The Tour Begins...
Sorry this blog will take a bit of a change now as I will be going on a football tour ‘the plan’ is to go to football grounds around the country. Starting today we are heading to Arsenal FC for a Carabao Cup game for my team who I only saw them win in this competition for the first time this season and now we are going to the Gooners on a Wednesday night in September. Following that I am heading to the Championship and the midlands as Coventry City take on Peterborough United on a Friday night. For the remainder of the tour will the Wombles. Starting on Saturday when we go to Shrewsbury Town. I will have three days to wait before going to Rotherham United for a Tuesday night league game. I will stay in Rotherham before the three and a bit hour drive home on Wednesday. I have seen this as being out of work which means I have the time and as a bit of a reward for getting through the Chemo, I did want to bring people with me which isn’t possible this time, but I will be with friends for parts of this trip. Let’s hope for some positive results.
The plan today is to round up the troops from college and school then head to a train station for the journey to north London and the 7.45pm kick-off of the Carabao Cup game. I am sure there will be plenty of Wombles there but not much hope for the result. However, we are there, and you never know. The one thing based on every game this season so far is that we will battle for the entire game. Here we go…
My plan for this is to have a plan for each day (there are a day or two to chill so something different may happen) I will put the plan in blue before the day.
Day 1 - Wednesday 22nd September
The Plan –
To pick my daughter up and head to Oxfordshire to collect my son. Organise the boy. Before heading to a tube station with a car park. We think Osterley at the moment but historically I always used to go to Hounslow West. From there we take the tube to Holloway Road to watch Arsenal v Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup. After the game its back to the tube and back to the car. Collect the car and head back home for a well-deserved nights sleep. Here’s the map:
And here is what actually happened:
That is pretty much that is how it happened. There were a few changes which I may go into some more detail. So, much for picking Lauren up as she walked home. We then went off to collect Sean which went off OK and we managed to drive passed the train station car park and then have to drive up and down the dual carriageway to get there. We got to the ground incredibly early, and we got some more drinks and then spent a fortune buying pizza for everyone. From there we walked into the stadia, and it is awesome, massive, and very impressive. The home fans were quiet unless the goal had gone in, or they were close to scoring. They improved as the game went on and we tired but having said that we created more clear-cut chances later in the game. The referee was so far on their side it was untrue they had four clear cut bookings, yet they finished the game with none. We had two booking before halftime. Yes, they are a Premier League team but that doesn’t mean they will be completely correct in all they do. A prime example was in the first half Arsenal win a free near the touchline. Straight away the ref has the spray snow out on the pitch little dot for the ball counts out ten yards draws another snow line for the wall. Second half they are two up and we win a free kick in the identical place and no magic snow. He allows the Arsenal player to stand where he wants our player moans that he isn’t ten yards. The ref is off standing in the penalty area ready to give them another free kick for us trying to win a header. Simply double standards which was just frustrating, would it of changed the result? No!! probably not I think they would have won but it would have made the evening so much better for us fans and it would have been fairer which I don’t think it was. That was the game, their fans were their fans, and I am not going to moan about them being pleased but you cannot have it both ways. Either we were nothing and you won easily, or we actually put up a fight and you had to fight for that glorious win that you are boasting about. Which is it? You cannot pretend to be great when against a much lower-level opposition or you actually respected us, and you are that pleased because you were that scared of getting turned over. Well, done and well played the third goal was worth the money alone. Absolutely top draw and some of the best quality moves you see, I said it before, and I will say it again now I really, truly hope that we learnt from the experience and the level that they play at. Then use that skill and ability to improve our performances on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm. (or a midweek game). I will have everything crossed ahead of the two away games coming up. The journey home on the other had was horrid, we walked back to Holloway Road Tube Station to find it closed. Thanks for the update. We then watch everyone else pile onto a bus going to Finsbury Park Station. We decide to walk. We get there as there is still a mob trying to get on the station. It was crazy how busy it was. The first tube was rammed and didn’t go all the way to our stop so had to get off and onto the train following. Where we joined one of the rudest women, I think I’ve ever met. A Chelsea fan who couldn’t actually speak to me just moan about me to her family until I spoke to her, and she instantly shut up. The moaning stopped instantly. Strange when I pointed out how she could improve her situation she wasn’t interested. Strange. Some people just like moaning I guess, with thinly vailed threats as well it just goes to show the level and mentality of some people. Yes, the tube was rammed but it was rammed for everyone. Not just you. You ignorant [I’ll let you finish that sentence yourself!]
Ok that was Wednesday we can move onto Thursday now, can’t we?
Day 2 - Thursday 23rd September
The Plan - is for organising and packing and completing a couple of additional tasks. The plan is to complete the packing get the car ready and loaded and basically be ready to go. We have the Sky Engineer coming today to install upgraded equipment and remove the old stuff. I also have the charity walking group to organise which happens in the afternoon and I am leading it this week. The day should be concluded with the final checks and preparations.
And here is what actually happened:
Well, what a day it’s been. I set the alarm for 7am and promptly fell back asleep until I was awoken by a van door closed. It was 8am I run to the window and the Sky van was across the drive. I was dressed before he reached the door. He was in and working very quickly but through chatting and learning how everything works that suddenly I looked again, and it was 10am. The time I had to leave for a job interview by then. He will move the van I jump in the car and the sat-nav doesn’t recognise the address. NO! I grab the phone and desperately hope Google maps can come to the rescue. It appears so and despite going the wrong way (Twice) I got there with literally minutes to spare. I go to the wrong gate and finally get myself in there to sit a half hour test followed by an interview. I go through that and think it goes well until the very end which may have tainted part of it. I dash home and find some of the sky engineers gear still in the front garden and the unit not working how I thought it would. I phone them back and it all appears to be working as soon as I have someone on the phone. The engineer hasn’t been back yet. I head off to the walking group and it was back to usual numbers and the walk went off very well. I am now back home and about to pack the remainder of the gear for weekend of driving and football. I forgot my meds at the pharmacy so I will need to pick them up tomorrow. I am gearing up ready…
Day 3 - Thursday 24th September
The Plan -
Today is the true start of the tour day as the car will not know what I have planned. Today I plan to leave around 2pm and drive to the hotel. I have a meal already paid for, so I will be eating before heading out again.
Once fed I will be heading to the Ricoh Arena for the Coventry City v Peterborough United, Championship League game kicking off on a Friday night. After the game I return to the hotel for a good night’s sleep (this never happens on the first night away from home (I don’t know why but always the case).
And here is what actually happened:
The tour begins in earnest today with queues in petrol stations everywhere as the public panic buys petrol. Thanks just when I am going to be living in a car for the next 5 days!!
The day began with a phone call to find out about the job, but they weren’t in their office, so I left a message headed off to the pharmacy. Whilst there I thought it an innovative idea to get a meal deal and petrol for the journey ahead. Little did I know that the government’s request to not panic buy petrol would have the opposite effect. The queue was out of the station onto the entrance road, so I gave up and headed home. Walking in the door the phone rang – it was the results of the interview, and I was yet again unsuccessful. To be completely honest I was not that crestfallen as I wasn’t expecting good news, but I lived in hope and thought I would give it try. We exchanged pleasantries and she suggested keeping an eye on the website and applying again should something else come along.
Walked the dog and decided to leave early and sit in the queues for petrol!! Being honest again they were not too bad, and the journey had kicked off before 12.30pm. The journey was then not a bad one either there were a few parts of slow traffic but really nothing to worry about and I arrived at the hotel early hence me sat outside typing this before going in and asking if I can check in early so I could use the Wi-Fi to upload this to the blog. If you are reading it without anything else below then I was successful.
OK here goes...
Well, I am in my room typing away on here and looking forward to a short ten-minute drive to the car park for this evening match which to remind you all is Coventry City v Peterborough United both teams were playing us not that long ago in the league. They have both had their troubles in the not-too-distant past as Coventry dropped all the way to the fourth tier and was playing their games at Northampton’s ground. Peterborough on the other hand have an extraordinarily rich owner but has tendencies for strange decisions and just running with it. What they are trying to do is break the yo-yo situation of promotion then relegation between tier two and three. I just hope for a good game and to see some goals but let’s just wait and see. When a neutral I normally speak to the locals to see what they think and feel but we will wait and see on that one as well. Right now, I am in the room and settled I will shower hit the trough and then hit the road to try and find the car park (which I have already pre-paid for). Oh, and the one thing I’ve forgotten? I was so worried about whether the keyboard would fit in the bag and then whether it would be safe in there, I completely forgot the mouse! WHAT A MUPPETT!!!
The game is over, and I am back at the hotel which is pretty good going as I already have a brew and its only 10:10pm. Having no affinity to either team meant I left with five minutes to go and was surprised how I wasn’t alone. There were quite a few ‘home’ fans leaving with me whilst the home team was 3-0 up. I caught up with many ‘away’ fans heading to the same car park that I used. For the match itself Coventry City were the dominant throughout and went top due to the result. It was just as I was thinking they had fluffed their lines and couldn’t score they got three in a ten-minute spell where the away defence just disappeared. I felt the game was over the second the home scored their first but when the second goal went in it was all done and dusted. They added a third and then cruised to the finish line with Peterborough United huffing and puffing as they tried to claw themselves back in the game. They never really looked like scoring beyond a couple of half chances. I just hope my lot can perform better away from home tomorrow.
Looking towards tomorrow I will be having breakfast back in the restaurant that forgot I was in there. With the meal deal that I prepaid about three months ago, you get a main and then a starter or a dessert. My mistake was to pick a dessert so the main arrived promptly and then I sat there watching my phone and listen to others conversation and then I sat there and waited some more. I tried to catch a waitress’s eye. Failed. I gave up and returned to the bar and just asked for it. Which arrived soon after and was pretty much frozen which is the same as the last brewers fare, I went to. I finished what I could and left nearly an hour later than I had hoped I would. The M6 was rammed all the way from the exit I joined to the very next one where I left. I parked up and walked to the ground without any problems. After breakfast I aim to visit Mike as I haven’t seen him in years.
The rest of the evening will be spent watching a ‘French’ horror movie which I will be reviewing soon enough.
That’s it for today hopefully I’ll get chance to add some more tomorrow!
Day 4 - Saturday 25th September
The Plan:
Get up have breakfast this is also already paid for, so no doubt will be HUGE! Packing and heading off reasonably early. If time permits, I will be heading off to Cannock to visit three of the nicest people you could want to me. Which is all dependant on traffic and what time I am up and moving. As I don’t know if I will make it, I haven’t warned them I am coming so they could very well be out or just say hello on the doorstep but if I get to see Mike and fist bump or handshake but a wave would be enough greeting for me. From the drop in visit, I will be heading off to Montgomery Waters Meadow to watch Shrewsbury Town v Wimbledon. This is an afternoon kick-off.
I may be meeting a friend there and if that is the case then I would guess we’ll be heading out for a curry after the game. If not, then I will be heading to Newcastle where I will be spending the next two nights.
And here is what happened:
The day could have been a disappointment with the result, but I think there were too many pluses to make it a bad day. I shall begin at the beginning which is (a Mary Poppins said) a very good place to start. As I guessed I didn’t want to go to sleep for some reason and ended up looking at the walls for some time. The alarm woke me, and I suddenly found the bed VERY comfortable which is extremely annoying. Tonight, I don’t have to wake up so I will find the bed uncomfortable I bet you! There is no aircon in here which is strange as there is a panel on the wall for it!?! Sorry I digress. I get up and go for the prepaid breakfast. It is huge and it covered me until after 7pm in the evening. After clearing out and hitting the road I head for Cannock. There I turn up at Mike’s house who has only just got up and having breakfast. We sat and chatted for an hour and the poor man never had one bite out of his toast whilst I was there. That said it was fantastic to see him and fantastic to catch up. Jonathon came home just as I was leaving so it was good to see him as well. That probably would have been enough to make my day, but we had the little matter of a football match to attend.
I follow the Sat-Nav and it was half a second behind where I was when it said take the exit so after spending the morning driving up (north) on the M6 and going through the toll. I mistakenly joined the M6 (not the toll) heading South and instantly stopped. The Sat-Nav told me to take the next junction and go around the roundabout and re-join the M6. I didn’t manage to get to 70mph before I had to slow and joined a queue. I queued for 3 miles. The M6 was closed, and everybody had to head off the motorway and follow a diversion. I on the other hand had to follow the herd until I could go around the roundabout and then head back down the M6 ahead. This added a whole hour to my journey. I got to Shrewsbury Town after 1pm and then had to head off to a car park around a mile away before walking back. I get to the ground and watch us lose. I will come back to that. As I was walking to ground, I spotted the legend that is Mike-T who is the commentator for WDON and the iPlayer football coverage. We had chat and then he took a pic which he shared on the group chat. Which now I’ve shared with everyone else. The other sad news was the mate who I had hoped would join me couldn’t so I had the evening here alone which is fine but would have been good to catch up.
I guess I should talk about the game as it began very evenly with us creating half chances and they made two clear cut chances that they couldn’t take. From their free kick we broke from one end to other and a two beautiful passes set up Mebude to score the opener. All was well in the well. The four minutes shy of half-time and a looping header beats our keeper, and we go into the half all square. Second half we conceded at a not fully cleared corner and then chase the game for the final twenty minutes, yes, we created the better chances from then on, but we didn’t take any of them and notch up our third defeat on the trot. We go into my fourth game against a team we haven’t beaten away. I leave at full time and march back to the car managing to escape before the hordes and was well on my way to the next hotel before I knew it.
The trip to the hotel was dual carriageway predominantly all the way and I put the wrong postcode into the Sat-Nav (thanks google!). The petrol gauge was hovering about half so I thought I would stop at the next petrol station. No Fuel, onto the next one. They also had no fuel onto the next a Shell garage. They also didn’t have fuel but also didn’t put a sign up. The Esso garage had red tape around all the pumps. Onto the next one Sainsbury’s with a massive queue outside and I was close to the hotel, so I swung a U-ie and headed to the hotel instead. Throwing my bags into the room I headed back to the car and decided to head back to the Sainsburys as it had fuel but a queue. I got there just as the queue had dropped to about four or five cars who all picked a lane and there, I was at the front of the queue in 5 minutes. I fill up with unleaded and headed to a curry house before heading back to the hotel for a late meal and the opportunity to type this up.
I don’t have to drive tomorrow as I am staying here tomorrow as all day so I could walk into town, or I could drive there but I could do anything I wanted, really. I may even review a movie. I brought all the French extreme movies with me so I could get to catch up with those, I guess. Fill some time but I think one important thing is to catch up on the sleep I missed last night.
Tonight, I am watching scary movies well some may call them scary I haven’t seen anything yet. It is a grower I’d guess.
Day 5 - Sunday 26th September
Chill out day this will probably be the day I type all this business up and release it to the blog, but we will have to wait and see, won’t we. This is one of the days without any plans or food paid for so maybe have a wander around Newcastle or just chill in the small hotel room.
And here is what happened:
I awoke at 7am, to the sound that had joined me all night, the sound of passing traffic. No air-con here I left the window open, and I discovered that this room faces the dual carriageway, and it was in use most of the night. However, I did sleep which was the important thing for staying here. I will also add that I do not think it was the traffic that woke me. It was the screaming kids that were running up and down the corridor that won that little battle. I heard them outside the door and then it went quiet, then a few moments later I could hear them outside the window running around the car park. I didn’t hear anyone trying to quiet them down, but I won’t go on anymore.
9am -
At some point, last night I realised what I had done wrong with packing and that was drink. I brought can’s where a small bottle of squash would have been so much better. Less caffeine and a bit of flavour would have been so much better than a can and another and another. I am thinking of going for a walk. Before that I think I will use this time to firstly plan for Tuesday night how to get to the game and back again. Also, I can look at the distances involved and whether I need to get more fuel before I get home. The final day will be a single long journey but there are potential stops on the way which may use fuel to park and go again so I will way everything up and plan the best option.
10am -
I have sat here and done my elementary maths and worked out that just driving from a to b and repeat to tick off all the locations I planned to it works out at another 342 miles (roughly). From memory the car says it has 330 miles available but that is driving and not necessarily sat in traffic or idling or pottering around for shopping or anything else. There is also a five-mile drive from the hotel to the final game of the tour. I could avoid this by taking a different route and walk more directly which the car cannot follow. The walk would be three miles from the hotel to the ground making it a six mile walk for the day, ahead of a long drive the following day. I guess I could walk into town and spend the day there before attending the game and then walking back to the hotel after that. The issue comes with walking back after the game as I assume I’ll be walking with the ‘home fans’ whilst wearing Womble clothing. Guess it depends on the result and how friendly the fans are that are walking around me. This option would help but only take ten miles off the trip count but won’t cover the gap completely. In conclusion the tank is full right now so I cannot use the local station here to do a ‘top up’ as there isn’t room. Meaning I would need to use fuel to free space to refill but that defeats the purpose doesn’t it, I won’t join a queue to put a fiver in the tank. Which means it boils down to the drive home on Wednesday, where I will play a game of miles remaining according to the Sat-Nav verses what the car calculated the miles remaining in the tank. The other thing is that I don’t want to run the tank down and use the crap at the bottom. I could see a need to refill on Wednesday and I will keep an eye on the news up until that point.
Back to today I feel a shower and a walk coming on, might go and buy squash.
I went for a brief walk of just over 5km (three and a third miles in old money). I didn’t appreciate how hilly the dual carriageway that I came here on was. Up and down hill I want and picked up a Robinsons squash which was very nice, and I also got a Vimto squash with wasn’t. I walked back here (the hotel) and I’ve spent the day watching TV and writing a review of the movie I watched last night. It wasn’t very good either. I suddenly had the idea of packing for tomorrow tonight so I’ve already taken three bags down to the car whilst it was still light, dusk is setting in now as the American Football has just started kicking off. I will finish this and then leave the NFL on in the background as I will be looking to complete another review later.
Day 6 - Monday 27th September
The Plan -
We are on the move again. This time heading north to Yorkshire where I have the next hotel booked for another couple of days. I have a friend in Doncaster so I might pop over and see them if I arrive in Rotherham early enough or I could check in to the hotel in the afternoon and then head up to Doncaster for a brief evening visit.
And Maybe...
And here is what happened:
I already had phone last night so I won't be going to Doncaster which is fine and I fully understand the fuel situation affecting everything and everyone at the moment. I just read a headline where they asked a women in the queue for petrol why are you here and she said because everyone else was so I just joined them. What chance do we have? Really?
Today started very differently than expected as in the darkness of the room at 7am I was woken by a very odd sound. I couldn’t quite place it. Like a child smashing a toy a soft toy on the carpet *Slap*, but it sounded heavy, slap. I opened my eyes scanned the room using my very sleepy eyes and equally sleepy brain. It was pitch black as they have blackout curtains in here. Slap. It must be something outside, slap, must be outside. I wander over to the window pull back the curtain. It was raining but that was about all I could make out. Slap. Hang on that was behind me. Slap. It’s coming from inside the room. Slap. I switch on the light and slap aha its water. Splat. Falling from the ceiling onto the carpet below. Splat. There is a small puddle on the floor and the crack in the ceiling is now bigger and dripping. Splat. I grab the used coffee mug. Splat. Using the mug as a bucket I put it on the puddle. Blip. Ah this could be a problem. Blip. Do I get dressed and head down straight away? They would give me another room where after moving I might get an hour to try and get back to sleep and get ready in another room. No point so I just get ready and head off telling the reception that they are going to have issues in there if that isn’t repaired soon. It took me half an hour to realise I had the light on next to the dripping ceiling that could have done me some damage and cut the power to the whole place. I am on the road about two hours earlier than planned.
I arrive in Rotherham and not heading to Doncaster means it’s a dangerous time for my bank balance as I am let loose in a town centre where I know there are two board game shops. Too late I am here, and I am parked up and heading into town. First shop is closed, gone or moved somewhere else. The other is a Warhammer shop which doesn’t hold the same excitement for me, but I will take a nose over there. Well, that was shut as well. I look at the normal opening time of 10am and I think oh it’s because I am early. It was 11:30am. What the Hell!! Guess that was closed as well, it still had things in the window but no sign of life. Shopping off I go. 4 DVD and a board game I give up and head for the hotel.
There is something else I wanted to add. As I was pretty sure that the car said the fuel would give me a radius of 350-370 miles. Off the top of my head when I got in the car. I had been reading some advice for conserving fuel when driving and knowing that I had a 190-mile journey with a 60 mile trip and a 10 mile jog back and forth as well as this trip to Rotherham which was 82 miles apparently. I cannot remember what the fuel counter started on but after leaving Newcastle-Under-Lyme it said 370 miles which was pretty much what I had to do plus some extra miles. Christian driving commenced and it was amazing as the expected mile radius from the fuel tank slowly began to rise. 375… 380… 390… 400… it still kept going. 420, 430, 440, I had a little celebration at 450 as I thought that could have been an extra 100 miles, I just made myself. This could be a result. It topped out at 460 miles before stopping at a service station to use the facilities started to bring it back down again. I reached the car park in Rotherham with it standing at 415 miles. Which is after the 82 mile plus drive to get there. Unfortunately, I sat in the car park with the key in the car, but I didn’t have the engine running but the number dropped to 400. In the five-mile drive from the car park to the hotel it took 30 miles off that radius as there were a few hills to climb, which seemed to burn fuel for fun. So sat here right at the second the tank is still showing as full but the miles says 370 and I have a 10-mile round trip tomorrow and then a 190 mile journey to get home on Wednesday I would appear that I won’t be going far tomorrow after all. I will drive to the football, park in town, and hope the hills don’t knock another 30 miles off the mileage estimate. Anyway, I am off to check in at the hotel now. Hopefully more updates later.
I tried to check in an hour early and I was turned away because they ‘didn’t even have linen let alone have time to finish the room.’ Like I was going to fall for that old chestnut, they just want me to go away. I go back and typed the above and low and behold it is gone 4:00pm so I am allowed to check in. I go back in, and the same man tells me I can go to the room, but the linen still hasn’t arrived. I go to my room, and they were telling the truth there wasn’t linen!! Who would have thought it!?! It was ready but the bedding was sat on the chair waiting for the white stuff to go over it. I also got to see the stains on the under covers “NICE!” They were telling the truth though. I dump the bags in the corner and head out for a meal. The restaurant is not linked and there is no meal deal or breakfast here, so that’s the plan gone for Wednesday morning. However, if I leave early enough, I am sure there will service station that could feed me. I did have a good look around town so hopefully I have a couple of options for parking the car tomorrow night. Let’s hope they are not too busy.
Side note - The bathroom in this room smells of poop all the time (I will add at this point, that I haven't used that toilet yet) and it appears to be permanent. I've had the fan on and the door open but the smell is still there. Yah!! Two days of poop smelling showers... Oh lucky me!
Day 7 - Tuesday 28th September
The Plan -
I have the option to visit Doncaster during the day instead of yesterday. I hope the match tickets are at the ground for collection as the last point of the tour is the AESSEAL New York Stadium for Rotherham United v Wimbledon match which has an evening kick-off.
No route map needed as I am staying walking distance from the ground I just need to decide if I want to walk that far back again after the match where emotions may be high.
And here is what happened:
I woke at 9:00am as I left the window open again the staff must have been on a shift change as they were outside chatting. I stayed put for about half an hour before getting up and taking a leisurely time to get myself organised. Moving clothes from bag to bag. Ensuring I am ready for tonight and then again and more so for tomorrow. I have a chilled day today before the final match of the tour. A tour that has seen two defeats making that three on the bounce and a fear of a fourth on the horizon. Out of the games I just wanted us to compete on Wednesday and we did that, but without really creating a threat. On Saturday I hoped for a win but would have been happy with a draw. We lost and looked quite toothless up front. We also have two of our four strikers out ahead of the game tonight. We could have a “make-shift’ forward with one of our attacking midfielders filling the role tonight. However, I go to the game tonight in hope more than expectation, I will be able to tick the ground off the list of 91 grounds I will be up over the halfway mark now as this will be the fourth new ground on this tour. I will have to assess the other grounds now as there should be some low hanging fruit, but I am the type to organise the trickier ones out the way first before looking at those close by. I will probably be going to those closer grounds naturally. Finding a reason to drive for three or more hours to see two teams I have no interest in is a tough sell even for me. I prefer the tour type where I can go to one of our games and then stop at another ground on the way home the following day or the day before. It is something to look at with many a Championship game happening on a Friday night it just needs to tally up with where we play on the Saturday. For example, I won’t drive to Derby for a Friday night game for the Wombles to play at home on a Saturday. Likewise, if we are playing Sunderland away, I won’t be driving to Bristol on a Friday evening. Sorry went off on one there. The rest of today will be eating! I will be heading to Sainsbury for a meal deal now followed by (hopefully) a football tradition of battered sausage and chips pre-game.
I drove to a car park and parked up then had a chat with a few Rotherham fans and they were friendly. I was a little worried walking to the ground mind you as a solitary Womble in the middle of the miller’s masses. We got spanked and could look to a penalty turned away and a miss from eight yards out with just the keeper to beat. In fairness we were well beaten. The fight and organisation we had at the beginning of the season is deserting us. The ability to put the ball in the onion bag has gone and it has the feel of the pre-season worries of the lack of goals coming back again. On this tour I’ve seen my team play three times they have lost every one of those games. They have scored a single goal and conceded eight. One of those was against a Premier League team but still it has not been the greatest tour for football and there has been some strange things like the roof falling through whilst at the second hotel. Lots and lots of driving and sitting in hotel rooms just watching time tick away. There is another couple of strange things spotted on the journey home, but I will come to that below. Back to the evening after the game we had lost 3-0 and then I had to walk back through town listening to home fans. I just kept my head down and got to the car and decided that being unable to drown my sorrows I went for a pizza instead.
It didn’t help much.
Day 8 - Wednesday 29th September
The Plan -
That is, it the tour is over time to load up the car and head back home. There should not be a time to arrive so I should not be in any rush I can take breaks and go sightseeing if I’d like but I know that normally once I am on the road, I will normally stick to it till I am home, but we will wait and see.
or
And here is what happened:
My alarms actually woke me this morning no ceiling bursting or people chatting. The door kept banging outside which I thought was someone complaining about my noise. It was just the door to the stairs. There were two flights down and people were leaving and going about their day. I had a relaxed prep, and I was in the car ready to go. I got in the car at 10:20am with the trip miles at 343.9. It is also worth noting that the onboard computer tells me the mile radius from the driving style and the fuel on board calculations tells me I should be able to do 365 miles on this tank of fuel. I reached home at 2:49pm and the trip computer tells me it was a 182.9-mile drive from hotel to home. The car’s calculation for the remaining fuel says I could get 330 miles. Meaning I did 183 miles and the car calculated that I only used thirty-five miles worth of fuel. A bit of Christian driving and not putting the air-con on probably help but I am amazed by this. As for the tour itself, I have racked up 535 miles in the 7 days of the tours which had some additional miles on a tube journey as well. Two things of interest where I spotted a helicopter on the back of a truck when on the M1. Much more concerning was the cyclist on the M4, which was in works so whilst in three narrow lanes and no hard shoulder this guy decides to ride, his bike down the left-hand lane. The police were politely asking him to move out of the road as I went past.
Now I am home, I honestly felt ok most of the week and felt fine once I was home but now this evening, I am done struggling to keep my eyes open so once this is uploaded to the blog, I will call it a night.
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