When I use it, I will certainly remember that, and try to drive accordingly.

Do we like the new Citreon Ami?

Not really. But I'd rather see millions of those than the rather pointless and oft seen "SUV" of today.

I think I saw one of those, the other day. At least, it was something very similar to that one. It was parked just off Bank Street.

Fangirl Three wrote:

When I use it, I will certainly remember that, and try to drive accordingly.

There are all kinds of local legends about legions of fairies living under the hills you see, and an actual gypsy palace nearby, in addition to the more regular fare. Historically, completely blood soaked, the Afghanistan of its day - blood feuds, and where armies went to die. Rape and pillage land. Frontier towns, fortresses.

There's a tradition where once a year, all the girls coming of age dress up like Gone With The Wind extras and line up at a ball to greet all the boys coming of age, who have ridden across the moors to choose the one they fancy. More upmarket local houses contain Titians and Da Vinci paintings. I noticed lots of Bentleys around.

Lots to enjoy if, like me, riding out with the foxhounds isn't your thing.

It's quite a culturally rich part of the country.

I do not like the new Ami. The repeated hexagonal pattern bothers me immensely.

Butterfield wrote:

I've yet to venture into the Aucklands, or whatever the local collective name is. It doesn't look the most exciting of places. I've been to Barnard Castle a couple of times and it's fairly pleasant, if a little in the middle of nowhere, though with decent access to the aforementioned trans-Pennine road network.

Is the collection worthwhile?

I have to drive to Bolton tomorrow. I am worried that the car might be difficult to start/get into.

They do say it will be warmer today, so perhaps I'll try and take the car for a spin after lunch, as a sort of limber up.

My car started fine, but I had an aggressively bad journey, it took me over 7 hours to drive from Glasgow to Bolton (210 miles). There were two accidents on the motorway and to get round the second one I had to go down the A6, round Penrith via a B-road and some place called Lazonby as the light failed and a frosty silence fell on the hills. 'I could die out here,' I though. Then I got to the A66 and had to go all the way down to Brough, then back down the A685 to the M6 at Tebay.

And when I got to Bolton they gave me the worst room in the hotel, right next to the beer garden/ smoking area. I'm expected to sleep with drunks staggering around 5m from my bed.

Quote :

7 hours to drive from Glasgow to Bolton

It occurs to me that because I had to turn round at J41 and go back up to J42 to get on the A6*, on this trip I had a w*e at Annandale Water services southbound, and Southwaite services northbound, the first time I've 'crossed the streams' in that way.

*Yes, I could have got on the A6 at J41 too, but I needed to stop at Southwaite first to consult the map.

Actually though that anecdote is spoiled by it being Southwaite northbound, it's too confusing isn't it. People will just seize on that without understanding the story.

And Annandale Water is a 'both ways bound' service area at a junction rather than two campuses, one on each side, trad-style.

So the whole story is just riddled with plot holes.

Fangirl Three wrote:

And Annandale Water is a 'both ways bound' service area

You need to watch those, because a traditional two-campus service area will have 15 or 18 petrol pumps on each side. Whereas the omnidirectional ones have 18 altogether. Which is why you typically find them either out in the middle of nowhere like Annandale, or near another service area, like Rugby.

Yesterday I left the hotel a day early cos I hated the room so much, and I traversed the official backup spiritual centre of the NHOTW, J4 of the A50. I stopped at Trowell services on the M1, and the petrol station lady admired my sparkly woolly hat.

Now, you're all wondering, why was FG3 travelling north from the M1 end of the A50 to get south to Essex? That is because I hate the bit round Leicester where you always get held up, so I went north, then cross-country to the A1 via Mansfield and Newark NJ Lincolnshire.

That reminds me actually, I have to find a more efficient route from the A50 to the A1.

I was watching a video about these new fangled electric cars, I was getting the OMG I'm going to run out fuel and be stuck in the freezing cold etc etc. horrors just watching it. And then he mentioned that there's only 2 charging points, and if they're busy they might have to wait. And if they're out of order there might be one in a supermarket near there.

And it takes an age to get enough charge to get back.

DO NOT WANT!

I don't know much about these things but I have been excited to see electric car charging points appear outside the KFC near Bramall Lane. I think they're the only ones I've spotted, so far.

I wonder if that white car is in the act of using one?

https://goo.gl/maps/R89zZpzUoMMPVLkx5

Looks like the google van man, or woman, had KFC for lunch.

That's the first time I've ever seen an electric car charging.