Oil Be Damned

With well over 100,000 miles on the clock and every country of the United Kingdom under his drive belt, Monty is proving himself to be a fabulous car.

However, he's recently been a bit poorly.

On Friday morning, Coyote noticed a touch of oil on the tarmac of Traffic Towers.  He didn't think too much of it; after all, Monty had enjoyed a full service the day before.  It was probably just something settling in - or maybe they'd overfilled him a bit.

So he drove up to HQ as usual on Friday with nothing untoward happening.  No smoke, no clunking, no engine falling out onto the M4 spraying bits of gnarled metal across the carriageway...it looked like all was going to be just fine.  But no.

After being parked outside the cottage for a while, it was evident that there was a substantial oil leak.  Monty was bleeding!  While Coyote slept after a grinding early shift, I wriggled underneath to have a better look.  There wasn't anything obviously wrong with the underside; so I slipped a couple of trays underneath to see just how much oil he was losing.

It rained that night and we woke the following morning to see a beautiful rainbow.  Normally we would've been quite pleased to see such vibrant colours...but it's not quite the same when the rainbow is trickling out from under your car.

We decided to play it safe and stay local - so we drove to Machynlleth to pick up some bits and pieces.  Cheese Strings, mainly.  When we walked back to the car after exiting the supermarket, it was evident that Monty was in a bad way.  The oil was dripping out of him like snot drips out of a primary school kid's nose in a winter playground.  We needed to get some oil.

Off to Tuffin's we trundled - where we bought 2 litres of juice to try and top Monty up.  We were only in the shop a matter of minutes, but came out to see oily footprints all over the car park.  Uh oh.

There was only one thing for it.  We didn't know what was wrong...but we knew a man who would.  A very nice man.  Yes, a Very Nice Man. It was time to call the men in yellow.

While our knight in fluorescent jacket made his way from Shrewsbury (about 60 miles away) to rescue us, Coyote went and bought him a coffee and a Mars Bar - he's thoughtful like that - and I entertained myself by making oily flower pictures in the car park.  It was 4 degrees and chucking it down; but we didn't care.  We just wanted Monty to live!

Eventually, the Very Nice Man - thank you, Andrew! - arrived and shoved his head under the bonnet:

After a lot of tweaking, tinkering, glaring, revving and dabbing, it was concluded that the oil filter - which, remember, had only been fitted the previous day - was leaking profusely.  Apparently that's what can happen when a spurious part is fitted in place of the genuine, made-for-the-purpose part that you expect and pay for.

Thankfully, the Very Nice Man managed to twist the oil filter on much tighter than it should've needed and the leak appeared to stop.  

Coyote drove back to Cardiff this morning without incident, but he'll be calling the garage that 'serviced' Monty to have a select few words in their shell-likes.

Hopefully, they'll admit the error of their ways and put things right.  If not, I dread to think what's going to happen.  I'm not saying that he or I will do anything rash...but Limmy might.  Yes - our mascot Limmy the SheepHog.  You should've seen him when a Freeloader took Monty's wing mirror off.  He was chuntering in Gaelic, foaming at the mouth and everything!  I've advised Coyote to keep an eye on him if he has to return to the garage any time soon.  

SheepHog bites can be nasty.

With much gratitude to @AA_Members

100,000 and Counting!

He did it!  Our beloved Monty has reached the hallowed 100,000 miles!

The first time I met Coyote, I thought Monty was black.  Not only that, but I wasn't all that impressed if I'm going to be honest.  I'm a country girl, you see...I like things with diff locks that are covered in mud.  'This is a town car,' I thought.  'Something that's probably economical on fuel and easy to park...but will more than likely fall apart within a year.'

How wrong could I have been?

Monty's an absolute gem.  We named him when we were in Montgomeryshire (originality fail!) and we've explored thousands of miles with him and his guardian - Limmy the Sheephog - who sits on his dash, watching out for BOFmobiles and barking at Mansel Davies lorries. (Yes, he barks.  Clever for a sheep/hedgehog cross but then this is the sheephog that chased Terry Wogan out of Limerick.  We never doubt him.)

Wales, England, Eire, Northern Ireland and Scotland - we've seen them all thanks to Monty.  Who, incidentally  is also called Minty.  Because he's blue and always has a packet of Smints or three in a door pocket.

We may drool over shiny Land Rover Defenders.  We may swoon when we see a brand new County...but we're not parting with Monty just yet.  He's a member of the team and we love him to bits!

*Meep Meep!*  

Four Hundred and Fourteen

So far, we've visited 414 places in Wales.  We've seen a one-legged man navigating a speed bump, an antique Lucozade can, a pink rhinoceros, a farting lighthouse keeper, Roger Whittaker, a wooden tie, Val Doonican (and his wife and dog), more BOFmobiles than you can launch grenades at and what we believe to have been a zombie eating fries in McDonalds.

It's been a blast...and who knows where we'll end up next!

For the curious among you, here's an alphabetical list.  We might've passed you on a street!  (We were the ones hastily leaving the scene of the explosion... ;)

Aberaeron, Aberangell, Aberarth, Aberdesach, Aberdyfi, Abererch, Aberffraw, Abergele, Abergynolwyn, Aberhafesp, Aberllefenni, Abermorddu, Abertafol, Aberystwyth, Afonwen, Afonwen (2), Amlwch, Arddlin, Bancyfelin, Bangor, Barmouth, Beaumaris, Beddgelert, Begelly, Belan, Bethesda, Bethesda Bach, Bethlehem, Betws y Coed, Beulah, Birchgrove, Black Pill, Blaen y Maes, Blaenannerch, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Blaenffos, Blaengeuffordd, Blaenplwyf, Blaenporth, Bodelwyddan, Boncath, Bont Newydd, Bosherston, Bow Street, Bracelet Bay, Bridell, Broadhaven, Broadmoor, Bronaber, Bronant, Bryncir, Bryngwran, Brynhoffnant, Brynmill, Brynsiencyn, Buckley, Bull Bay, Cadle, Caergeiliog, Caergwrle, Caernarfon, Caersws, Caerwys, Caerwys (2), Capel Bangor, Capel Curig, Capel Dewi, Cardigan, Carew, Carmarthen, Carmel, Carno, Castlemartin, Cefn y Bedd, Ceinws, Cemmaes, Cemmaes (2), Cemmaes Road, Cerrigydrudion, Chancery, Chapel Hill, Clatter, Clawddnewydd, Cleddau Bridge, Clunderwen, Clynnog Fawr, Corris, Cosheston, Creuddyn Bridge, Criccieth, Croesgoch, Cross Inn, Crosshands, Crosswell, Crugybar, Crundale, Crymych, Cwm Deuddwr, Cwm Llinau, Cwmann, Cwmbrwyno, Cwmbwrla, Cwmgwili, Cwmystwyth, Cwrt, Cyfronydd, Cynghordy, Derwen Fawr, Derwenlas, Devils Bridge, Dinas, Dinas Cross, Dinas Dinlle, Dinas Mawddwy, Dolbenmaen, Dolgellau, Dolwyddelan, Dyffryn Ardudwy, Dyffryn Castell, Dylife, Dyserth, Earlswood,  Eglwys Bach, Eglwys Fach, Eglwyswrw, Eisteddfa Gurig, Elan Valley, Engedi, Esgairgeiliog, Fairbourne, Fali, Felindre, Farchog, Ffair Rhos, Ffos y Ffin, Ffrith, Ffynongroyw, Fishguard, Foel, Foelgastell, Four Crosses, Furnace, Gaerwen, Ganllwyd, Garndolbenmaen, Gellilydan, Gendros, Glan y Wern, Glanconwy, Glandyfi, Glasfryn, Glaspwll, Gobowen, Goginan, Goodwick, Graianrhyd, Greenfield, Groeslon, Gronant, Gumfreston, Gwaenysgor, Gwalchmai, Gwersyllt, Gwesbyr, Gwrych Castle Wood, Gyrn Goch, Happy Valley, Harford, Harlech, Haverfordwest, Heatherton, Hendy, Hermon, Holyhead, Holywell, Hubberston, Jersey Marine, Johnston, Kerry, Kilgetty, Kinmel Bay, Knab Rock, Lampeter, Leighton, Letterston, Limeslade, Llan Ffestiniog, Llanaber, Llanaelhaearn, Llanarmon yn Ial, Llanbadarn Fawr, Llanbedr, Llanbedr DC, Llanbrynmair, Llandarcy, Llanddewi Velfrey, Llanddowror, Llanddulas, Llanddwyn Beach, Llandecwyn, Llandegfan, Llandegla, Llandovery, Llandre, Llandudno Junction, Llandwrog, Llanelltyd, Llanerch y Mor, Llanerfyl, Llanfaelog, Llanfair, Llanfair Caereinion, Llanfair PG, Llanfair Talhaiarn, Llanfarian, Llanfihangel GM, Llangadfan, Llangadwaladr, Llangeinwen, Llangernyw, Llangollen, Llangurig, Llangyfelach, Llangyniew, Llangynor, Llanidloes, Llanilar, Llanllyfni, Llanon, Llanrhystud, Llanrwst, Llansamlet, Llanteg, Llantood, Llantysilio, Llanwnda, Llanwnog, Llanwrda, Llanwrin, Llanwrtyd Wells, Llanymynech, Llanystumdwy, Lledrod, Lloc, Llwyncelin, Llynllys, Llywernog, Lovesgrove, Machynlleth, Maenan, Maentwrog, Maidenwells, Malltraeth, Mallwyd, Manorowen, Mastlebridge, Mathry, Mayhill, Menai Bridge, Merlin’s Bridge, Merrion, Mile End Services, Milford Haven, Milton, Minffordd, Mold, Montgomery, Mostyn, Mumbles Pier, Nantmor, Nantycaws, Narberth, Nazareth, Nebo, New Hedges, New Inn, Newborough, Newgale, Newport, Newtown, Northop Down, Norton, Oswestry, Oystermouth, Padog, Pant, Pant Glas, Pant y Dwr, Pant y Wacco, Pant yr Dylath, Panteg, Pantperthog, Pant y Ffynnon, Pantygwydr, Pelcomb, Pelcomb Bridge, Pembroke, Pembroke Dock, Pen y Ffordd, Pen y Groes, Pencarnisiog, Penegoes, Penlan, Penllergaer, Pennal, Penny Bridge, Penparc, Penparcau, Penrhyndeudraeth, Pensarn, Pentlepoir, Pentre Berw, Pentre Foelas, Pentrefelin, Plwmp, Pontblyddyn, Ponterwyd, Pontllyfni, Pontrhydfendigaid, Pontrhydygroes, Pool Quay, Pope Hill, Port Tennant, Porthmadog, Porthyrhyd, Poyston Cross, Prendergast, Pumsaint, Pwllheli, Pwllhobi, Pwll-trap, Red Roses, Refail, Rhayader, Rhewl, Rhos y Garth, Rhos-hill, Rhosneigr, Rhuallt, Rhuddlan, Rhydtalog, Roach, Roman Bridge, Royston, Ruabon, Ruthin, Sageston, Sarnau, Simpson Cross, Sketty, Skewen, Solva, Soughton, Square and Compass, St Twynnells, St. Asaph, St. Clears, St. Davids, St. Thomas, Star, Staylittle, Stepaside, Steynton, Strumble Head, Sugar Loaf, Swansea, Sweet Lamb, Swyddffynnon, Tafarn y Fedw, Tal y Cafn, Tal y Llyn, Talacre, Talsarn, Talybont, Tan Lan, Tangiers, Tanygrisiau, Tarenig, Templeton, Tenby, Townhill, Towyn, Trawsfynydd, Tre Taliesin, Tre’r Ddol, Trefeglwys, Treffgarne, Trefilan, Tregaron, Tremain, Treuddin, Trevor, Tufton, Tyn’reithin, Tyncelyn, Tywyn, Upper Corris, Warren, Waterston, Welshpool, West Cross, Whitland, Withybush, Wolf’s Castle, Woodstock, Wrexham, Y Ffor, Ynys, Ynysforgan, Ysbyty Ystwyth

*Meep Meep!*

Wales in Pixels: A Team Effort

Believe it or not, Coyote and I are capable of doing serious stuff.  Well...when I say 'serious', I mean 'creatively fun'.  I don't mean 'intelligent and deep' ;)

See - when Samuel's checking the output of his slate quarry; when Petula's busy chasing foxes through her garden and when Boycie and Babs are down the pub having a good old Cockney knees-up, we jump into Monty and toddle off to see what we can see.

Auntie Pentax always comes with us...

...and we hope you'll agree that we make a good team!

Contains no mad ramblings.  Just lots of Welsh goodness :)

*Meep Meep!*

Ode to Monty

Ode to Monty

Monty is a car with cojones

An intrepid Mystery Mobile

With his climax control set to twenty-one

He's brimming with 4-wheel appeal.

Coyote and Roadrunner love him

He's the third member of the team

He takes them to some incredible places

Some obscure and obscene...

But wherever the trio eventually land

They always find something bizarre

Holyhead to Tenby

In Monty - the Cayman blue car.

Poo bags, wheelbarrows and ruins

Onion rings, coffee and beer

A one-legged man on a speed bump

Starlings mobbing a pier 

Ancient cans of Lucozade

Discarded party hats

Lighthouses flashing on the ocean

Barbed wire fences, cow pats.

Monty takes it all in his stride

Through sunshine, downpours and gales

Give him a wave if you see him sometime

On his intrepid travels through Wales :)