Top End Farm - 22nd / 23rd July 2006

On Saturday morning, we were up fairly early to visit Top End farm to a pre-arranged 'meet' of the MotorhomeFacts community. This was an informal meet, which means it wasn't a rally. The idea was to discuss and swap ideas of full timing - living out of the van ... err ... full time.

We had a new toy for this trip - a Tom Tom Go 910 from Currys via Tom Tom Deals - we paid £425 for it, although it's now come down again to £417. I suppose if we'd have waited until next year / the year after / the year 2025, it might have been cheaper.

I had skillfully programmed it (?) for the Top End Farm location and, after a quick prod to get the sound on, it entertained us with directions all the way. I was impressed with the way it coped with a road shut off along our path where, instead of blind panic, it calmly routed us round a tiny village, and tried to get us to turn off again, down the same closed-off road. We carried on, back towards the main road, where Tom Tom calmy routed us a different way, having come to the conclusion that we definitely weren't going down the closed road.

On the way, we saw a Sainsburys at a roundabout, which was convenient for us to get some nice food for the weekend and fill up with diesel. This meant we didn't get to the campsite until around 11.30. Easily found the MHF lot, and parked up, did the usual gas on - fridge on - windows and vents open - chairs out routine, and joined the gang. Stew came over to greet us, which was really nice, and made us feel very welcome. When Keith arrived a little later, we made a merry band of 15 vans, which was a great turnout.

There were some very good discussions, and some great information imparted. Stew and Shona's daughter Jessica was gorgeous, and obviously well-used to being around hoards of people.

We broke away to have some lunch, and I rejoined to the "internet on the road" discussion, which was of great interest to me. The wind started to pick up, and I cautiously wound in our awning. The wind got stronger, and squally rain started, and all hell broke loose. I managed to help Stew and Shona get their awning in, and dived for the cover of our van, where the offside flyscreen was being blown in. Sorted that out, and joined the gang of MHF-ers, helping others in distress, especially some tent campers over the other side of the field, whose tent, in their absence, had collapsed. A group of us managed to get it pretty much sorted, and we again dived for cover. Annie and I sat reading, as the van rocked from side to side.

It finished as soon as it had begun, and the weather brightened up, and we were able to sit out again. We left the awning tightly would in, however.

After our tea, we were cordially invited to hang around outside Keith and Sharon's RV, and we spent a lovely evening, drinking beer and wine, chatting with our neighbours about our motorhoming hopes for the future.

Sunday morning was a little misty at first, then brightened up, and the clouded over and got cold. Annie thought that since the weather wasn't looking too bright, we might as well trundle home. I told Tom Tom (we need a name for the [female] voice so that we can anthropomorphise the machine) we wanted to go home, and it told us to turn right, which we did. We got home without any problems, other than the amount of Sunday traffic trying to funnel through the Holmesdale Tunnel roadworks. Never mind. We'll try to avoid it next time.

When we got home, we left the van parked out the front, whilst we did bits and pieces. Over the next couple of hours, the engine cooled down nicely, which meant I was less fraught over getting into the back garden, and the whole process went quite smoothly.

Bradley Hall - 7th - 9th July 2006

Travelled up on Friday night, which was a bit of a rush to get the van ready. Just about managed it OK, and after a stop for food in Thorpe Le Soken, found the site by about 8pm. Lovely flat field, only one other person - a tugger - set up in the corner. A couple of cans later - the fridge had cooled down nicely on the journey up, and we setlled down for the night. The bikes seemed unconcerned by their first journey on the back, and the bike rack didn't fall off. Mind you, I looked in the mirror as we were rolling over the tiny speed bumps off the A120, and saw both bikes bouncing up and down on the rack. A reasonable test for the rack mounting.

Woke up on Saturday to beautiful birdsong in the hedges behind the van, and no other sounds. Lovely. We had a leisurely breakfast, and then cycled into Thorpe Le Soken (about 2 miles?) to buy the paper and some batteries for the camera. Sat in the sun on the picnic bench provided, reading the paper. Cycled to the Cherry Tree pub (near Tendring) for a pleasant pub lunch and a few pints of Adnams Broadside, before returning to the van so Annie could watch the Wimbledon women's final. I read the paper some more, and read the Go Motorhoming book I'd bought - recommended. Full of information.

Overnight, it rained, sometimes heavily, while I wrestled with the problem of where the water had gone to from the water tank we thought we'd filled up earlier. Eventually came to the conclusion that we hadn't actually filled it - we'd only put a little in, and we'd run out again. Durrr.

Up early, posted our payment through the letterbox with a "thank you" note, and trundled home again. A good weekend away.

Bike rack - finally

AT LAST! Damned bike rack's on and working!

Hottest day of the millenium, or something. After spending too much time drilling hols in cupboards, I discovered that the major hunk of wood for the upper brackets doesn't have a back for me to get to. It butts directly up to the internal board. What are these people like?

Down to B&Q, and bought some hex-head coach bolt things. I normally use these for bolting beach huts together, but this seemed an ideal application. Also bought the pukka caravan sealant stuff (Silkex or something?). Carefully drilled 3.5mm holes, and big-drilled the fibreglass skin to stop it cracking. And so the four brackets were mounted, screwed in tight, and sealed. They look very good.

THEN - because the vertical position of the top mounts was more forward than the bottom ones, the vertical bars didn't fit properly. A bit of bending of brackets and some gentle 'easing' into position soon sorted that.

THEN - because the mounting position on the Pollensa is recessed, I couldn't get the coack bolts in - they fouled the fibreglass body underneath. D'oh! So I had to hacksaw / file a flat onto the coachbolts, so I could fit then. And they fitted.

Once the two uprights were in place, the rest went together nicely. So there we are - a solidly-mounted bike rack, with two bikes in situ. As Gordon Ramsey would say - "done".