Wednesday 15th &
Thursday 16th July
Days
77, 78
We left Builth Wells at 4.30 again to avoid the heat. This
practice is all right but we all lack sleep. Once it’s three fifteen
and I get up to feed the girls and La then we are all awake, and by the
end of the day all totally knackered out.
We were not going to make it to Newtown from Builth which is where we
were heading. I had received an email from John Morgan who worked in
Newtown and said that we should meet up when we got there for a cup of
tea with him and his mate John Payne. Anyway we
weren't going to make it there so we headed as far as I dared in this
heat and that was Llanbister, about halfway to Newtown from Builth.
The road that we took was very unforgiving with its steep hills and lack
of anywhere to pull over to stop. And when we did find a verge there was
only scorched hay that lay about due to it having been cut a week previous. We
eventually got to the village of Llanbister and found another farm to
stay in. This one though had a river that ran through it and plenty of
grass for Pops. The farmer Mr. Allen was a real nice bloke and his wife
and daughter came over once we had set up and took a few photos of the
girls and La.
Once they had gone I took pops down to the river to cool off and give
her a wash. As soon as Pru saw what was going on she was straight in and
splashing around barking like a mad thing. After the cooling off we walked back to camp and had some
food and forty winks.
It was ten o’clock when I woke as there were no typing on the laptop or other jobs
that needed to be done. Now there was a decision to be made. Should I go
about my chores and complete them some time in the wee small hours or
shall I chill out and do them tomorrow. Needless to say I opted for the
latter option and went back to sleep and threw responsibility to whoever was around to catch it.
Next morning after having spoken to Jet on the phone I got up at five and felt
refreshed and a lot more awake.
Newtown was only sixteen miles away and we would therefore have quite an
easy day what with the coolness and all. I fed the girls, La and myself
then set about packing up the camp. It wasn’t long before we were
ready to go.
Setting off down the road I got a phone call from John Morgan. He
explained that he was going to come out to see us and was just making sure
where we were.
John turned up an hour or so later and with him was John Payne. Now the
business these blokes do is concerned with converting diesel engines to
run on LPG which is cleaner for the environment and saves the average
company two hundred pounds per lorry per month.
Anyway, after chatting to the guys we were invited to their place of
work to park up for the night, as they had grass a'plenty and water. I said that I needed some feed for
Pops and
asked if they knew of anywhere in Newtown that would have some. Yes they
said and gave me the directions on how to find the place. So the two
Johns drove back to work and we carried on to Newtown and the feed
place.
When we got into Newtown John’s directions led us to Wynnstay
farmer’s animal feed suppliers. The equine manager Robin Lewis
introduced himself and got us what we needed and also threw in a lot
more and didn’t charge for it, which was extremely generous and much
appreciated.
Wynnstay farmers Newtown 01691 828512.
Next it was off to see John and John at their place Plexus, 01686 610777
and the good thing was it was just up the road from the feed place. We
got there at about one and stayed till four. Pops was tethered outside
their work shop on a lovely bit of grass. I figured that would do 'till tomorrow.
The lads also allowed me to use the washroom, which was handy and well
timed as it had been hot all week and a strip wash was just what was
called for.
After my wash I filled the water barrel and unpacked the cart. It was
time for the lads to go anyway so after thanking them for their kindness
they went and we were again left on our own.
I am typing this entry earlier than normal as I would like quite an
early night anything else untoward happens through the night and I'll let
you know tomorrow.
DAYS 79,80
Friday & Saturday 17th & 18th July
Well last night something did happen. I heard poppy start to panic so
I jumped out of the cart and went to see what was up. As I got to her a
stone flew over the hedge and just missed the cart. Not knowing what to
make of this I ran to where I thought they were coming from. There I
found four kids aged between ten and fifteen all with nasty attitudes to
go with their scruffy look. When I asked them what the hell they thought
they were playing at, they just started sounding off and being the worst
type of yobs you could hope to meet. When I said that the stones could
have hit
the horse they just sneered and said that they were trying to hit the
cart and me. Well what the hell was I to do I couldn’t get physical
with them as well you can understand. In this day and age the law takes a
dim view of that sort of thing. They just laughed and threw a few more
stones and then left. We couldn’t go anywhere because it was getting dark and
the last thing we needed was to be running away from these little
b……ds! It just weren’t gonna happen.
Anyway they must have had to go elsewhere and cause trouble because they
left after hurling more abuse at me and wishing the horse and all of us
the worst. My thoughts on this matter are this; my girls are everything
to me, if the cart gets trashed or we get robbed, then that I can handle.
But if anyone touches my girls then that is going to be the last
mistake they ever make.
I have thought this statement through and know what I am saying. To harm
my girls deliberately in any way is a callous and cowardly act and one
that I can promise will be met with force if needed. It might be a
laugh to some people to try and scare or harm my girls but if you do,
make sure you are prepared to go all the way because I swear to you now,
that I will.
Calming down but not in anyway changing my principles, the best thing
that these kids could have done was to come over and talk to me and ask
about the horse and maybe learn something about responsibility. Hell if
they wanted to I would have been happy to have taken them down the road
on the cart and maybe given them the chance to drive as well. A much better
laugh than being just plain old obnoxious. I do forgive these children
for what they did, its just a crying shame that the society that we look
towards for education and moral guidance has let them down so badly, as
they in turn let themselves down.
So it was up all night keeping guard and getting no sleep. As soon as
we could we left and headed to Welshpool. We needed a farrier as well
and the usual problem was that they were all snowed under with work. I
was so tired I decided to call it a day eight miles from Welshpool. We
found a verge and stayed there for the rest of the day, sleeping mostly.
We did have some visitors through the day, Richard Connell former horse traveller
was one of them. We started to chat about this and that and he offered to
ask his father and mother (who have land) if we could stay over for a few
days. This would be handy as Jet would be coming up to see us and it is
our anniversary too. So having a place to leave Pops for a couple of hours
would be good as then we could do the 'out to dinner' thing. It turned out
that it was ok to stay, and their farm was about thirteen miles from
where we were. I thanked Richard for his kindness and then he
left. As he pulled off, the phone rang. It was Ian Cole the
farrier. He had rang to let me know that he would meet me the next day
further up the road and put a set of shoes on for me, the ones slim and
the boys at Hereford had made. This was great news and was a great
relief as we were going so well I did not want any hold ups.
We also had a visit from the couple that live in the cottage opposite
the verge where we had pulled in. Jessica and Chris and Jessica’s son
Finn. Chris is a corporate lawyer and Jessica an artist whose work is
being shown in an exhibition in Edinburgh.
So with our visitors gone I thought that sleep would be a good idea, as
we hadn’t had a lot.
Next morning I was up at five and put the kettle on. Once this was done
I fed Pops, La and Pru and then myself. Then stated packing up the camp,
but when it came time to get the tether chain spike out of the ground I
couldn’t find the club hammer. I looked everywhere, even in the place
where I would have definitely not have put it. Alas I had lost it.
So after much saying of "where the hell is it" and then looking
in the same places that I had just looked for it in, I resigned myself to the
acceptance that a void in the night had appeared and taken my hammer to
the fifth dimension. We left after I had managed to dig the spike out
of the ground with the spade I carry. We met up with Ian the farrier four or so miles down the road, what
a nice bloke.
Now because Pops was tired and because of the episode with the stone throwers, she
was in a bit of a mood. Who can blame her. The week we have had and the
mileage that we have covered added to the burning hot
temperatures which we have been having, it was understandable and in no
way her fault. But the way Ian was with Poppy was a pleasure to witness.
She was totally relaxed with him and felt at ease whilst he worked. This
bloke certainly knew the right way to calm and treat a horse, and the
way in which he fitted the shoes and trimmed her feet was brilliant to
watch. And I will say that he donated his labour and time freely towards
the charities that we have on board. This was a very kind gesture and
one that I am grateful for especially as I haven’t got an endless
supply of money to dip in to. So with the shoes on and Poppy much
more mellow we set of towards the town of Welshpool.
Before we got there we passed a field and in it believe it or
not, were lots of cowboys running around. So I turned the cart around
and headed into the field to have a chat with these guys and gals.
It turned out that it was their annual meet at the Castle Showground at
Welshpool and this was just how these folks like to spend their free
time. Fair play to them. What a great bunch of people from every walk of
life, all having a good time slinging their guns and having a ball. We
wandered around the showground as much of an attraction as they were to
me. One person after another walked past packing a six gun or two. I
would have taken some pictures of the Indians but they weren’t around,
maybe they were in bed or something. We did get some good pics of some
real characters including the sheriff, who told us the law in his town.
But in the end we rode off yonder, the town not being big enough for our
posse.
So we headed to the town centre of Welshpool and up through and out the
other side heading now for Llinandrinio and Richards parents who had a
field that me and Jet could park in for the weekend. Somewhere I could
leave Pops and disappear with Jet in the car and get the washing done
and go for a meal, as it was our anniversary.
It didn’t take long to travel the eight miles there even though it had
turned hot and humid and the going difficult. But we got there and that
was the main thing.
When we arrived you could not have wished to meet nicer people. Stuart
and Freda were very welcoming. They showed us to the field that we could
stay in and then invited me in for a cuppa, and after sorting out poppy,
Pru, and La I went in and had one. Freda also said I could use the
shower, which was music to my ears.
Jet arrived at around five o’clock that afternoon, it was great to see
her and also a bit sad because this was the last time that she would be
able to come up to see us.
Work commitments and used up holiday, couple that with the growing
distance that was increasing every day. As usual we spent the weekend
talking a lot and not thinking about the time, we had a good time as we
always do when we meet up and had a few laughs as well.
This is day eighty-two now and the journey over half way. It is hard
still being away from jet and my home, but I am still having the time of
my life. The whole trip and the ideas of what I was going to do and how
I was going to do too have changed somewhat. It has taken on its own
direction and meaning, the people we meet and the places we go dictate
the course of it.
In lots of ways I wish that I had filmed the journey myself but a new
camcorder was not possible or its potential realized at the time.
However I also approached some TV companies about covering some or all the
journey but I guess that this trip was seen as uninteresting and would
not be good viewing. Well you tell me, were they right? It certainly has
not been boring for me in anyway and compulsive living as far as I am
concerned.
We have seen some great sunsets and great moon rises, and all as
beautiful and spectacular as each other, I have met people that have
inspired me, some have infuriated me and some have humbled me, but all
were people and as such were part of the scheme of things that is being
laid out for us. This trip is spiritual as well as physical, it is hard
and easy, whatever this trip is, it is a learning experience that
continues and rolls on, as we must towards our goal and final point of
rest and conclusion.
Tuesday
22nd July
Day 84
We are 4 miles south of Whitchurch deep in Whixal woods, a place used
for the funeral rites of Romany's for generations when the burning of
the deceased wagon was observed. There are also stories of witches past
and present using it too. We were directed to this place by a Romany by
the name of Elijah Arrow Smith. We have had a visit by two local lads Oliver
and Charlie, and some friends that I met earlier on our trip ,Julian
and Michaela. Michaela is descended from the Blackfoot tribe and is an expert
at living off the land and horsemanship. She often visits the Blackfoot reservation
in Montana and rides her horse wolf. Julian is a saddler and jockey
,horse trainer and thoroughly nice bloke.
Wednesday
23rd July
Day 85
We are
8 miles from Warrington. Tomorrow we will only do a short day and leave
the city stretch until the weekend. We met some people along our route
today, the two Ed's as they call themselves who live opposite from where
we are camped (on the side of the road near Tilsbury) and who gave us
water and beer.
Thursday
24th July
Day 86
Woke
up this morning by Ed whom we met yesterday. He had brought us a cooked
breakfast and cup of tea. I phoned a horse feed place to find out where
they were and they not only delivered the food to where we were but did
not charge.
Gibson's Kingsley Mill
Mill lane
Cheshire
01928 788210
The guy from Gibson's who drove out in his own car was Rob Brock.
We are 5 miles from Warrington and will be up at 3am getting ready to
go. We have a long day tomorrow and two cities to go through. If we are moving by 4.30 we should do the first quite early.
Where we are parked we have had Bob and his wife Kay Lewis and their
grand kids Jessica and James come to visit. Bob gave La some hay for his
cage and also filled our water barrel up for us.
Friday
25th & Saturday 26th July
Days 87 - 88
Got up at 3am after not much sleep. Had lots of visitors the night
before including a very nice Irish travelling family the Wards and
farmer Peter Scales. Had a very long day of 12 hrs and 35 miles
but got through the towns all right. We met a man when we got to
Wrightington by the name of Bryan Bromley whose cousin Judith Burton
runs a riding stables and said we could stay a couple of days. It is a
small, family run business and prides itself on affordable riding for
children, including special needs kids from the inner cities. The
riding school has been established for 40 years, and has a very friendly
atmosphere. Judith does lots of work for charity and has done for many
years and is well thought of throughout the community and respected for
her knowledge of horses. Judith and some of her pupils also cleaned
poppy's harness for me. Thanks guys!
Day 88 was spent meeting some great people including Carl and Lindsey
and their children Thomas and Laura.
Sunday
27th July
Day 89
Decided to move today and get through Preston. We are at a small yard
near Garstang thanks to Iain Collinson who owns it and his mate Michael
who also works there. Went through Preston but it took three hours stuck
in traffic jams but once again pops was a star. Met Darren from the Texaco
garage in Preston who made sure Pops, Pru, and La got some water. Whilst
stuck in traffic we met Mr. Wilson.
Monday
28th July
Day 90
