Northern Duttoneers 1st Annual Lakes Tour Spring 2009

[Dave Taylor]

Just back from a BRILLIANT weekend Duttoneering in the Lakes with With the other Northern Duttoneers. What great company you Guys and Girls ( sorry Ladies) are, can't wait for the next outing.
Thanks to you all.
Check out the photos. More about the run in the next couple of days when the Adrenalin as settled.

[GaryS3]

To coin a phrase made famous by the Python's............

You lucky, lucky BASTARDS !!,

It's bad enough you bugger orf on a jolly while I'm covered in bloody paint dust and rust but then you compound it by posting piccys of some goregeous roads. Swines, the lot of ya's.

Next year you sods, next year, mine will be the Phaeton special way out front, you old blokes won't be able to keep up with the " Terror " when he's got a driving moody on.

It looks a grand weekend away, glad you buggers enjoyed it.

swine....

A very dirty but mostly pleased with progress fat bloke ;-)

[Dave Taylor]

Sorry Gary, next year mate.
Oh did I say it was Brilliant?

[Adrian Southgate]

Mine are uploading as i type, sorry Gary, hardknott pass is awsome, but truly painful in a dutton.
Dave, thanks once again for being 'Dad' and planning, and to everyone for being such good company. I heard the screams as you guys arrived halfway up the pass... thats why I couldn't stop laughing.

[Adrian Southgate]

And ... Sue is already looking at 'other routes' for another trip... Hadrian's wall anybody...??

[Dave Taylor]

Hadrian's Wall, Check the B6318. Or Kettlewell to Leyburn, then Tan Hill Tavern to Brough, Kirkby Stephen, Nateby, Keld, Hawes (Ade there's a waterfall) Dunsop Bridge (dead centre of England, so must be the centre of the known Universe) Only suggestions.
NEXT;-))))))

[Dave Taylor]

You take the high road, and we'll find one HIGHER!
The 1st Northern Duttoneers tour to the Lakes took place last weekend. On tour where, Adrian & Sue Southgate,(Leggera) Steve & Pat Heap, (Phaeton S2) Martin & Karen Heap, (Westfield) and Me & Marian, (Phaeton S3).
4 cars on a mission to thrash the high passes of Cumbria, and we did it in style. After watching thbe weather reports all week the threat of rain cloud and snow where there on every weather station, but come Saturday morning and the sun was shining, and it was dry. We met at Anderton services (Bolton West) on the M61. Off we set on the trip north following the old A6 north of Preston. 2 Hours later we arrived at the Hotel on the other side of the Kirkstone Pass, (1 pass done). After a Brew, and dumping our bags we took off again through Troutbeck on to the A66, through Keswick and on to Barrowdale, up to the Slate mines, and another brew. Then off up the Whinlatter Pass. (2 passes done) down into Keswick and back to the hotel, a total of 150 miles, and no problems from any of the cars.
A good night was had by all, good company, good food and best of all good beer.
The clocks went forward no problem you would think, but no not for me, I reset my watch about 10:30pm while we chatted, so I wouldn't forget. Another beer and a glass of red, and off to bed. Yes I think you maybe with me here, I reset my watch again and my phone to the new watch time and my PDA/ TomTom, set my alarm for 08:30am. Or should that now be 06:30am, well up showered, Marian up Showered ready for breakfast just about to go down at what I thought was 09:00, when my Blackberry (Gadget Man) bleeped and the message said it had update to the latest time. Yes 1 hour early. Well we got to see the F1 Grand Prix.
Fine Breakfast later, and a bit of de-icing,we hit the roads again all be it a bit slower as the roads still had ice on them.
Up Kirkstone and down "The Struggle" into Ambleside, out towards Great Langdale, stopping at Kirkstone Slate for a quick walk up to Skelwith Falls, photo stop, and another brew before we hit the high ground.
Through Great Langdale onto Wrynose Pass. This is a great climb out of the valley, only a couple of cars coming the other way. (3 Passes done) There wasn't a cloud in the sky, you could see the whole of Cumbria. Next, Hardknott Pass, having done both of these in my Rav4 I thought I knew what to expect. What a surprise, this road as to be the best in England, forget what Clarkson and his cronies have to say about Italy this is the ONE. Down into the valley floor quick and twisty, Oh and this is a very high camber so did manage to wear through my sump guard and get a bit of an oil leak but nothing to stop the fun. The climb out of the valley through a of switchbacks with 1:4 bends 400 feet of sheer pleasure, with screaming tyres, and screaming passengers. (4 Passes done) Check out the photos. We still weren't at the top after a stop to take in the view , and to let the adrenalin settle bit off again down to the A595 at Eskdale flat roads to blast towards Broughton in Furness. then onto Coniston and Lunch all be it 3pm. From there through Grizedale to Hawkshead, bit of shopping at the Relish Shop (Well worth the visit). Then back down the A6, and back to Anderton Services for a final Good-bye till the next time, arriving home at 8:50pm, no 7:50pm still not changed my watch back.
This is the best trip I have ever had in the Dutton. 4 of the best mountian Passes in England and 300 miles of sheer pleasure and amazement at just how good Duttoneering really is.
Like I said before Check out the photos.

[GaryS3]

Now that's just rubbing salt on the wound ya bugger.!!
cool write up tho.

Gary

[Dave Taylor]

Checked out the sump today, removed the sump skid plate which is worn through like an old pair of slippers. You want to see the sump, it's well battered, but the good news is there are no leaks. It looks like it was just the sump plug a little loose.
I can't find anything else, no loose nuts and bolts, even the exhaust wasn't blowing. Hard to believe after the pounding over the weekend.

[Adrian Southgate]

manifold to downpipe join loose, two gearbox bolts loose and one missing, steering column has moved upwards by 1/4 inch, light trim rings both loose, door shuts utterly abused and full of greeny white powder from the scuffed gelcoat.

On the plus side I still have all my fillings... just.

[GaryS3]

spring rates mate... spring rates ;-)

Getting the old ticker scanned tonight, wish me luck.

[Dave Taylor]

Good Luck mate, lets hope the ticker runs as sweet as the old X-Flow.

[GaryS3]

Dave Taylor said:

Good Luck mate, lets hope the ticker runs as sweet as the old X-Flow.

I have to have another one on the 15th, yesterdays scan was a 'rest' next time they give me a drug to speed it up and scan it 'stressed' compare the two results and work out why i'm having the problems with it.
I'm on very light duties so only doing a bit of sanding every other day.
Still sandings progress innit?