Thetownend.com

Go to training even though i'm still aching from Tuesdays training, or stay in with a curry and a beer.
I think you can guess what I decided :D.

 Life is riddled with big decisions.....you must have wrestled long and hard with your angst.
 Are you sure it was the right choice?

Nope, but I ache like fuck.

 There's no gain without pain.

Pull your socks up Dean...I walked to Devizes and back today and am playing footy later.

Admittedly Devizes and back from Seend isn't much but I'm seriously out of shape. It hurt a bit.

It all because were training with the first team.
It's hard as fuck.

 Did you walk along the K and A tow path?

  Seend is a rather fine place....once the centre of Wiltshire's iron industry replete with blast furnaces and over head cables to take materials to and from the canal and railway.
  The best clues to its existence are the lumps of slag which folk built into garden walls etc.

Ime glad you explained the lumps of slag bit Reg!.....seriously though your right its like coke.

 Lumps of slag and coke sounds more like a Friday night choice  :)

That I did. Unfortunately it seems to have been a bad influence, as its now been decided to have my mate's (who I was walking with) stag do on barge (or two), at least in principle> I'm sure there must be rules against operating locks  and barges under the influence.

I never knew that about Seend, you learn something new everyday. I'll look out for these slags in peoples gardens ;)

Regarding locks, i have no bloody idea how they work, and yet have decided to command a 6 berth cruiser along the Thames in a fortnight... any tips on boating would be great

Don't drop the winder into the water. don't treat it as a speed test - "slow and steady wins the race"

  Just remember to turn the rudder in the opposite direction to the way you want to turn and you'll be fine. they'll give you a 10 minute crash course before you start.

If you're going down, fill it up and open the gate, drive in, close gate, let water out, open bottom gate, drive out, close gate.

If you're going up empty lock, open gate, drive in, close gate, fill it up, open top gate, drive out, close gate.

Remember when going down that there is a sill at the back of the lock (nearest top gate) that you can ground on so pull forwards.

Remember to close all paddles after operating them and never have both sets open at the same time. And don't take your hands off the windlass or it'll spin round quick and break your knuckles.

You probably can't jump from one side of the lock to the other even though it is very tempting to try.

oh, and if there's a queue of boats go one up, one down etc, although some locks you can fit 2 at a time in.

You sound quite the sailor axs!

been on a few narrow boats in my time!

incidentally ginger sailor is one of ben's favourite drinks.

and i hate the way firefox tries to tell me i've spelt favourite wrong.

I'm doing the same tonight :D