Pump, Pennies & Pizza

Tuesday the 6th, Day 2

We processed a lot of thoughts over the night.  We thought about things that were OK, what needed to change and how we could develop the project long term.  We had learned a lot in one day's cycling.  We realised in order for us to make the most of opportunities to meet people, we needed to stop more and cycle shorter distances to enable us to achieve this.  The museum also needed to be instantly accessible rather than having to be set up.  So when you take the lid off it is visually intriguing straight away and people will want to look in the boxes.  It took too long to take all the bits out and construct at the roadside. Cycling for two days running was too hard, especially carrying overnight equipment, so going home seems more realistic but we have to think about how we get to far reaching corners of Derbyshire in one day.  We may have to use other transport to support this.

Sunday the 11th, Day 3

An early start, wondering whether the 40mph winds would turn up,
we met up to adapt the museum and do repairs to the lettering on the outside and adding our Blog, and to the layout of the inside.  We had a discussion about the route today and how long we would spend at Matlock and whether this was just about taking the museum to isolated places or was it also about taking it to places of relevance?  When we were cycling over Beeley Moor it was isolated but we never saw a soul.  Is that a good place to go or should we go to places where people gather?  We compromised by taking the more scenic route through small villages and up hills, rather than busy, fast, flat routes that didn't pass through places.  We have realised we can put up with hills, wind and rain but not discourteous drivers on busy roads. 

At 10:15 we set off, aiming to reach Pentrich Church by 11am to meet Heather and the congregation.  They welcomed us in, if somewhat amazed, and they gave us lots of stories.  Rather than tell you all the stories, we would like to record the process that we are going through.  The stories may be shared at a later date in some other way... all part of the long term development of the project.

In Matlock we immediately had an impact in our costumes and with our trailer.  People were intrigued.  We learned about Madame Bloomer and her inappropriate dress in bloomers when riding her penny farthing.  We learned about how important it is for us to work with others who promote cycling and to be a part of that movement, as well as being artists promoting heritage and contemporary art.

By the end of the day we realised that the day of the week and the time of the day all impact on the amount of people around.  There are exceptions though, e.g. Margaret at Rowthorne who would like us to go and talk to her WI group.

The long haul up hill

As we came into Eckington we saw an old fashioned Ironmongers ahead.  We just had to stop there and go in and talk to them, didn't we?  Inside Sally gasped 'what an emporium!'.  Things hanging from hooks on the ceiling and shelving with tin and card boxes and things in every nook and cranny. 

Sally L didn't see the man to start with, until he got up from his stool in the corner of the shop.  We asked him for stories and if he had been asked for unusual items, Sally N said 'like 4 candles' which he rolled his eyes at. He began to talk to us about Wright's Coal Tar Soap and having a wash in a tin bath by the fire on Saturday nights- hoping you didn't get visitors.  It had such a strong smell that people really remember.  Then a customer came in for some clamps for her rocking horse, but she was adamant that she didn't have any stories for us.  After she had gone he went back to his stool and we talked about Valour Blue Flame paraffin heaters, a box of White Windsor Soap that he found under the counter that he put outside and sold for 2 shillings a bar.  He explained that his Grandad and Grandma started the shop, and their name is above the door, then his uncle took over and now he runs it and his son also helps out.  He wasn't sure how much longer he would be doing it for because there are not many customers anymore, people commute from the village and don't use the local shops.  They are missing a gem!

We asked about the onward journey to Coal Aston, and he said it was a long haul up... by 'eck he was right!  Sally hit the 'wall' half way up and walked some of the way.  Sally N couldn't push the trailer so she had to keep going.

When we reached the top at Dronfield Woodhouse, the road began to descend but we could see the hill rising from under the A61 on the other side; it was Stubley Hollow hill.  We struggled on and collapsed at the top in a pub yard, the smokers shelter!  We needed hot drinks, food, the toilet and some time away from the increasingly busy rush hour traffic.  Sally N went in to get refreshments and overheard an indepth conversation about deep cleaning the gents toilets as the stench was foul.  It would cost £500 to the new landlord for the pleasure.  Sally L went to the ladies toilet which was warm and pleasant and sweet smelling, with fancy soap.  No need for deep cleaning there.  We checked our phones for messages of support and encouragement but nobody loved Sally N and Sally L got a text from Nick asking 'In search of what?  Good looking rich men?!'  Not really that much support then but it did make us chuckle!

On to Owler Bar to face wind, rain and isolation and Sally L cycled up to the top.  After Owler Bar, the wind was so strong that a gust hit Sally L head on and she ground to a halt.  At last we were at the top, expecting a free ride down Froggatt, instead we had to peddle against the wind all the way down and pray that crazy drivers wouldn't flatten us as they overtook on blind corners.  The rain and darkness was drawing in and as we got to the bridge at the bottom of Froggatt, we stopped to put lights on and prepare ourselves for the climb to Eyam that Rob had said was 'nothing much'!  We struggled to get Sally L's lights on her skinny handle bars, so had to fatten with insulating tape (good job we brought it) and then she led the way with her super bright light.

Through Stoney Middleton, Sally N said, 'We have Middleton Stoney in our museum.'
Middleton Stoney-
People who get above their station.
Aristocrat- well to do.  His name was really Michael- but this was too common so he changed it to Middleton Stoney. 

We turned off the main road to face the drag up to Eyam, Sally N carried on leaving Sally L walking up the pavement in the dimming light. The pavement soon petered out and she hid behind traffic cones when a bus came down the winding road.  At the top of this climb she found Sally N waiting in the rain.  When we found that the youth hostel was 800 yards out of the village up another steep hill, Sally N said 'Sod it, I'm walking' and they pushed their bikes together in the darkness.

Eyam Youth Hostel.  We had a fight with ladders to get the bikes into secure storage.  We pleaded for hot water and a hot meal and were rewarded at 8:30, 10 hours after we had set off, with pasta and chili bean sauce with side salad.  Plus a lovely cup of hot tea for Sally N.

After hot showers we crawled into bed at 9:30 ish feeling absolutely pooped, then Sally L's phone beeped.  It was the missed call from Margaret that cheered us both up with her support.

Now we have had time to think...

When we set off we attracted a lot of attention.  Lots of smiles and puzzled looks, even a black cat in Newton did a double take!  Looking at Sal N, then Sal L, then back to Sal N again.  As we passed through the village we saw an old lady in a window and we waved and she waved back with enthusiasm.  After Newton, we climbed up to the mast on Newtonwood lane and then down through Teversal, the old village and on towards Pleasley.  As we rolled down the hill to the mill at the bottom of the lane, we passed two men working and one in trousers and shirt (maybe the gaffer?) all staring at us with intrigue.  We waved, said 'hello' and tootled by.  It began to rain.  Should we shelter by the bank of trees or push on?  We pushed on to Rowthorne and found shelter by a wall.  It seemed very deserted.  We ate flapjack and then put the camera on the opposite wall to take some photos. This must have caught Margaret Smith's eye, because she came out to see who we were.  After a brief chat we were invited into her yard to set up the museum.  It began to rain more and so she showed us into her outhouse where the cats lived, complete with carpet, wardrobe and settee!  

While we set up the museum we talked about what we were doing and showed her some completed labels.  At first she thought she didn't have a story to give us but then she started to tell us about Lawson White and all the amazing furniture and tools he had made for her.  We exclaimed that this was a good story and we were really intrigued by what she was telling us about the life of Lawson and the village life that they shared in Rowthorne.  She took us inside to show us some examples of Lawson's work and to take a photograph for the museum.  There were several pieces in her room and we asked her to choose her favourite; she chose the chair. He made his pieces from wood he found in the nearby fields and land and copied some of his designs from other furniture that he liked.  Frustrated by his day job as a farmer, he would rather have been a craftsman at which he was very talented.  It took Margaret a long time to get to know him when they moved into the village; he would peer out from behind walls as they passed by.  They knew of him but it took a while to get to meet him.

Margaret shared this with us, and it felt really important that she had shared this piece of hidden history.  This thought set a seed in our minds about what we were really up to...


We pressed on through Glapwell, Shirebrook and the Langwiths. The sun had returned and the wind was in our sails till just after Whaley Thorns Sally L's chain came off and she took a leisurely fall into the grass verge!  Fortunately it was a soft landing and she got up laughing.  Chain and Sally back on bike and onwards to the railway crossing.  Sally N was worried we wouldn't get across as the trailer might not fit through the pedestrian gates.  We rang the bell and a man opened the big gates for us but he didn't have any stories and he said he was only there on relief.  We ploughed on and passed a man in Whaley fixing his car who gave us a big smile, and into Elmton to stop for lunch.  We were just trying to decide where to sit and eat because it was very blustery, when a big blue van pulled up, kept the engine running and asked us what we were doing.  He wasn't going to stop but we persuaded him to turn off his engine and find out more about us.  He didn't think he had a story to share but then launched into a big description of a charity open day that he had hosted at his farm, which raised £3317 through hog roasts, raffle, trailer rides, etc.  He gave us two pens and two bluebell potatoes (a new variety) and didn't want his picture taken!

We decided to go off the map and avoid Cresswell as time was ticking on.  We saw two builders who shouted hello but we didn't stop which was a missed opportunity for a good yarn- racing against time is not the way we want the project to go...  We carried on towards Whitwell, missing our turn to Clowne. We saw a turn that was a possibility.  A passing man said it was a dead end but we discovered after it wasn't.  We passed through Whitwell, onto the A619 which was horrendous, lots of inconsiderate driving, so we came off again and headed back towards Clowne.  The rain came down and we sheltered for a short time under a car wash, to the bemusement of the workmen, but they didn't come and talk to us so we carried on in the rain.  We caused more bemusement as we passed an accident in Clowne, directed by 4 police who shouted hello and looked rather puzzled by our appearance.  Onwards to the horrible A619 which took us over the M1, Sally L was glad she wasn't in amongst all those lemmings.


At Maston Moor, we finally turned off the main road, and some boys outside a corner shop shouted 'Gie us a backie!' but we said 'Its hard enough already mate'.  So then we headed up through Renishaw onto another busy road where, intimidated by lorries, we missed our turn to pass the Hall, and ended up on the main road for longer.  Still, we took the next left turn which put us back on our little roads again, phew!


To be continued...

We went, we saw, we met, we came back...

We are both too tired to Blog really but just wanted to capture a little bit of what we feel, immediately.  We arrived back at 4pm and have been reminiscing the two days adventure that we have had.  Despite being battered by wind and rain we have met some interesting people that we would really like to talk about, however, we would like to do this later when we can do their stories justice.  We made some notes on our route maps, and of course we have people's labels to remind us of the gems they shared with us, especially Margaret who phoned us to give us more information about Lawson and to see if we were all right.  It was a real joy to pick up her answerphone message and a real lift after a hard day of cycling. 

From what we have learned over the last two days, the project will evolve and we will be adjusting our plans to allow for more time talking to people and less time on bleak, empty roads or those with nose to tail traffic and bad, inconsiderate drivers!

Lots to process and think about. 

Now we really are off...

We want to say a big thank you to Derbyshire County Council for helping us with a small grant to get on the road. Yes, we are finally SETTING OFF. 

After a week of planning routes, talking to the Ripley and Heanor News, Derby Telegraph, Ashbourne Telegraph and Peak FM and last minute constructions - and now we are ready to go. PHEW. We'll be glad to start pedalling. On Monday September 5 we are heading up into NE Derbyshire and round to Eyam to spend the night at the Youth Hostel. Then back round in a big loop towards our homes on Tuesday.


See if you can spot us in our bright red costumes - well that's so long as it doesn't rain too much in which case we may have to put on waterproofs. If you spot at the roadside some shelves with 30+ recycled cardboard boxes, then you have probably found the museum. You might even see a cluster of people and wonder what they are all looking at.

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?