Monday 27th June
Again I slept really well. I think finally all the rushing about caught up with me and with no need for an early start for the last two days subconsciously I’m sure my brain has taken over and let me sleep longer. Ruth cooked me a big breakfast and Ian drove me to Ystrad Mynach station. I wished them both well with their daughter in law as I know it has been tough for the both extended families. It’s a really nice relaxed atmosphere in the valleys, I could easily live there. It was lovely to catch up with the Welsh side of the family again. I noticed again driving down to the station that the land shapes are similar to Australia but the colours are all different. They don’t do brown colours in the valleys, it’s all differing shades of green. Some really pretty views as you drive down the valleys (or drive across to the next valley) and it’s very easy on the eye.
On the train I went to Cardiff to find the cross country train I wanted was cancelled. No problem I thought, I’ll catch the London Paddington service and change at Bristol Parkway. The first part was easy but then the train that came along for Manchester (calling at Wolverhampton which was what I wanted) was absolutely packed. Many people had to stand in the corridors and all the backpacks and cases were lining the corridors and areas round the doors too. It was a stuffy sweaty journey cross country but never mind, we got there unscathed.
Got to Wolverhampton and the atmosphere in the city was totally different from the valleys. It’s hard to describe, it’s a harder, edgier, faster paced, rougher atmosphere somehow. Quite a few likely looking young lads about who you felt would know how to handle themselves if things got out of hand. It’s a far more cosmopolitan city as well, there are many differing cultures & skin colours in evidence, So far in this trip if there was anywhere you thought a head or two could be kicked in if there was any argument then Wolverhampton would be the leading candidate. Having said that the city centre was nice as I strolled through it on the way to find the Travelodge.
A weird place is the Wolverhampton Travelodge. I arrived at the reception desk about 2:40 to be told my room was available but company policy was that check in available was not till 3:00 and if I wanted to be checked in any earlier then it would be 10 quid thanks very much. WTF ? Another attempt at price gouging I suppose. They had already taken time to speak to me and this would mean a second conversation was needed in twenty minutes. I couldn’t see the point but never mind, if they wanted to “double handle” me then that was fine. I then adjourned to the bar and had a pint (Boddingtons - 7 out of 10). The strange thing was I ordered the pint and the girl behind the bar got a glass out did something behind the bar, put the glass straight down again and then walked away without saying so much as a word. It turns out the cask was playing up but I was a bit amazed she didn’t say anything or let me know what was happening. Got to a table and picked up a menu and thought a snack would be a good idea while I was waiting. Went to the bar to order to be told “I’m sorry sir, food doesn’t start till 5:00, we only put menus on the tables so people can look at them”. I was now totally confused. Why else would people look at menus if not to order food ? The staff weren’t directly rude but it came across as being a poor set up and not what the customer service text books would tell you. No information literature in the rooms either so unless you specifically ask you wouldn’t know about any laundry, local taxi services, check out times, etc. Like I said, it’s a strange place.
Walked to Monmore Green stadium. It’s a super set up, the grandstand is as good as it gets and the track is generally very good. We were lucky enough to see a really entertaining and enjoyable meeting. For the record the home side defeated Coventry 48-42. It was a funny meeting, Wolves started well, Coventry fought back to level the score half way through, then Wolves pulled their finger out and got going again. Freddie Lindgren (14) was top notch for the Wolves and Pawlicki (11) best for the Bees. Two real surprise packets at reserve, the much maligned Wells (11+1) for Wolves was very good and similarly the relatively unknown Kildemand (9+1) for Coventry. Wells will be happy he will have temporarily got the detractors off his back till at least the next meeting. Russian wizz kid Emil Sayfutdinov (5+1) who I’m sure got a few extra through the gate didn’t seem to handle the smaller Wolves track all that well and was disappointing. My mate Ty Proctor (Wolves) had a shocker, at home his 1 point was poor and he would have been disappointed to be replaced for his last ride by Wells. Hopefully Ty gets it back together soon else he may be looking over his shoulder if that sort of form continues. He looks to be down on confidence. As the final race started it started to drizzle which later got worse and turned into heavy rain and yet again an English day didn’t pass without some moisture from above.
I quickly called in to the bar and I was lucky enough to meet Sandie from the BSF again plus the British Speedway Forum resident statistician and rule book nutter SCB. Sean (SCB) and I had a nice chat but I’m sure he had his Coventry eye patch and Coventry hat on when he claimed Wells rode into the side of Pawlicki but I thought Pawlicki had taken Wells’ front wheel away. Time was on the wing, my chatting companions were Coventry bound so out came the fold up umbrella and home I went. I’m not moving tomorrow, I’m here again to watch the third division side (Dudley Heathens) go through their paces. Apparently they are good value in the National League (the lowest division), the big boys in the top league don’t make that many mistakes but lower down there are some learning curves being experienced and that makes for some interesting viewing.
Again I slept really well. I think finally all the rushing about caught up with me and with no need for an early start for the last two days subconsciously I’m sure my brain has taken over and let me sleep longer. Ruth cooked me a big breakfast and Ian drove me to Ystrad Mynach station. I wished them both well with their daughter in law as I know it has been tough for the both extended families. It’s a really nice relaxed atmosphere in the valleys, I could easily live there. It was lovely to catch up with the Welsh side of the family again. I noticed again driving down to the station that the land shapes are similar to Australia but the colours are all different. They don’t do brown colours in the valleys, it’s all differing shades of green. Some really pretty views as you drive down the valleys (or drive across to the next valley) and it’s very easy on the eye.
On the train I went to Cardiff to find the cross country train I wanted was cancelled. No problem I thought, I’ll catch the London Paddington service and change at Bristol Parkway. The first part was easy but then the train that came along for Manchester (calling at Wolverhampton which was what I wanted) was absolutely packed. Many people had to stand in the corridors and all the backpacks and cases were lining the corridors and areas round the doors too. It was a stuffy sweaty journey cross country but never mind, we got there unscathed.
Got to Wolverhampton and the atmosphere in the city was totally different from the valleys. It’s hard to describe, it’s a harder, edgier, faster paced, rougher atmosphere somehow. Quite a few likely looking young lads about who you felt would know how to handle themselves if things got out of hand. It’s a far more cosmopolitan city as well, there are many differing cultures & skin colours in evidence, So far in this trip if there was anywhere you thought a head or two could be kicked in if there was any argument then Wolverhampton would be the leading candidate. Having said that the city centre was nice as I strolled through it on the way to find the Travelodge.
A weird place is the Wolverhampton Travelodge. I arrived at the reception desk about 2:40 to be told my room was available but company policy was that check in available was not till 3:00 and if I wanted to be checked in any earlier then it would be 10 quid thanks very much. WTF ? Another attempt at price gouging I suppose. They had already taken time to speak to me and this would mean a second conversation was needed in twenty minutes. I couldn’t see the point but never mind, if they wanted to “double handle” me then that was fine. I then adjourned to the bar and had a pint (Boddingtons - 7 out of 10). The strange thing was I ordered the pint and the girl behind the bar got a glass out did something behind the bar, put the glass straight down again and then walked away without saying so much as a word. It turns out the cask was playing up but I was a bit amazed she didn’t say anything or let me know what was happening. Got to a table and picked up a menu and thought a snack would be a good idea while I was waiting. Went to the bar to order to be told “I’m sorry sir, food doesn’t start till 5:00, we only put menus on the tables so people can look at them”. I was now totally confused. Why else would people look at menus if not to order food ? The staff weren’t directly rude but it came across as being a poor set up and not what the customer service text books would tell you. No information literature in the rooms either so unless you specifically ask you wouldn’t know about any laundry, local taxi services, check out times, etc. Like I said, it’s a strange place.
Walked to Monmore Green stadium. It’s a super set up, the grandstand is as good as it gets and the track is generally very good. We were lucky enough to see a really entertaining and enjoyable meeting. For the record the home side defeated Coventry 48-42. It was a funny meeting, Wolves started well, Coventry fought back to level the score half way through, then Wolves pulled their finger out and got going again. Freddie Lindgren (14) was top notch for the Wolves and Pawlicki (11) best for the Bees. Two real surprise packets at reserve, the much maligned Wells (11+1) for Wolves was very good and similarly the relatively unknown Kildemand (9+1) for Coventry. Wells will be happy he will have temporarily got the detractors off his back till at least the next meeting. Russian wizz kid Emil Sayfutdinov (5+1) who I’m sure got a few extra through the gate didn’t seem to handle the smaller Wolves track all that well and was disappointing. My mate Ty Proctor (Wolves) had a shocker, at home his 1 point was poor and he would have been disappointed to be replaced for his last ride by Wells. Hopefully Ty gets it back together soon else he may be looking over his shoulder if that sort of form continues. He looks to be down on confidence. As the final race started it started to drizzle which later got worse and turned into heavy rain and yet again an English day didn’t pass without some moisture from above.
I quickly called in to the bar and I was lucky enough to meet Sandie from the BSF again plus the British Speedway Forum resident statistician and rule book nutter SCB. Sean (SCB) and I had a nice chat but I’m sure he had his Coventry eye patch and Coventry hat on when he claimed Wells rode into the side of Pawlicki but I thought Pawlicki had taken Wells’ front wheel away. Time was on the wing, my chatting companions were Coventry bound so out came the fold up umbrella and home I went. I’m not moving tomorrow, I’m here again to watch the third division side (Dudley Heathens) go through their paces. Apparently they are good value in the National League (the lowest division), the big boys in the top league don’t make that many mistakes but lower down there are some learning curves being experienced and that makes for some interesting viewing.
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