31 July 2018

Insignia - Problem

Since I bought the Insignia four years ago I have put 34000 miles on the clock.

Apart from an annual service and tyres both end (once) and a new battery in Jan 18, it's not been too much of a problem.

A broken spring after some Scottish potholes of monumental depth is about it.

Forget about the local Kent drivers who on FOUR occasions have managed to run into it...

Last evening I got home from dog walking, following Claire into the drive. The coolant light has been on for a few days and I guess that the level was low. On checking I could see it was about 2mm below the max line.

I topped it up with about 200ml of clean tap water and that took it to the line. Dipped the oil and that was okay.

To check the light and warning panel was off I started the engine. The steering wheel was stiff. The aircon was on but nothing came out of the vents.

Then the warning lights for battery and charging all came on.

I turned off.

Like all good chaps I googled the warning panel message...

Alternator? Battery?

No. Lack of power steering and electrical functions was the belt on the left (as facing) of the engine. In the half light I could see a naked pulley at the end of the alternator. Further delving into a roasting hit engine bay located the belt. Unbroken.

How had it come off? I called the RAC as someone on the Vauxhall Drivers Club forum had said that it was an easy job to get on.

Unfortunately, we live 5 miles from Eurotunnel and 13 miles from the Port if Dover... With so many holidaymakers on the road and consequently loads of breakdowns they couldn't guarantee when they could send their guy to me. They estimated 2300.

At 2050 they called and asked as the car was half on my drive whether they could come 0800 tomorrow... I said yes

0815 this morning Dave arrived and managed to force the belt on. He couldn't offer any idea how it had come off. The belt was undamaged and the tensioner took a 3ft bar to lever it to create enough slack to get the belt back on!

So at least I can get to work. It ran perfectly, of course, to the station.

My neighbour John owns a garage in Dymchurch.  He said to drop it in and they'll check it properly for wear and alignment. A kind offer and I would never ask a neighbour. It seems like you are after something for nothing...

Looking at it running there seems to be no obvious run out and so who knows what caused it.

The main worry is that we go on holiday on Friday. It's only 145 miles but the potential to go wrong seems way too high. Maybe go in Claire's Corsa!!

Update August 3rd

The day before we go... Had dentist appts in the morning. Then took it to John's garage. Can't do it but bring it back 8am Friday.

Did that. Ring on doorbell about 1030am. Lee, John's son, with car keys. All checked and nothing can be found.

Finished packing.

Decide to give them my Beer52 collection of different IPA beers. ..

Just driving away when they came home for lunch... Waved and drove off.

Car ran perfectly.


posted from Bloggeroid

28 July 2018

NO18 - Less than a week to go!

I have gone over the paperwork so many times it has left copy marks on my retina!

My last job was ordering some Norwegian currency from Thomas Cook. I did it online and arranged to collect the cash today. Only £60's worth.

There wasn't much choice as all the other companies had very high minimums. My usual source, the Post Office, the minimum was £400!

Norge dosh

As we are on a cruise with pretty much all-inclusive food and drink I didn't want too much cash. We have plenty of cards to use if we buy anything.


We have stops in Stavanger, Olden and Alesund and so we might need a few krone in the pockets in case of a coffee or maybe a postcard. Do people still send postcards?

We have been to Stavanger and Olden before so we can be a little more relaxed and choose where we want to go rather than going at it like tourist bees.  . Alesund is new territory. I have a Rough Guide to Norway booklet I bought a while back to look at and also there will be Tripadvisor.

We are due in Bergen again on August 9th. The last time we were there in 2013, we moored way out in the boonies and had less time to look around the city. We had to wait for them to conjure up some coaches and then take us into the city. A lot of shore time was wasted. 


This time we are hopefully going to be mooring close by the city centre where we can get easy access to Bryggen and the funicular, known as the Fløibanen, to see the view over the city and the fjord.

In anticipation I decided to book the Fløibanen, in advance. This would also mean I could use my Halifax Clairty credit card and not incur bank charges for using it for foreign currency or purchases. Unlike some other MasterCard and VISA cards that add a fee plus a percentage commission on to transactions.


The other little job is to get the batteries together for the Canon 1100D DSLR. I have a few. I bought a couple and "lost" them and so bought another pair of pattern batteries. Then I found the first pair. I now have four spares to get charged up plus the OEM Canon battery. Hopefully enough teamed with 16gb and 32gb SD cards.

It was near the end of the last cruise that my old 300D stopped working when an unobtainium spring broke controlling the shutter.

This morning we had a shopping trip into Canterbury to get some t-shirts and a few medical supplies. Ostensibly, the trip was to get some bits and pieces for Claire and well why not?  

Next get in the loft and pull the cases down.

Oh. I started a new blog for this cruise on blogspot!!!!!


posted from Bloggeroid

27 July 2018

MAG demands action on 'Pothole Britain'

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has added its voice to demands that the appalling state of our roads is addressed. Road faults are damaging motorcycles and causing injury and death.

MAG has backed the RAC's criticisms of the state of the roads in the UK. The damage to the road surfaces has been caused by limited repair budgets and extreme weather – both hot and cold – which the UK has recently experienced.

David Bizley, RAC Chief Engineer, said: 'From a driver's point of view, our roads are still in a poor state of repair after the damage caused by 'The Beast from the East' and the generally harsh late winter conditions the country experienced.' The RAC recorded 4,091 pothole-related breakdowns between April and June – the highest figure for this three-month period since 2015.

The figure includes breakdowns for the category 'likely to be attributed to damage caused by potholes and poor-quality road surfaces' – such as damaged shock-absorbers, broken suspension springs or distorted wheels. 

The RAC also says its Pothole Index – which is based on a quarterly rolling analysis of pothole-related breakdowns – shows a worsening picture in the second quarter of 2018.

The index, which began at a base of 1.00 in 2006 when the RAC started recording data, moved upwards from 2.63 across the three-month measuring period to 2.67, marking five successive quarters of deterioration.

A spokesman for the Motorcycle Action Group, Ian Churchlow, said: 'Potholes are not a theoretical problem for bikers. They cause real accidents and real injuries – and even fatalities. We read and hear endless calls for reduced death and injury on the road from the road safety groups. We would invite them to join us to take a common-sense attitude towards something which would make a far bigger difference than reduced speed limits – better road surfaces. Specifically, that means devoting time and effort to getting local authorities to fix the roads,  which may not be glamorous but it's very important. Our question is: will the road safety lobby work with us to achieve that? This is the litmus test about whether or not they are serious about road safety.

Pothole Britain is killing riders and this has to end.'

Contact MAG at 01926 844 064 or central-office@mag-uk.org

26 July 2018

Heatwave Continues



The heatwave continues unabated. It has been with us now all month.

Our usual summer had a mixture of sun and showers. The high usually around 25°C and we swelter.

A few days of sun together and people are stripping off in parks in big cities and at the beach.

This year it has gone on all July with some temperatures have been around the 30 mark. The high for our generally temperate climate is apparently a mere 38.1°C.

My car was trying for that as you can see above.

The highest temperature I have experienced was when Claire and I were in Arizona. There was a freak hot spell in Phoenix that touched 110°F or 43.333333°C. It was also May. God only knows what it's like in high summer!!
posted from Bloggeroid

25 July 2018

US19 - Where to?

At the moment it looks as though the destination for our 2019 main holiday will be the US and probably/possibly Florida.

Now we are stuck with having school holidays along with the hordes and their kids to get two weeks together can only be Easter or Summer. On top of that there is the airfare to consider. Whilst I still have the timeshare I need to make the most use of it and the US gives the best value for money.

It's a balancing act, on the one hand the higher airfare but far better resorts, or lower airfare (or drive) and lower standard but expensive resorts.

What the Americans consider low in value at home would be much higher priced in Spain! Last year we stayed in Pompano Beach, disrupted due to the hurricanes,. but the studio was far better appointed and situated than most we have tried in Spain and that cost considerably more.

Currently I am looking at airfares to see what deals there are. So many airlines are rogering us with added payments. Basically all you get for your airfare is the seat on the plane.  

Luggage is extra. Food and drink is extra. TBH I don't mind the food if I can take my own, but hand luggage is allegedly restricted- until you see what some of the bags are like people take on and get away with.

If it doesn't fit in this bugger....


.... it goes in the hold.

And most airlines have a similar rack by check-in so you can check the size of it before getting to the aircraft!

In fact we took hand luggage with us to Spain as we intended to avoid the queues for the luggage carousels but in both directions they took them off us (free of charge!) to put them in the hold "as there was limited space in the cabin" so we ended up hanging about.  Then when you see the shite and oversized bags wedged in the overheads!!!! Red mist time.

Anyway, back to to the tale. I read that Aer Lingus have some decent fares that involve a layover at Dublin Airport for a few hours for those travelling from outside the Republic  - us in other words.  

There is also a US Immigration facility there where you can go through the process and when you arrive in the US, at selected airports, you can wander off into the country side after being already vetted.  Marvellous.

Better get checking.....


23 July 2018

Alzheimer's Run 2018

The run began in Bexhill but it meant getting up way too early for me on a Sunday.  As it was it was lucky that I didn't go that far. More of that later.

I decided to meet up at the midway point at Dungeness by the Light Railway Station.  I wasn't alone as fellow Meldrew Ian Gardner was going there as well.   Three others, Cal, Neil and Graham had met up at the regular Blue & White earlier in the morning to ride to Bexhill and then come back with the run itself.

I arrived just before ten to see Ian had parked on the main gravel car-park by the railway station and cafe.  I parked in front of him.  We were joined by a couple of other riders and sat down to chat as bikers do. No names and probably never meet again, but instant camaraderie.  

No posing and no bullshit.

The first marshal appeared on the long drive w into the estate.

Dungeness is the western most point on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.  It is also the home of the Dungeness Nuclear Power Station and is a private estate, surrounded by the sea and ancient shingle built up over thousands of years. I have added the links rather than regurgitate readily available information.  

Once we saw the marshal leading the column we jogged out to our bikes.  I had given my Canon 1100D (rare) trip out and started to take some pictures of the riders as they arrived.  In the end I expect I could have taken more except my hand was starting to swell up again.

On Friday we had been down by the canal at  West Hythe to have a drink with a friend of Claire's whose birthday it was.  I took Reggie for a comfort break and got stung/bitten on outside edge of my left hand. I didn't see the culprit.  It itched like crazy and my hand swelled around my little and ring fingers into my wrist. By Saturday the itch had gone a little and so had the swelling.  I think the short ride to Dungeness had triggered something off.


Graham - Meldrew



















The Old Lighthouse and Pepé in the foreground

Neil - Meldrew












Pepé

Once everyone had arrived and had had their comfort/cigarette/drinks/ice-cream break, the group began to form up and leave. The Meldrews were happy to be near the back of the column and there were maybe only three of four bikes behind us.  As we stop started away my hand got worse and worse.

By the time we had made it a few miles to New Romney I was having problems pulling in the clutch lever.  I decided to abort.  There was no way I could ride another thirty miles with my hand like that and I told Cal I was aborting.  

In the end I got as far as Dymchurch and I pulled into a bus stop and waved the remainder past me. The last four or five miles were painful. The route was planned to go within a 100 yards of my house in any case.  I left it a few minutes so they would get well ahead and then continued.

As I write this, it's Monday afternoon and my hand calmed down yesterday evening and seems much better today. The swelling has gone and the sting/bite looks like a little red dot.... A shame it ruined my ride!

Pepé and new RBLR Lion

The date for the 2019 run is set as 22nd July - https://www.facebook.com/events/300922070471997/


20 July 2018

Walking around Hythe - The Canal as a defence


One of the landmarks in Hythe is the Royal Military Canal. It was built as a form of defence for Romney Marsh in case of an invasion by the French under the command of Bonaparte. The marsh could be flooded but once an invasion began it would take too long to flood it. So a water filled ditch seemed like a great idea. And over 200 years later it is still there.

Over the years Hythe has gone from one of the original "Cinque Ports" (court language at the time was French!) to being around half a mile from the coast.  This caused by silting up of the English side of the Channel and what they call "withdrawing of the sea".

We walk a section every night with the dog.   The "town" sections on each side are paved but other sections are gravel and often simply grass.   It is still possible to see that the northern bank still has the higher frontage and the military road behind is effectively sunken and would allow troops of the day to move relatively freely. The coast itself is defended by Martello Towers, although these were constructed after the canal was finished.

The picture is the boat hire on the southern bank by Ladies Walk Bridge. Rowing boats for hire and the electric boat to take cruises from Hythe to the dam at West Hythe.


19 July 2018

NL18-B Assen BSB?

I had originally planned the trip to the Assen round of BSB  as a weekend away for me and Claire in the car but since the disappointment of the MotoGP at Assen it has got a little bigger.



We have Claire's hip operation hanging over us and until we get a firm date or even a hint of roughly when it will be, it is difficult to start making to many hard plans.

I had booked a twin room in hotel we have stayed at a few times before (in 2009/2010) before at De Wapse.

Claire and I will still need to go in the car and Neill may still want to ride his BMW "Ginny" up there. So with three of us we need another room.  De Wapse was oddly full on the Friday night and I had booked Sat/Sun nights.  

Neill has booked two rooms elsewhere from Friday to Monday, three nights.  

At the moment it all hinges on the hip op.  

Of course, Reggie still needs to go on his holiday and that will complicate things a little and at £14 a day I'd rather not have him there longer than necessary.

To be continued.

FR18 - Centenary of First World War Armistice 2018



With the uncertainty about when Claire will get her hip replacement operation I decided to cancel our booking to attend the Australian commemoration at the  Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, in France.

The closing date for tickets was way back last year and I had entered the ballot for both Claire and myself. We were successful,

So that they can re-allocate to someone else I decided to cancel now. It would be one of those events that will never be repeated, but there you go.




18 July 2018

Guide Dogs Stand - Hythe Hullabaloo

Claire has been looking for something to get involved with. Something where she can contribute to society.

She has recently begun to volunteer to raise money for the Guide Dogs charity.

She did half a day at the school fete in Lympne a few weeks ago and Reggie and I had a walk around the village to the 12C church.

This last weekend she did another stint on the Guide Dogs stand in Hythe High Street for "Hythe Hullabaloo"



Reggie stayed at home when we first went to the stand and I actually got the Canon DSLR out of the house.

I took a few pics of the Armed Forces Day Parade. The band is from our local regiment the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment and they were followed by the British Legion standards and ex-servicemen.

Princess of Wales Royal Regiment band

Royal British Legion Standard bearers

Ex-Servicemen

Later in the day I went back (traffic horrendous) to collect her and Reggie came too.

He was alright until the local cat stranglers began playing. Or rather he didn't appreciate the music of the Scottish bagpipes and drums band.


posted from Bloggeroid

17 July 2018

"No Limit" - George Formby


I first saw this film on my first ever visit to the Isle of Man in 1979. It was showing to packed houses at the Villa Marina all week. 

Amazing for a comedy film made in 1935 starring one of music halls most famous acts - George Formby.

Famous for some very risqué songs accompanied by a ukulele. Never crude. Never uttered a foul word. Just open to interpretation by the viewer/listener. He did play gormless George in most of his movies.

Now that we have the DVD player working through the digital TV we ought to be able to watch.

Failing that. We can watch on the laptop. In fact I'll take it to work tomorrow to see if it will play on my work (read junk) Lenovo.

I bought this copy as it was specially remastered for the Centenary TT in 2007 when Claire and I last went over for the TT.

Update: 19th July 2018

Watched a few scenes on my work laptop during my lunch break.  It has been digitally remastered and it does look very good. Obviously it's in black and white but still looks really good.

11 July 2018

Codeine?

I have seen many reports that codeine is addictive.

I take it whenever I get an IBS flare up. Usually I am relieved within a few hours but this week I have found that it was less effective. 

Maybe after twenty plus years of irregular usage that I am becoming too used to it, therefore it's effectiveness is reduced?

One for the medical experts I guess.

8 July 2018

AMRR 2018

What kind of plum walks around the parking at the rendezvous looking for Rockets and forgets his own. Me?

At least my brother took one of his BMW and got Pepé in too




I was up early for a weekend. Alarm set for 0735 and on the road at 0830. The plan to stop for fuel and meet my brother.

Traffic was a little heavier than expected and I arrived at the Esso at Cobham on the A2 about 0920. Filled up and then had a coffee and pain chocolat.

Whilst waiting for Neill I had a chat with fellow Meldrew Ian who was in his truck and saw me pass him.

From Cobham it was a boring hour up the M25 and then M11 to the RDV at Cambridge Services.

A chat and then a wander around. It was very hot again. By the time I got there my legs and personals were a little hot too.

At least I had my bandana... I just need to grow a longer fuller beard to be a real biker.



There were around 300 bikes and as it worked out we were in the second row of the last column to leave.

I had a look for other Rockets and some decent classics.








Once we had heard the roll call of those that have passed in the last year, we fired up. And left. We left in rows like entering the ark... Two by two until it came to us.

It took ages to get out and onto the A14. Once again Cambridgeshire Police riders were superb. They closed junctions and between the bike cops and foot cops smoothed our way into Cambridge city and out to the Cemetery.


Parked and then hurried to the shade of the memorial wall. The service takes about 30 minutes and although somber the memorial site is peaceful and beautifully kept.

The rows of crosses of the 3812 men and women killed and have a known burial are a reminder of the role that the US played in WW2 in the air from the bomber groups.

The 5217 names of the missing are engraved on the memorial wall. One of those is Major Alton Miller AAF.




Once over we set off back home. We had a football match from Russia at Neill's place.

England playing Sweden in Moscow in the World Cup.

Amazingly you can be biker and a football fan despite the puerile comments on biker related social media sites.

England won 2-0.

After the game I was off home. With us riding about 70mph in both directions I had hoped to get home without another pit stop.

As I approached Ashford the "miles to empty" was showing 22 miles. Not trusting it I stopped at Tesco. I squeezed 18.54 litres into the allegedly 24 litre tank.....

Another 5E for the 50/50 Challenge.






posted from Bloggeroid