Apologies for the lack of posting BUT its been for all the right reasons as the Fiftythree Flying Cloud is finally rolling down the road and we've been enjoying her rather than blogging !
Her first outing was to our favourite music festival - The Larmer Tree Festival in mid-July
After all the problems I've had sorting the hitch, axle and shocks, it all seemed worth is as she towed like a dream. Straight as a die and with the Volvo cruise on 55mph, not a weave or wiggle.
Despite sodden ground, the 4WD Volvo towed her in just fine & we pitched camp. My brother & his family we're first of many to join us in their bell tent.
Sadly the weather was more monsoon than balmy heatwave !
But the music was great & the setting stunning as usual
Paloma Faith headlining on Thursday
... at least she was dry !
Happy to report a very comfy first night's sleep
and the rain on the roof is rather more comforting than hearing it on canvas !
There hadn't been time to fit the Princess stove,
so coffee was brewed outside on the trusty camping gas stove
in the even more trusty (though it does need some new rubber seals) Atomic coffee maker.
Coffee, a bacon roll and you're ready for anything !
Well, almost anything ! We've had rain at the festival before but nothing like this.
The setting is (unsurprisingly) the wonderful Larmer Tree Gardens; laid out in the late 19th century by Augustus Pitt Rivers (he of the famous Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford)
The shine isn't quite up to scratch yet but its good enough for my sister-in-law's make-up !
... and before you pick me up on it, the orange reflector is a very temporary fix as my order of side marker lights still hadn't arrived from Vintage Trailer Supplies
We also hadn't had time to sort out a proper awning for the awning rail, so the large green sail awning was a last minute solution
The brilliant Amadou and Mariam headlined on Saturday night (I last filmed them in Bamako in 2009 in rather more tropical rain) but we also enjoyed Tim Minchin, Caravan Palace, The Levellers, Edward II, Raghu Dixit and Imagined Village
...despite the mud !
Hitch assembly with a Winterhoff anti-sway coupling.
Kathryn in her festival footwear.
And a 17th birthday celebration for No 1 son,
Sandy - Happy Birthday
Despite a slight let-up in the deluge, we were very glad of the awning
Kathryn's curtains looked fantastic
Reflected
We've yet to fit (or restore) the Marvel fridge but I'm very happy with the way the wood & the Zolatone compliment each other
... and the 50s curtains finish it off perfectly.
Mud, mud, not so glorious...
...mud !
But despite the weather and all the jobs still to finish, it was fantastic to finally have her rolling down the road
Work has been pretty flat out, so it was touch and go as to whether I'd have time to get her ready for her first outing to the festival... so having got her there made that first drink all the sweeter !
Its been a long time coming - Cheers !
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