Banana is back on tour…………..

[FLYING BANANA]

……………… with the Cornish MG Owners Club this coming weekend. We will have to cross England to reach our destination in Wales. The title of the run is
“The Big-Wig End Away”, and as the title suggests we have to wear a wig. I kept one of Val’s, no idea why I kept it, but it’s been hanging up in the wardrobe. This trip was originally planned back in 2019 but owning to Covid and the uncertainty when the lockdown would be lifted so it had to be postponed till this year.

There are roughly 16 MG’s taking part. As I’m the only one starting at this end of Cornwall it will be my job to check out Exeter services to make sure we can get all the cars parked up safely. If not then it’s onto Sedgemoor services on the M5 and into the overflow car park for a short break.

So here is a rough summary of what will be happening.

Friday am. Meeting up.
Friday pm. A visit to the British Aerospace place in Bristol.
Then we will drive to the Premier Inn at Wenvoe West Cardiff for food.

Saturday am. We are off to the Rhonda Mining Experience in South Wales.
Saturday pm. A visit to the Royal Mint in Pontyclun.
Saturday evening we have secured a restaurant that will be closed to the general public for one evening to cater solely for us. The menu is already arranged, makes it easier for the restaurant. The venue is the Cheery Orchard in Barry. And we have coach booked to ferry us there and back.

The Cherry Orchard, Coach Company and the museum’s have all agreed to keep the prices that was first agreed on back in 2019.
Now Saturday, all day and in the evening wigs are compulsory, no wig then it’s a fine or a forfeit.

Sunday am. We are off to St. Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff.
Afterwards we can either visit the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum in Colne Wiltshire or take a steady drive home.

So should you see us out and bout give us a toot, wave or a flash with those restored headlights.

Banana is full of Banana juice, tyres checked, oil and water ok and screen washer topped up.
Banana has been clayed, waxed, polished with wheels and windows cleaned.

Starting mileage is 234,360.

[coolguy]

Great itinerary - go safely and enjoy.

[FLYING BANANA]

I left home at 09.30 and got to Exeter services within the hour. Not a lot of traffic. I phoned our leader and said that there was plenty of spaces. His wife replied that 2 of the MG’s had broken down, temporary repairs made so they were running behind schedule. So instead of them arriving at 11.00 in convoy they arrived as when they did. The lead car was the 6th car to arrive and the sweep car arrived in8th place, he should have been last in in 16th place.

One of the broken MG’s was an easy fix but the V8 MGB was more serious. But they had the spares on board and was going to change part of the electronic ignition. So finally the convoy left with 15 cars, one of the other MG’s stayed behind to help.
Leaving Exeter services was a nightmare and naturally enough we got separated. I stuck with the Bronze MGB. We cruised at about 65-70mph to see if we could catch up with the others. Then we hit the jams, now the little MGB weaved in out of the lanes to see if he could find a way through. I stayed on the inside lane with the Big Wheelers.

At one point I undertook the MGB, he was now in the outside lane and stationary whereas the other two lanes were moving, but once again he was weaving through the lanes till he got in front of me. Our leaders wife phoned me on the hands free to find out who was where. Other than the MGB there was no sign of anyone else. Right at the last moment the MGB pulled off into the services. I carried on, the drivers wife phoned me to say it was for an urgent loo break.

Now this is where it all goes pear shaped, I have a Navall 3 fitted at generally it’s ok, not been up dated for a few years. As we approached Bristol the sat nav said that there was congestion ahead and showed me an alternative route. Now in the past these different routes have all been ok, till today. Look on a map and find Cribbs Causeway Bristol, now look to find a place called Dursley. My sat nav had a meltdown and for whatever reason it had now decided our destination was Gaydon.


Long story short, I decided to find somewhere safe to park, pub car park. And reset the sat nav for the hotel in Cardiff. I was in the bar getting a nice long soft drink when my mobile rang. It was our leader wanting to know where I was, and I was not the only one missing. When he stopped laughing he said see you at the hotel.

And that’s where I am. Not the best of drives along the M4 to reach to hotel but I made it. Banana coped well with the heavy traffic is now having a rest.
I phoned our leader and told him that I was at the hotel. He said to look out for two cars as they had also got lost but we’re on their way here.

So I’ve had a cuppa and a rest. Now I’m off for a well earned pint and some fodder.

More later.

[FLYING BANANA]

Just heard the 10 MG’s are stuck on the Severn Bridge after a major accident. There are 5 cars here already including me. That means we have 2 other cars outstanding, they maybe still stuck in the same accident. Hopefully everyone will get here eventually.

And they did arrive by 19.30. But I had already told the restaurant the names of those that were running late. The restaurant catered quite well as it is a busy place.

[FLYING BANANA]

After breakfast we was off to the Rhonda Mining Experience, alas my sat nav had decided not to play ball on the Navall 3. I could get the screen up but it refused to list the destination. So just followed my friend Doug in his Blue MGB. Our leader Robert in his TF was lead car. So Banana was 3rd.in line.

We arrived at the mine and 14MG’s lined up in two separate rows, number 15 was on his way. The two non MG’s were a BMW MINI & Renault SUV. Both own MG’s but the Renault driver wasn’t confident his car would make the trip without issues. As for the Beemer owner his MG is still in bits.

The guide that took us around the mine was in fact the former explosive expert that used to work at the mine, so naturally enough he had the full knowledge of the place and all its history. And we was going underground, but only down as far as 400’. The actual depth of the mine was 1400’. So 27, including the guide, crammed into the lift and down we went. My ankle didn’t like the cold and damp along with the uneven terrain but I soldiered on. Gary was a bit concerned for me but I said I was ok.

After our walk n talk through the various shafts and corridors we emerged in daylight. We thanked our guide and went to get a drink before departing at 12.20 for our next visit. This time when the TF drove off I was now no.2 in the convoy. When we finally got to the Royal Mint we had lost one car. The MGB with the electronic issue had suffered a puncture. A few of the other members remarked that what a good idea for to have Banana right up the front. Easily spotted so a couple of cars turned there sat nav’s off.

At the Royal Mint we was split in to groups, our guide was Katy. A very knowledgeable young lady who unfortunately drove a Tesla. We let her off of that. Well worth a visit if you are in that neck of the woods. So after our visit we had a cuppa. Then I left and found my way back on my own to the hotel. My sat nav was now working again. I’n not bothered about the journey home as it is straightforward enough.

Tonight we are off to the Cherry Tree pub in Barry by coach for our evening meal, where wigs will be worn. No wig the a forfeit we be issued. I rather like the one where you have to gargle and sing the Land of Hope and Glory.. .

[FLYING BANANA]

Even the coach driver wore a wig. We had a fabulous night at the pub but I need to read the emails in detail. Back in 2019 when the trip was first planned the pub had agreed to shut to the public on the night and just cater for us with a set menu. But obviously when Covid hit a lot pubs suffered badly from a financial point of view. So zoom forward to last night. They would still be open to the general public but we would have a cordoned off area and the menu was just their straightforward menu with multiple choices. Apparently this was in an email that had been sent to everyone last January. My excuse was I was in plaster at the time.

The coach pulled right in to the car park and there was loads of families sitting in the beer garden. Well, we got Wolf whistles, asking us for a date and all sorts of comments. I had a long haired wig with curls and Bernie had a similar styled wig and we was known as ‘the twin sisters’, I’m 10 years older than Bernie. Neither of us had seen what the other was going to wear that evening but we both had pink t shirts on. The winner of the best wig went to Gary as he had gone the whole hog and looked like Ozzie Osborne from Black Sabbath. He won a quadruple measure of Lambs rum, put up by the pub. And he drank it.

Although the football was on the sky TV’s we was allowed to sing to our retiring chairman. Well I didn’t sing but I took photos and done a video as well. Naturally enough the songs were Cornish Sea Shanties led by our very own choir master, Dennis, what a beautiful voice he has. By the time the 4th song was in full song we had an audience, a lot of the pub regulars were listening and videoing. When our singers finished they got a round of applause from our audience. And that didn’t stop Dennis for then he sang, solo, a Welsh Rugby Song, cleaned up a bit. And he even sang some of it in Welsh.

And that went down so well, the landlord bought us all a drink each. And they want us back.
The food was excellent and the drink flowed. I was drinking a draught beer called “Neck Oil” and was bloomin’ ‘ansum. Lots of chat and laughter and a few more ‘near the mark’ was sung before our coach returned to collect us.
As we left we was given a round of applause from all those still standing.

Out to the coach where our driver, Sean, was found still wearing his wig. On the way back the singing started again, this time the Engineers Song was sung. Google it. It’s a bit suggestive.
We had already had a whip round in the pub for our driver and the incoming chairman, Doug, passed it onto him. Sean thanked Doug and said after a rendition of the last song he was going to get some songs downloaded off of the net and get the words printed out and give copies to his future passengers.

And with that he was gone. We said our goodnights and off we went to our rooms.

At some point I will get photos posted on here. But if you happen to be on Facebook some be posted up over the next few days.

Thanks for reading.

[FLYING BANANA]

Our last visit was to the Fagans Rural Museum. We parked in the car park, which costs £6 for all day. But then one of the museum people came out and invited us, only the MG’s, to park in front of the museum shop. I was quite happy to let all the smaller MG’s park together and I would park on the end with the MG6, but Robert said no, he wanted me to park as per normal in the line up.

We split up into various groups and ventured inside. The entire museum is in the open. Well worth a visit if in the area. I wandered round with Robert, his wife, and Bernie. There are plenty of houses, 2 schools, a chapel, a former town hall, there is even a fairground on site. Shops that sell period goods, a bakery selling bread made ancient recipes. But the best was to come, a working pub.

So we went in to find a numbers of other MG owners already there. We had a pint of Vulcan Ale each, not cheap at £22 for the 4 pints. After our beer break we wandered around. My ankle was beginning to ache. So when we stopped at the restaurant I said my goodbyes. They have further to go back than me as most of them live at the other end of Cornwall. But I just needed to leave.

Back to where Banana was and discovered that about 5 cars had already gone. So I fired her up and set the sat nav for home. It took me down the A48, which skirted Cardiff, not exactly a ring road. But it led towards the M4. Soon onto the Motorway. I still hadn’t stopped for fuel but the sat nav said it was 155 miles home, and my range on the IPK suggested I had enough fuel for 270 miles.

So enough to get home. Traffic was heavy but it was moving ok. I was soon on the M5. I eventually stopped at Sedgemoor Services to splash my boots. The sun had gone in and there was moisture in the air. Back onto the road, bad crash on the other side. The jam went for miles, with another shunt in there. Clean n green on our side.

Finally got home at 16.15.

Final mileage is 234,744. We covered 384 miles, used no water or oil. I’ll check the mpg once I fill up. And Banana took it all in here stride.

Next Tour is in 2 weeks time.

[FLYING BANANA]

Even with out short cut to nowhere we still only covered 344 miles and that works out to 38.22mpg. Happy with that.