Me-no-so-good... Yet All Is Fine

Well, this travelling malarkey can exact a toll; what?

Aitch's care and support definitely got me set for driving again last week. On Thursday, I was able to take her for a jaunt in The Grey, so she could get a feel for my faithful steed; and we learned a couple of new things about it together. Notably that the auto-brake on the reverse sensors is very effective. Very. There will be no overriding of the reversing sensor with this van! Thankfully, not all the sensors are that picky. Anyway, we enjoyed a pub lunch overlooking the countryside, I did some shopping to fill the new travel fridge, and I was all set for the next stage.

On the morning I departed Aitch's place, she opted to accompany me as far as Heddon-on-the-Wall, where we took in the small but interesting part of Hadrian's wall from which the village name is derived and then had lunch at the pub down the hill and took in the memorial gardens and hall, before Aitch set to catch the bus back north and I continued on my southward trail. Aitch sent me these two shots of the wall, which you may enjoy...

After that, I headed for Consett to recharge the main battery. Did I mention that I had ordered a Bluetti powerpack for the back of the van to run the T50 Alpicool fridge/freezer? It arrived in two days, and I am thrilled with it. Keeps the T50 constant and safe. Also can run everything else, then will only use Grey for recharging the Bluetti every 24-30 hours or so.

Finding my way to the charger I'd selected, I was surprised when a man came out of the door nearby (business park, so offices) and offered to move his car so I could use the faster charger. How kind. Turned out I had landed at the head office of the MER network, and he was sort of the boss! Simon was a gentleman and a star - providing me with hot water, toilet, a tote bag... and a free charge for my first MER experience! Naturally, I've signed up on their app and will seek their chargers throughout England as an alternative to my other Ford Pro/BPpulse membership. It is one of the frustrations for EV charging as things stand that there are many providers, and all want you to use their apps, and some don't accept open or guest charging. I will make do between my home charging cable and the two mentioned plus, in Scotland, Chargeplace. Enough of the tech talk. Where did I go park up after this?

Nowhere fancy but perfectly acceptable for a long-journey break, it was beside a playing field and fitness centre in Coxhoe, south of Durham. It was a brightly lit car park, and although a little busy, being Friday evening, it was all quiet by 9 pm, and I had an excellent night's sleep. Awake early and on the road again by eight in the morning. This time headed for a charging break at Howden in Yorkshire. A slight mare to get to the parking station (those ancient British streets), but once there, a good charge was received and then onward again to Saturday evening's park-up at Frampton Fen (via Swineshead for further top-up charging and a shop at the COOP store). Little and often, y'ken. It was another lovely spot, under the shade of trees, a little busy after ten at night, as the midsummer lurkers decided it was the place to be too. Didn't bother me, though, and another good rest was had. Kept a reasonably lazy morning, then, being Sunday, and took time to have proper brekky and some 'chores' before setting off at ten down via King's Lynn, a lunch stop at Thetford Forest (where a 90-minute snooze may have happened as a default to the incredible 33'C heat that was upon us!), and then the final leg to the cottage near Halesworth where the Mac siblings were awaiting my arrival.

There was a key feature for this event, which shall be shared for tomorrow's FFF.

Sadly, my spine did play up again, but all appropriate care in place should have me right for moving on again...