Motorhome Madness with the Walters

 Our Final full day in Glasgow started with miserable weather. It was pouring with rain as we awoke, a shame because everyone else had planned to do the Strathclyde country Park Park Run. Ian rose early in order to do all the things that he has to do before he leaves home, especially when running when there are extra things to be done. One of those things was the crossword off, which I won! Vicky and Alex came over at the allotted time and off they all went in the pouring rain. I sat in Dame Shirley eating toast and writing my blog. There was excitement on their return as Vicky had broken her 5km personal record!  Park run  Today we had tickets for the BMX racing, over at the place where Vicky had been volunteering for the previous week. After the run everyone had to shower, then Alex and Vicky had to pack up the tent as they were leaving straight after the BMX for an overnight stop in Cheshire. They managed to do it between the raindrops and we were soon off to our favou...

 It was Vicky's last shift today so I got up early and took her to the station at 7 am. When I returned I made coffee and Ian and I lazed about a bit. We had a crossword off which Ian won. You may have noticed I have not mentioned the crossword off very much. This is because I have not won the crossword off. My eyes have been too blurry at that time in the morning. Bacon and egg sandwiches for breakfast, and as it was a lovely morning we ate them outside in the Sun. Sandwich in the Sun  Alex came across and had coffee, before heading off to catch the bus and train to Stirling. He wanted to see the time trials which started and ended at Stirling Castle. As a keen cycling aficionado he wanted to see as many of the road races as he could. Meanwhile Ian and I jumped in the car, passing The Hole, and headed to Blantyre station to catch the train into central Glasgow where we would meet Vicky after her shift. The Hole had become even bigger with more trucks and men drafted in. First...

 I have seen it! I have seen the Roman baths! Vicky was on a late shift starting at 1.30 so we all had a lie in. Then Vicky and Alex did some washing and hung it on my new clothes dryer, much to my excitement. The boys were going on a long cycle which i declined. Ian had brought one of (he has many) his old bikes for Alex and they were readying them as I left to run Vicky to Blantyre. I called at Asda where I had a lovely chat with a lady on the checkout then returned to Dame  Shirley. The boys were still readying themselves. Turns out they had set off once but a bit fell off Alex’s bike and they had to return. After using many tools and much muttering, they abandoned that bike and Alex decided to use mine, minus power. Eventually they were off and I prepared myself for my activity of the day. I had decided to walk around the lake again. I got a good look at The Hole on the way out. There were many, many, men now. Some on phones, some still scratching heads, some staring into ...

 We awoke to see that the sewage lake had subsided in the night, the children were still running and screaming though. Vicky had no shift today, so we could all have a lie in. We chilled for most of the morning, watching an enviro clean lorry doing its work with brushes and sucky tubes, and choosing our fantasy football teams for next season (anyone who wants to join the league see Chris for the code). The other members of our party then deemed their stomachs sufficiently empty for a run round the lake. I stayed home and guarded dame Shirley. On their return (quick times for all) they regaled  me with news of a big hole on the road outside the campsite surrounded by tape and many men in high vis vests shaking their heads.  Comparing running notes After showers, a rest, and some grazing for lunch, we heaved ourselves up and got ready for the drive to Blantyre. On exiting the site we noticed that the road to the left, past the big hole, had been closed, and loads of lorries...

 Vicky had agreed to an extra, early, shift due to lack of volunteers ( here I am!) so poor Ian got up extra early to take her to the station. I had decided unilaterally that driving was much more trouble. After a nice breakfast of porridge we decided on a bike ride down National Cycle Route 74. If you keep straight on, NCR 74 takes you all the way to Gretna, but we decided on the short hop to Chatelherault country park. Alex had done his run to here yesterday and pronounced it lovely. Eventually, after much faffing, we departed the site and headed to the lake. Passing by the Roman Fort (site of) ((still no sight of)) we exited the park at the bottom and crossed the Clyde. Now we were on NCR 74 alongside the M74. Not nice, you may think. You would think wrong. It was a lovely ride through trees, even when the M74 met another big road. Here we split from the Clyde to join the Avon (not that one, or that one, the Scottish one). We passed a large group of ramblers coming the other way...

 I had set my alarm for 6.45am as I had offered to give Vicky a lift to her first volunteering shift. This was at the Glasgow BMX centre, on the west side. Google maps said 25mins, and 25mins it was. Probably because, Google said, it was a Scottish bank holiday. It most certainly did not take 25mins to return. Some kind of accident where about 16 lanes merged into two caused a long delay. Other drivers didn’t help, throwing themselves across the 16 lanes in an effort to gain an advantage. Eventually I got to the bit where there were just two lanes, with one of them having the old flashing Red Cross above. As everyone knows this means a heavy fine in England and no one drives in a lane under a Red Cross. Great, I thought, now we will get moving. Alas a Red Cross in Scotland means drive faster in that lane then dive in a millisecond before the accident. It took me 45 mins to get back, but Ian was waiting with a coffee.  With Vicky Volunteering and Alex settled on a long run, Ian...