I didn't turn out to be the best of days to have reserved for a meeting in Stockton but I was awake a little early so used the time to get going and see if I could keep ahead of the weather front which had brought strong gusts and flickering lights yesterday evening. It was clear on the roads with glimpses of sunshine although snow on the hills, traffic was light for the morning rush hour. Up in Cumbria just the outside lane was closed in places and then it all came to a halt towards Carlisle, the A66 which was the intended route was closed. Yes so it was an up and across and down again round trip. Carlisle looked gridlocked but the way around to the A69 was actually clear it was the town which was iced up. The was a delay in one spot as a van had failed to climb a short hill which actually looked quite clear. After it picked up I followed a snow plough until we hit the dual carriageway and from then on it was clear sky and sunshine although it was a good few hours expended on this roundabout journey. I stopped for fuel, I'd taken the van so it was diesel noted petrol was just £1.03 a litre up there. I was quite early for the meeting, I cursed that i hadn'rt had the camera as there had been some terrific snowy trucks scenes on the A69 diverted from the A66 closure but even then I was still only an hour early and had lunch with our apprentice and noted his good progress. We sat in the canteen, I got a cup of coffee having already eaten my sandwiches I didn't want to spoil my appetite for dinner tonight, I think Mandy's done something special to see me off on my trip. The polsityrene cup leaked, I put it in another eventually I was covered in coffee as was the floor just my luck. We had our meeting and presentation to the lads and then I stuffed a few biscuits in my pocket and headed back down the A169 to join the A1M which was amazingly clear although lots of road work sections. A short stop at a police incident, a crashed car being recovered I think and then straight over the M62 from Yorkshire to home in double quick time, I think the dire forecasts had kept people away from the roads. I've just been out and given the birds a last feed and shown Mandy a few more things she can do for herself on the computer when I'm away. Quiet on the net though although phone and post are fine. Manchester airport closed briefly but reopened and the snow has melted already. I've checked in and printed my boarding card so perhaps a short blog tomorrow morning from the airport around UK lunchtime. I put a few clips on the net last night, I might add some more this evening, can't see us going to the pub though, bet I don't get a decent pint for a couple of weeks although India isn't too bad although I wouldn't want to pay £50 a bottle for their wine. Comments are closed.
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PMP Sponsors the North West Vehicle Restoration Trust at Kirkby.
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