Bank Holiday Monday day out

Ahead of our trip to Canada we thought it would be a good idea to have a day out in an MPV as we will be spending 2 weeks touring in one in Canada. So when better than a Bank Holiday weekend. Nero (the dog) isn't coming to Canada but he loves trips out. Having rained hard during the night we got up to a gloriously sunny day, so this is a summary of what we got up to...

Starting out everyone comes to us to load up

It's a short drive of about 20 miles to Bradgate Park in Leicestershire which was to be our first stop-off.

Up on the walk in the park, view left

Up on the walk in the park, view right

Stepping out

Some of the local park inhabitants

Looking down

Our way up

Getting closer

Still on our way up

Having made it to the top, there is only one way, and that's down...

Looking down

Walk completed we headed off to the Bradgate Arms, Cropston, Leicestershire for a lunch in their beer garden, sitting and supping in the sunshine, after which we stopped by at the Great Central Railway steam preservation society rail station at Rothley.

Proof we were here

Magnificence in steam

Magnificence in steam (again)

Some scallywags spotted having a good time

Period posters

And having seen the upline depart, coming in on the down line

Close up

The Rothley signal box

A family at rest

Some bored ladies - happy but there's only so much interest they can fein

Restored carriages

This BSA A7 turned up while we were at Rothley

One of two Ariel's at Rothley

The other Ariel

Proof that there were two Ariels at Rothley

A modern Triumph turned up just before we left

Riding with the Triumph was this Yamaha 750 Virago

Parked up together

From Rothley we drove the short distance to the Mount Saint Bernard Abbey which is situated in Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire.

View left

and view right - The Abbey

Nero lets his master rest (again)

The Abbey from above taken as we walked in the grounds

After the abbey visit we headed for home after a very enjoyable day blessed with sunshine, good company and lots of points of interest. The day was unplanned, we'd just set off with an idea to walk in Bradgate Park but how fortunate were we? If Canada is as successful as this day out we are in for a treat at the end of June.

Postscript: A few hours after getting home it rained it continued through the night and today is dark, grey and overcast with wind speeds rising. We had a window of good weather which we took full advantage of. A brilliant day out!

Shed - it's coming along

A quick update on the shed, and it is progressing nicely. I removed and rehung the doors because I wasn't happy with the shut gap between the two doors, but that is resolved. Guttering is hung on one side (nearest the lawn/house while I have the side next to the fence still to do. All of the exterior has had at least 2 coats of Cedar Red preservative applied and the few knot holes that were there have been plugged. To pretty it up a couple of hanging baskets now hang on the garden side adding a splash of colour to the proceedings.

Inside I have reinforced the floor so that the 12mm OSB has now got 18mm hardwood ply on top to better take the weight of my motorbike (when it makes it into the shed). I've made some shelving for all the cans, paint tins and tubs of sundry stuff (nuts and bolts, screws and things) that I have and I have just purchased and had delivered some warehouse style racking for all the biker gear and magazines that are currently stored in the old shed - so my next job is to assemble those and then put them to work.

Then there is the question of 'the bench'. Not decided yet which route to go down, but these are the options:-
1. Custom build one myself
2. Buy one in
3. Relocate the one I custom built for the back of the garage
I'm going to take my time on that one and wait until the racking is assembled and (over) loaded.