25th May 2020
Took Meg for a long walk around Hickling Broad today. The wild life was everywhere.
Not sure but I think this is the British Yellow Darter dragonfly. |
This beauty is the British Swallowtail. It is only found in Norfolk and is the UK's largest butterfly with a 9cm wingspan. |
A very common (in Norfolk) Chinese water deer. |
A very naughty dog about to be thrown in the river for jumping in a bog. |
20th June 2020
An old mate, Stuart Burnham rung up and we decided to have a biker meet up, with wives, at Hunstanton. It was a bit of a trot but it was worth it. The weather was glorious and it was good for Karen to meet Stuarts wife, Teresa. Stuart is a guy I taught to do motorcycle mechanics and to map read prior to the Falkland War. We were both issued with bikes as dispatch riders. Sadly Stuart has recently developed Parkinsons disease but he is working round it for now.
Looks like "Little and Large". Old Sapper comrades. |
Time to get the boat out for a mini booze cruize. We sailed over Hickling Broad to the Pleasureboat Pub. It was good to finally get out after COVID lockdown rules had been eased. The lines are for 'Social Distancing' - a phrase elevated to hated status for 2020.
Finally, out for a lonely beer. |
Topping up on the way back with the boss at the tiller. |
5th September 2020
In anticifation of a trip to the Cumbrian Lake District, we decided to buy a lager canoe that we could fit Meg into. So Far so good...
Cumbria
Now, Meg: Pick up the paddle and ...left... right.... left |
She absolutely stank and we were going to do some shopping. |
Fish in the river Nene have never been so scared. A fat boy in his underpants washing a very smelly dog. |
We did a lot of drinking and walking for 5 days and had a thoroughly great time with Keving, Sally and the dogs.
Meg in normal mode. For some reason she just likes sitting in the water while she waits for us to throw the ball. |
100% psychotic concentration. |
17th September 2020
Now it was off to Scotland to visit Mum. Due to the lockdown, we have not seen her since her 80th Birthday in early March. She lives alone and has also had to isolate so it cannot have been easy for her. Fortunately, we 'Facetime' her a lot so at least we get to see her sort of, face to face.
29th September 2020
The long 340 mile trip back home. As normal, I drove most of the way home and was not completely happy with the way the motorhome was handling. I suspected it may be overloaded so made a mental note to get it weighed before we unloaded it the next morning.
30th September 2020
I took the motorhome to a local weigh bridge and bloody hell - it was 380kg overweight on the rear axle and 340kg overweight overall - without us in it !!!! To quote a weel known phrase....'Houston, we have a problem' .....
We unloaded absolutely everything out of the Motorhome and on the 3rd of October took it back and it weighed half a ton (500kg) less at 3240kg. If we added us and the dog on to that we were just about on target at 3500kg. This was OK provided we had no water, clothes, food or anything else for that matter in it.
I did some reserach and ascertained that I could increase the payload to 3850kg by uprating the suspension and getting larger rear tyres. Not a difficult job with the parts costing £570 and the certification costing £312, total £882. I also noted that the water tank was overhanging the rear axle and saw a large space that it could occupy right in the centre between the wheels. I had to purchace a slightly smaller tank at a further £120 but the difference it will make to the rear axle load is around 55kg.
The upgrade is a fairly simple big rubber baloon on each side. |
The baloons are pumped up from inside the cab and can even be used to level it. All good and no leaks. |
As I write we are still waiting for the DVLA to uprate the Log Book.