Wednesday 4th July Nancy to Crevic

Trip 19kms Departure 1pm Locks 7 of 162

We sent the mahoneys off to the boulangerie for breakfast provisions. They returned with a raspberry and 3chocolat croissant and some lovely fresh baguettes. Brekky was a delight supplemented by the remains of the crumble and vanilla yoghurt.

Off to the showers.

I was pleased to see Tone was clearly very happy to be here as having left his towel by the sink when he entered the showers, he was forced to come out of the mixed cubicles naked as a jay bird. Unfortunately for tone, the door to the facilities was wide open into the capitannaire's packed office and instantly tone became a local celebrity.

We did arrange for the car to be left in the gratuit car park for the duration of their stay and we were delighted to discover that the car park was patrolled hourly throughout each night so felt comfortable with the situation.

Tone and I took the car and filled with provisions. Delighted to get a deal on 1664 60 bottles for 20€. Nice one! We got back in time to enjoy a tray of biscuits cheese and pâtés and even got tone trying a fish eggs paste washed down with large gin and tonics. Sadly, Although we had hardly scratched the surface of nancy, it was time to depart.

The first lock was a nightmare for the crew. We were forced to the front by 3 men in a rowing boat. With just one line attached it was a shock when she could hardly hold on. The lock was violent and I had to grab the line and even with Tony's help, it was a struggle to hold her. Tone and roses first lock was our worst in 156. The crew were ruffled.

We drifted on without incident and I managed to lure tony to the helm. A nervous student he did rather well and relaxed into it. I was even able to try out my new lounger which I had christened the for play chair.

We passed through the industrial towns of dombasle with its gothic basilica dominating the skyline and the huge gantries of the solvay soda enterprise make for a particularly interesting reach of canal. The basilica built in 1494 was sited on an earlier church from which Joan of arc had left on her I'll fated crusade.

We arrived at a small halte in the village of Crevic. Nice spot and we set the table and chairs on the bank for a BBQ dinner later and bread and cheese and some wine now.

Early evening, we decided to take the bikes in search of a village bar. 7 Kms of hills later the girls were showing signs of impatience despite it having been a gorgeous bike ride and Tone was guilty of lagging well behind. Strange for the big man to be suffering so badly dragging weed. we were in euville by the time he finally said, "I think something is wrong".

Dismounted we immediately discovered that the front wheel was practically solid. The brakes were tight on the wheel. A simple adjustment and all was well. The girls made it clear this was our last chance to find a bar as it was getting late and again no dinner yet so as we set off in search of a bar, the big man released from his shackles showed his class as he made a break for the lead.

Euville was quiet but I spied a tattooed lady with a glint in her eye. I enquired as to the whereabouts of a bar. Follow me she said I work there. Result!! We had left the girls in the village square so cycled off to find them. The bar was the fleuri relais next to the canal. We would be passing tomorrow and this had been a recommended eatery from a german lady in nancy. The relais was great, we had drinks, the girls had a weird Palma violet tasting syrup and water while the chaps drank beer.

We decided to book for lunch tomorrow before setting off along the towpath back to Doucette. It was a lovely ride but sadly Collette suffered more coxic discomfort whilst Merx Mahoney took up his accustomed position at sweeper.

By the time we got back it was getting late and I rushed to get the cob going with my new charcoal. I loaded a whole chicken and 4 quarters onto the plate and closed her up. Dinner would be about an hour. It was now 9.30. Mealtimes were becoming my Achilles heel.

Collette and rose had gone along the riverbank while tone and I relaxed with a cold one. Suddenly there was a commotion and the girls came rushing back shouting to launch the dinghy.

What in himmel are you talking about.

"a baby kitten is stuck in thick undergrowth on the far bank. It's mother is on this side. They are both crying to each other."

Despite my protestations I knew I was on a loser and thus it was that in pitch black tone and I entered the dinghy and made our way across the canal makeing here pussy pussy noises despite the certainty that we had absolutely no chance of seducing this wild kitten into a leap of faith from the bank into a dinghy with two meowing lunatics.

We nestled in against the bank which was overgrown with treacherous barbed bramble. Tone took an early hit. We could hear the kitten just feet away and finally in the mass of tangled grass I spotted the tiny scared little critter. He was just out of reach so I eased the boat hook toward the scrub to try and allow a perilous grab for it. It scarpered in a flash and we told the girls enough already and our doomed mission was aborted with the wives content that we had made the effort.

We secured the dinghy as the cats wailed on. I checked the chicken expecting it to be cooked. No chance it was not even close. What the hell? The coals had gone out. Bloody French charcoal, this had never happened to me before. I could sense the depth of disappointment in the crew. It was the second night that dinner had gone pear shaped and drink was being blamed again by the female crew. I was getting a headache. I finished the legs off on the cooker in about 10 mins, they were actually closer than I had thought and the whole chicken went into the oven. I surmised I had put too much on and closed off the air causing coals to extinguish.

We finally sat down to eat at 11.40pm and the girls seemed happy once fed.

It had been quite a day!