Running On Fumes

28/03/12 - 12miles - 4 Locks 

Islington Tunnel - Bridge 16a 

We started early,  wanting to get through Camden before the place was heaving with tourists and gongoozlers.

Yog had been putting off dipping the tank to see how much fuel we had, but after nagging from me he did.  We were at the bottom marker on the dip stick which we thought was in the crap at the bottom of the tank!! Stress levels started to rise.....so I checked the Nicholson's and St Pancras Cruising Club was just around the corner and they sold Diesel so we were saved.  Or so we thought until we got there and rang the number to see what time they opened, to be met with a very polite answering machine advising us to leave our number so they could ring us back to make an appointment to purchace diesel!!

Constance - We saw her being named :0)

So onto plan B, check iphone for the nearest petrol station so we could at least get a 20l jerry can to tide us over.  Nearest one was at Camden so off we head on a wing and a prayer.  On the way, we passed a cute little tug called Constance.  We remembered her from when she was re-named at Stanstead Abbotts Marina a couple of years ago. I had a video somewhere of her owner running round her backwards and christening her with a can of stella I think it was lol If I find it will post it on here, with the Islington Tunnel Video.

Taken in Camden

Arrived at Camden by 10am and was on my bike with bungeeed jerrycan off to queue up for a can of diesel.  Quite a surreal experience standing in a line of cars, holding my bicycle with a Black Cab in front of me and a transit behind.  

Had to walk back with the can on the bike as it was so heavy I didn't fancy what would happen if the can fell off and splurted Diesel all over Camden High street.  Yog was already through the second lock when I got back.  Quite huffed that he had had to hang about AGAIN in London, his least favorite place. His mood was not improved by the fact that every time I waved at kids they waved back but when he did it they hid behind their mum!! lol

Well, at least we had some diesel now.

Maida Hill Tunnel

Camden now behind us, we had a lock free 27 miles ahead.  Through Regents Park and London Zoo, (which was a bit of a disappointment, no lions or tigers to be seen from the canal).  Through Maida Hill Tunnel and onto Little Venice.  Stopped at Ladbroke Grove Sainsbury's for supplies then on past Wormwood Scrubbs. We were more interested in getting some distance under our belts than taking too much notice of what was around us so we pushed on till it started to get dark again.