25 March 2011

Yes I know this is a cop out but to try and catch up on the last week and some change is going to be a mission, and the last time I tried I managed to mess it up as I has to many days...so here is a brief out line of what I have been up to.
I left Manchester to Bentham with all my luggage on Monday the 14th I managed to miss the connecting train so had to go via Preston (little did I know I would be back in Preston) I had to take a Taxi from Lancaster to Bentham or sit at the station for an hour and a half ,to much to do!! it was after 14h00  by the time I reached Atkinson Vos. So it was time to give Fritz a good clean and to start checking the systems,also my long awaited crate will be here tomorrow ((Tuesday) So the first problem to sort out is the heating which works off diesel from the tank i need this to work as i nearly froze mt butt of as i elected to sleep in Fritz in the work shop on Monday night... I am up at 05h30 to drive the 35miles to Preston and at mile 12 the Alternator belt comes off great!! i have no tools and no spare.

 So its a 45point turn around (the roads are very narrow) and back to Atkinson luckily for me Nathan one of the technicians is an early bird so we were up and gone with 4 new belts. The drive in was okay i have realised that this truck isn't very fast I mean 85kmh is tops, we (i say we as i very nice chap by the name of Sean agreed to join me to Preston) things were going okay i was only grating 5 of the 8 gears now and the GPS was telling one way and Sean the other then it happened ...the power steering belt (new one) snapped and suddenly i had a 7.5 ton 4x4 truck with a mind of its own and i was lost and heading for the town center @#$% to say the least i turned the heater off cos i was sweating and Sean was quiet!! finally we find the auto electrical shop and they start the servicing of the heater we call Atkinson and Mike the on road Tech is on his way. We are sorted out and on the road and back at the work shop by 16h00 my crate is here. I spend until 21h00 unpacking and putting away ...Did i really pack all this ...

Wednesday Morning and its cold , but the heater is working! I still cant have a shower in Fritz , I ve been using the work shop one for now ,I have discovered that i have an electrical fault my worst cos you cant see electricity and its very dangerous!! any way its a call to the sparky to ask what might be the problem, at first he's not so keen to come out but agrees to come out on Friday...Dam there goes my trip to Scotland , I had planned to leave on the Friday early...I spend the day cleaning and still trying to find places to put all my stuff .

Thursday morning and its dam cold again, there is frost every where and the toilet in the workshop is frozen i have never seen that before.I take a walk to the local hardware shop to buy so bits so i can continue my packing in the outside storage area ,had my 4 jerry cans fitted and a Aluminium storage box fitted on the roof that to keep the tyre changing crane in. i am meeting the ex owner of Fritz who has kindly agreed to come up and run through the workings. This meeting was interesting to say the least, Richard(ex owner) who build Frits is an accountant and i take my hat off to him although there are thing i am going to change" read that how you want"the heater has stopped working *%$# and the person who repaired it is away today ...stresssss

Friday morning is clear sky and cold but its quite nice,i must be getting used to it or numb .The sparky is coming out today to try and find out what is going on with my plugs i have no power only lights I phoned the heater guy hes there but cannot (will not) come out what service took my 175 pounds...i am not happy and the thought of driving into Preston again...I can do it F%$# to my horror the sparky finds out that the inverter/charger is the problem ,the inverter part of the unit has gone for a ball ,What am i going to do now F%$# again why was this not found out when he did the work before and had is hand out for 1250pounds...
Okay so he can fix it by putting in a separate inverter 200GBP later and my budget takes another blow...take it from me don't convert back to Rand its very depressing.
So its now crunch time as i only have the heating to sort out and i am done...Scotland should i ??




Saturday i decide that if the heater guy can fix the heater then I'll chance it to Scotland ,this snot nosed pratt of an auto electrician sh#T if he worked for me boy would he be looking for a new job quick. Tosser!
anyway i am off to the high country i have decide to drive as far as i can and see where i get Now 7.5 ton Fritz at 85kmh and using 4lt a km this is going to be interesting so here goes.
i have driven for 6 hrs and got to Loch Lamond its dark and fuel is low and i forgot to draw money so i am down to my last 50 pounds but its all good ,i find a parking area next to the loch and i stay for the night its cool and rains all night .

Sunday morning the mist is over the Loch and there is a light rain ,i have breakfast and start Fritz...that F*&^%$g alternator belt is loose Bollocks so its switch off truck and open storage are get ladder out and find tools to do the job 19mm spanner,19mm socket and a lever of sorts to tension the belt,open bonnet and i am done in 20 min...so i am on my way the roads are narrow and there is a deep lock on my right but all good 10 miles later whats that smell?? oh F&^k there's smoke and its raining WTF did i do wrong . I drive to the nearest garage and open the bonnet eish where is the alternator belt now?BIG huff well at least they got a cash machine and diesel so i fill up with both and drive to the back to carry out running repairs...Picture the scene its raining lightly and there is snow all around but i have a spare belt so its now time to get dirty (its diesel it happens), just so you know there are 4 belts and the alternator belt is the last one so its off with the air compressor belt, then the power steering belt and then the water pump belt, this is not a quick job especially with cold hand and no gloves i did have a beanie so my ears were warm . I am done in an hour and a half

next installment later