I just need to detail early September then maybe one last 2025 blog from aboard Percy - maybe ?
We were looking at vans early September as I'd committed to selling the reliable Toyota Auris and I wanted a van for a few reasons.
- Fishing - a place to keep my fishing tackle
- Cycling we like to cycle and having the bikes in the van all the time gives us more options.
- Motorcycling - we also like to visit Chichester to ride with friends but it can be a slog for Rachel on the pillion - a bike in the back of the van would be a luxury but why not?
- Any jobs on the boat are easier with space for tools etc - I recently removed the solar panel and was able to bring it back in the van
- Also just fetched a sofa for my youngest from Huddlesfield - in the van.
- I've also a chair and washing machine to move for my sister in law.
- We want to walk cycle ride Ofers Dyke over the next year or so - the van will help this.
- I've patio to deliver to another sister in law...
You get the picture
So the beginning of September we went to look and test drive a nice Nissan - I'd have had it Rachel less keen sadly
We (Rachel) brought the Toyota with 2,000 miles on it in 2013 so we had it 12 years and did 132,000 miles. It did a lot of up and down to the south coast when Rachel was living near Chichester and working at the QA in Portsmouth, hence why we like to go down to Chichester a couple of times a year.
There people wasted two hours of my life - we eventually sold it to Motorway for a few hundred more than WBAC finally offered.
The classic was also still getting the late summer miles. Winnats pass and overlooking the cement works in the Hope Valley.
The warm summer had given us grapes on our vine and a bumper crop of apples off the little tree in a tub - I will set the tree free in the next month behind the cottage in a strip of no mans land behind out hedge and the farmers hedge and stock fence.
The weekend of the 6th September we were in Chichester. We should have been on the bike but a bad forecast put us off so we took the EV. Frustratingly the weather was lovely but we still enjoyed a couple of lovely evening walks one into Chichester from Fishbourne where we were staying and another around Bosham harbour - with a stop at the pub for a nightcap.
The cottage by the mill Rachel lived in for three years - hers was the furthest one the near one was her neighbour Gillian who is sadly now in a care home and her rented cottage is now for sale but it needs a lot of work as it's listed.
We stayed in a pub in Fishbourne -each revisit we try out another place to stay. The pub had a german couple on this splendid outfit... back in the day I had similar when the lads were little
We really like Chichester and seriously considered living there but it is so far from all the family
We were straight back and another overnight this time in the Old Trafford hotel Manchester overlooking the cricket ground. Our Youngest son and his wife Emma were at a charity ball and we were on babysitting duty. It was a lovely hotel
The next day we had a visit to the Salford Quays - Manchester ship canal I think and visited the Lowry exhibition there. We like his art, we visited a sea scape exhibition when we'd finished the Castles and Coastlines cycle ride in 2024 up in Berwick Upon Tweed.
On the way back we had to call into the Superbike Factory warehouse in Macclesfield
As I was on the bike this would have been a boat check and grass cut visit on the 10th
The 11th I was digging out the back of the workshop to put in a land drain to keep the back of the workshop dry - seems to have been successful
On the 13th We were having a family day in Crich - a good place for the kids and a decent meeting place for all the family.
These BMW combo's are following me !!
A brighter day on the 17th i took on Croxden abbey near us for a stop. We have cycled there in the past.
A blood bike shift on the 19th - we pick up and drop at the Medical school this is the new location a very nicely finished new build for Birmingham University.
The van was brought a Peugeot partner 1 owner low mileage full service history
I opted for Logs and Anthracite this wnter as the Excel ovels has rotted the stove liner in 5 years!
Royal Enfield via my local dealer organised the One Ride when Enfields all around the world went out on ride outs - ours was to the Darley Moor racing ircuit via many of the lanes and roads I've ridden all year - regardless it was a good day with lots of like minded people and I met up with someone I'd not seen for a good while.
23rd I was at the boat removing the stove - I had the van now so I waited for the Boat Safety guy to give me a hand into the van with the old stove. It was on its way via me for a 24 hour trip to Cornwall to drop off the old and pick up the new ( refurbished ) stover
On the 24th I nipped to Wales to collect a pair of tyres someone was selling - he didn't like the OEM tyres on his new bike so I had them for £80 easily saving the cost of the trip to collect the stove !
The 26th I had driven down to Bodmin Moor on the 25th to do the deal on the stove. A night in a travel lodge then up before dawn to be back home with the stove in my new to me van by 10.30 am
The 27th the Boat safety and I even got the examiner to help me get the stove into the boat. Ironically he said the stove despite the back coming off would have only been an advisory ! On reflection pleased I opted for the bubble tester
We had a lovely walk with Callum and George up towards the Macclesfield Forest on the 28th September
The end of the month I was back aboard Percy, fitting the stove and Rachel was coming over later to enjoy a warm boat and a stop over for the first time in a while ....
That was September. I am hoping to be aboard into the New Year so will try and pop a few more bits in between to make the blog count for the year acceptable to me.
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