Trial Run to Matlock

Bright and early on Monday morning, the 15th of August, we set off on our first adventure to Matlock.  This was to see how we would get along, cycling together, up hills and down dales and making it home again in two whole pieces.


The route was quite steep but Sally's legs kept turning and she made it up the steepest of climbs without a problem.  As we passed through Brackenfield, we spotted a mobile library and thought that it would be worth researching its route.


Our first stop of the day was at the top of a hill outside Wessington, where we ground to a halt by a traffic jam!  A cheerful policeman informed us of a fatal accident up ahead, so we got off the bikes, had a snack and a chat, then once the all clear was given, he escorted us before all the traffic, up to Tansley Tops.  What a missed opportunity, if we had had the museum, we could have had lots of conversations with the car drivers as they waited.

We made it to Matlock in no time.  Sitting in the park, we drank coffee and ate our yummy sandwiches and reviewed our progress which turned into an impromptu board meeting!  We noticed a sign for Penny Farthing racing in September and decided we would like to come back for that.  A gentleman walked by and stopped to chat, enquiring about our journey and telling us tales about his friend's cycling exploits.  His dog was keen to carry on, so he tootled off and left us to continue our meeting.


After a search for chocolate- a very important factor, we climbed back aboard our bikes and headed back through Matlock Bath and up through the steep hill of Holloway.  Sally nearly made the climb but is still having a few teething problems with the gear changing.  All told, we achieved a ride of 42 miles which is not far off our target of 50 a day.


Whether this is continuous days over a week or day trips, we have yet to decide.

And we are off...

Well... to Beacon Art Project at least. It spurred us on to make the shelf, well 3 versions actually by the time we set off. Mountboard and foamboard both have very particular properties. I(Sally L) had a Eureka moment when I realised why I like previously used objects and materials; they have developed a history, a patina, a quality that is often subtle but outside my control. Brand new materials shout 'Be perfect!'. Once they become offcuts then I can breathe a sigh of relief and appreciate their secondary life unfolding. And that's not to say I can't produce to perfection when the need arises.

And of course the lean was part of its reality once installed in the Chapel.

We invited people in the audience to tell a story about their own object- a fantasy, an exaggeration, a lie. What gems did they discover in themselves? 

Then which box would they choose to house it in temporarily?

Then a very fruitful dialogue about our intentions, whether to document or just savour the ephemeral, 

and a chance to eat some artefacts:

 Stitchcombe pies, rammed full with filling. Pies with base and lids. Homemade. 

or Bishop's Cannings. Little snacks he kept in the top drawer of his desk- never shared with anyone. Guilty little secrets.

So what was the outcome? People took away their objects, thoughts and constructed stories. We kept their suggestions about how to proceed, some unexpected incidents and the labels to inspire the start of the Tour d'Art, Le Tour de la Locale.

Oh, and we all had FUN didn't we?