My Canal Boat Trip 2015

[JOhnGw]

This has happened to me but usually it does not matter as other boaters don't tend to emerge until after I have completed my outside nude activities.
On the odd occasion when they have emerged earlier I have only had friendly greetings like this one which I caught on video.
https://vimeo.com/109823432

[Greenbare Woods]

This has happened to me but usually it does not matter as other boaters don't tend to emerge until after I have completed my outside nude activities.
On the odd occasion when they have emerged earlier I have only had friendly greetings like this one which I caught on video.
https://vimeo.com/109823432

I'm not surprised that the other boater just gave you a pleasant "Good Morning" without a negative comment on your most comfortable outfit.   When we act normal we are accepted as normal.  And perhaps the other boater will try it next year.

[eyesup]

Often when camping I have a secluded spot only to have another camper pull in next to us even though there are another 200 spots open!

We've had the same thing happen to us.

It’s most likely nothing more sinister than wanting to be close to others for the opportunity to visit. But I agree with you, my whole point in going camping is to get away to peace and quiet. Why would I want to park right next to another camper. You can always walk to visit someone.

We try to find campsites with little to no RV's. We still enjoy tent camping and find all the generators and other noise distracting. RV camping is fine and a great many people prefer their camping that way, but we like to take it down to the basics.

Some people show up with everything except the house. What is it they are getting away from?

Duane

[JOhnGw]

Often when camping I have a secluded spot only to have another camper pull in next to us even though there are another 200 spots open!

<snip>

Some people show up with everything except the house. What is it they are getting away from?

Duane

We refer to caravanners doing that in the UK as "suburbia in a field."

[JOhnGw]

Wednesday
There turned out to be rather too many dog walkers for easy FRN starting shortly after 6 o'clock. I did manage to do most of the outside chores and take this picture in the intervals but the whole thing was rather fraught and not relaxed like FRN should be.



I should have expected this really as the track through the grassy towpath is quite well worn, indicating that it gets a significant amount of regular use.
The rest of the day was pleasant textile boating ending with mooring up at Nantwich in a busy location with a surfaced towpath which does not augur well for tomorrow morning. However we needed to moor here to do the laundry and collect the train tickets to nip back to South Wales for a friend's 50th birthday party at the weekend.
This was followed by a shower and supper on the boat, as usual.

[nudewalker]

Often when camping I have a secluded spot only to have another camper pull in next to us even though there are another 200 spots open!

<snip>

Some people show up with everything except the house. What is it they are getting away from?

Duane

We refer to caravanners doing that in the UK as "suburbia in a field."

My wife refers to our camper as our "little house on wheels" but then as in any marriage there is some compromise. As I would want to get away from it all there has to be a middle road to be able to enjoy what I do and make allowances for the misses and her health problems. In the grand scheme I will take the understanding and supportive wife and deal with the crowds as best I can. I am almost at the point where, despite having a neighbor camping near us, I would do morning chores much like John however it seems that there are children involved and that changes the scenario.

[Greenbare Woods]

There turned out to be rather too many dog walkers for easy FRN starting shortly after 6 o'clock. I did manage to do most of the outside chores and take this picture in the intervals but the whole thing was rather fraught and not relaxed like FRN should be.

Its a shame that the dog walkers can't be just ignored to do their thing while you do yours.   

[eyesup]

My wife refers to our camper as our "little house on wheels" but then as in any marriage there is some compromise.

Compromise is important.

When our kids were still in diapers, we did not stop camping (except for the recovery time after each birth). We rented RV's as it was much easier to carry all the gear and supplies necessary when traveling with kids. As soon as reasonable we began tent camping again.

RV's were much easier and convenient for little ones.

Duane

[nuduke]

That's one of my favourite things on the canal.  Getting up early at dawn with the water mirror-still, the deep quiet and the evanescent mist over the water. 

John

[JOhnGw]

Thursday

I got up later than usual to find a beautiful quiet morning suitable for a litte outside nudity in spite of the apparent ambience and no dog walkers or cyclists in spite of the high usage rate implied by the surfaces towpath with picnic benches.
The presence of a pheasant on the towpath tempted me out to take a few pictures.


The pheasant on the towpath


The towpath where the pheasant was standing


The view inthe other direction


Standing in the cockpit, showing more of the moored boats

After breakfast I spent the morning doing boat cleaning and maintenance while M was at the launderette.
The rest of the day was spent textile boating and we moored up in a nice sunny location (but with a cold wind) that augurs well for tomorrow morning.


The towpath showing signs of very low usage.

[jbeegoode]

Lack of use on the tow path. Good craft.

That green boat with the red dot, looks like a case of Hienieken.
Jbee

[JOhnGw]

Friday

The morning turned out to be everything I had hoped for and I had a half hour doing the outside chores before setting out for an hour's naked boating before breakfast. Unfortunately the clouds cam over so I didn't get the benefit of the sun to counteract the post-dawn chill of early autumn mornings so I ended up in t-shirt, fleece and shorts for the last half-hour.


Unmooring


Hollingshead Bridge


A canalside heron taking off as the boat approaches.

After we moored up I cycled to the local station to check the route for tomorrow morning, had a shower and remained naked to cook and eat dinner.
The boat curtains remained open.

Edited to add
A hire boat with children on it has moored up behind us so I'm not sure about tomorrow's naked dawn.

[nuduke]

Splendid, JOhn.  This is a quality trip.  Been up that stretch myself years ago.

Really interesting half hour historical documentary about canals on TV this evening: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06828hz/canals-the-making-of-a-nation-3-capitalism

Two amazing facts
1. Canal speculation was a point in time (Late 18th Century) where the democratisation of capital began; in that the middle classes, hitherto unable to invest and grow capital by speculation, found, a means to invest small amounts in the many canal projects, and start up the modern trend of widespread use of the stock markets for generating income and growth of capital.

2. Boatmen were a pest to aristocrats when the canal went through the Lord's land.  The boatmen used to poach pheasant off rich men's land by sending their kids ahead of the boat to spread rum soaked grain which attracted the aristocrat's pheasants.  The pheasant would be anaesthetised by the rum and would be easy to catch by hand when the boat and boatman appeared later on.  Hilarious and cunning!

John

[jbeegoode]

Dang that's such a tease. It is only available in the UK.

Maybe one of these days on PBS. We'll see.
Jbee

[Greenbare Woods]

2. Boatmen were a pest to aristocrats when the canal went through the Lord's land.  The boatmen used to poach pheasant off rich men's land by sending their kids ahead of the boat to spread rum soaked grain which attracted the aristocrat's pheasants.  The pheasant would be anaesthetised by the rum and would be easy to catch by hand when the boat and boatman appeared later on.  Hilarious and cunning!

John

Interesting hunting technique.   I wonder if one could hunt dear or turkey with the same method.

Bob