Solo Ventures

With the "kids" away for a few days i needed no encouragement to go sailing.  My only dilemma was choosing the best place to sail.  I ended up putting her in at Rat Mines. We rowed off a bit (to clear the lee shore!?), set sail & headed SE in a lovely early summer's morning sea breeze.  Clear of Coalminers' Point the breeze showed signs of restlessness & i sharpened me eyes to prevent a capsize.  On open water Lurgy showed she was skilled,  like a retired madam. Off Whingy Whingy Point entering a neck of water before sighting Pullbar Island,  I had second thoughts. Going through this chute in a freshening wind with no reefing lines would bird be prudent.  Heading north,  sailing a broad reach, the wind chop slapped on the already percussive hull.  Sparkles of light-shot wash danced of the bow,  the sails thrilled as I feathered the main during gusts.  An anchorage in behind a headland midway up the lake offered a quiet moment to put my head on str

" I   stand out as unique in a sea of mediocrity"                          Steve Green This statement drops with romantic adventure while being critical of others. The author is prone to bouts of extravagant self reflection, but I feel it's innocently done in order to inspire his readers (and keep them buying his books). Nevertheless the basic message, that triking far is rewarding,  is a common praise of cycling.  YouTube YouTube channel David Rides a Trike is inspiring David a gentler way. In the introduction to each video,  David provides his health resume,  and closes matter of factly with a description of him having " stage for cancer throughout ... doctors making me as comfortable as possible ". David has only recently passed away,  but in this  video he describes how he had been feeling poorly earlier in the day and made a plan to take his medications and sleep with an alarm set for 1:30pm. He hoped,  that then he may feel better and go out for a ride. 

A Car-Free Commute With new Christmas gifts I set off to the Big Smoke to get anti-tick treatment for our cats. In recent weeks we've lost four kittens and removed countless ticks.  Clearly,  it is a bad season and or current regime is failing us.  Gadgets Both New & Old So,  with twin flags,  frame mounted pump,  phone holder & mounted GoPro, we headed south. Being a public holiday and directly after Christmas, the roads were quiet. I still choose to navigate C and D grade roads in the main, avoiding the majors where delivery trucks,  caravans and country boys in utes were driving.   What with pre-Christmas workload, shopping and focus on my first sail with Lurgy, I had not ridden barefoot nearly for weeks and it felt good to be out early. I passed a few roadies and we all seemed pretty happy to be spinning away the fat from Christmas treats.   Dabbling With GoPro I've no idea whether the gopro was doing anything useful beyond flashing red continually.  Funny how peopl

 Next week I turn 62. While my son was taking a driving test on Monday I enjoyed a little break at the library.  Apart from the old birds quaffing tea in the coffee shop desperately eyeing me over as a potential mate before they kark it, it was quite enjoyable.  On the theme of ageing I picked a title "Getting The Most Out of Your Life at Any Age". I skipped to the Chapter "57 to 64 Years: Renaissance of the Soul". The author was describing guy ds as an age when you choose couch or adventure.  He encouraged us to feed our  hearts with new experiences & not get stuck in a rut.  Hear hear I say.   I don't want to change anything directions wise. I do really want to ramp up the intensity of those things I do like to do; sailing & trike touring. foAms,  for the first time ever I have a trike capable of touring and a lovely little clinker sailboat ready to go.   The barriers are:  * Being a sole parent to my young adult children. => my son will soon get hi

As you begin a maiden voyage in a boat,  your doubting mind can forecast destruction. I wish I had a dollar for each catastrophization I conjured up for today. It wasn't just me either,  after my boat was posted for sail,  the keyboard sailors predicted that this "vintage sailing dinghy" would 've riddled with rot! So, bilges were sounded, bare timbers coated and wheel bearings greased.  But doubt lingered,  peaking as we neared the water's edge for launch,  and the christening of a new name.   But like the experienced timber boat she is,   "Lurgy" seemed to take me by the hand and sail herself. Within seconds we were floating in space surrounded by nature and a silence only sailing in a calm can offer.     Instantly,  the strains of boat restoration, sole parenting,  car repair and self employment melted away. Just me and my boat,  no electrics,  no motor,  no phone,  on the smallest highland impoundment for miles.    " Lurgurina" was afloat

Today I removed the original bow bracket on the trailer,  & installed installed from my old Mirror trailer. 

 Well,  as always the choice was a) go to work, or b) ride my trike. So,  I carted my GT5 to Vacy park & set her up with 2 flags ( for the first time). Before I even got to the loop the flags paid off, a car stopped to offer me right of  way over the single lane bridge!  Kicking off with flags.  Moo moos on the arduous section.  There's no glossing over it,  the initial section of the loop is bloody arduous. There are three long granny gear hills & because you're going slow,  the traffic here is pretty high. A fantastic reward arrives hot on the back of the last hill,  a long day downhill.  Across the new bridge & a left onto the gravel.  Over the next 10km or so,  there is little traffic, rural views & smooth gravel. I tried filming but had to delete most of it sure to fingers over the lens & so on.  Anyway,  it was good to be out; a cool south east breeze,  3/8 clouds & all natural scenery.  My latest gear cable tweak saw us pulling most if not all, th