The serenity of arrogance

If anybody here can remember my posts from the old bicycleforum.com site, or some of my earlier ramblings over at bikeforums.net, they would probably point out that I used to be quite volatile, something of a "loose cannon", looking for the slightest provocation over which I could lose my temper at the world generally. In recent years, however, I have tried to "turn over a new leaf" so to speak, and in a major shock to the universe, it may actually be working.
Today's incident happened somewhere around 128km into the ride in North Burleigh. Some idiot pedestrian decided to step out onto the road right in front of me without looking. This isn't exactly a rare occurrence on the Gold Coast these days, and I had anticipated it pretty well, so I was able to avoid a collision. However, this moron then decided to abuse me because I was supposedly riding too fast (about 30km/h below the speed limit here). In the past I probably would have responded with a flurry of expletives of my own. However, today it didn't bother me a great deal. There was a mild irritation for a few moments, before the arrogance that I have worked so hard to cultivate kicked in.
I began to realise that I have absolutely no cause for concern that this moron should blame me for his own inability to watch where he was going. After all, I'd been prepared for the eventuality, I'd avoided a collision, nobody was hurt, and I'd even earned an apology from his wife (who was actually smart enough to look before stepping out onto the road). But what really gladdened my heart, was the knowledge that if this guy is in a habit of blaming others for his own inability to watch where he is going, it's just a matter of time before he steps out in front of someone who will be either unable or unwilling to take the evasive action necessary. As a consequence, it probably won't be very long before he removes himself from the human gene pool altogether.
I am at peace with the world, perhaps moreso now than ever before. Unlike the other guy at the intersection about 3km later who wanted to shout abuse by yelling from his car across four lanes of moving traffic. Yeah right, pal. What obligation do I have to prove anything to someone that cowardly?
Oh yeah, as far as the ride itself was concerned, Numinbah Valley turned on the beauty once more, and the changeable weather conditions -- from this...

to this...

to this...

and finally to this:

Interesting thing here -- it only seemed to rain on the descents, never on the climbs. I'm not sure how this works, but it just does. It played havoc with my average speed, but that's life sometimes. It's still better than doing the whole ride in dry weather.

Tomato Seeds

A few weeks ago Meggiehad a fantasticGarden Seed Giveaway. She was very generously offering some heritage seeds. I chose a variety of tomatoes - Tomato Carbon, which have won many taste awards in the last few years!

They arrived today - and I am thrilled and delighted.Thank you, Meggie!

We will get them planted and I'll let you know how they progress.I am really looking forward to the taste test!

I wonder how they will fareat this year's Village Show

We had a huge amount of fun last year,notching up far more successesthan we expected.

The trouble is that it puts the pressure on this year!

I am counting on these purple tomatoes to win at least one class.Thank you Meggie.x









PS. Check out Meggies seed list - newvarieties she is trying out this year.

First Light, Foggy Morning - Pigeon River Valley

The fog this morning was incredible. Unfortunately I did not make it out to take any pictures of the fog at sunrise. So, it made me go back to some photos from a foggy morning in July that I never posted. This photo was made after a night of photographing the northern lights along the Arrowhead Trail in northeast Minnesota. As I drove home via the backroads I noticed that there was quite a bit of fog in the Pigeon River valley below me. I pulled over at the Pigeon River Helipad Overlook along Otter Lake Road and waited for the sun to come up. I knew that once the sunlight started to hit the fog it would be an incredible view. Sure enough, as the fog started to glow from the light of the rising sun I was awestruck by the beauty and depth of the scene laid out before me.

THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE WOODSTORE...

Pip, Toby and Bennie are all agreed on that! No doubt it will keep them occupied for a long time. Don't worry about Toby's 'bald side' it really isn't like that, it's down to some quirk on this photograph.





Today has been wet, very wet. So we decided to do some indoor work ...!!! We both scrubbed the utility room floor and part of the kitchen - but I thought you would like this photo of your Pa wearing Marigold gloves and scrubbing !





Jonny, you will know what this next photograph is all about, so no need to go into details.









We nipped to Woodthorpe Garden Centre this afternoon - and guess what they were busy doing...unbelievably ... but here's the photo to prove it. Dreadful!!!





Far more interestingly, we have just been listening to a wonderful Prom .. programme which featured a Spaghetti Western Orchestra from Australia and their music is magnificent. Check them out sometime.





That's it for today, Jonny. Look after yourself.

Call/email us when you have the chance.

Love,





Mum

xxx

Manawa Ride

Yesterday was a beautiful day for a ride in the woods mid 70s, sunny, a bit windy. There were several others riders at Manawa. I stopped two to chat. They are new mountain bikers - starting this season. Talked them about THOR membership.
Anyway, I continued making my laps. The trail conditions are pretty good, except for 2 dead falls on East Sidewinder. One had been there some time, the other is new. Both were trees damaged in the June wind storm, just decided to come down in October.
One reason for riding at Manawa yesterday was to check out the fork re-build of my trail bike. No problem with the fork on this ride. I had a leisurely ride - 7.7 mph. Just what I was looking for. Even had a good conversation with 2 potential THOR members.

Hoping to ride again today, before the weather turns colder and wet over the next couple days.

Simple French Cuisine? Roasted Camembert with honey.

France is famous for the wonderful cheeses and Camembert is certainly one of the most famous.
Camembert is certainly a great cheese, just to eat plain with some nice baguette bread, but there is a great recepy we discovered with the help of Blandine and Olivier from Laurenan.
The original name of this simple but very taste dish is Camembert roti avec le miel, that litteraly translates: Camembert roasted in oven with the honey.
Here is the recepy.
Have a Camembert form with its wooden box for each guest.
Cut the Camembert as you see in the picture below, cutting the top of each form off.


Dig in the cheese so to make space for some pieces of apple you have already prepared on a side.




Put the apple's pieces in the cheese you have already prepared in the center of the cheese form.



Then put some good honey on the top of the cheese forms.











Close the Camembert forms with their tops.








Put just a little bit of water on top of the cheese so that the brown sugar you are going to put on top remains easily on the top of the cheese.








Put the sugar on top of the cheese.










Put the Camembert in the oven for then minutes at around 200°C.







Enjoy it with some toasted baguette bread!







This post would has been made thanks to Blandine and Olivier Le Cloirec from Laurenanwho prepared a fantastic Camembert roti au miel with local, organic and very tasty ingredients, and (most important) with great passion!

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Riding Weather

Looks like we are getting some decent weather, finally. No rain in the forecast for all week.
I needed the day off Monday - relaxed at home. Tuesday it was to ride my version of the Tour de Bluffs. Started from the old bike shop (OBS).
Stopped by Western Historic Trails Center. With the river up, was concerned if the Iowa Riverfront Trail might be flooded behind the trail Center. The told me it was not - which was the case when I rode there.
On past the Casinos. There is some river water is invading the parking lots of the casinos. Recommend parking in the garage until the river is back down.
Stopped at Big Lake for refreshments and a break. On down N 8th to downtown. Stopped at the new Xtreme Wheels location. Took a photo of the road bike in fron of the new shop. Helped them move a couple things into the new location.
On around past the Mall and back to the OBS. Great, relaxing 24 miles ride.