a fairground life (the devil's elbow)

                                                                      

        I've did a few new gigs this year, Grantown agricultural show was one that I really enjoyed, not so much due to business but because of the social element. I had a couple of nights out with friends we had bumped into and the weather was kind that week with glorious sunshine. The cycle of fairs revolved pretty much as usual and the hum drum was broken only by an unexpected private hire in Banchory. It was in a Hotel House grounds and the trip up was fine until we encountered the Devil's Elbow on the notorious Slug Road, the lorry and ride just made the hair pin bend, the lorry was in the bushes of the on coming traffic side and the rear trailer ram foot plate (sticking out 50mm) hit  the near side wall giving off a puff of masonry dust as we scraped around the corner. There was no going back and as quick as we clipped it we were by and past the dilema. So I decided in that instant that an alternative route was needed to get home. Arriving at the venue we found the access was very narrow and over hung by trees. We just ploughed on through breaking and pushing the branches out of the way with the truck and trailer as we headed up the single track lane. Unfortunately space was at a premium and the revellers from the evenings before wedding hadn't all vacated the carpark. So we sat and waited for over an hour before we could get set. This pushed us tight for the noon kick off but we worked on and did get ready for a little after 12pm. Not that we needed to worry, it was well past 2pm before we seen our first customer of the day, good job it was a hire. Anyway by 6pm we were pulling out of the gate , job done and heading home. That was after a very tight 3 point turn in the hotel car park and a bit more tree pruning. The alternative route home was new to me and I did get a little lost, but a chap shouted directions from over his garden fence when I pulled the truck up opposite while trying to get directions from google maps with the traffic driving around me and no 3g signal. Taking him at his word I carried on while praying to the god of low bridges to spare me. Relievedly I eventually found the main road and turned the truck south bound.