Tuesday, 30 June 2009

Wally and Sue's Adventure #4 22 Jun 2009

Strange things happen when one gets emails from the twilight zone otherwise known as "the moon" - see the new email from Wally and Sue published below. I have had no end of trouble uploading these photos, even though I've blogged before.


Now, the font choices have disappeared! Grrr ... Why, oh, why? Is there a computer god (make that goddess) that I can pray to? A small offering perhaps? Tyre levers or fresh tubes left at a roadside altar?


The Australian geography lesson continues ..... Wally and Sue's email mentions camping on a quartz seam (doesn't that sound exotic?), so I google "quartz outcrop NT Australia", and up pops China Wall (named after ... you guessed it! ... the Great Wall of ... ) and Hall's Creek. There is even a Caroline Pool close by ... hope they got a picture for my wall ... okay ... so I'm Carolyn not "line", but just don't call me late for coffee ...


From Wally and Sue ...


"Have tried to send some photos, hope it comes out, have no idea what size they'll be - we won't send any more it's too frustrating as we don't really know what we're doing.


We're on schedule at Halls Creek, have done 1300km so far. Some days are hard,lots of uphill, reckon we must be on the moon by now but overall really enjoying it - scenery is fantastic.


Have camped in some funny places - dry river beds, behind trees and on a quartz seam. Meeting some great people, most of whom say good on you, a few reckon we're crazy - but we already know that. Having a rest day today then on to Fitzroy Crossing.


Happy cycling, from Wally and Sue."




Doesn't Sue look ravishing in her Moon Suit? (see below) Dressed as she is for the inhospitable but compelling environment, much like Armstrong on the Moon.



Could the title for the photo be "China Wall" or, "Picnic at Hanging Rock?" perhaps?



We await the return of our intrepid adventurers to find out ... (eek, did you notice that the underlining has mysteriously disappeared?)

I will sign out before I too disappear into cyberspace without explanation.

Carolyn.

(P.S. I tried to publish this 3 times before being successful. I kept getting messages from "HTML" (a minor deity perhaps?) and not being"allowed" ... so finally, like a temple monkey wanting bananas I pressed "delete" as demanded, and magically the highlighted part of the HTML code was deleted!

On the count of three, I was successful ... it's all getting too weird for me. ... I think it has something to do with the downloaded photos and code embedded in the email as sent from our friends in outerspace.

But, regardless, don't those quartz outcrops look marvelous? Hope Wally and Sue didn't climb them ... like some fictional schoolgirls some of us might remember from a 1970's film ... will we hear from them again?


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Monday, 29 June 2009

Bike path "hazards"

Saturday, 13 June 2009

Thursday Ride 11th June, 2009






The Thursday Ride

This is a weekly ride of about 28 km and 5 short, steep uphill runs. A coffee stop at Sawtell Surf Club Coffee Shop overlooking the beach at around 9am. Occasionally, the coffee stop is in the main street of Sawtell (First Ave) if weather is poor. Meet at Howard St near Racecourse at 7.30am.

These are some photos of our most recent ride. Contact Coffs Bug for more information. Non-members are welcome to give it a try before joining. Bikes come in all shapes and sizes (just like their riders!)

Photos courtesy of Lloyd. Blog entry by Carolyn.

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Wednesday, 10 June 2009

Wallly and Sue's Excllnt Advent #3 cont



Wally and Sue say good-bye, farewell, adios amigos, so long and thanks for all the fish? (nah ... I added that last one) to Darwin and their friends. Tomorrow, their excellent adventure begins in earnest ... (comment: Carolyn)

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Wallly and Sue's Excellent Adventure #3

Last Post from Darwin (Email #4 Friday, 29th May, 2009)

Hi. Hope this works,we are at Jan & Craig's place and will try and attach some photos????


Craig used to live in Grafton and organised bike rides for the BUG's in Grafton.


We leave tomorrow morning and cycle to Adelaide River first stop - 114km, a bit nervous but will be right when we hit the road. Hope your all well and no-one else has fallen off their bike, Wally and Sue.


From Ground Control at Coffs BUG ...


Hope springs eternal - it did work for Wally and Sue! Their photos successfully attached, were emailed then saved by me to file and safely uploaded to blog.


Wow! Who said I was a technophobe? ...... now, where did I put that stylus and clay tablet? .....Carolyn.


Sue and Wally use team work to push their babies around. (comment from Carolyn)



So, now for that geography lesson ... could this be overlooking Fannie Bay, Darwin? ... if it is, it's too good to be true ... glory be to the map makers for with a sense of humour like that they shall inherit the earth. (comment: Carolyn)




Imagine what this scene might have looked like 67 years ago ... (C)


"The (Northern) Territory played a pivotal role in the defence of Australia during the 1930s and 40s with over 250,000 allied defence personnel stationed in the Top End.

"Darwin was first bombed by Japanese fighter planes on 19 February 1942."

"The full extent of the destruction and loss of life was not revealed to the rest of the nation for fear it would undermine public moral."


(from a Media Release Ref: http://www.tourismnt.com.au/nt/nttc/news/media_releases/mr/2006/mr_Mar07_bombing.html)



Sue looks deep in thought - now, which way up does this go? (C)










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Wallly and Sue's Excellent Adventure #2

Balmy Darwin (Email #2, Thursday 28th May, 2009)

We had a good start to the holiday by having to be towed out of our driveway by our neighbour as Wally bogged the car in the driveway!

Coffs Coast Advocate (local paper) did a story on us, Jan and Henry have it.

When we got to the airport we were slugged $400 for excess baggage, we will be wiser next time. Then, when we got to Darwin airport, there was no maxi taxi so had to get two taxis - $60 later. We have a week in Darwin now before we start the big ride. It's a lovely 30 degrees Celsius and no humidity. Early photos to follow next mail, Sue and Wally.

Computer Problems at the Library (Email #3, later that same Thursday 28th May, 2009)

Hi. We're not having much luck with these library computers getting pictures out. None of them have picasa and their internal system won't let me download it ....they will only send one picture at a time at full size scheezzz!!!!!

We are leaving Darwin Saturday morning for Adelaide River 100 km south.

So far all is good, it hasn't taken long to get used to the BEAUT WARM DRY CLIMATE!!!!!!!!

Will try and work out something with the photos later.

Regards, Wally & Sue.




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Wallly and Sue's Excellent Adventure #1

Our cycling friends, Wally and Sue left for their adventure up North over a month ago. As promised, they have been in contact. I received their first email on the 5th of May.

Wally and Sue are cycling from Darwin To Broome (and then some) in an effort to improve the points score of their Trivia Team in the "Australian History and Geography" category. No, just kidding, but, I am sure they'll learn lots anyhow - they're just that kind of people.

They have two bicycles, trailers for each of their bicycles, a small tent and the bare necessities of life and camping. They take with them lots of skills, much thoughtful preparation and more than a modicum of experience between them. As their first email suggests they both have a fine sense of humour, an absolute must when undertaking such a fine adventure. All these quality ingredients are sure to make the best holiday damper ever. So, good luck, Wally and Sue from Coffs BUG. May the heat from your campfire be just right.

As the darling buds of May have now blossomed and fallen into decay I thought it was time that I left the comfort of my Luddite Zone and learned how to turn their emails into blogs as requested. So here goes ... for Wally and Sue ...

.... and very belatedly entered onto the Coffs BUG Blog by Carolyn ...

Hazardous Bike Path for Wally - Email #1

Something for us to think about as we proceed across the Kimberley?????


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Monday, 8 June 2009

Trike Sunday with some BUG friends

A new recumbent trike has joined the group! Robert P. has welcomed his Tri-Sled Gizmo with spinning legs and so much enthusiasm that he has successfully pedalled up Bruxner Park Road once, and cruised down it one and a half times after only six days of ownership. More about the half later.

Robert P. enjoys leading the Saturday Easy Riders from the Yacht Club Car Park at the Marina, Coffs Harbour. This ride starts at 9am and is an easy 10km. Robert usually leads Saturday's ride with his upright Trek bicycle, but the presence of two other recumbent trikes, and two confident upright riders meant he could take his new Gizmo for an easy spin.

The next day saw Robert and some other BUG members at the turn-off to Sealy Lookout on Bruxner Park Rd. The Wedding Bells State Forest tourist drive being closed to vehicular traffic proving too much of a temptation for us. All that bitumen, all that forest grandeur and no cars - ohhh! wow!!

Again two other recumbents joined the throng - Rob's wife, Carolyn on her Greenspeed GT3 Series 1 and Ch. on his carbon fibre two wheeler. Faaast!

Ch. was suitably impressed with Rob's new toy, and his eagle-eyes spotted Carolyn's flat tyre immediately. With Ch's fantastic and speedy tyre changing skills we were away in half the time it would have otherwise taken. We learned from Ch. that a plastic $5 note can be used to line a tyre that has a tear in it. The note stops the tear from pinching the new tube. Thanks, Ch.

After the delay, our patient friends were eager to get going. They generously let Robert seated in his new trike, go screaming along the bitumen and go first down the incline . The cool forest and towering gums dominating the roadside. He could be seen as a small speck way ahead of us, his flag fluttering in the breeze. Pure pleasure. Thanks, guys.

A short time later the group came to a disappointing halt. The wooden bridge which had caused the road to be closed was in a much poorer state than we had thought. Our intention was to carry bikes across. Our friends had said they would give us a hand with the trikes. How generous they are. Although the adventurous Br. easily carried his bike across - balancing on one log is quite tricky - the rest of us were becoming seriously put off by the idea.

To add insult to injury, a mob of trail bikes vroomed down the creek bank, through the cold, leech infested water and out the other side while we stood considering our options. Bless the trail riders' little foot pegs, we wish them well, but just at that moment couldn't one of their bikes have slid out from underneath them? Just a small waiver, just a little wiggle, for us, god, please? No? Darn.

Meanwhile, Br's wife D., still recovering from an injury sustained while skiing, had voted with her feet and was busy cycling up the hill as the rest of us were still trying to figure out how not to be outdone by dirt bikes. Sensibly, we followed D.

What to do next? Where to ride? We'd been cooped up too long - three '1 in 50' year floods in under 6 months has left us with cabin fever and then some. We even considered riding up to Sealy Lookout. Well, it'd be a nice cruisy ride down. Wind in the fur and all that, but where would we get coffee?

Cr. came to the rescue, and suggested that if we didn't mind a short ride along the Pacific Highway we could have coffee at her place. With thoughts of the wonderful downhill run of Bruxner Park Rd - 5 km, curves all the way we set off. Yee ha! Those of us with husbands / partners / spouses present already thinking that we would send our beloveds back to fetch the cars parked at the top to save us the tedious uphill climb at the end of our ride. Who said cyclists don't think ahead?

The team re-assembled at the junction of Bruxner Pk Rd and the Highway. Robert's only complaint about his brand new trike was that his flag kept coming out. His wife of 34 years rolled her eyes to the heavens, said 'I could do a lot with that line' and pedalled away quickly.

Now, for the highway! It has a nice wide shoulder at this point and we were cycling in a group, so 'no worries'. Sadly, what appears to be a slight uphill gradient in a car travelling at 80 km/hr is not perceived as the same slight gradient on a bicycle or recumbent tricycle. The slope seems to be steeper from the latter vantage point - even for those who bring their lounge chairs with them.

Although Carolyn has repeatedly assured her upright companions that people have ridden around Australia on recumbent trikes, at this stage she was getting decidedly puffed and becoming unconvinced by her own words. Her pedals were unexpectedly difficult to turn, the gear necessary much lower than that anticipated when the hill had been first sighted and sized up. As the pedals turned slowly, muscles strained, Carolyn's thoughts turned to stopping to check if there was a problem with her formerly reliable stead. Wasn't a flat tyre enough bad luck for one sunny morning?

But, it was the highway, and perceptions had changed again - what was formerly a wide shoulder for riding became much narrower when stopping was contemplated - and who would help? In her rear view mirror, Robert appeared far behind, battling his new vehicle with old muscle groups newly used. Cycling behind Carolyn was H. Carolyn sensed that H. was having trouble just keeping her balance at such a slow speed. There was no room for Carolyn to let her overtake safely. And putting H. at risk by stopping on this narrow verge was unthinkable. Then Br., D's husband, was sighted in the far distance. He had waited at the point where the group was to turn off the highway. So, ride on, MacDuff! (aka MacCarolyn). Get off the highway, and then check your vehicle.

Unfortunately, while thinking all this, Carolyn sadly missed the allure and safety of the entry to a wide bus bay, designed for the delivery of children to school. You may well be asking "How could she possibly miss that?" Indeed, in reporting this, Carolyn is asking herself the same question. She has no explanation. Her only excuse is she had her eyes on the prize - the turn off the highway and the safety of Br. who has great mechanical aptitude and seems always willing to help even the most foolish, potential road pizza. So, Carolyn sailed down the road shoulder, which had become even narrower, on the wrong side of a 1 metre high concrete road barrier. Aarghh! Grrrrr ...

Finally, the safety of the turn and Br., whose puzzled look meant that Carolyn kept cycling - after all it was now a down hill run - problem solved. Half-way up the next hill Carolyn was pleased to see some of the group stopped, and as her legs were now saying "no way" yet again, Carolyn decided to avail herself of the opportunity and stopped. Cutting this long story short, the rear mud guard had come off its bracket and ensconced itself firmly on the back tyre. Note to self - this arrangement makes an excellent brake. The problem was permanently solved this time with more than a little help from her friends.

Cycling a short distance up hill, down dale and along some good dirt road we arrived at Cr's. Thankyou Cr. for your impromptu hospitality and exquisite views of both the coast and hinterland. After a brief respite, coffee and cake, we were on our way again.

On the way back, the debate became: "To cross or not to cross?" (the highway that is). It was decided that each should choose their own poison. Robert and Carolyn taking up the rear were informed of this by Da. who had kindly waited for us. Carolyn, lured by the siren call of the bus bay, said "let's stay on this side, and cycle against the flow of traffic". Her understanding was that the aforementioned wide shoulder is actually an official cycle way. At least that was the story she was going to spin to any highway patrol officer who happened to pass by. Having made this decision she set off. Along the way she remembered that it was a long weekend with double demerit points, and in NSW, any traffic infringement comes off your driving licence. Hmm... how many points is cycling the wrong way on the highway worth? If, indeed, it was the wrong way .... don't tell me, I do not want to know. It is over, and I got safely back to the beginning of Bruxner Park Road.

What comes down, must go up and after all the 5 km downhill run had been fun. Shortly before Hannaford's Corner, D. was sighted cruising down the hill. A look of pure bliss on her face. Where was her husband Br.? Where was the camera? Yes, Br. was indeed driving the car down, allowing D. a "free" ride all the way down. Wheee ... ! Yahooo ... ! What a good idea! "Robert, would you mind ....... ?"

Unfortunately, in a spirit of true egalitarianism, by the time Robert and Carolyn got to the carpark, Carolyn had decided that a coin toss would be fairer. Why unfortunate? Read on.

Robert won the toss. Carolyn thought briefly of suggesting "Heads I win, tails you lose" but thought this would be unfair. Instead she chose heads and stuck to it. Tails won, and Robert started down the hill, with Carolyn trailing behind.

Carolyn decided to enjoy the drive. A nice, slow 40 km / hr in low gear was 'just the ticket'. This would allow her time to enjoy Paul Kelly (on CD, not in body, if only ... ) and the view out to sea on this beautiful, perfect, sky blue afternoon. Robert was intermittently sited ahead of her as he negotiated the corners. All was right with the world. Blue sky, glimpses of Robert's blue shirt on his new, cobalt blue trike. Magnificient. Five minutes to one, lunch at home.

Come around the bend to Hannaford's Corner. Spy Robert sprawled in the gutter on the wrong side of the road. He's now sitting upright. My first thought is that he is positioned where the driver of a car coming up the hill around the blind corner could not possibly see him. My next thought is "why would anyone choose to sit there?" and "what a silly thing to do". Then, it dawns on me. My heart simultaneously thumps in my chest and leaps into my throat. The trike is on its side, one wheel still spinning. He has had a tumble, taken a fall, stacked his pushie. He looks shaken sitting there in the unmade, dirt gutter apparently unharmed but in harm's way.

I park at Hannaford's Corner - thank god for their wide driveway. I walk up to Robert as calmly as I can. He lies down again from his seated position - he almost falls from sitting to lying if that is possible. He is dizzy. I think heart attack? blood pressure? His pinkie is wounded, bleeding. The fingerless gloves, double layer of long sleeves and helmet have saved him from too much damage but he is still lying in this deadly location.

I ask him if he can stand. He breathes "dizzy" and sort of flops down. I reply with what I hope is a firm, calm voice which does not reveal the terror I feel "You can't stay here. It's too dangerous. You must get off the road." I move his trike the five metres down to the car and open the passenger door. I return for him. Still dizzy, I insist he make the effort to stand and get off the road. Somehow, we get him up. I tell him to lean on me, and surprisingly, he does. He must be feeling really dizzy. Robert is very independent. We get back to the car. He is starting to feel better, and I am beginning to realise that there appears to be no major physical damage done.

I ask him if he wants to go to the hospital. It is Sunday afternoon on a long week-end and we both know the wait in emergency will be long and tedious for what are minor injuries. He says "no, I feel okay" and "I don't think that's necessary". Regardless, I decide to take him to the hospital. I put his trike in the back of the station wagon beside mine. I spend the 15 minute drive convincing him that the wait in emergency will be worth it. "Man of his age should get checked out ... etc etc". He is acquiescent.

In the hospital carpark, we check his helmet again for scratches or signs of damage. There are none. He says he did not hit his head. The triage nurse interviews him, I interject during this with "he's on warfarin". The triage nurse nods, and it dawns on me that of course this is significant. It is used to poison rats. It causes them to haemorrhage internally, they bleed to death from the inside out. In humans, warfarin is used to increase the time it takes the blood to clot.

"Why do you take warfarin?" says the nurse.

Robert was prescribed this after developing a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) in the leg and three PE (pulmonary embolisms) in the lungs about six months ago.

Next, the triage nurse asks "Have you been admitted to this hospital before?". I cannot help a wry smile, and reply "this is where the DVT was diagnosed". His leg had swelled up like a balloon after a BUG Sunday breakfast ride that he had lead. He is triaged as category 5. There are five categories, and, to our relief and just as we thought, he is in the lowest. But, the nurse is keen to get his chest checked by a doctor. I leave and 5 hours later our 23 year old son returns to collect him from casualty. The wait was not as long as expected for such a busy Sunday.

Robert's pinkie has been dressed professionally by the male nurse, and his chest checked by the female doctor. Tetanus shot injected, the patient rests at home nursing his wounded pride.

The next day, Robert summons the courage to examine his trike. Our son, who has been eyeing off his father's Trek bike ever since the order for the trike was placed, accompanies him to the garage. They share a male bonding experience. There is much grunting, spinning of wheels, commiserations over scratches on the mudguard and wheel hub, but, essentially the trike is sound.

Robert donns his helmet and takes the trike for a spin in the cul-de-sac. All is forgiven. Our son checks over his father's bike, adjusts the seat, fixes the rear brake, borrows Robert's helmet and takes the bike for a spin. All is right with the world.

Ironically, Carolyn had thought that Robert would be safer on a trike. What's that catch phrase used on the BUG official ride disclaimer? It goes something like: "Participants are reminded that cycling is an inherently dangerous activity, and do so at their own risk". Three wheels have got to be better than two.

It took Carolyn eight months of trike ownership before finally tipping her trike over in the carpark. She had been doing figure eights on a wet bitumen surface while waiting for others to arrive. The figure eights had gotten tighter and faster until the trike had finally given in. It was a slow motion tip, no damage done. This is not to say she has not scooted down hills way too fast - 55 km/hr on North Bank Road's curves near Bellingen was way too fast.

The good news is: no permanent damage done to Robert or his trike. The fresh grazes on his right elbow are below the scars from his fall three months ago. This last tumble off the Trek lead to his decision to order the trike. The grazes on the back of his shoulder from the trike slide yesterday are below the scars from the bike fall twelve months ago. In the end, it was good fun and we're still alive. Hopefully, Robert learned something about the limits of his trike and won't make that mistake again in a hurry.

And sometimes it's just great to know we can still take a walk on the wild side.

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