The Graphics have arrived.

When we got Iona we were very pleased with her but unlike our previous van, Matilda, the back panel is very flat and uninteresting. It needed something to give it the personal feel, we decided to add some graphics. The Auto-Trail logo used to be an Native American Indian headress and a lot of the models are named after Native American Indian tribes so we started looking for something with that theme.

I  did some research on the name Imala, and it is a name given to Native American Indian girls. The word Imala means 'Discipline' or 'Disiplinarian' so with a bit of thought. Someone who discplines knows the rules. So the translation of Imala became 'She Who Knows'.

I just needed to find a suitable image and a company to cut it out. It is strange how the quotes varied with the most expensive being £196.00 and the most reasonable from a local business was £38.00. Needless to say Allen Signs from Lincoln got the job.

Today it was warm and dry although the sun was hidden in cloud. I started to just mark the rear panel out and I got carried away and finished the job.

Iona is off to Caistor

Caistor Lakes , Lincolnshire - Trip 2

February 17th - 20th 2017, 

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Packing the new van had been a bit of a worry. Where would the Aqua Roll sit inside the van, can we get the table and chairs on because the storage looks so narrow. Well we need not have worried everything went into the storage cupboard, including the aqua roll and a new storage case for wet weather gear. There is still space to cram an extra table etc. Inside the motorhome we have an empty cupboard above the cab and lots of space in the bedroom cupboards.

Tomorrow we head off to Caistor but we are going via the weigh bridge to see how well we have done in packing Iona. If we are overweight we can come back home and unload something.

Day 1:
We left home at 10.00am and got some fuel, then continued to the public weighbridge at M C Mountain transport depot. £10 later I had a smile on my face which is unusual after I have spent money. The result on the ticket showed that fully laden with half a tank of diesel and the two of us the whole van came in at 3520kg. Iona is plated at 3650kg so we have plenty of spare payload.

We left the transport yard and set off for Caistor only to find the road we wanted was closed, so a short drive to find somewhere to turn around and we were off again in the right direction. It took us just over an hour to get to the site which the sat nav found without problems.

Apart from the 30 pitches there are three fishing lakes. There is a restaurant onsite and it appears to be popular with the local villagers, the facilities are spotless and the owners are very pleasant and accommodating.

This is the view towards the restaurant and facilities from the far side of the Match lake.

We are parked right by the match fishing lake and there are a further two other Lakes. They have transformed a muddy field into a very attractive site while still trying to encourage wildlife. There are a number of owl boxes spread about the site and once the shrubs get established it will look good.

Folly on the Specimen lake

Folly on the Specimen lake

Day 2:
No sun this morning but it is reasonably warm and dry. Totally lazy day, the most we did was walk around the lakes. We did try the cooker grill today which worked well although it smelled as it burnt off something. It then started smoking and I switched it off and the smoke stopped so I gave it another go and eventually the smoking stopped but the smell remained.

Steak for tea, which was a Lidl special and it turned out to be very tender. We also had butternut squash 'chips' not quite the same but it made a change from normal.

Day 3:

The sun is out today so after breakfast we walked into Caistor. The town is built on a hill and at one time it must have been quite affluent judging by the quality of the building. Today sadly there is a new co-op , a couple of chippies, bric a brac shop and a few other businesses.

This mark the site where Roman skeletons were found

We made our way back and saw a footpath so we took a detour but 400 yds into the walk the path became so muddy we turned back. I didn't want Sue slipping and breaking her other arm.

Once back at Iona we made some tea and sat outside until the sun was again hidden by clouds. I checked the electric meter and we were quite low so I went to the reception and added some more units before we run out.

The first breakage has occurred. Yesterday when we used the grill there was smoke and a smell of burning plastic. Today the front gas ring would light but the flame failure sensor would not let it stay
alight so my guess is the wire to the sensor was what was smoking yesterday.

We had an early tea in the impressive restaurant, roast pork for me and fish & chips for Sue. Then back to watch TV in the van over a few glasses of wine.

Day 4:

Home today.  I got up early because the lakes were being netted to check the fish stocks. There were thousands of small roach but at least 40 carp over 20 lbs, and this was not the specimen lake. They were going to net it again but by now the sun had gone in and the wind chill factor drove me for a cup of tea in Iona. 

  

We left at about 10.30am, the traffic on the way home was quite light and we were back in just over an hour.

Trip 2: 132 miles, 24.8mpg, av speed 34 mph.

Preparations for the next Adventure

We have Iona at home and we had a free day so it was time to get all the kit from Matilda transferred to Iona.

Sue still has an arm in plaster so her task was to decide where everything should go. There is far more space to choose from, so it will be easier to get to what you want without having to unpack whole cupboard.

My main job was to fit the TV bracket in the bedroom, but before that the wall had to be strengthened and measurements taken. It turned out to be a bigger job than expected but once finished it has done the job. I will still take the TV off the bracket when travelling to reduce the strain on the fixings.

                   

I refitted the Mirror Guard wing mirror covers and they fitted perfectly on the new van.

The final task was to pack our tables and chairs, cadac, waste master and odds and ends into the storage lockers. I did worry that they would not be wide enough for the table and chairs but it all went in, with enough room to fit a large storage box that will hold wellies and wet gear.

Iona is now ours

Blakemere Village, Northwich - Trip 1

February 2nd - 5th 2017, 

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We got the date to collect Iona from Spinney's near Northwick, Cheshire. We left home at 07.15 to start the three hour drive. Once past Nottingham we headed towards Stoke on Trent, all dual carriageway.

We arrived at Spinney at about 10.15 and did all the paperwork, including the dreaded payment. Neil then took us through the van explaining all the bits and bobs, that took about 2 hours. We then spent some time transferring all the kit we had from one van to the other and left for our campsite at Blakemere Village.

 The six gears took some getting used to but we have only done 11 miles so far. The campsite is

compact but well laid out and  the facilities are very clean. It took some time sorting out the few boxes we bought with us but now we have everything in cupboards. That may change as Sue gets used to all the extra space and we do have a lot of kit still at home.

Tea tonight will test the oven , chicken in red wine, cauliflower cheese and an MS desert. Hopefully the gas will be OK and last for tonight to save changing the bottle.

Day 2 , February 3rd

The beds passed the test and we slept well although I was up by 7.30am. After I had completed all the chores we went to look at the facilities which are second to none. Then it was a walk into the village complex to check out the shops and the brewery. We stopped at the chocolate shop to buy a 'thank you' for Jenny who is looking after Rambo while we are away.

 Then back to Iona to get some bags and an IPad so we can get a few pictures. Next stop was the Sandiway Ales brewery, where we purchased some beer just to try and then onto look at a selection of shops. 

 

These ranged from ethnic craft shops to Antiques and then a clothing/golf shop. Somehow I bought Sue some wellies and a hat. Now the owner of the shop was a professional golfer and he just happened to own a V8 Corvette Stingray that was once in the hands of a famous Man U goalkeeper. 

Day 3 February 4th

Let me introduce Grace.

When Grace was very young her father,Nick Holland died suddenly of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and since then a charity was formed to research this syndrome in young people. So when you buy a motorhome or caravan from Spinney you are given a Grace Bear. The idea is then to take pictures of Grace Bear wherever you take your new motorhome or caravan.

 

This could become addictive

We went for a couple of walks in the woods around the site then back to Iona. This is the first motorhome with a microwave so Tea tonight was Lamb Shanks, mange tout, brocolli, carrots and mini corn , I had a boiled potato as well. It was brilliant and we will try it again.

One new purchase worked very well, a draining board and a collapseble plate drainer.

Day 4, February 5th
Today we say goodbye to Cheshire and head home. The first job was diesel from the shell garage, I went for the pumps around the back but these were lorry only so turn around and visit the normal pumps. Lesson learned, the pressure of lorry diesel is too strong from standard diesel tanks.

Once filled up with fuel I let the sat nav take over and we were home in three hours. With six gears you change more often to get to sixth and I am not sure it has the same pull as Matilda but that may be because I was in too higher a gear. More to learn.

Back at home I reversed straight into the drive without any anticipated problems. Getting it parked so I can take the pony and carriage out may mean a bit of shunting. Now to reload with all the kit from Matilda and Sue now has the job of packing all the cupbords and rearranging everything.

Looking forward to our next trip.

Trip 1: 116 miles, 25.4mpg, 3 hrs.

Today was Imala Day

Today was the day we were going to collect the new motorhome but alas it was not to be.

I should say that we like to try and walk 3 miles a day and on the wednesday afternoon before collecting the van on friday, Sue asked if I was coming for a walk. I decided not to on this occasion as I was doing some DIY. Anyway Sue got ready and off she went.

I finished the DIY after about 45 minutes and I had just cleaned up and put the kettle on when the phone rang. It was Sue at the local Camping site along the walk, she had fallen over and hurt her arm and needed a lift home. As soon as I got there I found Sue and instantly saw that she had broken her arm near the wrist.

I drove her straight home to get a coat and some money and off to A&E we went. We arrived at 16.15, I know this from the carpark ticket. Without giving chapter and verse, over the next four and half hours, Sue was booked in, the arm was x-rayed and she was seen by several people, temporary plaster, x-rayed and we were sent home at about 8.50pm.

We had an appointment at the fracture clinic on the Friday we were due to collect the van and although I was told to go and collect it I declined. We obviously want to collect it together and we had booked three nights away to really test it out.

Thursday I spent time ringing the dealer and rearranging collection for the following week, changing the insurance dates etc.

We went to the hospital on friday morning. After looking at a previous x-ray the Doctor decided that Sue's arm should be properly plastered with a full cast. Now they wanted us back the following week but I managed to tell the nurse that we were away and we were not able to attend. She asked the receptionist to make an appointment in two weeks. However it seems that the clinics are closed in two weeks and we cannot wait three weeks. I left it in their hands to sort it out, we are collecting the motorhome as planned. (together I hope).

Imala Day is Booked

Yes we have had the phone call. Iona will be ready to collect in a week. Spinney have booked us into a great campsite so we can try everything out before we come home.We have looked at the timing and to be honest , driving home on a Saturday is not something I fancy so I have checked that we can spend an extra couple of nights there and drive home on the following Monday. We will then have  an extra day or two to really try the van out.

The other bonus is that the campsite is attached to Blakemere Retail Village that has a Restaurant, Cake Shop and Micro Brewery plus 30+ other shops.

Nearly Iona Collection Day

After waiting 4 months for the collection date for Iona we are now one day away from when the Imala 734 is delivered to the dealer in Cheshire. Then we have to wait for them to give it a Pre Delivery Inspection, register it and get all the paperwork signed.

Matilda has been cleaned. All the cupbords are empty and because we have an overnight stay, a list of basic kit has been made and we are about ready for the big day.

With Snow forecast this weekend I am in no real hurry to drive the two hours across the Pennines to collect a new van that I have never driven in the sunshine, let alone Snow.

I expect Spinney's to phone me to confirm they have the van and give me a collection date. I don't expect that date will be next week but who knows.

When we do finish the change over we will be staying at a camp site about a mile away from the dealer. This is so we can try everything out and see if we have any questions or issues. On the way home we have to drive past the dealer which will be handy if we need any help or clarification on how things work..