Back home

Another belated update. We traveled to Penkridge on the Tuesday after my last post and stayed there until the following Tuesday so that Ray had easy transport links for his hospital appointments. Only one more lot of chemo to go now! While we were there we visited the market as usual.

After Ray's chemo we headed towards Wolverhampton, up the Wolverhampton 21 to our 'usual' mooring e on the last remaining bit of the Bentley Arm. For the first time we had some little tyke decide to try and untie us, he obviously didn't realise that when you step on a boat it rocks so he was quickly chased off. After tht we headed to Bumblehole, one of our favourite moorings. We were intending to just stop overnight then head into Birmingham to see a friend but because the weather was awful we decided to hop on the bus to Brum instead.

Saturday was the BCN 24 hr Challenge, thirty hours of insanity, you can cruise for up to 24 hours between 8:00 Saturday and 14:00 on Sunday. The idea is that you cruise as much of the BCN as you can, getting points for miles traveled and locks, you only get the points once so there is no sense in doubling back. Some places earn bonus points, the finishing point is fixed and there is a choice of starting points. We weren't taking part but had friends who were and the finishing point was close to where we were moored.

On Sunday the Hobbins clan came to visit for lunch and a natter, enjoyable as always. On Monday we joined our friend Sandra and opened up 'the shop' for a few hours. Tuesday we helped Sandra put her bunting up because there was a photo shoot for the run up to the Birmingham market ( she is the RCTA PR girl).Then today we came home, only to get stuck in a lock about a mile from home, try as hard as we could we couldn't get the bottom gate open far enough to get Morgana out of the lock. A phone call to CRT brought a couple of guys to rescue us and we made it home


Since my last post we have traveled  39.2 miles, 44 locks and 3 tunnels

This year we have traveled 103.7 miles, 96 locks, 1 swing bridge and 4 tunnels

In 2013 we traveled 459.1 miles, 434 locks, 7 swing bridges, 15 lift bridges and 31 tunnels

In 2012 we traveled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 tunnels

In 2011 we traveled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels

During 2010 we traveled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels

Since Ray retired we have traveled 2651.4 miles, 2294 locks, 119 swing bridges, 76 lift bridges and 107 tunnels