Rolfe let us know how the Santa run goes. Would be good to hear how it went, especially as your way is worse than down here!
Santa run was fine - no drama. Selected tour of my extensive network of cousins.
The original idea had been to do the Motherwell/Strathaven run on Sunday afternoon but as it was snowing quite heavily I decided against it. Not that I couldn't have made it, but because I would have to drive so slowly it would have taken ages. (And to be honest the presents weren't wrapped either, I'd have had to do that as a rush job over lunch.)
I had merely intended to do the Leith run after work yesterday. But as things turned out, I went to Leith first, then Motherwell, then Strathaven, then home. I didn't get away from work until six, because we were busy. The main problem was Edinburgh city traffic, and the roads were quite clear. After Leith I headed along the M8, which was absolutely fine. The trouble started when I left the motorway at Newhouse, and realised it was snowing and I was running on fresh snow. I had to stop at a garage to clear my windscreen because the screenwash is frozen solid, but otherwise the car was fine. By the time I got to Motherwell the snow had stopped and the main problem was the absolutely tragic town planning. That place is really atrocious.
I made two calls in Motherwell, picking up presents as well as dropping them off, but kept turning down offers of food and drink as I wanted to get on. I had thought about leaving the Strathaven stuff at the second Motherwell stop (sister of Strathaven cousin), but there were a lot of prezzies for other people (daughters and grandchildren as well as the cousins themselves), and it was all a bit complicated, and it seemed much easier just to make the run. By this time there were three-way cousin-calls going on saying "tell her not to go to Strathaven, there's freezing fog there", but I went anyway.
Got there about nine, unloaded the prezzies, and then allowed myself to be fed. Found a petrol station just before ten to make sure Prospero was fed as well, and set off home. That took over an hour because of the freezing fog, but at least it was patchy rather than continuous. Got home about ten past eleven.
The roads were well gritted and I think the journey could have been made in summer tyres without too much trouble. The value in the winter tyres was mainly in driveways and side streets, where I could park and turn with ease and confidence that I wasn't about to get stuck in a tricky position.
Two of the cousins came out demanding to see these tyres, as they'd read a letter about them I'd written to the
Herald a few weeks ago. They had to be shown that they look like any other tyre, and drive like any other tyre. People still have this idea about spikes and studs and goodness knows what. I think the hard bit to believe is the astonishing difference in traction they provide, given that they don't look like anything unusual.
I'm off to the cinema tonight, meeting a friend way over near Glasgow. She drives a Polo, and is threatening to make me come and pick her up if the roads are bad....
Rolfe.
