going to sink! God forbid we wake up one morning with water sloshing around the bed, so checking the hull for weak spots is a must.

Sunday 29th was the day we sailed into the dock. FS slowly descended as a paddle was lifted and she settled neatly on the steel girders. Ian was soon power washing the hull, and I took the scissors to cut the rope securely wrapped around the prop. But first the accumulation of weed had to be removed. A wild garden most nature lovers would be proud of!

 

 Jet washing done and a concern over the state of the hull. There seemed to be much more pitting than normal, probably because FS has not moved in well over a year. We had a galvanic convertor fitted many years ago to try and stop the problem of low DC currents from the shore power corroding the steel, but this doesn't seem to have stopped the pitting. So the advice from Dan (Langley Mill Boatyard) was to weld three 2.5 kg midship anodes along both sides of the hull, as well as replacing the existing 4 anodes front and stern. Blimey....that a total of 10 new anodes!

Left is the normal anode usually placed either side bow and stern and right is the slimline midship anode placed...well.. midships of course!

 

First though out came the bitumen and, dodging the showers, managed two coats done over two days. Second coat, the chalk came out. This so I don't go over the same bit over and over again. 

 

By Thursday the tunnel bands had been rubbed down and painted and the gas locker inside and out had also been given a lick of paint. While we waited for the paint to dry, Dan came along with his welder, Ian disconnected the batteries 'cos the electric current flowing through the welder could damage or short circuit our electrical system, Dan then scrapped off my newly applied bitumen to bare steel where the weld would attach the anodes and within 30 minutes all anodes were in place.

Tomorrow morning we will refloat FS and then the big clean up starts. Being in the basin for a year, as well as all the crud lifted from the hull by jet washing, she is a disgrace, the windows especially as it's like looking through a fog! Oh, and we also have the task of getting MB ready because on Saturday we leave for Sherwood Forest. Yep, a week spent with the senior members of the family, a convoy of motorhomes all heading for Nottingham. Oh, and then the following Saturday back to Northumberland and Kielder Forest to hopefully see the millions of stars in this dark sky reserve and preferably without those pesky midges too! Hmm, looks like finally this blog will be up and running again.

 And wildlife photos from August,