Yesterday afternoon, I had dropped my car at Knotts Services in preparation for it’s MOT and service and had then walked a couple of miles or so before catching a bus for the last section of my journey home.
I had managed an average pace of 18:09 which is not bad (although, of course, nowhere near as fast as I was a year ago).
I was preparing to leave work when I received a text informing me that the car was ready for collection. The most direct route, as is often the case, is not the most scenic so I chose a slightly longer one mainly along the canals.
From work, in Digbeth, I was soon on the cut heading into Birmingham. After crossing through Curzon Street Tunnel (which is, technically, a number of co-joined railway bridges, I found myself at the lowest lock of the Ashted Flight.
I climbed up the six locks, passing through a number of tunnels with the longest being ninety four metres in length and at the next junction, I left the Digbeth Branch and continued along the Birmingham Fazeley proper.
After ascending through six locks to get to this point, I now had eleven to descend before I reached Salford Junction, better known for the motor junction above – Spaghetti.
The going was easy and I was able to walk at a decent pace. Going up and down the numerous bridges over long-disused arms was okay but it was the transition from down to flat which brought a little twinge to below my right knee. Luckily this passed after a few steps.
At the joining of the Birmingham & Fazeley, Birmingham & Warwick and Tame Valley canals, I climbed up off the footpath and onto a very busy roundabout at the heart of Spaghetti Junction.
I crossed under the roundabout, with the M6 looming above, and the final couple of hundred meters to the garage.
Stopping my recording, I was pleasantly surprised to have completed the 3.82 miles at an average pace of 16:04 with which I was happy.
Reunited with my car, I was told that the following had been done from the MOT and service …
- Brake Pads Changed
- Driver’s Mirror Replaced
I had passed my MOT but would have to get a couple of new tyres from the front. Utilising a service that I’ve used before, I have booked a home fitting of new rubber next Wednesday afternoon courtesy of Halfords.
After a slow drive home (it was five o’clock) I was asked what I fancied for dinner. “A couple of pints and a Chinese?” I suggested expecting a non too favourable reply. “Oh, go on then” I was pleasantly informed.
I had pints of Boston’ Bitter and Sarah Hughes Surprise before calling in at the Rice Bowl on the way home.
Apart from teh price of the MOT/service (around three hundred quid plus another one fifty for my tyres) that wasn’t a bad day.