Turf Zone – HolyCharger
An easy, very relaxed, turf session today, just a random scattering of zones locally around Dalkeith and Eskbank, and a pleasant change to follow a different route from the usual. Traffic was busy in the town, so I’m filtering through the long line of cars at the lights, eventually reaching the front of the line. Then I start feeling slightly bad, even slightly guilty, about jumping the queue on the bicycle. Why do I feel that? Am I a very bad boy or just a naughty boy? Filtering is actually perfectly legal, well it’s not mentioned as illegal in the Highway Code, if done with safety in mind, both for yourself and other road users.
Is it because I may have upset all those car drivers stuck in the line? Then I wonder would I feel that way? Probably not, but then again, I’m also a cyclist and past motorcycle rider as well. Mind you, wasn’t quite so easy to filter on a rather humungous BMW R12ooGS motorcycle, one not dissimilar to the one Ewan McGregor used to for Long Way Round. Actually, while looking up the Highway Code I discovered I’d broke the law today. While filtering I stopped beside a vehicle at a pedestrian crossing. Apparently, a no-no. Oops.
Anyway, was taking zone HolyBuccleuch and checked the Turf app for my next target. Suddenly I was confused, the local zone layout seemed out of sorts, not in the locations they should be. Took me a few seconds to get my bearings, so to speak, and realise that there was an additional zone causing the confusion, yes, another new zone in Midlothian, and that after a new zone a few days ago, zone TheViceCount. We are truly blessed.
The new zone was called HolyCharger, which reminds me of that American muscle car, what was it called? Ah, the Dodge Charger. Turfers of a certain generation will remember the General Lee in the Dukes of Hazzard? That was a ’69 Dodge Charger. The zone seems to have been named after a electric car charging station at the church. I’d have named it after the path beside the church. It’s called The Dark Walk, so perhaps zone HolyDarkWalk, cool, and spooky. And that’s another FTT to add to the list, which now stands at 30.
A point to note here. The zone is outside the entrance to St. Mary’s Church but within the grounds of Dalkeith Country Park and the main gate is locked between 7.00 am and 7.00 pm. You can get out if inside the park out of hours by pressing the gate button but you cannot get in this way out of hours without a Friend of Dalkeith Acorn Member Pass which costs £12.00 for a year. I use it quite regularly and find it very useful. However, you can access DCP through the hole-in-the-wall from NewtonChurch zone or the Smeaton gate which is usually open. Not by car though. Not sure about the Monkton gate but it appears to be simply a 5-bar gate which is easily climbed. There’s a £3.00 parking charge at DCP but pedestrians and cyclists are free.
This new zone, which also has the Holy attribute, got me thinking that there should be a lot more zones with the Holy attribute, not only churches and cathedrals but graveyards and other religious sited zone as well, such as stone circles and standing stones. Not that I’m of the religious persuasion but with 20-years as a Quantity Survey in the construction industry I still appreciate architecture and wouldn’t it be grand if there was a medal for collecting zones with the Holy attribute? And would it not be truly amazing, and indeed rather challenging for not a few turfers to get out of the snug comfy bed, to have something similar for collecting Ghost Minutes at Holy zones? One lives in hope.
And finally, have you ever been out turfing on your bike, happily cycling along, when suddenly, the front wheel picks up some un-named debris. Then you start wondering why something should suddenly be sticking to the tyres? Stuff doesn’t usually suddenly stick to tyres, does it? Unless it’s something nasty. Then you realise the cause, or perhaps your nose registers the pungent aroma before you. Yes, you have just run across a fresh sticky slimy horrible Richard the Third. Shit, shit, shit. And that’s all I’m going to say on that. Back soon, after I’ve cleaned everything up.
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