6am Tuesday, and "an easy run to the bottom of Tardebigge", stopping at The Queens for "lunch & a pint".
Suitably braced for the 30 narrow locks of this legendary flight, they started just before 2pm and both boats were through before 7pm. A leisurely cruise to Alvechurch, and tied up for the night by 8.30pm. They were joined here by John Mills, who had expected to meet them at the bottom of Tardebigge.
(note: it had seemed that most of the country had been hit by the start of hurricane-force winds and storms on this day, but Jason said it was "hot & sunny!")
Another early start, and underway by 7am on Wednesday, through the 2,726 yard Wast Hill Tunnel, before "everything started going bad - the boats were either rolling over things or getting stuck all the way to Lapworth".
My impression from Jason was of a mixture of shallow channel and junk in the canal.
Half way through the day, while stuck in yet another bridgehole, the pair were caught up by BW Heritage and ex-Cowburn & Cowper motor, 'Swift', who offered some assistance in tems of a shunt, before "buggering off quick!"
They were passed 2 hours later, moored up and hatches battened, while our redoubtable crew carried on through the first four locks at Lapworth, before stressed and tired, calling it a day at 7.30pm and to the pub.
Thursday saw a 7am start, through the flight by 10am and moored under the railway bridge at the Lapworth Link, where Jason was at pains to emphasise: "the toilets were emptied, brass was polished, and the boats generally put right" - as you would expect to find them!
Captain 'Blossom' and crew of Dave Vickers, Mark Burt and Dave Davies take over the boats on Friday evening, due at Thrupp Wharf by Friday 16th July.

(photos by Ken Blackman)