Camping update
Apr. 4th, 2011 08:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sollersGoing away for one night was a really good idea.
Lessons learned: more bedding. We had layers under us because we had been warned that cold creeps up from the floor. It didn't. It crept down from the air above. In future: two sleeping bags, the heavy-duty one I used plus my big double sleeping bag, one inside the other,
We need plastic boxes with lids to stow things in., labelled.
Taking Zoe's cage is a good idea because it distresses her so much to even try to put her travel harness on.
The table between the seats works perfectly.
At present we cannot have two airbeds on the floor and have the heating on.
The trip itself:
Perfect weather on Saturday. We sat outsde and drank beer (as soon as I had switched off the engine, chairs out and beer bottles opened).
Sunday morning initially spent thawing out. Scrambled eggs make an easy and substantial breakfast.
Later we went sightseeing along the Dove. We didn't cross the Stepping Stones because of problems carrying the dogs; when we turned back, originally thinking of going back to the bridge and up the other side, the sky looked threatening so we cut it short. Just as well; we only got five minutes of being hailed on, which was quite enough. We made a cup of coffee while waiting for the "shower" to subside, then found that everybody was having trouble getting off the parking field. Cars being towed and pushed and sent round another way; motor caravans being towed off, or attempted to. I tried a long sweep up a shallow slope, but still ground to a halt; reversed; tried again; still failure. Switched off. Eventually the chap in charge came along; we discussed things like the wide wheels, very low first gear and light body; he took over, reversed a very long way and took a path nobody else had done so there was no churned up mud and got me out. Note: no hint of "stupid woman driver, move over and let a MAN do it", more an air of "Cool! Can I have a go?"
We then went to Tissington in pursuit of a pub. I am now good at driving through narrow gateways and over cattle grids. We couldn't find anywhere suitable to park, so went back out and found a very good pub, doing very reasonable food, very cosy with a wood fire.
Got home less tired from stressful driving than I expected. The bus really is comfortable to drive, and from Manchester to beyond Buxton and back, with substantial side trips, we used less than half a tank of diesel. Very gratifying.
Lessons learned: more bedding. We had layers under us because we had been warned that cold creeps up from the floor. It didn't. It crept down from the air above. In future: two sleeping bags, the heavy-duty one I used plus my big double sleeping bag, one inside the other,
We need plastic boxes with lids to stow things in., labelled.
Taking Zoe's cage is a good idea because it distresses her so much to even try to put her travel harness on.
The table between the seats works perfectly.
At present we cannot have two airbeds on the floor and have the heating on.
The trip itself:
Perfect weather on Saturday. We sat outsde and drank beer (as soon as I had switched off the engine, chairs out and beer bottles opened).
Sunday morning initially spent thawing out. Scrambled eggs make an easy and substantial breakfast.
Later we went sightseeing along the Dove. We didn't cross the Stepping Stones because of problems carrying the dogs; when we turned back, originally thinking of going back to the bridge and up the other side, the sky looked threatening so we cut it short. Just as well; we only got five minutes of being hailed on, which was quite enough. We made a cup of coffee while waiting for the "shower" to subside, then found that everybody was having trouble getting off the parking field. Cars being towed and pushed and sent round another way; motor caravans being towed off, or attempted to. I tried a long sweep up a shallow slope, but still ground to a halt; reversed; tried again; still failure. Switched off. Eventually the chap in charge came along; we discussed things like the wide wheels, very low first gear and light body; he took over, reversed a very long way and took a path nobody else had done so there was no churned up mud and got me out. Note: no hint of "stupid woman driver, move over and let a MAN do it", more an air of "Cool! Can I have a go?"
We then went to Tissington in pursuit of a pub. I am now good at driving through narrow gateways and over cattle grids. We couldn't find anywhere suitable to park, so went back out and found a very good pub, doing very reasonable food, very cosy with a wood fire.
Got home less tired from stressful driving than I expected. The bus really is comfortable to drive, and from Manchester to beyond Buxton and back, with substantial side trips, we used less than half a tank of diesel. Very gratifying.
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Date: 2011-04-04 03:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-04 03:37 pm (UTC)