Daily Fixing and Riding Diary on an Ariel 2017

[Steven.Carter]

A fairly uneventful ride to Worthing this morning, a little cold but at least dry.

Coming home was a different matter. It poured down and even threatened some snow. I stopped at a new garage which has a decent canopy. These garages have a Subway in the store, I got a coffee and a cookie for two pounds.
As I was getting back on my bike I saw the poor woman in the shop mopping the floor of the puddle I'd left behind:D

As I was passing Portsmouth, water again got into one of my plugs and so struggled on one and a half cylinders into another garage. Back under the canopy again I dried it out and all was fine. I thought I'd fixed it last time but you have to wait until another deluge to see if the fix works.

[David.Smewing]

Steven

You mention the Crossness Pumping Station. There are four engines inside, one of which is steamed once a month by the Trust that operates the site. The Trust is chaired by Peter Bazalgette the great great granson of Sir Joseph, who was responsible for getting rid of cholera from London. The engines, made by The James Watt Company are vast, and the scans from the brochure I got when visiting do not do them justice. I recommend a visit.

regards
Dave Smewing

[Steven.Carter]

Thanks David. They look very impressive. I realy must make an effort to see them.

Steve

[Bob.Murphy]

That's the first time I've seen a "triple-Expansion" Beam Engine !

It just shows . . . There's nothing new under the sun .

Bob.

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

A-m-a-z-i-n-g ! I looked it up on the web.
Color job makes it look like a gigantic Indian takeaway

[adrie.degraaff]

Here cruqius the biggest steampump in the word, made in England.

[Steven.Carter]

Thats stunning Vincent.
Just look how the Victorians made a handrail. Now its just a galvanized scaffold tube.



I made it yesterday to the Crazy Horse, despite all the dire weather warnings. Just a little cold but dry. Stupid battery connection fell off again though. I must rewire the bike.

Editor John turned up this morning on his KH.

We are all giving him some useful advice

[Paul Slootheer]

That's the spirit, lovely KH by the way!

[Steven.Carter]

Rodgers lovely Huntmaster.

Coffee stop at Tintern Abbey

[Steven.Carter]

After our coffee stop we wound our way to the lunch stop at the Prince of Wales,Ross-on-Wye.

In the car park John needed more help now with his late VH. This time his rear light that was making a bid for freedom.

Then again later on when Peter Kent came into the pub with a spanner asking John if he recognised It. He did, as Pete found it perched on top of his the rear brake anchor bolt. Still there from the last time his rear wheel was off


We got back to our digs later that afternoon. Every year Pete Colllings puts out his stall of Ariel bits. Very handy especially as I needed a couple of bits myself.

For the first time ever I'd managed to follow the route without going wrong. The route sheet was perfect. Every mileage was accurate down to the 10th of a mile Les Ore did a great job of it. Cheers
The route sheet finished on 57 miles and the sat nav finished on the same. Cool.

I lost my metal mug last year whilst I was at the German Rally. I always bring a mug as it makes it much easier to blag free coffee. Well Stan Copeland was the poor unfortunate that had to make my tea. But when I got home I'd left my mug behind.

A long distance award isn't normaly given out at the Crazy Horse but apparently this year was an exception, and I won it!
Peter Kent presented me with a small plastic bag. Inside was my mug back from Germany . . Cheers Stan for rescuing it for me, that made my night