Woodie to the rescue!

[TedTaylor]

My everyday hack, Woodie the Mk2 2500 estate, has had to come to the rescue when some problems with my health - my back condition and asthma this time, not knee for a change - have forced us to realise that a further problem with the rebuild of the engine meant that trying to get SCG the Mk1 PI estate ready would be extremely tight. Woodie has up to date MOT and tax saving us that worry.

Last Saturday we checked the old girl over and made a list of
1. Necessary jobs such as an extra full service of everything possible on top of the one from before I went into hospital at the end of March, halogen headlights that I have had ready to fit for a year now, getting the petrol pump working properly, and sorting out the back end wobble that sometimes manifests itself.
2. Important jobs such as seeing if we can improve the clutch operation which has been a bit funny for the past year but functions OK, and map reading lights from my period rally parts stores
3. Nice to do jobs like a radio in case we get bored with taking to each other!  Or even IF we have time tidying up the scabby bits rather than wait until next year after both the Mk1s were finished.

To be honest it was a wise decision. The sore throat and sniffle which had started the previous week suddenly turned into a full on chest infection needing antibiotics and triggering a heavy bout of my asthma which have kept me inside for the past 7 days, such that as the week progressed I seriously started to wonder whether I would be OK for the RBRR things were so bad with my breathing and coughing fits.  An emergency trip to the Doctor and large dose of asthma steroids (which I have never needed before) seem to have done the trick because I spent a quiet hour or so in the garage sitting at the workbench reconditioning the fuel pump this afternoon and did not feel too bad.

So the decision by Gordon and myself to abandon getting the Mk1 PI estate ready has proven to be correct - the bottom line being that doing the event is the key thing and using SCG is just a bonus.  

I AM GOING TO DO THIS BL**DY EVENT though it does make us wonder whether we should go three up if we can find a member in the Gloucestershire area.

MUT with an emphasis on the 'mad' (woot)

[Alex]

Hi Ted,
Sounds like a wise decision!
I'm not sure if he's sorted a car out however Dave Kent did ask on here this week if anyone wanted an extra driver.
He's not in your area but I'm sure Dave could meet you at the start?
He's a top guy and has the benefit of knowing our cars and the Rbrr.

Alex

[Hogie]

Hi Ted,
           in 2007 I came down with pneumonia. After recovering from this I came down with asthma. Never had it before and it won't go away.
I take a puffer each day to keep the tubes open but it does expose you to other bugs that you are now enjoying!!

When you do the RBRR remember to take your medication with you.

There was a TV prog the other week that suggested that it is the antibiotics that are promoting the asthma.
They kill the bacteria in your gut that keeps your immune system on its toes. No immune system = nasty other things.

Try not to inhale the vapours in the garage when doin g your fuel pump.

Good luck
Roger

[TedTaylor]

Thanks for your comments of support Roger.

I developed asthma due to the pressures of my teaching job when I was forty as a result of not taking proper care to rest during the previous years when I caught a heavy heavy cold,  Took them years to properly suss out what the problem was, and not until Steph and I got together and I went to the Doctors' practice where she was Manager who had three Doctors expert in Asthma that the condition was finally got on top of.  When we moved to here in Gloucestershire (my home area) we were lucky to get a practice that were also savvy on the condition which is why it has been well controlled ...... until this uncontrolled session which hopefully they have knocked on the head within days of me seeing them.  

My medication is a daily mixture of pills and inhalers for the asthma, plus painkillers for the knees and back ....... I rattle every morning and evening!  Fully endorse your comments about antibiotics which even now despite the points you make are still almost given out like sweets by some medical conditioners.  We are very wary about the use of any antibiotic, and the problems I had in February with a tooth infection requiring three different antibiotics before one to be found to deal with it and allow my knee replacement to go ahead is a case in point.  Even this last load of antibiotics we held back on until we were sure there was a chest infection and I had to take some to get rid of it.

Alex thanks for your suggestion of a co-driver but really Gordon and I want someone we can meet up with and make sure we are going to get on with in a car for 48 hours  :-/!  Also another (younger than me) body able to give a bit of preparation help if needed would be useful because I am still nowhere near 100% with this asthma, and my knee and back are still recovering from their recent attempts to disrupt my life ......... ;D

MUT

[Tim Bancroft]

Can't but recommend Dave more, a really good co-driver.

Only Tim Hunt has done more RBRRs than Dave.

[Jim S]

Re my plea for help in another area of forum, how do I contact Dave? If I don't get a driver today it's all off for this event, a great shame but I must have three drivers.

[Alex]

pheaduk wrote:

Re my plea for help in another area of forum, how do I contact Dave? If I don't get a driver today it's all off for this event, a great shame but I must have three drivers.

I just text you the number I have for Dave..... Hopefully it's still in use!

[Hogie]

THREE drivers - blimey.  My co-driver hasn't driven the 4A since 2010 and there is only one of him.

Perhaps if I towed a caravan could I then have more drivers.

Roger

[Tim Hunt]

Quite right Roger, 3 or more drivers is for wimps!

Tim

[TedTaylor]

Well Gordon and I had a session on Woodie today ....... gawd weren't the headlight wiring and the light unit mountings a mess, definitely no good for two night continuous driving!  Now all sorted.

We have had a good think about things and decided we really would like to do it two up as we originally planned even with the extra problems that we will face, though we like suggestions made elsewhere of going with '2 1/2' drivers.  i.e. borrowing one from a team of three if we can if we really need to so will be chatting to some people on Sunday.

MUT