Linslade

Last evening, after arrival, MF’s back went pop. Must have been in an unusual position trying to enter the cabin front doors avoiding the rubbish bag. Usually this is symptomatic of prolonged strain in an unusual position and I would suspect it was caused by the tension steering through the long Blisworth Tunnel. Next time I must learn to relax. Anyway, in spite of some medicine taken in the Boat Inn, a rather bad night was had and quite a lot of pain this morning. I recall from past experience that there are some manoevres, that can relieve the situation, but I can never remember what they are. Maximum relaxed flexion of the spine; hanging upside down; supporting the pelvis with a cushion whilst sitting all spring to mind. Quitting the job in hand is not an option, so we set off just after 7am. As we entered the top lock at Stoke Bruerne, a boat appeared seemingly single-handed with the remark “Am I glad to see you”. This turned out to be Ian, a retired headmaster in a boat he had owned for 24 hours and with no narrowboat experience at all. This was his first BW lock, although he had some experience of Thames locks in a small cruiser. We shepherded him down and he shot off into the distance, although we caught up with him temporarily at Wolverton when we overtook him moored up taking a phone call. He then followed on. Rounding one blind bend under a bridge we saw 3 opposite direction boats and warned the first of these that there was a boat behind us. So he slowed down and caught the two behind unawares. It looked like a multi-vehicle pile up but without the collisions. Boats were at all angles across the cut. Milton Keynes seems to go on for ever, but eventually we reached Fenny Stratford with its mid lock swing bridge, and then the solitary Stoke Hammond Lock before the Soulbury Three. The wind by now was quite strong and blowing across the locks, so that the boat wanted to change sides half way up in each lock. Quite a challenge for novice boaters I would say. However, the back therapy is working and MF was almost his usual agile self. We moored up for the night at the attractive Globe Inn in Linslade. Will we be able to get a meal? Pat has gone to investigate…… Bad news and good. They are fully booked but could fit us in if we went now……..