Feeling well run down following the 2 christmas doo's, the Isis one in manchester, organised by Karl, was a good one though i did leave at 10.30 to catch the tram, because i was dead on my feet, even dozed off between Sale and Altrincham *grin*, Mrs B picked me up from a very cold station.
The weekend was a dead loss as refitting the kitchen on the boat and had an emergency tooth extraction in Maclesfield on Sunday (they worked Sunday to avoid working over Christmas). So all weekend was feeling lousy and now fullof Cold again... whin whine woe is me..:)
but definetly run down
At least the majority of the Kitchen is in
Very very cold over the last few days, the boat has been iced up nearly all that time and this morning (Thurs) was the coldest yet at -5'C and a Hoar frost, everything was white in the torchlight as i walked down to the car at 6.30am.
On the caching front, picked up my etrek for the first time since the anglezarke walk and attempted a cache on the way to work, failed miserably as the batteries died before i got out of the car. now 17 days and counting, nearly the longest i've ever been without finding a cache since i started. but i think the urge is coming back http://www.nwcaching.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=378
Had a new cacher Marcuswar email me, he had just done my wincham wharf cache as his first ever and enjoyed it, which brought a smile to my face.
log is on the cache page http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=e6014aef-896d-46e7-b2af-85eb555e959c
New event cache by Muttoneer
A pub quiz at the swan inn
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=5ceb59a0-c6ce-4150-9f83-7762f09e4d25
should be a good craic.
The Leaving of Liverpool
Words & Tune: trad. arranged Stan Kelly
© 1961 Heathside Music
Expansively
Fare you well the Prince's landing stage,
River Mersey fare you well
I'm off to California
A place I know right well.
Chorus
So fare you well my own true love,
When I return united we shall be.
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me
But my darling when I think of you.
I'm off to California
By the way of the stormy Cape Horn,
And I will send you a letter, love,
When I'm homeward bound.
Farewell to Lower Frederick Street,
Anson Terrace and Park Lane,
Farewell, it will be some long time
Before I see you again.
I've shipped on a Yankee clipper ship,
Davy Corckett is her name;
And Burgess is the captain of her,
And they say she's a floating hell.
It's my second trip with Burgess in the Crockett,
And I think I know him well.
If a man's a sailor, he can get along,
But if not, he's sure in hell.
The tug is waiting at the pierhead
To take us down the stream.
Our sails are loose and our anchor secure,
So I'll bid you goodbye once more.
I'm bound away to leave you,
Goodbye, my love, goodbye
There's just one thing that grieves me,
That's leaving you behind.
Notes
W. M. Doerflinger ("Shantymen and Shantyboys," New York 1951) collected this song from an ex-seaman, Dick Maitland, who first heard it in 1885. "I was on deck," says Maitland, "one night, when I heard a Liverpool man singing it in the foc's'le. Yes sir, that song hit the spot." The song is included on a Prestige record of sea songs by A. L. Lloyd and Ewan McColl (both now "up aloft," God rest their souls).
Saying my goodbyes at Liverpool as tomorrow is my last day there, off to West Yorks in the new year for a new site, should be good and a challenge, only downside is the long commute. 75 miles door to door according to the sat nav, 1 hr 20 mins.
Good to be out of the site at Liverpool, I think that has been effecting my health.
which brings me full circle.
Not sure how often i will get to post until the 8th or 9th Jan, probably not at all so merry christmas.
Thursday, 20 December 2007
Friday, 14 December 2007
4 hours kip.
LOR christmas party last night in the temples bar off dale street.
It has just reaffirmed why I don't go out on the lash anymore, the place was loud music and I couldn't hearwhat anybody was saying, this is usual though as I'm a good foot taller thn most women and 6" over most men so the conversations pass below me :), maybe all I'm of use for is a wind break.
The DJ (if you can call him that) had the music up so loud the speakers were distorting.
plus there was no bitter on tap only John smiths which is dire, so aftera couple or 4 bottles of corona complete with Lime ( how trendy am I *tongue firmly in cheek*), I moved onto whisky.
Other than the above the night was alright especially as the bar was free.
Made it to Lime street for the last train home and Mrs B was there at Hartford to run me home, (bless her).
Up again at 5am after a very short kip and feel ok, the marina is frozen and the ice made that high pitched cracking sound as the boat shifted as I stepped off. Heavy frost and everywhere was white in the moonlight.
caught the train in again as i am probably still over the limit and it just isnt worth the risk!!.
It has just reaffirmed why I don't go out on the lash anymore, the place was loud music and I couldn't hearwhat anybody was saying, this is usual though as I'm a good foot taller thn most women and 6" over most men so the conversations pass below me :), maybe all I'm of use for is a wind break.
The DJ (if you can call him that) had the music up so loud the speakers were distorting.
plus there was no bitter on tap only John smiths which is dire, so aftera couple or 4 bottles of corona complete with Lime ( how trendy am I *tongue firmly in cheek*), I moved onto whisky.
Other than the above the night was alright especially as the bar was free.
Made it to Lime street for the last train home and Mrs B was there at Hartford to run me home, (bless her).
Up again at 5am after a very short kip and feel ok, the marina is frozen and the ice made that high pitched cracking sound as the boat shifted as I stepped off. Heavy frost and everywhere was white in the moonlight.
caught the train in again as i am probably still over the limit and it just isnt worth the risk!!.
Thursday, 13 December 2007
Christmas party time:)
Liverpool and tonight is the christmas party, I haven't really got into the festive spirit this year, even tried playing a christmas internet radio yesterday but it just got annoying. But festivities start tonight, with hopefully a meal out with JA, sam and Les coutesy of a supplier andthenm joinng the rest of the Lord street and dungeon teams at a bar somewhere in the city, I don't know where, I'll just follow the others.
Because of this I caught the train into work this morning from Hartford station at 6.24am, thanks must go to Mrs B who got out of bed from under the warm duvet to de-ice her car and run me to the station, there was a heavy frost this morning and it was cold, but the train was warm and one of the new Desiros class 350 very quiet and with stops at Acton Bridge, Runcorn, liverpool south and mossley hill we were into Lime street in 30 mins, which was quicker than driving, so i was only 10 mins late after walking down to site.
The train gives you a great view of the adjacent runcorn widnes bridge as it crossess the mersey at the runcorn gap, it was all lit up, great.
Hopefully I will stay awake on the way back as I'm aiming to catch the last train tonight and if I fall asleep I'll go all the way to Birmingham, which wouldn't be good.
Back on the boat, after a sandwich last night we finished the caracss to support the cooker and fixed it into position, and slid the cooker into place, but as it was 9.30 by then and we didn't want to disturb any of the nearby boats, we had to stop then, go and walk the dogs and to bed. Work will continue on Saturday, when hopefully I'll get alot completed with the worktop on as well.
Caching - well still not got the itch to get out and grab any caches, I think the anglezarke assault well and truly cured that, though I may grab one or two in Manchester on my way to the Islington wharf doo on Friday.
We got a lovely email from lindeloo, who had reported that Brine series #6 needed maintenance, thanking us for the coords for Brine#9. Nice when you get correspondence like that.
3rd coffee needed i think, and get on with somework
Because of this I caught the train into work this morning from Hartford station at 6.24am, thanks must go to Mrs B who got out of bed from under the warm duvet to de-ice her car and run me to the station, there was a heavy frost this morning and it was cold, but the train was warm and one of the new Desiros class 350 very quiet and with stops at Acton Bridge, Runcorn, liverpool south and mossley hill we were into Lime street in 30 mins, which was quicker than driving, so i was only 10 mins late after walking down to site.
The train gives you a great view of the adjacent runcorn widnes bridge as it crossess the mersey at the runcorn gap, it was all lit up, great.
Hopefully I will stay awake on the way back as I'm aiming to catch the last train tonight and if I fall asleep I'll go all the way to Birmingham, which wouldn't be good.
Back on the boat, after a sandwich last night we finished the caracss to support the cooker and fixed it into position, and slid the cooker into place, but as it was 9.30 by then and we didn't want to disturb any of the nearby boats, we had to stop then, go and walk the dogs and to bed. Work will continue on Saturday, when hopefully I'll get alot completed with the worktop on as well.
Caching - well still not got the itch to get out and grab any caches, I think the anglezarke assault well and truly cured that, though I may grab one or two in Manchester on my way to the Islington wharf doo on Friday.
We got a lovely email from lindeloo, who had reported that Brine series #6 needed maintenance, thanking us for the coords for Brine#9. Nice when you get correspondence like that.
3rd coffee needed i think, and get on with somework
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
BL***dy work
a little busy today. not helped by being late up this morning, just a bit of stress. i had to arrange a drain company to come in and clear some ducts to a couple of pumping chambers so the pumps and electrical gear can be arranged, they failed to clear it and the LOR manager wanting the work done went off on one at me... just no need for it. pi**ed me off. never mind. the drain company coming back with a larger jetting rig.
got a ticket for the doo tomorrow night, and a free bar, so i'm going to catch the train in, nice change from driving i hope, and catch the last train home.
just seen on Nw caching forum that Mars bars was up on Angelzarke moor yesterday in the lovely sunshine a big difference to our visit up there a couple of weeks ago.
On the boat front, we had to buy a new cooker on saturday, as the old one had flames coming out of the hob burners below the ring, it looked unsafe so we had to retire it, It has done good service as we have been on the boat for 9 years now andgoodness nows how long it was on their before that, the boat was built in 1987-88 so probably since then making the cooker 20 years old at least.
the new cooker we found is a build in one so with a few tweaks we have had to totally redesign the kitchen, a small job has turned into ahuge one and difficult in the confines of the boat. but we'll get there, just annoyiong being without a means to cook anything, at least the stove is running well and keeping us warm.
Lovely boat for sale http://www.abnb.co.uk/Boat_pages/fdr1398/1398abnb.php if only we had enough money... but thats what everyone says....... I know stop caching and ill save on petrol.
and staying with petrol, there is a rumour of a fuel blockade starting on saturday, might be on the train all week if that happens.
got a ticket for the doo tomorrow night, and a free bar, so i'm going to catch the train in, nice change from driving i hope, and catch the last train home.
just seen on Nw caching forum that Mars bars was up on Angelzarke moor yesterday in the lovely sunshine a big difference to our visit up there a couple of weeks ago.
On the boat front, we had to buy a new cooker on saturday, as the old one had flames coming out of the hob burners below the ring, it looked unsafe so we had to retire it, It has done good service as we have been on the boat for 9 years now andgoodness nows how long it was on their before that, the boat was built in 1987-88 so probably since then making the cooker 20 years old at least.
the new cooker we found is a build in one so with a few tweaks we have had to totally redesign the kitchen, a small job has turned into ahuge one and difficult in the confines of the boat. but we'll get there, just annoyiong being without a means to cook anything, at least the stove is running well and keeping us warm.
Lovely boat for sale http://www.abnb.co.uk/Boat_pages/fdr1398/1398abnb.php if only we had enough money... but thats what everyone says....... I know stop caching and ill save on petrol.
and staying with petrol, there is a rumour of a fuel blockade starting on saturday, might be on the train all week if that happens.
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
back after a gap
Well its been a while, last post in july. but things have been hectic, what with our aniversary party (10 year) in august, which was superb
Changing sites -now in Liverpool
Lots of Caching as well.
as the side bar states now past 1200 and nearly at 1300 which should pass before the new year.
I jave been very active on a new forum Nwcaching.co.uk which has a small band of members actively posting but with alot of wind up and craic,
in fact after a post about the best route to attack Anglezarke moor near chorley, the thread turned into an all out assault and i ended up organizing the first North West cachers Winter wander or Angelzarke assualt 1.
great fun but i will post more about that later.
Other notable things that i can remember off the top of my head, are
a new addition - friends S and C have had a baby girl last week, Halley rose, lovely.
and to top it we went out to the george and dragon in alty to wet the babies head and won the quiz!! a gallon of beer!!
spent six weeks house sitting for my dad, whilst he was away and really didnt like it glad to get back to the boat andlife afloat.
and we are off to scotland for a christmas away from everyone, hopefully lots of snow, log fires and caching, maybe if the weather is good climb a mountain, though im nervous about that in snow and ice.
more to come i hope
Changing sites -now in Liverpool
Lots of Caching as well.
as the side bar states now past 1200 and nearly at 1300 which should pass before the new year.
I jave been very active on a new forum Nwcaching.co.uk which has a small band of members actively posting but with alot of wind up and craic,
in fact after a post about the best route to attack Anglezarke moor near chorley, the thread turned into an all out assault and i ended up organizing the first North West cachers Winter wander or Angelzarke assualt 1.
great fun but i will post more about that later.
Other notable things that i can remember off the top of my head, are
a new addition - friends S and C have had a baby girl last week, Halley rose, lovely.
and to top it we went out to the george and dragon in alty to wet the babies head and won the quiz!! a gallon of beer!!
spent six weeks house sitting for my dad, whilst he was away and really didnt like it glad to get back to the boat andlife afloat.
and we are off to scotland for a christmas away from everyone, hopefully lots of snow, log fires and caching, maybe if the weather is good climb a mountain, though im nervous about that in snow and ice.
more to come i hope
Tuesday, 17 July 2007
Monday and Tuesday
Monday and Tuesday.
Well spent all Monday surfing net at work did very little work, not much to do only the measures and check the drawing register was up to date, the joiners hadn’t got all the 16th floor of Block B ready for us to set out the slab and box outs on so no point in climbing all those ladders to get up there.
Lollybob published 3 new caches yesterday and there was a chance of a FTF on (GC14CF9) Lounging in Lowton TB Hotel by LollyBob but I didn’t have my gps with me.
But this morning, Tuesday, I got up early and after walking the dogs got round to Lowton and found the cache, it was alongside the original Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Swapped some tbs.
Also headed into lowton and picked up (GCX8KP) Lowton Stocks by LollyBob
Which was a long-term dnf of mine
Takes me up to 1050 finds with 140 dnfs a ratio of 7.5 finds per dnf
Work today was out of the office and clearing props and aluminium beams off Block A and Block B with the project manager, very sore across shoulders where I haven’t been used to carrying things for a few years, I am probably going to be stiff tonight after the drive home.
Exchanged a couple of emails with J today, she is a bit worried about C, wary to get too involved, don’t blame her after the last 6 months with T. but the guy seems alright
Well spent all Monday surfing net at work did very little work, not much to do only the measures and check the drawing register was up to date, the joiners hadn’t got all the 16th floor of Block B ready for us to set out the slab and box outs on so no point in climbing all those ladders to get up there.
Lollybob published 3 new caches yesterday and there was a chance of a FTF on (GC14CF9) Lounging in Lowton TB Hotel by LollyBob but I didn’t have my gps with me.
But this morning, Tuesday, I got up early and after walking the dogs got round to Lowton and found the cache, it was alongside the original Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Swapped some tbs.
Also headed into lowton and picked up (GCX8KP) Lowton Stocks by LollyBob
Which was a long-term dnf of mine
Takes me up to 1050 finds with 140 dnfs a ratio of 7.5 finds per dnf
Work today was out of the office and clearing props and aluminium beams off Block A and Block B with the project manager, very sore across shoulders where I haven’t been used to carrying things for a few years, I am probably going to be stiff tonight after the drive home.
Exchanged a couple of emails with J today, she is a bit worried about C, wary to get too involved, don’t blame her after the last 6 months with T. but the guy seems alright
Monday, 16 July 2007
Sunday continues
Left off on previous post at No.4 I think so:
No. 5 1044; (GC133G7) Cilcain Village Vexation. by Team Marzipan – Lovely village which when I got there I realised I had walked from back in 2001 with my dad and Dave Tait, on that occasion we walked up onto the Clwyd hills ridge and along the Offa’s dike path, great walk and views.
This time here to find a cache and I did, it was a fake rock that was coloured the same as the stones in the wall that it was hidden in.
No. 6 1045;(GC140K5) GET OUT OF JAIL FREE - No.1 Jailbreak by Happy Landins and Team Marzipan – finally onto the series we had come out to do, pulled into the large car park as to obtain the combination for the first padlock you had to count windows and drainpipes on the back of the Ruthin Gaol building,
As we parked, away from a lone man in a silver car so as not to disturb his Sunday afternoon, and paid and displayed, only 20p for an hour, and started counting the lone man came over it was the west viewers and he was waiting for the other members of the team to return from finding the cache, he’d stayed to save on the P&D charge, Skinflint, He he.
We counted windows got the combination and headed across the river to another park and spotted Horrid Henry and Mrs west viewer lurking under the trees by an ivy covered wall, cache was soon found and I think we were unobserved by the kids playing on the half constructed skateboard ramps nearby, the combination worked on the lunch box briefcase and inside was a laminated map with the clue number and the combination to get into cache no. 2, we noted both and signed the log and replaced the cache and headed off to the car.
No.7 1046; (GC140KD) GET OUT OF JAIL FREE - No.2 Lady Bagot by Happy Landins and Team Marzipan – made a mess of this one, first Mrs bargee turned out of the car park and headed up the wrong road heading for betws-y-coed, so u turn no.1, then I directed up a side road into a farm as the sat nav was wrong it showed a road where there was none, uturn no.2, then turned up next side road and everything hunky dory, even saw a Buzzard sitting on top of a telegraph pole above us, but we could only get to within .3miles of the cache and there was no parking place, finally read the cache page and entered the parking cords, or so I thought, carried on up thius narrow lane passing through a tiny village called Bontuchel, probably wouldn’t find it again. Followed the arrow back down the other side of the valley got to within 120’ of the cords and no parking space, checked coords and I’d entered it wrongly, this led to a few heated words between Mrs Bargee and myself, turns out the parking was just off the main road.
Parked up and the west viewers car was still there, a mile to the cache so we expected to pass them quite quickly but we didn’t, again I didn’t read the cache page so missed the turning it advised and we carried on up a pleasant track in a deep wooded gorge alongside a river, the rock formations were brilliant and the river bed was running over the exposed rock in places like mini weirs,
Coords for this cache were way out and we met the west viewers just after they had found the cache, they topped to tell us where it was hidden as the cords were 70 yds out. They also took cassiedogs geocoin number,
The walk though was superb.
Collected the tb that the west viewers had left and by the time we arrived back at the car we were a little footsore, headed off to Denbigh for the next in the series but Mrs bargee had had enough so we decided to head home.
Caching wasn’t over though as we headed towards the coast and to Rhuddlan
No.8 1047;(GC116GE) Rhuddlan Village Vexation by Team Marzipan – quick find but not a great cache,hidden in one of the cats eyes in the old road
And finally no.9 1048;(GC13T1G) Trelogan Village Vexation by Team Marzipan trelogan village vexation – micro attached to a hub cap in a hedge, funny to find.
Off home as it starting pouring down and diverted to Hartford and the slow boat for a good Chinese. He he
Good day out and can’t wait to finish the get out of jail series, maybe next weekend?
No. 5 1044; (GC133G7) Cilcain Village Vexation. by Team Marzipan – Lovely village which when I got there I realised I had walked from back in 2001 with my dad and Dave Tait, on that occasion we walked up onto the Clwyd hills ridge and along the Offa’s dike path, great walk and views.
This time here to find a cache and I did, it was a fake rock that was coloured the same as the stones in the wall that it was hidden in.
No. 6 1045;(GC140K5) GET OUT OF JAIL FREE - No.1 Jailbreak by Happy Landins and Team Marzipan – finally onto the series we had come out to do, pulled into the large car park as to obtain the combination for the first padlock you had to count windows and drainpipes on the back of the Ruthin Gaol building,
As we parked, away from a lone man in a silver car so as not to disturb his Sunday afternoon, and paid and displayed, only 20p for an hour, and started counting the lone man came over it was the west viewers and he was waiting for the other members of the team to return from finding the cache, he’d stayed to save on the P&D charge, Skinflint, He he.
We counted windows got the combination and headed across the river to another park and spotted Horrid Henry and Mrs west viewer lurking under the trees by an ivy covered wall, cache was soon found and I think we were unobserved by the kids playing on the half constructed skateboard ramps nearby, the combination worked on the lunch box briefcase and inside was a laminated map with the clue number and the combination to get into cache no. 2, we noted both and signed the log and replaced the cache and headed off to the car.
No.7 1046; (GC140KD) GET OUT OF JAIL FREE - No.2 Lady Bagot by Happy Landins and Team Marzipan – made a mess of this one, first Mrs bargee turned out of the car park and headed up the wrong road heading for betws-y-coed, so u turn no.1, then I directed up a side road into a farm as the sat nav was wrong it showed a road where there was none, uturn no.2, then turned up next side road and everything hunky dory, even saw a Buzzard sitting on top of a telegraph pole above us, but we could only get to within .3miles of the cache and there was no parking place, finally read the cache page and entered the parking cords, or so I thought, carried on up thius narrow lane passing through a tiny village called Bontuchel, probably wouldn’t find it again. Followed the arrow back down the other side of the valley got to within 120’ of the cords and no parking space, checked coords and I’d entered it wrongly, this led to a few heated words between Mrs Bargee and myself, turns out the parking was just off the main road.
Parked up and the west viewers car was still there, a mile to the cache so we expected to pass them quite quickly but we didn’t, again I didn’t read the cache page so missed the turning it advised and we carried on up a pleasant track in a deep wooded gorge alongside a river, the rock formations were brilliant and the river bed was running over the exposed rock in places like mini weirs,
Coords for this cache were way out and we met the west viewers just after they had found the cache, they topped to tell us where it was hidden as the cords were 70 yds out. They also took cassiedogs geocoin number,
The walk though was superb.
Collected the tb that the west viewers had left and by the time we arrived back at the car we were a little footsore, headed off to Denbigh for the next in the series but Mrs bargee had had enough so we decided to head home.
Caching wasn’t over though as we headed towards the coast and to Rhuddlan
No.8 1047;(GC116GE) Rhuddlan Village Vexation by Team Marzipan – quick find but not a great cache,hidden in one of the cats eyes in the old road
And finally no.9 1048;(GC13T1G) Trelogan Village Vexation by Team Marzipan trelogan village vexation – micro attached to a hub cap in a hedge, funny to find.
Off home as it starting pouring down and diverted to Hartford and the slow boat for a good Chinese. He he
Good day out and can’t wait to finish the get out of jail series, maybe next weekend?
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Get out of Jail Free and Vexatious Villages
Sunday 15th
After the work we got done yesterday today was a day for Geocaching
In all we looked for 9 caches and found 8 of them
Headed over to North Wales
Wehad decided on a list of 32 caches and they were uplodaed into the PDA and we were ready, the forecast was crap which was why we chose N wales as there are plenty of Drive by, cache and dashes
Our main aim was to do the new series by Happy Landins and west Viewers 'Get out of Jail Free'
This was only published on thursday night and was a series of 10m caches which you had to do in order as they are padlocked shut and you can only open them with the combination from the previous cache,
But first we found som Village Vexation caches on the way over to Ruthin.
1. No 1041. ' Saughall Village Vexation'-http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=eab58c3f-0b0e-4ae3-959e-98d015b97a38
This was a very sneaky hide but not very pleasant, I had spoken to Hazels about a FTF she had done a few days ago and she mentioned it was hidden on the underside of the rubbish bin at a bus stop, hadnt realised but it was this cache, so really it was a quick find.
2. DNF 140. ' Halkyn/banyford Village Vexation' http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=839d8e0c-d4d1-4a87-a6da-cc32150b3e3a - Mrs Bargee has been here before and Dnf'd it and we searched for 20 mins to no avail, get back here tonight to log our finds and see that it had been muggled and the cache wasnt there...
3. No. 1042. ' Babel Village Vexation' Another one we had been to before and DNF'd, but this time a quick find, it was a 35mm film cannister wedged behind the board in a Phone box, one of the red ones.
4. No 1043.' Nannoch Village Vexation'
a quick find wedged in a gap in the brickwork of a bus shelter, good hanging baskets and tubs all round the shelter the village obviously takes pride in it.
I will ahve to leave the rest to another post as time for a bit of a kip before work tomorrow
After the work we got done yesterday today was a day for Geocaching
In all we looked for 9 caches and found 8 of them
Headed over to North Wales
Wehad decided on a list of 32 caches and they were uplodaed into the PDA and we were ready, the forecast was crap which was why we chose N wales as there are plenty of Drive by, cache and dashes
Our main aim was to do the new series by Happy Landins and west Viewers 'Get out of Jail Free'
This was only published on thursday night and was a series of 10m caches which you had to do in order as they are padlocked shut and you can only open them with the combination from the previous cache,
But first we found som Village Vexation caches on the way over to Ruthin.
1. No 1041. ' Saughall Village Vexation'-http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=eab58c3f-0b0e-4ae3-959e-98d015b97a38
This was a very sneaky hide but not very pleasant, I had spoken to Hazels about a FTF she had done a few days ago and she mentioned it was hidden on the underside of the rubbish bin at a bus stop, hadnt realised but it was this cache, so really it was a quick find.
2. DNF 140. ' Halkyn/banyford Village Vexation' http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=839d8e0c-d4d1-4a87-a6da-cc32150b3e3a - Mrs Bargee has been here before and Dnf'd it and we searched for 20 mins to no avail, get back here tonight to log our finds and see that it had been muggled and the cache wasnt there...
3. No. 1042. ' Babel Village Vexation' Another one we had been to before and DNF'd, but this time a quick find, it was a 35mm film cannister wedged behind the board in a Phone box, one of the red ones.
4. No 1043.' Nannoch Village Vexation'
a quick find wedged in a gap in the brickwork of a bus shelter, good hanging baskets and tubs all round the shelter the village obviously takes pride in it.
I will ahve to leave the rest to another post as time for a bit of a kip before work tomorrow
Drilling holes through the boat
Saturday 14th
A late morning and a day working on the boat, I still haven't done all of the jobs required to pass the Safety Certificate and get the boat liscenced so we can take it out of the basin.
Today after a lie in , dog walking and doing the washimg, all the usual chores and a late breakfast we decided to get on with it and looking at the weather the rain was going to hold off.
I wanted to get the gas locker finished so pulled out one of the bottles and with the drill, tried to drill a new vent hole through the side of the locker to vent the gas out if ever thre was a leak, me being a rather large bloke struggled to get my arms and head in at the same time and lying across the jetty and side of the boat was rather painfull even with a cushion to rest on , I couldn't get the bit to bite into the steel, got very frustrated, and gave up.
Mrs Bargee then tried and, fairplay to her, she got a pilot hole drilled and was starting on the 20mm bit when her mother wandered up the jetty and asked whether she was ok, they could here the drilling as it was echoing across the basin, we asked for the father in law's help and when he came round, he manged to squeeze himself INTO the locker, it was crazy, all went well and we had 3 out of 4 holes drilled when the drill's clutch burnt out. Off goes Mrs Bargee to B&Q for a new drill, there was one on offer so only 20 quid and with a laser tape measure too.
SO one job complete only 2 more to do then can get the BSS examiner back to finish the exam and hopefully issue the certificate.
Jools came round in the evening and we went off to the Tip ( the Stanley Arms, I might explain the nickname another time).
She had her new man with her and seemed very happy after recent events, he seems to be a climber and is game for doing all the mad things i only read about in Trail walker. They tell me they were up on Blencathra 2 weeks ago and climbed via Sharp edge, quite a bit of exposure there,
A Pleasant evening with 3 pints of IPA to wash it down.
A late morning and a day working on the boat, I still haven't done all of the jobs required to pass the Safety Certificate and get the boat liscenced so we can take it out of the basin.
Today after a lie in , dog walking and doing the washimg, all the usual chores and a late breakfast we decided to get on with it and looking at the weather the rain was going to hold off.
I wanted to get the gas locker finished so pulled out one of the bottles and with the drill, tried to drill a new vent hole through the side of the locker to vent the gas out if ever thre was a leak, me being a rather large bloke struggled to get my arms and head in at the same time and lying across the jetty and side of the boat was rather painfull even with a cushion to rest on , I couldn't get the bit to bite into the steel, got very frustrated, and gave up.
Mrs Bargee then tried and, fairplay to her, she got a pilot hole drilled and was starting on the 20mm bit when her mother wandered up the jetty and asked whether she was ok, they could here the drilling as it was echoing across the basin, we asked for the father in law's help and when he came round, he manged to squeeze himself INTO the locker, it was crazy, all went well and we had 3 out of 4 holes drilled when the drill's clutch burnt out. Off goes Mrs Bargee to B&Q for a new drill, there was one on offer so only 20 quid and with a laser tape measure too.
SO one job complete only 2 more to do then can get the BSS examiner back to finish the exam and hopefully issue the certificate.
Jools came round in the evening and we went off to the Tip ( the Stanley Arms, I might explain the nickname another time).
She had her new man with her and seemed very happy after recent events, he seems to be a climber and is game for doing all the mad things i only read about in Trail walker. They tell me they were up on Blencathra 2 weeks ago and climbed via Sharp edge, quite a bit of exposure there,
A Pleasant evening with 3 pints of IPA to wash it down.
Friday, 13 July 2007
Friday already
Friday already
Hectic week, didn’t even get chance to write up about Sunday and Monday, but never mind
Caching
No caching on Sunday,or Monday but Monday night a new cache published in Baguley behind Wythenshawe hospital, so thought I’d try for a FTF (first to find) buty failed, wasn’t a nice place either, but now the owner has uploaded the old photos to show what the building, an old lodge. Looked like 60 years ago and how it looks now, derelict. Makes the point of the cache a little better.
After the failure emailed Battleduo who did get the FTF at 11am, I was there at 6am,to ask where it was hidden, so now I know so will return.
Wednesday no caching but Thursday got up early and went to find 2 more of Mr Tibbs caches, Ees Trees and Birch Trees, both are in Ees nature reserve on the banks of the Mersey opposite Sale water park..
2 quick finds. Takes us up to 1040 finds
Canals
Watched a BW work boat lock up the Ashton canal past the site on tues afternoon, seeing the BW lads doing that always makes me want to try for job working with them, moving the workboats, clearing overflows etc, easy life? Maybe, but the grass is always greener.
Anyway they came back down today as stu and I was showing a work placement student the joys of the construction trade,(he wasn’t iompressed especially with the weather, it was a heavy Manchester drizzle) In the hold of the workboat was a lock balance beam, wonder where that came from?
Not seen many boats going through the locks this week, maybe because I’ve been hiding in the cabin.
Work
Wet, wet and wet, I was up on the building on Monday, warm it was so took off my fleece as I assisted stu and scott in plumbing and setting out for the precast columns,
Found out whilst I was up there that during Saturday the marked up drawing I’d done for Tony, the Foreman, had blown off the top of the building landing some 300m away on great ancoats street, needless to say the lads didn’t go and get it but carried on putting up the columns, trouble is that they put the columns in the wrong positions as we are getting near to the top of the building and some change, so for the first 5 hours of Monday was spent lifting out precast columns and into their correct positions. Anyway I digress, took my fleece off and hung it on the placing boom and after seeing the columns in the wrong position I headed back to the site cabin to check and get a new drawing, left the fleece up there thinking I’d get it later , by the time I got back up there they had lifted the pedestal up so the top is at level 18 and left my fleece up there, its still there now Friday 3pm as there is no access up onto the platform without a 6m long ladder so I am stranded without my work fleece, though bit was a great source of amusement for the chippies and scaffs when the wind got stronger and I was up there without a coat and yesterday marking out the windows and vent holes in shear wall L I got soaked in the rain, it lookede like I was entering a wet tshirt competion, which wasn;t a pleasant site with my physique he he
Due to the rain we have had quite a few breaktime conferences in the cabin, as stu says most are those priceless conversations ranging through experiences, philosophy and what the wife did last night.
Must start setting some of these down here.
Today Friday, we discussed the anniversary of the battle of paschendale, 3rd battle of Ypres in WW1, the radio had said that the queen had attended the 90th anniversary at the cemetery there and went for a very long walk through the gravestones, 500.000 men killed or injured in 3 months on both sides allied and German, that’s 1 million men!!!!, the majority of the graves have an inscription soldier who is known only to god.
This led onto the interning of 3 lancashire fusilers after their remains were found on a WW1 battlefield in france or Belgium and how they had managed to identify one of them afdter 90 years buried.
This led onto further macbre stories of finding a dozen soldiers still standing in their trence when it was filled in by the bombardment, buried alive.
Tony then mentioned his father who was wounded at Dunkirk and again at the Normandy landings, an uncle who was captured on the beach and spent 5 years in a POW camp, a story of how if they found a bottle rub a string round it till it gets hot then crack it on a stone and you get a good cut, then smooth off the top with a stone grind/ sanding to make a cup and that’s what they did in the POW camps, another story about the same uncle he woke up after being captured in a German field hospital with 2 doctors arguing over him about whether they could save his leg or amputate it, luckily they managed to save his leg, other members of the family were in the Navy and sunk 3 or 4 times and another drove ( is that the right word) landing craft and was decorated for it after ferrying troops ashore in Sicily.
He also related a story that his father told that at the wake of his grandfathers funeral during WW2 all the sons had managed to make it to the funeral, from the various ships or army units and were in the house afterwards when 2 bowler hatted men turned up at the door asking for the grandfather, who they wanted to intern for the duration him being of Italian descent, needless to say they were sent packing, which is a lot politer than the words Tony said they used.
Another Gem today, Tony mentioned that he had been woken up by his wife because a car alarm was going off in the street, He wasn’t sure whether it was his as he hadn’t heard it go off yet, newish car, so he headed down stairs popped his head out and checked, went back up and told her it wasn’t his car , she was still irritable because the alarm was still going off it being 2am, so as he couldn’t do anything about it he says,” Love are the tissues on your side of the bed?”;
“why?” asks his wife,
“Give us two here then.” And she did, he proceeds to demonstrate how he rolled the tissues up and stuck them in his ears, laid back and went to sleep. We were all rocking at this.
He then said that his wife tried to talk to him but he stayed there with his eyes shut pretending to go to sleep and pretending not to hear her….
I think this may turn into a diary of stories we tell to each other while here at work.
Hectic week, didn’t even get chance to write up about Sunday and Monday, but never mind
Caching
No caching on Sunday,or Monday but Monday night a new cache published in Baguley behind Wythenshawe hospital, so thought I’d try for a FTF (first to find) buty failed, wasn’t a nice place either, but now the owner has uploaded the old photos to show what the building, an old lodge. Looked like 60 years ago and how it looks now, derelict. Makes the point of the cache a little better.
After the failure emailed Battleduo who did get the FTF at 11am, I was there at 6am,to ask where it was hidden, so now I know so will return.
Wednesday no caching but Thursday got up early and went to find 2 more of Mr Tibbs caches, Ees Trees and Birch Trees, both are in Ees nature reserve on the banks of the Mersey opposite Sale water park..
2 quick finds. Takes us up to 1040 finds
Canals
Watched a BW work boat lock up the Ashton canal past the site on tues afternoon, seeing the BW lads doing that always makes me want to try for job working with them, moving the workboats, clearing overflows etc, easy life? Maybe, but the grass is always greener.
Anyway they came back down today as stu and I was showing a work placement student the joys of the construction trade,(he wasn’t iompressed especially with the weather, it was a heavy Manchester drizzle) In the hold of the workboat was a lock balance beam, wonder where that came from?
Not seen many boats going through the locks this week, maybe because I’ve been hiding in the cabin.
Work
Wet, wet and wet, I was up on the building on Monday, warm it was so took off my fleece as I assisted stu and scott in plumbing and setting out for the precast columns,
Found out whilst I was up there that during Saturday the marked up drawing I’d done for Tony, the Foreman, had blown off the top of the building landing some 300m away on great ancoats street, needless to say the lads didn’t go and get it but carried on putting up the columns, trouble is that they put the columns in the wrong positions as we are getting near to the top of the building and some change, so for the first 5 hours of Monday was spent lifting out precast columns and into their correct positions. Anyway I digress, took my fleece off and hung it on the placing boom and after seeing the columns in the wrong position I headed back to the site cabin to check and get a new drawing, left the fleece up there thinking I’d get it later , by the time I got back up there they had lifted the pedestal up so the top is at level 18 and left my fleece up there, its still there now Friday 3pm as there is no access up onto the platform without a 6m long ladder so I am stranded without my work fleece, though bit was a great source of amusement for the chippies and scaffs when the wind got stronger and I was up there without a coat and yesterday marking out the windows and vent holes in shear wall L I got soaked in the rain, it lookede like I was entering a wet tshirt competion, which wasn;t a pleasant site with my physique he he
Due to the rain we have had quite a few breaktime conferences in the cabin, as stu says most are those priceless conversations ranging through experiences, philosophy and what the wife did last night.
Must start setting some of these down here.
Today Friday, we discussed the anniversary of the battle of paschendale, 3rd battle of Ypres in WW1, the radio had said that the queen had attended the 90th anniversary at the cemetery there and went for a very long walk through the gravestones, 500.000 men killed or injured in 3 months on both sides allied and German, that’s 1 million men!!!!, the majority of the graves have an inscription soldier who is known only to god.
This led onto the interning of 3 lancashire fusilers after their remains were found on a WW1 battlefield in france or Belgium and how they had managed to identify one of them afdter 90 years buried.
This led onto further macbre stories of finding a dozen soldiers still standing in their trence when it was filled in by the bombardment, buried alive.
Tony then mentioned his father who was wounded at Dunkirk and again at the Normandy landings, an uncle who was captured on the beach and spent 5 years in a POW camp, a story of how if they found a bottle rub a string round it till it gets hot then crack it on a stone and you get a good cut, then smooth off the top with a stone grind/ sanding to make a cup and that’s what they did in the POW camps, another story about the same uncle he woke up after being captured in a German field hospital with 2 doctors arguing over him about whether they could save his leg or amputate it, luckily they managed to save his leg, other members of the family were in the Navy and sunk 3 or 4 times and another drove ( is that the right word) landing craft and was decorated for it after ferrying troops ashore in Sicily.
He also related a story that his father told that at the wake of his grandfathers funeral during WW2 all the sons had managed to make it to the funeral, from the various ships or army units and were in the house afterwards when 2 bowler hatted men turned up at the door asking for the grandfather, who they wanted to intern for the duration him being of Italian descent, needless to say they were sent packing, which is a lot politer than the words Tony said they used.
Another Gem today, Tony mentioned that he had been woken up by his wife because a car alarm was going off in the street, He wasn’t sure whether it was his as he hadn’t heard it go off yet, newish car, so he headed down stairs popped his head out and checked, went back up and told her it wasn’t his car , she was still irritable because the alarm was still going off it being 2am, so as he couldn’t do anything about it he says,” Love are the tissues on your side of the bed?”;
“why?” asks his wife,
“Give us two here then.” And she did, he proceeds to demonstrate how he rolled the tissues up and stuck them in his ears, laid back and went to sleep. We were all rocking at this.
He then said that his wife tried to talk to him but he stayed there with his eyes shut pretending to go to sleep and pretending not to hear her….
I think this may turn into a diary of stories we tell to each other while here at work.
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Rac to the Rescue and Watch Hill
Weekend went well even with the weather, after the awful week we had had all over the North West and what we had to work in to enable us to pour the level 15 slab on Friday, it was a nice morning.
Got up at 5am to get in and do the washing, we have no washing machine on the boat but are lucky that BW ( British Waterways) provide one in the anderton toilet block which is adjacent to the basin our boat is tied up in. Any way up early and had washing finished and dogs walked by 8.30, just a trip to National to get a puncture repaired and then off out for the day…. Eerrr not quite… left wheel aqt national and retired to a layby on warrington road near marston (adj to a butty van J ), sat reading for ¾ hour with a cup o’Tea and when decided to return to pick up wheel couldn’t get the car started, flat battery, what a fool I felt.. Quick call to the RAC and the wife as phone was out of power, they both turn up, car restarted easily a jaunt around Pickmere village to get some charge in the battery and finally returned to National for the tyre.. not done as needed approval to replace it .. £102… grrrr.. Waited for that and then home by 11am. Wasted morning. Got up early, stupid me should remember to turn ignition off when sat listening to radio… could kick myself..
Watch Hill
So a late leave up to Cumbria; left at 11.50 am and got to Cockermouth by 1.50 so not a bad run, a little argy bargy ahead of us on Thelwall viaduct and again at the 4 lane section at Preston, but motoway relatively quiet. A66 was busy down to Keswick though.
Blencathra and Skiddaw had the head in clouds so cloud base was around 3000’, but we weren’t planning on that high.
Dropped in at Jennings brewery to pick up some cases of ale for the forthcoming party, and then headed out of cockermouth to a parking spot just off the old A66 and started up the bridleway that forms part of the Allerdale Ramble to climb thje ridge of setembury common and watch hill See Leany’s photos Watch Hill and Setmurthy Common (Thu 26 Apr 2007) - theLakelandFells.
Great walk up the ridge, lots of sheep but Mollydog behaved herself with a little help from the clicker , Cassiedog just wasn’t too bothered as usual.
Picked up 3 caches
1, The Hay by MeisMook, great hide in some braken took a while to find
2. Setmurthy common – a micro hidden under a boulder built in next to the stone wall, She just managed to reach it with her fingertips, was worried that this has gone as previous log was a dnf, but it was there,
3. Watch hill, a Charlie cache, she found this one too, only copz I stayed on’tother side of the stile with the dogs, left team shadowwalkers winnie the pooh tb and took a few photos
To get back I was expecting to retrace our steps along the ridge but Ms Bargee thought otherwise and decided to head down through the woods… A very steep desent followed on a path that wasn’t really there but we made it down to the road safely, was fun really… a yomp back of 2 miles to the car making a wallk of around 3-4 miles, very enjoyable.
Grabbed another cache at Bassenthwaite view by Golem, water high in the lake and we stayed for 1’2 an hour throwing sticks for cassiedog to chase,
We were at the base 9of the lake.. or is it head,,, where the river leaves the lake and becomes the river there were some quite strong flows, cassie was struggling to swim upstream when we threw the sticks for her.
A photo is on the log -(GC124MQ) Bassenthwaite View by The Golem
After this it was around 6.30pm so decided to head home, Mrs Bargee wanted to try to go back via Caldbeck round Back o’Skiddaw, great drive except for the fact that I hadn’t noticerd I was running on empty…… Just made it to Penrith fopr a fill up. Quick visit to townhead chippy as reccomendedby the girl in the petrol station… very good chips and fish..mmmm.. we will be going there again, stopped in a layby opn the A6 just out of Penrith to eat them.
Grabbed cache No. 5 We all Scream, Let mrs Bargee do that one as the gate we were parked in was a littke muddyJ. Nice cache and dash, and then homeward bound, got on M6 at Shap and swapped drivers at the Kendal turn off.
Home for just after 9pm
Long day 5 caches
Find count up to 1038
Really enjoyable day despite the car troubles.
Weekend went well even with the weather, after the awful week we had had all over the North West and what we had to work in to enable us to pour the level 15 slab on Friday, it was a nice morning.
Got up at 5am to get in and do the washing, we have no washing machine on the boat but are lucky that BW ( British Waterways) provide one in the anderton toilet block which is adjacent to the basin our boat is tied up in. Any way up early and had washing finished and dogs walked by 8.30, just a trip to National to get a puncture repaired and then off out for the day…. Eerrr not quite… left wheel aqt national and retired to a layby on warrington road near marston (adj to a butty van J ), sat reading for ¾ hour with a cup o’Tea and when decided to return to pick up wheel couldn’t get the car started, flat battery, what a fool I felt.. Quick call to the RAC and the wife as phone was out of power, they both turn up, car restarted easily a jaunt around Pickmere village to get some charge in the battery and finally returned to National for the tyre.. not done as needed approval to replace it .. £102… grrrr.. Waited for that and then home by 11am. Wasted morning. Got up early, stupid me should remember to turn ignition off when sat listening to radio… could kick myself..
Watch Hill
So a late leave up to Cumbria; left at 11.50 am and got to Cockermouth by 1.50 so not a bad run, a little argy bargy ahead of us on Thelwall viaduct and again at the 4 lane section at Preston, but motoway relatively quiet. A66 was busy down to Keswick though.
Blencathra and Skiddaw had the head in clouds so cloud base was around 3000’, but we weren’t planning on that high.
Dropped in at Jennings brewery to pick up some cases of ale for the forthcoming party, and then headed out of cockermouth to a parking spot just off the old A66 and started up the bridleway that forms part of the Allerdale Ramble to climb thje ridge of setembury common and watch hill See Leany’s photos Watch Hill and Setmurthy Common (Thu 26 Apr 2007) - theLakelandFells.
Great walk up the ridge, lots of sheep but Mollydog behaved herself with a little help from the clicker , Cassiedog just wasn’t too bothered as usual.
Picked up 3 caches
1, The Hay by MeisMook, great hide in some braken took a while to find
2. Setmurthy common – a micro hidden under a boulder built in next to the stone wall, She just managed to reach it with her fingertips, was worried that this has gone as previous log was a dnf, but it was there,
3. Watch hill, a Charlie cache, she found this one too, only copz I stayed on’tother side of the stile with the dogs, left team shadowwalkers winnie the pooh tb and took a few photosTo get back I was expecting to retrace our steps along the ridge but Ms Bargee thought otherwise and decided to head down through the woods… A very steep desent followed on a path that wasn’t really there but we made it down to the road safely, was fun really… a yomp back of 2 miles to the car making a wallk of around 3-4 miles, very enjoyable.
Grabbed another cache at Bassenthwaite view by Golem, water high in the lake and we stayed for 1’2 an hour throwing sticks for cassiedog to chase,
We were at the base 9of the lake.. or is it head,,, where the river leaves the lake and becomes the river there were some quite strong flows, cassie was struggling to swim upstream when we threw the sticks for her.
A photo is on the log -(GC124MQ) Bassenthwaite View by The Golem
After this it was around 6.30pm so decided to head home, Mrs Bargee wanted to try to go back via Caldbeck round Back o’Skiddaw, great drive except for the fact that I hadn’t noticerd I was running on empty…… Just made it to Penrith fopr a fill up. Quick visit to townhead chippy as reccomendedby the girl in the petrol station… very good chips and fish..mmmm.. we will be going there again, stopped in a layby opn the A6 just out of Penrith to eat them.
Grabbed cache No. 5 We all Scream, Let mrs Bargee do that one as the gate we were parked in was a littke muddyJ. Nice cache and dash, and then homeward bound, got on M6 at Shap and swapped drivers at the Kendal turn off.
Home for just after 9pm
Long day 5 caches
Find count up to 1038
Really enjoyable day despite the car troubles.
Friday, 6 July 2007
Its still raining, windy as well today, tower crane is winded off i.e. unsafe to lift loads due to the wind , so the driver just sits up in his cab, twiddling his thumbs for the rest of the day.
Job for today is concrete pour to level 15 of block B, up that high, i think it is 45m up above the ground level, the wind howls across, on a clearday we can see peel tower above ramsbottom, Kinder scout, Mow cop near kidsgrove, Alderley edge, and even Fiddlers Ferry power station on the far side of warrington some 35miles away.
great view,
only today it isn't clear, low cloud and drizzle and rain, horrible, nowhere to hide. but at least I can come down and dry out for a bit in the cabin, not like the concrete gang who are pouring now, 132m of concrete to lay, vibrate and level, should be all placed by 3pm then 2 of them stay on to power float the slab, they will probably be on it to midnight with all the water there is falling from the sky ...
Caching
well yesterday, thursday, found 2 in the morning,
first one was Prickly Pine and second a revisit to find Sound Asleep which i DNF'd earlier in the week.
Parked on Gibralter Lane, which is an unadopted road that runs steeply down to the river Tame and the recent weather has cut deep groogves in the gravel caused by the water run off.
Prickly pine was a quick find under a small pine tree(surprise surprise) then back to car and the other way to Sound Asleep, found it straight away in a totaly different place than where the gps wasshowing last time. would have been easy to spot a few months back but new growth has hid the hiding place well, good though now only 3 sound series left.
Also Pengy and Tigger were out and about and repaired my Piccadilly village people cache, thanks Girls..
Today was a disaster, tried at Reddish Vale to get sound of Birdsong and Sound footing, Couldnt find Sound of birdsong just one of thoise days no joy whatsoever, on to sound footing andcouldnt even get to the area as the field and paths were flooded ankle deep, so 2 DNF's,
I won't be going back to complete them until there has been a dry spell, too many other caches to do..
think it will be the WLT series next week.
that is 1033 finds
133 DNF's
Ratio = 1Dnf every 7.8 caches found not great will continue to monitor here.
Job for today is concrete pour to level 15 of block B, up that high, i think it is 45m up above the ground level, the wind howls across, on a clearday we can see peel tower above ramsbottom, Kinder scout, Mow cop near kidsgrove, Alderley edge, and even Fiddlers Ferry power station on the far side of warrington some 35miles away.
great view,
only today it isn't clear, low cloud and drizzle and rain, horrible, nowhere to hide. but at least I can come down and dry out for a bit in the cabin, not like the concrete gang who are pouring now, 132m of concrete to lay, vibrate and level, should be all placed by 3pm then 2 of them stay on to power float the slab, they will probably be on it to midnight with all the water there is falling from the sky ...
Caching
well yesterday, thursday, found 2 in the morning,
first one was Prickly Pine and second a revisit to find Sound Asleep which i DNF'd earlier in the week.
Parked on Gibralter Lane, which is an unadopted road that runs steeply down to the river Tame and the recent weather has cut deep groogves in the gravel caused by the water run off.
Prickly pine was a quick find under a small pine tree(surprise surprise) then back to car and the other way to Sound Asleep, found it straight away in a totaly different place than where the gps wasshowing last time. would have been easy to spot a few months back but new growth has hid the hiding place well, good though now only 3 sound series left.
Also Pengy and Tigger were out and about and repaired my Piccadilly village people cache, thanks Girls..
Today was a disaster, tried at Reddish Vale to get sound of Birdsong and Sound footing, Couldnt find Sound of birdsong just one of thoise days no joy whatsoever, on to sound footing andcouldnt even get to the area as the field and paths were flooded ankle deep, so 2 DNF's,
I won't be going back to complete them until there has been a dry spell, too many other caches to do..
think it will be the WLT series next week.
that is 1033 finds
133 DNF's
Ratio = 1Dnf every 7.8 caches found not great will continue to monitor here.
Monday, 2 July 2007
Ashton locks cacher and more rain
Dawn raids this morning, and made a pigs ear of it, attempted 3 found 2 and should have got 4. read the logs
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=f5f944ec-1a73-468d-b0b6-1452177f8e7d
Got to work at 6.59 so straight out into the rain as the chain lad hadnt shown up. setting out on level 15 deck, rain lashing down got very wet, though did get to watch 2 boats make a hash of the locks outside the site, 1 was a private boat and the 2nd an Alvechurch boat from Anderton, I assume that they had tied up for the night at Piccadilly basin, they got extremely wet working lock 1.
Later on in the morning at about 10.30 a que of 4 boats going up and passing them 2 boats going down, all in the rain, the 2nd boat up was Ye Dolphin off our marina, yelled down to the fella steering to wave, but couldn't hear me, he appeared to be single handed as he tied up below the 2nd lock under the scaffold that is around the lock building, but the crew of the claymoore navigation hire boat behind were giving him a hand.
The hireres were also moving there boat up to the bottom gates whiulst they waited for ye Dolphin to work through the lock, all good practise, but not so good when there is a boat coming down as well.. some very amusing manouveres followed..
The 4th boat was the swedish crew that i saw leaving anderton on saturday, they were working very effitiently.
But every boat but the last 2, came unstuck with the bottom left gate paddle, which sticks half open, when you try to close it whilst the gate is open, lets the lock water flow through, like leaving the plug of the bath out, and means that the lock takes a long time to fill and water is wasted, not that that matters today....
Finaly the sun came oput and between 11 and 2pm stu and I got the setting out done, whilst looking over at lock 2 saw a bloke in a motorbike Jacket wandering around lock 2 suspiuciously, after a few minutes my suspicions were confirmed, he was a cacher looking for my 'Ancoats for Islington' cache, which is hidden by the lock, not tell you where.
It was amusing watching him looking in every nook and cranny, walked past the hiding place at least 4 times before he found it, will have to watch for his log tonight, wonder who it was?
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=f5f944ec-1a73-468d-b0b6-1452177f8e7d
Got to work at 6.59 so straight out into the rain as the chain lad hadnt shown up. setting out on level 15 deck, rain lashing down got very wet, though did get to watch 2 boats make a hash of the locks outside the site, 1 was a private boat and the 2nd an Alvechurch boat from Anderton, I assume that they had tied up for the night at Piccadilly basin, they got extremely wet working lock 1.
Later on in the morning at about 10.30 a que of 4 boats going up and passing them 2 boats going down, all in the rain, the 2nd boat up was Ye Dolphin off our marina, yelled down to the fella steering to wave, but couldn't hear me, he appeared to be single handed as he tied up below the 2nd lock under the scaffold that is around the lock building, but the crew of the claymoore navigation hire boat behind were giving him a hand.
The hireres were also moving there boat up to the bottom gates whiulst they waited for ye Dolphin to work through the lock, all good practise, but not so good when there is a boat coming down as well.. some very amusing manouveres followed..
The 4th boat was the swedish crew that i saw leaving anderton on saturday, they were working very effitiently.
But every boat but the last 2, came unstuck with the bottom left gate paddle, which sticks half open, when you try to close it whilst the gate is open, lets the lock water flow through, like leaving the plug of the bath out, and means that the lock takes a long time to fill and water is wasted, not that that matters today....
Finaly the sun came oput and between 11 and 2pm stu and I got the setting out done, whilst looking over at lock 2 saw a bloke in a motorbike Jacket wandering around lock 2 suspiuciously, after a few minutes my suspicions were confirmed, he was a cacher looking for my 'Ancoats for Islington' cache, which is hidden by the lock, not tell you where.
It was amusing watching him looking in every nook and cranny, walked past the hiding place at least 4 times before he found it, will have to watch for his log tonight, wonder who it was?
Rain and more Rain
Weekend a washout though managed a couple of jobs on the boat, so not a complete loss, I hate DIY.
Whilst doing the washing at the toilet block watched an Alvechurch boat leave Anderton marina, executed a nice turn out and heading for Preston Brook, had a Swedish flag on the back of the boat, and the heavens opened on them as they disappeared through the bridge. ah well summer in england.
didnt get out until sunday afternoon, when we went up to Wheelock for a shower and a little walk.
On the drive up there passed boats using Kings lock and Rumps lock, the kinderton arms indian (not sure what its called now) has finaly taken down its christmas advertising, boats in both locks alongside the road further up as well, very busy.
Jaunt up to check on my ' Heartbreak Hill the bottom' Cache, dropped off Mrs Bs Compass rose coin,
Plenty of boats using the two bottom locks No.s 65 and 66 but the duplicate locks are still out of use... what are BW doing... hope they will get them into use again and not just leave them to fall into dereliction.
so no caches over the weekend whilst Hazels and Pup were off at the snowdonia Camping event so mshe has probably passed me on the finds.
On way home we decided on a chinky tea, Slow Boat in Hartford.mmmmmm lick lips
Whilst doing the washing at the toilet block watched an Alvechurch boat leave Anderton marina, executed a nice turn out and heading for Preston Brook, had a Swedish flag on the back of the boat, and the heavens opened on them as they disappeared through the bridge. ah well summer in england.
didnt get out until sunday afternoon, when we went up to Wheelock for a shower and a little walk.
On the drive up there passed boats using Kings lock and Rumps lock, the kinderton arms indian (not sure what its called now) has finaly taken down its christmas advertising, boats in both locks alongside the road further up as well, very busy.
Jaunt up to check on my ' Heartbreak Hill the bottom' Cache, dropped off Mrs Bs Compass rose coin,
Plenty of boats using the two bottom locks No.s 65 and 66 but the duplicate locks are still out of use... what are BW doing... hope they will get them into use again and not just leave them to fall into dereliction.
so no caches over the weekend whilst Hazels and Pup were off at the snowdonia Camping event so mshe has probably passed me on the finds.
On way home we decided on a chinky tea, Slow Boat in Hartford.mmmmmm lick lips
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
Dawn Raid
currently working my way through the "sound" series of caches in reddish vale, manchester. Mr Tibbs has set 23 caches, i think, along the trans pennine trail and tame valley trail from tescos at stockport up to denton
most people spend a few hours and find the 23 and a few other ones along the route on a weekend, but as i havent had the chance and we like to get away and walk somewhere better than the suburbs of manchester we haven't done this series.
I couldn't sleep on sunday/ monday morning so was up at 4.30am, had the dogs walked by 5.15am, so was on the way into work in manchester before 5.30am, so decided i had enough time to start the first few of the series.
On monday am found 4 caches sound of carols, wall of sound, sound of water and sound of hooves, made a quick mile and a half circular route, back to the car by 6.35 and into work before 7am.
Sound of water was superb as the recent heavy rain that was causing the flooding in sheffield had engorged the river Tame and by the cache site the river falls over a 3m weir, very impressive with the volume of water passing over it.
messed up though as i missed a cache that was only 0.1mile away from wall of sound cache, i will have to return at alater date.
Monday at work, torrential rain all day so thje site was knocked off early at 4pm so took the oppurtunity, even in the pouring rain and wind, to return asnd find some more of the series.
Found Sound advice(time for a bath), Sound of Golf balls; Sound of trains; Sound of Motorway And By Golden Pond;
left a travel bug in by golden pond, on the way to sound of motorway a willow tree had come down across the path, had to clamber through the tree.
That was Monday 9 caches found and 1 tb dropped off. very good for me that.
Tuesday 26th june - again up early so back to stockport for more caches. moved further along the trail so skipped a few on the trail parked on stockport rd in denton and headed east, picked up 3 caches - sound of cats?; sound in the distance and sound bite - again ran out of time.
Wednesday 27th june - bit later this morning, back to the same parking on stockport rd and went west back towards reddish vale, only did 2 caches -sound of traffic and sound of Babbling brook, not enough time to do the last one under the m60 will have to come back.
that makes found count 1024
currently working my way through the "sound" series of caches in reddish vale, manchester. Mr Tibbs has set 23 caches, i think, along the trans pennine trail and tame valley trail from tescos at stockport up to denton
most people spend a few hours and find the 23 and a few other ones along the route on a weekend, but as i havent had the chance and we like to get away and walk somewhere better than the suburbs of manchester we haven't done this series.
I couldn't sleep on sunday/ monday morning so was up at 4.30am, had the dogs walked by 5.15am, so was on the way into work in manchester before 5.30am, so decided i had enough time to start the first few of the series.
On monday am found 4 caches sound of carols, wall of sound, sound of water and sound of hooves, made a quick mile and a half circular route, back to the car by 6.35 and into work before 7am.
Sound of water was superb as the recent heavy rain that was causing the flooding in sheffield had engorged the river Tame and by the cache site the river falls over a 3m weir, very impressive with the volume of water passing over it.
messed up though as i missed a cache that was only 0.1mile away from wall of sound cache, i will have to return at alater date.
Monday at work, torrential rain all day so thje site was knocked off early at 4pm so took the oppurtunity, even in the pouring rain and wind, to return asnd find some more of the series.
Found Sound advice(time for a bath), Sound of Golf balls; Sound of trains; Sound of Motorway And By Golden Pond;
left a travel bug in by golden pond, on the way to sound of motorway a willow tree had come down across the path, had to clamber through the tree.
That was Monday 9 caches found and 1 tb dropped off. very good for me that.
Tuesday 26th june - again up early so back to stockport for more caches. moved further along the trail so skipped a few on the trail parked on stockport rd in denton and headed east, picked up 3 caches - sound of cats?; sound in the distance and sound bite - again ran out of time.
Wednesday 27th june - bit later this morning, back to the same parking on stockport rd and went west back towards reddish vale, only did 2 caches -sound of traffic and sound of Babbling brook, not enough time to do the last one under the m60 will have to come back.
that makes found count 1024
Intro
First blog.
mmmm where to start...
well,
Canals - Big intrest, holidays on them , walk the towpaths, love the industrial archealogy, friendly boaters, people even the fishermen.
Caching - Geocaching, hunting for tupperware in the woods, great fun, started in Jan 2005 after getting an etrek for christmas and now have just passed 1000 finds.
Construction - what i do to earn my money to do the 2 above.
mmmm where to start...
well,
Canals - Big intrest, holidays on them , walk the towpaths, love the industrial archealogy, friendly boaters, people even the fishermen.
Caching - Geocaching, hunting for tupperware in the woods, great fun, started in Jan 2005 after getting an etrek for christmas and now have just passed 1000 finds.
Construction - what i do to earn my money to do the 2 above.
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