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turner's torque
summertime, and the living is easy
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Yay, it’s the school holidays, which also means that I’m off for six weeks from the job that actually pays the bills (school counsellor). What shall I do?
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Well, on the press car front, during the first week I have a £100k V8 Defender to play with, which is nice. Fortunately, with the exception of BMW, all press cars come with a full tank of fuel, and what’s even better is that I don’t have to replenish them when they’re returned. That said, I fear I’ll need to top-up the V8 Defender’s fuel tank a few times during our week together as I have a 280 mile round trip down to Lincolnshire, more specifically Grimsthorpe Castle for the wonderfully entertaining Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional. Then the following day I’m up to Thirsk in North Yorkshire to visit Twisted Automotive - that’s another 200 miles for the V8. Of course, that doesn’t count any ‘off-road’ detours! The day the V8 is returned to JLR I get a 5-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon delivered, with a Tentbox rooftop tent. The Rubicon is always an entertaining 4x4 to drive, and I have a few overnight wild camping trips planned. 4
THE MUD LIFE MAGAZINE
The week after the Jeep comes the new Isuzu D-Max AT35. At the same time two other motoring colleagues have a V-Cross and standard D-Max, so we’re planning a couple of days out in the Lakes and Yorkshire enjoying some of the more difficult green lanes. I dare say that Ben and Annabelle from Planet Auto will be videoing the whole exploit for their YouTube channel. The week after that I have the LWB Ford Nugget camper. We had the short wheel base last year, but it arrived with dead leisure batteries, and although we enjoyed a few days out in it, overnighters were a bit dark and cold! After the Nugget, and before I eventually get my hands on a new Range Rover, I have a week free from press cars, this will mean I can go out and enjoy driving Deux Smurf again, our 1996 Toyota Surf. I have to admit, since she was broken into a couple of months ago I’ve fallen out with her a bit. Not her fault, obviously, it’s me, I’ve been distant. I’m hoping that exploring quite a few green lanes in her, as well as visiting some off-grid camp sites will mend the bond that’s been temporarily broken. Let's hope September doesn't come too soon!
