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Monday 18 February 2013

Morgan Run Out in Fabulous Weather Yesterday

It was great tto be able to take the covers off and take the Mog out for a 42 mile drive around the Chilterns yesterday.

My route out of home was through the town to the south and along the A40 to pick up the A413 at Higher Denham for the run back through the Chalfonts and Old Amersham to take the London Road spur through the village of Great Missenden.

http://www.amersham.org.uk/memories/



The roads around here do not seem to have numbers so on the way out of the village, the Rignall Road spur to the left takes you though the countryside on the way towards Cadsden and the town of Princes Risbourough. Just as you enter Cadsden, on the left down a small road is The Plough, public house where I made a stop for coffee. I am sorry about the quality of the Mobile Phone photos. I am not sure if it was the shadow against the strong sunlight??



http://www.ploughatcadsden.com/

The Plough was made famous recently where our auspicious Prime Minister and Friends were said to have left his daughter as the headed back to the nearby Chequers, the weekend country seat of sitting PM's

My thirst sated and a visit to inspect the plumbing and I was on my way again to the town of Princes Risborough

Before setting out on my way back from here, though the country lanes to the villages of Great Kingshill, Hazelmere and Penn, I took a diversion for a run up the Kop Hill of the Veteran Hill Climb route which added a bit of fun to the afternoon.

http://www.princesrisborough.com/



http://www.motoringevents.net/21662-Kop-Hill-Climb-2013.html

PS. I discovered the cause of the poor photos!! - A Dirty Phone Camera Lens - Doh!!

Friday 15 February 2013

The Power of a Young Dog.

Today, which was a lovely Spring Like Day began badly for me!!

Digby, our dog, always runs the same route around our garden first thing in the morning at Greyhound Racing speed.. 

I let him out and followed him with the jug of Peanuts on my way to top up the Bird Feeder.

Before I got there, I must have crossed his normal route. 

I suddenly, in an instant, found myself whisked off of my feet, horizontally, into the air before crashing to the ground smacking my Head, Shoulder, Hip, Wrist and Ankle onto the Brick Patio. Peanuts all over the place. ( Just the way it happens when a Skier runs into someone and knocks them off of their feet.) 

At 69, this is not a great idea at any time. I lay there concussed for a few minutes before trying to get up, wet and covered in slime from the winter muck on the bricks (about to be professionally cleaned at the weekend.).

Hopefully there will be no lasting damage but I am feeling rather sore where I landed with a stiff neck to help limit my flexibility, so an afternoon in bed, with Digby taking half of the available space, has wasted a gloriously sunny day.. 

Digby has been very loving all day, probably recognising that there was a little problem. (Sweet). 

Sunday 10 February 2013

9000 Page Views.

Just a quick thank you to all of those of you who have shown interest in my Blog, Originally set up to cover my Solo Drive Around Britain's Coast Roads for Help for Heroes. I decided to keep it going adding other events of possible interest.

We achieved 9000 Page Views yesterday. A BIG THANK YOU to you all.

Even though I completed that 5017 Mile Journey back in April 2012 and have now closed the Event after donating the £6881.02 with a potential extra £929.41 from the Gift Aid Tax return program given by many of you out there, I have left the Website open, just in case.

http://www.bmycharity.com/AroundBritainsCoastRoadsinaMorgan

As you can see from my last post I am now planning another Charity Drive for Help for Heroes in May this year so have opened a new Web Page to cover that event. 

As I will be mainly collecting using my Baton Tins I have reduced my Collecting Target ambition to £3000.

 http://www.bmycharity.com/1000milerally

I am still waiting for the H4H Event Number to add into the website.

Thank you all again
Frank

Thursday 7 February 2013

MY 2013 Help For Heroes Fund Raising Event is In Detailed Planning

Towards the end of 2012 I was trying to organise a Round English County Towns Relay using any means of transport requiring a team of about 45 people to Fund Raise for a Day each before passing on the Collecting Baton to the next County.


'The Baton' Made for me by my Good Engineer Friend Jim West

Sadly I have exhausted my contacts, including the H4H County Coordinators and believe it or not, could only raise interest from about eight people plus myself. That was so disappointing, but maybe I was being too ambitious.

Last week, when the MSCC Club Magazine Miscellany dropped through the letterbox, inside was an article about a topic which has inspired me to go for another Solo Motoring Challenge.

Each year the motoring fraternity celebrates the Motor Car on the Sunday nearest to April 23rd by getting the Car out for the 'FBHVC Drive It Day'


Historical Overview from the Cornwall Austin Seven Club – By Doug Castle. 
In 1900,    In the summer of 1899, the Automobile Club Secretary (Later to become the RAC), Claude Johnson, conceived the idea of a trial, to be in the form of a rally rather than a race, which was banned on the highway in Britain.  

The trial would be a series of daily runs of up to 100 miles that would test the driver's patience and skill, but more importantly the design, construction and reliability of the cars.  There would also be exhibitions in the main towns along the way, to try and convince the population of the pleasures and reliability of the motor-car and overcome the prejudices.  


This Hero Events Schematic Route plan is a Modern Version following a similar route.

http://www.heroevents.eu/Events/thousand_mile_trial/

 The itinerary was now in place for the event to run from April 23rd to May 12th 1900.  The final route would comprise 11 days of driving between 61½ and 122¾ miles, the total distance being 1060 miles.  There would be 4 hill-climb competitions, with Shap being the only optional one, an optional speed trial, with 7 all-day exhibitions, 6 short exhibitions during the day runs and 3 arranged for evenings.

The trial was not intended to be a pleasant and leisurely run but a true test of the car and driver under many differing road and weather conditions, with the hill-climbs and speed trial timed and average speeds calculated.  In the quaint terminology of the time motoring was referred to as 'the field of automobilism', owners and drivers were either 'automobilists or autocarists', and mechanics were known as 'mechanicians'.  

The cars were open to the weather even though most had a pram-hood, but no windscreen, which afforded little protection to the driver and passenger, who had to be suitably dressed in 'autocoats', hats and goggles.  
Extracts Copyright of Doug Castle

Here is an example of the type of car available in 1900

My New Grande Plan 
I have decided that here is the perfect Motoring Challenge for me and the Green Goddess to do over 11 days sticking as close as I can establish to the Original Route and Stopping Places. 

Some locations have been re developed since 1900 so another Local Ideal Stopping Place will need to be investigated 

These will be selected stopping points where I hope to be able to Fund Raise for a couple of hours using my Baton Tins, above, and all funds raised will be posted into a new Bmycharity Website, yet to be established, where on line donations may be made

Unlike the Hero Plan, I would not be using any motorways to make the journey. 

The original route commenced in Central London at Hyde Park Corner, finishing at Marble Arch and Whitehall. I plan to pick up the A4 at Slough where I will drive west following the old A4 to Bristol for Day1.  I plan to pass through Marble Arch and Whitehall on the Last Day turning for home again at Slough. 

Where the original trial held Rest Days and Exhibitions, I will keep going for the 11 Days in succession making as much time available to Fund Raise along the route.

Hopefully I will be able to decorate the car again with Help for Heroes Logo for High Awareness  

I also intend to continue this Blog on a daily basis with appropriate photos taken along the way added for general interest. All I need is lots of Luck again and some decent weather.

Here is Hoping for Lots of Support.
Frank

http://www.bmycharity.com/1000milerally

Monday 4 February 2013

I had to go to Heathrow Today


Occasionally I have to go to Heathrow Terminal 5 on a Monday morning to meet my son from his Ba Flight from Amsterdam. 

Recently built, Terminal 5 is the easiest to get to and is very pleasant to have to wait in.

I usually allow enough time to buy a Newspaper and then seat myself in the Costa Coffee Lounge with a Capuchino to wait as it is located immediately opposite the Arrival Gate.



While sitting there this morning I began observing the Architecture inside the building, which prompted me to take a few more photos.


The Roof Structure above the Costa Coffee Shop


The Tower of London 'Beefeater' Welcome Walls.






A Red Lift Tower & A Green Lift Tower.



Maybe you would prefer to take the stairs?


Taxi?, No Abandoned Vehicle.


 You can never find a Trolley when you need one?


Now, There is a Smart Raincoat!

Plenty of seats available for those who have to wait.


Destinations Mural Outside.


 Entrance & Exit, to & from the Car Park Tower.


A Money Box - Available from the Krispy Kreme Coffee Shop 


Sunlight through the Glazed Wall - Marvelous to see some Sun today.


A City Jet just taking off near to Terminal 5. 


Looking Across the void to the Car Park Tower.


More of that Luscious Sunshine looking South down the void between the Terminal & the Car Parks.

Sunday 3 February 2013

Time for Another Gripe early this Sunday

Before Setting Off - Fund Raising at Sainsburys

The Thames Valley Centre of the Morgan Sports Car Club of which I am a member, awarded me their Richard Thorne Trophy for the most collected for a Charity in the year 2012. -  £6881.02 

None of which would have been possible without the help of my good friend David Harris and the good friends who are also members of the Morgan Centenary Roadster 100 Register who supported the fundraising both individually and through helping organize the 'All Morgans Day' held at Waddesdon Manor, Bucks on June 24th 2012

The Magnificent 'Richard Thorne Charity Trophy'

This event was quite a surprise and a Joy as I had had so much difficulty getting any interest in my Quest from anyone in the MSCC before the 5017 Mile Solo Trip back in April Last Year.

http://www.thamesmog.co.uk/news/newsletter-archive/349-2013-newsletters

http://www.thamesmog.co.uk/attachments/article/349/mscc%20thames%20valley%20centre%20today%20february%202013.pdf

Some of our Morgan friends & supporters at Waddesdon Manor

The Gripe is with the Main MSCC Club Magazine Miscellany, who's Editorial Staff have shown themselves to be an Ignorant (never responded to any of my requests) and a Self Serving Bunch (frequently publishing their own stuff and that of their mates). 

They chose to totally ignore my event, ignore my requests for an insert about my challenge and recently, ignored any of the trip photos I have sent them, of which there were plenty.

Just one of the many trip scenes sent in for assessment

I read just the other day that New Morgan Owners, of which there are hundreds each year, are probably 'individuals' and maybe that is why they they do not join the ' MSC Club'.

I have decided to become one of those types and not bother sending Miscellany items or photos ever again.

Miscellany is a good magazine, free to members, but sadly run by what seems to be an incestuous process controlled by a couple of people I would rather not give the opportunity of ignoring me ever again.

Miscellany Front Cover Feb 2013 


 Two Good Examples of  the sort of articles they publish each month


Thankfully, there are also many lovely people within the membership, and as members of some of the Centers, However, as far a 'The Club' hierarchy is concerned, it has only taken them 3 years to turn me from Enthusiastic Owner & Club Member to 'Just enjoy our Morgan'