Green

The sun badly messed up the above shot, but it took a lot of work to get there. Yesterday was one of those ultra-humid days that only happen in Queensland. It was a day in which you could cut the air with a knife if you could only find one sharp enough, a day on which breathing felt like swimming underwater. Some might scoff at the wisdom of cycling 238km on such a day, but since I was going to feel the same regardless, I decided I'd ride anyway.

I started off heading south, but taking detours, firstly along the Tweed River, followed by the Tweed Hinterland. This area really is very scenic, and a place I never get tired of riding. On the other hand, I probably didn't really need to accumulate over 1,000 metres of climbing by the time I reached Mullumbimby.

This was where the ride really started. A steep climb out of Mullumbimby led to another world that I hadn't realised existed previously. A world of rushing creeks flowing through forests, of mountains covered in a green carpet. It might have been stinking hot, but the surroundings compensated.

I also found a little cafe tucked away in the hills. For such an obscure place, the food was surprisingly good, and surprisingly filling. It's not often I order a meal I can't finish. In fact, the only time that's happened since childhood was a particularly bad Greek restaurant in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley (even then I ended up ordering a Pizza from somewhere else instead). This, on the other hand, was a genuinely good feed. I would need it going home.

Once I returned to Mullumbimby I realised I was going to get blasted by the northerly wind that made it so hot and humid in the first place. I took a hilly route home through Burringbar, Urliup and Bilambil (finishing the day with over 2,500 metres of climbing). That offered some protection, but for the most part it was just a case of trying to be the immovable object in the face of the unstoppable force. Stalemate.
Fortunately for me, I'm sufficiently boring to find Stalemate to be a remarkably invigorating concept, one that can keep me amused for hours. This is probably just as well, because my physical fitness isn't really what it should be right now, and it really DID take hours.
In that respect, I'm glad to have this ride behind me with the ASH Dash now just a week away. On the other hand, it's unlikely to be anywhere near as hot and/or humid as this in Hobart. I'll look for a bit more climbing through the week to finish off the preparation.

Lake Hawea - Gladstone track & short section Breast Hill track

According to my garmin the walk was around 4 miles each way. We set off from Johns Creek and followed the track above the lake shore. Brilliant flowers growing wild - lupins, roses, orange Californian poppies, as well as other less ostentatious flowers. New Zealand flax, pines, silver birch and the odd blue gum, as well as some deep pink mesembryanthemums, clearly flourishing on the rocks in the sun. The wind was strong today.


Map of the walk in one direction is here.
14 Dec Hawea walk

The wind has whipped white horses all over the lake, and the waves hit the shore with a crashing sound as stones are rolled back and forth. It sounds like the sea.

We're going to take the track to Lake Hawea village. It runs just in from the shore, through pines, and along cliffs. Today we're pushed along by the wind, but the sun shines and there are flowers everywhere - self set feral flowers?

Lupins, predominantly pink and purple, but with large patches of wild yellow ones too. Californian poppies, with their delicately shaped flowers of rich waxy orange. Wild roses, with their small pink flowers and arching branches. Two different types of yellow flowers, both growing as tall spikes. A blue flower, with pink on it - another spike. Even the birds foot trefoil is bigger and lusher than at home. There's a rocky slope where deep pink mesembryanthemum are sunbathing. The kete flax is everywhere, and we have pines and eucalyptus too.
We stop for coffee at the General Store and Café on the corner of Capell Avenue and Parry Crescent. The way back is against the wind, but still bright and exhilarating.

15 December - short and steep

Uphill a bit . . .

I walk along the Timaru River road, from Johns Creek for about a mile, then for a very short stretch of the Breast Hill Track, part of a long distance walking track.





I meet a man coming down who says it's about an hour to get to the ridge, and very steep zigzags.It does climb very steeply, and one of my excuses for turning back is that my old trainers are not exactly suitable footwear.

The track leaves the Timaru river road

Looking over Lake Hawea

Garmin map

Construction Update - Wabash Trace

Paving continues in Silver City. The construction company is anticipating they will complete paving in the Silver City area by the end of the week.
Next week, plans are for paving starting in the Malvern area. That should take about 3 weeks (weather permitting).

Much Ado in the Muck, on the Mats...

Again, we were roused way too early on Sunday. Now where were we headed? (Avalon playing with Levi, her brother!)
Here, at a new place for doggehs and ducks. Avalon is definitely into those feathered creatures (as are her siblings, three of whom were there, and her Mom!), while I still have an affinity for the furred sort that dip down into burrows, or race up trees. But I will show you what I saw my sister and family do. Here's a little show all about Avalon (and her siblings' and Mom's) day in Denverton, near Suisun City.

Avalon was very happy to see her mom, Sporty (who is really good at doing this field stuff) and her brothers, who love the feathered creatures as much as Avalon. Here's a cool picture of them all - thanks, Christine of Tigana Goldens for fixing up this photo and helping my sister so much! Now... it's my turn!
Ready Ma, for my closeup heheh! I have a fun match this coming weekend, and at the end of October, there is a show that spans over 5 days near here. Mom (naively) thought it would be practical to sign up for an Open class for me on all five days, hoping that I could snag my CDX in one long weekend! Barbara rolled her eyes and told us to get ready for a full-on judged Open class, right then and there. Mom thought I was pretty ready. Here are both Sierra and I in a little show made just for our friends, so you can see that we're coming along at Barbara's school for "Finishing Dogs."

Uhhhh....ohhhhhh.

Well... all doggehs can get confused, right?
Here's Barbara making adjustments to Avalon's new bling.
And then it was time for all good puppers to play, as well as show our fabulous agility skills! See you soon again, pals!

Chilly Peppers

We've had our usual up-and-down weather here in Austin - mild weather interrupted by several freezes and some rain to soften the ground. I missed GBBD, but a few days ago the sun felt warm as I clipped back some of the dead plants. What a surprise to find a handful of peppers still firm & fresh on the two plants next to the back house wall next to the Meyer's Lemon tree. The leaves of the pepper plants had been hit by frost but the stems were still green. These are 'Holy Mole' peppers - very hot little devils. These will belong to Philo ... not me!
I didn't make a Garden Bloggers Bloom Day post - but there are a few photos of January flowers and a late GBBD List with botanical names over at Annie's Addendum.

Chinatown Lights

Night Lights, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

While exploring the shops in Chinatown, San Francisco, this one stood out due to its huge collection of lights and lanterns.

McDowell Mountain Park

Yesterday I was up early to ride. (The day-time highs are running in the mid/upper 100s this week in Scottsdale!) Drove to McDowell Mountain Park for a singletrack ride. By the time I drove to the park, payed the entrance fee ($6 for the car - $1 had I arrived by bike), I was about 6:45.
The trails is mostly fine gravels with sections of rocks. No "dirt" as we consider at home. Lots of up and down with portions of flowing singletrack. I rode the "Long Loop" - just short of 8 miles.
During one f the climbs I heard a ominous sounds of rattling. Stopped and saw the rattlesnake. Backed off, and waited for it to slither away (and shot this photo). He was rattling a litlle as a hiked the bike pst him, at what I felt was a save distance.
After the ride, I high-tailed back to the room to pick up my camera to shoot the tee-off of the reunion golf tournament. Finally shower and breakfast.
Didn't do much anything the rest of the day. Worked a little on organizing my photos, napped, visited at the reunion, napped, etc.
Dinner was at Pinnacle Peak Patio. Was a relatively long drive for steak & beans.
The day capped with a Memorial for Reuel Baughman - one of my army friends.
Pavement ride with Pallette in the morning.