Another 11 Days 21/4/10 to 1/5/10

We stopped as we went through Stafford and cycled in to the town.  On the way back we came across a team from the RNLI who were travelling from Huddersfield to Torquay on a bikecanoe on both land and water.        They had broken down as their flag had got wrapped around the rear sprocket.  We lent them some tools and they were soon on their way. Next stop Acton Trussell.  The first time we tried the breadmaker we discovered that it didn’t like the supply from the inverter as our older one does not produce a pure sine wave.  With the generator running and something else switched on we managed to produce a loaf!  When we got to Wolverhampton we cycled in again but not so good as Stafford, and it was there that we turned onto            the Shropshire Union canal.  At the first boat yard we passed we met the couple who had bought the first Sammy Jo from Mr & Mrs Bricknell, and they think that it had been named after their children!! , but it is called James Arthur now.                                    Next stop Brewood, a pretty village.  As we left we kept passing groups of military walkers all carrying their flags.  Turns out they were all trying to qualify for the 94^th Intenational 4 day march in Nijmegen, so for the next 3 miles we were entertained by singing marching groups.  Past Weaton Aston and then onto Gnosall.  Here we met up with Sue & Clive on Lady Godiva whom we met on our very first run out while still at Great Haywood.  They were eating in the pub but afterwards they came back to us for a drink. We made a silly schoolboy error                the night before and moored under a rookery, thus in the morning we had a messy boat!!  So we moved along to a quiet bit and washed it all off, then set off for Norbury Jcn.   Again we moored behind Lady Godiva        and while M planted her boxes with Geranium’s, lettuce, parsley and mint I watched Chelsea thrash Stoke then we went to the pub for quite a few with Sue & Clive and ended up doing a joint fry up at 10.15pm as neither of us had eaten.  Next morning we made a proper job of the cleaning and I even polished one side.  27/4/10 we cycled again but with Charlie as well, then moved on to Goldstone Wharf.        The plan the next day was to motor to Market Drayton for the market but after an aborted cycle ride along the tow path with Charlie, as it gradually got muddier and muddier, we came back to discover that the loo wasn’t flushing again.  I ended up removing the whole loo and clearing and cleaning the pipes and electrical works, at least I’m an expert on loos now.  We didn’t get to Market Drayton until 5pm but we didn’t miss much.  Although quite a big place it seemed to be dying on its feet with loads of empty shops, so we didn’t bother to go back in the morning.  29/4/10 set off early…ish as planning to go to Audlem which is 6.5mls and 20 locks away.  No sooner had we begun than it started to rain, no too heavy so we carried on and did the whole journey in the rain which had got heavier.  Moored at an absolutely beautiful spot on an embankment overlooking rolling hills with a lake and grazing sheep.  Lit the stove and stayed in, lovely.  Audlem is a lovely village, very pretty, with good sprinkling of shops.          So next day  30/4 after walking Charlie we had lunch in the Priest Hole Coffee Shop which was still done out like the old style sweet shop it used to be, even bought some mint imperials and treacle toffees yum, but raining when we came out so we stayed put and it didn’t stop until late evening.  That’s April done and this morning we went back into the village for a few bits and moved down the cut for about 2.5 mls to visit Hack Green secret nuclear bunker which was very interesting and stayed here for the night.   We are now just 3 or 4 miles from Nantwich and Hurleston Jcn where the Llangollen canal starts.