Well, we have had a body in the canal and today our progress was once again hindered by a tree fallen across the canal! We had made an unusually early start, for us, in order to get to Penkridge to meet Dave and Val from Trentham, for lunch. We were going well and it wasn't raining when, having passed under bridge 77, there it was, a willow blocking our way. On inspection and after a phone call to Canal and River Trust to report the blockage we decided to have a cup of coffee and wait. Another boat had joined us so we all went and had another look at the tree and decided to wait for the CRT men to arrive.
Eventually another boat 'Periwinkle' arrived from the other direction and Sid went to speak to the occupants. The next thing Jenny knows is that Super Sid has found his hand saw and a pair of pruners and is clambering on the front of 'Periwinkle's ' bow sawing the offending branches. He was a hero and before long a had chopped a passage way through! We were under way again.
I wonder when the CRT men turned up??
Because of the delay we would not get to Penkridge for at least 2 hours so decided to moor at Gailey and get the bikes out to cycle to Penkridge. These got us there in 20 minutes along the rather bumpy and in places muddy towpath and we stayed dry.
However, as we enjoyed a very pleasant lunch in the Star washed down with a couple of excellent beers the threatening thunderstorm arrived together with torrential rain. Dave and Val took pity on us and suggested folding the bikes and giving us a lift back to Gailey.
Thank you both. It would have been a miserable and even muddier ride back along the towpath.
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