Banbury
We shoved off at 7 am this morning heading
to Morrisons, a large store in Banbury. Even with our lists, we forgot
items. Transporting our bags and boxes
of supplies back to the boat was interesting to say the least. David had to
make several trips down stairs and on the tow path to the boat while I stood at
the top of the stairs guarding the rest of our goods.
We came to a lock right in the middle of
the town. I was figuring my lack of lock skill would be on full display for
curiosity seekers. But people passing by weren’t in the least bit interested in
my escapades. It is probably so commonplace for them. Another boat? Big deal.
Today was a gloriously sunny day which made
the colors of the countryside so brilliant. There wasn’t even a hint of breeze
after yesterday’s powerful winds.
Floated past lots of huge farms, sheep grazing and even kayakers pushed
right past us.
We had 14 locks to operate today. We did
just fine. Had some instruction from a woman who didn’t have much patience with
me, but she certainly knew her stuff, and I am still slow. She did teach me to
check the water level on both sides of the gate and if it looks level, try the
gate first. You may not need to crank up the paddles.
Most
of the operators are wives around my age. One lady had a ratchet wrench which
she explained was a gift from her husband. He wanted to ensure her continued
enjoyment of narrow boating and make it easier for her to crank up those
paddles. We laughed about him being such
a thoughtful husband.
We pressed on because the weather was so
nice. We were fortunate that on the last three locks, volunteers were there to
help us through. I got to ride on the boat and experience the feeling of a huge
bathtub of water going down the drain as our boat sunk lower and lower. It certainly was nice to have such helping
hands at the end of a long day. One of the volunteers was the gentleman who
helped me on our first lock. He remembered us and wished us well.
One of the volunteers recommended that we
stop at Penny Compton and have dinner at the pub right up from the canal. We
found the perfect mooring spot and walked to the pub/restaurant. It was a
little upscale and the waiter explained that it really was a “Gastro” not just
a pub. The cuisine was unique and delicious. I had a Portobello mushroom stuffed
with stilton cheese and spices. Unbelievable. It was a perfect ending to a long
but gratifying day on the canal.
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