CMC North York Moors

I don't usually blog from a site but as I am up early and SWMBO is snoring I might as well.

Arrived a couple of days ago in a deluge of rain,it is a lovely site tucked away down a single track road about three miles or so south of Ruswarp on the North York Moors.

There is no toilet block so it is caravan facilities which is no problem,after all that is what we pay for.

If coming to this site be aware that if coming/going to/from the south there are two very steep hills in the Hole of Horcum and Blue Bank that require a little care but should prove little problem to a well matched outfit.

Well we arrived in a blaze of glory in the fact that unbeknown to both of us I apparently cut a corner whilst navigating the site looking for a pitch.

We didn't even know it was their until SWMBO pointed it out as we motor movered onto a pitch after I had once again jack-knifed the car trying to reverse.

This demolished a post which got stuck under the van the two prongs at the end of which made a beeline for the spare tyre and that was that,as flat as a fart.

I didn't know whereabouts this post had come from as we heard nothing until an irate warden descended on us and made us fully aware of its provenance.

Anyway after setting up,including spilling some toilet fluid and overfilling the flush which flooded the cassette compartment,I proceeded to wind down the spare wheel for a closer look.

Here I digress slightly,if you have never wound down the spare wheel then I suggest you give it a go before you need to do it in anger.

It is not particularly difficult rather than awkward but certainly better than that AL-KO abomination found in some vans.

For those that don't know there is a winding handle in the back locker which engages in a hook under a black cap [ which is a PITA to remove ] in the rear locker next to the fridge.

I found this very stiff to turn and had to apply some lubricant to ease it.

This drops the wheel down on a wire and if it is lowered far enough it enables the wheel to be pulled out from under the van.

There is then a toggle passing through the centre of the wheel on which the late Stephen Hawking wrote a paper on how to remove [ please refer to handbook as we are going out this evening].

The wheel itself looked a little worse for wear with bits of rust here and there which will need to be attended to.

Need less to say the spikes had gone through the tyre near the sidewall so a replacement tyre will be called for I think.

At this point I must give praise to my neighbour Mr,Roscoe who was coming for a visit yesterday.

Having been asked to bring his overalls he crawled under the van to find the location of a piece of wood that the warden had triumphantly presented us with from the scene of the crime.

This turned out to be one of three supports that the spare wheel sat on

The spare was then loaded into Mr.Roscoe's  car and he is going to see if he can sort it today.


We now move on to The Awning Incident which I am sure we will laugh about in our dotage.

Decided to put the awning up in the pouring rain the thinking being that it will get wet anyway and once a couple of poles are in I can work inside in the dry,

Came to put the centre roof pole in and half of it is missing.

Much scratching of head and,it has to be said,bad tempered ranting as I stood in the rain,surrounded by a sodden awning minus half a pole.

After about an hour I wondered if the pole had slipped down inside another and,need I say more,there it was,it took a further thirty minutes to get it out.

The fact that SWMBO had suggested this three quarters of an hour previously and been told to go forth and multiply didn't go down well.

Anyway all has gone relatively smoothly since,all we need is a puncture on the way home with no spare to round things off nicely,

Ian

Service

Well Mr.Cadiz had his yearly service today by my mobile man and passed with flying colours.

A couple of little jobs done as well plus a damp reading of 11% all round so no complaints.


Ian

CMC Teeside White Water Park

Just had four nights at CMC Teeside White Water Park and I have to say that this site is a credit to the wardens who run it.

All the pitches are hardstanding and it is immaculate,every pitch is neat and tidy without what appears to be a blade of grass out of place.

The toilet block is equally spotless.

Well done Whitewater Park wardens.


As its name suggests the site is next to Teeside White Water Park which has available rafting,canoeing etc.

I was hoping to have a go but you can't just turn up with your trunks and towel ,you have to book online,health and safety briefing etc.so had to give it a miss,


We booked a serviced pitch but much to my annoyance I forgot to take the mains water pipes to the Aquaroll so could only use the drainage,therefore I paid extra to hump an Aquaroll about,not pleased.

I blame it on the medication,no really.


The Cadiz was its happy little self ,the only problem was the pan store door got stuck but with a bit of persuasion and some lubrication,all sorted.


It is due for its yearly service on Wednesday so fingers crossed ( the Cadiz not the pan store door ).


I used the light mentioned in my last missive but it must have to be really dark to work and as I am an early to bed sort of chap never saw it work in anger.

Tried it in the back of the car under a sheet and it seemed to function so it is a work in progress at the minute till it gets darker nights.

Ian