ajft.org

Mon ⛅ moistly home

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:22:00 +1100

A pleasant ride home in a light rain, seems the humidity is even higher than this morning, but because its actually raining now it felt a bit cooler and more enjoyable. Mud and muck spraying about everywhere, stressed-out drivers flying past splashing the puddles up across the path, overall quite a decent ride home Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 93%, Wind 3m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon 🌧 steamy tropics commute

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:09:00 +1100

Eww, the humidity, the humidity. The puddles. The drips. The misty half-fog The normal commute route, but oh boy was it steamy Light rain, 19°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Sun, 01 Mar 2026 15:34:00 +1100

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Sun ⛅ mewandering about

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 13:48:00 +1100

A lazy Sunday afternoon ride around, mostly Mount Waverley, following the #wandrer map but avoiding some of the steep bits. Only got exciting once as I nearly went over someone’s bonnet … perhaps next time he’ll not try the short cut the wrong way around the roundabout, or perhaps he’ll just do it again and yell louder next time Overcast clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 4m/s from NNE - by Klimat

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Sun, 01 Mar 2026 12:32:00 +1100

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Sun, 01 Mar 2026 05:39:00 +1100

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Sat ⛅ chores

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 12:18:00 +1100

To Carnegie and back for assorted shopping needs, including brake pads for the AWOL. Fingers crossed I got the right ones for the growtac brakes Broken clouds, 26°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ⛅ just shopping

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 08:04:00 +1100

Saturday morning, the usual quick dash up to the fish shop and bakery and home again Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 creek commute home

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:04:00 +1100

Dark threatening thunderclouds, but only a couple of spots of rain. I’d left it a bit later than I hoped – the LBS got my hopes up that the AWOL would be ready by 5pm, so I’d planned on collecting it and riding that home, leaving the #fixie in the office. Alas, a last minute phone call and it was not to be Warm, humid, dark … and a solid row of cars illegally parked in the bike lane on Gardiner road.

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Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:06:00 +1100

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Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:03:00 +1100

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Fri ⛅ home2work

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:10:00 +1100

Dodged the traffic, dodged the garbage trucks, dodged the drivers turning across the bike lane. I even managed to dodge the campus security and their overzealous bike locks as I snuck in to grab a coffee with only a pretend chain & helmet strap looped around the #fixie Surprise surprise, I found another two NO2 cylinders on the Djerring Trail in Oakleigh, they are simply everywhere. Kind of scary to think just how many people out there are off their scones while driving and riding around

Thu ⛅ shortish local loop

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:10:00 +1100

Surprisingly warm out there. A suburb one way, two the other, Djerring and Scotchmans Creek Trails and the bits in between Surprise surprise, another two large NO2 cylinders dumped on the trail, that makes four on the Djerring in Hughesdale, but at least the two on the Scotchmans in Oakleigh have been collected by the council … or other Overcast clouds, 24°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 3m/s from SSE - by Klimat

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Thu, 26 Feb 2026 07:08:00 +1100

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Wed ⛅ who needs pants

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:06:00 +1100

Well, someone needs pants, so I have to go and fetch them from the pants donor. May as well combine the chores with the daily ride, so I did. To the west, Caulfield and parts nearby, then home, carefully avoiding the tram track crossing by NOT riding along Normanby road near Caulfield Station Broken clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 6m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ weather dodging

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:33:00 +1100

Torrential thunderstorms were forecast for today, and arrived in mid-afternoon. I left work after them and rode home on wet roads under blue skies. Spouse will leave work even later and will ride home on wet roads. Teenager left school at precisely 3pm, thought “how wet can I get, I mean, it looks like it might ease off?” … well it didn’t and they found out Lots of puddles and debris, and the usual stinky slimy slippery mess in the tunnel under the freeway.

Tue ⛅ o-week commute

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:05:00 +1100

Fairly usual ride to work, but then a giant conga line of students milling about from bus loop to Menzies Building, nose-to-tail and all staring at their phones. Finally one noticed me as I got about a metre away and stopped to let me through the queue, then the guy behind him walked straight into his back … while staring at his phone No signs either of the forecast apocalyptic storms and flooding.

Mon ☀️ homewards commute

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:42:00 +1100

Down the creek then up and over the hill. Not entirely sure why I bother with that last bit rather than around Logie and Drummond Streets along the flat, its just the silliness of the bike lane that doesn’t seem to be where anyone would want a bike lane to be. The zig-zags to cross the side streets, the hill, the badly executed endings at both the Atherton Road and Dandenong Road traffic lights … it just screams “We’re from the government, we’re here to help”

Mon ☀️ to work to work

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:18:00 +1100

Monday morning, off to work. I think it’s O-Week this week, but you couldn’t tell from the traffic or the people about Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun 🌧 summer rain sunday

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 14:14:00 +1100

Back lanes / in the rains / slip on the drains / aint got no brains … Another suburban loop of about two hours, today in intermittent light rain. Very grey, peaceful and pleasant. Architecture and gardens, unexplored side roads. Very much a Sunday in suburbia Light rain, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

I lugged the pressure washer up the ladder onto the roof and blasted the lichen off the transparent deck sections

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 13:30:00 +1100

It cleaned up surprisingly easily and should let a bit more light in below

Sat ☀️ shopping variety

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:16:00 +1100

Normal shopping, but Garmin oddities The Garmin has gone off into a weird state, I charged it fully yesterday then thought I’d turned it off when I got home. Down to 2% this morning, and powered off somewhere on the way home. Plugged it back in to the charger and it says it is charging, managed to save the ride, but the power button won’t turn it off, just clicks and if held tries to send the “emergency contact’.

Fri ☀️ creek commute

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:48:00 +1100

Scotchmans Creek Trail on a warm afternoon, downstream as far as East Malvern station then up alongside the Urban Forest – not through it today, taking it easy for the #fixie skinny tyres. Then the path through Boyd Park – watch out, six gents with a beer each are playing bowls … from one side of the path to the other. The crossing lights where the shared path crosses Neerim Road still haven’t been commissioned, mañana, mañana …

Fri ☀️ commutage

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:15:00 +1100

The usual route to work, but as it is Friday, added garbage trucks in Clayton to deal with – and today it was near grid-lock in Kanooka Grove. With cars parked both sides of the street, drivers heading up the hill and a garbage truck trying to squeeze through down the hill, everyone had to stop and wait while old mate smelly-truck made his way past, tipping bins over as he went

Thu ☀️ WFH djerring nw

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:33:00 +1100

Sort of the opposite of yesterday, except shorter, and without any exploration. A lunch break jaunt to Carnegie and back Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Thu, 19 Feb 2026 05:48:00 +1100

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Wed ☀️ WFH djerring se

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:31:00 +1100

An afternoon break while WFH, down along the Djerring Trail to Westall, diverting off into a housing estate to finally ride the last few lanes, then thought about another one at the end but thought I’d better come home and back to work Clear sky, 24°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 46%, Wind 0m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ windy commute home

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:17:00 +1100

A major slog north along Gardiners Road and Forster Road, straight into the hot headwind. Then much easier along the creek through the trees Broken clouds, 33°C, Feels like 31°C, Humidity 23%, Wind 6m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ☀️ warm to work

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:01:00 +1100

Back to the usual morning commute, but with a tiny detour down the lanes at the back of the Clayton shops and back, probably slower, but avoids the station Clear sky, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 6m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Tue, 17 Feb 2026 06:12:00 +1100

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Mon ☀️ hot commute home

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:13:00 +1100

It was hotter outside than I expected, forecast was low 30s, reality was high. The further I got on my #wandrer induced meanders, the more I regretted the colouring-in competition. I did satisfy my curiousity about the large empty block to the west of Westall Road – it’s a bulldozed old industrial estate, fenced off and inaccessible. No chance of riding the small roads shown in there on the map! I did get to complete the twisty little lanes and driveways in a townhouse complex in Westall though, then bolted straight home up the Djerring

Mon ☀️ commute variation

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:04:00 +1100

I was bored with the usual route to work, time to mix it up a bit. Half way along Scotchmans Creek Trail, then south and east through the suburb. Crossing Ferntree Gully Road is a pain Clear sky, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ☀️ meandering suburbia

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 14:05:00 +1100

A couple of hours out and about chasing streets I’d missed in Wandrer, and blocks in that other silly game – Squadrats. Along the way I found a square that Jo stumbled on a few weeks ago, but missed a sneaky path cut-through somewhere in the same area. Hot, and no let up on the pedals on the #fixie Clear sky, 28°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat

Sat ⛅ more shopping

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 15:23:00 +1100

Off to Chadstone to visit ALDI for some essential household supplied … but once there, one must find ALDI, as it seems to have moved since I was last here. Wow, such a lovely sunny day but all these people choose to go and walk around inside a large shopping mall. Most unusual Overcast clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 4m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ⛅ pillow shopping

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 09:36:00 +1100

Another silly little shopping ride, this time up to Carnegie for a new pillow. How very homemaker of me. Oh my goodness, I am confronted by a wall of 200+ size shape and density pillow. I believe I have selected a suitable one, now to get it home, and there are challenges … … one does not simply ride a #fixie while carrying a pillow into a headwind Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat

Sat ⛅ morning shopping

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 07:57:00 +1100

The usual weekly pre-breakfast Saturday shopping; bread, fish, home Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 0m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ an industrial wander

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:30:00 +1100

Being able to load the #wandrer maps into the Garmin makes for much fun in finding odd little spots that together Garmin and Wandrer think I’ve never ridden – maybe I did, long ago, but oh no, “if its not on strava, it didn’t happen” A bit of the industrial bits of Notting Hill to fill in the blanks, including discovering that a “dead end street” ends in a business car park, and that the car park goes around a building and comes out on the next street.

Fri ⛅ fixie commute

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:04:00 +1100

It’s been a while since I rode the #fixie to work, but today I’m glad there’s a spare bike. Ho hum, same route as always Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

10¢[1] may have died in the heatwave – perhaps not entirely crisped up, but only traces of green remain

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 07:55:00 +1100

[1] the paperbark/melaleuca rescued from Bunnings cheap pots for 10¢

Thu ⛅ fixie toobs

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:06:00 +1100

Re-fix the fixie flat, having blown a patch off the tube. Used my last spare, so off on a shopping trip to one of several LBS Some wriggles about; the Boyd Park crossing traffic lights are installed, but not yet operational. A lane I tried as a shortcut was a dead-end. A local cafe-restaurant has been reborn as a different nationality, perhaps this one will last more than 3 months

Wed ⛅ commute and to LBS

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:02:00 +1100

Sometime before Christmas I’d intended to replace the chain on the AWOL, but life got in the way and it didn’t happen. Oh dear oh dear. A certain amount of wear-and-tear has occurred, and a wallet lightening is required … Off to work to earn the money, then to the LBS to drop off the bike and spend the money Broken clouds, 22°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 36%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat

Tue ⛅ home again again

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:42:00 +1100

There’s not a lot to say about the commute route, same same. A tiny variation in following the new separated bike lane up and over the hill, then around to the cash-for-cans depot and circling the block to get back on my usual ride. I do wonder how many people use this path Scattered clouds, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 4m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ another home2work

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:08:00 +1100

One degree lower than yesterday morning, 10 percent less humidity Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ humidly homeward

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:18:00 +1100

Still very humid this afternoon, at least under the trees along the creek it feels a little cooler, and there’s a shower waiting when I get home Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 0m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ steamy commute

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:08:00 +1100

At first I thought it was pleasantly cloudy and cool, then by about half way down to Huntingdale I realised just how humid it was. By the time I got to work I was dripping Broken clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ shiny exploration

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 13:07:00 +1100

Out and about exploring some gravel and trails where I could, out under a dark cloudy sky and south to Karkarook Lake, arriving just as the a few spots of rain started to roll in. Riding around the lake there was a bright flash of colour from a table of partying young women determined to have their champagne picnic hen’s outing – they called me over as I rode past and asked me to take their collective photo, then I took one for myself

Sat ☀️ just the shopping

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 08:09:00 +1100

Same again Sam … or whatever it is. Shops, fish, bread, home, breakfast Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 1m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ home again

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:56:00 +1100

The pests on high-power electric bikes are getting more of a problem. Nearly got collected as one guy overtook me at 20cm and I’m guessing 45-50km/hr, then got to watch as three others went wheelying up Atherton road through the red light as pedestrians crossed Clear sky, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ to work

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 08:05:00 +1100

Cooler, maybe almost feels like an autumn morning. Sunny, no wind, no cars, very pleasant Clear sky, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 1m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ around and about

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:58:00 +1100

Working from home I took a break and went out for half an hour … maybe three-quarters. Ended up having so much fun wiggling about on streets I’d never ridden that it was probably about double that by the time I got home. The joys of having the #wandrer map in my Garmin! Up and down, around there, back here, oops, here I am trying to cross Huntingdale Road in the middle of the block.

Wed ⛅ wfh afternoon break

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:40:00 +1100

The break in the afternoon while working from home, down through Boyd Park and the Urband Forest to East Malvern station, then up along the Anniversary Trail. Rather than take the Ferndale Trail back down I followed some of the half-remembered bits of the map that #wandrer said I’ve not yet coloured in. A trifle haphazard, but that’s a bit more of the map done Broken clouds, 26°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat

Tue ☀️ commute work2polis2home

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:38:00 +1100

A more successful visit to the local constabulary, albeit with a ten minute wait before someone appeared at the service counter. Latest two pieces of #roadsidefind handed in; the Samsung S24 from January and a bunch of ID cards including some Indian dude’s drivers license Bit warm too, much warmer than this morning Clear sky, 30°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 17%, Wind 4m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ☀️ home2polis2work

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 08:03:00 +1100

Tried to drop off some found objects at the local cop shop, but got there to find they keep gentlemen’s hours – don’t open until 10am. Oh well, I shall continue to ride around with a found phone and an Indian drivers license, may try again on the way home Then down to Clayton, up to work Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat

Mon ☀️ commute work2home

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:55:00 +1100

Pardon me for being the old man yelling at clouds, but that’s two close calls with yoof hoons on e-motorbikes in two days. Nowhere near as close as yesterday, but head-on squeeze past as they overtake a pedestrian. Could probably figure out which school uniform they were wearing … North to Scotchmans Creek Trail – pausing only to reattach a load precariously balanced on the pizza rack, then down the creek past the wetlands, acknowledging that today is World Wetlands Day.

Mon ☀️ onwards to work

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:08:00 +1100

Excellent timing; 08.08 on 02.02, but that was probably the most interesting bit. A commute, boring. I guess boring is good, no muppets trying to drive into me, although there’s the usual one stopped diagonally across the Dandenong Road counter-flow bike lane preventing anyone riding through Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 4m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ the full djerring

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 14:58:00 +1100

The full length of the Djerring Trail; home up to Caulfield, then back and all the way out to Yarraman, turn around and come home Windy, with one very close call with da yoof on da electric motorbike. My advice to same would be to watch where the #@#$@# you’re going if you’re up on one wheel at 40km/hr or more, and not watch the train going past then land it crossed up and pointing at an oncoming cyclist.

Sat ⛅ shopping

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 08:07:00 +1100

Yeah yeah. Saturday. Shops, fish shop, bakery, home Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ short commute home

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 17:22:00 +1100

Oops! Left it a bit late, home in a hurry to get to the cinema for a movie. Shortest route, straight down North Road. Ignored the bike path down the middle and used the road – one has multiple stop & give-way crossings for all the side roads and one does not, guess which one I used. Yep, the road. Only drawback is that due to the huge number of buses the lane is badly broken up and potholed

Ouch! I tried to by a CD. €14 for the CD, then $AU41 for the shipping!

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:13:00 +1100

Fri ⛅ home2work

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:05:00 +1100

Yesterday’s tube patch on the #fixie went flat overnight, so back on the AWOL to work. The usual Oakleigh shenanigans at pedestrian crossings near the station, this time I stopped for someone only to have her stop, walk backwards off the crossing and insist that I go as “I in no hurry”. By the time I’d figured out what she’d said half a dozen others were crossing anyway so I still had to wait.

Thu ⛅ fixin da fixie

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:40:00 +1100

Loops and twirls around the ‘burb, taking the #fixie for a spin after fixing the snakebite flat. Damn you tram tracks, and you in particular, Normanby Road tram track corner! Half an hour outside on my first day back after a week of camping; puncture repair and ride instead of a morning coffee. The new traffic light bike-path crossing on Neerim Road is progressing, I’d have preferred a raised “Give Way” crossing without having to stop and wait for the beg button, but I guess as its used by the local primary school the road people prefer this option

Wed ⛅ team car dropoff

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:28:00 +1100

What day is it? Wednesday, definitely Wednesday. Last day of leave, first day of school for lots of kids. A short drive to drop the team car off to have for repairs and a ride home through commuters and school traffic. Unpleasantly different to rolling around in the country roads of the north-east Broken clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ life begins at 40

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:36:00 +1100

A stupidly hot day and we have to pack up the camping gear and drive back to Melbourne, where & when will I squeeze in a bike ride without frying myself? Evening time, still stupidly hot although the sun is starting to dip down, perhaps a very gentle roll around the suburb to get the essentials – milk for a cup of tea and noodles from Mr Hot Wok, my candidate for Australian of the Year – anyone who can stand in front of a flaming wok & smile & cook me dinner deserves a medal today

Mon ☀️ teeny tiny bakery

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 07:45:00 +1100

A long ride yesterday, a short ride today, possibly one of the shortest I’ve kept a record of. I think I only bother so I can pretend to have ridden every day of the year, it didn’t even make it to a mile for those using Imperial measures Around the block from the caravan park to the bakery for bread and bread rolls, then back for breakfast and to make lunch for a hike later in the day, up in the mountains to escape from the forecast high temperatures down here

Sun ⛅ buffalo and a bit more

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 07:36:00 +1100

An invitation for a ride up Mount Buffalo with a couple of friends, I couldn’t refuse, although for the first few kilometres out of Bright I was starting to wonder if I’d manage to stay with them to the start of the National Park, let alone up the mountain! All very civilised and friendly though, the five of us kept a comfortable pace all the way up to the chalet with me slipping off the back for the last kilometre or so and telling them to go on

Sat ☀️ bright harrietville trail

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 09:14:00 +1100

A couple of hours cycling up the trail from Bright to Harrietville and back, a very enjoyable coffee at the midpoint, following an impromptu stop at a fallen tree 10km from H’ville. The tree was gone by the time we returned – magic trail maintenance fairies at work, probably a good thing as although we’d been told by the coffee van “oh, you should probably phone them about the tree”, there was no information about who “them” was

Fri ☀️ bright porepunkah wandiligong

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 14:29:00 +1100

An after-lunch ride from Bright with some friends out to Wandiligong to visit Nightingale Bros., but Jo and got in some extra kilometres by riding down the rail trail to Porepunkah and back first. Then a lazy time sitting around at the orchard with icy cold slushies, and back via the Wandi pub and another hour or so sitting in the beer garden there Clear sky, 29°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 20%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat

Thu ☀️ wandi warmup

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:19:00 +1100

First day of the annual trip up to Bright, thankfully not as hot as some years as we unpacked the car and set up the tents. Then it was time to hop on the bike for my daily ride, a gentle meander off along the bike path to Wandiligong and back. Saw a Sacred Kingfisher and lots of other birds on the way, then rode in along some of the single track and didn’t quite get to the Chinese Bridge, but stopped for a photo at one of the old shelters instead

Wed ☀️ physio visit and assault

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:18:00 +1100

Includes being attacked by a bloke on the Djerring Trail! Feral looking guy pushing a supermarket trolley full of crap down the middle of the path in Oakleigh, I slowed, rang my bell, called out “on your right”. So he then spun the trolley 90 degrees to be sideways across as much of the path as possible and kept walking square down the centre line. I slowed even more, pulled as far over as possible and started to go past and he slammed the trolley sideways into my thigh and shoved me off the path, yelling “F’ing on my f’ing right f’ya”.

Tue ☀️ the legendary commute

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 17:01:00 +1100

Woohoo, the local leg end is mine all mine. Until it passes back to one of the others, we seem to swap it back and forth a bit like a relay baton Clear sky, 27°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ home2work

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:04:00 +1100

Routine ride, like a broken record, down to Clayton, up to Monash Uni Broken clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 0m/s from ENE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ longer commute home

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:41:00 +1100

The creek commute, but a bit longer, downstream to East Malvern Station then up through the Urban Forest and wind through Murrumbeena Broken clouds, 29°C, Feels like 29°C, Humidity 39%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ☀️ injured commute

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:08:00 +1100

Lower back is very stiff and sore from whatever dumb thing I did on Saturday, pedalling is mostly OK, but bumps are not Clear sky, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ☀️ lake wander and coffee

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 14:22:00 +1100

Down to Karkarook lake for a lap around it and the gravelly block, a few tweaks on the way to touch some roads that #Wandrer says I’ve not yet ridden. Started heading north towards Bald Hills Reserve and Namitjira Park, then wriggled about some more – stumbling on a large Philippine festival. Made my way down to Springvale to sit in the sun and enjoy a Vietnamese Iced coffee, then home along the Djerring Trail

Read — “Hawkwind: Days of the Underground”

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Sat ⛅ morning shopping

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 08:13:00 +1100

Half way through the month and I’m finally home on a Saturday and off to do the usual shopping; fish, chicken, fresh bread Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ the windy windy way home

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 16:56:00 +1100

A longer ride home, an explore of some of the streets of Mount Waverley that the #wandrer map says I’ve never ridden. Dead ends and little side streets, turns out some of the streets on the map are inside an school, so no riding them. Quite windy, buffeting me about Broken clouds, 23°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 7m/s from ESE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ late commute made later

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:15:00 +1100

Which fool left his phone at home and had to turn around to go and get it? Rhetorical questions ‘r us. At least I’d only made it as far as Huntingdale Road this time, so the loop back home was quicker and shorter Second attempt was straight up the noisy bike path along North Road, then despite the time I called in for a coffee and … … my third coffee-related run-in with security!

Thu ⛅ fedifriends evening meetup

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:37:00 +1100

An hour on the #fixie in to the city, a couple of hours in the pub, an hour on the #fixie most of the way home and then that bloody tram track crossing at Caulfield and a blown rear tyre … again. No trains running, and no bikes allowed on the replacement buses, so it was the midnight walk of shame home from Caulfield I think it was the first time I’ve had a good ride the length of the St Kilda road separated bike lanes since the rail tunnel works have finished, so I finally got a good ride along there – even with seemingly hitting every single red light!

Wed ☀️ local loop

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 16:08:00 +1100

Out and about on the #fixie, up and over the hill one more time in the new bike lane and for the first time I’ve seen another cyclist … and a very large piece of electrical contractor equipment Down to the creek, downstream to East Malvern, westwards (ho) to Caulfield and back along the Djerring Trail. Oh look, here comes angry man with his off-leash fox terrier, seeing a cyclist coming he immediately squares up his shoulders, juts out his jaw and prepares to yell, shout and if he can reach, throw punches at anyone who dares suggest he put the damn thing on a leash and stop it darting around in front of cyclists.

Tue ⛅ commutage homewards

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:38:00 +1100

The creek commute, but with added silliness Riding along the creek path I overtook a dad with a toddler on a bike seat, and a 5yr old spinning along on a tiny bike ahead of them Then we entered teh tunnel Older kid hooted to his younger brother. Younger brother hooted back I hooted, loud making loud wolf-like Awooo! noises They retaliated, trying to out hoot, out honk, out howl me all through the tunnel

Tue ⛅ fixie commute

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:04:00 +1100

Home to work, down the path, up the hill, on the #fixie Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ homewards commute

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:43:00 +1100

Found that what I’d always thought was a car park entrance turned out to be a narrow internal lane through the hospital and – eventually – out the other side. Certainly not a short-cut, but an interesting change from my usual route Then detoured back north from the Djerring Trail up to Dandenong Road to re-use the new connector bike lane up and over the hill to Oakleigh shops. Thought that perhaps I should give it a few goes, help train the local motorists that there are bikes where the signs say there are bikes, and that they should start to pay attention to the “Give Way” signs at each side crossing.

Mon ☀️ commute with detour

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:32:00 +1100

Commute to work, but taking the Scotchmans Creek Trail and detouring up to Mount Waverley for an appointment. Caused the usual mirth and merriment on the rest of the ride to work by calling in at the drive-through coffee window in the bottleshop at the Nott, they always seem amused when someone on a bicycle comes through Clear sky, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat

Sun ⛅ GOR Wye River return

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 13:50:00 +1100

Hardly a trace of bushfire smoke today, and much cooler, so off down the GOR to Wye River for a coffee then back to Lorne – calling in at the Cumberland River lookout for the third photo of my bike in the same spot this holiday Scattered clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 48%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2026/0110/2012 – Reset your password

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 20:12:00 +1100

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Sat ☀️ smokey around town

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 13:38:00 +1100

A short ride up to Stony Creek then back through Lorne and out to the St George. Too smokey from the bushfires to continue, a few of the drivers had their brains turned off due to the conditions, so back to the pier and watched a bit of the Pier to Pub swim If only I’d known what the winds were going to do, as an hour or so later they changed direction and most of the smoke cleared away

Fri 🌧 bailed out at bellbrae

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:05:00 +1100

Intention was to rejoin family, but the wind was too strong and blew me off the road too much. Sand and corrugations don’t help either. Called for the team car as I could not face the thought of riding along the GOR on a Friday evening with that wind buffeting me … and I raise me cap to the cycle tourist quietly stealth camping in the bush at Bellbrae, may your tent pegs stay anchored tonight!

woken by a spatter of rain on the roof – a good thing, as the alarm is turned off and we need the rain

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 07:25:00 +1100

Thu ⛅ wandering and lunch

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:27:00 +1100

Wherein we ride along the Oakleigh separated bike lane for the second time, and meet the second illegally parked car. Not clear to me either what happens if you’re heading up the hill and the council garbage truck comes down the hill inside the bike lane collecting the bins. One of you has to climb over the concrete kerb Other than that, it was a whole bunch of fiddly bits finishing off the streets of Oakleigh that #wandrer says I ain’t yet wandered, and fetching a banh mi and Vietnamese iced coffee for lunch

Wed ☀️ snowgum shoe return

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 09:50:00 +1100

Yesterday I bought a pair of shoes. Yesterday evening I opened the box and found that the rivets are missing on one. Today I rode over as early as possible to avoid the heat and swap them Then coffee, then home, and … Police and bio-hazard cleanup crew outside the house and no trains on the rail line. Bugger. Person hit by train Clear sky, 34°C, Feels like 33°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 6m/s from N - by Klimat

I arrived home to see a blur of ginger vanish behind the shed – the feral cat is still here

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:30:00 +1100

Tue ⛅ warmthly homewards

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:11:00 +1100

Yay, first time using the new “separated bike lane” along Atkinson Street, an entire half block from Dandenong Road to Logie Street. Boo, lane was completely blocked by a SUV stopped to load and unload passengers – couldn’t pull up into the driveway, couldn’t park in a parking spot on the street, had to stop diagonally across the entire bike lane and block it, forcing cyclists out onto the now narrowed single lane of Atkinson Street

Tue ⛅ commute and cheap coffee

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:03:00 +1100

The joy of the commute; my favourite coffee shop is open so I can get a coffee on the way in for $4.80 and not have to pay $6+ GOR prices Serendipitously, I left at 8.03am and rode 8.03km Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

I have raked up the wreckage of the plum tree, demolished by Cockatoos[1] after the kernels of the plum stones

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 18:15:00 +1100

[1] Sulphur-crested cockatoo

Mon ☀️ commute with veges and beer

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 16:24:00 +1100

The commute home, but a bit of extra distance because I felt like more riding, a visit to one of Koornang Road’s green grocers because I need some veges, and a pause at Carnegie Commons for a beer because on the inside I’m still on holiday Clear sky, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ oh yay back to work

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:07:00 +1100

Such a dull and boring ride after a week away, and all very quiet with hardly anyone else back at work yet Broken clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Came home to an empty bird bath lying on its side – dried and blew over, or jumped into by that feral cat?

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 19:00:00 +1100

Sun ☀️ GOR to Torquay then Marshall

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 13:34:00 +1100

Lorne to home, riding destination is either Waurn Ponds or Marshall depending on how I’m feeling, or if I’m feeling motivated, maybe somewhere like Geelong or further back towards Melbourne. As it was I took the easy option of Marshall – take the GOR to Torquay, then north up Horseshoe Bend Road which takes you straight to the station Oh look, along the way I’ve found another phone at the side of the road.

Sat ⛅ Aireys lighthouse and Old Coach road

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 13:41:00 +1100

Guess what happens when you wear a newly acquired “Welcome to Yorkshire” jersey … a Scottish couple strike up a conversation to see if you rode here from there, or are from there. The joys of the op-shop jersey! Lorne to Aireys Inlet, a loop around the Old Couch Road before getting into Aireys, an iced coffee, then up to the lighthouse for the mandatory photo. A bit too much traffic on the GOR to be completely enjoyable, with a fair proportion of drivers passing way too close on the way home to Lorne

Fri ⛅ Kennett coffee, gelato, beer

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 13:54:00 +1100

Down the GOR to Kennett River for a coffee, then back to Lorne and an ice-cream, then a beer in the sun, then home. No koalas or parrots at Kennett River, just lots of tourists looking for same Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 3m/s from ESE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ 2026 FROTY

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 13:39:00 +1100

So what comes after the #LROTY? Well the #FROTY obviously Up to the falls and down the steep bit in to the car park, a short breather then back up the ridiculous climb to the main road. One day I will not be able to climb out of here and will have to walk, but not today. There was much amusement in my head at the driver behind who refused to overtake even though I was going 4km/hr, choosing to crawl up the hill behind and not pull out and pass despite the completely empty road

2026 Rainfall

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 1.0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 2.5 10 11 12 10.0 13 1.0 14 15 16 17 18 6.0 19 20 21 22 1.0 23 10.0 24 25 9.0 26 27 28 29 30 31 Tot. 1.0 39.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 YtD 1.0 40.5 40.5 40.5 40.

Birds Seen in 2026

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Third year in a row I’ve decided to log this here; following on from 2024 and last year. The first birds I heard on New Years Day were a pair of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos flying over the house as I lay in bed, I think they’ll always be my favourites. Then some a galah and some sparrows cheeping from the neighbour’s garden, but I hadn’t seen them yet, so I couldn’t put them in here just yet …

Wed ☀️ 2025 LROTY

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:02:00 +1100

The semi-ceremonial Last Ride of the Year, the #LROTY. There’ll always be one, I guess, providing there is some riding during the year, but I like to make sure its on the 31st and a little bit interesting. Today it was only a little bit, off down the #GOR from Lorne to Kennett River, a coffee, sit for a while and watch tourists drive in and drive out, then back to Lorne to sit and enjoy a beer.

Tue ⛅ windy and grey GOR

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:28:00 +1100

Blue skies no more, strong blustery winds made for a slog out to Wye River, then pushed and gusty swerves back. Coffee at Wye, then a beer at the Pacific back in Lorne with scattered raindrops starting. I stopped in at the Cumberland lookout on the way back to re-enact my photo from Saturday Overcast clouds, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 6m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “The Consolations of Philosophy”

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Mon ⛅ GOR and gravel to Aireys Inlet

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:30:00 +1100

The options for cycling out of Lorne are a bit restricted; you can either go north-east or south-west along the GOR, or one of two roads up the into the Otways and inland. There’s plenty of side options, but it can seem a bit constricting, so I was perusing the map and found a minor road on the way to Aireys Inlet that I suspected I’d never ridden. Sure enough, the all-knowing wandrer agrees, so off I went …

Sun ☀️ GOR Cape Patton return

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 13:42:00 +1100

Enjoyable afternoon out and back riding along the #GOR. A few too many of the usual idiot close pass drivers, then once I got to Cape Patton the was the ubiquitous tourist illegally flying a drone, and another bunch climbing over the barricade to get their selfies at the cliff edge. Great views, lovely breeze, clear skies Coming back was into the wind, a bit breezy but not too bad. Called in for a coffee at Kafe Koala at Kennett River, without spotting any koalas, I haven’t seen any here for ages.

Sat ⛅ GOR Mt Defiance return

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 16:29:00 +1100

The weather is wonderful, but my ankle is still aching and the traffic is a bit Christmas holidays. Down to Mt Defiance and back for a first holiday ride on the coast along the #GOR – the Great Ocean Road Few clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ boxing day meanderings

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 14:44:00 +1100

A lazy loop around; out to Mount Waverley and wiggle about through streets that wandrer says I’ve not yet ridden. There’s another colouring-in competition too, I found the squadrats webpage and linked it here as well. Fun and games as both seem to use the OpenStreetMap data for their roads, and some of the private roads, eg golf courses, are listed as public. Some of the laneways which are legally “roads” are listed as footpaths, so they don’t show up.

Thu ⛅ pudding ride

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 16:06:00 +1100

Stretching the legs and getting out of the house between family Christmas meal commitments, a gentle loop around the suburbs and a bit of an explore of a pocket between Waverley Road and the freeway, quiet suburban houses, but with the ever present roar of freeway traffic heard over the sound barrier wall An odd mix of completely empty smaller streets, no people out anywhere, and heavy traffic on the main roads as people drive from one Christmas commitment to another

Wed ⛅ the eve of consumption

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 14:25:00 +1100

My ankle is still aching so I’m still on the #fixie on the flat pedals, and out for an afternoon hour to loop around suburban streets. The current fun and games is finding the little red lines on the map that wandrer says I’ve not ridden, hence the strange loops and curlicues to the south and west Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 3m/s from W - by Klimat

Tue ☀️ the hill of Notting and home

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:28:00 +1100

OK, what fool originally titled this ride “Fri …” – just because its the last working day does not make it a Friday We finished up early for the last working day of the year, then I took myself off for a meandering bit of wandrering around Notting Hill, aided by the newly installed map on my Garmin. Up and down quiet suburban streets, plenty of people mowing lawns and washing cars, all getting ready for their family Christmas gatherings.

Tue ⛅ final 2025 commute

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 07:52:00 +1100

Something a little different, up the creek to get to work, then some meanderings to try and find a source of coffee. Nope. Nope. Nope. Aha! Success. Onwards, into the quiet solitude that is the last working day of the year for me Not the best weather, started out sunny, then some stealth misty rain snuck up on me around the Nott Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat

An amusing typo: "any last minute stocking fillers (bisons, t-shirts or titanium bikes(!))" … a bison would indeed fill a stocking

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 18:30:00 +1100

Thank you Curve Cycling for that little bit of Christmas cheer

Mon ⛅ explore a bit homewards

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:49:00 +1100

This afternoon I was perusing the maps in wandrer and saw that I’d never explored the ends of two interestingly symmetric dead end streets about half a suburb away … so off I went, the hard part was crossing Dandenong road, then off down industrial back streets and confirmed for myself that yes, they were indeed both dead-ends, with no sign of a helpful footpath or laneway off the end. Oh well, it keeps things interesting

Mon ⛅ 2025 penultimate home2work

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:22:00 +1100

Such a dramatic title for a damp grey ride on near empty roads and paths. I suspect that few are going to work today. One lot that are at work are the Police Crime Scene crew at a house I passed, and presumably the cause of said crime are also on the job Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

The plums are ripening so there's been a bird change-over; Blackbirds, Mynas, Starlings and some Rainbow Lorikeets

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 07:45:00 +1100

The cockatoos don’t seem interested once the fruit starts to ripen, even though they only crack the stones open to eat the kernels. Instead we have a constant squabbling horde of three pest species, and the occasional shriek of a lorikeet

Sun 🌧 moist meanderings

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 14:58:00 +1100

So this is … nearly … Christmas? Mid teen temperatures and rain all day I’d been watching the rain radar through the early afternoon and thought I had time between cloud banks for a ride. All would have been fine if I’d only gone as far as Solway Bridge to check on the roaring torrent of Gardiners Creek … but of course I had to head up for a little bit extra as I’d seen on Wandrer a street I could colour in.

A chance quiz question: "Who played the 60's song 96 Tears?" lead to an evening of Stranglers CDs

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 20:00:00 +1100

I didn’t know the answer, hadn’t realised that it was a cover, but I knew the song was on one of the Stranglers CDs so I hunted it out. This lead to a follow-on of a further couple of CDs of their music, and choice snippets from the Wikipedia page being read out

Sat ⛅ damp shopping

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 08:20:00 +1100

The temperature goes up, the temperature comes down. Melbourne heading towards Christmas, mid-30s for two days, then mid-teens and a light misty rain Shopping; fish and fresh bread and home for breakfast Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 0m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 tropical commute

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:23:00 +1100

Well last Friday’s record didn’t stand for long. Today there were around 25 cars illegally parked in the Gardiner road bike lane today, no chance of riding in it. Can barely ride the off-road path either, cars half-parked on it as well. The council claims they enforce the restrictions here, but not one of them had a ticket on the windscreen Cloudy and overcast, warm and steamy air with a few widely spaced large raindrops falling, splot, splot, splot.

Fri ⛅ commute oops commute

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:10:00 +1100

I got half way to work and realised that I’d left my phone on the charger. No phone means no login, so back home then a second attempt to get to work. I got there just in time to walk in the building and have to walk out the other side for our box-ticking compliance-required emergency evacuation. Friday Overcast clouds, 25°C, Feels like 25°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat

Thu ⛅ hot ride, cold beer, fixed gear

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:03:00 +1100

A gentle suburban meander on the #fixie, then a cold pint at Wines on Poath. I rode past the “construction” of the bike path up Hanover Street and absolutely nothing has happened since my last check, there’s a near chance of anything being open by Christmas, no changes to the traffic lights, still bollards, barricades and detour signs Few clouds, 31°C, Feels like 30°C, Humidity 31%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat

Wed ⛅ go fetch the car

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:10:00 +1100

A short and hot chore, down to the mechanics to collect the car from its annual service & wallet-emptying. Low to mid 30s, so a nice leisurely pace to not get too hot Scattered clouds, 32°C, Feels like 30°C, Humidity 30%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ and gently home

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:47:00 +1100

My ankle is sore and swollen and I’m sure I’d be advised to catch the bus, or stay home and rest. Any way, I rode, and I took it easy. All very quiet on the roads and paths as people wind down for their Christmas break Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ no hills commute

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:11:00 +1100

Sprained ankle recovery – riding is ok, walking is uncomfortable, cleats are impossible – or at least getting out of them would be. A gentle commute on the #fixie along the short and flat path up North Road Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

confronted by a headless ringtail possum carcase in the middle of the garden path – an unpleasant reminder of the half-wild local cat

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +1100

Mon ⛅ gentle ankle exercise

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +1100

Not sure if I should be completely resting it, but the silliness of riding every day overrides that, and so long as I take it easy and only roll around the suburb it doesn’t feel any different to walking around the house – less chance of wobbllng side-to-side too Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ sprained ankle Sunday

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 16:32:00 +1100

I managed to roll my ankle walking back from the shops this morning, so no cleats for a few days! Out for a very gentle roll around on the #fixie Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ⛅ the little bunyip ex pakenham

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 10:01:00 +1100

The shiny bike gets a proper outing. Train to East pakenham then zig-zaggy gravel farm roads to Bunyip. North across the freeway and most of the “little bunyip” audax gravel loop up through the Bunyip State Forest to Gembrook, then mostly follow the route back, diverging to get back to East Pakenham Even managed to find a perfectly good, charged, iPad at the side of the road halfway up the hill to Gembrook!

Sat ⛅ half a shopping

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 08:04:00 +1100

Not only is it my shortest ride of every normal week, but today I forgot to turn the Garmin back on when I left the bakery, so I only have half of it recorded. One more kilometre to the yearly total! Overcast clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 3m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/1212/2320 – Create a new password

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:20:00 +1100

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Fri ⛅ a hot one homewards

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:22:00 +1100

I think we’ve set a record, over 15 cars parked illegally in the bike lane alogn Gardiners Road near the pub where the “No Stopping” signs ineffectually tell them it is a clearway from 3-6pm. Monash Council refuses to enforce their own parking restrictions so the on-road bike lane is unusable, meanwhile the off-road lane on the other side of the road has to contend with half-drunks coming in and out of the pub car park and stopping across the path, then drivers yelling abuse at cyclists who can’t get around them

Fri ☀️ empty roads friday

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:06:00 +1100

Where are all the people? Where are all the traffics? A very quiet ride in to work, half empty station car parks, only a few people walking to Huntingdale station. One familiar cyclist rode past in the opposite direction, but otherwise hardly anyone about Clear sky, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 3m/s from ENE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ gravel with gears

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:08:00 +1100

Following on from yesterday’s minor oops, today we have a charged derailleur battery, and thus we have gears for a little outing to Karkarook lake and around the gravelly bit of Clarinda Fun as always, the dirt road down past the golf course to pop out at Centre Road, the lake and paths, then around the block on the dirt – floating over the sandy bits on the big wide tyres.

Wed ⛅ shiny single speed

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 16:56:00 +1100

Wherein we discover that electronic shifting requires electrons … and the derailleur battery had none. We shall term this a learning experience, and try to remember how many hours we have ridden since last we charged it A single-speeded local bike path ramble, down to and around through the Urban forest, up the Scotchmans Creek Trail to Oakleigh and home Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat

Tue ⛅ creek commute home

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:47:00 +1100

The local leg end comes, the local leg end goes, some weeks I feel that myself and one or two others play pass-the-parcel with a certain piece of strava silliness Usual route, usual occurrence of a driver ignoring the Give Way sign on the Stanley Street crossing and having the beejesus scared out of her as I stopped 20cm from her door, yelling a loud Aaarrrrgggh! in the open window

Tue ⛅ home2work as always

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:06:00 +1100

The usual commute route, the usual bike for the commute – mostly. Only one motorist ignored the Give Way signs and tried to drive over me, a fairly standard commute in melbourne Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ wandering commute

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 16:02:00 +1100

An afternoon check of the map on wandrer.earth and I saw there were an irritating number of little dead-end roads that I hadn’t ridden along, or that my GPS track didn’t go far enough in to count – so off I went up to colour in a little bit more of the map. 99.something percent of the suburb completed, I wonder if I’ll ever manage to find that missing part for the magical 100%?

Read — “Turn Right at Istanbul”

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Mon ⛅ the commute

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 08:05:00 +1100

Feeling a little stiff and sore from yesterday, some parts of me are complaining about parts of the pace I suspect Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ☀️ most of PSTF 3pks

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 08:20:00 +1100

Generally following the Audax “Paths Subject to Flooding - 3peaks” route that starts and finishes in Ashburton. 128km and three hills; Mt Cooper, Mt Ridley and Gellibrand Hill and almost all on bike paths and creek trails It was a long day out with Evan, on bike paths – that he never rides – and lots of Saturday walkers & riders, so a bit busy at times. We even stumbled on a Mini car club meeting … on Mt Cooper of course … and stopped for a coffee and to walk around and look at cars from our youth

Sat ⛅ shopping shopping

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 07:53:00 +1100

Boring boring, shopping shopping. Fish and bread and home again Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 3m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ work2home

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 17:57:00 +1100

There’s an odd bit of motorist behaviour that appears to have become more prevalent in the past decade or so. When pulling up in a queue of traffic, some drivers stop a car length behind the car in front, leaving huge gaps, and causing the queue to stretch further back – often blocking side roads or the bike path crossings. Even stranger, sometimes the driver at very front will leave a gap for an imaginary friend at the traffic lights or stop sign.

Fri ⛅ once more to work

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 08:08:00 +1100

My apologies for startling the other passengers waiting at Huntingdale bus interchange, but my loud call was to attract the attention of your compatriot who was walking backwards across the bike path while videoing his surrounds and loudly talking to, and staring at, his phone. I do believe I attracted his attention Also met; one driver trying to push through the bike path crossing while her light was red because she’d decided to drive into the middle of Clayton Road without anywhere to go, one driver trying to ignore the Give Way sign and drive through cyclists on the Browns Road bike path crossing – she drove off with her passenger waving apologetically to me and loudly explaining to her what that funny triangle-shaped sign means

Thu ⛅ hot blustery work function

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:45:00 +1100

A break in the work-from-home day to go in to campus and attend the end of year function. The room was a bit loud, the beer a bit warm, but it was good to feel like the end of the year is nigh. Hot and blustery riding and I reckon it was headwinds in both directions in both directions Overcast clouds, 27°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 4m/s from E - by Klimat

Wed ☀️ summertime suburb lap

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:05:00 +1100

Zero activity on the connecting path between Scotchmans Creek and Djerring Trails, just bollards and barricades blocking off what’s been built, signs saying there’s a detour in place until November 30, and a “Cyclists Dismount” sign that prevents cyclists from following the cycling detour Any bets on when further work takes place? Hello? Monash Council? VicRoads? Anyone … ? Clear sky, 29°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 34%, Wind 4m/s from NW - by Klimat

Tue ⛅ commute home

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 17:09:00 +1100

Well here we are, two days into December and there’s no sign of any work on the Atkinson Street bike lane, and no sign of the November completion. Not particularly surprised … I wonder if they’ll manage to make it before everything shuts for Christmas Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue 🌧 fixie commute

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:06:00 +1100

Threatening clouds and lots of flooded sections of bike path, but no rain. One of the flooded bits now has orange safety tape and warning bollards alongside – its only been in that state since the LXRA built the path in 2018 – perhaps in another seven years it’ll be rebuilt so it doesn’t flood every time it rains Moderate rain, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat

Mon ⛅ rain dodging commute

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 16:50:00 +1100

Slightly warmer than this morning, but not by much. Still felt like a late winter day, riding home and dodging the rain showers Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 6m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ supposedly summer

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:14:00 +1100

Nominally the first day of summer according to the aussie calendar, but bloody miserable and cold today Scattered clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ lazy lorne

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 13:34:00 +1100

Teddy"s, St George, the pier, the beach. Stony creek and back. Rain and sunshine. I ended up having to walk up one of the ridiculously steep bits of Lorne, Albert Street this time. Lots of tourists up at the lookout looking out, not a soul to be seen on the bush trail down to the caravan park or on the way up Stony Creek Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 5m/s from WSW - by Klimat

Sat ⛅ GOR coffee and weather

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 11:52:00 +1100

Fairly miserable on the way down to Kennett River, I nearly turned around at Mount Defiance, then Wye River, but it cleared enough that I thought what the hell, lets go to Kennett for the coffee. That first ten kilometres or so was gusty headwinds and rain, most unpleasant Well worth it afterwards, a coffee and a conversation with one of the “Go West” tour bus drivers, talking bike packing and travel – he’d just got back from riding Canberra to the coast and on down to Melbourne

Fri ⛅ creek commute and extra

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:36:00 +1100

Work had ground to a halt for the week so I left a bit early, normal route down the Scotchmans Creek Trail, but then a suburb or two extra because it was good Overcast clouds, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 0m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ new tyre fixie friday

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 08:02:00 +1100

Yesterday the bike shop mechanic very helpfully pointed to the large cut in the #fixie rear tyre and suggested that a new tyre asap would be a good idea, so I changed it over last night prior to dropping off the bike this morning for a spoke & wheel de-whobbling Friday commute, warmish and sunny Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat

Thu 🌧 creek commute home

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 17:09:00 +1100

What are you smoking Klimat (see weather report below)? At least you got the temperature correct. Otherwise, clear skies and no rain since 10am yesterday Moderate rain, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ unusual home2work

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 08:04:00 +1100

Normally a work-from-home day, this week I’m helping with a teaching course, so off to work I go … home to Uni on the #fixie, call in to grab the U-lock, then across campus to where I’m needed Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 3m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Wed ⛅ carnegie banh mi lunch

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:54:00 +1100

Home alone, working from home. What better than a sneaky outing and a Banh Mi for lunch. Not quite as good as one of my local Oakleigh bakery/cafes, but a bit more of a ride Up and back along the Djerring Trai on the #fixie to Carnegie, and lunch with a few too many feral pigeons in the council park Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 4m/s from NNE - by Klimat

Tue 🌧 home again home again

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 16:54:00 +1100

There was no rain, Klimat’s summary (below) is lying Moderate rain, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 48%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ☀️ home2work wukawukawuka

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:03:00 +1100

It is time to do something about the spoke that broke on the #fixie, the rear wheel was fine for a few weeks, but has started a most annoying noise on each rotation and is growing a wobble. There is a point when the cheap and nasty bike becomes a little too nasty and must be attended to Clear sky, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat

Mon ⛅ warmly homewards

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:24:00 +1100

A warm one home along the creek trail on the #fixie Broken clouds, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ mind the doors

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 08:04:00 +1100

The usual route, and a typical crap driver. Mercedes passed me way too closely in Willesden road, then roared off in the direction of Oakleigh shops. A minute or so later I caught them at the station, slowing for the (empty) pedestrian crossing before the (empty) roundabout. As I started to pass on the left, the passenger door was thrown open as the “I’ll just get out here, dad” student leapt out of the car to run across to the bus stop.

Sun ⛅ coffeeneuring computing outing

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 10:08:00 +1100

Not that I needed an excuse to go for a ride, with one #coffeeneuring ride left for 2025, but it gave me an idea of a destination – a display of old home computers at a swap meet oop norf – so off I went into the wilds. Not that wild really, straight up the Anniversary Trail and Darebin Creek Trail and there I was. Creek was up and everything very wet from the overnight rain but apart from a few misty patches it refrained from raining on me, and on the way back I pulled off the path where a signboard said “Coffee” and up the short bit of track to the back gate at Artiga in Thornbury to have a glorious coffee on a balcony overlooking the path, bush and creek

re-levelled the paved square under the plum tree so the champagne rose sits square

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +1100

Sat ⛅ pre-breakfast shopping

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 07:59:00 +1100

Standard Saturday morning shopping outing, fresh fish and bread and home again Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 0m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ homewards commute

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 16:42:00 +1100

No rush to get home, our #warmshowers guest for the night had messaged at 4.30 to say he was still 30km away, but there was nothing happening at work and we were stuck waiting on people, so I left for the week The usual enjoyable ride home under the trees along the trail Clear sky, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ commute with pour-over coffee

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:08:00 +1100

Bugger. Called in for a coffee once I got to campus, had one sip and carefully put it down on the bench next to my bike, then managed to fumble my helmet, spun the front wheel and knocked the coffee over – pouring it all over my shoes. What a waste Other than that, the usual Friday rubbish bin ride through Clayton and up to work Clear sky, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat

Thu ⛅ suburban loop

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 15:37:00 +1100

A short one around Hughesdale and Murrumbeena, down to the creek, along, back up through the Urban Forest. Hats off to the motorist with his right hand out the window to ash his fag, phone in his left hand talking on speaker phone, and steering by pushing with the back of his left wrist on the wheel A little bit more progress has happened along the separated bike lane … tada … an outline for the painted white line in the centre has appeared!

Wed ☀️ wfh towards the little lake

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:17:00 +1100

The afternoon break while working at home, I took myself off towards Caulfield with the idea of going around the little lake, then home. I was sure there was a pathway to the racecourse inner from Queens Road, but I either missed it or it isn’t there, either way I ended up riding around to the high school and back, coming home along Neerim Road with all its unpleasantness – brickbats to Glenn Eira Council

Tue ⛅ creek commute and cake

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:36:00 +1100

The Scotchmans Creek Trail commute home, with a minor detour in Oakleigh to acquire cake for a cake day. Some progress appears to have been made in the construction of the separated bike lane on Atkinson Street, but there still seems much to do … I cannot see it all being completed and operational by the end of November Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 4m/s from W - by Klimat

Tue ⛅ variation on the commute

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 08:04:00 +1100

Trying to relieve the boredom, I rode down as far as Centre Road then up one of the roads parallel to Kanooka Grove or Browns Road – bit of a poor choice as it means a couple of hundred metres of narrow lane on Centre Road and near passing roaring traffic, no quarter given, no legal passing distance observed Oh well, at least it was better than my ride two years ago today, I arrived at my destination with collarbone intact

Mon ⛅ chilly commute home

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:15:00 +1100

Can we have our warm spring weather back please? Cold, windy, and damp. Not much fun really Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ cheeky coffee commute

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:07:00 +1100

Sneaking in one of my remaining two #coffeeneuring rides by adding a detour and a coffee to the morning commute. Rode most of the way along the Scotchmans Creek Trail then turned off in the bit of Mount Waverley that I never think of as Mount Waverley and called in at “Stanley” just up the road from where I’d done the Super Sunday count. A very pleasant caffe latte on a cool and damp morning, then back through the ‘burb and a bit of noisy traffic for Clayton Road and the rest of the way to work

Sun ⛅ between showers

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 13:54:00 +1100

The weather gods decided to throw a few showers down today, so a planned morning ride didn’t happen until after lunch, but it did stay dry the entire time I was out, so that’s a win. Upstream along Scotchmans Creek Trail to Mount Waverley and back downhill to join Gardiners Creek Trail, but via a green corridor I spotted on the map while looking at Friday evening’s route. I think I’ve ridden that way before, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

Sat ⛅ shoppy shopping

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 08:15:00 +1100

Saturday morning, up to the shops. A barramundi for dinner, then around to the bakery. Assorted loaves, now home. Plow my way through the polystyrene beads where an entire beanbag has been gutted in the car park, then back around the block and home Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ luvverly sunny commute

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 16:35:00 +1100

First decent sunny day all week so a good excuse for an extended ride on the homewards commute. Up through Valley Reserve in Mount Waverley and past my parents-in-laws ex house … err, building site … for a sticky-beak. As with most old houses around here, the instant it was sold it was bulldozed, the block stripped of every skerrick of vegetation, and a massive box of a faux-chateaux is being built in its place

Fri ⛅ cappuccino coffee commute

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 07:58:00 +1100

A lovely sunny morning, a lazy slow ride to work. I stopped in at Caffe Corso for a cappuccino, was very tempted to make the work-avoidance a day long one and just go off riding. A bit of an old favourite of a cafe, although I haven’t called in for ages, its only drawback this morning is that it’s on the shady side of Clayton road and it would have been good to sit in the sun.

Thu ⛅ lake and back

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 15:17:00 +1100

Another busy wfh afternoon break, sadly, with some non-optimal road choices along the way. I’d intended to head south to Karkarook lake, then back up through Bentleigh East and maybe stop in for a coffee somewhere, but it didn’t quite go to plan. I think I was a bit distracted, but I ended up having to mix it with the school pick-up crowd and the tradie-end-of-day crowd, all up made for some unpleasant bits of “share the road”

Wed ⛅ wfh brain break

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 15:40:00 +1100

Not the best day of work, so it was a thoroughly well enjoyed break for a half hour spin around to the creek and back. Checked on the – lack of – obvious progress in the Oakleigh protected bike lanes, there seems to be roadworks going on at the intersection of Atherton and Atkinson, but still nothing looks to be finished. Then Scotchmans Creek Trail, down to East Malvern Station, back up through Murrumbeena and home along the Djerring Trail.

Tue ⛅ cold wet and cold

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 16:47:00 +1100

Its still grey, wet and cold, but there’s no rain … and surprisingly little flooding in the tunnel under the freeway. Either it drained quickly or the creek didn’t rise enough to flood back into the bike path, despite the 27mm of rain overnight. Yes, have I said it was cold yet? Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue 🌧 splish splash

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:02:00 +1100

Surprisingly little rain in the air, but huge pools flooding all the paths everywhere I went. Ideal weather for sandals, except it was only 8°C … at least it was only 20 minutes of soaking wet 8°C. I took the short route, the North Road bike path still sucks Heavy intensity rain, 8°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ standard scotchmans creek home

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 16:05:00 +1100

I was hungry so I left work and came home early – a couple of pieces of toast then logged back in and worked from home Standard ride home, north to the creek, to Oakleigh along the trail, then up to the shops and around to home. Was nearly collected by a driver in Drummond Street, too busy staring at the stationary traffic on his left, he drove straight out through the t-intersection and nearly got t-boned himself.

Mon ⛅ fixie commute with company

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:03:00 +1100

Half way to work and Ruth caught up, so company and conversation for the second half of the ride in. Usual topics, including the glacial speed of development of any new bicycle infrastructure leading to the uni, the problem of multiple authorities when building or maintaining bike paths or lanes, where the current focus appears to be Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat

Sun ⛅ super sunday

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 08:36:00 +1100

One of Bicycle Network’s annual bike counts, the “Super Sunday” count in late spring is looking at mostly recreational uses of the shared paths, the Tuesday one earlier in the year is around commuters. I couldn’t get the spot on the Djerring Trail near our house – they get grabbed up within an hour of being open to volunteers – so I picked the east end of Huntingdale wetlands. The ride was there and back, but with three hours of counting people in the middle

not the most welcome garden visitor – a large, wet rat just ran along the fence past my window

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 16:20:00 +1100

Sat ⛅wet rainy shopping

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 08:20:00 +1100

Standard Saturday morning ritual, jump on the #fixie, spin up to the shops for some fish for dinner – swordfish steaks today – and then around to the bakery for fresh bread for the weekend. Today’s added entertainment, a light miserable drizzle, which does not look like letting up all weekend. Grey. Damp Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 4m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ gloomy commute

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:52:00 +1100

Dark and grey all day, I think the skies partly cleared a few times in the afternoon, but it was dull and gloomy on the way in, and dull and gloomy on the way home. Was on the verge of turning on the tail light, but riding on the bike path there wasn’t any need – if there’s any drivers coming up behind me on the path then I’ve got bigger problems to worry about

Fri ⛅ overcast commute

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 08:03:00 +1100

Racing ahead of the rain, got to work with only a few large wet splots. Very dark and grey and gloomy for late spring Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ coffeeneuring triangulation

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:42:00 +1100

Where where where? Off for #coffeeneuring coffee number four. I felt like an iced Vietnamese coffee, so hoped I might find one up at Caulfield. Doesn’t seem to be anything there, so off down Waverley road through Malvern East … too close to last week’s coffee, so onwards onwards onwards we go. Got through to the traffic sewer of Warrigal road and walked along the little strip of shops near the TAFE.

Wed ⛅ dandenong delivery

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:11:00 +1100

Brisk ride down the length of the Djerring Trail to drop off some pieces of craftwork that the rest of the family have entered in this weekend’s Dandenong Show. A bit unorganised when I got there, the printer refused to spit out the tickets to accompany each piece, but I was assured it would all be dealt with by the weekend … Lovely tailwind on the way there, and of course the corresponding in-your-face headwind all the way home.

Tue ⛅ quiet creek commute home

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 16:47:00 +1100

No traffic, but completely packed car park as I passed the pub – and a dozen cars illegally parked in the on-road bike lane. Pointless complaining to council, they’ll send someone out in a week or two and “There was no sign of the illegally parked vehicle when we visited the site” No rain either, but the tunnel under the Monash freeway is still flooded, and nice and silty underneath it so there’s that lovely slick “will I fall over” feeling to riding through the thick brown water

Tue ⛅ cup day commute

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 07:58:00 +1100

Not a soul to be seen, no cars, no people. End of the world vibes, with added flooding on the paths One big win, a colleague arrived at the bike rack at the same time as I did and we have finally managed to unlock the abandoned rust-bike that’s been locked to one of the four undercover hoops since August … August last year. Since building services won’t remove it, we shall

Mon ⛅ quack quack commute

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:37:00 +1100

Wet wet wet, most of the rain had stopped, but there was water everywhere, and all the debris washed across the paths Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Now

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Here’s what I’m working on now, in no particular order, and mostly personal not professional. Inspired by a permanent desire to tinker with this site and the ideas in a few of the /now pages I’ve come across, see https://nownownow.com/about. The challenge will be to keep it up to date – last reviewed or updated 2025-11-03 Mon, Now now recovering from a hard bike tour and minor injury planning January’s holidays Now later replace gas hot-water heater with electric heatpump digitizing old papers, notes, journals rethinking much of my social-media use and reliance on cloud services and pulling things back home making it all indieweb compliant Now always cycling often dealing with 1000+ individual photo pages, 5184 static photos, 95 flickr photos pulling all of this website into a single cohesive whole under Org Mode and Hugo, merging back in some old content from diversions to other blogs, and… Recently done

Mon 🌧 short wet one

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 07:59:00 +1100

The Monday between the weekend and Melbourne Cup day, at least half the city seems to take the day off or chuck a sickie. Not a soul to be seen on the roads, at the stations, along the trails – the constant light rain didn’t help. Took the short route, definitely improved with the path being dug out from under the encroaching grass, and the pinch-flatting concrete edges being ground off, now if only VicRoads could do something about the six or so side roads it crosses – ride on the road and you have right of way, ride on the parallel bike path and it’s signposted that you must give way to traffic turning across in front of you!

Sun ⛅ hot lake and parks

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 13:51:00 +1100

A hot summery afternoon, out on the shiny bike for a lap of Karkarook lake and some selective gravel trails and tracks, all the paths and minor off-road bits and pieces I can find between Oakleigh South, Clarinda, Clayton and home. The lake was busy with people fishing and canoeing, families having picnics, too hot for many other people to be out riding, only the mad englishmen … Half thought about stopping in for a frappe or iced coffee somewhere, but nothing stood out and grabbed me, so it does not count as a coffee ride

2025/1101/1625 – Reset your password

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 16:25:00 +1100

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Sat ⛅ fish and loaves

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 08:17:00 +1100

The standard Saturday morning short shopping trip – lets me say I’ve ridden my bike every day, but doesn’t really count for the purists Few clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 0m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/1101/0008 – Reset your password

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:08:00 +1100

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Fri ⛅ TGIF creek commute

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 16:53:00 +1100

Debated going a bit further downstream on the way home, but my heart wasn’t in it so just the usual route today. Sure wish the construction works in Atkinson street would get finished so I could ride up to Logie Street rather than around in Dandenong Road A few trick-or-treaters out and about, we have definitely become Halloweened Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 3m/s from SW - by Klimat

Read — “Birds, Beasts & Relatives”

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Fri ⛅ hayfeverish commute

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 08:02:00 +1100

There’s a lot of pollen about, and a building thunderstorm, so it’s tickly throat and itchy eyes on the ride in to work today. Friday. Bin day. Quiet on the roads day Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat e{< garmin-strava-ridewithgps 20844853606 16306469337 347342532 >}}

Thu ⛅ sunny fixie fun

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 15:38:00 +1100

A very enjoyable spin up to Caulfield and back on the #fixie. Click-click-click goes the rear wheel … do I get the broken spoke replaced, or do I leave it as an audible warning to others? Scattered clouds, 25°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 31%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Wed ⛅ coffeeneuring escape no three

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 15:10:00 +1100

A working-from-home afternoon escape on a fantastic spring afternoon, and a chance to sneak in my third #coffeeneuring #coffee for 2025 – a short macc. at Degani East Malvern … or is it Malvern East? Along the way I could see that Gardiners Creek has subsided from the deluge on Sunday, although there’s still plenty of debris lying around on paths and roads. Such a beautiful clear warm afternoon, I almost forgot to head home and get back to work

Tue ☀️ warmer homewards

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:44:00 +1100

Usual route home along the Scotchmans Creek Trail, and thankfully warmer than it had been this morning! Sub-10 temperatures are unexpected after last week’s touring in the 30s! Clear sky, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ sunny cold commute

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 08:06:00 +1100

Flippin’ ’eck, ’twas a bit chilly out this morn' At least it was sunny and there was no wind Few clouds, 7°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ cold commute home

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:37:00 +1100

Someone in VicRoads finally got the memo, after more than a decade of inactivity, the bike path down the middle of North Road seems to have had some love & attention. The path has been swept and the edges have been cut back, so it is back from the reduced 30-40cm total width to 2m for its entire length! They’ve also been through with a concrete grinder and taken the edge off some of the badly lifted slabs – it doesn’t fix the lifted slabs, but it should lower the chances of pinch flats

Mon ⛅ cold wintery commute

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:07:00 +1100

Welcome back to winter time! With 23mm of rain yesterday all the flooded path parts were flooded, debris washed all over the place, although much of the water had receded. The fixie rear tyre was a little soft so I stopped at the council repair station in Clayton, quickly pumped it up – so at least that pump works better than the one in Hughesdale – except I managed to bruise my thumb trying to push the lever over on the valve and now have a big bruise for my pains

Sun ⛅ after the rain

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 14:31:00 +1100

Some torrential downpours from about 11am onwards and I was wondering if I’d be able to get out for a ride without getting soaked. Anyway, I snuck out between showers in the early afternoon and headed down to Gardiners Creek to see how much rain we’d had. The creek was roaring, full of run-off from the suburbs and well up over its banks in a few places. On around to the Glen Iris wetlands which were, unsurprisingly, wet.

Sat ⛅ fish and loaves

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 08:17:00 +1100

One rainbow trout, $15.50 from the fish shop. A pasta dura, turkish bread and some chocolate croissants, $15.50 from the bread shop. How coincidental Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ creek path homewards

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 16:43:00 +1100

First commute home since the 14th, no visible change in the northern end of the new bike path through Oakleigh either. Still bollards and tape everywhere, a “cyclist dismount” sign making a mockery of the advice that detours would be provided. It’ll all be over by November … or perhaps the far end of November, then we get to see how the Dandenong Road crossing is dealt with Other than that, a mostly routine ride, except for meeting two yoof on speeding electric motoriised … um … trolley things!

Fri ⛅ fixie commutage

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 08:10:00 +1100

Off to work, nowhere near as much fun as bike touring, but a lot easier and a lot shorter. The well known route, the Friday rubbish bin parade through Clayton Oh yeah, I got told off again by the same security person for leaning my bike inside the campus centre hallway while grabbing a coffee. She told me that if I do not have a lock I should arrange to go to Security to borrow one … for the three minutes it takes to grab a coffee.

Thu ⛅ local coffeeneuring 2025 no 2

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 15:04:00 +1100

Very hard to get my head back into work-life after eight days of slightly over-done touring. Took myself out at about 3pm for a trundle on the #fixie, down to Huntingdale for an iced coffee at Angela’s then back again. Three birds with one stone, etc. A break from work, a #coffeeneuring coffee, and a check on what progress – if any – on the bike path connector bit. On the last point, well the “sharrows” are all nicely painted now so you can go all the way from the Djerring trail up Oxford street, turn left onto the path and get to Hanover street and … stop.

Wed 🌧 Walwa to albury in the rain

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 06:59:00 +1100

Stunning ride along the river from Walwa to the Wymah ferry, then a miserable slog for forty kilometres in the rain to Albury There’s a couple of routes possible from Walwa to Albury, south around the lake via Tallangatta, or River Roads north or south of the river in NSW and Victoria respectively. The least trafficked is the NSW River Road, so after retracing my route back to the river along the Walwa bike path it was a thoroughly enjoyable morning riding along a quiet dirt road, I think I’d gone 40km before I saw my first car

Tue ⛅ Tumut to Walwa

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:15:00 +1100

Hahaha. RideWithGPS routes where other cyclists have been. Tumut has a MTB park. RideWithGPS will happily send gravel tourers up blue-flagged MTB single track! Made for an interesting first hour stuck in a maze of steep trails, slogging away on foot up … and down … tracks that I found unrideable, until eventually I came out the far side by the rifle range. I should have paid a lot more attention to checking that route before starting in!

Mon ⛅ left and down

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:59:00 +1100

Surprisingly warm in parts, I did stop for a photo once it topped 40°C climbing over a hill out of Jugiong. Very different parts of the ride; country roads to Bookham (danno), the Hume (and Old Hume) to Jugiong, then the near desolatte dirt road down the river to Brungle and on to Tumut First half of the morning, Bowning to Bookham up north on quiet side roads – mostly. Got to some roadworks with one side of the road closed and after some chatter on the radio the traffic management told me “the other end will wait for you” … except I got 3/4 of the way through & the other end had got tired of waiting, so the pilot ute was leading a column of traffic down the hill straight at me in my lane!

Sun ⛅ homewards, plan b

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 07:26:00 +1100

One does not simply ride over the mountains through Wee Jasper to Tumut … so plan B, or Z, take two days and go around, staying with family – I had hoped to ride from Canberra to Jugiong today, then Jugiong to Tumut tomorrow, but there’s no accommodation I can find at Jugiong and there is family at Bowning Breakfast was a pastry from the bakery, then off up alongside the Barton Highway, a detour through Hall and an explosion of kangaroos from alongside the road.

Sat ⛅ meanderings

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 10:49:00 +1100

The primary riding mission for today had been accomplished, I’ve re-ridden my school commutes, my legs – and arse – were a bit weary from the past few days, and it was getting hot, so I wasn’t really in the mood to revisit more of Canberra than I had to One more chore was to visit a bike shop and get a third bidon, and cage, as I’d been running low on water between towns, so it was off to Belconnen and circle around to “Bike Culture”, then fit the cage while sheltering from the increasingly hot sun.

Sat ⛅ goto schools

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 09:38:00 +1100

A ride I’ve been wanting to retrace for a few years now, from seeing where Cam rides to school and talking with others, I’ve wondered how far was it that I rode to school; primary, high school, year 11-12 college? Can I still remember the routes I took? I did them all as one ride, starting and stopping outside the house I grew up in; Cook Primary first, although it’s no longer a school, off to school on one street, back home on another, “lap 1”, 2.

Sat ⛅ to old haunts

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 07:59:00 +1100

Feeling surprisingly good after the past three day’s hard riding to get here, and a good night’s sleep. I’ve also formulated a plan on how to get back to Tumut for Monday night that doesn’t involve back through Wee Jasper and over the hills, or the unknown and possibly unsupplied route along the Brindabella road Anyway, breakfast at a Lyneham cafe, then off to the parts of Canberra that I grew up in … and that I suspect I haven’t visited since last century.

Fri ⛅ secret mission day three

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:13:00 +1100

Stunning countryside, but way too far and too much up. A day of reptiles; a goanna ran past in the paddock, had to avoid a long brown snake crossing, blue-tongue roadkill, and a dragon tried to scare me off with a big hiss display. Wee Jasper is wonderful, but sadly, was still a long way from my destination I got away nice and early after muesli in the pub accommodation, out of Tumut and off up the valley.

Thu ⛅ secret mission day two

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:24:00 +1100

A very big day, the proverbial “ton” of 100 miles, plus over 2000 metres of climbing, all while travelling down an unfamiliar route with a touring load – albeit a light one I got away early enough, 7.30 out of Woomargama and off to the east towards Tumbarumba, stopping every 16km for a photo – I’d worked out that at 160km, every 10% would be a decent point to stop for a short break.

Wed ☀️ secret mission day one

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 11:08:00 +1100

After a bit of a morning warmup meandering around Albury, through the Botanic Gardens and up and down the river, I sat myself down and had a pre-ride lunch on the banks of the Murray Girding my loins, it was off to the north and on to Woomargama, doing my best to avoid having to ride on the Hume Highway, and succeeding remarkably well. The first 20km out of Albury were all on an off-road path which seems to be part of the Hume-Hovell Walking Track, then up near Table Top I finally had to rejoin roads and head straight north.

Tue ⛅ creek commute and a bit home

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 16:47:00 +1100

Down the creek homewards, last commute for eight days or so as I’m now on leave. Avoided all the roadworks in Oakleigh by continuing on down to East Malvern station and riding up through the Urban Forest Scattered clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “Michener's Iberia, vol. 2”

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Tue ⛅ shopping commute

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:45:00 +1100

A quick chore and home, then off to work. Spare pair of gloves on as the usual ones are still sitting at work on the windowsill, should be dry by now … My my, what a lot of stationary traffic in Dandenong Road, it must be fun to have to drive to work judging by all the celebratory horns a’honkin' Few clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat

Mon ☀️ sunny homewards

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:45:00 +1100

The weather was a huge improvement on the ride in this morning … but first I had to deal with the morning’s after effects. While a touch-screen on a #Garmin GPS is a wonderful thing when dry, in the rain it is barely usable, and unless I’m quick to lock the touch screen out, the falling rain quickly hits random touch options and can change all kinds of things! This afternoon I found that the clock that I had displayed had been replaced by a “virtual race buddy”, and very annoying, a battery saver option turned on that was blanking the screen after about 3s of inactivity!

Mon ⛅ ninja rain commute

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 08:06:00 +1100

Sneaky sneaky rain. Started out overcast, perhaps a few light drops. By Huntingdale a very light rain, Clayton station and I stopped to put the rain cover on the bag. Waiting to cross Dandenong Road and I realised, actually, yes, it is raining and I am wet. Oh well, the air-conditioned office dehydrates cycling clothes quite well Overcast clouds, 8°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat

Sun ⛅ st kilda markets and bayside

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 14:06:00 +1100

Afternoon outing down to the bay, and my first #coffeeneuring ride of 2025, a short macc. from the St Kilda markets and a wander around as they wind down for the afternoon. Gradually increasing cloud cover – big fluffy cumulus – and a cool breeze picking up from the west as I rode down along the back then back home on Glenferrie Road Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 4m/s from WNW - by Klimat

Sat ⛅ short shopping

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 08:38:00 +1100

Fish, bread, and a quick checkout of the bike lane progress along Hanover Street – almost finished either side of the Atkinson Street lights, but no sign yet of how they’ll redo the intersection to take it across the road Broken clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ commute home

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 18:10:00 +1100

Wonders will never cease, the driven-into “Keep left” sign that’s been an axe blade aimed diagonally across the path on Ferntree Gully Road has been replaced. Now to wait for VicRoads to contact me to tell me that this has happened … Bit windy, a quick spin along the creek path after social after-work beers Overcast clouds, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat

Fri ☀️ bin day commute

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 08:02:00 +1100

Friday in Clayton is bin day. My my what a lot of rubbish, in the bins, beside the bins, on the gardens and in the street. Lots and lots of council stickers saying “Incorrect material, bin contaminated” … all torn in half because the contractor emptied them anyway and the sticker tore and the contaminated material went into the green waste or the recycling truck! Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat

Thu ⛅ lake and parks

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 14:49:00 +1100

Out on the shiny bike, off to find some of the local gravelly goodness. Down to Karkarook park and around the sandy tracks where the Bronzewing pigeons and Pobblebonks live, then up through Bald Hill Reserve & Namitjira Park and home along the Djerring Trail Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Wed ⛅ AWOL around africa

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 15:35:00 +1100

I finally got #aroundtuit and put the cleats on the new shoes that have been sitting in a box under the bed for … err … months. Much nicer than the fall-apart old shoes, and clearly made me go faster and have fun Not sure if its the new shoes or the four day tour on the rail trail as training, but everything seemed lovely and smooth and quicker than usual

2025/1007/2227 – Create a new password

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 22:27:00 +1100

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Jo's turn at last – she found an iphone, credit cards, driver's license on the road on the way to work

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 18:50:00 +1100

Tue ☀️ commute and no shopping

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:37:00 +1100

My cunning plan was to get to the bakery before they closed and get some bread, for we have none at home. My cunning plan did not survive contact with the enemy … time. I did arrive in time for the staff to wave to me through the closed doors as they cleared up Oh well, it was a nice sunny ride along the creek Clear sky, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 42%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat

2025/1007/1513 – Create a new password

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 15:13:00 +1100

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Tue ☀️ clear windless chilly commute

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 08:03:00 +1100

All the school kids must be back today, lots of people at the station, and traffic was at a standstill along Dandenong Road. Astoundingly though, nobody was stopped blocking the counter-flow bike lane waiting to turn into Dandenong Road Clear sky, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

I have removed the tubeless sealant from Jo's rear tyre and put in a tube – too much hassle too many times

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 18:00:00 +1100

Mon ⛅ home again home again

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 16:42:00 +1100

First commute of “summer time”, well daylight savings time anyway. Still cold and windy out here, even if it is a bit lighter. The driven-into “Keep Left” sign that’s dangerously aimed like a blade into the bike crossing is still in the middle of Ferntree Gully Road – time to follow up on September’s follow up on July’s request to make it safe The off-road bike path roadworks on Atkinson Street have made a complete mess of the road.

Mon ⛅ off to work ... again

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 08:06:00 +1100

Commuting is not as much fun as touring Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

The third-party #Amazfit band has fallen apart, I guess that's why they came in a pack of four!

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:30:00 +1100

Sun ⛅ GVRT Yarck to Yea

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 10:07:00 +1100

Breakfast at the Buck, then Cam and I left to ride to Yea to fetch the car, leaving Jo and bike and punctured tubeless to sit and enjoy the delights of Sunday morning Yarck. An enjoyable enough ride for the two of us, as with every day along the GVRT a few swooping magpies, then the climb up to the rail tunnel and the long zooming descent down towards Yea

Sat ⛅ GVRT Mansfield to Yarck

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 08:43:00 +1000

Lazy sunny day riding from Mansfield to Bonnie Doon after a cafe breakfast, then halfway to Merton Jo’s rear tubeless went flat, with sealant everywhere all around one side of the rim, no visible puncture[1] but we couldn’t reinflate it. Couldn’t get the valve out to try a tube so Cam and I rode on towards Yarck, intending to drop off Cam and panniers then for me to go and fetch the car from Yea, while Jo walked back towards Bonnie Doon.

Fri ⛅ GVRT Alexandra to Mansfield

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 08:23:00 +1000

Our longest day of the four days on the #GVRT, and as Cam’s longest ride to date. Although starting off cool the day warmed up, and that first climb back up from Alexandra to the ridge warmed everyone up Plenty of birdlife through the day, with enjoyable coffee & snacks stops at Yarck and Bonnie Doon, then rolling in to Mansfield late in the day Overcast clouds, 8°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat

Thu 🌧 GVRT yea to alexandra

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 13:57:00 +1000

Two echidnas, assorted bird life, lots of cows and a few roos. Grey and overcast skies, with scattered showers most of the way Having driven up to Yea we had lunch in a bakery, then went and parked at the start of the #GVRT, got changed and loaded up the bikes … err, my bike. As with the other family rail trail trips I have the panniers and rack bags, the other two a light weight back each, between the three of us that covers clothes and essentials for a few nights, credit-card touring and staying in motels, cabins and a farmstay B&B

Wed ⛅ banh mi times three

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:39:00 +1000

A short jaunt up to the shops for lunches, up and over the Hangover Street(sic) bridge … oh what a surprise, one of Oakleigh’s finest drivers has “failed to roundabout” and driven through the safety railing (again). Through the tunnel, up to the bakery, banh mi and home again Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ early home and shops

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 12:10:00 +1000

Came home early to meet up with some tradesmen who were due “early afternoon”, but missed them by ten minutes as their early afternoon was 11.40am! Also included a trip to the LBS to grab a new gilet (with a working zip) and nicks for the skinny kid. Dodged the rain Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 6m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue 🌧 warm wet one

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 07:45:00 +1000

Pleasantly light traffic, warm enough, with a gentle sprinkle of rain Less pleasant, near head-on by yet another of Clayton’s wonderful drivers ignoring the counter-flow bike lane and trying to drive into me. A loud “OI!” and a quick shimmy around the massive SUV front as a stunned driver sat staring Light rain, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 7m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ commute shopping

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:52:00 +1000

Commute home on the #fixie, plus a detour up to the LBS with the hope of finding them open and finding a gilet that fits body and wallet. Yay, they’re open until 6pm … boo, but not open at all on Monday. Oh well, manana Don’t think I’ve ridden home along Atherton Road for months, maybe years. Nearly got doored along the way, simultaneously with being squeezed left by a driver wanting to shoot through where there was a traffic island.

Mon ⛅ wardrobe malfunction monday

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 08:07:00 +1000

First it was the five minutes faffing about trying to get the venerable Ground Effect gilet to zip up, nope, the zip has died. For a minute there I thought I was stuck in it and would need scissors to escape Then after I got to work I went to get changed into a slightly elderly boring mister business shirt, and … I incredibly hulked it. Completely shredded side to side, so into the bin, rummage in the drawer of the filing cabinet and change into the emergency vendor t-shirt

Sun ⛅ Waranga Rail Trail return

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +1000

A family ride from Rushworth to Murchison on the newly completed rail trail, then two thirds of us rode back and the remaining third relaxed by the river. Sealed tar from the start to the outskirts of Rushworth then one of the two main road crossings. Two distinct surfaces, a chunky red gravel from Rushworth to where the trail used to end, then finer roadbase to Murchison. Enjoyable, but a little disconnected from town at the Murchison end, a few signs and a slight extension would bring it to the riverside park and integrate it with the paddlesteamer history.

Sat ☀️ early morning ky

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 06:35:00 +1000

Up bright and early while the rest of the household slept, I snuck out for an hour of riding around Kyabram. Arbitrary corners, left and right, a bit of local remnant bushland, out of town then back through again finding main roads, minor roads, bike paths, disused rail lines and a canal Clear sky, 7°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ Byrneside to Kyabram

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:02:00 +1000

A bit like being in the army. Left, right, left, right, left, right Up here the roads are very straight, the roads are very flat. Some are tar, some are gravel. It is windy. The most amusing part was the endless warnings, speed humps, signs, etc. leading up to where the railway line crossed the roads … the railway line that was buried under dirt and had last seen a train some decades ago!

The Willie Wagtail[1] entertained us at breakfast, hopping around on the back porch chasing insects

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:45:00 +1000

[1] Willie Wagtail

Thu ⛅ AWOL to the wetlands

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 15:11:00 +1000

After a week of inaction I now have the AWOL back from the LBS, unserviced. Staff got sick and they were unable to do any work, they didn’t even have the staff to pick up the phone and tell me this … Regardless, it is back, and to celebrate we went for an afternoon ride around to Glen Iris wetlands, a bit of the Gardiners Creek Trail, and home from Caulfield along the Djering Trail

The Willie Wagtail[1] is still here, down by the shed and in the neighbour's garden. I hope it stays

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +1000

[1] Willie Wagtail

Looked up from my desk and was surprised to see a Willie Wagtail[1] hopping around on the fence – pleasant change from all the pests

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 16:00:00 +1000

[1] Willie Wagtail

Wed ⛅ cobweb clearing

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 15:01:00 +1000

An afternoon WFH break, half an hour spinning about gently around the suburb on the #fixie, enjoying the time away from the keyboard … and the frustration at finding that the LBS hasn’t started the bike service on the #AWOL, despite them having my bike for over a week. They’re apparently short-staffed and “Might not be able to get to it until next week at the earliest”. Did not occur to them to call me or explain this when I dropped it off last Wednesday!

Tue ⛅ creek commute home

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:43:00 +1000

The usual route home along the Scotchmans Creek Trail, then dodge the Oakleigh roadworks where the new separated bike lane is being built down Atkinson Street. The road crew have excelled themselves today, not only is the “Bike Lane Closed” sign 50m north of Dandenong Road in Atkinson Street where there is no bike lane, but next to it is a mandatory “Cyclists Dismount” sign on the road! F*ck ’em, I’ll ride on the road same as I do every other piece of road that has no bike lane, INCLUDING THIS ONE

Tue ⛅ home2work with no2

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 08:06:00 +1000

My my, what a very large box of NO2 cylinders dumped by the bike path. Exactly where the past four or five loads of NO2 cylinders have been dumped, every month or so. Someone has quite the thriving local business, and disposal on the rate payers’ dollar Other than that, just an ordinary commute. Found a rain jacket sitting on the path and I suspect I can remember which of the commonly passed commuters I see most mornings has dropped it.

Mon ⛅ wfh fixie around the burb

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 14:56:00 +1000

A cold afternoon spin around the suburb, through some of the new separated bike lane along Hanover Street – not entirely clear if some bits are open yet, I suspect not, but nothing stopped me riding along them. Assorted roadworks and diversions Down to the creek and downstream to East Malvern, then up alongside the Urban Forest. Strangely cold, although the temperature said it was higher than my rides on the weekend it felt colder in the wind

Sun 🌧 five mile track mud

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:58:00 +1000

Up the Deans Marsh road then back down Five Mile Track, although there’s a lot of slippery climbing on that descent. All very muddy and slippery, lots of trees and branches down too. I can see why these roads in the #Otways are closed to drivers in the winter – the climb at the start defeated me, as did some of the descending, just too slippery in the clay Light rain, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 6m/s from W - by Klimat

Sat ⛅ mount Cowley dirt

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 14:02:00 +1000

Hello Garvey Track my old friend. Can I ride up the whole way? No, not today. There seems to be three long climbing sections and the third one defeats me every time. One very inelegant fail to unclip and fall off, and one section just too long and steep. Down to almost 6°C up in the forest, but thankfully dodged the showers Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 6m/s from W - by Klimat

Fri ⛅ TGIF homewards

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 16:39:00 +1000

TIme to go, get out of here, off down the creek and home Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 44%, Wind 7m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ another windy commute

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 08:04:00 +1000

Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 3m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ☀️ huntingdale souvlaki

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 12:17:00 +1000

Took a break from working at home, jumped on the #fixie to meander down to the next suburb for lunch. Skipped the first souvlaki place, mysteriously their eftpos is out of action (again) and “cash only”, nor do their tills appear to work as the staff just push notes in and out of the open drawers. Off to the second souvlaki place for a tasty lunch and sit around in the sun, then home much the same way, calling in at a favourite bakery for a Vietnamese coffee.

Wed ⛅ a brief caulfielding

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:14:00 +1000

A bit of a cold afternoon, threatening to rain. Jump on the #fixie for a spin up to Caulfield along the Djerring Trail and back again. Did a little detour around the shiny new “bike only” off road bike path along Queens Road … and had to swerve around a headphone wearing pedestrian staring at his phone and walking in a lazy zig-zag down the middle. The concept of “bike paths” as distinct from “shared paths” is completely foreign to the Melbourne mind, and completely ignored in practice

Tue 🌧 torrential rain commute

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 16:35:00 +1000

There I was thinking I’d waited out the rain. Nope. Gardiner Road and it started bucketing down, poured all the way home . Gutters were overflowing, massive waves from passing cars, drains blocked up and forcing rivers back down the roads Nothing for it but to enjoy it, soaked as I rode along the Scotchmans Creek Trail and watching the creek roaring alongside with runoff. A surprise pair of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos calling up in one of the trees

Tue ⛅ home2work

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:03:00 +1000

A commute without note, other than some nice numbers. An exact 25:00 riding time, and a tidy 55m of climbing – interesting how the climb to work can be anywhere from around 51-63m Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ gusty windy commute

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 16:07:00 +1000

Windy like this morning, but with gusty blasts hitting at times and pushing me around. Lots of dust and rubbish in the air Scattered clouds, 24°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 34%, Wind 4m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ☀️ windy spring commute

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 08:04:00 +1000

Warm, windy, and a new front tyre. Plenty of dust and pollen about Clear sky, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 9m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ☀️ shiny overkill

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 09:49:00 +1000

Out for a first real ride on a very shiny gravel bike. Feels like complete overkill for the paths and trails I met today, but oh so much fun! Out to the end of the Djerring Trail then blast on down the Dandenong Creek paths, interesting gravelly tracks and trails from there back up to Mordialloc, then the boring bit home up through the suburbs Clear sky, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat

Sat ⛅ pedal shopping

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 14:15:00 +1000

LBS visits x3, success, and one pair of pedals later. I also discovered that the #fixie needs a new front tyre, how this one hasn’t blown out is a miracle Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ⛅ shopping and falling off

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 08:09:00 +1000

Oops. Snuck into the newly built bike lane on the way home on the #fixie, was looking about and not paying attention. Hit a high lip of a ramp and slid ungracefully into the garden bed. That’ll teach me to watch where I’m going Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ commute and a bit

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 16:50:00 +1000

Friday afternoon, home from work. North to the Scotchmans Creek Trail and downstream homwards – with the usual Friday little bit more down to East Malvern, then home south through Murrumbeena and back along the Djerring Trail Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ chilly fixie commute

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 07:57:00 +1000

Another cold one, the fun of this time of year, the temperature is up and down, trying for spring, succumbing back to winter. Never know what it’ll be until you’re out in it Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 4m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ bike shopping

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 13:12:00 +1000

I came, I saw, I wanted … or something like that Took a very shiny ex-demo Curve out for a test ride and had lots of fun, I suspect it is a lot more bike than I need! Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Wed ⛅ wintery blast

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 15:41:00 +1000

Brr! Cloudy with an icy wind coming up from the antarctic, keeping us on our toes. Up to the LBS, then down through Ardrie Park at poodle-o-clock and back around to East Malvern station, the Scotchmans Creek Trail and home through Oakleigh A slightly amusing moment with an unexpected Mercedes in bike lane … reversing … at me … in order to park in the “No Stopping/No Parking” zone And there i was thinking she was just driving slowly and a bit far to the left in order to turn left at the next corner.

Tue ⛅ sunset commute

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 17:00:00 +1000

A bit squinty riding into the sun, and a bit chilly riding into the wind. An enjoyable little extra ride on the commute home now that there’s more daylight Scattered clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ damp home2work

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 07:51:00 +1000

Did it rain? Had it rained? Was it just humid? I can’t remember, I titled the ride and didn’t write anything here for a week or more Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ heading home

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:49:00 +1000

Another day at work, another day back down the creek trail and home Scattered clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ☀️ springy commute

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 08:06:00 +1000

Warming up, the usual commute Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ bloody windy sunday

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 13:36:00 +1000

Not quite as bad as that day with the Gale in Sale, but memorable. Kept me on my toes, bike being blatted back and forth either in towards the parked cars or out into traffic. Djerring trail to Caulfield then Inkerman Street down towards the bay, turn right onto St Kilda Road, into the wind and for the worst of the buffeting - especially in around the office tower blocks. Detoured off towards Government House and Kings Domain, curiosity had me seeking out the site of Camp Sovereignty – which I found, tents billowing and pulling out of the ground, eucalypt smoke blowing every direction from the fire.

Sat ⛅ acquire pants

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 09:20:00 +1000

A bony-bummed individual has worn out their school pants, so off we went to visit the second-hand uniform shop and try on a dozen pairs in assorted sizes. Exhausted, but with pants, we left and mostly retraced our route, stopping in for a beverage of our choices at Jack the Milkman before returning home Scattered clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ☀️ shopping

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 07:28:00 +1000

Bread, fish, etc. Usual Saturday morning pre-breakfast ritual Clear sky, 4°C, Feels like 2°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ bit extra commute home

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 16:23:00 +1000

The Scotchmans Creek Trail commute home, downstream to Malvern East and back up through the parkland for a bit extra Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ fixie Friday fun

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 08:05:00 +1000

The usual commute, spinning down the Djerring Trail on the #fixie and up the hill to work. An auspicious rainbow appeared to hilight my morning coffee Clear sky, 6°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu 🌧 murrumbeena banh mi

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 12:41:00 +1000

Decided to ride up to Carnegie for lunch, but halfway through Murrumbeena it started to rain and was surprisingly cold. Quickly adjourned to a cafe in Murrumbeena and had a Banh Mi there while watching the rain sheet across the road. Luckily it all eased off by the time I’d finished, so the ride home was cold and damp, but not wet Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat

Wed ⛅ wfh afternoon break

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 15:44:00 +1000

An afternoon break while working from home; local suburban triangle, the Rosstown Rail Trail, north up along Koornang road,a minor diversion out towards Grange Road then back home along the Djerring Trail Koornang Road bike lane sucks. Glen Eira council staff should be forced onto bicycles and made to ride during peak traffic up and down that road, and all the others where they build these useless parking allowed bike lanes

those weeks when it gets light early, but its not yet daylight savings time – the Blackbird[1] sings and sings and sings at dawn

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 07:30:00 +1000

[1] Common blackbird

Tue ⛅ creek commute home

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 16:52:00 +1000

The usual commute home, although I stopped at one of the side street crossings to take some photos showing how the council has marked up the lanes and shared path to give the path priority when crossing the road. It doesn’t work so well in practice, but that says more about the drivers and complete lack of enforcement than about the crossing treatment Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat

Tue ⛅ home2work commute

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 08:01:00 +1000

What is this, head-on near miss day or something? Dear Mr e-Bike rider, when speeding along towards me, please don’t get obsessively focussed on pulling out to overtake the jogger. Try looking up next time so I don’t have to swerve off into the grass and yell rude words at you Dear lady e-bike rider, if you come speeding up the footpath to where it joins the the bike path, perhaps try looking to your right before turning right across that path so I don’t have to stop to avoid t-boning you

onwards to the next stage of spring … the freesias are starting to open

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 08:00:00 +1000

Mon ⛅ creek commute home

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 16:43:00 +1000

An unremarkable commute home along the usual route, Scotchmans Creek Trail downstream to Oakleigh, then through the streets to home Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “Magic for Beginners”

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Mon ⛅ commute home2work

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 08:01:00 +1000

Monday morning. To work. The usual. The only thing that differs is whether the Garmin decides I’ve climbed 53m or 58m to get there Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 0m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

The weekend wind stripped the pink plum blossom, its time is over. By the shed the white one takes over, blossom and bees a-plenty

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 07:45:00 +1000

Sun ⛅ assorted tracks and trails

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 14:16:00 +1000

A butcherbird to the head / a screamed yell of abuse from a bogan in a Falcon like something from the 1990s / assorted muddy trails and Sunday afternoon Burwood Highway traffic wizzing past a few centimetres from my elbow. Overall sunny and enjoyable, but with some standout moments Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 0m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “The Angel's Game”

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

we've wrangled the smashed fence panel back into place around the fallen bay tree trunk and tied it in, now a bit more privacy and peace of mind

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +1000

Sat ⛅ post-storm shopping

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 08:16:00 +1000

After a big storm overnight, and a very large trunk of our Bay tree splitting off, falling, destroying the fence and blocking the bike path, it was time to ride up to the shops for fish for dinner and fresh bread for breakfast. Lots of debris around, but thankfully the wind has dropped Overcast clouds, 9°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 3m/s from ENE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

half the bay tree fell in the storm last night, partly destroyed the fence and blocked the bike path

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 08:00:00 +1000

Fri 🌧 snow-like commute

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:23:00 +1000

Thick grey clouds overhead looking as though it might snow, a cold chill wind coming down from the north feeling as though it’s straight off the mountains. The usual route home along the creek, but boy, it felt like an inland winter’s day Light rain, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ cold grey friday commute

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 07:50:00 +1000

Down to single digit temperatures again, cold and grey and wintery Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ chilly loop

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 16:19:00 +1000

Dodged the rain, but everything along the Scotchmans Creek Trail was soaked and glistening in the sun. Seems to have been raining north of Dandenong Road, but not on Oakleigh or Murrumbeena south of it. Cold, wintery Scattered clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Wed ⛅ unsuccessfully dodging showers

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 15:07:00 +1000

Brr, that sudden drenching was cold, and quite unexpected Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 4m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue 🌧 wet commute

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 16:45:00 +1000

The creek commute, but with added rain. All damp and soggy under the trees in the bush land Light rain, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 4m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue 🌧 commute with company

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 08:04:00 +1000

While I was stopped at the lights for Clayton Road a co-commuter caught up so was company for the rest of the way to work. Definitely went easy on me so I could keep up and talk, I know who has all the QOMs around here! Amusing comment of the ride while talking about the commute-to-campus map, “Why isn’t the North Road bike lane on it?” … “It’s so bad we just don’t want to even mention it”

Mon ⛅ homewards odd variant

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 16:52:00 +1000

Sometime earlier today I’d glanced at the #wandrer map and saw there was an irritating little bit of paths around the oval that I’d not ridden along, so I did. Commute home partly up Dandenong Road, something I have not done for years but used to do all the time before the traffic got worse and I got older Through the park, around the oval, then wiggle around through Huntingdale and Oakleigh to home

Mon ⛅ work work work

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 07:59:00 +1000

Off to work, bit chilly. Nothing notable Overcast clouds, 6°C, Feels like 4°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ☀️ stunning sunday sunshine

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 14:16:00 +1000

First swoop of the season, two close passes somewhere in Glen Waverley on the Scotchmans Creek trail - time to dust off the magpie alert webpage A wonderful sunny Sunday afternoon, down along Scotchmans Creek Trail to Jells Park and around the park then up through Glen Waverley, into the traffic mayhem and out the other side, and follow the trail alongside the railway back down to Waverley Road, then pick and choose random streets home again

the pink plum blossom street tree is in full bloom and is full of bees today

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 09:15:00 +1000

Sat ⛅ short shopping

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 07:58:00 +1000

Fish, chicken, bread, and home again. Up and over the Hanover Street bridge to check out the progress on the separated bike lane Few clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ extended sunset commute

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:49:00 +1000

It was a bit cool, but a lovely still evening with the daylight fading and little wind, so I rode a little further than usual, came back up from the Scotchmans Creek Trail through Carnegie and Murrumbeena, then had an absolutely spectacular #sunset happen behind me on the ride through Hughesdale – I stopped for a photo when I saw almost everyone else standing staring back past me at the sky

Fri ⛅ a warmer commute

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 08:04:00 +1000

Friday morning, usual commute, usual light traffic. Much warmer than a few days ago Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 0m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

OK, that's twice now! The Amazfit 7 watchface has vanished overnight, gone back to default overnight

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 07:30:00 +1000

Trying to reconfigure it in the app. I find that once again the “free” face I was using has vanished. I’ve picked a new one. We’ll see if this one vanishes in three months like last time

Thu ☀️ Scotchman near spring

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:38:00 +1000

Sunny and only a light breeze, all the wattles are flowering and the ducks are out and about on the pools in the wetlands. Up along Scotchmans Creek trail to Forster Road, then back again. On the way up there was a detour around the wetlands and single track through the bush, back was along the dirt road on the south of the creek, drainage tunnel under the freeway, more dirt roads and then eventually a brief lap of Brickmakers Park.

2025/0821/1307 – Create a new password

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 13:07:00 +1000

Hi ajft, We got a request to change your password. You can create a new password to finish making changes in Accounts Center.

2025/0821/0733 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:33:00 +1000

Hi ajft, Sorry to hear you’re having trouble logging into Instagram. We got a message that you forgot your password. If this was you, you can get right back into your account or reset your password now.

Wed ☀️ new path and old and parks

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 16:03:00 +1000

Around past Oakleigh station to check out the construction site, and dice with death along the signposted “Detour” down Atherton Road and Drummond Street – if that bike lane was any thinner you wouldn’t be able to see it, as it is you can’t see it between badly parked cars on the left and overhanging cars from the right! Then down to the creek trail, downstream to East Malvern, and up through Murrumbeena and home

2025/0820/0511 – Create a new password

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:11:00 +1000

Hi ajft, We got a request to change your password. You can create a new password to finish making changes in Accounts Center.

2025/0820/0319 – Create a new password (x9)

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 03:19:00 +1000

Hi ajft, We got a request to change your password. You can create a new password to finish making changes in Accounts Center.

Tue ☀️ the creek commute

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 17:16:00 +1000

Slight variation while leaving Monash, I got boxed in on Bayview Avenue and couldn’t get across to the off road path on the far side, so stayed on the road and up Gardiner Road past endless cars all the way to the Nott, then switched across. Faster, narrower channel between cars and kerbs, but far less chance of being taken out by drivers at cross streets ignoring the Give Way signs …

2025/0819/0938 – Reset your password

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:38:00 +1000

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Tue ☀️ frosty commute

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 08:07:00 +1000

An unexpectedly cold turn in the weather, frost on the grass and cold fingers even through the winter gloves Clear sky, 2°C, Feels like 2°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/0819/0214 – Reset your password

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 02:14:00 +1000

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Mon ☀️ chasing daylight home

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 17:08:00 +1000

I discovered late in the day that my headlight was flat – #Cycliq firmware “lock up go flat” mode when I thought I’d last turned it off. Rode home briskly, not really too gloomy yet. Bit cold though Clear sky, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ into the maelstrom

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:48:00 +1000

The boring short route, to get to work to re-enter the fun and games that commenced on Friday Advantage of today’s route, it is short. Disadvantage of today’s route, it takes you through all the houses where a large number of people live who may not be fully acquainted with Victorian road rules – like the gent who shot backwards out of his driveway straight across in front of me, nearly collected an AWOL in his passenger door, then started yelling and abusing me to “you watch where you going!

Sun ⛅ Inkerman Rosstown

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 14:14:00 +1000

A cool Sunday afternoon outing, something a little different. Down Inkerman Street almost to the bay, but then side streets to Elsternwick and home along the Rosstown Rail Trail Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 4m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ⛅ Karkarook lake parks etc

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 13:46:00 +1000

An afternoon ride down to the lake and around, lots of people fishing, lots of little kids on little kids’ bikes. Then off around the gravelly bit where all the Bronzewing Pigeons seem to live, back up through Namitjira Reserve and other parks, then home along the Djerring Trail and back streets of Oakleigh Scattered clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 screaming into the void

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 18:24:00 +1000

It was a Friday best forgotten. Almost deja vu, the Friday after patch Tuesday & some unattended tech debt reached out to punch everyone in the head. 6.30pm and I’d had enough for the day, out for a cold, wet, dark ride to yell some frustration out at the world. Very enjoyable it was too Light rain, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat

Thu ☀️ orchids and roadworks

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:37:00 +1000

Down through Boyd Park and check on the nature reserve – the Greenhoods are flowering in their protective enclosure – then on down through the Urban Forest and around the ponds to East Malvern station. Back up the Scotchmans Creek Trail to {{locality(Oakleigh)}}}, then followed the “detour route” where the connector-bike path bit is being built. Traffic mayhem, a “detour” sign that oddly was turned to send riders through the roadworks not around them, and bumper-to-bumper traffic queued in the bike lane you’re meant to be detouring through

second half of a drastic gall-wasp reducing pruning of the lime tree. No limes next year!

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:15:00 +1000

Wed ⛅ caulfield lake loop

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 15:09:00 +1000

Look mum, no dogs … yes, circumstantial evidence suggests that the homeless guy with two large dogs who was always somewhere up or down the Djerring trail may well be the homeless guy with two large dogs arrested the other night for murder. At least the two large alsations are no longer roaming freely along the bike path terrifying riders and walkers as they appear bounding out of the bushes

Tue 🌧 wet shorty

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:32:00 +1000

I thought it was only grey outside, perhaps a little mist … nope. A gentle light rain, quite soaking. Pulled the pin and only rode up to Murrumbeena and the end of Boyd park, then home again Light rain, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

I've just found that the injured dove[1] from yesterday was hiding under the lime tree, I disturbed it and it rocketed lopsidedly into the plum tree, one wing still hanging down

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 12:45:00 +1000

[1] Spotted dove

A spotted dove[1] just plummetted down from the bay tree and sat on the lawn, one wing sprawled out awkwardly, then lurched off towards the fence

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 16:00:00 +1000

[1] Spotted dove

Mon ☀️ rubbish ride

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 15:21:00 +1000

I feel rubbish, I saw rubbish. I draw the line at saying I am rubbish, but I’m still not well Meandering around the streets of Hughesdale and Murrumbeena, passing endless piles of rubbish for council hard-waste collection – some identifiable, some not Clear sky, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 44%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ hard rubbish cruise

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 14:25:00 +1000

Council hard rubbish collection starts next week, so we’re at peak dumping this weekend as everyone places it all – “five neat piles, by material type” – (yeah right) – neatly on the nature strip. Or just dumps a bewildering array of stuff, meanwhile it seems that every scrap metal chancer in ten km is cruising in their ute or van, cutting cords and grabbing anything they can. We went out for a lazy lap of the streets, amusing ourselves in what was out there … and coming home with a large piece of garden netting, a bicycle pannier rack, and three large teddy bears.

Sat ☀️ the djerring

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:23:00 +1000

Probably bit off a bit more than I should have done – it is flat, but it more exercise than I was up to. Off to the Yarraman end of the Djerring Trail and back again Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 0m/s from ESE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ easy wheezer

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 14:11:00 +1000

Thought I was well enough this afternoon to slowly roll around the local parks. Mostly correct. Felt exhausted and shall now return to the convalescence couch Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ Carnegie banh mi lunch

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 12:59:00 +1000

Not feeling 100%, spent the morning lying around at home sick. Rolled out for a very lazy leisurely ride up to Carnegie to buy my lunch, then back home again. Way too many pigeons in the square, had to keep batting them away as I was trying to eat my lunch! Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 0m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “In a House of Lies”

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Wed ⛅ WFH Caulfield return

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 15:09:00 +1000

Grey and a little light drizzle, not feeling 100% either … I think I have finally succumbed to the household cold of our household Lazily up to Caulfield along the Djerring Trail, then back along Neerim Road Hard rubbish time approaches, the on-street dumping intensifies, the jackals are circling in their utes … and way too many people ignore the council notices and chuck out oil, paint, e-bike batteries and car tyres, which the council will ignore, but nobody will take back inside

Some coral-coloured hyacinths have joined the purple ones. No sign of the tulips – if they survived the fence construction – yet

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 08:10:00 +1000

Tue ⛅ home time

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 17:14:00 +1000

A little bit later than usual, but I can do that now that it’s getting lighter later Scattered clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 4m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ home2work

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 08:00:00 +1000

Bit of rain overnight so all the flooded areas of path were flooded. Tuesday is peak traffic day, as usual the counter-flow bike lane on Dandenong Road was blocked by oncoming drivers queuing to turn right Oh woops,, I got told off by security for wheeling my bike into the building to grab a coffee Broken clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat

Mon ⛅ wattle blossom homewards

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 16:46:00 +1000

Feeling more inclined towards spring than winter, the wattle blossom is out on the trees along Scotchmans Creek Trail, star jasmine as well as it trails over everything. Currawongs calling, Rainbow lorikeets shrieking as they dart towards evening roosts Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ nearly spring commute

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 08:04:00 +1000

Short finger gloves, magnolia blooms, piles of hard rubbish appearing throughout Clayton … yes, spring is nearly here Broken clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 0m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/0803/1208 – Happy Anniversary, ajft!

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 12:08:00 +1000

ajft, you’ve been a deviant for 15 years! Here’s to another year of creativity and inspiration.

Sun ⛅ monash uni open day

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 10:45:00 +1000

Avoid the car queues, attend open day by bike! We took the two short routes, but either was better than being stuck in the mass of car traffic in and out of the uni, or seen going around and around the car parks. Amusing that for all the “green campus” talk, it doesn’t seem to percolate through to everyday notices – the open day website had instructions on how to get to campus by car, by bus and by train

Big Fish, Small Pond, #Wandrer

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 09:35:00 +1000

“You’re the monthly leader for new roads in Norfolk Island (on bike) and Norfolk Island (on foot) during July! You earned 2 points for your hard work.”

A loud bang on the neighbour's carport made me look up – a pair of cockies[1] are busy chomping buds in the silver birch and dislodged a dead branch

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 08:30:00 +1000

[1] Sulphur-crested cockatoo

Sat ⛅ fishes and loaves

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 08:03:00 +1000

Not even fishes really, more like half of one fish A large Blue Grenadier fillet for dinner, fresh bread for breakfast, dodge the endless line of blokes standing on the “no smoking” signs smoking, then back around the block and home Broken clouds, 6°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 1m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ surprise dog commute

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 16:55:00 +1000

A day for dogs, apparently. Came around the corner of the station at Murrumbeena and just about felt my knee brush the very large German Shepherd running loose around the corner towards me – completely unsighted behind the wall, trailing 2m of loose leash. One of the two dogs that belongs to the homeless guy currently camped in the waiting room, god knows how he manages to feed the two dogs, the other one asleep under the seats he was lying across.

Fri ⛅ near frosty commute

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 08:00:00 +1000

No apparent frost on the grass, but it must have been as close as you can get without freezing. Everything wet with icy cold dew, the Garmin happily telling me that it got down to 1.8°C in the dark shady places near Huntingdale station Down near the end of Oxford street a large black feral cat raced out of one patch of thick blackberry bushes and vanished into another, I guess it gets well fed here on the feral pigeons that get grain put out for them … and the rats that eat the grain

a large animal poo has appeared in the front garden – fox or feral cat? One or the other lives in the junkyard over the back fence

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 07:10:00 +1000

the ancient Panaracer Smoke … or is it a Dart … on the rear of Cam's bike has finally died, a cut through the side wall and puncture on the ride home

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 17:45:00 +1000

Now replaced with an equally venerable Continental tyre that probably came off Jo’s mountain bike a decade or more ago

Thu ⛅ the wfh afternoon loop

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 16:02:00 +1000

A half-hour break, anti-clockwise around to Oakleigh station, up through the bike path building site, onwards to Scotchmans Creek and the Scotchmans Creek Trail. Downstream to East Malvern station, then back south to the Djerring Trail and back home Amusingly, and despite the increase in size and number of “DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS” signs in both English & Greek, a mentally disabled guy and his hi-vis clad assistant were feeding dozens of pigeons at Oakleigh station, and the old Indian lady who has been feeding them for years at the end of Oxford street was … yet again, standing in the middle of the bike path feeding the pigeons.

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two Red wattlebirds[1] keep coming down to the camellias outside my window, then bounce around the flowers enjoying themselves feeding

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 10:30:00 +1000

[1] Red wattlebird

the possum has discovered our beetroot seedlings and starting trimming the leaves, as well as the chard and parsley – time for more netting

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 17:00:00 +1000

Wed ☀️ lazy local parks

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 15:36:00 +1000

A bit of the Rosstown Rail Trail around to Packer Park, without venturing onto the velodrome for any laps. Around through the park, up the shambolic Koornang Road bike lane to the rail line then home along the Djerring Trail Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ nearly spring commute

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 16:37:00 +1000

A little bit more daylight, not very much temperature. Bit of a loop, up through Mount Waverley, down along the rail line to Gardiners Creek and the trail, through to the Anniversary Trail and home via East Malvern and on to Murrumbeena. Stopped in to check on the building site where once the family-in-law house stood, bare dirt, not a skerrick of vegetation on the block. One big box coming right up…

Tue ⛅ clayton near-miss x3

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 08:05:00 +1000

Must be some kind of a record; a driver tried to run into me driving through the Give-way sign where the bike path crosses “Link Road”, then another turned left through the lights into Clayton Road and ignored the pedestrian/bike crossing, the third was parked in the No-Stopping zone on Dandenong Road and pulled out as I was passing Overcast clouds, 8°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat

the little doves[1] are gathering sticks, I wonder where they're building a nest – bay tree or pittosporum hedge?

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:45:00 +1000

[1] Spotted dove

Mon ⛅ commute home with bugs

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 16:51:00 +1000

Bugs in the eyes and bugs in the teeth. I really should hunt up those clear lenses for my sunglasses. A sure sign that the evenings are getting lighter, the temperature warmer Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ wet roads commute

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 08:05:00 +1000

Cold and clear with water all about from the overnight rain. The annual festival of hard-rubbish dumping has commenced in Clayton. The daily refusal to obey give-way signs is continuing in Clayton Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 0m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Sun 🌧 damp meandering

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 14:27:00 +1000

Out and about, I thought it was just grey, but it started raining lightly as I left the house A delivery to a family friend, around the streets and a cautious crossing of wet tram tracks on Wattletree Road. Long straight bit there down to Gardiners Creek, view the wetlands, and then upstream along the trail back towards home. Nice to see a pair of Gang Gangs creaking up in the gum trees, I think they were exploring a hollow for a nesting site

Le Tour de France is rose pruning time – Jo and Cam have done the front garden two weeks ago, now for the back

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 09:30:00 +1000

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Sat ⛅ Pakenham and aqueduct

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 13:16:00 +1000

Out for ninety minutes while the hockey warmup and match are on, headed north from Pakenham out along rural roads. Found myself “Google map’d” at one point – a quick check seemed to show that a lane went through the paddocks to the next road, riding it found that it ended at some new houses built across it. I did manage to stumble upon the Cardinia Aqueduct, and rode out to the end of that – at the western end it ends within sight of the next road, but the last section is fenced off as private property so I had to retrace my route.

the first two magnolia buds are showing pink and starting to open

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 08:20:00 +1000

Sat ⛅ fish chicken bread

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 08:16:00 +1000

Yeah yeah, up to the shops, fish for dinner, bread for breakfast, chicken marylands for tomorrow night’s dinner. Home again Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 blustery commute home

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 18:05:00 +1000

A social beer after work with cow-orkers, then a late ride home in the dark. Warm and blustery winds, and no other bikes or walkers on the trail … just the usual Notting Hill drivers driving straight through the Give Way signs across the bike path. Made it home just as the rain was starting to fall Light rain, 8°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 7m/s from NE - by Klimat

Fri ⛅ end of week commute2work

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 08:05:00 +1000

Back to work, down the trail, up through Clayton. Still lots of roadworks at the SRL building site. Still the annoying dog-leg to cross Clayton Road and through the station forecourt now that the bike trail has been realigned Overcast clouds, 7°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

with no cat we've got more birds on the ground in the garden – all feral pests though! Mynas, doves, blackbirds

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 08:05:00 +1000

Thu ⛅ clayton chaos

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:35:00 +1000

Afternoon break, down to Clayton. Bit of chaos at both ends. The home end was because it was straight out into the school-pickup o’clock SUV gridlock by Oakleigh Grammar, the Clayton end due to road works, SRL building works … and Clayton drivers, many who seem to have internalised the road rules and practices of half a dozen different countries where they all lived or learnt to drive. One way streets?

our first two hyacinth flowers are opening – survivors of the fence replacement post-hole digging

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 08:55:00 +1000

Wed 🌧 WFH sanity restorer

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 15:34:00 +1000

It is cold, it is wet, it is dull and grey, it is boring, but it is not sitting at my desk working. Up to Caulfield and back, dodge the substance-affected dude screaming at passers by in Carnegie, dodge the two gents standing in the middle of the bike path doing their youtuber interview thing. Back home, back to work Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat

various bulbs have buds, as does the magnolia, and there's the faintest tinge of pink on the tips of the jasmine buds

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +1000

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Tue ⛅ snow wind commute

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 17:02:00 +1000

Flippin’ ’eck that wind is cold – straight from the snowfields down to me. Blasting down from the NE, straight in my face for the ride north up Gardiner and Forster Roads, and a big change from this morning. Oh yay, I’m a leg end again, it seems to oscillate back and forth between me and one or two others who ride this way, bit of a joke when in some places you can become “Local Legend” for riding something twice in three months!

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Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:17:00 +1000

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Tue ⛅ warmly to work

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 08:02:00 +1000

Big dark clouds massing all around, and strangely warm on the ride in. Feels as though there’s a storm brewing but that it’s 10 degrees warmer than it should be Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

You got a new achievement!

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 18:00:00 +1000

Blog’s Birthday We’re together for 21 years now! Thank you!

Mon ⛅ ho-hum and homewards

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:46:00 +1000

Nearly taken out by a. 2-stroke trail bike being ridden up and down the bike path and around Huntingdale Wetlands – sort of amusing given the current pearl-clutching and tabloid outrage about over-cooked e-bikes – otherwise quiet and with lots of small insects appearing in the dusk Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 0m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Mon ⛅ boringly back to work

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 08:01:00 +1000

Back on my usual route, back from Norfolk Island and commute to work. How very ordinary and predictable … and chilly compared with last week Broken clouds, 6°C, Feels like 4°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 4m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Sun, 20 Jul 2025 19:42:00 +1000

Read — “”A Traveller in Rome

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Sun ⛅ urgent bread and milk

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 08:13:00 +1000

Coming home from a week away to a cold house and a near empty fridge – a short quick jaunt up to the shops for bread and milk then home for scrambled eggs. What a let down, saw more litter and rubbish along the street getting to the shops than I saw in the entire week on Norfolk Island Broken clouds, 5°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 0m/s from E - by Klimat

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Sat, 19 Jul 2025 18:58:00 +1000

Sat ⛅ world heritage farewell

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 07:48:00 +1100

Our last day in Norfolk island, last chance of a ride on the borrow-bike. Out before breakfast to plummet down to Kingston town, called in at the ruins of a cottage, then around to the wharf before spinning slowly back up the valley. The ubiquitous feral chickens watch me pass, local Saturday morning coming to life Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 6m/s from ENE - by Klimat

Fri ⛅ burnt pine and back

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:11:00 +1100

I’ve mostly run out of options on which direction to go to find unridden bits of roads, but constrained by sunset and starting at 4.30pm. There’s another side road off Bumbora, but it goes steeply up and down and my heart wasn’t in it for today, so off towards Burnt Pine and thoughts about going a little further north. Ended up just ducking into a few side streets then back the way I came

Thu ⛅ sub-tropical sundown time trial

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 16:33:00 +1100

Start at 4.30, sunset is about 5.10. no streetlights, no bike lights. Not much dusk either. Got up to the airport and down the side road to the BOM, the tip, the waterworks. Hmm eyeball the map, the distance, the sun, guess my average speed …. and go. Off towards St Barnabas and a lap around the airport boundary. Will I, won’t I make it … Downhills are good, despite the potholes, up hill steep so the speed just vanishes and it’s right down the gears to climb them.

A Norfolk Island Parrot[1]! Above us in the trees at the corner of Bridlge Walk and Bird rock track

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 12:50:00 +1000

How awesome is that! Yesterday we heard them calling somewhere nearby in the National Park, today as Cam and I paused to let Jo catch up we heard one call – then quietly celebrated as it flew out of the pines across the track only a few metres away and perched where we could see it! Cyanoramphus cookii

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Wed ⛅ world heritage Wednesday

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 16:21:00 +1100

After a full day of being a tourist, out on the borrow-bike for the last of the afternoon light. Whee! Down to Kingston town, around and about, then back up up up “Country Road” to take me home … to the accommodation. All praise our blessed lady of hill climbs, and the invention of the triple chain ring Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 9m/s from W - by Klimat

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Tue ☀️ SW NI

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:55:00 +1100

Off on the borrow-bike for a late afternoon explore of more nearby roads, not enough time for a full lap of the airport. Down down down Bumbora Road to the reserve and beach, then attempt to climb back. The triple was insufficient, I nearly looped the bike. Walked it back up the hill until I could get started again! Then on to 100 Acre Reserve, “ghost bird” sign, fig trees, back with some explanation of the western side of the airport.

Read — “”A Rare Benedictine

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Mon ☁️ moonlit silliness

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 21:50:00 +1100

No lighting? No problem. Simply wait for the moon to rise and head out for a very quiet trundle up to the airport . The road was mostly visible, it was a bit difficult distinguishing cow pats from pot-holes – both dark round circles. Paused for a photo against the boundary fence and windsock, then back home. Streak unbroken, one of the more unusual rides Broken clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 5m/s from WNW - by Klimat

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Sun ⛅ you are here

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 16:29:00 +1100

Well here we are … Norfolk Island for a holiday for a week. Amusingly, there’s a mountain bike free for the riding available in the accommodation, so I’ll see if I can sneak in a ride every day to keep up the 2025 streak .. and explore brave new worlds etc An interesting place, much of the island is flattish, up at around 150m altitude, but with big drops down to sea level.

Sun ⛅ you are here

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 15:29:00 +1100

QOTD: "Welcome to kwannus" – apparently the national airline has been renamed

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 07:30:00 +1000

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Sat ⛅ bakery and back

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 07:42:00 +1000

No fish needed for dinner, so only the bakery was a shopping destination today – fresh turkish bread to go with bacon and eggs Broken clouds, 8°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☁️ creek commute TGIF

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 17:39:00 +1000

Yeesh, what an ‘orrible day that was. Still going, but not for me. No longer my circus or my monkeys as of 17.30 Best part of the day – riding home in the dark in the cold in the wet under the gum trees along the creek. Even the close call with the muppet leaving the pub car park & driving straight out in front of me onto the bike path couldn’t put a dent in the joy of riding home

Fri ⛅ grey home2work

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 08:10:00 +1000

The routine commute on a very dull dark grey overcast morning Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu 🌧 wet shopping loop

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:37:00 +1000

The afternoon outing, a brief shop visit, then alongside the golf course around to East Malvern station, back south through Murrumbeena and home along the Djerring Trail. No rain, lots of puddles and mud Light rain, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:58:00 +1000

Wed ⛅ chilly local bits

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:10:00 +1000

The work-from-home afternoon break, rug up in warm clothes, brave the wintery wind, and off down through Boyd Park and the Urban Forest to East Malvern, playing tag along the way with a fellow commuter I frequently see in the mornings, now on their way home. Loop de loop around a few side streets and up some remarkably skinny lanes, then home along the Djerring Trail Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat

Tue ⛅ brief windy loop

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:47:00 +1000

A school holiday work-from home Tuesday, a brief outing on a windy afternoon. Loop down to Scotchmans Creek Trail, downstream to East Malvern station, back south to the Djerring Trail and home. Windy all the way Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 4m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ☀️ homewards with detour

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 16:57:00 +1000

North up Gardiner Road and Forster Road after work, then a detour off up through Mount Waverley and ride-past of spouse’s family’s old house … err, old demolition site. Took a progress photo and continued on off along the Glen Waverley line “bike path” – it doesn’t really exist here, just side streets, then cut through the suburbs, cross the freeway, and back home along the Scotchmans Creek Trail Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 0m/s from E - by Klimat

Mon ☀️ quiet home2work

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 08:09:00 +1000

First Monday of the school holidays, and there’s a week of no trains on our line, so nobody at the stations. All is quiet. roads mostly empty. Bit chilly, but sunny with no wind Clear sky, 6°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Sun ⛅ Langwarrin lunch ride

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 11:48:00 +1000

Another ride caused by hockey – while the match was on down at the Peninsula grounds I rode off up the hill and went exploring, found the Langwarrin Fauna Reserve and entered the maze of tracks. Some are dirt roads, some might be the remnants of 4WD tracks, some are just single tracks. Some have signs saying no bicycles, some do not. I rode on the ones that did not. Annoyingly, some have signs saying “no bicycles” on one end – maybe they only want people to ride through in one direction, the paths in question have “no trailbike” signs at both ends!

Sat ☀️ short shopping

Sat, 05 Jul 2025 07:51:00 +1000

Up to the shops for a barramundi for dinner, around the corner for fresh bread & croissants, back home down Atherton Street past the recently torched tattoo shop Clear sky, 6°C, Feels like 3°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ dusk commute

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 17:01:00 +1000

Definitely getting a little lighter in the evenings, later than usual leaving work and there’s still a bit of light, resulting in clouds of small insects along the Scotchmans Creek Trail. The evening light giveth and the evening light taketh away…. Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 0m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ commuting latish

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 08:19:00 +1000

Later than usual leaving home, same route to work, nothing untoward Clear sky, 5°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ the lake and snakes

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:43:00 +1000

Two lakes in two days, Karkarook this time Don’t worry, they were only plastic snakes though – a table full of them, free for the taking at the side of the road. Just one of the many curiosities you come across riding around the suburbs Prior to that, an enjoyably sunny lap of Karkarook lake and the bit of Clarinda that will very soon be plowed into mud and covered in concrete, converted from bushland parkland to concrete train stabling wasteland

Wed 🌧 a bit damp out

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 15:50:00 +1000

Grey and gloomy on the way up to Caufield, and a melancholy lap of the lake, just me and three or four dog walkers. Made it half-way home and the grey turned to light rain, gradually increasing. Very rude of it I did manage to find a circus, no monkeys though, or clowns visible Moderate rain, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ old car and beers

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:48:00 +1000

A half hour break in the late afternoon, off down the Djerring trail as far as Huntingdale, then back stair-wise on side streets. Overshot home, up to the local to restock on beers, then homewards. Point of interest was the three-eyed old Austin that I’ve been riding past in the mornings for the past few weeks – one of the interesting old cars that surfaces in the backstreets around Oakleigh & Huntingdale

Mon ⛅ squinty setting sun commute

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 16:26:00 +1000

Opposite of a normal work day. The ride to work had been along the Scotchmans Creek Trail, so for the ride home I decided to use the Djerring Trail. Perhaps not the best idea – the setting sun was straight in my eyes for most of the way up the path. Took the opportunity to check out the abysmal bike lane on Westall Road over the railway bridge and I guess you could say that VicRoads have “fixed” the problem – they’ve cut down the huge weeds growing in the bike lane, but scrubbed the bike lane markings off the road, I guess “no bike lane = no problem”

Mon ⛅ cold commute with detour

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 08:16:00 +1000

An early morning appointment and the wrong gloves. Chilly along the creek with a hint of fog over the wetlands. Near frost, cold up through Valley Reserve to Mount Waverley shops, then a bit warmer an hour later on the way down the hill and to the office – calling in for a takeaway coffee at the Nott’s bottleshop Overcast clouds, 7°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat

picked up a roadside copy of In a House of Lies while out riding, added it to the reading pile

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 16:00:00 +1000

One of two Inspector Rebus novels, I’ve not ready either, but the other was too large for my jersey pocket

Sun ⛅ scribbled on a map

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 14:13:00 +1000

Following the white rabbit, err, red line, around the map where Wandrer says I have not been … or had not been when I put that map in the Garmin. A lazy hour and a half in the sunniest best part of the day. Suburban Sunday at its finest, found myself 60c lying on the road and an Ian Rankin / Inspector Rebus book that I haven’t read yet, and I managed to get on the leaderboard for a Strava segment, all up a winner of a day

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Sat ⛅ loaves and fishes

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 08:30:00 +1000

The mandatory Saturday pre-breakfast ride … up to the shops for fresh bread to have with breakfast. That and some fresh fish for dinner, a Saturday habit we created when we moved to somewhere that has some good fish shops. Then home, boring, innit Broken clouds, 8°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 0m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ creek and a bit homewards

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 16:51:00 +1000

A pleasant enough later afternoon, with enough daylight for a little bit extra on #mycommute home. North to the Scotchmans Creek Trail and downstream to East Malvern station, then around to Carnegie and home along the Djerring Trail. Best part of the working day, the ride home Scattered clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ quiet commute

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 08:06:00 +1000

Friday morning, everyone must be taking the day off or working from home. Nobody at either station, nobody on the Djerring trail, almost no traffic on the roads. Where are all the people? Overcast clouds, 7°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 93%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ five out five back

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 16:19:00 +1000

Just over double digits in distance, just over double digits in temperature … and three close calls with muppets on their electric mopeds. Twice in the narrow section near Huntingdale station, blasting along with knees out in the breeze, once on the way out, once on the way back! The other one down near Clayton station, he pulled out to pass some pedestrians and I had to swerve off into the garden bed to avoid being hit head on

Wed 🌧 shops and cold raindrops

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 15:33:00 +1000

Single digit temperatures, school-leaving o’clock, and a little icy rain. Gotta love it My goodness what a lot of slow moving SUVs with fogged up windows, all collecting their little darlin’s from school and ferrying them home in comfort A quick jaunt and chores; milk and the pet shop. Only got wet on the way back, mudguards would have been useful Light rain, 9°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 3m/s from WSW - by Klimat

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Tue 🌧 short windy one homewards

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 13:03:00 +1000

Came home early, partly to keep an eye on our injured cat, partly to avoid being stuck in the office for a 4-5pm meeting and then having to leave in the dark – so much more civilised to ride home in daylight and attend the meeting remotely Bloody ’eck it was windy! Light rain, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 4m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/0624/1251 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:51:00 +1000

Tue ☀️ yet again

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 08:03:00 +1000

Cooler than yesterday, warmer than last week. Windier than when it wasn’t windy, another large box of empty NO2 cylinders beside the path – the local supplier seems to have picked one spot in Clayton as their dumping ground Clear sky, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the postal mystery … two month delivery within Melbourne

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 17:00:00 +1000

Spouse’s credit card statement comes out in the middle of every month, and she receives it in the post a day or two later. In April, and again in May, they didn’t turn up. Additionally, in mid-April we’d been expecting some official documents for something unrelated and … they didn’t turn up. Confusion reigned, a second set were issued Today I came home to find two pieces of mail; a mid-April credit card statement, and a large envelope of official documents, dated [2025-04-16 Wed], postmarked [2025-04-18 Fri] … but delivered just over two months later.

Mon ☀️ warm creek commute

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 16:36:00 +1000

The day continued warmer than I was expecting, the ride home about 5°C more than it should be. Normal route home, but where did that bit of weather come from? Clear sky, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ weirdly warm to work

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 08:03:00 +1000

Warm, windy, westerly with a last minute sprinkle of rain over the 200m to the building. Odd, and almost ten degrees warmer than this time last week. Definitely odd. Few clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 4m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ wandering about

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 14:22:00 +1000

I was out for a lazy afternoon ride when somewhere around Ardrie park I flicked the Garmin screen across to the map to figure out where I was … and why I’d missed the park. Noticed that I was in the part of the world (Stonnington) where I’d loaded a Wandrer map a couple of months ago, and it showed “never ridden” roads in red. Took that as a minor challenge, and each time I saw a red bit I turned off and rode along it.

Sat ⛅ solstice shopping

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 08:06:00 +1000

Usual Saturday morning short ride up to the shops and back, but on the mid-winter solstice, so the days will start to get lighter from now on Overcast clouds, 6°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 0m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ pre-solstice homewards unwind

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 16:43:00 +1000

Well that was all very pleasant. Hardly any wind, last of the afternoon sun and dusk, lots of people out walking and riding home. All round enjoyable Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ one more day, one day more

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 08:09:00 +1000

Now I bet I’ve used that title for a ride previously. The ride is repetitive, so I can make the title equally repetitive Scattered clouds, 6°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 0m/s from ENE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ local surrounds

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 16:01:00 +1000

Checking out progress on the Djerring to Scotchmans Trail bike path link. They’re still digging around in Burlington, cyclists are still sent via detour signs down a 50cm wide door-zone bike lane along Atherton rd – couldn’t even ride in it today, parked cars too far out from the kerb one side, drivers squeezing over it from the other Then it was down to Scotchmans creek, downstream along the trail to East Malvern station, up through the Urban forest and a bit of a lump westish in Murrumbeena before home along Neerim road and the Djerring trail

Wed ⛅ fixie local trianglish

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:30:00 +1000

The half-hour break while working from home, off on the fixie up to Caulfield, down the Queens road bike path – yes, it is a bike path, no pedestrians allowed! … not that anyone knows or cares, and it usually has just as many joggers and walkers as any of the “shared paths.” Then back along part of the Rosstown Rail Trail … and Kangaroo road, because it is well nigh impossible to turn right from Murrumbeena road into Murrumbeena crescent at this time of day to try and stay on the Rail Trail

Tue ⛅ cold sunny commute

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 16:45:00 +1000

The sun’s out, which is a big plus. But still wintery and cold, especially down under the trees along the creek Few clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 0m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ windy wet commute

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 08:03:00 +1000

No rain, but wet … and cold. A commute in winter Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ crappy windy commute

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:11:00 +1000

Not really enjoyable, goomy, windy, unpleasant. At least it was along the creek and not mixing with the traffic Scattered clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ cold dark commute

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 08:05:00 +1000

It was cold. It was dark. I rode to work Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 4m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ hockey induced exploration

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 11:37:00 +1000

Out for an hour while Cam plays hockey at Southern’s ground, lost in the Moorabbin airport surrounds, all wide roads, semi-industrial concrete and fast traffic. Odd bits of bike paths here and there, but with an equally odd habit of just simply … ending. Started out sunny and almost pleasant, but clouded over and got very grey and damp feeling. Ended at a local milk bar with a coffee, where I got to sit and watch a seemingly endless stream of customers come in and buy vapes and tobacco

Brakes successfully fettled, addjustments made, we can now stop when #wearegoingawol

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 16:15:00 +1000

Sat ⛅ family coffee

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 10:45:00 +1000

We decided to go over to “The Corner Store” for a coffee and to stock up on some beans, calling in along the way for picture hooks and a library book. Up through Oakleigh shopping traffic, make our way around the bike path construction zone and over to near-Huntingdale – pausing to view the final parts of the demolition of the old Amcor factory, not much remains except a few collapsed tanks and rubble.

Sat ☀️ cold shopping

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 08:05:00 +1000

A short cold shopping trip. In order it was; fish for dinner, chicken drumsticks for tomorrow, bread and pastries for the weekend. Then loop back around the block, down through the railway underpass and home along the road, just for variation Clear sky, 5°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 0m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ fixie creek homewards

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 16:39:00 +1000

Another day of much the same, the Djerring Trail and Kanooka grove in the morning, then Gardiner/Forster roads and the Scotchmans Creek Trail in the afternooon. The ride home is about 600m longer, but the two seem to take much the same amount of time. I’ve tried the creek route in the mornings, but really don’t like the climb up from under the freeway, and the four side roads crossing the path along Gardiner road are fraught with danger, very few of the people driving to work give way at the Give Way signs

Fri ⛅ frosty friday fun

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 08:06:00 +1000

Another cold one, long sleeve jersey and the winter gloves. Living in Melbourne I forget about the “joys” of frosty morning rides After a couple of weeks of having to duck and swerve around a large bent sign down in Huntingdale I finally got around to stopping and reporting to the council. Someone has managed to drive into it and push it over and partly across the Djerring trail. One of about four on my commute that have had drivers drive into them and the wreckage left sticking out to inconvenience cyclists and pedestrians

Thu ⛅ another chilly fixie trundle

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 15:54:00 +1000

Late afternoon winter sun, cold still air, wet slippery autumn leaves on the tracks. What’s not to love about a half hour out late in the afternoon while working from home Boyd park, the Dandy road dog-leg – with no attempted death by motorcar today – Urban forest down to East Malvern. Upstream along Scotchmans Creek trail to Atkinson street, up to Dandenong road and just about collected a wing-mirror to the elbow as a near-passing driver shot through the gap between me and a truck in the middle lane, oh when oh when will the bike lane down this side be built?

Wed ⛅ winter sunshine

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 15:37:00 +1000

Half an hour or so out in the late afternoon sun, a break while working at home. Off on the #fixie} along the Djerring trail up towards Caufield, but with an arbitrarily chosen detour up to Boyd park and back – always feeling oddly annoyed when it’s school hours and there’s a lollipop person on the Neerim road crossing. Any other time of day and you just ride straight across when there’s a break in the traffic, during “controlled hours” it makes you feel like a five year old having to wait for the hi-vis flag bearer to step out and blow the whistle

Tue ☀️ cold ride home

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 16:37:00 +1000

Usual commute home along the Scotchmans Creek trail, cold and damp down under the trees. There’s something not 100% about my front brakes – need some readjustment after the hills of the weekend, they start to brake, then seem to hit a stop and don’t fully hold. Time to dig out the manuals and the magnifier to try and peer into the tiny gaps. At least at 1200km since fitting them it should not be worn out pads!

Tue ⛅ wintery commute

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:04:00 +1000

Back home, back to work. Cold and nearly empty bike paths Broken clouds, 8°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 0m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ Cumberland River return

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 14:09:00 +1000

Legs were definitely feeling it after yesterday, an easy was called for today. I thought about going north to Cathedrals then back south to the St George, then changed my mind on the way down the hill from the house. Eek! On the way down the hill from the house I found a distinct lack of front brakes after yesterday, so stopped and made some adjustments A slow and leisurely ride along the GOR as far as the Cumberland River caravan park, which was almost completely empty.

Sun 🌧 cold wet Otways

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 13:47:00 +1000

Seems ages since I’ve ridden up the hill to Benwerrin, my fitness means it isn’t enjoyable, and the ever increasing traffic of ever less tolerant drivers in ever larger SUVs means … it isn’t enjoyable. Still, there didn’t seem much traffic today, I suspect people had gone home because of the rain in the morning, so off I went on a bit of an expedition – the well know loop up the Deans Marsh road, across the Mount Sabine road and down past Erskine Falls back to town

Sat ⛅ wye river coffee and rain

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 13:40:00 +1000

The weather had been looking pretty miserable all day, showers and squalls passing, then patches of clear sky. I went out after lunch for my usual ride down the GOR, half intending to get to Kennett river. Fairly constant rain started somewhere on the descent down to Jamieson river and continued all the way to Wye River so I stopped there for a coffee before turning ‘round and heading back. Ride back was mostly fine, and the wind had died away so it was probably the best part of the outing

Fri 🌧 windy commute

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 16:16:00 +1000

Not a very interesting or enjoyable ride, the usual route, but unpleasantly windy with a bit of light rain Light rain, 14°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 48%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ home2work

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 08:04:00 +1000

The usual please bartender … with a side of a smashed chromebook Lenovo Chromebook looking much the worse for wear, slightly u-shaped, probably driven over and thoroughly shattered. I carried it the last block or two to work to drop off in the eWaste bin. Nothing else of note Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ early home

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:19:00 +1000

Rather than ride home in the dark I left at lunch time – Thursday is normally a work from home day, was only on campus today as I was helping with a course The entrance to the underworld (see Tuesday evening’s ride) has been made safe, a big yellow pit cover nailed over the hole, plus bollards and hazard tape around it Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat

Thu ⛅ unusual commute

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 08:07:00 +1000

Ordinary boring route, but an unusual day. Thursday should be work-from-home day, but I’m helping with a two day course, so off down the trail in the chilly morning air Scattered clouds, 5°C, Feels like 3°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/0605/0620 – 53646909 is your password reset code

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 06:20:00 +1000

Hi Adrian, We received your request to change your password. Enter this code in Facebook: 53646909

Wed ⛅ chillin on da fixie

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:39:00 +1000

Chillin, chilly, chillest. A cold wintery day for a short ride on the #fixie up to Caulfield, down to Glen Huntly and back home around bits of the Rosstown Rail Trail Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ cold commute odd route

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 16:49:00 +1000

One too many trucks, utes or large 4WDs has cut the corner at the Nott and driven over the footpath – the Melbourne Water pit cover has crumbled and vanished, leaving a 4m deep open manhole in the bike path! Only about 3-4m from the door to the public bar too, so square in stumbling range. Wonder how long it’ll take to fix this one? A bit of a rambling route home in the cool, err, cold.

Tue ⛅ out back phone work

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 08:03:00 +1000

Half a block from home and the rain started, so I sheltered under a shop awning and stared thoughtfully at the sky. After a few minutes it eased up so I continued on my way … then got through Oakleigh and onto the bike path where I remembered the rain cover wasn’t on my backpack. Stopped, fixed that, started up again. Another 50m down the path and I realised my phone was on the charger at home!

Mon ⛅ creek path commute

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 16:44:00 +1000

Lovely autumn late afternoon, sky just turning to sunset colours. Great way to wind down from a day at work with a cruisy ride home along the creek One severely WTF moment as old mate strolling along the path towards me glances up, squares up his shoulders and speeds up to stride deliberately, diagonally across the path to be dead in front of me. A quick swerve and I’m around him, but seriously, what did the brainworms tell him here?

Mon ⛅ oh no, work again

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 08:05:00 +1000

Some days the ride to work is the best part of the day. Other days it is just cold and a chore Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ autumn colours

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 14:20:00 +1000

Cold and wintery, but out I went. Off towards Mount Waverley and a sticky-beak at the old family house – still there, we’re not sure if the new owner will renovate or bulldoze and build a big box. Down alongside the rail line to Gardiners Creek trail, up the hill, pause for a coffee and on through autumnal colours in the parks. Stop to look for birdlife in the Glen Iris wetlands – a Nankeen Night heron standing dead still and hiding in the reeds, other water birds paddling about, a few words with a photographer stalking them.

Sat ⛅ shopping

Sat, 31 May 2025 08:12:00 +1000

It is a very short and not very interesting ride. Grab the #fixie, off to the shops, some chicken marylands, a piece of fish, two loaves of bread, then home Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ TGIF homewards

Fri, 30 May 2025 16:44:00 +1000

Seemed very dark for not yet 5pm, overcast but no rain. Wet paths and leaves. I finally stopped for a photo of the newish graffiti under the Stephensons Road bridge – “Can you feel the plastic in your blood?” It catches the eye every time I ride home, blood-like trickles running down from the paint. Up the hill through Oakleigh, the bike lane works well underway now Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat

Fri ⛅ get thee to work

Fri, 30 May 2025 07:59:00 +1000

Cool and damp, off down the Djerring trail to Clayton – the old Amcor factory still being demolished from the inside out. A TV leaned against a dead tree besides the path, oddly a long way from the nearest road where ewaste is normally dumped. Up through Clayton past the noise and smells of the Friday morning bin collection trucks, then in to campus and a coffee on the way to the office

Thu ⛅ morning appointment

Thu, 29 May 2025 08:26:00 +1000

Another carefully scheduled appointment, first thing in the morning and not too far out of the way between home and work … except that on a Thursday I work from home, so it was ride over to Mount Waverley then ride home again Very wet along Scotchmans Creek trail, and cool under the trees near the creek, and few other riders. Probably too late for anyone who commutes in towards the city

Wed ⛅ misty short one

Wed, 28 May 2025 15:27:00 +1000

A short ride, and after a loud SPANG I found I was short one spoke. Why is it always the drive side rear? Why is that after ten years of trouble-free riding I manage to break a spoke on both ten year old bikes? Other than that, it was just a half hour out on the Djerring trail, up to Caulfield and back and mostly rain free, although there was still a bit of mist in the air

Tue 🌧 mostly rain-free commute

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:38:00 +1000

Seemed reallly dark and gloomy for a pre-5pm departure, but that’s life approaching mid-year. Bumper to bumper cars queuing to get out of the Uni, along Bayview av, up Gardiner rd to Forster rd and down to the freeway. Clear sailing on the adjacent bike path, with cautious crossings of each side roads as one by one drivers refuse to stop for the give-way signs, or have done and have parked across the bike path, queuing to get out

Tue ⛅ cold windy commute

Tue, 27 May 2025 08:04:00 +1000

Not really cold I guess, but back to single digits and with a wind blowing. Something odd going on with my front wheel bearings all of a sudden, I don’t like the feel of that … only about 5000km since they were replaced. Must call in at the LBS at lunch time Woops, and with much embarrassment I may have just discovered a badly adjusted QR caught not-quite-centre in the forks that has worked a tiny bit loose

Mon ☀️ another weird warm one

Mon, 26 May 2025 16:47:00 +1000

Still warm, feels nothing like the weather last week. There’s rain forecast for later, but right now the warm northish wind is still blowing, autumn leaves and dust kicked up in the air, and a pleasant ride home in the gloom. Could have been 8pm in the summer, except it’s 5pm in the autumn Clear sky, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 43%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ☀️ windblown commute

Mon, 26 May 2025 08:05:00 +1000

Strong and gusty northerly, and chasing a faster rider. It made for what felt like a fast trip down the Djerring trail to Clayton, then a slog uphill and into it to get to work. Panic attack at the three-quarter point where I thought I’d taken my work laptop home and left it there, phew, still sitting on my desk where it belongs Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat

Sun ⛅ dandy showgrounds and wellington

Sun, 25 May 2025 13:42:00 +1000

A late night last night made for a slow and tired-ful ride. At least the wind was at my back for the ride out along the Djerring, so it felt as though I was going OK until I was leaving the showground. I’ve always liked Dandenong showgrounds, they’re tucked away by the railway line at the border of Dandenong and Yarraman, alongside the creek – and now freeway – but have the look and feel of an old country showground.

Sat ⛅ fishes and loaves

Sat, 24 May 2025 08:12:00 +1000

The usual Saturday morning routine, today it was a large handful of fresh garfish, two crusty loaves and a couple of chocolate croissants to treat ourselves – then home for breakfast Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 4m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 cool damp gloomy creek

Fri, 23 May 2025 16:45:00 +1000

An earlyish departure from work – no dilly-dallying or diversions – home then out to “an event”. The rain from earlier has cleared away, but still very damp along the Scotchmans Creek trail under the trees. Dark and gloomy too. Then up and over Atkinson street hill for the third time this week – some bike lane works have started, some of the old bluestone kerbs are being removed and piled to one side for when the corners are widened to allow the bike lane through

Fri 🌧 damp home2work

Fri, 23 May 2025 08:11:00 +1000

The usual route to work, in a light mist of rain. I did stop at the corner of Edwards and Westminster to take a couple of photos of the partially demolished Amcor factory that I spotted yesterday. In a way it’ll be a shame when it’s gone, I suspect the replacements will be boring modern tilt-slab concrete lookalike boxes Light rain, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 93%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat

Thu ⛅ industrial suburban meander

Thu, 22 May 2025 15:46:00 +1000

Out for half an hour in the late afternoon while working from home, I couldn’t make my mind up about where to go. Started off with one intention, then changed my mind as I passed under Warrigal road and decided on a wriggling route around the semi-industrial parts of Oakleigh and Huntingdale. The old Amcor factory is being demolished – a bit of a shame as the curved yellow brick walls are a classic of an era, but I guess we won’t miss the threat of a large plastics works nearby.

Wed ☀️ shopping and sticky-beak

Wed, 21 May 2025 13:44:00 +1000

Up to the shops for milk and OJ, then around the block and check on the progress of the bike-path connector between the Scotchmans Creek and Djerring trails. Work has started down at the Oxford street end and there’s barricades and work crews all over the place. Still not sure who actually wanted this bike path, and who will use it – carefully designed to not take cyclists to Oakleigh station or Oakleigh shops and over the hill rather than around it

2025/0520/2142 – Reset your password

Tue, 20 May 2025 21:42:00 +1000

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password. If you ignore this message, your password will not be changed. If you didn’t request a password reset, let us know.

Tue ☀️ cool creek commute

Tue, 20 May 2025 17:05:00 +1000

Home along the creek, cool and gloomy. Once more up and over the full length of the Atkinson street hill – bike lane roadworks not starting on this length, perhaps the other end has some action… Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ☀️ mostly cold commute

Tue, 20 May 2025 07:43:00 +1000

Double yesterday morning’s temperature - it was 4°C not 2°C! Half the frost. One other cyclist. One hot-air balloon in the distance. Clear and chilly, like winter is meant to be Clear sky, 4°C, Feels like 2°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ☀️ creekwards homewards

Mon, 19 May 2025 16:49:00 +1000

Scotchmans Creek trail downstream to Oakleigh, then up and over the hill looking for any traces of the separated bike lane starting… No sign yet of the Atkinson street roadworks. “Starting May 19” says the big illuminated sign Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ☀️ frosty boy

Mon, 19 May 2025 08:01:00 +1000

🎶 Do you feel your fingers sting, Stinging the cold of frosty when- it is the coldness of the morning and we'll not be warm again🎶 Guess where I went last night1? Guess what earworms I was humming and singing to myself all the way – fingerlessly gloved – to work. A lovely clear wintery morning, frost on the ground, my favourite warm Groundeffect jersey … and the wrong gloves, leading to completely numb fingertips

Sun ⛅ wintery lake loop

Sun, 18 May 2025 14:19:00 +1000

Weather has cleared up a bit since yesterday, still cold, but sunny now. Out for a lap of Karkarook lake, with a bit of a variation to get there – down through Bentleigh East and some light industrial back streets, then pop out at Warrigal road and across into the park. Lots of people walking and picnicing and taking photos of the ducks and swans. Then around the triangle and back up through Clarinda and parklands to Clayton, home along the Djerring

Sat 🌧 wet shopping

Sat, 17 May 2025 08:32:00 +1000

A bit of rain and a latish trip up to the shops on the fixie for bread and fish for dinner, then home for breakfast Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☁️ dark creek commute

Fri, 16 May 2025 18:13:00 +1000

Friday night after-beer commute home along the creek. Thumbs up for a glowing white concrete path in the gloom under the trees on a moonless night It always feels as though you’re riding quickly, the lack of visual cues and distractions, just a tunnel of light along the path Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ once more to work

Fri, 16 May 2025 07:58:00 +1000

Commuting on a Friday, far fewer people about, much less traffic. On the negative side, it’s the day for bin collection in Clayton, so garbage trucks abound Clear sky, 8°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ Scotchmans creek bushland and wetlands

Thu, 15 May 2025 15:44:00 +1000

After yesterday, I wanted to stay as far away from roads and Melbourne’s Marvellous Motorists as I could, so it was up and back on a bike path … err, shared footpath Upstream along Scotchmans Creek trail to Forster road Mount Waverley and home again … but with a few sneaky side diversions. Off around the Huntingdale wetlands (which are not in Huntingdale), through the bush along the creek until the freeway tunnel underpass, and back on the gravel tracks and through the concrete creek culvert back under the freeway.

Wed ⛅ shorty with near miss

Wed, 14 May 2025 15:44:00 +1000

Was very nearly taken out by a red-light runner on Dandenong road, along with the woman crossing next to me and her primary school daughter Note to self, and anyone else on foot or #cycling in #Melbourne. Just because their lights are red and all the other lanes of traffic are stopped, just because your light is green, doesn’t mean that some F’wit won’t go screaming through the intersection straight through the red and miss your front wheel and the woman & small kid next to you by 10-15cm as you’re crossing!

Tue ☀️ briskly home

Tue, 13 May 2025 08:57:00 +1000

Some idiot left his work #pants at home, so after riding to work, buying a coffee & trying to get changed, I finished my coffee, turned around and rode briskly home along the short route Clear sky, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ☀️ home2work ... uh oh

Tue, 13 May 2025 08:04:00 +1000

Bother, bugger, damn. Got to work, took the large and lumpy pair of shoes out of my bag. Put on my shirt, and … Honey, where are my #pants? Oh well, it’ll be a short fifteen minutes in the office then back home for the rest of the day Clear sky, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Amazfit 7 – one mystery solved, another appears

Mon, 12 May 2025 18:00:00 +1000

A couple of weeks ago my Amazfit 7 smartwatch/fitness thingy changed its clock face from the one I’d configured back to the default – and I have great difficulty reading the default. Finally got around to looking at the app. and … that watch face has vanished from the available options. App. keeps trying to direct me to purchase faces, but I picked a different free one. We’ll see if this one “mysteriously vanishes”

Mon ☀️ late afternoon commute

Mon, 12 May 2025 16:49:00 +1000

Scotchmans Creek trail home, getting darker towards the middle of the year Clear sky, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 12 May 2025 08:05:00 +1000

The ride to work nothing special Scattered clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ lazy leisurely hour

Sun, 11 May 2025 14:32:00 +1000

My my, what a lot of Mothers day outings. People everywhere enjoying the afternoon sun. Around the trails and backstreets, a coffee at Ferndale Park and a hockey club beer afterwards Broken clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 39%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ☀️ blue skies and shopping

Sat, 10 May 2025 08:12:00 +1000

A stunningly clear windless morning, and a very short ride up to the shops and home again. Rainbow trout for dinner, fresh bread for the weekend Came home over the Hanover street bridge, mostly to see if there was any sign of works starting on the “protected bike lane” along Hanover and Atkinson streets, due to start this month – nothing yet, just a large sign warning of delays Clear sky, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat

Fri ⛅ another commute

Fri, 09 May 2025 08:08:00 +1000

Single digit temperatures! Starting to feel like autumn or even winter … at last. Off to work, same route as usual Broken clouds, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ local loop

Thu, 08 May 2025 16:08:00 +1000

A brief outing late in the afternoon while working from home, not too far, not too long, just enough to clear the head then get back to work Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “”Jurrasic Park

Thu, 08 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Wed ⛅ djerring dash

Wed, 07 May 2025 16:33:00 +1000

Not really much of a dash, just off down the Djerring trail to the 5km point – the Centre road crossing – and back home again. Quicker on the way out than back, tailwind assist Riding out to Clayton road and turning around always reminds me of COVID lockdowns, the 5km limit, the hour of exercise outdoors each day. The turn around points almost at Centre road, or up by the Caulfield Village apartments.

2025/0507/0533 – Create a new password

Wed, 07 May 2025 05:33:00 +1000

Hi ajft, We got a request to change your password. You can create a new password to finish making changes in Accounts Center.

Tue ☀️ warm windy smoky commute

Tue, 06 May 2025 16:22:00 +1000

Got the trifecta on the commute today, still warm, still windy, but with bushfire smoke from the burning off north of Melbourne (I presume) Clear sky, 25°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 37%, Wind 5m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ another warm home2work

Tue, 06 May 2025 08:04:00 +1000

More wind, warmer than yesterday. Lots of dust & crap blowing around, and all the building site rubbish & street dumpings are moving from place to place Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 3m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ weirdly warm and windy

Mon, 05 May 2025 16:37:00 +1000

The weirld warm non-winter weather continues. Shirt-sleeves temperatures, a summery warm north or west wind blowing. Later leaving than usual, we’ve definitely got the early sunsets, but otherwise it just doesn’t feel like autumn in Melbourne The usual creek commute, despite the unusual conditions Overcast clouds, 24°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 43%, Wind 3m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ warm windy commute

Mon, 05 May 2025 08:05:00 +1000

An oddly warm northerly blowing, this aint feelin’ like autumn Oh no, there’s a spare multi-tool in the garage, either Santa Claus was visiting from Finland … or it was left there by our cycle touring visitors from Finland. Will it be logistically possible to get it to wherever they are in Tassie … Update - mystery solved, its one that Jo found a few months ago that had been in an underseat bag, tipped out yesterday

Sun ⛅ hawthorn hockey ride

Sun, 04 May 2025 11:37:00 +1000

Out for an hour while hockey pre-match is on, then back in time to watch number one play. Various hilly streets and autumnal leaves, expensive houses and a plethora of teslas. Surprisingly pleasant and warm out this afternoon Overcast clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 41%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

a second roundtuit has beeen located and applied – the new front tyre is now installed on the AWOL

Sat, 03 May 2025 16:25:00 +1000

Sat ⛅ voting shopping eating

Sat, 03 May 2025 08:12:00 +1000

The Saturday morning visit to the shops for fresh fish and bread, and then the later ride down to Hughesdale Primary School to vote, and acquire the sausage of democracy. Fully democratized and fed, we girded our collective loins and rode off to Chadstone, braving the very car-centric parking and roadways for a touch of consumerism, then home via the bike paths Scattered clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat

Fri ☀️ short commute - visitors waiting

Fri, 02 May 2025 16:00:00 +1000

A couple of #warmshowers visitors are staying for the weekend so I left early and took the shorty route – not the route I usually use, too short, not very interesting. I did find a plastic devil’s trident though, so I could make Didi impersonations all the way home Clear sky, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ home2work with a door and a bus

Fri, 02 May 2025 08:10:00 +1000

First commute on the lovely new rear tyre … oh come on, how has it gone that soft in a day being unridden? I am going to have to thoroughly check this tube & valve, I cannot find any leaks! Off into the brisk clear autumn morning, up through Oakleigh and .. Hmm, why has that driver decided to stop at an empty pedestrian crossing? I’ll just slow down and … ARGH!

Thu ☀️ some packer laps

Thu, 01 May 2025 16:37:00 +1000

A brief visit to Packer Park in the last of the late afternoon sun, then a handful of laps of the velodrome on the #fixie, and home through peak hour traffic and back to work No concerns about drivers ignoring the red light and driving through the Djerring trail at Murrumbeena – old mate had parked across the bike path to let someone out and was having a chat – nobody could ride across the crossing with the green light, traffic behind him couldn’t drive through the red

Wed ☀️ local loop

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 16:18:00 +1000

A lovely lump-free new tyre on the rear – should have got #aroundtuit some time ago and replaced the old one earlier. Must do the front as well… Down through Oakleigh to the Scotchmans Creek trail, around to East Malvern station, back up through the urban forest, Boyd Park and Murrumbeena Clear sky, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

finally applied the roundtuit and changed the rear tyre on the AWOL – the sidewall was giving way after the last removal and reinstall

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:20:00 +1000

Tue ⛅ commute home and classic aussie motorist

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:30:00 +1000

Could see her coming a mile off, sailing down the hill, straight through the Give Way sign and across the bike path where she should have stopped. I stopped the bike with the front wheel on the crossing and shook my head in amusement as she passed, then burst out laughing as 50m down the road she stopped in the middle of the block where there’s no crossing in order to let a woman walking a dog cross the road in front of her.

2025/0429/0857 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:57:00 +1000

2025/0429/0851 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:51:00 +1000

2025/0429/0848 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:48:00 +1000

2025/0429/0829 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:29:00 +1000

2025/0429/0825 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:25:00 +1000

Tue ⛅ home2work and learner encounter

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:06:00 +1000

Close encounters of the L-plate kind … wrenched shoulder doing a hip swerve to avoid the learner pulling in to park & swap drivers in the No-Stopping zone. Angry dad shouted at me for shouting that they can’t teach their daughter to drive like that, can’t park here and don’t just pull over into cyclists! Other than that, the plain old ride to work, with a variation of deciding to ride up Browns road rather than Kanooka grove

Mon ⛅ gloomy creek commute

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 17:08:00 +1000

Collected the bike from the LBS at work and rode home, as usual, north up Gardiner and Forster roads then downstream along Scotchmans Creek Trail. Added benefit of having a full complement of rear spokes and a wheel without a wobble – busted spoke on the rear drive side replaced. I do wonder when it broke, was pointed out by family when we were away at Easter Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 0m/s from NNW - by Klimat

2025/0428/1259 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:59:00 +1000

Read — “”Kowloon Tong

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 08:04:00 +1000

The usual route, the usual destination, the usual close call with drivers ignoring the Give Way sign and driving through pedestrians and cyclists on the Djerring trail Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 1m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/0427/1915 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 19:15:00 +1000

2025/0427/1913 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 19:13:00 +1000

Sun ⛅ gardiners creek blackburn creek

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 11:34:00 +1000

Up the creek, literally. Gardiners Creek trail and off through side streets. Blackburn Creek homewards, pausing for a Bunnings sausage in bread on the way. Back to the hockey club and a second sausage to finish off lunch Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/0427/1028 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:28:00 +1000

2025/0427/1024 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:24:00 +1000

2025/0427/1023 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 10:23:00 +1000

Sat ⛅ shopping in the drizzle

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 08:19:00 +1000

Grey and damp as I left home, starting to drizzle between fish shop and bakery, then light rain for the ride home Haha, once again I was reading an article saying people “are ruining strava” by posting rides that aren’t either full workouts or race events! Suck it up! Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 rainy ANZAC afternoon

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:22:00 +1000

A leisurely loop around the suburbs, up the Scotchmans Creek Trail to Mount Waverley, through Valley Reserve up to their station, then downhill alongside the railway and around through Malvern and Glen Iris. Made my way to Caulfield then home along the Djerring trail Very overcast, varying from a light mist as I started to rain as I got home. The Roulettes were flying for various ANZAC related air-show events, but staying low under the cloud cover so I kept seeing them circling around

Thu ☀️ 5km SE and 5km NW

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 16:25:00 +1000

Down the Djerring trail to the Centre road crossing, then back again. Twice through the Clayton road crossing, twice across with the green light, twice had to take evasive action to avoid drivers turning across me – the second one gave me a blast on the horn and yell of abuse, apparently her god-given right to join the queue of stationary traffic in Clatyton road overrides my right to ride through a green light

2025/0423/2110 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 21:10:00 +1000

Wed ⛅ short sunny mental healthcare

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 16:09:00 +1000

A bit of a crazy busy work day after a six day break, out for a short ride during a “hurry up and wait” part of fixing broken things. Warm sunny afternoon, autumn leaves everywhere, definitely hit peak dog walking in the park time though. Then back home and back into it … Scattered clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/0423/1318 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:18:00 +1000

2025/0423/0345 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 03:45:00 +1000

Tue ⛅ meandering coffee

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 10:58:00 +1000

Back out on the #fixie again today, oops, around the block to come back and collect the lock, then Murrumbeena for a leisurely coffee at Daniel Son. Onwards, up to Carnegie and park the bike for a walk around the shops, a couple of second hand books, an eventual lunch and a second #coffee. Finally off south to colour in a bit of the streets that wandrer says I’ve missed … then home

2025/0421/2333 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x3)

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 23:33:00 +1000

Mon ☀️ post-holiday groceries

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 16:55:00 +1000

Home from four days away, unpacked and time for a quick dash up to the shops for the essentials to get through the next few days. On the #fixie to avoid wear and tear on broken-spoke AWOL, straight there, back over the Hangover street bridge and around the south to complete the loop home Clear sky, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/0421/0515 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 05:15:00 +1000

Sun ⛅ Easter book sale

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 10:54:00 +1000

Another family ride, so far this Easter we’ve ended up not coordinating with our camp-mates and each ride is off without them. Today it was around the lake and into town to the Rotary club second-hand book sale, view the large array of mostly ex-library books, then back around the block and around the lake to the camp ground for lunch Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 9m/s from NNW - by Klimat

2025/0419/2238 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 22:38:00 +1000

Sat 🌧 Warrnambool beach trail

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 14:16:00 +1000

A cruisy family ride along the beach trail, up pas the surf club to the river mouth, checkout both sides of the mouth and on to Logans Beach at the whale watching lookout. Lots of people around, but not yet whale season. Then inland and around the edge of the river to the fishing clubs, everything still and people standing around fishing or paddling about in boats A meandering ride, kids, families, people on foot, scooter or bike.

Fri ⛅ warnnambool-koroit rail trail return

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:39:00 +1000

Half the Warrnambool to Port Fairy rail trail – today we rode from Warrnambool out to Koroit and back, furthest we’d got previously was the start of Kelly’s swamp, and that was a few years ago with some young and slow children Fascinating mix of terrain, riverside paths on parkland between houses and the Merri river to start, then riverside farmlands, a dirt road through coastal scrub, across farms, diverge from the rail alignment for a section alongside a road, then back on the rail route through farmland to Koroit.

Thu 🌧 warnie explore

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 16:42:00 +1000

Is that the right abbreviation for Warrnambool? Not entirely sure, is it a “y” or an “ie”, or is it just not done? Late afternoon after a long drive and setting up the tent, out for half an hour or so around half-remembered roads and bits of the town. Kept climbing until I got to a water tank, then came back down and through the centre of town. Confirmation that I am indeed in an Australian country town – was loudly screamed at to “Geddoffdafugginroad!

Wed ⛅ a lesser wfh loop

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 15:30:00 +1000

Short loop around the suburbs during a break in the afternoon – even managed to randomly bump into a cycling/beer-drinking acquaintance as we crossed paths at the lights. Lovely autumn afternoon, unusually warm, gorgeous colours Overcast clouds, 28°C, Feels like 27°C, Humidity 37%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

QOTD: Perhaps French isn’t one of the languages they’re familiar with, or they were born in the 21st century and have never seen a Monty Python sketch.

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 10:53:00 +1000

Tue ⛅ chores

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 15:15:00 +1000

Delayed by a bank - my card can be read by an ATM, I can ask for my balance, but any withdrawal says its going to work and then … “transaction cancelled”. Bank staff were mystified too, eventually did manual paper-based banking. Half an hour later, continued on my ride Then that thing I was picking up, that thing that was “in stock” … well apparently its in stock at two branches, but not this one.

Searching for a USB wifi dongle that's needed for a PC

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 18:45:00 +1000

A PC and its home router are now in separate rooms, a wifi dongle is required. I knew what it looks like, I could picture the silvery case and older-style large shape. Rummaging through a pile of USB things; found two ANT receivers, an Alienware headphone receiver, a few spare micro-SD cards. Aha! I located a missing card reader/ adapter, then the other one that had vanished months ago ….eww, the rubbery coating has gone sticky.

Mon ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:43:00 +1000

Off north to the Scotchmans Creek Trail and downstream home, a little extra with a loop up to Warrigal road and back – surprisingly, I found it was a Strava segment and I’ve been around here before, so a PB today. Then home Overcast clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 07:51:00 +1000

The usual Monday morning get-to-work thing, the usual route Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ family chores

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 11:18:00 +1000

Joining the rest of the family over in Mount Waverley for some house cleaning chores, off along Scotchmans Creek Trail and up through Valley Reserve to the house. A few hours of work, then back much the same way Few clouds, 29°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 35%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ☀️ shop around the block

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 07:33:00 +1000

The usual quick ride on a Saturday morning up to the shops for bread and fish, then a slightly longer than usual detour home – north to Dandenong road and around past the new Asian groceries place. Seems huge, and reports are it is well stocked with all kind of produce – must get around to a visit one day Woohoo, wandrer now says I’ve “completed Hughesdale”, at 99.74% of the streets – squinting at its map shows a few little red-ended bits of dead-end streets.

2025/0412/0349 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 03:49:00 +1000

Fri ⛅ TGIF commute beer

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 16:15:00 +1000

There’s a bar on campus that seems to never be open, I’d given up on them, then a week ago saw they were open at lunch time – asked and they assured me they were open until 5.30pm Mon-Fri – went there after work today and once again they’re closed! So off down the route normal taken to get to work, perhaps a beer at Kaiju in the last of the afternoon daylight.

Fri ⛅ morning home2work

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 08:05:00 +1000

School holiday Friday morning commute, all is quiet, nobody about Broken clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ Afternoon appointment

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:43:00 +1000

20min riding, 20min waiting, 10min appointment, 20min riding home. Oh well, it’s a lovely sunny day. Rode on North road on the way there, on the North road bike path on the way back. Can confirm, the North ride bike path is still woeful and falling apart Spotted an odd bit of rubbish – someone dumped an ornamental garden windpump beside the path, set up neatly and waiting for photos

Read — “”Afterglow and Nightfall

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Wed ⛅ golf architecture and hard rubbish

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 15:25:00 +1000

Fascinating lazy autumn afternoon ride today. Through the golf course and off up and down side streets checking out architecture old and new. Some astoundingly steep driveways down into underground carp arks for some of these new apartments! Off up a laneway that the map says goes to the next street … until reality says that a block of units close it off half way. Down a steep street with no traffic my side, lots of cars coming up the hill, tradie on the far side fills his wheelbarrow, spots and gap in the traffic and CHARGE!

Tue ⛅ suburban meandering

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 15:42:00 +1000

A slighly larger loop, off through Boyd park and the urban forest, then wriggle around streets admiring architecture and laneways. Found a spectacularly striking old mansion in a dead end street, and a few of the streets of Glen Iris that I’ve never ridden along Scattered clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ gmt+10 creek commute

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 16:45:00 +1000

What a difference an hour makes, from now on I need to pay a bit more attention to the clock and make sure I’ve got the bike lights with me for the ride home. Not dark yet, but any later and it would be getting gloomy I wonder when the work will start on the bike lane to connect Scotchmans Creek and Djerring trails? Another squeezy pass on Atkinson street as an SUV BMW roared off up the hill, using the left lane to overtake three or four cars in the right lane

Mon ⛅ fixie commute

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 08:04:00 +1000

One day the people walking from huntingdale station car park to the station will walk on the left and watch where they’re going rather than stare at their phones … but not today. Came to a dead stop waiting for someone to look up and not walk into me, which she did, eventually. Headphones in, so bike bell no use Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat

Sun ⛅ St kilda and back

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 13:55:00 +1000

Bit of a north-westerly blowing so I went out into it – down to St Kilda and back with mostly a tailwind. Djerring Trail and Inkerman street down there, then winding around through side streets for a suburb or two, looking at the different building types, wriggling home through side streets and laneways, glancing at the wandrer map I’ve managed to load on the Garmin, colouring in a few missing bits

Sat ⛅ itty bitty shopping

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 08:15:00 +1100

Shops, fish, bread, home, breakfast Scattered clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ tgif work2home

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 18:12:00 +1100

This time next week it will be dark. Last summertime evening commute for the summer. No detours, just home along the creek Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ quiet home2work

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:12:00 +1100

Friday, low traffic day. Only two pedestrians walking towards Huntingdale station instead of the usual twenty. Hardly any cars on the roads. Do they all work four day weeks, or are they working from home? Had a fun ride in keeping pace with another guy on a similar bike, no words were spoken but it was enjoyable to have company Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat

Thu ☀️ caulfield meeting and home again

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:49:00 +1100

A two hour meeting at a campus near home, a place I don’t normally visit, but today I’m working at home, so off I went on the #fixie. Easy enough to find the campus, around and around to find the right building. Weirdly no bikes anywhere visible on campus, everyone else arrives by train, foot or car. Up to the eighth floor for a couple of hours and afternoon tea, then retrace the route home.

Wed⛅ caulfield commons

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:33:00 +1100

Exploring the park that’s in the middle of Caulfield racecourse – now named “Caulfield Commons” and with a bit more signage than it used to have. The mysterious foot tunnel to get in from the north side seems even more well hidden than it used to be. Its a lovely spot, the updated surrounds of the lake have information signage about all the local birdlife – thankfully free of Noisy miners due to careful plantings.

Tue ⛅ zoomy smoky creek commute

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 16:40:00 +1100

Was it quick? I don’t know, it felt quick. Zooming along the Scotchmans Creek trail with company, brief chats were we stopped for road crossings. Lots of smoke in the air from fuel-reduction burns in the nearby forests, a bit of an orangey haze as a result Scattered clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ home2work

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 08:03:00 +1100

Very low sun just above the trees in front of me riding to work this morning, the end of daylight savings is fast approaching Cool and breezy down through (Oakleigh, more pedestrians than usual near Huntingdale station with a flurry of gents in robes all hurrying to the mosque – Eid Mubarek guys. Rail works around Clayton are still making a maze of signs and tape and detours, probably will be for months

Mon ⛅ squashy creek commute

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 16:52:00 +1100

There’s something wrong with this front tube or valve, seems to be ok for days on end, then suddenly goes soft. Wish I’d noticed earlier as we’ve got a track pump at work, but of course it was the first corner after leaving work when I suddenly found it all squishy and wobbly. Every time I’m home and I pump it up I cannot find a leak, no bubbles in water … its a mystery

Mon ⛅ cool breezy commute

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 08:05:00 +1100

A bit autumnal, a bit breezy, a bit cool Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ Caulfield return

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 17:57:00 +1100

A busy afternoon so a short ride afterwards, off up the Djerring Trail to Caulfield, around the block and back home the same way Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 3m/s from ENE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ⛅ shorty to the shops

Sat, 29 Mar 2025 08:03:00 +1100

Saturday pre-breakfast ride up to the shops for fresh bread for the weekend, and fresh fish for tonight’s dinner, then home again. Always my smallest most annoyingly strava-ed ride Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ scotchmans creek beer and home

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 16:33:00 +1100

The usual ride home along Scotchmans Creek Trail, with a Friday afternoon extension – downstream as far as the Glen Iris wetlands, then south to rejoin the Djerring Trail at Caulfield. Back homewards along the trail, but pausing for a pint at the local Overcast clouds, 30°C, Feels like 30°C, Humidity 40%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ short smoky commute

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 09:16:00 +1100

There’s a bit of burning-off smoke in the air, a very autumnal smell Lovely little ride from an appointment to work, the only downside was the #roadkill Sugar Glider[1] I passed in the driveway of the old-peoples’ home in Mount Waverley. I never knew there were any living here in the ‘burbs, now I find out by finding one that’s been driven over Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat

Thu ☀️ quiet afternoon loop

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 16:57:00 +1100

A lazy afternoon #fixie spin, up through Oakleigh shops to the Scotchmans Creek trail … hmm, lots of Greek flags, must be some important day today. Downstream along the creek to East Malvern station, then up through the Urban forest, flowering gums full of shrieking lorikeets. Called in for a pint at the local, then finished with a lap around the block on the way home – checking out bulldozings and building sites

Wed ⛅ karka-lake

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 16:49:00 +1100

A pleasant sunny afternoon, out for a ride that’s hopefully well away from Melbourne’s angry or ignorant motorists. Down to Karkarook park and once around the lake, then home again. Sunny, fun, enjoyable Overcast clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ☀️ collision commute

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 16:42:00 +1100

Argh! The day just keeps on giving Driver went through the Give Way sign and drove into me on Scotchmans Creek trail. Stupidly I thought she was stopping, but she was just scared of the speed hump bit and had slowed down, planted the foot and took my front wheel out from under me. Oh well, if you’re going to get driven into while #cycling in #Melbourne, at least make it a BMW M3 and a petrified well dressed lady

Tue ⛅ commute and delivery and devilry

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 08:03:00 +1100

One commute, one detour, one delivery, one collision again at the corner of Forster & Waverley roads causing traffic mayhem … and one really angry tradie in a Hyundai van, very near pass then forced me off the road into the parked cars to wind the window down and scream over and over again “DON’T BE A F"CKING IDIOT!” Tried to get around him, called out “Way too close” and again, over and over, “DON’T BE A F*CKING IDIOT!

Mon ⛅ ... and home again

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 16:03:00 +1100

The aches and pains from this morning have mostly worn away. Cruising home along the usual Scotchmans Creek Trail route Broken clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ commute home2work

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 08:06:00 +1100

Routine routine, but with feeling … feeling it in my legs and neck and back from the long ride yesterday Broken clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ☀️ Mornington peninsula

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 08:58:00 +1100

Out for a longish day, inland down the peninsula and over to Hastings, then cross back over to Mornington and up around the bay. Added constraint was that I tried to take a photo every 5km … turns out I got one, or near enough, for everything except the 80km mark! Surprisingly, I managed to get a lot of the way down towards Hastings on offroad bike paths; the Djerring trail, Eastlink and Dandenong Creek trails, the Peninsula Link and Baxter trails.

Sat ☀️ school fete

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 13:21:00 +1100

Following the fearless teenager to school for the school fete, then coming a longer way home up to Caulfield and either along or parallel with the Djerring Trail. Over the new speed humps on the way there, where amusingly the badly attached line markings are peeling off and moving around in under a week – the thick plastic stuff hasn’t been bonded to the road properly On the way home I got to curse at a large section of the other visitors to the fete, they’d clearly decided that since parking was at a premium, parking half across the bike path along the rail line was OK.

Fri ⛅ homewards along the creek

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 18:12:00 +1100

An entertaining ride home, but only in the last stretches. Corner of Atkinson street and Dandenong a driver with her index finger deep up her nose got very upset that I could see her through her car window and started shouting at me … which I couldn’t hear. Then later as I got home it was a bit of a Marx-brothers event as a near-neighbour and three friends man-handled a trailer around and filled it with a large amount of fallen-down back fence

Fri ⛅ home2work

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 08:05:00 +1100

Another standard commute route to work, interestingly, I seem to be leaving at 08.05 most mornings. It must take five minutes from hearing the 8am news to getting on the bike and underway No rain, but there was 17mm overnight, so everything is wet and there’s mud and debris everywhere. One day the council will rebuild the Djerring Trail so it drains in the rain, rather than pooling across the path

Thu 🌧 rainy outing

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 16:47:00 +1100

A quiet little loop on the #Fixie down to Scotchmans creek trail and around to East Malvern, then up through the urban forest back to Hughesdale Once again the Garmin decided that the rain had pushed the “stop & record ride” button when I tried to pause at the shops Light rain, 22°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 0m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

The lorikeets[1] in the neighbour's fig tree are nearly deafening! They're feasting on the ripe fruit

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +1100

[1] Rainbow lorikeet

Wed ⛅ caulfielding

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:53:00 +1100

A ride after working at home today, no break mid-afternoon. A casual glance at the Wandrer map and decided on a bit of Caulfield – up to the racecourse then head west. Didn’t manage to download the map of streets not ridden, so it was only a couple from memory … and one of my favourite things, a sneaky little laneway footpath hidden at the end of a block, fences either side and nearly impossible to see if you didn’t know it was there

“Things are the way they are because they got that way.”

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 12:01:00 +1100

From The Secrets of Consulting by Gerald Weinberg, via The Crux This saying is meant to encapsulate the idea of path dependency, and that people usually aren’t idiots on purpose. There are always exceptions, of course, but generally people had reasons for why certain decisions were made. They may not have been good reasons, in hindsight, but they did exist. Finding out those reasons before passing judgement is often a good idea.

Tue ☀️ creek commute and a bit

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 16:46:00 +1100

Home along the creek, not the short version where I turn off at Atkinson street, nor the typical long one of going on to Malvern East, instead it was up past Phoenix park and the ugly ride south along Chadstone road and Poath road until I got back to Hughesdale station and could rejoin the Djerring trail Clear sky, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 44%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat

Tue ☀️ commute and coffee

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 08:05:00 +1100

Normal route, normal traffic, the usual near-miss with pedestrians walking straight out across the path while staring at their phones. A loud call of “BIKE!” and some harsh braking and watch as they look up and nearly drop their phones. Called in for a coffee and then on to the office, no accidental early ending to the ride today Clear sky, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 0m/s from N - by Klimat

Mon ⛅ homewards along the creek

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:37:00 +1100

Normal route, normal ride, normal number of scary drivers ignoring the “give way” signs as they race up from the side roads and drive over the bike path to get around the corner into Gardiner road Yesterday’s flooding has all subsided, there’s just a few piles of debris around the edges, and the wetlands are full but not overflowing Scattered clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 08:05:00 +1100

The usual commute to work, except it appears that I hit “stop” and “save” when I paused for a coffee in the middle of campus, then “start” as I left, which would explain the 370 metre second ride across campus this morning! Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ rainy ride

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 13:22:00 +1100

Family duties in far Mount Waverley, then a ride home to free up space in the car. Yeesh, 35°C yesterday, down around 15°C and raining today, variably autumn weather. Heavy rain overnight and all morning meant the creek was roaring, Huntingdale wetlands overflowing and creeping up towards the path, big pools of water everywhere Nearly got myself an e-bike too … must remember not to drive into power lines with the bike on the car roof!

Sat ⛅ the shopping

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 08:18:00 +1100

Another Saturday morning shopping trip. A bit later than usual, late night last night. Let me see; chicken from the chicken shop, fish from the fish shop, eggs from one of the duopoly, bread from the Vietnamese bakery and home for breakfast Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ creek home circa chadstone

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 16:37:00 +1100

I didn’t quite feel like extending my ride too much, and we were going out in the evening so I didn’t have too much extra time. Minor variation on the creek commute home was to cross Warrigal road and take side roads around Chadstone, then circle back home via Poath road and the Djerring trail Broken clouds, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat

Fri ⛅ misty morning home2work

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 08:07:00 +1100

The usual route, the usual ride, but with a little light fog, thicker as I got towards Clayton, just enough to make the distant buildings and trees disappear in the grey Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 93%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

with a very loud BANG someone let off a railway detonator in the park alongside the house. Now we are awake!

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 04:15:00 +1100

Thu ⛅ memorial commute

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:13:00 +1100

I try to make it happen every year. A bit late this March, but it is important to make time to get to the Nott, for a pint, to think of people past & passed This year it was as a break on a “fake commute”, the ride to work and straight home again when I’m working from home, roughly triangular, down the Djerring Trail to Clayton, up to Monash Uni and on to the pub, then keep going north to Scotchmans Creek and wind home along the creekside trail

Bike ride idea – Home to Stony Point, ferry, Cowes to San Remo, Koo Wee Rup and Pakenham, train home – ~200km

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:25:00 +1100

Perusing the map after seeing some posts and photos of a tour someone is doing

Wed 🌧 storm chaser

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 15:40:00 +1100

Out for a work-from-home afternoon break, temperature has dropped after a bit of storm went through, but there’s hardly any rain on the ground. Down the #DjerringTrail to Clayton and side roads through Westall, increasingly wet and huge flickering lightning in the clouds off to the east. At Westall road I checked out the VicRoads criminally dangerous bike lane – no change since reporting the debris and plants growing in it in 2005, ‘10, ‘15, ‘20 and a couple of weeks ago.

Tue ⛅ warm creek commute

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 16:25:00 +1100

Warm, but pleasantly surprising in being mostly below 30°C, when I’d been expecting a few degrees more. Both tyres on the AWOL seem to be going suspiciously soft suspiciously quickly … I suspect gremlins. Someone really should do something about it Off north past the Nott and up to the Scotchmans Creek trail, then downstream along the creek under the trees. Dry summer feel to the air, but as always, its a few degrees cooler.

Tue ☀️ running late commute

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 08:45:00 +1100

Morning chores before the commute to work, a little late so the shortest route. Not very interesting, although there’s always a newly bulldozed house to take note of, not riding this way very often Clear sky, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ☀️ warm wye return

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 13:44:00 +1100

It had been hot all day and I really should have gone out early in the morning for my ride, but left it until after lunch. Was still hot, but on the plus side many of the holiday-makers had gone home so the traffic was light Off down to Wye River, arriving at the cafe fifteen minutes before closing time, plenty of time for a very refreshing iced coffee, then back to Lorne in very slightly cooler conditions

Sun ⛅ distillery creek road

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 10:30:00 +1100

Cam and I out and back on the corrugations of Distillery Creek Road, resisting the temptation of minor side tracks, and then an icecream to finish. The road seemed even worse than last time we rode it, badly shaking us around and at times, off to the edges and into deep sand for a slithering stop. A few short sections of single-track alongside the road were far easier riding! Overcast clouds, 27°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat

Sat ☀️ GOR kennett koala and coffee

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 14:12:00 +1100

Out for my afternoon ride from Lorne, there’s not many options, left up the GOR, right down the GOR, or up the hill and inland. Right it was, down to Kennett River, a minor detour up the Grey River road far enough to look back at the view, then back to the kiosk for a coffee and to watch the tourists watching the koala. Cars everywhere today, the road was busy, the car park packed.

Fri ☀️ creek commute home

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 16:33:00 +1100

Chores to do when I get home so no chance for an extended Friday afternoon ride. Scotchmans Creek trail to Oakleigh and home Clear sky, 29°C, Feels like 29°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ home2work

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 07:47:00 +1100

The usual commute, the usual route, the usual distance and change in altitude. Perhaps one day I’ll take a look at the variance that the Garmin says, I’ve seen anything from 51 to 55m altitude climbs, not much change in distance though Clear sky, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ wfh spin round

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 16:20:00 +1100

A bit pressed for time, the only break I could make between the end of the afternoon’s work and some appointments starting at 5pm. Took the #fixie around to the velodrome in Packer Park for a couple of laps, checked the new speed humps in Murrumbeena crescent intended to “traffic calm” the on-road bike route that is the Rosstown Rail Trail – the council still trying to make their on-road routes safer, desperately painting more and more sharrows and adding speed humps while their roads are filled with large SUVs and utes parked both sides and drivers play chicken with each other, let alone with cyclists, as only a single car can fit through the remaining gap

Wed ☀️ windy wander

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 16:00:00 +1100

Just a wandering about ride, not a wandrer.earth ride. It was windy though. A WFH afternoon break, a loop up the Anniversary Trail, down Ferndale Trail and back through the streets to Carnegie and the Djerring Trail home. I did turn off at Waverley road to see where the surprising number of riders from yesterday’s count were going – turns out its an easy route through to Holmesglen Tafe or through the Tafe and on to Gardiners Creek trail

Tue ☀️ warm commute home

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 16:41:00 +1100

Only problem with dressing for the 11°C morning was having to wear the warm jersey home in the 33°C afternoon! Phew, that was hot and sweaty – I should have taken a summer jersey for the ride home Clear sky, 33°C, Feels like 32°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue 🌙 bike counting commute

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 06:48:00 +1100

Early bird time for me, up at the farting of the sparrows Another #SuperTuesday bike count complete – two hours sitting by the Scotchmans creek trail counting bikes … and e-bikes … and e-scooters. Bit further from home this time, and noisy at the Waverley road crossing. Brrr, bit chilly too Clear sky, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ creekwards homewards

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:43:00 +1100

Cool in the morning, warmer in the afternoon. The usual ride north to the creek, then follow Scotchmans Creek Trail downstream to Oakleigh, back on the roads to home Few clouds, 22°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 0m/s from ESE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ autumn commute

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 08:03:00 +1100

Another week, another Monday, another commute down the Djerring trail to Clayton, up Kanooka Grove and through to Monash Uni. Cooler, feeling like autumn Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ around and about

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 14:38:00 +1100

A bit of a meandering hour and a quarter off around the bike paths to the north – mostly. Scotchmans Creek Trail, up Ferndale Trail and some of the Anniversary trail, then twist and turn through a few side streets and explore a lane or two east to Gardiners Creek trail, south and home Overcast clouds, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ⛅ fish eggs and bread

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 07:52:00 +1100

OK, make that “Fish, eggs, and bread” for clarity, not “fish eggs and bread”. Stubbornly, I keep on logging these teeny-tiny rides just to annoy people that complain about them Broken clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ shared path commute

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 16:45:00 +1100

Commute home along scotchmans creek trail, a shared path … yesterday I shared it with an illegally parked mercedes and later, two off-leash dogs that tried to bite my leg. Today it was a close call with a motorbike, twice, once in each direction as the idiot was hooning up and down the path Scattered clouds, 26°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 5m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ home2work

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 08:05:00 +1100

A morning commute, the usual route Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 0m/s from ESE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ braking, not bad

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:58:00 +1100

New brakes. Woohoo Lovely feeling to be riding along with new and responsive brakes, the BB-7s had given ten years of sterling service but every part of them that could be worn and starting to corrode was worn and had started to corrode. Fingers crossed I get another ten years of this next lot! Off up north to the creek trail, then downstream to Glen Iris wetlands, south back to the Djerring trail and home through Carnegie, Murrumbeena and Hughesdale

Read — “The Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest”

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Wed 🌧 rubbish ride

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 17:05:00 +1100

A couple of weeks ago one of the nearby businesses managed to leave a big bag of polystyrene waste outside. Of course it all blew away, over onto the #{{{djerring,DjerringTrail)}}}, and has been gradually spreading up and down between Oakleigh and Huntingdale. I’d noticed a large plastic bag billowing in a tree as well, so today I went down there, pulled the bag out of the tree and filled it with the poly foam … it did make for a wobbly ride home in the wind though!

Tue ⛅ fixie creek commute home

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 17:07:00 +1100

The #fixie is back after a christmas hiatus, locked up while I rode the AWOL almost everywhere … but now the AWOL is in the shop for some TLC Up to the creek, downstream to Oakleigh, home through the shops. A brief hello to a semi-cow-orker who has a commute in common Few clouds, 25°C, Feels like 25°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ fixie commute

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 08:06:00 +1100

Minor logistical problems this morning due to yesterday’s ride to work, bike to LBS and bus trip home. Pumped up the tyres of the auxiliary bike and rode on the #fixie for the first time this year. May have been in breach of Road Rule 256 .. allegedly My goodness, what a lot of arts students! A queue from the Menzies building across the forecourt, past the law faculty, learning and teaching building and ending up at the bus loop.

2am and the back gate was wide open in the moonlight, seems we'd left it unlocked and I guess someone opened it. A bit disturbing to find at 2am

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 02:15:00 +1100

Mon ☀️ o-week commute

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 08:05:00 +1100

A little busy once I got to Wellington Rd, the dazed and confused are milling about. Otherwise usual business, SRL[1] have dug up a bit more of the bike path put in by LXRA[2] For reasons unknown I was stuck with Everclear’s “Santa Monica” as today’s earworm, perhaps now you are too Clear sky, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat [1] Suburban Rail Loop project

Sun 🌧 pt2 - steamy moist ride

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:27:00 +1100

Continued on from part 1, where the rain had made my Garmin dance madly around between screens and thought I was madly mashing the display, then decided to save the ride Glen Waverley swimming pool and down to Jells park, then follow the creek downstream as far as Wellington road. Through Wheelers Hill side streets for a while, then the ugliness of the Wellington road bike path, badly in need of some TLC and to be brought up to 21st century standards

Old inner tubes and string, we've hung one of the Staghorn ferns on the tree by our bedroom window

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +1100

Sun ⛅ pt1 - rain stops play

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 13:56:00 +1100

A sudden surprise storm and the Garmin decided that a hundred random screen touches were happening. jumped all over the place and saved the ride! At one point I’d locked the screen, but stupidly tried to unlock it and try to get back off a weird config. screen when I thought it was dry enough … I was wrong. At least it chose a serendipitous distance of 8.88km, auspicious for Mount Waverley with its increasing Chinese population, and to finish at the swimming pool, in homage to the rain

2025/0222/1907 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 22 Feb 2025 19:07:00 +1100

Sat ⛅ hot tyre fettling

Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:32:00 +1100

After last Saturday’s puncture I’d managed to put the front tyre on so it had a slight lump, not enough to notice on a concrete path where the slabs go thump-thump-thump, or on bumpy roads, but enough so that on a smooth road during the week I realised that it had a rhythmic bump. Deflate, re-seat, reinflate, spin, deflate, re-seat again, reinflate again and off for a test ride Up the #DjerringTrail to Murrumbeena road to check the newly painted bright yellow road crossing – the newly painted crossing that I rode across yesterday afternoon without noticing!

Sat ⛅ to the shops and back

Sat, 22 Feb 2025 07:56:00 +1100

Off to the shops for fresh bread and fish. Warm already, promise of a hot day. One minor challenge – council work crew is working through the garden beds on Warrigal road, dead-heading agapanthus, removing huge dead palm fronds and picking up rubbish. Six traffic management people, but rather than alternate traffic south with traffic north, they simply closed the south-bound lane and said NO. Detour via the footpath for me, detour via three quarters of a suburb who anyone wanting to drive to the shops

Fri ⛅ warm creek commute

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:33:00 +1100

The weather’s getting variable, cool in the mornings then still manages to heat up during the day. Another enjoyable creek commute home along the Scotchmans Creek Trail Scattered clouds, 32°C, Feels like 31°C, Humidity 27%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ commute home2work

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 08:04:00 +1100

Cool in the morning, off to work, day two of helping tutor a half-day course – that’s something new Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ early creek commute home

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:17:00 +1100

Feeling exhausted & a bit crook at work, took myself off early and rode home – off along the creek as usual, not feeling too bad for that. Pleasantly empty on the paths, then popped out into the last few streets past two school as school was out and parent SUVs were everywhere. An ugly surprise Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 39%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat

Thu ⛅ straight to work

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:04:00 +1100

The shortest, straightest, most direct and definitely most boring route. Home to work. Possibly a little shorter if I go along Atherton road, but the crossings make it slower Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 5m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Wed ⛅ leafy burbs

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 16:20:00 +1100

Up the Djerring trail to Caulfield, then on to Caulfield park and a lap of the ex-goose lair lake. A surprise sighting of a very casual Night heron out stalking visitors, looking for food – no shy retiring night bird today. Then off up through the leafy streets of Malvern, Malvern East and Glen Iris, finding some I suspect I’ve never seen before, looking thoughtfully off down bluestone lanes, and eventually rejoing the Djerring trail to get home and back to work

Tue ⛅ scotchmans creek homewards

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 16:28:00 +1100

Mostly just the usual ride home along the creek, the shorter version. Did make a slight detour to visit the bike shop on campus, say hello and try for a tubeless valve inner for the bike that needs them Few clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 7m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ another home2work

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:05:00 +1100

Down the path, up through Clayton, no company today. Second day of avoiding SRL works around Link road and then the Clayton railway car parks. I’m amused that work at Link road is to straighten the #DjerringTrail and remove the unnecessary kink in order to “increase sight lines and enhance safety” … only took them six years to figure out that the unnecessary kink was unnecessary and for one railway project to remove what another railway project had created

Mon ⛅ creek-shops-home

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:00 +1100

The homewards commute, extended as is my want off down Scotchmans Creek trail to East Malvern, then around and up through Carnegie and a quick stop for fresh veges.. Home along Neerim road, close passes and grumpy drivers Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 44%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ enjoyable commute

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 08:03:00 +1100

Rode to work with company for the half the trip, another commuter heading for Monash but coming from further afield – caught the train to Huntingdale and exploring her options on how best to get to campus. We were both amused at the Google Maps suggestions it gave, including something that seemed to imply “simply cross eight lanes of Dandeong road then six of Wellington road” Few clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat

2025/0217/0054 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:54:00 +1100

2025/0217/0051 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:51:00 +1100

Sun 🌧 Caulfield triangle

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:40:00 +1100

A short afternoon outing on a cool and partly rainy day Up the Djerring trail to Caulfield – stopping off along the way at the one open LBS to look for bar tape, specific bar tape – then south down the new Queens parade bike path, back along Glen Huntly road, whatever it is through Carnegie, and Kangaroo road through Murrumbeena Amuses me that Bicycle Network has an article about the Queens Parade bike path warning all and sundry how it had to be made 2.

Sat 🌧 visit a not LBS

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 09:11:00 +1100

Definitely not a local bike shop, instead, off to Off Course Cycles in Brunswick to look at blingy bits and talk brakes with knowledgeable people. Big change in the weather from a few days ago, down to around 13.5°C along the creek in Glen Iris, windy and frequent squalls of rain on the way home. As usual I got a little lost and confused on the way back in unfamiliar territory

2025/0214/2326 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 23:26:00 +1100

Fri ⛅ meander home

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 16:27:00 +1100

I felt the need for something different on the commute home, so took a sneak peak at the Wandrer map, tried to remember a few streets I’ve not ridden, and took off to the south. Up here, down there, ugh, stuck on a main road, phew, back off it again. Along the way I had to cross the rail line on the Westall road bridge – a truly horrendous bike lane, criminally dangerous, under a metre wide and with a crack surface and bushy weeds almost waist high growing through the road.

Fri ☀️ autumnal home2work

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 08:03:00 +1100

Dear sir, my apologies for shouting back at you, but may I suggest that before pointing at the ground and screaming in my face “ITS A FOOTPATH!” you do, in fact, check that it is a footpath and not, say, a Shared Path on which it is perfectly legal to ride a bicycle. Thank you, have a nice day Clear sky, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 3m/s from WSW - by Klimat

Thu ⛅ warm lake lap

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 16:41:00 +1100

Warm and windy with dark ominous clouds billowing in from the west, a few cold spots of rain hit me somewhere around the lap of Clarinda, but nothing much came of it until about ten minutes after I got home and the cool change hit. Impeccable timing. One weird bit of roadside rubbish, a complete toilet and cistern so of course I stopped for a photo Near deserted paths, the usual late-afternoon walkers, runners and riders were all staying away

Wed ☀️ postprandial perambulation

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:21:00 +1100

Events had conspired against me, I couldn’t make time for a ride during the day, so I took advantage of the blessings of the long summer evenings An after dinner ride, calling in for a beer, then home through the dusk. Still warm and a bit windy, but nowhere near as hot as earlier in the day Clear sky, 29°C, Feels like 29°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat

Tue ☀️ hot creek commute

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 16:48:00 +1100

Back home along the creek, another hot summer afternoon. Dry leaves and fallen bark covering the path, crackling under my tyres and smelling of eucalypt and Aussie summers Clear sky, 29°C, Feels like 29°C, Humidity 43%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ another commute

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 08:04:00 +1100

Spectacularly average. Yet again we find ourselves riding down the bike path to Clayton, and up through Clayton to Monash University. Nothing untoward happened Broken clouds, 19°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 4m/s from ESE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ homeward bound

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 16:41:00 +1100

The homewards commute, north to Scotchmans Creek trail, then downstream to Oakleigh. Debated going a little further and my frequent extra bit to East Malvern, but decided to be semi-lazy and turn off into Oakleigh. The bike path connector from Scotchmans Creek trail to Djerring trail can’t come soon enough, yet another close pass through the Dandenong road intersection – lights go green, you start to ride up-hill and through the lights, pushy driver squeezes past with inches to spare

Mon ⛅ chores home2work

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:05:00 +1100

A minor bit of shopping then the mostly straight route to work, marred only by a very near miss with a Uber swooping in to collect their passengers and ignoring the fact that I was on the road between where the people were and where the car was. Driver got out and gave me a blank eyed stare while I yelled WTF was that for, then passengers and driver all started yelling at each other because they were late.

Sun ⛅ windy festivities

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 08:05:00 +1100

A hot and windy aftenoon ride, down to Jells park and up the creek a ways, then back via Glen Waverley and the trail alongside the railway line. Ended up on some twisty single track through overgrown bush along the creek in Shepherds Bush, and over a rickety old boardwalk, I don’t think I’ve been here before! Two surprises on the way back; firstly that the Lunar New Year festival was underway in Glen Waverley, so I got to hang around and watch dancing and sword displays, the other was that as part of the festivities a Tait heritage train was running shuttles up and down the Glen Waverley line

2025/0208/1743 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 17:43:00 +1100

Sat ⛅ shopping

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:58:00 +1100

The silly little ride, including in Strava purely to annoy the purists who insist on multi-hour hammerfests. It even includes an unexplained Garmin GPS spike. Up to the shops and back; a flathead for dinner, some chicken marylands for tomorrow, and fresh bread for the weekend Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ creek commute home

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 16:25:00 +1100

Pleasant weather, the usual enjoyable afternoon ride home. Even had company for some of the way and chatted about gravel bikes & gravel riding around and about Melbourne. A most enjoyable way to end the working week Overcast clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 7m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ commute home2work

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 08:04:00 +1100

Cool and overcast and grey, almost a mist in the air. Humidity, fog or light rain, who can tell. No sunglasses this morning, that’s for sure. Down past the massive dump site near Huntingdale where someone, either Monash council, VicTrack or Metro have cleared up some of the truck load, mostly just the larger pieces of furniture Up through Clayton, a Friday treat of a coffee from the campus centre, then on to work

Thu ☀️ hot arvo loop

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 16:38:00 +1100

Up the trail to Murrumbeena, down to Gardiners Creek, up the Anniversary trail to Ferndale trail. Nearly witnessed a head-on as a 14-15yr-old all full of enthusiasm pedaled madly up behind me and pulled out, overtook staring left at me with a “hah, how good am I” expression … and nearly hit the guy coming down the hill towards us. Some swerving took place, but amazingly no shouting Then off down the Ferndale trail to the rejoin Gardiners, back around to the Glen Iris wetlands which have started to refill with water – council works nearing completion, the water is back but the massive piles of mud and reeds are still waiting to be trucked away

Wed ☀️ smokey karkarok

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 15:15:00 +1100

Not the best route to ride at this time of I day – past the schools as kids were leaving and parents driving in, then through the light industrial area as tradies were going home for the day. Enjoyable as always though once I reached the lake and the triangle around Clarinda – although there’s always the shadow looming over that the SRL construction will bulldoze much of it for train yards

Tue ⛅ cool creek commute

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 16:31:00 +1100

Yay, the cool change came through some time around 3pm and temperature dropped 15 degrees to a pleasant low-mid 20s Broken clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “The Girl Who Played With Fire”

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Tue 🌧 steamy home2work

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 08:03:00 +1100

Humid and warm, the usual commute Light rain, 25°C, Feels like 25°C, Humidity 40%, Wind 5m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ hottish work2home

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 17:00:00 +1100

Cloudy and thankfully not as hot as yesterday, definitely a heatwave summer day though. North into the hot wind to get to the creek, then crunchy through the eucalyptus bark along the Scotchmans Creek trail, rejoin roads and traffic at Oakleigh for the last half suburb home Overcast clouds, 35°C, Feels like 33°C, Humidity 24%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

lunchtime walk, overcast and high humidity, but "only" mid-30s. The ankle I rolled on Friday is aching

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 13:30:00 +1100

Mon ⛅ warm home2work

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 08:03:00 +1100

Luckily a big thunderstorm last night dropped the temperature back down, so only mid 20s this morning. Lots of pools of water around after a good ‘ol imperial half-inch of rain. Said hello to a fellow rider that I see fairly often, we placed bets on whether the trains would melt down later today when the temperatures climbed back up again … Today’s Kanooka grove amusement, at the exact point where two weeks ago I met mr angry road-raging ranger driver, today there was a police car parked at the side of the road.

Sun ⛅ hot rosstown gelato ride

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 14:24:00 +1100

Out for a cautiously gentle ride this afternoon, not quite the hottest part of the day but probably close to it. The Garmin said 36.5°C as I left home and it only went up from there … just over 40°C riding along mostly under the trees along the Rosstown Rail Trail towards Glen Huntly, then climbing to high of 45°C on the exposed tarmac and concrete coming home straight along Glen Huntly road.

The cactus stand now in place and level and the cacti all on their shelves

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 09:00:00 +1100

2025/0201/0853 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 08:53:00 +1100

Sat ☀️ bakery and fish

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 07:47:00 +1100

My favourite local bakery, Le Petit Pain has reopened after their month break, redecorated and now renamed as VBC “Vietnamese Bread and Coffee”. Still has the exact same bread and pastries though! Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2025/0201/0301 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 03:01:00 +1100

2025/0201/0236 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 02:36:00 +1100

Fri ☀️ long way home

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 16:48:00 +1100

Scotchmans Creek trail downstream to Malvern East and Glen Iris wetlands, then up to Carnegie and home along the Djerring trail But first, Monash University to Scotchmans Creek trail … on the off-road bike path. The off-road bike path that crosses four or five roads where drivers ignore the “Give Way” signs. The off-road bike-path that has utes parked across it at the pub. The off-road bike-path that has drivers queuing across it to get in or out of the pub car park.

Fri ⛅ commute home2work

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 08:04:00 +1100

A quiet Friday, not many people about. I suspect its an RDO for the builders, nothing happening at any of the building sites, so Kanooka grove was pleasantly safe to ride up. Start of the school year, passed a couple of parents riding with a kid to their local primary schools Scattered clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ☀️ after wfh ride

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:32:00 +1100

After working at home all day I headed out for a shortish ride on a windy afternoon. Intended to go northish, or north-west, but traffic around Oakleigh shops corralled me down towards the Djerring trail so I kept on that way. A cautious bit of riding around the two very large roaming Alsatians that live with the homeless guy under the bridge, one was sleeping on the bike path, the other hunched over dropping a very large turd alongside it, no sign of the owner – and at least in daylight the very dark dogs are visible here

Uh-oh, one more piece has fallen off the $140 Aldi lawnmower – no more grass catcher bracket

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 17:30:00 +1100

Wed ☀️ windy bayside

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 14:37:00 +1100

Another windy day, not sure where to go for a ride, I headed towards the bay, taking a couple of side streets that Wandrer had said I’ve not ridden – I’m not dedicated enough at that game, its interesting enough, but I haven’t the dedication to saturate an area and ride every street, just interested enough to see all the streets I have ridden The closer I got to the bay the stronger the wind – unsurprisingly – so rather than Beach road I picked back streets south as far as Brighton, stopped for a coffee, then back home along what turned into Wickham road and a usual route north

Read — “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Tue ⛅ a gentle home loop

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 16:55:00 +1100

Getting the kinks out after the drive back from Bright, and gathering a few essentials from the supermarket on the way. Bit of a southerly blowing Scattered clouds, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 46%, Wind 6m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ☀️ wandi explore

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 13:45:00 +1100

A very hot afternoon and nobody wanted to join me for a ride, not even a gentle roll up through the trees to Wandiligong, so I went alone Bike path up to Wandi, then along the creek-side track to the Chinese bridge and a brief paddle in the creek. Tried to get from there back to the road on the tracks but I kept running into “private property” signs on fences, I’m sure I’ve been this way previously … oh well.

Sun ☁️ I am the night rider

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 21:42:00 +1100

The stars, baby, the stars I was trying to watch the sky, see the stars, and the oh-so-many satellites that pass over, but the caravan park has a lot of trees and light from the facilities. Not just that, but loud shouting and cheering from the crowd watching the nearby TV, so I hopped on the bike and went for a spin up to the Tawonga turnoff and the peace and quiet

Sun ⛅ Buckland Valley

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 09:53:00 +1100

Jo and I went off for the morning, out to Porepunkah and south down the Buckland valley until we decided it was far enough, then turned and retraced our route, stopping for lunch at Porepunkah I think we’ve ridden down the valley once before, as far as the bridge over the Buckland river … and towing a trailer with a toddler in it, so probably over ten years ago! This time we went on a kilometre or two from the bridge, stumbled on the cemeteries, first the Chinese one up on the hill – or at least the monument stating where it was before the stones were all illegally removed – and then the “Australian” cemetery back at the road

Sat ⛅ ringer reef socialising

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 15:05:00 +1100

A few of the people we were camping with had arranged to go to Ringer Reef for a drink and to sit and listen to the band from about 1pm. After the ride this morning, all the others who’d ridden to Harrietville chose not to ride to Ringer Reef, so I headed off by myself to join those who were already there – late. I managed to catch the last half of the last song, I’m not even sure who the singer was.

Sat ⛅ h-ville with company

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 09:47:00 +1100

Bright to Harrietville and back with friends and family, riding along the bike path the whole way – somewhat misnamed as a “rail trail” even though there never was a rail line, but probably to tie in with the rest of the trail from Wangaratta to Bright Lovely twisty trail through the bush, crunchy bark down over the path in many places. One sudden stop when the riders in front of us saw a Tiger snake crossing the trail and stopped to let it pass, otherwise uneventful.

Fri ⛅ wandi wander

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 11:26:00 +1100

An hour or so off up the valley from Bright to Wandiligong with friends, iced coffee at “5 Acres” (where the old hedge maze used to be, then on to Nightingale bros. to sit around where some had more drinks. A few purchases to cram in the frame bag and a bottle of EVOO for the middle jersey pocket, then back through Wandi to Bright Few clouds, 24°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 36%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat

Thu ⛅ around bright

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 16:15:00 +1100

After the long drive up from Melbourne and setting up camp, time to hop on the bike for half an hour meandering around time to stretch the legs and get back in the feel of the annual migration. Some back streets, a bit of the rail-trail, back along the river and a beer at the brewery – definitely Bright in the summer Overcast clouds, 28°C, Feels like 27°C, Humidity 33%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat

2025/0122/1757 ☀️ windy as

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 17:57:00 +1100

Squeezing in a ride between finishing work before a week holiday break, and having to cook dinner. Along the #DjerringTrail to Caulfield and south down the shiny new Queens Parade bike path – lo, it is not a “Shared footway” as so many are, it is actually signed as “bicycle only”, ie a “bike path” … of course there’s a jogger running along it, so the distinction is meaningless Strong winds the whole way, I couldn’t really work out which way they were blowing from – seemed to be headwind in both directions

Astounding! Brought this blog back up to date and pushed the big red "publish" button

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 15:20:00 +1100

I hadn’t realised I’d fallen so far behind, the copy at home was showing me all the draft items I hadn’t pushed out yet – since about September 2024!

Tue ⛅ Mt Waverley loop

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 17:32:00 +1100

A late afternoon ride on what had been a hot day – mid-30s. Was surprised that a bit of a cool change had come through, so high-20s on the way around Up the Scotchmans Creek trail to Mount Waverley, through the bushland of Valley reserve, overcast too, which helped with the temperature. Cut through the car park and on down the “Glen Waverley Rail Trail” – the name for a bunch of part bike paths and signed on-road sections, without even painted bike lanes.

Mon 🌧 creek commute

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:34:00 +1100

Overcast, hot and humid, lots of bark and leaves on the trail and eerily no people about. Crunching bark, distant traffic. Late summer with everyone away somewhere else Light rain, 29°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 3m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ commute with road-rage ranger

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 08:05:00 +1100

Oh yay, first real #roadrage of the year Dear Ford Ranger driver. Kanooka grove, the road is only this wide. At the building site here there is a parked van on the left, and a row of parked utes on the right. There is room for one vehicle between them. Blasting on the horn and screaming abuse will not make your big orange Ranger fit, not with a legal 1m passing distance, so you’ll just have to wait.

Sun ⛅ hot lake loop

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 16:18:00 +1100

A leisurely outing after a busy afternoon at LEGO Brickvention in the city. Down south to Karkarook lake for a lap, dropping off some fresh basil to a friend along the way. Hardly any traffic on a Sunday afternoon so I rode some of the way on Warrigal road – cannot recommend it, even with that level of traffic the drivers are pricks and will close pass rather than cross into the adjacent lane

Sat ☀️ exploring oop norf

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 13:33:00 +1100

Klimat app is on another planet, the Garmin measured the temperature as 31-38! Bloody hot During the week I’d seen some photos of the new “#skyrail” adjacent bike path and associated stations up towards Preston, added it to a list of places to visit to see how it compares to the – now five-year old – #DjerringTrail Off along the Anniversary trail to head north, then checked the maps to see how to get there and how long it would take – another 12km or so, so on I went into the heat and following the Merri Creek trail.

Read — “Zoo City”

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Fri ☀️ creek commute and beer

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 16:57:00 +1100

The usual commute along the Scotchmans Creek trail, plus a bit extra downstream to East Malvern, then I finally managed to have a beer at Parkside Local. Had to sit outside as I didn’t have a bike lock, there’s a bit too much passing traffic for the outside tables, noisy and car fumes. The courtyard out the back looks good, but no external access so I can’t sneak the bike in there either…

Fri ⛅ worky-worky

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 08:06:00 +1100

Off to work, down to Clayton, up to Monash uni Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ mangled figure eight

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 17:18:00 +1100

What else do you call it? As strava art goes it is distinctly abstract. The lap of africa and the other loop. Scotchmans Creek trail, Anniversary trail, Ferndale trail, Gardiners Creek trail, road, Djerring trail I stopped at the annoying warning sign on the Gardiners Creek trail – some months ago the crossing with Dunlop street was realigned, and too late they realised that it put the existing light pole IN THE PATH.

Wed ⛅ around in the cool

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 17:34:00 +1100

Someone forgot about the early dinner, which has meant I should be cooking at 5.30PM … and went out for a ride instead Half way around the cold drizzling rain started, of course at the set of traffic lights that don’t register bikes, not even the AWOL’s mass. Then up to Carnegie, grab veges for dinner, start to head home and …. bugger … realise I should have been home making dinner

Tue ⛅ I wanna be straight

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 17:26:00 +1100

Title with apologies to Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Straight off down south-east 10km, just about got to Noble Park. Did not spot any nobles. Back the same way; two coppers, no copper thieves – the trains had been disrupted all day due to the latter, the interruption bringing out the former Few clouds, 26°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 44%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ creek commute home

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:10:00 +1100

Back home along the creek path, with results of the recent weather apparent. The hot days have lead to masses of dried up gum leaves and bark that’s fallen on the track, all crunchy underfoot … or under-wheel. Torrential rains have washed out the sand and gravel from footpaths and footings and left their usual mix of hazards … especially that bit on the uphill corner where I’ve nearly slid off into the bushes a few times

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 08:01:00 +1100

First commuting near miss of the new year, on almost empty roads. Didn’t look, didn’t indicate, straight through the giveway sign, turned left across the bike path and nearly collected an AWOL through the passenger door for her troubles. At least it’s the hospital staff car park, so any people they drive over don’t have far to go for treatment Broken clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat

Sun 🌧 misty GOR Cumberland return

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 14:49:00 +1100

Cool and damp and very enjoyable for a lazy ride along the GOR down the coast to Cumberland river and back. Very atmospheric low cloud swirling around in the river valleys, gulls and oystercatchers flying low over the rocks. Near perfect Moderate rain, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat ⛅ Mr Defiance return

Sat, 11 Jan 2025 13:51:00 +1100

A lazy afternoon roll out to Mt Defiance and back, hundreds of people and cars in Lorne today for the Pier to Pub swim, so traffic was at a standstill and tempers were strained Back after detours at Cumberland and Sheoak Stock up on beers and trundle it back up the hill to the house Oops, and a typo where Mt Defiance turned into Mr Defiance, oh well, not such a bad name for a ride

Fri ⛅ waurn ponds to Lorne

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 16:51:00 +1100

A slight variation on a ride I’ve done a few times before; catch the train down to Waurn Ponds, then ride to Lorne to join the family. The usual route is south to Bellbrae, then follow the GOR around the coast to Lorne. Today’s variation was firstly avoiding the Anglesea road to Bellbrae by taking Gazepore road as far as possible – traffic free, but oh so corrugated in parts! Second and major change was turning off inland at Coalmine road just before Anglesea and taking dirt roads and back roads from there through to Aireys Inlet.

Fri ⛅ train replacement bicycle

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 14:28:00 +1100

Metro complexities mean that the Dandenong line is only running as far in as Caulfield, then you need to change train to get to the city, timing meant it was just as easy and would take just as long to ride to Caulfield and avoid train swapping, so I did. Hot afternoon, took it easy Overcast clouds, 27°C, Feels like 27°C, Humidity 40%, Wind 4m/s from SW - by Klimat

A familiar stranger has traded her ladies bike for an e-scooter over Christmas

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +1100

It’s the girl with the pink helmet who commutes in the opposite direction to me, I see her quite often, have done for a few years, but this year she’s on an e-scooter. No more incidental exercise for you then

Thu ⛅ karkarook and beer

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 17:12:00 +1100

An after-work ride, down to Karkarook lake for a lap around the lake then around the gravelly block. Lots of birdlife, little traffic, just how I like it. Then back up north towards Huntingdale with thoughts of dropping in at Kaiju for a beer … except Kaiju is closed for a month. Back up through Oakleigh and Hughesdale and a tasty pint with Baron P. Oath, then back home to see if I can work out whether I’ve expended or ingested more calories

Wed ☀️ creek commute home

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 17:04:00 +1100

A warm one, roll along gently on the Scotchmans Creek trail under the trees, crunchy bark and leaves all over the path. Summertime numbers, pretty much nobody, the path to myself Clear sky, 30°C, Feels like 29°C, Humidity 33%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Wed ☀️ back to work

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 08:12:00 +1100

Everything feels sore, slow and stretched after yesterday’s windy ride. Felt a major slog, not helped by having to go to work for the first time in seemingly ages. On the plus side, there’s very little traffic of either pedestrian or motorised kind, lots of people out cycling on the Djerring trail this morning though Tried to get a coffee on the way in to campus, nope, only one place open and the queue was huge

Tue ⛅ lorne to waurn ponds

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 13:35:00 +1100

Strong south easterly, deep loose gravel, lots of corrugations. Slow going. Blissfully comfy on the train back to Melbourne The endless roar of close passing traffic on the GOR turns me off the ride at times, I’ve no idea what percentage come too close, but it’s noticeable enough, especially the “Gouge” truck 8th or 9th in a queue of cars that all pulled out, but he didn’t and literally sent me off the road into the ditch – no, there was no oncoming traffic, he just couldn’t be arsed moving out or couldn’t control his truck and came over the edge line and well onto the shoulder as he got level

Mon ⛅ Lorne meander

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 15:41:00 +1100

Out for an afternoon ride after the rain cleared away. Steep back streets and “shortcuts " of dubious benefit I’ve been up some of these streets in the past, there are more houses now, some of them absolutely huge. Dirt tracks that lead off in a few places are now blocked off, either fenced or by signs claiming “Private Property” or “No Access” – not sure how legitimate these really are.

Sun ⛅ family Cumberland River return

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 14:55:00 +1100

The three of us rode down from Lorne to Cumberland river and up through the caravan park as far as you can get on bikes – to the start of the trail – then turned around and back the same way. Gelatos on return to Lorne Overcast clouds, 35°C, Feels like 35°C, Humidity 35%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “Walkaway”

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Sat ⛅ GOR Wye explore

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 14:17:00 +1100

Something gentle after yesterday – down to Wye River along the GOR and then back. Minor entertainment of riding up a few very steep side streets in Wye River that I don’t think I’ve ever been up before. Not a chance I could stay on and make it all the way up one of them, even walking in cleats on the road seemed difficult. Drivers around here must go through a lot of brakes and clutches!

Fri ☀️ gravelly wye loop

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 14:13:00 +1100

A big afternoon out, riding up the Erskine Falls road is hard enough, then there’s the dirt road climb from the falls up to the Benwerrin road. Along the ridge it rises and falls, corrugations and gravel, faster and slower sections. Always seems to take longer than I expect to get to the Wye River road and the turn off into the forest – ah, tourists have been here, someone has done a large poo at the side of the road and left it sitting there festooned with toilet paper.

Thu ⛅ around lorne

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 16:35:00 +1100

Lots of traffic, bumper-to-bumper into Lorne from Aireys. Only yelled at by one p-plater – barked at actually, by the idiot passenger. I guess that’s a change from their usual doppler-shifted witticisms screamed from a passing ute Fantastic weather, would recommend Scattered clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 5m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

NYD ☀️ FROTY - Aireys and bush

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 13:44:00 +1100

Solo from Lorne to Aireys Inlet, then joined by family for a dirt road explore. Easy first half out along Distillery Creek rd, then sharp right and steeply up alongside power lines on Bubbs track. I did ask if we try and ride up there, the doubters weren’t loud enough to drown out the attitude of “how hard could it be” as we rode, slid, and often walked, up the steep eroded track

2025 Rainfall

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2.0 2.0 3.5 2.5 8.0 2 0.5 3.5 7.5 3 13.0 0.5 16.0 11.0 4 0.5 3.5 0.5 1.0 37.0 5 3.5 2.5 6 7 20.0 4.0 1.5 2.5 8 0.5 9 3.0 13.0 10 38.0 3.5 0.5 0.5 11 1.0 1.0 27.0 12 1.0 3.0 7.0 13 19.0 4.5 8.5 5.5 14 1.0 0.5 15 1.

Birds Seen in 2025

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Following on from last year, which reminds me, I haven’t finished off that page from last year. There’s still a few snippets of notes lying around not yet incorporated in that page, and I suspect there are notes I jotted to myself that I forgot to include here Common name Scientific name date Location Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus {2025-01-09 Thu} Karkarook lake, Heatherton, Vic Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae {2025-01-09 Thu} Karkarook lake, Heatherton, Vic Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus {2025-04-20 Sun} Warrnambool, Vic Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus {2025-01-10 Fri} Lara, Vic Australasian Gannet Morus serrator {2025-01-01 Wed} Aireys Inlet, Vic Masked Booby Sula dactylatra {2025-07-14 Mon} Norfolk Island Black-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens {2025-04-20 Sun} Stingray Bay, Warrnambool, Vic Little Pied Cormoran Phalacrocorax varius {2025-04-16 Wed} Huntingdale Wetlands, Mt Waverley, Vic Great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Australasian darter Anhinga novaehollandiae {2025-10-15 Wed} Albury, NSW White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica {2025-01-27 Sun} Wandiligong, Vic White-faced heron Egretta novaehollandiae {2025-01-02 Thu} Lorne, Vic Great Egret Ardea alba {2025-01-23 Thu} Seymour, Vic Intermedia Egret Ardea intermedia {2025-04-18 Fri} Kelly’s swamp, Warrnambool, Vic Cattle Egret Ardea coromanda {2025-09-27 Sat} Kyabram, Vic Nankeen Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus {2025-02-19 Wed} Caulfield Park, Caulfield, Vic Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes {2025-12-28 Sat} Lara, Vic Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca {2025-01-10 Fri} Lara, Vic Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis {2025-04-18 Fri} Kelly’s swamp, Warrnambool, Vic Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata {2025-04-18 Fri} Kelly’s swamp, Warrnambool, Vic Black Swan Cygnus atratus {2025-01-09 Thu} Karkarook lake, Heatherton, Vic Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australia {2025-11-02 Sun} Namitjira Park, Clayton, Vic Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides {2025-04-18 Fri} Kelly’s swamp, Warrnambool, Vic Pacific Black duck Anas superciliosa {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Chestnut Teal Anas castanea {2025-01-17 Thu} Glen Iris wetlands, Glen Iris, Vic Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris {2025-04-19 Sat} Warrnambool, Vic Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax {2025-01-26 Sun} Buckland valley, Porepunkah, Vic Swamp Harrier Circus approximans {2025-04-18 Fri} Kelly’s swamp, Warrnambool, Vic Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides {2025-01-23 Thu} Seymour, Vic Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus {2025-09-28 Sun} Balaclava Mine, Whroo, Vic Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa {2025-01-03 Fri} Lorne, Vic Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae {2025-10-21 Tue} Batlow, NSW Pukeko Porphyrio meanotus {2025-01-09 Thu} Karkarook lake, Heatherton, Vic Eurasian Coot Fulica atra {2025-01-09 Thu} Karkarook lake, Heatherton, Vic Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris {2025-04-18 Fri} Shipwreck bay, Warrnambool, Vic Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus {2025-01-12 Sun} Sheoak creek, Lorne, Vic Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles {2025-01-03 Fri} Lorne, Vic Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus {2025-04-18 Fri} Kelly’s swamp, Warrnambool, Vic Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Pacific Gull Larus pacificus {2025-01-06 Mon} Point Grey, Lorne, Vic Rock Dove Columba livia {2025-01-03 Fri} Melbourne, Vic Spotted Turtle-Dove Streptopelia chinensis {2025-01-03 Wed} Lorne, Vic Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera {2025-01-09 Thu} Karkarook lake, Heatherton, Vic Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes {2025-01-09 Thu} Karkarook lake, Heatherton, Vic Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica {2025-07-15 Tue} Norfolk Island Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Gang-gang cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum {2025-01-03 Fri} Lorn, Vic Galah Eolophus roseicapilla {2025-01-03 Fri} Lorne, Vic Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris {2025-01-02 Thu} Lorne, Vic Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus {2025-01-09 Thu} Hughesdale, Vic Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis {2025-01-03 Wed} Lorne, Vic Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans {2025-01-03 Fri} Lorne, Vic Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius {2025-01-07 Tue} Bellbrae, Vic Red-rumped parrot Psephotus haematonotus {2025-10-15 Wed} Albury, NSW Blue-winged Parrot Neophema chrysostoma {2025-01-03 Fri} Lorne, Vic Norfolk Island Green Parrot Cyanoramphus cookii {2025-07-16 Wed} Norfolk Island Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis {2025-10-20 Mon} Bowning, NSW Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus {2025-01-03 Fri} Lorne beach, Lorne, Vic Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides {2025-05-24 Sat} Boyd Park, Murrumbeena, Vic Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Sacred Kingisher Todiramphus sanctus {2025-01-25 Sat} Harrietville, Vic Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic White-browed scrubwren Sericornis frontalis {2025-11-30 Sun} Kia Ora Caravan park, Lorne, Vic Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa {2025-09-27 Sat} Kyabram, Vic Norfolk Island Gerygone Gerygone Modesta {2025-07-16 Wed} Norfolk Island Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus {2025-09-28 Sun} Balaclava Mine, Whroo, Vic Bassian thrush Zoothera lunulata {2025-06-08 Sun} Otways, Lorne, Vic Common Blackbird Turdus merula {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Scarlet Robin Petroica multicolor {2025-06-08 Sun} Otways, Lorne, Vic Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis {2025-01-26 Sun} Buckland valley, Porepunkah, Vic Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis {2025-07-16 Wed} Norfolk Island Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica {2025-01-27 Mon} Bright, Vic Silvereye Zosterops lateralis {2025-07-15 Tue} Norfolk Island Slender-billed White Eye Zosterops tenuirostris {2025-07-15 Tue} Norfolk Island Grey fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa {2025-01-24 Sat} Bright, Vic Willie wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys {2025-01-16 Thu} Glen Iris, Vic Pacific Robin Petroica multicolor {2025-07-16 Wed} Norfolk Island Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaeus {2025-01-26 Sun} Buckland valley, Porepunkah, Vic Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus {2025-10-21 Tue} Jugiong, NSW White-fronted chat Epthianura albifrons {2025-09-28 Sun} Balaclava Mine, Whroo, Vic Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala {2025-01-09 Thu} Hughesdale, Vic White-eared Honeyeater Nesoptilotis leucotis {2025-07-06 Sun} Langwarrin Fauna Reserve, Langwarrin, Vic Singing Honeyeater Lichenostomus virescens {2025-04-18 Fri} Warrnambool, Vic New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae {2025-01-04 Sat} Lorne, Vic Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris {2025-01-06 Mon} Lorne, Vic European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis {2025-04-18 Fri} Koroit, Vic House Sparrow Passer domesticus {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Red-browed finch Neochmia temporalis {2025-01-04 Sat} Lorne, Vic Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris {2025-01-07 Tue} Lara, Vic Common Myna Acridotheres tristis {2025-01-07 Tue} Lara, Vic Satin bowerbid Ptilonorhynchus violaceus {2025-01-07 Tue} Lorne, Vic White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos {2025-02-25 Sat} Bright, Vic Magpie Lark Grallina cyanoleuca {2025-01-01 Wed} Lorne, Vic Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus {2025-01-08 Wed} Monash University, Vic Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen {2025-01-03 Fri} Lorne, Vic White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor {2025-10-22 Wed} Jingellic, NSW Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae {2025-10-15 Wed} Albury, NSW Dusky woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus {2025-10-15 Wed} Albury, NSW Pied Currawong Strepera graculina {2025-01-03 Tue} Lorne, Vic Little Raven Corvus mellori {2025-01-02 Wed} Lorne, Vic 104 last reviewed or updated 2026-01-17 Sat

Read — “Michener's Iberia, vol. 1”

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

NYE ⛅ LROTY - Lorne Cape Patton

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 13:23:00 +1100

Last ride of the year, its a thing. Lorne down to Wye River, Kennett River, Grey River then on to Cape Patton for a look around, back up to Kennett for a coffee then back long the coast. Bit of traffic, buses, tourists. Used nappies dumped at the side of the road, idiots who pass to close. Spectacular views and beautiful bushland smells. Positives and negatives of a hugely popular Great Ocean Road

Mon ⛅ NYEE Moriac to Lorne

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 13:48:00 +1100

The lunchtime bacon and egg roll from Moriac was very tasty, but it sat like a bowling ball for the ride. Hardest ride I’ve done for a while too Bit of a breeze, overcast to stop it feeling too hot, and some bushfire smoke off to the north. Good to be out on country roads Stopped for a water refill and rest in Deans Marsh at the park, and was handed a welcome if unexpected glass of cold fruit juice.

Sun ☀️ around and about

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:24:00 +1100

Lovely little afternoon ride, apart fro the last 100m as i was almost taken out by an off-leash snappy yapper racing in for the pedals. Owner look stunned at my use of outside voice to suggest she put it on a leash … just like the sign she was standing next to told her I even got to ride along the new bike path in Caulfield along Queens parade, despite the doomsayers squealing, it hasn’t resulted in the total destruction of every tree along here, although it has removed their precious car parks on the public street, which is probably what they were more concerned about.

Thu ☀️ boxing Bungendore

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 06:39:00 +1100

Out for a spin before breakfast, maybe find a coffee … Up the hill to quarry, nothing much there except a pair of suspiciously shiny mag wheels, I suspect stolen and dumped Then back down the Sutton road to Bungendore and around a few randomly chosen streets, some of the old parts, some of the new. No sign of any open cafes, one tantalizing sight in the distance of two dog-walkers carrying takeaway cups but it was too hard to turn around and catch them.

surprise as a Yellow-faced honeyeater[1] landed on the flyscreen 20cm from my nose, catching spiders

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 09:42:00 +1100

[1] Yellow-faced honeyeater

Tue ☀️ lake road

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 09:05:00 +1100

One wombat, one eagle, a few roos, rabbits, lots of rosellas and a bazillion corrugations. Welcome to Weereewa, such a pity that Silver Wattle closes off the road and you can’t follow the lake around to join the federal highway I took it fairly easy, especially since last time I rode up this way I got a snake bite puncture from hitting one of the bigger potholes hidden in the shadows.

a small flock of Double-barred finches[1] flit about going bzzt bzzt bzzt in the garden at mum & dad's place[2]

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:13:00 +1100

[1] Double-barred finch [2] Bungendore, NSW

Sun ⛅ you are here

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 18:26:00 +1100

A half hour riding around some of the streets of Holbrook on our overnight stop-over on the drive north. I’ve ridden through here in the past – long in the past – pre-Garmin and pre-Strava, 1993 and 2006 from memory, so as far as Strava is concerned it never happened Squinting at Google maps I thought I could head out of town towards Jingellic, then cut through a laneway back to the main street – the old Hume highway.

tidying up before a few days away, I move the dust-covered laptop and there's a Marbled gecko[1] hiding under it

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +1100

[1] Marbled gecko

Sat ⛅ unsuccessful shopping

Sat, 21 Dec 2024 12:12:00 +1100

A few ideas for Christmas presents, all failed in the attempts Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ last commute of the year

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 15:26:00 +1100

Last commute of the year and hot and dry, the sky is an eerie colour with bushfire smoke from the Grampians and orangey sunlight shinging Off along the creek trail downstream to East Malvern, then up to Caulfield along Waverley road and home along the Djerring trail, interrupted by a pause for a pint at my local Scattered clouds, 33°C, Feels like 31°C, Humidity 22%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat

Fri ⛅ and so to work

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 08:03:00 +1100

Last commute to work of the year. Woohoo. Same route as always Broken clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the squawker has fledged – no more baby blackbird in the rose on the porch

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 15:00:00 +1100

Tue ☀️ chores and home

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 16:13:00 +1100

Almost 20 degrees cooler than yesterday’s ride home! Off along the Scotchmans Creek trail to East Malvern, then up and around to Carnegie for a minor bit of shopping Back around the end of the block – such a shame that the shops don’t have back doors out onto the Djerring trail – then home along the trail The #DjerringTrail where it crosses Murrumbeena rd is a disaster waiting to happen though.

2024/1217/1229 – Create a new password

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 12:29:00 +1100

Hi ajft, We got a request to change your password. You can create a new password to finish making changes in Accounts Center.

Tue 🌧 penultimate home2work

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 07:53:00 +1100

Penultimate is such a good word. Second last ride to work for the year, it is indeed the penultimate commute. Poor timing meant I got to ride through Huntingdale station while lots of eyes-on-phones pedestrians walked head on at me on both sides & down the centre of the shared path. Nothing else of note Light rain, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 5m/s from WSW - by Klimat

Mon 🌧 hot creek commute

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:51:00 +1100

Called in at the “bike arrival station” to borrow tools and a trackpump, trying to fix the sandworm attractor that is my front tyre … LUMP LUMP LUMP … with no success. I cannot shift the lumpy end of the valve further into the tube to get the tube to sit well on the front rim, and it was stinking hot, and there were no tyre levers there anyway, so I reinflated it all in a slightly better condition than it had been and continued on my way

Mon ☀️ humid to work

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 08:16:00 +1100

I dropped the team car off at the mechanics, then rode in to work. Already getting hot and humid, and I did my best to avoid the east-west traffic sewers that are North and Centre roads. Mostly OK as a route, although Google’s directions to “turn right onto Warrigal road” belied once again the dubiousness of their cycling input. One does not simply turn right into Warrigal road After the fact I discovered that with yesterday I’m now over my 5200km goal, it was a bit touch and go for a while, I’d been getting very lax about riding anywhere other than to and from work.

Sun ☀️ lake Lysterfield lap

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 09:28:00 +1100

Yesterday I was out near here and it gave me an idea for the ride, I’d also seen a route on RideWithGps that I wanted to try out. Somehow I failed to load the ride from the website to my Garmin, so just headed out that way and crossed my fingers. Google maps got me from Dandenong out to Lysterfield through an interesting and mostly direct set of backstreets, only throwing me out into ugly traffic routes once or twice.

Sat ⛅ take 3, lightbulb return

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 11:29:00 +1100

The second light bulb is indeed the correct colour temperature … except its almost 1cm taller and will not fit. Back on the bike for third time to take it back and get a refund. I’m now on first name terms with the woman in the lighting shop Oakleigh traffic is getting louder and drivers angrier. There’s much hooting, honking, screeching of wheels, gesticulation out of windows and shouting Ah, merry old Christmas time…

Sat⛅ take 2, light bulb exchange

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 11:09:00 +1100

First light bulb was entirely the wrong colour, especially when compared with its pair. Back to the shop to swap for the “Daylight bulb” that I’d been assured would be too blue The traffic is getting louder, the drivers too. There’s much shouting and honking at the individual who has decided to drive the wrong way up a feeder lane through the centre of Dandenong road to make an illegal right turn

Sat ⛅ shopping - light bulb

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 10:35:00 +1100

Right then, a simple quick chore. I’ll just nip up to the lighting shop and get a replacement LED light bulb for the range hood in the kitchen. What could possibly go wrong… Turns out there’s two possible bulbs; a “daylight” bulb that I’m assured will be “too blue” and a “cool white” that should be fine. I take them at their word and ride off home with the “cool white” bulb

Fri ⛅ fixie fedivus fun

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 17:55:00 +1100

In to the city to meet friends at the Mission to Seafarers, then home again afterwards. A wonderful summer evening for a ride. Minor headaches around Birrarung Marr where apparently the bike path has been removed and replaced by a building site … and then further along through the city where the bike path doubles as the main walkway for hundreds, if not thousands, of people going to riverside bars, boats and restaurants

Fri ⛅ jiggety jig

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:49:00 +1100

Home again, the Scotchmans creek commute, the usual route with no extras or embellishments – oh OK, one little embellishment, I used the gravel path around the north side of the wetlands rather than the main bike track, just because I could Scattered clouds, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 5m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ Juan Morday

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 08:05:00 +1100

A bit damp underfoot, must have rained overnight. Close to Christmas and a Friday, its all a bit of a ghost town on the paths and roads Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ creek commute via Murrumbeena

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:59:00 +1100

Left a little early with the intention of logging back in at home, called in for a beer on the way home. As I came past the ‘Local’ down by Malvern East station hasn’t got much going for it – empty & fronting on a noisy road, facing north with the outside in shade. Came up to Murrumbeena Wine Bar on a whim – still noisy outside, but a bit more alive & the tables are convenient.

Tue ⛅ gardening commute

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:03:00 +1100

Following some online chatter yesterday about cycling facilities and their upkeep, I was reminded that I’d been intending to do a bit of VicTrack’s gardening for them, given that it seems to be their institutional policy that invasive weeds are ignored and every square inch of land can be covered in blackberry bushes without them batting an eye. Secateurs into the bag, off down the path, stopping to cut back the two most annoyingly intruding blackberry bushes, and making sure that all the cut off rubbish is back in the bushes so it doesn’t dry out and cause punctures!

Mon ⛅ anti-lazy-league commute

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 16:56:00 +1100

Off for a non-standard longer ride home, and rather than head off down Scotchmans creek trail and loop around to the west I headed east out through Mulgrave and down through the suburbs until I got to the DJerring trail and back home that way Had absolutely no idea where I was from Dandenogn road down to the station in Springvale, other than a general idea that I was going in the right direction and I’d either reach the railway or have to turn and go parallel to it.

Read — “Signal to Noise”

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Mon ☀️ leisurely commute

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 08:05:00 +1100

Can definitely feel in my legs yesterday’s ride. Should do that more often, especially as I approach the Christmas pudding season The standard uneventful ride to work, or is that “The standard ride to work, uneventful”? Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 3m/s from W - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ Morning loop

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 09:21:00 +1100

Trying to stave off some of the laziness & lack of fitness by riding a bit more than I’ve been managing to do in the past couple of months. Out for a longer ride this morning, interrupted part way around by an hour or so of lawn mowing and gardening. Scotchmans Creek trail to Jells Park, Dandenong Creek trail to … Dandenong, then back home into the wind along the Djerring trail

Sat ⛅ small shopping

Sat, 07 Dec 2024 08:36:00 +1100

Fish and bread and amazingly the patched rear tube on the #fixie held up Few clouds, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ glass stops play

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 16:21:00 +1100

Left work just in time to beat the rain home … then ran over a big chunk of glass on the bike path past the pub. No spare tube, patched it … then realised that the pump is in the frame bag on the other bike. Phone call of shame and wait for the team car … That’s two punctures in two days; front on Wednesday, rear today! Overcast clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat

Fri ⛅ headon to work

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 08:04:00 +1000

The usual route, but with added surprise Oakleigh driver There’s a roundabout at the start of Oakleigh shops, coming from Hughesdale I go straight through and continue towards the station. There’s a side road on my left – Jones streeet – that is one way off the roundabout, then a side road – Chester street – on my left that’s is one way onto the roundabout. Old mate in his ute came down Chester street, I thought he wouldn’t stop for me so I slowed down … then he just about stopped so I kept going onto the roundabout.

Wed☀️ puncture commute home

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:27:00 +1100

After a lazy two and a bit hours of work Christmas lunch I hopped back on the #fixie to head home, made it 200m down the road and had the front tyre go flat. Of course due to my mix of bikes and bags and tubes, the spares for the 700x23 long long long valve are at home, so it was either lock up and catch the bus … or walk around to the Uni.

Wed ☀️ Commute to christmas lunch

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 11:17:00 +1100

The work Christmas lunch is on a work-from-home day for me, so I rode in along the short route – straight up through Huntingdale and Oakleigh East, call in at the office to grab the D-lock, then across to the other side of campus to the function venue Clear sky, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “Pirate Cinema”

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm #+BEGINEXPORT md <!–more–> #+END_Pirate Cinema by Cory Doctorow My rating: 3 of 5 stars Enjoyable enough, I’ve read it a few years ago and it was one of the few things on my ereader when I needed something and couldn’t connect online Seems a bit simplistic, aimed at a young adult audience. Enjoyable enough for a quick read View all my reviews EXPORT

Tue ⛅ a long way home

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 17:10:00 +1100

Trying for a bit more riding than just to and from work, this afternoon’s ride home was again down the Scotchmans Creek trail to East Malvern, then straight along Waverley road to Caulfield and a bit of a mix of roads and Djerring trail back home from there Overcast clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ steamy commute

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 08:02:00 +1100

Ewww, very humid Overcast clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 7m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ pedalling to the pedal peddler

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 16:38:00 +1100

Newest LBS – 99 bikes – has civilised opening hours, and bike parking at the door. Near neighbour bike shop might have to lift their game. Found myself with company for most of the Scotchmans Creek trail section, three or four other riders alternating between going faster, taking shortcuts, or being held up at lights and we kept re-meeting along the way. After a spin along the creek and up to Carnegie, I called in for new pedals for the #fixie.

Mon ⛅ home2work commute

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 08:03:00 +1000

It’s getting closer to the end of the year, and I’m getting closer to not making my 5200km riding goal for the year. Everything just fell right off with a combination of the end of the 1641-days in a row, and the recovery from my AC injury, and just not really feeling like it One more day, one more ride to work. Same same Few clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat

Sun ⛅ the lake and the rain

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 14:44:00 +1100

Out for an hour on the Sunday afternoon, an ominously dark cloud was approaching from the South-West, and I met it head on somewhere down around South road. The air temperature dropped, then the rain started, pleasantly cool. Left turn and east towards Karkarook lake, popping out on Warrigal road just a bit too far south, so back up to the lights and a hook turn to get in to the lake … and what’s this on the road in front of me?

2024/1130/1109 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x3)

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 11:09:00 +1100

Sat 🌧 shops in the rain

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 07:47:00 +1100

I’m not entirely sure why I keep recording these silly little rides, habit I guess Bread, fish, and at least four really angry drivers, amazing for so early in the morning with so little traffic. Big ute man lost the plot with older big ute man who had got in, started up, then sat idling while he sorted out his shopping. HOW DARE YOU NOT LEAVE, I MUST PARK HERE! Next one followed me – too closely – up Portman street but couldn’t squeeze past, cut the corner to squeal left and right through the car park, then popped out in Chester street all of 2m ahead of me.

Fri ☀️ commute to beer

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 17:31:00 +1100

The creek commute homewards – down the Scotchmans Creek trail as far as East Malvern, then south up the hill on Belgrave road to Murrumbeena and side streets towards Hughesdale. Stopped in for a beer, bought a pizza from next door and was joined by family, then later rode the rest of the way home without remembering to switch the Garmin back on, so the ride ends with the beer

Fri ⛅ warm commute to work

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 08:04:00 +1100

Temperature displayed by the Garmin didn’t seem too high, but for the first time in a few days there’s no clouds in the sky and it felt hotter. Humidity still high. Right hand fixie pedal has not magically regenerated its missing ball bearings, I shall have to do something about it… Broken clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 1m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ⛅ commute to staff meeting

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 14:38:00 +1100

The “all staff” meetings are not available online, so an afternoon commute on a WFH day was needed – wouldn’t have bothered except there was a social catch up afterwards Discovered that the #fixie needs new pedals though, RHS has lost its bearings and wobbles, threatening to fall off Half Djerring trail/half North road on the way there, all Djerring trail on the way home. The North road bike path hazardous as ever, covered in bits of dead trees and endless snake-bite puncture-inducing shifted concrete slabs

Congratulations, Adrian Tritschler! You received the Five Year Club badge!

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 11:03:00 +1100

https://dev.to/ajft?

Tue ⛅ steaming homewards

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:27:00 +1100

The sun came out for this first time since Saturday, the temperature went up, the humidity stayed high and the sweat came with it. Left work early, off to an appointment then home via a cafe and a large, well received, iced coffee Glaring sunlight bouncing off concrete and hazy clouds, steamy wet plants and soil, the cicadas all calling. Could have stayed and had another iced drink except the cafe shut, so onwards back up the Djerring trail to home … and a bit of a loop around the ‘burb to get a little extra distance in on a short commtue

A railway crew have come through and "scorched-earth" the vegetation along the Djerring trail from Hughesdale to Oakleigh

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:10:00 +1100

Not just that, all the overhanging trees are cut back to the fence line (no arborist niceties here), chainsaw gardening at its finest. At least they cleared up as well

Tue ⛅ another moist commute

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:06:00 +1100

Not quite as warm or wet as yesterday, but very close Amazingly, the overgrown bushes on the Djerring trail between Hughesdale and Oakleigh have been trimmed back, the railway crew must have been through, given that Monash council refuses to maintain the path or acknowledge that it was “handed over” at the end of the LXRA works. Definitely railway crew, the trees on the rail side of the fence alongside the lines have all been cut off at ground level, along with all bushes, but sadly, none of the blackberries

Mon 🌧 backwards homewards

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:55:00 +1100

OK, OK, not really backwards, but the commute home in the reverse of the route I normally use to get to work. Down through campus and then the bike lane/bike path south to the railway and the Djerring trail. Then up the Djerring trail to Oakleigh and home Emergency stop for the motorist ignoring the give-way sign on Browns road. Emergency stop for the motorist ignoring the give-way sign leaving the hospital car park.

Mon 🌧 misty commute with appt

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 08:05:00 +1100

Warm, humid, a light mist in the air tending to gentle rain once or twice – nothing like the “heavy intensity rain” reported below by Klimat! Lovely ride up along the Scotchmans Creek trail and through the bush in Valley Reserve to wind my way up to the shops. Early for a 9am appointment so time for a coffee, then retrace my route back through the bushland and straight south to work

Sat ⛅ morning heatwave shopping

Sat, 23 Nov 2024 07:50:00 +1100

Up to the shops for the fish and the bread, I can feel it starting to heat up already – cooler under the trees, but the rising sun feeling hot already. Heading up to the high 30’s today, supposedly more so than yesterday All the way to the shops and around I could hear the cicadas calling from over in the pioneer cemetery, so off on a detour there on the way home

Fri ⛅ hot creek commute

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 16:39:00 +1100

Crackling bark, cicadas, stopped cars with the bonnet up A hot summer afternoon, even though nominally it’s still spring. Best option for the day is the longer ride, but along the Scotchmans Creek trail away from the concrete and roads and under the trees. Had the pleasure of the company of another commuter from Forster road to somewhere around the wetlands, until he said farewell and resumed his normal speed

Fri ⛅ GPS teleport commute

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 08:21:00 +1100

Gps silliness, to be edited. The #Garmin decided that my start position was around 20km away and leaping about all over the place, I didn’t notice for a while and it wasn’t until I got to Oakleigh shops that I stopped for half a minute, powered it off and on again, and let it figure out where I really was. Makes for an interesting variation of the “If it isn’t on #Strava, it didn’t happen” that is the “it’s shown on #Strava, therefore it must have happened”

Tue ☀️ short commute home

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 16:37:00 +1100

Another short commute, it seems to be a week of them so far. A #warmshowers house guest is turning up some time around 5pm so off I went – then crossed my fingers and overshot to go to the post office and collect two new tyres for the AWOL. Luck was on my side, Lucas rolled in sometime nearer 6pm having had an unpleasant ride from Melbourne airport, but an enjoyable afternoon at St Kilda

Tue ⛅ medical commute

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 07:57:00 +1100

Up the trail to Carnegie for an appointment, then back down to Huntingdale and on to work. I took the D-lock, but forgot the key, so a bit of creative cable tangling and lock placement and I could pretend that the #fixie was locked Two fun interactions with Melbourne’s Marvellous Motorists; the first, large SUV, the driver spotted a gap in the traffic and came flying around the left turn from Neerim road into Murrumbeena road and suddenly realised that the bike path lights were red and people were crossing in front of her – much screeching and slid to a halt half into the Djerring trail, I guess its a pleasant change from the drivers who go straight through, completely oblivious.

Mon ⛅ short commute home

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:34:00 +1100

Short commute home again, had to get home to collect the car to get to the LBS before closing time to pick up another bike. Made it with time to spare, and I don’t think I’ve ridden this way home for ages Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ fixie shorty commutey

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 09:20:00 +1100

Late start, 9am LBS visit then home then ride to work. Take the shortest route, yet still managed to find a large dug up section of Dandenong road service lane - new drains, detours, at least the lateness lead to less traffic Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2024/1118/0612 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 06:12:00 +1100

Sun ⛅ rosstown coffeeneuring seven

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 15:21:00 +1100

Last day, last chance, last #coffeeneuring #coffee of 2024. Unlike last year there was no crash, no separated AC joint and no hospital visit. Off down the Rosstown Rail Trail to Elwood and stopped at the roundabout where a long-ago fave – the Turtle Cafe – used to be. It’s long gone, as is the shiny new place diagonally opposite. Nothing for it but to have a long macc. and lemon tart at the old Post Office, then home along Glen Huntly road

Sat ⛅ oasis goodies

Sat, 16 Nov 2024 10:56:00 +1100

Oasis Bakery is a haven of tasty treats; spices, pastries, ingredients, and with a cafe to rest in after an exausting quarter an hour of selecting goodies for birthday snacks. Getting there is always a bit of a challenge, neither Cam nor I can ever remember exactly which side roads to ride along, there’s always a chance we’ll either completely overshoot, or end up at North road a block too early and have to sneak up the footpath.

Fri ⛅ homewards commute

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 15:54:00 +1100

Early departure, unexpected visitor is in town and is making their way to our house. Timed it just about right, got the message as I passed through the wetlands that “I am sitting on your back porch” Creek commute, top-secret birthday present tied to the pizza rack with string and a spare bit of wool found in the office Scattered clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat

Fri ⛅ ghost town commute

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 08:20:00 +1000

I think everyone is either working from home or has taken Friday off; nobody on the bike path, (blissfully) nobody walking to the station at Huntingdale or driving along Dandenong road. Campus felt almost empty when I got there too Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2024/1114/1712 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x3)

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 17:12:00 +1100

2024/1114/1435 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 14:35:00 +1100

Wed ⛅ iced vietnamese coffeeneuring six

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 15:29:00 +1100

Taking an afternoon break while working at home, time outside before the evening’s work. Scotchman Creek trail upstream to Mount Waverley and up through Valley Reserve. The rain from earlier today has cleared up, but everything is damp and smells like the bush after a shower Called in at a Vietnamese bakery in the shops for a #coffeeneuring #coffee – not the fanciest Vietnamese coffee I’ve had but pleasantly flavoured, and enjoyably cool on a warm afternoon

Tue 🌧 shorty commute via appt

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:42:00 +1100

Astounding! The dumped, spider-web encrusted MTB that has been sitting oin the bike rack at work since May … or earlier … has finally been removed by the grounds maintenance people. I was only looking at it this morning thinking I must report it again to them Off into a light sprinkle of rain to get to an appointment, home along the noisy North road bike path and some arbitrary back streets to keep things interesting.

Tue ⛅ another glorious commute

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 07:55:00 +1100

Near perfect spring day for a #fixie ride to work, interrupted only by the screeching four-wheel slide as a Clayton driver(tm) in their huge SUV ignored the Give Way sign then changed their mind and stomped the brakes to stop half across the bike path. One day we shall have drivers who know the road rules. One day we shall have drivers that obey the road rules. One day we may even have a government that enforces the road rules

Mon ⛅ creek commute home

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:16:00 +1100

A bit later than usual leaving work so I got to ride past endless stopped bumper-to-bumper cars leaving the uni and queueing all the way down Gardiner and Forster roads to the freeway. Only problem is that they also queue from the side roads, and stop across the bike-path, so there’s a bit of dodging required The naughty builders in Forster road at Scotchmans Creek trail are replacing all the footpath they destroyed – that’s not the naughty bit.

Oops, did a hulk on my work shirt reaching for something. Can I claim it on tax?

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 11:15:00 +1100

Mon ☀️ glorious commutage

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 07:58:00 +1100

One of those clear, windless sunny spring mornings that makes you want to “accidentally” miss the turn off towards work and keep on going off into the distance Noticeably, there were no dead rats anywhere on the path Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2024/1111/0309 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 03:09:00 +1100

2024/1111/0308 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 03:08:00 +1100

2024/1111/0307 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 03:07:00 +1100

Sun ⛅ extended follow-me ride

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 14:07:00 +1100

Someone had to be at the goose park[1] for a 2.30 event and couldn’t remember the way. Follow me. Off we went, then off I went for a bit of a meandering Sunday afternoon kind of a ride Along the way we did get to use a very useful little “diagonal” road that has bike lanes on both sides and pops out at Caulfield park, I also tried to get a coffee, but it was that dead time of day between when the cafes have all closed for the morning/day trade and any opened for the evening

2024/1110/1323 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 13:23:00 +1100

2024/1110/1214 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 12:14:00 +1100

2024/1110/1213 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 12:13:00 +1100

2024/1109/2102 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 21:02:00 +1100

2024/1109/2101 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 21:01:00 +1100

2024/1109/2058 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 20:58:00 +1100

2024/1109/2056 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 20:56:00 +1100

Sat ⛅ LBS tubes and tubeless

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 12:40:00 +1100

Up to the bike shop that has no bike parking for tubes for the #fixie and to book in the tubeless spouse bike to be dealt with. There’s a large chunk of glass through the tyre and green goo everywhere Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 39%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “The Prisoner of Heaven”

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Sat ⛅ shopping

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 08:13:00 +1100

Just the bread and the fish, then home for breakfast Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ scotchmans creek commute

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:11:00 +1100

Late departure and off north to the creek then home under the trees. Dodged the off-leash dog, was abused by the off-leash dog’s owner. Nothing changes, oh, except he was just about standing on one of the new signs that says dogs must be on leads. Almost laughable Total of six dogs being walked on the shared path between Mount Waverley and Oakleigh. Total of two legally on a lead

2024/1108/1615 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 16:15:00 +1100

2024/1108/1614 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 16:14:00 +1100

2024/1108/1613 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 16:13:00 +1100

2024/1108/1612 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 16:12:00 +1100

Fri ☀️ a ratty commute

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 07:46:00 +1100

There’s been a large dead rat on the Djerring trail for a couple of weeks now, half way between Oakleigh and Huntingdale, it turned up after a rainy Friday This morning there was a fresh dead rat on the path at the Oakleigh end, square in the middle of the path level with the Coles loading dock A few minutes later on the skinny part of the path heading in to Huntingdale station I had caught up with another rider.

Thu ⛅ coffeeneuring number five is alive

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 15:41:00 +1100

Despite the best efforts of homewards’ bound traffics in the City of Glen Eira, ’twas an enjoyable little outing to parts unknown (or at least coffee shops unknown) for a #coffeeneuring long macc. and a teeny tiny tasty pastry. Thumbs up to “Chocolatine” for that and the complementary sparkling water Not a terribly inspired route though, Djerring trail to Caulfield and Inkerman street past Caulfield park, then Kooyong road, the aforementioned #coffee.

Thu ⛅ conference to mostly home

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 18:14:00 +1100

There’s a lovely set of tram tracks to cross in Caulfield, and the rear tyre in the #fixie is soft … the rims are deep and the valve is short so its been a massive headache trying to inflate them and I left the rear just a little bit soft. What could possibly go wrong … Snakebite! Oh well, best place to have a flat, at the train station three stops from home

Thu 🌧 coffeeneuring to conference

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 07:40:00 +1100

Third and final day of the conference, third day of a #fixie ride to Caulfield, off down Inkerman street and up the St Kilda road hill, through the building site, down into the start of the CBD traffic and off to the hotel A minor detour along the way, this will be my only chance for a #coffeeneuring2024 ride this week due to weekend commitments, so with full respect to Rule 7, “Controversial Ride Rule”, I shall combine a commute to work with my #coffeeneuring – pausing for half an hour for a most enjoyable flat white in Balaclava and to watch the world go by

Wed ⛅ conference to home

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 18:58:00 +1100

Same as yesterday, same route, much the same ride. Quieter on the bike paths than in the morning, a bit less traffic on the roads but a bit more unpredictable. That long drawn out climb up Inkerman street is not something I’m used to on the #fixie! Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Wed ⛅ conference commute

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 07:33:00 +1100

Same as yesterday, leave home, ride up the Djerring trail to Caufleld then down Inkerman street to St Kilda road. Not a pleasant ride, endless parked cars filling the bike lane, endless close passing drivers “hinting” that they don’t want you outside the bike lane. A pox on the council and their kowtowing to the ‘poor residents with six cars each who have nowhere else to park’ Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 0m/s from W - by Klimat

Tue ⛅ home from conference

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:06:00 +1100

The reverse of this morning, leave the conference hotel and ride home. Back down St Kilda road, then dice with close passing large-family SUV things all the way up Interman street, pass through Caulfield and home along the Djerring trail Few clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “Zero Day Code: the complete trilogy”

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Tue ⛅ conference commute

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 07:53:00 +1100

From home to the Pullman hotel, take the Djerring trail bike track to Caulfield then straight down Inkerman Street and up a busy ugly bit of St Kilda road. Narrow paint-separated bike lane with building works on one side and semi-trailers flush up against the other. Made it to the hotel, six years on and still no obvious bike parking so once again locked the #fixie to a pipe in the basement car park

Mon ⛅ creek and a bit home

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 16:26:00 +1100

Home along the Scotchmans Creek trail, the weather was nice so I added on a little bit extra, following the creek downstream to Warrigal road, then back up to Atkinson street to rejoin my normal route Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 08:07:00 +1100

The usual ride to work, and the only day this week that I’m working at work Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 0m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Amazing! After at least 20 years of inaction, VicRoads has removed the weeds from the bike lane on the railway bridge in North road!

Sat, 26 Oct 2024 14:00:00 +1100

Some of the weedy bushes were almost 1.5m high, including a flowering banksia. I’m sure I’ve got a photo of them around here somewhere…

Sat ☀️ shopping

Sat, 26 Oct 2024 08:31:00 +1100

Pre-breakfast shopping. Fish for dinner, bread for breakfast. Back around the block, through the underpass and home. The apple earpod that someone lost in the Warrigal road service lane is still there again today Clear sky, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ kommutenbier

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 16:01:00 +1100

Out into the afternoon sun hoping it was warmer than this morning and … made it to the end of the campus before I had to stop and put my vest on. Then off towards Scotchmans Creek trail, fighting the urge to suggest to the rider in front each time I caught him at a crossing that it might be a wise idea to ride on the left side of the path, not the right

Fri ⛅ chilly home2work

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 08:03:00 +1100

Perhaps that’s why the season is called “Spring”, the weather bounces around all over the place Brr, big, cold fluffy rain clouds rolling in from the SW over the bay bringing scattered showers and lowering the temperature. Back down to hovering around either side of the single-digits, sometimes under 10°C, sometimes over… Avoided the rain, and most of the larger puddles, could have almost done with a thicker jersey though

Wed ⛅ exploratory coffeeneuring three

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 14:32:00 +1100

Another sneaky afternoon escape, out for an hour as a late lunch break. Off to the south towards Karkarook lake and in search of #coffeeneuring2024 #coffee number three. I didn’t quite make it around the lake, turning off and taking the scenic gravel path around Clarinda – who knows for how much longer, the entire block is due to be bulldozed and concreted and turned into a railway stabling yard for the SRL “soon”

Tue ⛅ creek commute and more

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 16:54:00 +1100

I was expecting a hot ride home, the forecast was for 30°C, I stepped outside to find the cool change had come through a bit early and it was ten degrees cooler than that! Oh well, off down the creek with a bit of an extra loop same as the last few times I’ve ridden home. East Malvern station and turn south, Belgrave road up the hill into the cold wind to Dandenong road and at the lights exchange pleasantries and comments on the weather with another rider.

Tue ⛅ home2work

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 08:03:00 +1100

Forecast for later today is up to 30°C, doesn’t feel that it’s heading that way yet, just another spring day like yesterday. Off down the Djerring trail, carefully around the decomposing rat, dodge the eyes-down phones-up pedestrians at Huntingdale station. Emergency stop to avoid being hit by the driver ignoring the Give Way sign at the bike path crossing near Clayton station, then just harsh braking to avoid being hit by the driver ignoring the Give Way sign at the bike path crossing on Browns road … spot the pattern if you can

Mon ⛅ getting home

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 16:36:00 +1100

Definitely warm and sweaty. Nothing pressing on the agenda so off along the longer route, downstream along the Scotchmans Creek Trail to East Malvern station, then up through the bushland reserve of the “Urban Forest”, perform a not-quite frogger crossing across 12 lanes of Dandenong road because VicRoads and whatever council it is refuse to join the two halves of bike path, then through Boyd park up to Hughesdale station and rejoin the Djerring trail

Mon ⛅ getting there

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 08:07:00 +1100

Warm spring commute, down the Djerring trail, up through Clayton. SRL construction works have opened up a little more, its now slightly easier to detour around the closed section of trail. Traffic management man directing me to the south today, along the end of Haughton road, back north up the footpath on Clayton rd to the lights, then on across the road One surprised rail commuter may consider not staring at her phone while jog trotting from the car park straight into the path of oncoming cyclists.

Sun ⛅ symbolically over sixty

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 14:02:00 +1100

Trying to fight off the slackness I took myself out for a decent longer ride this afternoon; out to the end of the Djerring trail, down alongside Dandenong creek and the Patterson river to the bay, back up the bay and home via Glen Huntly. The intention was to ride 60km, or as near as possible … for reasons Bit of a southerly blowing made the gravel path down along the creek slower going than I expected, the creek was overflowing and lined with masses of flotsam and rubbish from yesterday’s torrential rain – the low level crossing flooded and forcing riders to detour up and around over a road bridge.

Sat ⛅ shopping

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 08:37:00 +1100

Slept in a bit and later than usual for the dash up to the bakery, no fish for dinner though, we’re going out on a dinner date. Bread, other bread, and a couple of croissants and home Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 4m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 warm wet commute

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:15:00 +1100

Did i get wet? Why yes, indeed I did I’d been keeping an eye on the skies through the afternoon, then checked the weather radar at 4pm and thought I had a fair chance of getting home between storms. I was even optimistic enough to take the longer route along the Scothmans Creek trail, perhaps I’d be able to make it to my local and have a Friday afternoon beer …

Fri 🌧 pre-rain commute

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 07:59:00 +1100

Wet paths, high humidity, thick clouds … but not currently raining. Fingers crossed that my luck holds for the ride home Light rain, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 4m/s from NE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Wed ⛅ warm coffeeneuring two

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 15:36:00 +1100

Continuing to play the game, an afternoon break and #coffeeneuring2024 ride number two. Drawing boxes around the suburbs to the south-west, boring assortment of not-so-minor roads. Kept my eye open along the way for a cafe that’s open and still serving coffees after 2-3pm which seems to be the default closing time for many of them. Found my target in Monet’s Grocer on Centre road. Another short macc., sipped while sitting at a table on the footpath.

the garden is warming up, the sun is out, a small skink appeared and scurried across the path in the front garden

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 13:15:00 +1100

Tue ⛅ long commute

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 16:44:00 +1100

Another pleasant afternoon so it was time for another extended commute home. The hardest part is deciding on which way to go. North to Mount Waverley, up through Valley Reserve for a tiny bit of gravel road, then downhill alongside the rail line to Gardiners Creek. In towards the city until we join the Anniversary trail, spur-of-the-moment decision to go right not left and add on a bit more, up the hill to Ashburton, down some more gravelly track, slowly, avoiding dogs and outbound commuters – the Ferndale Trail – to rejoin the Gardiners Creek trail.

Tue ⛅ toot toot tuesday commute

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 08:03:00 +1100

What a lot of traffic through Clayton, bumper to bumper the length of Browns road and along Dandenong road. Sure would be nice if they learned to not park across the bike path, or stop across the counter-flow bike lane, but hey, at least they’re all driving on the left today Slightly shorter ride to work than usual, at the Clayton ride crossing I decided to take the side roads up past the hospital and join Browns road that way – avoiding the Kanooka grove hill

Mon ⛅ longer homewards

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 16:38:00 +1100

The weather was good so I took a longer ride than normal to get home from work More of Scotchmans Creek trail than usual, then the Malvern East Urban Forest and Boyd Park to get me back south to the Djerring trail Scattered clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 4m/s from SSE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

bye-bye adverbs; in the new Simplified English "cheaply" is no longer a word, we now "buy things for cheap"

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +1100

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 08:07:00 +1100

More Djerring trail/Suburban rail loop shenanigans, the helpful hi-vis gent standing in the middle of the path at Clayton now steps to the south side, a bit of a surprise if you’re expecting to go that way and through the tricky bits of “dismount & walk” detours. Apparently “the Djerring trail is now open” and so you are directed up around the north side of the basketball/playground bit and along the path around the edge until … SURPRISE … two steps that are surprisingly hard to spot being white concrete and in the path that you’ve been told to ride along.

Lying in bed awake, a distant train sounds unusual … sure enough, R761 heads home, chuffing past with a subdued toot for the crossing

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 04:31:00 +1100

Sat ⛅ coffeeneuring one

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 15:32:00 +1100

A sudden realisation this afternoon that if I wanted to play the 2024 #coffeeneuring game I had to go out today and hunt down my prey. So off I went, nothing very imaginative, a well known route and a previously visited coffee shop. Scotchmans creek trail downstream to East Malvern, Anniversary trail up to Ashburton, and the gravelly Ferndale trail down to Glen Iris Pantry and a short macc. while enjoying the afternoon sun and watching the cricket on the oval across the road

Sat ☀️ short shopping

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 08:35:00 +1100

The itty-bitty Saturday morning trip up to the shops, I only started recording them to say I had a ride for the day – perhaps I should stop these? Oh well, off we went. A rainbow trout for dinner, some fresh bread for breakfasts and lunch, and home for breakfast Clear sky, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ commute via wetlands

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 16:52:00 +1100

Seems ages since I last made this much of a detour on the way home at the end of a week – about time I did, and I should do this more often. Off downstream along the Scotchmans Creek Trail, dodge the oncoming phalanxes of commuters “outbound” from the city to the ‘burbs and hammering along not expecting to meet riders coming the other way Spotted the street light in the middle of the path – apparently the bike path intersection has been slightly realigned and resurfaced, but the street light is now in the middle of the outbound lane!

Fri ☀️ pantless commute

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 08:05:00 +1100

Honey, have you seem my …. pants…? Yes, left the undies at home, spares to the rescue I suspect it is something that every cycle commuter who rides in non-work clothes has experienced, even if they won’t admit it. The ride to work, the arrival at work, the getting changed … and the realisation that an important piece of clothing is indeed not present. Oh well, it happens. Pleasant enough ride otherwise.

Thu ☀️ sunny springvale and back

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 15:07:00 +1100

Afternoon escape, down to Clayton, Westall, Springvale & around the shops enjoying the sights, smells and sounds of markets, cafes and restaurants. Near head-on with a young guy on a bike - came around a curve & he swerved onto my side of the path, then off my side of the path, apologising profusely, “sorry so sorry I not know where to ride”. Um, yes. Clearly that was the case

Tue ⛅ commute with gps booboo

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 16:47:00 +1100

It’s just a jump to the west … I mean, seriously, Garmin & Strava, get your act together. Surely you can figure out that an instantaneous 34km position change in one direction, followed by a near instantaneous 34km back to almost where you started is an error? Do you really need to tell me that I averaged 194km/hr even though my maximum speed was 37km/hr, two numbers that together are mathematically impossible?

Tue ⛅ brr, home2work

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 08:08:03 +1100

The fun of commuting in Spring. Just when you think the weather is starting to warm up, you get a really chilly morning and you may regret your clothing and gloves choices Broken clouds, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 0m/s from E - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ drizzle and commute

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 16:35:00 +1100

A bit rainy, a bit cold. Took a slightly shorter variation homewards, cutting off the corner of Forster road and Scotchmans trail to the Huntingdale wetlands. Hardner road and suburban side streets instead Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 6m/s from SSW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ fixie2work

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 08:05:00 +1100

The usual route, the usual sights Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ afternoon leisure

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 15:24:00 +1100

A leisurely ride down towards the bay and back – although there’s rarely anything leisurely about the close passes along Inkerman street and Glen Huntly road. Inkerman has a bike lane, but the council refuses to make it usable, so its full of giant SUVs and people movers, so you can’t ride in it, so you ride alongside it, so you get deliberate “hook” maneuvers by passing drivers to show you that “you should be in the bike lane”.

Aha! Now that only took an embarassing number of months

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 15:00:00 +1100

Some judicious web searches, a torch to see with, and hauling the PC out of its dark recess so I could search the case for the recessed “LED” button – et voila, the pulsing fan lights on the PC case are now blissfully off

Read — “Homeland”

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Sat ⛅ cemetery and shops

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 07:45:00 +1000

My weekly Saturday morning pre-breakfast jaunt up to the shops for fish for dinner and bread for breakfast, only the sky was clear and blue and it definitely felt like spring, so I made a little detour up to the Pioneer Cemetery – the council leaves it unmown in spring and the wildflowers bloom around the grave stones, all very scenic Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat

Fri 🌧 wandering chores commute

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 16:02:00 +1000

A TGIF kind of escape, a little wandrering of Notthing Hill including a completely random bumping into SIL two suburbs from her home, hammer barn visit and drive-thru beers, then off along the creek and home Light rain, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 46%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 windy to work

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 08:03:00 +1000

Gusty blustery winds, no rain though, despite the forecast/summary below. The usual route, the usual suspects. Hipster type crouching in the middle of the bike path in Huntingdale taking a stylish photo of the bus interchange, his unleashed dog running around on the path about 10m away Light rain, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ☀️ spring creek commute

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 17:07:00 +1000

Pleasant and enjoyable ride home along the Scotchmans Creek trail, spring weather and no swoopy bois Dog on-lead/off-lead count: 7 to 2. Can’t see the bloody big reminder signs making much of a difference yet to the law-abidingness of our responsible dog owners(tm) Clear sky, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

20books20days meme

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A sucker for a simple meme, the book covers caught my eye, the simplicity motivated me enough to join in. I very much enjoyed seeing the books that other people chose, as much for the variety of covers and styles as for any literary value or insight into the person selecting it 20 books that have had an impact on who you are. One book a day for 20 days. No explanations, no reviews, just book covers (don’t forget the alt text).

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 08:02:00 +1000

Down the Djerring trail to Clayton, up Kanooka grove to Monash Uni. Oh, what’s this … the SRL construction site has added more detour. Now rather than ride or walk up to the closed off end of Haughton road there’s a temporary pedestrian crossing to direct people onto the footpath, fences tight up against either side, and two Hi-vis clad gents standing around endlessly telling everyone to walk across and go this way – despite the fact that cyclists aren’t allowed to ride on a pedestrian crossing or the footpath.

Read — “The Road”

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Sat ☀️ shopping

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 07:45:00 +1000

One third of the household is sleeping, one third is drinking tea and reading the paper, I’m riding up to the shops for bread, fish and some tasty marinated chicken pieces for dinner tomorrow. One of the preferred loaves is still in the bakery oven so I had to ride home with a french stick stuck out like someone from an arthouse movie … now where is my beret? Clear sky, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 2m/s from N - by

2024/0925/1958 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 19:58:00 +1000

Tue ⛅ boing - spring commute

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 16:22:00 +1000

Awesome weather, warm and windless and such a huge improvement on the recent bleakness. Took the opportunity to go down the creek to East Malvern then home up through Murrumbeena, and had company for at least half the trip. Spinning along through the bush, chatting away, listening to the birds … commuting is awful innit? Four dogs; three on leads, one off Overcast clouds, 22°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 38%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat.

Read — “Edge of Empire”

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Tue ⛅ home2work

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 07:52:00 +1000

With air in me tyres and a spring in me stride … or something like that Yesterday’s puncture fixed, feeling recovered from the weekend, an enjoyable ride to work. Still endless piles of hard rubbish, supposed to be collected “early September” but some places were missed by council, others the residents just kept on dumping after their collection Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by

Mon ⛅ warm gloomy commute

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:53:00 +1000

Weirdly dark and gloomy and warm. A very odd feel to the ride, and noticeably different to the weather over the weekend up around Ballarat! YAY for Monash council, there are now some big, blue “DOGS ON LEASH” signs painted on the Scotchmans Creek trail from Forster road to the Huntingdale wetlands … maybe that’ll help remind the responsible dog owners of Monash to keep the damn things on leads

Mon ☀️ most of a commute

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 08:04:00 +1000

Tyre went soft, pumped up, repeat. Finally the walk of shame, probably courtesy of Ballarat wine bottle footpath decorations … on later investigation it was found to be probably a thumbtack Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2024/0923/0734 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 07:34:00 +1000

Sun ⛅ Skipton rail trail part III

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 08:47:00 +1000

The final day of our three days along the Ballarat - Skipton rail-trail, packing up in the morning for the 10km or so back south over the ridge to Linton where once again we had a wonderful bacon and egg roll & coffee for second breakfasts, then rejoin the rail-trail for the 40km back to Ballarat and eventually, the train back to Melbourne Bit grey, bit windy, a few magpies, but a very enjoyable three days out on a previously unexplored rail-trail in country Victoria

Sat ⛅ Skipton rail trail part II

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 09:50:00 +1000

Second day of three, the plan was to ride out to the end of the Skipton rail-trail then back to Snake Valley First order of the day was the stretch south and over the hills to Linton to rejoin the trail, a glance at the map had us choose the dirt road through the forest and by sheer chance stumble upon the firefighters memorial to the volunteers who died here a few years ago in a bushfire.

Fri 🌧 Skipton rail trail part I

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 11:51:00 +1000

Train to Ballarat, fingers crossed for the forecast for the rest of the day – accommodation booked in Snake Valley, so we had a number of shorter options to get there if it rained too much Out of the station, half a km up the road to the shops for lunch of ham and cheese toasties and a coffee, then back on the bike for the km or less to the start of the path out to the railtrail.

QOTD: I don't listen to Billionaires. They don't listen to me

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 14:47:00 +1000

Tue ⛅ home via karkarook lake

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 16:41:00 +1000

The day had cleared up and warmed up, plenty of time for a detour on the way home so I decided to head off southish to Karkarook lake. Crossing Centre road the traffic is bad and the lanes are narrow, so I headed off into one of the newer developments … and went around a few streets and ended up almost back where I started. A tiny bit of Centre road and dive off south, twisting and turning on industrial and suburban streets, then finding myself at Clayton road, across and off along a bike path under some high tension lines.

Tue ⛅ cold commute

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 07:48:00 +1000

A chilly one. Down to Clayton, up to work, noticeably cold Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ cold windy commute

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 08:10:00 +0000

Winter appears to be back, and I think I rode a grand total of 30km in the past week! The rate this is going I won’t even make my 5200km annual goal Fixie to work today, icy wind and gusting unpleasantness. Huge piles of hard rubbish through Clayton – various residents see that the council is doing a collection and cluelessly decide that if one lot was collected, clearly they can put out more on the following weekend.

Mon ⛅ work2home

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 16:30:00 +1000

A very chill southerly blowing, a major change from all the northerly winds, but still not pleasant Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat 🌧 soggy shopping

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 07:47:00 +1000

Just the two of us at home this weekend, so less bread required. Fish for dinner, small, then bread and a couple of croissants, then home. Nearly taken out by a passing RAM whose driver seemed oblivious or uncaring to the lane and a half he was driving in. They really are stupid things Moderate rain, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ creek commute home

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 17:36:00 +1000

A beer after work and a slightly later than usual Friday departure, hurrying a bit to get home in time to go back out for a social engagement. Of course that meant that the railway gates would be closed and I’d have to wait for two well-spaced trains to pass, while tapping my foot there’s the half-expected text message, “Where are you?”. Made it home, got changed, made it back out again

Fri ⛅ commute2work

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 07:55:00 +1000

First day working at work this week … on a Friday. Still not feeling 100%, coughing & sneezing. Off down the Djerring trail and a little conversation with a couple of gents when we were; first, stopped at the level crossing, second, stopped in the dog’s breakfast of SRL detours and worksite. I did manage to find a bright purple folding umbrella and a laptop case – I suspect stolen from someone at Huntingdale station then ditched along the bike track

Wed ⛅ surprise thunderstorm

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 13:44:00 +1000

I’ve been at home all week so far, first sick then working from home. Needed to grab my work laptop so I jumped on the bike after lunch and headed off down the Djerring trail under very dark skies and the odd spot of rain. I’d almost made it, was stopped at the last set of traffic lights to cross Wellington road and was gazing aimlessly ahead when there was an enormous lightning bolt horizontally across level with the tops of the buildings, and simultaneous thunder.

2024/0909/1827 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:27:00 +1000

2024/0909/1154 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 11:54:00 +1000

2024/0909/0251 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 02:51:00 +1000

Sat ☀️ shopping

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 08:06:00 +1000

The Saturday morning pre-breakfast routine, a quick jaunt to the shops for fish for dinner and bread for breakfast Clear sky, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 0m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 warm and wet and windy

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 16:09:00 +1000

Not as warm as this morning’s ride, nor as windy, but much much darker … and just starting to rain Off down the creek to East Malvern station, up through the ‘burbs and back to the rail line. There’s a new mural to admire along the walls of the old shops at Murrumbeena – I wonder how many days until it’s graffitied over? Then home along the Djerring trail just as I started to get wet

Fri ⛅ warm and windy

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 08:03:00 +1000

Yeesh, twenty degrees at this time of year this early in the morning. Stupidly still wearing my wintery jersey and sweated away to work Helped a semi-comatose druggie up off the bike path at Dandenong road, then watched helplessly as he half-wandered/half-ran off through six lanes of traffic to the middle, changed his mind, came back and dissappeare off towards a couple of blocks of flats Overcast clouds, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 34%, Wind 5m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

Tue ⛅ commute with chadstone bypass

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 16:54:00 +1000

A ride home along the creek, blissfully still after the past week of wind storms. Warm in the late afternoon sun, cool under the trees. Continued on downstream to Warrigal road then sneakily circumnavigated Chadstone via some side-streets. Last bit home along Poath road alongside the useless parked-car-filled bike lane and a bit of the Djerring trail Few clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 0m/s from W - by Klimat.

Tue ⛅ saved by bluetooth

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 08:02:00 +1000

The Garmin synchs with my phone by Bluetooth, so when I jump on the bike and take off, cross the railway lines and get half a block from home and there’s a loud BEEP it made my look down. “That’s funny, doesn’t normally take this long to connect”, shortly followed by, “Oh @#$@#$, that was it disconnecting, the phone is at home … the phone I need to use to login when I get to work”.

there are four jars of green curry paste in our kitchen – one open in the fridge, one spare, two more in the cupboard

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 18:30:00 +1000

Mon 🌧 much wind commute

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 16:40:00 +1000

Bits and pieces of commute routes that I haven’t used for years, and probably won’t use for much the same reason I stopped with them. There’s the right turn across six lanes of Dandenong road, takes an eternity and the drivers seem angrier than ever. There’s the squeezy bit of service lane with bumper-to-bumper parked woppa-utez taking up too much space. There’s the zig-zaggy bit through Oakleigh East, but that’s OK.

Mon ⛅ a sticky ride

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 14:22:01 +1000

Sticks and stones… and wind, flooding, wind, and mud … and wind. Big storm last night, still windy on #mycommute #cycling up the creek today

Mon ⛅ a sticky ride

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 08:07:00 +1000

Sticky, and leafy, and branchy. Also in places floody and muddy One tree down near Stephensons Road, small branches everywhere, muddy and flooded through the tunnel under the Monash freeway Interesting wind storm last night and a bit challenging in places this morning with the gusts, however, it was better than the thought of the SRL roadworks and the open landfill that will be Clayton streets with their hardrubbish collection due this week and all their crap out blowing around for the past month.

A #TGIF version of #mycommute

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 10:57:35 +1000

Into the northerly #headwind, downstream along Scotchmans Creek trail, back thru suburbia and a beer with the baron, then #cycling home just ahead of the rain

Sat ⛅ short shopping

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 07:44:00 +1000

A barramundi for dinner, loaves of bread for the weekend, and a quantity of chicken drumsticks for fathers day dinner tomorrow. All parceled up and bookended by idiot Oakleigh drivers Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat.ap Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 TGIF commute

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 16:17:00 +1000

No Friday-evening sports today, no events booked. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t real good either, but good enough for a bit of a detour North into the headwind … again, same as every other day this week. Downstream along Scotchmans Creek trail to East Malvern station in Malvern East suburb, ponder having a beer at “Parkside” but it could more accurately be called “Car-park side”, alongside Waverley road in rush-hour Friday traffic doesn’t look that appealing.

Fri ⛅ commute with SRL detour

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 08:09:00 +1000

Surprise surprise, the SRL construction at Clayton has not only closed the Djerring trail for a month, they haven’t even bothered to show the trail on their poster-map of closed roads and footpaths with the walking detour. Feels just like the arbitrary bike path closures we endured for 18 months when Skyrail was built Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue 🌧 headwinds homewards

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:35:00 +1000

Dark and ominous clouds and a gusty stormy wind, not quite as strong as our memorable day out of Sale last year, but strong enough to have me several gears lower than usual and down on the drops trying to make headway up Gardiner and Forster roads … and very nearly being slammed sideways into a powerpole when a gust caught me unexpectedly. Slightly better down under the trees and along the creek, although there was lots of debris, both on the ground and airborne.

Tue ⛅ windy commute

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 08:03:00 +1000

The usual morning commute, again on the AWOL Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the freesias are flowering, and the one tulip is half open – showing a little colour

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 17:00:00 +1000

Mon ⛅ cruisy commute home

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:31:00 +1000

So much less work riding the AWOL compared to the fixie, it weighs more, steers like a truck, but just rolls on over everything. Wind was a bit of a challenge, especially heading north up Gardiner road and Forster road, the gusts in the face pushing me around and I nearly managed to shoulder one of the power-poles in the middle of the path Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat.

Mon ⛅ AWOL commute

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 08:07:00 +1000

After a few wintery weeks on the fixie I decided to get back on the AWOL for #mycommute today – sore shoulder isn’t being helped by standing up on the fixie up through Clayton and I decided I needed a little comfort Railway crossing gates were closed in Clayton so off down Carinish road, then into SRL roadworks and I had to stop for a flagman … and wait … and wait.

Baby noisy miner (Manorina melanocephala)

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 14:26:00 +1000

Sitting quietly while the adults made all the noise. #wildoz #birds #australianbirds #latergram

Mysterious dead fish on Lorne beach

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 16:21:46 +1000

Shaws Cowfish (Aracana Aurita), #wildoz #fish #latergram

One tulip is about to flower, of the half a dozen that have sprouted from bulbs

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +1000

Sat ☀️ shopping with cam

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 09:57:00 +1000

Yeesh, that kid is quick. Struggling to keep up on a simple ride to school Shopping chores, off to school to visit the second hand uniform shop – kids keep growing and last summer’s shorts become laughably small. Remembered to take the lock … forgot to take the key. No matter, the school hall is secure enough. Some suspiciously nasty noises have started to come from the bottom bracket of the 28yr old aluminium mountain bike under heavy pedalling – either the bearings are going or the threads have finally worn away to be unserviceable and the venerable norky bike will have to be permanently retired

Sat ☀️ short shopping

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 08:07:00 +1000

The weekly teeny tiny ride that only started to be included here for completeness, so I could say that I’d ridden on that day. Up to the shops; fish, chicken, bread. Home again Clear sky, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2024/0823/2119 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 21:19:00 +1000

2024/0823/2112 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 21:12:00 +1000

2024/0823/2111 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x4)

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 21:11:00 +1000

Yay! I have found my wallet

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 18:15:00 +1000

In an icecream container of “miscellaneous desk top objects” that had been put aside when I replaced the pile of old Amiga ROM kernel manuals with a proper monitor stand. On Wednesday I needed my Medicare card and realised it was missing

Fri ⛅ nearly rainy commute

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 16:05:00 +1000

Friday afternoon, the longer commute. Off down the Scotchmans Creek trail to East Malvern station, then south through Murrumbeena to the Djerring trail and home. It very nearly felt like it was going to rain, a few spots here, a few there, then started up raining properly as I came in the front gate. Perfect timing. Good thing I didn’t stop for a beer along the way Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 6m/s from N - by Klimat.

Fri ⛅ home2work

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 08:07:00 +1000

Monday, Tuesday, Friday, ride to work, work, ride home again. Much the same route every day. Down to Clayton along the Djerring trail, up through the land of third-world street dumping to Uni. Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Thu ☀️ carnegie banh mi

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 12:36:00 +1000

Working from home and I needed to get out and clear my head, so jumped on the #fixie at lunch time to spin up the Djerring trail to Carnegie for a crispie pork Banh Mi. Sat in the park in the sun, then back home mostly along the roads Clear sky, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Pair of Red-browed finches (Neochmia temporalis) at Serendip Sanctuary

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 20:57:47 +1000

#wildoz #birds #australianbirds

Mr Chunky, a CBG - Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis:novaehollandiae) at Serendip Sanctuary

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 19:01:44 +1000

#wildoz #bird #australianbirds

Lovely chunky yellow #fungi in the park

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 18:39:55 +1000

#wildoz #latergram

Tue ⛅ work2home

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 16:40:00 +1000

Family duties call, so it’s the Tuesday afternoon short route home. Through East Oakleigh (or is it Oakleigh East?), up and over the footbridge, minor variation to head straight up along the Dandenong road service lane and through Oakleigh along Atherton road … lovely bike lane you’ve got there, it’d be a shame if residents parked their cars in it 24x7 and rendered it useless other than as green-wash advertising

Read — “Freedom™”

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Tue 🌧 home2work

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 08:04:00 +1000

Wasn’t quite raining, but it had been and everything was wet Moderate rain, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ long way home

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 16:45:00 +1000

The weather was good, I was feeling enthused, the days are long enough for a longer commute – time to head off for a slightly longer than usual variation on the commute home. North up through Mount Waverley to the Glen Waverley line, then down to the Anniversary trail and home looping around through the Urban forest and back along the Djerring trail. Slight adding degree of difficulty of trying to ride the #fixie on 23mm road tyres through the paths and dirt roads of Valley Reserve, but not insurmountable – just careful

Mon ☀️foggy commute

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 08:05:00 +1000

Fog from Hughesdale to Clayton, then clearing and sunny up the hill to Monash. Bit chilly for the short sleeves and short-fingered gloves May have sorted out my confusion about the Monash council hard rubbish collection – seems that the junk dumped on the streets south of Wellington Road since July is illegally dumped – their collection is in early September so theirs shouldn’t be out yet, while the junk dumped on the streets north of Wellington Road is illegally dumped because their collection was two weeks ago

Sat ⛅ el shoppingo

Sat, 17 Aug 2024 08:12:00 +1000

Same old same old Saturday morning pre-breakfast chores. Up to the Oakleigh shops, nearly copped a cigarette butt in the face as I rode past the fish shop loading bay – smoker inside flicked it out into the lane without watching. Chicken, fish, bread then home. Nearly collected by a milk delivery guy who pushed his trolley full straight out into the street from behind his truck. Hint mr milk man, if you can’t hear a vehicle approaching it might be a bicycle or an EV

Fri 🌧 homewards

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 16:24:00 +1000

Following the creek downstream home, with a minor detour in Mount Waverley along some streets that Wandrer says I’ve never ever visited – not sure I believe it, but went there anyway, around past the Scout Hall and Girl Guides halls, then rejoin the track and home. I did find a Biggles book though – Biggles Forms a Syndicate – it sounds vaguely threatening and I had to double check that it wasn’t a recent spoof

Fri ⛅ clayton commute

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 08:08:00 +1000

Down the Djerring trail, wriggle through the basketball courts to avoid the closed off section – including one annoying stair carry – then back around the “Path Closed” sign to cross Clayton road and continue on my nearly normal route to work Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2024/0815/0038 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 00:38:00 +1000

2024/0814/1959 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 19:59:00 +1000

2024/0814/1222 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 12:22:00 +1000

Tue ☀️ sunny spring commute

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 15:50:00 +1000

Sunny afternoon, a light breeze, the short route home and endless piles of hard rubbish dumped waiting for collection. Mattresses, miscellaneous crap, so much that’s reusable or recyclable, but all going to landfill. Amazingly, I’m still seeing CRT TVs, although not as many as previous years Clear sky, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ commute variation

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:58:00 +1000

SRL have blocked off the Djerring trail along the section with the “The Djerring trail will remain open” sign, so I went straight down Carinish road and past their building site and stop-go people. Various types of evil eye and head shaking for “riding on the road” and not (illegally) on the tiny narrow footpath where they direct Djerring trail users. Perhaps if you muppets didn’t block off the path you said you weren’t going to block off, then cyclists wouldn’t ride past, perfectly legally, on the road

Mon ⛅ wattle blossom and insects

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 17:04:00 +1000

A little later than usual, but the normal route home along the Scotchmans Creek Trail. The warmer weather and late afternoon light has brought out all the tiny insects in swarms, too dark for sunglasses but too many bugs to ride without – and I can never find the changeable lenses to have clear glasses with me! Lovely scents and views of the flowering wattles too Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 44%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.

Mon ☀️ home2work

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 08:03:00 +1000

Back in short sleeves! Almost felt like summer … well not quite, but there’s no wind, and the sky is blue Browns road rather than Kanooka grove, a bit more traffic, travelling faster, but the road is wider so there’s not quite so many scary close encounters with Clayton’s finest motorists, “confused” by Victorian road rules Clear sky, 8°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.

Oh no, the 6yr old, $140 Aldi mower is one step closer to self-destruction – airfilter and cover fell off and straight under the blades

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 12:57:00 +1000

2024/0811/0326 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 03:26:00 +1000

Sat 🌧 bakery

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 07:53:00 +1000

Teeny tiny ride, up to the shops on the fixie for some fish for dinner and fresh bread for breakfast Light rain, 8°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ TGIF meander home

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 15:12:00 +1000

Left work early and headed south for a lap around Clayton, Clayton South, Huntingdale, dropping in on various parks and ponds to make my way slowly home. One had caught my eye on the map, I couldn’t remember going there or visualise it, got there and aha, yes, been here. Then Namitjira and Bald Hill parks, up to Talbot reserver and a peek into the old quarry, up past where we used to go to Little Athletics, back SE to the railway crossing and home up through Oakleigh

Fri ⛅ garbage commute

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 08:02:00 +1000

Friday morning, commuting up Kanooka grove through Clayton. I always meet the garbage trucks and today was no exception. Stinky noisy things Bit of a detour near the SRL construction site, despite the signs that have been up for weeks saying that the Djerring trail will remain open, today the Djerring trail was closed and cyclists were directed off across the road and onto an a walk-only footpath Broken clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 0m/s from N - by Klimat.

A Jell's park visit, a Blue-billed duck[1] and a pair of … hmm … Pink Eared duck[2]!

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 17:00:00 +1000

Well that’s a first! The Blue-billed duck was easy to ID, I don’t see many, but they differ enough from the endless Black ducks. The other pair were swimming past quickly, in the distance, but distinctively patterned. Checking up the books that must be what they were, so one more for the list [1] Blue-billed duck [2] Pink-eared duck

the flower buds on the street-tree plum are just starting to show their pinkness

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 08:05:00 +1000

Tue ⛅ straight home

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 16:43:00 +1000

Whoa, running late. Out the door, on the bike, head straight home. Council hard rubbish collection in a week or two for the surrounding area so the nature strips are piled high with every imaginable type of crap – standout today was three stacks of cook books, on their shelves, each shelf about a metre and a half long! That’s a lot of cook books for landfill! Broken clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.

Tue ⛅ morning commute

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 08:03:00 +1000

The usual commute, on the usual winter commute bike Scattered clouds, 7°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 0m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ spring-like commute

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 16:42:00 +1000

Warming up, wattle flowering, getting lighter in the late afternoons. A spring-like commute Scattered clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2024/0805/1447 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 14:47:00 +1000

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 07:48:00 +1000

Another cold commute, another near miss from hospital staff ignoring the give-way signs and driving across the bike path. Big #fixie skid and so nearly planted the front wheel in her right front door, but stopped just in time. Perhaps I wish I hadn’t stopped, the dent may have reminded her to stop next time… Overcast clouds, 6°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat.app

Sat ⛅ shopping

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 07:39:00 +1000

Shops, fish, fresh bread, home, breakfast Broken clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ down the creek

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:39:00 +1000

Leaving work on a Friday afternoon, time for a slightly longer commute. Off down the Scotchmans Creek Trail to East Malvern then up through the Urban forest to Murrumbeena. All the wattle trees are flowering, seems to be the first time I’ve really noticed them this year. Also seemed a long time since I’ve ridden down here, I guess the wet days have had me on the shorter commutes Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.

Fri ⛅ chilly commute

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 07:53:00 +1000

Warmest jersey and winter gloves, I have indeed become old, lazy and soft Up and out of bed ten minutes earlier because we’ve got a house guest, ten minutes earlier than usual for the departure to go to work. Same lack of people on paths and roads as most Fridays. I still meet the garbage trucks in Clayton though, somewhere, usually half way up Kanooka grove Broken clouds, 4°C, Feels like 1°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat.

The camellia out the study window is covered in buds and some are open, the wattlebirds are happy as a result

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 11:15:00 +1000

no newspaper this morning – third time in two weeks

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 07:30:00 +1000

Wed ☀️ lunchtime meeting

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:45:00 +1000

Out in the fog, off to a meeting with the brains people for lunch. Mmm, brains… Rode along North road in both directions, but gave up on the bike path and used the bus lane, hardly surprising that VicRoads won’t repair the bike path when the road is also a decomposing mass of potholes and broken up surface. The one-off painting of the bus lane with a red surface back in 2010 is only a faint memory.

frantic coffee mopping – spouse has hurled a cupfull across the desk

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +1000

as if on cue, two ringtail possums appear in the plum tree to be shown off to our Japanese exchange student

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 18:45:00 +1000

An automotive blast from the past – sitting at the lights is a 1970 Hillman Hunter station wagon – like our old family car

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 18:40:00 +1000

Tue ⛅ short commute

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 16:38:00 +1000

Short route home to be in time for sports training shuttle service, I almost made it up and over the footbridge on the #fixie – shoulder can almost handle getting the whole way up, but the rest of me can’t. After the fog this morning it was a stunning clear blue sky, very well received, I even had to dig out the sunglasses Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.

Tue ⛅ foggy commute

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 08:05:00 +1000

Thick fog this morning and everything dripping wet, although it did finally start to clear for the last few streets through Clayton to the Uni. The back tyre is better, but I still haven’t got it seated properly, there’s still a bit of a lump at the valve. It’s a case of ndless fiddling with a valve that’s not quite long enough to reach far enough through the deep rim for the pump to grab it, not without stopping the tyre sitting properly.

thick fog and a heavy dew, the newspaper was 1.5m off the ground in the magnolia tree today

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 07:15:00 +1000

Mon ⛅ damp McCommute

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 16:42:00 +1000

Drizzly rain so I took the shorter route home … and was promptly driven into on the bike path at the #McDonalds. As per usual the drivers don’t look before driving across the path, stupidly I thought this one had looked because she drove up and stopped … so I kept going, and then she did too. Seen me? No, she turned her head because she was fiddling with the food in the passenger seat, not looking left out the window at the BRIGHT YELLOW JACKET AND FLASHING BIKE LIGHT as it rode into the side of her car.

Let's celebrate! My blog is 20 years old

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 15:35:00 +1000

My livejournal blog just turned 20, this year they didn’t pre-build the post for me so I faked one up. Annual update, the only thing in it

Mon 🌧 damp home2work

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 08:07:00 +1000

Back on the fixie, out the gate, across the street. LUMP LUMP LUMP… oh bother, rear tyre not seated properly when I replaced the tube yesterday. Back home, let it down, reseat tyre, pump up tyre, back out and off to work Light rain, 8°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

A hollowed out orange sits by the compost bin, the possum is very kind in its sharing. One every day or so, we get to eat the rest

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +1000

Down the garden in the dark to find some parsley, up above in the plum tree a Ringtail poss.[1] watches as it nibbles away on the leaf buds

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 18:15:00 +1000

[1] Common ringtail possum

found a small paper note on my desk, torn from a larger page, "Real world Bayeux Tapestry Michael Lewis"

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 17:31:00 +1000

Who wrote it? How long has it been sitting on my desk? Where did it come from? A quick search and it is a book – The Real World of the Bayeux Tapestry – was I thinking of trying to get it as a present for Jo?

#fixie fixed, chains lubed, tyres pumped, all bikes fettled and ready to the week

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 15:15:00 +1000

Sat ⛅ short shopping

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 08:05:00 +1000

Off to the shops for salmon cutlets and fresh bread, with a minor detour up and down the street to see if I could find our newspaper. No luck with the latter, second day in a row that delivery was a non-event Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 4m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ☀️ windy commute home

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 16:36:00 +1000

Intention had been to wriggle around a few lesser visited streets on the ride home, but the under 16’s hockey is an early match so I had to go straight home. Windy. Very windy Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 4m/s from NE - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ cold commute

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 08:03:00 +1000

After a few slightly warmer days, today the temperature is back down. Some rain overnight has sucked the heat out of everything, cold and damp, but at least there’s blue skies and sunshine SRL works around Clayton station have finished in one location and opened the path back up, so not so much building site and fencing to negotiate. Still lots of hi-vis blokes wandering around and stepping backwards onto the bike path

Read — “Flood Tide”

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Tue ⛅ shorty commutey

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 16:38:00 +1000

Tuesday early home-time and short commute, almost 17 degrees and feels very much like spring, lots of daphne blossoming as I rode through Oakleigh East. Up and over the footbridge because I was on the AWOL today, gears ftw Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 46%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ walk-of-shame commute

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 08:05:00 +1000

Half way through Oakleigh and I got a #puncture in the rear of the #fixie. Would take as long to fix as a brisk walk home and bike change, not helped by not having the 15mm fixie-spanner in my bag and having to rely on a stick-on patch. Now where’s the team car when you need it? Back home, jump on the AWOL, off to work Oh well, at least I don’t spell puncture “puncher” – which I see far too often, I guess from people who mishear the word and repeat the mispronunciation

Mon ⛅ wandrer commute home

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 16:35:00 +1000

Minor tactical choices to fill in a street or two that #wandrer says I haven’t ever ridden, not sure I believe it, but rode along them for completeness. A pleasantly warm commute, interrupted only by an eyeful of small insects somewhere along the creek Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 08:06:00 +1000

Wintery, but not as bad as last week A quiet ride in, I did not …. strike any crowds Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

A startlingly loud THUMP at breakfast-time as a blackbird[1] flew into the kitchen window and knocked itself out

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 07:40:00 +1000

The Grey butcherbird[2] pursing it then sat on the railing, yelling loudly and sadly disappointed that its breakfast had escaped [1] Common blackbird [2] Grey butcherbird

A thornbill[1] in the bay tree, peep peep peep. hop hop hop. Ignored me completely while foraging quite close

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 13:15:00 +1000

[1] Brown thornbill, I think, not quite stripey enough to be a Striated thornbill

Sat ⛅ chadstone the roadrage capital

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:15:00 +1000

Ugh. Cold and wet and dull, everyone go to the mall! Everyone drive to the mall. Everyone get angry at everyone else on the roads around the mall Eternal construction works, endless car parks, but there are times when one requires new pants Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 4m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sat 🌧 short shopping trip

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 07:59:00 +1000

A short dash up to the shops on the #fixie for fresh bread for the weekend and some fresh fish for dinner, around the block and home for breakfast Light rain, 10°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri 🌧 blustery cold commute

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 15:56:00 +1000

Windy creek commute, off down the Scotchmans Creek trail to East Malvern, then south to the Djerring trail and home. Near miss by a red light runner, another delay by a tree down across the path, the joys of #mycommute There are some drivers in Melbourne who ignore Give Way signs when there’s a bike coming. But then, there are some who ignore RED LIGHTS when “its only a bike path” and “its only a cyclist” crossing in front them.

Fri 🌧 cold windy commute

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 08:04:00 +1000

A bit of rain about, but too windy to notice it. Partly tailwind on the way down to Clayton then a huge slog up the hill and along Browns road. Some of the gusts had me almost at a standstill. A definite Friday in winter, nobody else on the bike path, almost empty roads, the only bike in the bike racks is the dumped one covered in spider webs Light rain, 9°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.

we have one hyacinth flower, and lots of bulbs sprouting … but is the flower our old one or one of the new ones?

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 13:04:00 +1000

Tue ⛅ short way home

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 16:33:00 +1000

Not quite raining, but it was earlier. Cold and windy, and have to be home for sports training, so the shortest route it was. Still can’t get myself up and over the Dandenong road footbridge on the #fixie, my injured shoulder complains too much Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Tue ⛅ puddle dodging

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 08:02:00 +1000

With 32mm of rain overnight the Djerring trail is awash, the ponds where it always floods are flooded, there’s debris all over the place. Added to that, the water is COLD Scattered clouds, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Mon 🌧 character building commute

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 16:42:00 +1000

Cold, windy and raining. Took the short option of straight down the North road bike path. Met a young guy from Denmark who had been in Melbourne for under a week, was riding a few suburbs the same way as me and was not impressed with Melbourne’s weather “When does it start to get warmer?” Note to self and others – keep those tyres inflated, all the shifted concrete slabs on that bike path that #VicRoads refuses to fix are a recipe for pinch-flats

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 08:10:00 +1000

Cold, commuting Overcast clouds, 7°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 4m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Sun ⛅ Lorne GOR lighthouse

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 14:11:00 +1000

I thought i was going ok on the way to Aireys inlet … then i stopped and realised how much of a tailwind it was. Made for a bit of a slog back to Lorne Fairly normal repeat of a familar ride, a few too many close passing drivers, a few too many dumped used nappies at the side of the road in the lookouts. No surfers today and very few people out on the beach, not many up at the lighthouse either

Sat ⛅ GOR to Kennett

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 13:58:00 +1000

Rosellas, King parrots, a koala, kangaroos and a garden gnome, but no coffee – the machine had just been switched off for cleaning Bit of a headwind on the ride down to Kennett, then hardly any wind but light rain instead for the ride back to Lorne. As for the garden gnome, someone had left one at the side of Great Ocean Road in the bush – 50/50 artwork or litter.

Fri ⛅ commute and a bit

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 17:02:00 +1000

Homewards along the creek at dusk, added on a little extra by continuing downstream on the Scotchmans Creek trail to “Rakali bridge(tm)”, then back track to Atkinson street and up through Oakleigh. Nearly home and I spotted a local character – one very well dressed goth on a custom dragster with huge forks, multiple chrome headlights, and a handlebar-mounted sound system – so I followed him and his entourage off through the park a short way then turned for home

Fri ⛅ gloomy and grey

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 08:10:00 +1000

Cold and dull and wintery, roads and paths deserted, school holidays, a Friday and winter combine to keep everyone away Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Read — “Wayfinding”

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Mon 🌧 creek commute home

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:48:00 +1000

The usual creek commute home, on the #fixie, in the cold wintery weather Light rain, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

QOTD: "severe physical cable damage due to incautious roadworks" — Some things just can't be fixed in software

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 15:45:00 +1000

the smell of drinking chocolate reminds me of school holiday weeks at the NSW South Coast

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 14:35:00 +1000

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 08:07:00 +1000

Bit warmer than last week, commute and grab a coffee on the way into campus. Added degree of difficulty in meandering across campus on the #fixie carrying a coffee, especially when confronted by a work crew digging up a path and detours off along dirt trails through the rainforest garden. Survived. No spills Scattered clouds, 8°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

The first magnolia bud is starting to open, like a large pink lipstick

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 07:30:00 +1000

Is that early? No, checking back they often appear around now, and I always wonder if they’re early

Sun ☀️ just dandy

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 13:10:00 +1000

A fine sunny Sunday afternoon, so a lazy leisurely ride out along the Djerring trail to the end, then circle around through Dandenong and back the same way. Stopped off in Springvale for a tea and to sit in the sun watching the world go by Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 0m/s from N - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

A solid hour of work and the three of us have pruned the straggly wild backyard plum tree

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +1000

Sat ☀️ short shopping

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 08:12:00 +1000

Some snapper fillets, two loaves of bread, half a dozen hot-cross buns … then home for breakfast Clear sky, 7°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Fri ⛅ fixie creek homewards

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 16:47:00 +1000

The usual route, with one minor detour. The Gate That is Never Open … was open. There’s a derelict collection of industrial buildings that back onto Forster road, with a locked back gate in a chain-link fence, and in all the years I’ve ridden past it has never been open and I have never seen signs of it being used. Today it was open, so in I went, past piles of old crap, doors hanging off hinges, scary chemical signs and falling apart old industry.

Scammell Airfix memories

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Riding home on today I was stopped at the lights by the pub, waiting to cross Ferntree Gully road. A low-loader semi-trailer went roaring past, for some reason I had a sudden memory of the Airfix model Scammell tank transporter from my teenage years. I can’t even remember now if I had that model or if I just saw it in the catalogues … the catalogues I would collect whenever possible and pore through

Fri ⛅ home2physio2work

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 08:12:00 +1000

Very grey, very damp, at least it is a few degrees warmer than the middle of the week, so no frost about. Lorikeets shrieking somewhere up in the treetops, hardly any traffic about with the combination of Friday and school holidays Took a slight detour through the last few streets to Uni so I went in the main gate, which is nearer to the physio’s rooms. Hooked around a corner and almost ran into the back of a tradie’s ute parked in a no standing zone, I guess that would have made for some interesting paperwork…

The hyacinths I planted some weeks ago are sprouting, as are the tulips I inherited

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 13:45:00 +1000

Mon ⛅ creeking home

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:43:00 +1000

Another cold afternoon, I debated taking the longer route home and or going more direct – but the lousy bike path on North road and endless traffic noise didn’t appeal, so off along the creek it was Late afternoon sun, chilly under the trees, dodge the dogs on the 5m long extendy-leads. Nothing much changes Few clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat.app

an amusing lack of proofreading

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 10:19:00 +1000

On the importance of proof reading and checking things from the receiver’s perspective! Email preview: “Hope you’re doing awesome! I’m your go-to person for whipping” Email full text: “Hope you’re doing awesome! I’m your go-to person for whipping up cool apps that users love” Phew

Mon ⛅ home2work

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:07:00 +1000

How very odd to be riding a bicycle. First time I’ve performed this strange function in over a week. It does indeed, appear to be as easy as riding a bike … albeit a cold bike and a cold ride Oh, and the Garmin was dead flat after at least two weeks since I last charged it, strava on the phone to the rescue Broken clouds, 7°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

Day 1641 ☁️ one more day - the end

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 12:59:45 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; one last one, a boring short trip up to the shops and home — but the 1641st day in a row that I rode my bike – from Boxing day 2019 through Covid lockdowns to today, short days and long, and some just on the trainer

Day 1640 ⛅ solstice sunset to hockey

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 12:57:26 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; A #fixie ride from work to the teenager’s hockey, ending the ride with a roubaix-esque lap of the Hawthorn velodrome. #laterfed

Yay for git and zfs snapshots – how on earth did I mangle that file?

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 11:35:00 +1000

One of my Org mode files lost a huge chunk of data, somewhere between yesterday when I added all kinds of updates from our week away, and this morning when I realised something was missing.

Adrian, congratulations on 20 years with LinkedIn!

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 02:47:00 +1000

Oh yay, I guess

2024/0623/1759 – Create a new password

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 17:59:00 +1000

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Day 1641 ☁️ one more day - the end

Sat, 22 Jun 2024 07:33:00 +1000

But wait, it does go up to 1641… definitely the end of the run though, unless some odd act of god occurs. Oh well, that was fun The shops, the bread, then home, the breakfast One thousand, six hundred and forty one days in a row. That’s four years, five months and four weeks of riding a bike every day. Some days it was 2km to the shops and back, other times 20-30 minutes on the trainer, one memorably day was 300+km around the bay.

Day 1640 ⛅ solstice sunset to hockey

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 16:43:00 +1000

Work to Hawthorn hockey club, with a Roubaix-esque finish of some laps around the velodrome The sun went down behind the hill pretty much as I got to Huntingdale road, before that it was all screeching of the lorikeets finding a roost, after that was the calling of the currawangs in the dusk. An enjoyable spin for what’s likely to be the very last ride in a four and a half year challenge to myself

Day 1640 ⛅ solstice commute

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 08:07:00 +1000

It could be the very last day of a very long run. Finishing on the solstice would have a kind of poetic nicety to it Down to Clayton, up to Monash, across to the physio … then back to work about an hour later. Cold Scattered clouds, 4°C, Feels like 3°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1640th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1639 ⛅ caulfield return

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 15:38:00 +1000

A brief half-hour escape in the afternoon while working at home. Cool, not as cold as yesterday, but not as pleasantly sunny either. Plenty of people out for their afternoon walks on the Djerring Trail, and up near Carnegie, equal numbers who walk on the left as walk on the right. Bike-bell roulette, ring your bell and watch as half go left, half go right, the other half stay where they are … then there’s a chance they’ll change their mind as you pass

Day 1635 ☀️ bayside

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 14:17:33 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; down to the bay on the #AWOL, found Roland S. Howard lane, and had a #puncture

Day 1638 ⛅ leisurely winter sun

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 12:27:00 +1000

Coldest morning of the year so far, frost about and only 2°C overnight – luckily I’m working from home today so I could wait until lunchtime for a lazy ride around in the sun – not that it was very warm, but with no wind and cloudless blue sky it was all very pleasant. Empty paths, empty streets, all very enjoyable Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 0m/s from E - by Klimat.

Read — “In Search of Ireland”

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Praying mantis on the side of the house

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 08:44:45 +1000

A #mantis in the front garden last month, 2024-05-11. #wildoz #insect #laterfed

Day 1637 ☀️ fixie commute home

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 16:56:00 +1000

On the #fixie, home along the creek, such is #mycommute Clear sky, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1637th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

OK, that would have to be the oddest spam I've seen "free piano"

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 15:55:00 +1000

I’m offering my late husband’s Yamaha Piano to any music enthusiast who may appreciate it. If you or someone you know might be interested in receiving this instrument for free, please feel free to reach out to me.

Day 1637 ⛅ nearly frosty commute

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 08:05:00 +1000

Winter jersey, but fingerless gloves. Poor choices were made. The shady patch on the south side behind the industrial Oakleigh buildings was down to 2.5°C, surprisingly, I didn’t see any frost about Scattered clouds, 4°C, Feels like 4°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1637th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

A large fungi found while cycling

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 18:56:45 +1000

I believe its a"Shaggy parasol" #fungi #wildoz

Day 1636 ⛅ reverse home2work

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 16:36:00 +1000

Rather than ride along my usual homewards route on the Scotchmans creek trail, today I went home on the route I normally ride to work along – but only because I came a different way this morning. Very squinty into the setting sun Few clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1636th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1636 ⛅ commuty shorty

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 09:23:00 +1000

Waiting waiting waiting at home for a visitor “between 8-9am”. Of course they show up at 8.50 so a short and direct commute to work to not be too late. Lovely sunny morning, cool. Gave in and have started wearing the long sleeved jersey, the venerable Ground Effect Frosty Boy from ‘96 Scattered clouds, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1636th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

QOTD: "What's hotmail?" – 16yo query as spouse & I discuss the professionalism shown by an official communication coming from a hotmail address

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 21:45:00 +1000

Day 1635 ☀️ bayside

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 13:32:00 +1000

Down to the bay along Inkerman street, south around the bay for a while then home along the Rosstown Rail Trail. Found Roland S. Howard lane, and a puncture, but not both at the same time Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1635th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

three rows of pavers now installed under the new gate in the fence, should stop it becoming an eroded mud pit over winter

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 11:30:00 +1000

Day 1634 ⛅ short saturday shopping

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 07:51:00 +1000

Can’t have bacon and eggs for breakfast without bacon … so add bacon to the usual Saturday pre-breakfast shop along with fresh bread, fish for dinner and some chicken marylands for tomorrow. Brr, definitely winter time Broken clouds, 7°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat.app My 1634th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1633 ⛅ cool creek commute

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 16:47:00 +1000

Late afternoon gloom, nearly at the solstice so its getting darker under the trees along the creek. Cold and damp and hard to see the chocolate brown labrador that came bolting out of the bushes onto the path in front of me. At least the adrenalin warmed me up for a minute or so. No point mentioning the lack of leash to the owner walking up the path nearby, it was dangling from her hand and she had that wide-eyed “oh no” expression as her dog nearly collected 100kg of bike and rider to the ribs.

Day 1633 ⛅ home2work2physio2work

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 08:06:00 +1000

The cunning plan(tm) was to ride to work, fetch the u-lock, ride to the physio and get there half an hour early for my 9am appointment. With half an hour in hand I could then have a coffee and check email. The plan did not survive contact with the enemy, and although I arrived half an hour early, and the coffee shop had a sign up saying that its hours were 8am-5pm, it also had a sign up saying “Closed”

Musk Lorikeet, sadly, deceased from hitting a window

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 20:38:45 +1000

Two of our noisy #lorikeet #parrots , very fond of the eucalyptus blossoms #wildoz #australianbirds #birds

A shiny beetle at Blue Lake, South Australia

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 18:26:34 +1000

A #beetle we found at one of the lookouts around the lake. #wildoz #insect #laterfed

Stunning little fish in a rockpool

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 18:12:17 +1000

Every second #rockpool had a school of these #fish darting around. Lorne, Vic., AU #wildoz

RIP Gordon Bell

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 16:25:00 +1000

I found out a day or so ago that Gordon Bell had died. RIP Mr Bell. I treasure my copy of “Total Recall” and your #lifelogging research

Day 1632 ⛅ misty murrumbeena meander

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 15:43:00 +1000

Under 10°C? Light misty rain? Dark and gloomy? School pickup time? Yes to all of the above so why not head out for a pleasant little jaunt around the neighbouring suburb … so I did. Surprisingly enjoyable, or maybe that’s just me Overcast clouds, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 0m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1632nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1631 ⛅ a gloomy loop

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 15:26:00 +1000

Not the most inspiring of afternoons, but out I went for half an hour. Up to Murrumbeena, north to East Malvern station, back along the Scotchmans Creek trail and through Oakleigh to home. Dodging the grumpy drivers in the nice warm cars on at least three occasions Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1631st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Riding home I can see that the first crap tag has appeared on our new back fence, that took … exactly seven days

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 16:45:00 +1000

Day 1630 🌧 shortly coldly homewardsly

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 16:24:00 +1000

Mostly avoiding the rain, I did have to stand around at work for five minutes while a passing squall hammered down, but then only had a light sprinkle for the ride home. Cold, bright sun breaking through the clouds and very wet roads Moderate rain, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 6m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1630th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

A poorly configured "cycling podcast" survey

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 15:11:00 +1000

An email survey arrives. The survey states: “Whether you’re a member or simply a listener.” Well, um, I’m neither, but I started filling out the podcast survey anyway, until … bounced to a page that says I can’t continue unless I sign in. I guess your survey results will say that 100% of your listeners are members

Day 1630 ⛅ windy short commute

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 08:34:00 +1000

Running a little late due to domestic chores, took the short route and was blasted along by a tailwind. The North road bike path was even more a mess than usual with tree debris adding to the overgrown grass, fallen gum nuts and broken, shifting concrete slabs. Maybe when it gets to 15 yrs old they’ll start maintaining it … Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 4m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

Some birds during a rest stop at Kennett River

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:04:00 +1000

Surprisingly no rosellas or King parrots today as I jotted down what I could see while walking around with a coffee and looking for koalas, one new entry for the year – Bassian thrush – so one more update for the #birdsseenin2024 list Bassian thrush Peewee Magpie Starling Sparrow Superb fairy wren

Day 1629 ⛅ kennett koffee

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 13:51:00 +1000

I’d left a little earlier, and ridden a little faster, so I thought I’d be ok for a coffee at Wye River before a 3pm closing … but The café at Wye was closed, so on to Kennett, thinking that they’re usually open until 4pm … not today! Got my coffee a bit before 3pm and pretty much turned around to hear the doors lock behind me Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 4m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

Day 1628 ⛅ wye no coffee

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 14:01:00 +1000

A little further than yesterday, but much the same route – not that there’s too many possibilities out of Lorne. Jo and I headed out into the light rain for an afternoon ride out to Wye River Lorne to Wye and back, stepped onto the steps of the cafe on the dot of 3pm as there was a loud click as the staff locked the door and put up the closed sign – no coffee for us today!

A morning walk and a very nonchalant treecreeper spiralled around a gum tree in the car park

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 12:53:00 +1000

I’ve usually found them to be quite shy but this one by the Erskine river in Lorne seemed to be completely ignoring us as we walked past and stopped to watch its search for insects White-throated treecreeper

There's a female Satin bowerbird in the garden here at Lorne

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 10:33:00 +1000

Not the first one I’ve seen this year, but unusual enough to note here (see #birdsseenin2024 list for the first one) Satin bowerbird (f) – Bright

Day 1627 ⛅ Mt Defipants return

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 13:49:00 +1000

Or, Mt Defiance but in jeans My heart wasn’t in it, and the run of 1600 plus days riding must end sometime … and sometime soon I suspect … but I will not be finishing today, not just because I have to go out for a ride in a pair of jeans Off along the Great Ocean Road, about ten kilometres out to the Mount Defiance lookout, then turn and come back to Lorne

Read — “The Shadow of Saganami”

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1626 ⛅ lighthouse to lorne

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 16:24:00 +1000

Guess which fool forgot their bike nicks. A jeans weekend it will be Out of the car at Aireys Inlet and get as organised as I’m going to get, then off along the #GOR to Lorne under darkening skies. Surprisingly enjoyable, even if I was riding in jeans. The seat definitely feels harder but nothing too uncomfortable Few clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 5m/s from SE - by Klimat.

Day 1625 ⛅ crushed spectacles

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 16:12:00 +1000

I had thought yesterday about trying to get out for an early ride, timing it to leave at 6.06 on the 6th of the 6th, but the likelihood of me getting out of a nice warm bed for that was low Instead, here’s my contribution to the world of strava art; revisiting the “pair of crushed spectacles”. First a lap of africa, then returning home along Scotchmans Creek trail to join it up.

A curious peewee, or Magpie lark

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 11:12:40 +1000

Scavenging around the barbecues in Booran reserve #wildoz #birds #australianbirds

Aha! The disurbing sounding payment to "Mandrum, pty ltd" was mattress delivery

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 17:16:00 +1000

That’ll teach me not to write it down when I paid them, I can distinctly remember thinking “That’s a dodgy looking business name, I bet I’m confused when I see my statement”

Day 1624 ⛅ physio appt at work

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 11:55:00 +1000

There is a convenient physio. on campus, only ten minutes walk from the office. Inconveniently, I could only book an appointment for a day that I work from home. Oh well, commute to work without the work, can’t really complain Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1624th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1623 ⛅ cold gloomy and short

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 16:25:00 +1000

Could be making some sort of pun about dwarves, but no, ’tis the weather. A brief half-hour up to Caulfield and back between working at home and chauffeur to sports training. Numb fingers, most riders had their lights on, it all felt very wintery Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1623rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1622 ⛅ commute home

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 16:17:00 +1000

Along the creek, through Oakleigh, up the Djerring trail, home. We’re half-way through having the side fence replaced so the place looks disturbingly naked without its protective layer of fence palings between garden and park Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1622nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1622 ⛅ commutage

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 08:07:00 +1000

Less than 10°C, OK, that’s officially cool verging on cold in my book. Almost time for the long sleeves and winter gloves. Departed at the same time as the teenager – off to school in the warmth provided by a short-sleeve school shirt and a tie. Some just don’t feel the temperature Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1622nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1621 ⛅ various bike routes

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 13:37:00 +1000

A plethora of bike tracks, and the Yarra Boulevard on a Sunday afternoon. What a lot of people, and boy racer-types in cars going well over the limit along the latter. Outer Circle, Anniversary trail, Main Yarra Trail, Gardiners Creek trail, Djerring trail. Bits and pieces of all of the above Four PBs or PRs, or whatever strava says they are. Woohoo, I guess. Pure luck with one that crosses Toorak road, get there when there’s no traffic and go straight through, other times stop and wait.

Day 1620 ☀️ loaves and fishes

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 08:28:00 +1000

To the shops. For the fish. Then the bread. For the breakfast Clear sky, 8°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1620th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1619 ⛅ bug eyed commute

Fri, 31 May 2024 16:21:00 +1000

I left work in daylight, sunglasses on for the glare of the setting sun and the cold wind. Turning off from Forster road onto the Scotchmans Creek trail it immediately gets darker – and cooler – under the trees along the creek. Will I? Won’t I? I resisted taking my glasses of for as long as I could then did … and immediately copped a faceful of tiny insects, got me in both eyes as well as a spattering all over.

Day 1619 ⛅ commute with a sore back

Fri, 31 May 2024 08:08:00 +1000

OK, what happened? How come that bit of my lower back hurts? Riding is fine, but ouch, getting on and off is a bit troublesome. Must be getting old or something Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1619th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1618 🌧 windy warm half hour

Thu, 30 May 2024 13:30:00 +1000

With rain forecast for later i took off for a half-hour ride at lunchtime, up to Caulfield on the Djerring trail, and back. Yelled loud at the driver on Murrumbeena road who, yet again, sailed blissfully through the red lights, completely oblivious as she drove through cyclists crossing in both directions Light rain, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 6m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1618th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

awake since 2.20am because of the wind. Tree branches are scraping up and down on the side of the house

Thu, 30 May 2024 04:00:00 +1000

Day 1617 ⛅ an appointment and back

Wed, 29 May 2024 14:21:00 +1000

Pleasantly warm, but a bit of a wind from the northish. Off along the Scotchmans Creek trail and through Mount Waverley to Syndal for an appointment, then home a different way. Came back down the Glen Waverley line’s intermittent bike track and around the back of the shops from Holmesglen to home – spinning my legs out on the descent to Huntingdale road, 30km/hr is about my top while staying in control on the #fixie

Day 1616 Keirin kommute

Tue, 28 May 2024 16:32:00 +1000

There I was, on a fixed gear bike tucked in behind a derny, spinning along, must have been in a keiren … Oh, hang on, no. It was on the #fixie drafting a food delivery e-motorbike all the way up the bike track from Huntingdale to Oakleigh. Wheeee, that was fun. His pedals never moved, mine did quite a bit Its important to liven up the boringly short version of the ride home

Day 1616 ☀️ home2work

Tue, 28 May 2024 08:03:00 +1000

Another cold, clear morning, not quite so cold as yesterday, but still noticeable when the temperature rises a degree or two when I come out into the sunny places Clear sky, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1616th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1615 ☀️ cool creek commute

Mon, 27 May 2024 16:31:00 +1000

Catching the last of the sun, feeling the temperature differences between the chill in the shadows down by the creek and the last bits of warmth where the sun is still shining and the cold pooling air hasn’t reached up the sides of the valley. Gardiner and Forster roads to the creek, then downstream to Oakleigh, up and around and past the shops to home Clear sky, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.

Day 1615 ☀️ home2work

Mon, 27 May 2024 08:02:00 +1000

Another cold, clear ride to work. Tingly fingers, very cold on the south side of the buildings in the shade, blissfully warmer by a degree or two when I came out into the sun at Huntingdale station Clear sky, 7°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1615th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1614 ☀️ lake and beyond

Sun, 26 May 2024 13:53:00 +1000

A warm autumn afternoon with the sun out and no wind, off down south for a lap of Karkarook lake and a bit extra. Off around the gravel track that borders the wasteland, then west along Kingston, Keys and Wickham roads … even including a minor detour down “Viking court”, the scene of my crash and injury on November 18. I still can’t figure out how I came off, the ditch in the road is the full width, but shallow, and barely twitches the bars.

Day 1613 ⛅ sharing the road

Sat, 25 May 2024 08:10:00 +1000

Share the road they say… so I did. I sat in the forward bike box at the lights … and the truck pulled in alongside, about 30cm from my bars. The lights went green and I rode off in the bike lane … and truck drove up and alongside me, sharing the bike lane, way closer than a meter. I got to where the road widened out and pulled over further left … so the driver pulled right over and forced me into the door zone of the parked cars.

Day 1612 ⛅ straight home

Fri, 24 May 2024 17:10:00 +1000

On the bright side, I was only run into once on the way home. Some of these delivery bike riders need to have themselves and their electric moped chucked in the sea. Perhaps if you didn’t just sit there with your chin on the bars staring at your mobile phone and watching bollywood video shorts you might be able to see where you’re going and not just ride into people! Perhaps if you had to pedal the damn things and not just sit and twist the throttle they could be counted as e-bikes and not just loophole escaping unregistered electric motorbikes

Another shittified product, google maps timeline now app only, cannot export to KML or share the timeline

Fri, 24 May 2024 11:40:00 +1000

Day 1612 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 24 May 2024 08:04:00 +1000

A chilly #fixie commute, down to Clayton, up to Monash. The route is the same, the minor details differ, nothing much changes Overcast clouds, 8°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1612th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1611 ⛅ suburban meanders

Thu, 23 May 2024 15:12:00 +1000

An afternoon break while working from home, out while there’s a bit of warmth in the sun. A lazy ride up to Carnegie along the Djerring trail, then down and around some backstreets and a shot lane I’d never seen before. Out into the start of the school/commute traffic to Malvern East station and off the roads onto the Scotchmans Creek trail to Oakleigh and home over the hill and past the shops

Day 1610 ⛅ springvale return

Wed, 22 May 2024 16:10:00 +1000

Day 1610, departing at 16.10 on the Djerring trail to Springvale. Down there on the Djerring trail, back via a mix of trail and side roads. Setting sun and bugs in the eyes, one near miss on the bike path with a 40km/hr+ “e-bike”, err, illegal unregistered electrically powered conveyance Scattered clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 0m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1610th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1609 ⛅ chilly homewards

Tue, 21 May 2024 16:22:00 +1000

How about that, the $500 Cell bikes #fixie has now done 10,000km in, um, about 13 years. That’s 5c a kilometre, not including whatever I’ve spent on tubes, tyres and a replacement chain Straight home through the suburbs, 5pm Tuesday home duties call. Up and over the footbridge across D’nong road, still not quite able to get over it on the fixie due to my shoulder injury. Down Greville street to see the current state of the bulldoze & rebuilds, across Huntingdale road at a surprise gap in traffic, then past soccer fields and industrial bits to rejoin the Djerring trail.

Day 1609 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 21 May 2024 08:04:00 +1000

Down the Djerring trail to Clayton, up through the streets to Monash Uni. Djerring trail is a tip at the moment, garbage everywhere, not helped by council gardeners mowing last week and driving the mowers OVER all the dumped rubbish and shredding it. “Somebody should do something[1]” And what’s a commute without a little roundabout fun … near JMSS. 50% of the drivers go straight through without indicating or giving way to people already on it, the other 50% drive half way round then STOP and try to wave other people on in front of them

Day 1608 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 20 May 2024 16:16:00 +1000

Just the homewards commute, north to Scotchmans Creek trail, back to Oakleigh along the creek, suburban streets to home Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1608th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

auto-generated americanised subtitles – morning TV is playing in the cafe, the presenter clearly says the australian "mum & dad", the captions come up as "mom & dad"

Mon, 20 May 2024 09:30:00 +1000

Day 1608 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 20 May 2024 08:05:00 +1000

Strava doing something odd, has decided there’s no map for this commute. Even more odd, Garmin has the map – which then feeds to Strava, and RidewithGPS has the map, which gets it from Strava. Oh well, if you’re reading this you should know it, same as most days on the ride to work Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1608th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1607 ⛅ home from ikea

Sun, 19 May 2024 12:02:00 +1000

Three drove into Richmond … and only two drove out. Ominous indeed. Not so bad, just needed the extra space in the car so the third one rode home on the bike Wiggled semi-randomly and found my way south from Ikea to Bridge road, then down to Swan street. Remembering that there were hundreds of people on a walk event on the Yarra trail I took the streets up and over the hill into Hawthorn – nearly collected by a driver doing a zero-visibility right turn through stationary traffic.

Read — “The Sloth Lemur’s Song”

Sun, 19 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1606 ☀️ baker boy

Sat, 18 May 2024 08:18:00 +1000

Off to the bakery, no fish today. Up to the shops, around, home Clear sky, 8°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1606th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1605 ⛅ wet road commute

Fri, 17 May 2024 16:19:00 +1000

Wet roads, grey skies, a soiree to get to in the early evening – not really a day for an extended commute, so home straight along the North road bike track. Got to play leap-frog with a gent with a very “european” approach to his cycling; huge over-ear headphones, at times chatting on the phone, through red lights, off down the footpath when the bike path ended Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

Day 1605 ⛅ head on

Fri, 17 May 2024 08:15:00 +1000

In homage to Jesus & Mary Chain, who I have just heard are touring, and to the three separate individuals who decided to ignore the “walk on the left” signs and in each case came, err, head-on, with a cyclist who was riding on the left. Extra points to angry man who screamed “F*cken f*ck off ya f*ck” The Jesus And Mary Chain - Head On (Official Music Video) Broken clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 0m/s from NW - by Klimat.

Day 1604 ☀️ chilly chores

Thu, 16 May 2024 08:33:00 +1000

With a conveniently early before-work appointment, and a location only a little out of the way for the commute, I carefully arranged said appointment to be a on a day when I work from home. So off through the chilly morning to the wilds of Mount Waverley, then turn around and ride back home again Monash council workers are busy starting to repair February’s storm damage of the fence at the pool, so their truck was parked on the bike track.

Day 1603 ⛅ autumn sun fun

Wed, 15 May 2024 15:09:00 +1000

An afternoon break while working at home, out while the sun is at its best. Up the Djerring trail to Caulfield, then northishly to Gardiners Creek – foolishly trying to use High street, which got ridiculously congested down near the freeway, and is too narrow for the lanes to be shared between big fat eastern suburbs SUVs and bicycles. Back along the creek, discovering a detour that had to be taken around path-works then home up through the Urban forest

Day 1602 ☀️ hilly bits

Tue, 14 May 2024 16:50:00 +1000

Second day in a row of trying to find a few of the nearby streets that Wandrer.earth thinks I’ve never ridden in. A couple in Oakleigh East, including one that’s a footpath, but seems to have once long ago been a road. Then down to the creek and rather than use Scotchmans Creek trail, keep on going up the hill and wriggle around a few streets backing onto the freeway noise walls.

Day 1602 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 14 May 2024 08:02:00 +1000

I rode to work, and I wrote this description some weeks later so I can’t remember if anything really interesting happened Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1602nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1601 ⛅ creeking home

Mon, 13 May 2024 16:38:00 +1000

Third ride for the day, home from work. A slightly different route from the usual as I try to find an annoying little bit of road that wandrer says I haven’t ridden on. Eyeballing the map before I left the office, I still managed to miss it as I diverted off through Oakleigh East before heading up to rejoin the Scotchmans Creek trial for the rest of the usual trip home

Day 1601 ⛅ m-city shopping

Mon, 13 May 2024 12:48:00 +1000

Lunch time chores, a quick outing to M-City, the most pretentiously named hotel/apartments/shopping block I know of. Second time in my life I’ve been there, first time I’ve ridden in, I saw a big K-mart sign and headed for the door. Of course there’s no bike parking so I locked the fixie to a parking sign and in I went … surprise, the K-mart is actually at the complete opposite end of the block, and at its nearest door there is bike parking.

Day 1601 ☀️ sunny cold commute

Mon, 13 May 2024 08:14:00 +1000

I’ll take a sunny blue sky and 5-10°C over a grey cloudy one and 15°C any day. This morning was the former, glorious. Still too, so every tiny change in temperature as I rode in and out of shadows was apparent. The lorikeets were enjoying the sunshine too, screaming the heads off up in the flowering gums This morning’s driver award must go to the individual who, heading towards me, drove onto the roundabout … so I slowed.

Day 1600 ☀️ sunny pipeline afternoon

Sun, 12 May 2024 15:27:00 +1000

One thousand six hundred days in a row … riding a bike. Inconceivable. OK, not really, just persistent, and lucky. It will have to come to an end sometime, by chance I’ve survived sickness and injury and managed to keep on riding within my narrowly defined rules; every day, a ride, on a bike, at least 1.6km! My game, my rules A sunny afternoon, a loop off eastwards along Scotchmans Creek trail to Syndal and up the Pipeline track to the Burwood highway.

Day 1599 🌧 loaves and fishes

Sat, 11 May 2024 08:18:00 +1000

One more day before a milestone, the pre-breakfast short shopping trip. Pasta dura, turkish bread, croissants and a rainbow trout Moderate rain, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1599th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1598 ☁️ hockey duties

Fri, 10 May 2024 20:16:00 +1000

Most of the trip to hockey, while spouse went to collect kid and colleague. Timings meant i had to go that bit earlier, so a pleasant Friday evening ride for me. Oops, forgot to hit “go” on the Garmin until Murrumbeena road The rain had stopped and I’d picked the more pleasant route; up the Djerring trail to Murrumbeena, down to East Malvern station and back up the Gardiners Creek trail to hockey – the other option is roads through Chadstone & Friday night traffic, best avoided

Day 1598 🌧 rainy commute

Fri, 10 May 2024 16:27:00 +1000

Late Friday afternoon, dull overcast skies and light rain. Surprisingly pleasant and nowhere near as cold as it could have been, quite an enjoyable roll home. The half-closed wetlands path section is still half-closed, with a near-invisible black gate shut across one end of the path, but not the other, and a well worn track through the grass and mud around the end of it Light rain, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.

Day 1598 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 10 May 2024 08:04:00 +1000

Another day commuting, another near miss with a Clayton driver in her SUV blasting through the give-way sign and across the bike path crossing in Browns road. One day the drivers of Clayton will become familiar with, and start to obey, Victoria’s road laws. Today is not that day Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1598th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1597 ⛅ a few bits

Thu, 09 May 2024 16:45:00 +1000

A bit of the Djerring trail, a bit of Scotchmans Creek trail, of bit of Murrumbeena road and a bit of Oakleigh commuter traffic. A pleasant late afternoon half-hour loop in the cool as the sun was going down. Lots of sunset insects in the eyes too Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1597th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1596 ☀️ stunner of an afternoon

Wed, 08 May 2024 14:36:00 +1000

Fantastic weather, clear sky, no wind, not too cool. Autumnal perfection Down to Karkarook lake and a lazy sunny lap, then off around the gravelly block, back up through whatever suburban bits it is that get me to Namitjira park and a pause to watch the waterbirds and a large egret, then up to Clayton shops, crazy Clayton drivers, and home along the bike track Clear sky, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.

Day 1595 ☀️ the highway home

Tue, 07 May 2024 16:31:00 +1000

I don’t think I’ve ridden home up Dandenong road for years, decided to give it a go as it was an early departure and i need to be home by 5… nah, no fun, im too old. I’ll stick to longer routes sneaking through the side streets Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1595th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1595 ⛅ chores and commute

Tue, 07 May 2024 07:50:00 +1000

To the shops, back home, then to work. Amazing, no gravel trucks drove through the red light today, perhaps coincidentally, there was a police car stopped at the lights at the time Few clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1595th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1594 ☀️ creek commute home

Mon, 06 May 2024 16:43:00 +1000

Great weather for a ride; warm, still & sunny as I left work, then down under the freeway into the shadows and the cool along the creek. Perfect part of late afternoon to dusk where the temperature difference between the cool air pooling along the creek and the warm air higher up the hill in the sun was very noticeable Nearly brought a Jack Russell home with me, idiot owner on a skateboard had it on a 5m extender-leash, dog raced off across the path to attack another dog being walked on a legal leash and nearly hoiked its owner backwards off his deck.

Day 1594 ⛅ cool grey commute

Mon, 06 May 2024 08:05:00 +1000

Dear Bulco, red light means stop, especially if our light is already green and we’re already crossing the road. Second commute in a row where a gravel truck has driven through the Wellington rd crossing not just as it went red, but after the cross traffic has a green and has started! Otherwise, cool, grey and uneventful Few clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.

Day 1593 ⛅ Scotchmans and Dandy creeks

Sun, 05 May 2024 14:02:00 +1000

I discovered recently that my longest ride in April was only 25km! Admittedly, it was that nasty bit of cross-country sand tracks from Southend back to Millicent, but I really should get out more, and for longer So off in the sunny afternoon, I’d decided to head to Jells Park but couldn’t work out if I’d go north or south from there … ended up doing a bit of one and more of the other.

we have finally pulled out the zucchini plants – two of those last three were unpleasantly bitter

Sat, 04 May 2024 11:00:00 +1000

Day 1592 ⛅ saturday shopping

Sat, 04 May 2024 08:14:00 +1000

Orthodox Easter, lots’n’lots of cars parked in the streets near the Orthodox church, and plenty of traffic up and down Willesden road. Fair bit of honking and shouting going on around the shops too, everyone busy and stressed and trying to get their easter goodies ahead of everyone else Fish, bread, home, breakfast Overcast clouds, 7°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1592nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1591 ⛅ commute home

Fri, 03 May 2024 16:36:00 +1000

Short route home to be there by 5pm to go back out. North road bike path, all 20cm of it in places – you’d think that after more than 10 years VicRoads could sweep it just the once, or clear off the overgrowth of vegetation! Almost home and one last railway crossing … except its Orthodox Easter this weekend and there are 20-30 people standing around trying to cross the lines … and the gates are shut because the trains are faulty and running slow.

Day 1591 ⛅ chilly commute

Fri, 03 May 2024 08:05:00 +1000

Brrr, a bit brisk this fine near-frosty friday. Had to fluff up the arm hairs to keep warm in the shadowy parts along the railway. Where are all the people? Looks like everyone is working a four-day week these days. One that was on the road that I’d rather had stayed home was the driver of the gravel truck on Wellington Road, full loaded, with dog trailer, straight through the red light at Monash Uni at 60+ as the pedestrian lights were green and people crossing!

Day 1590 ☀️ around the block

Thu, 02 May 2024 15:10:00 +1000

A very geometric ride, a rectangle and a triangle. More major roads than I usually ride on, and I’m finding I really don’t enjoy it. Are the drivers getting worse or am I getting older? Or in the case of the old lady who drove slowly and carefully straight out in front of me and nearly got a bike in her driver’s door, are the drivers getting older and simply unable to see anything smaller than a massive SUV or ute?

Day 1589 ☀️ chores

Wed, 01 May 2024 13:52:00 +1000

Physio, paint, and chocolate eclairs for afternoon tea. Council roadworks at the end of Neerim road have commenced, “traffic calming” in the form of a large island and forcing a tight turn entry to slow the speeders Clear sky, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1589th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Monthly rain serendipitiness, we had 140.5mm of rain from January-March … then 140.5mm of rain in April!

Wed, 01 May 2024 11:00:00 +1000

Day 1588 ⛅ work2home with bugs

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 16:42:00 +1000

Another squinty-eyed ride, made to 6.3km before one made it past the defences and got me in the eye Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1588th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1588 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:06:00 +1000

Commute, commute, commute. Toot toot toot. Some of the toots are trains, some of the toots are drivers getting angry at other drivers. Could have tooted myself at the two van drivers who stopped blocking the contra-flow bike lane so they could turn across it, but last time I called out someone for doing that they got aggro and were about to leap out of their car for a fight, I mean “where am I meant to stop” apparently means blocking oncoming traffic, not stopping in your own lane

Day 1587 ⛅ dark ride home

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 16:29:00 +1000

How can it be this dark at 4.30pm, I’m sure I didn’t sign up for this. Home along the creek, spitting small insects out and keeping my eyes half-shut as the endless swarms pitter-patter over my face and arms Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 0m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1587th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1587 🌧 warm gloomy commute

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 08:05:00 +1000

Very grey and gloomy, but strangely warm. Noticeably warmer than the morning commutes last week, with a few large spots of rain, well spread out, more like a summer shower than autumn rain Light rain, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1587th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1586 ⛅ lazy autumn sunday

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 14:09:00 +1000

Out for the afternoon ride, off along the Djerring trail to Carnegie and north to Gardiners Creek, and trail. Around to the wetlands, up Ferndale Trail and at a loss of where to go next. Decided on a roll around the block and back the way I’d come – mostly. A downhill run of Ferndale trail, small kids, dogs, footy players and everything. Then up through Hedgely Dene to Caulfield and home back along the DJerring trail

There's now a small patch of tulip bulbs under the roses near the hyacinths — acquisitions from FIL's garage cleanup

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 10:30:00 +1000

Day 1585 ⛅ short saturday shopping

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 08:03:00 +1000

Get thee to the shops! Fetch thy bread, chicken, and fishies Scattered clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1585th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1584 ⛅ fungal friday

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 16:24:00 +1000

Cool and grey and damp, leave work for a ride home before lights are essential. North to the creek then downstream on Scotchmans Creek Trail as far as Malvern East, back up through the Urban Forest & Boyd park. Fungi everywhere sprouting after the wet weather, a huge fairy ring around a tree where the trail crosses Waverley road, an equally large solitary toadstool earlier had me stopping for a photo.

Day 1584 ⛅ cool damp commute

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 08:04:00 +1000

Very cool and damp, a good day to be sitting inside in a nice warm cafe Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1584th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1583 ⛅ Anzac arvo

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 16:10:00 +1000

After a few busy hours of family shed clearing, out for a cold and damp afternoon ride up to Caufield and back. Only event of note was a giant roar from the sports bar of the Rosstown hotel as I passed, sounds as though they were in favour of the goal Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1583rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1582 ⛅ brrr and a bus

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 16:34:00 +1000

Chilly afternoon, felt colder than the temperature the Garmin was telling me, with a cold damp wind up from the bay. Down to Scotchmans Creek trail and around to Malvern East station, then up through the urban forest & back through Murrumbeena. Nearly lost some skin off my elbow to a bus in Neerim road… Dear mr bus driver, that was very very close. “Professional driver” my arse. Yet another one can’t be bothered to wait 5s or pull out to give the metre the law requires

A micro bat, two weeks in a row in Holmesglen reserve at dusk

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 17:59:00 +1000

Walking around the edge of the park at dusk, same time on a Tuesday afternoon, there’s been a small bat appear and go darting about above me. I have zero bat ID skills, there are apparently eighteen species of microbats seen in Melbourne, and hunting for “bat silhouette” online only seems to find graphic stencils and movie advertising, so the species shall remain unknown…

Day 1581 ⛅ the fast food and the furious

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 16:33:00 +1000

Gotta watch that McDonald’s drive thru exit. Always. Not only do the many youthful drivers ignore pedestrians and cyclists as the exit the car park and drive over the shared path, but they’re often accelerating wildly to merge into North road traffic, and they get angry, shouty and lean on the horn if you deign to be on the path in front of them, that is if they don’t just drive into you.

Day 1581 ⛅ semi-chilly commute

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:03:00 +1000

A bit warmer than yesterday, that extra few degrees pushes it back from “definitely autumn” to “feels like late summer” One roundabout, one angry driver. Tried to overtake half way around the roundabout and realised he wouldn’t fit, then just sat there and leaned on the horn because, um, I was on the road ahead of him. If only they were licensed and tested on this… Broken clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.

Day 1580 ☀️ smoky commute

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 16:35:00 +1000

Smokey or smoky? That is the question. English or the other place… either way, the air was full of it this afternoon, somewhere up in the Dandenongs either the National Parks or Forestry people are indulging themselves with a little “hazard reduction burn” Along the creek in the late afternoon, low sunlight and gum smoke Clear sky, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 46%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

Day 1580 ☀️ cool clear commute

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 08:07:00 +1000

Sunny, chilly. Yay, the fallen tree has been cut up and rolled off the Djerring trail. Amazingly, the Woolworths trolleys around Oakleigh shops all seem to have been collected – I suspect they have a new trolley collector who actually does the work. Coles ones still dumped here & there, including one that someone has gone to great effort to yeet over the 2.5m fence onto the railway Clear sky, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.

We seem to have zombie zucchini plants!

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 08:00:00 +1000

They refuse to die, every time I think they’re done, a few more fruit set and slowly grow up, while the leaves and stalks are gradually becoming more and more shredded. Surely these are the last three

Day 1579 ⛅ chasing steam trains

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 14:52:00 +1000

Earlier in the day we’d heard the unmistakable sound of a steam train whistle and quickly looked up Steamrail Vic’s timetable – no, not going past the house but they were running a shuttle from the city to Glen Huntly, so we hopped on the bikes for a sunny afternoon ride up there to try and catch sight of them. Arrived at the Caulfield junction around 30s too late, a loud whistle and an expanding cloud of steam the sign that we’d just missed it, so a check of the timetable and we decided to head down towards Glen Huntly.

only just autumn but we seem to have freesias sprouting, seem early to me this year

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +1000

One or two spindly ones under the silver birch trees, and in the front lawn around the plum tree and along the fence

Read — “Little Brother”

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1578 ☀️ saturday shopping

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 07:59:00 +1000

Three chicken marylands, two salmon cutlets, a turkish bread, pasta dura and 6 hot-cross buns if you must know Clear sky, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1578th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1577 ⛅ zigzag home

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 16:37:00 +1000

It started as the shortish ride home along the North road bike path, then I decided to head south through Clayton to see if the fallen tree on the Djerring trail had been cleared up. A left here and a right there, zig-zagging off down through the suburb until I came out at the railway … except I’d gone too far west and completely missed the crossing where the tree was!

Day 1577 ⛅ fixie2work

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 08:01:00 +1000

One of those #SnapSendSolve kind of mornings; overnight some miscreant has dumped a trailer load of rubbish – two shopping trolleys full and extra bags, along with a wheelchair and assorted broken electrical items at the railway crossing. Then half a suburb on and all the floodable sections of the Djerring trail are flooded again, so once again I send an update to Monash Council asking them when they’re going to get rid of the mud and slop and 6m long flooded path.

Day 1576 🌧 rainy lake lap

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:11:00 +1000

A grey drizzly afternoon and a short loop down south for a lap of Karkarook lake. Took a non-standard way of getting there – down along Golf Links road through Oakleigh South rather than to Huntingdale and down that way. Most of the trees uprooted by the big storm in mid-February have finally been cleared away, but a lot of the damage remains Around the lake then back home up Carroll road, a small flock of Red-rump parrots on the power lines catching the setting sun and glowing bright yellow-green in the light

Day 1575 ⛅ covid 5km limits revisit

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:08:00 +1000

At a bit of a loss today and not sure where to go, decided to do the “ten-to-five” – NW up the Djerring trail to Caulfield for 5km, then back SE down through Clayton for 5km out the other way, then home. Memories of the COVID limits and the challenges of riding every day Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1575th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1574 ⛅ straightishly home

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 16:15:00 +1000

Out of work, on the bike, off home along the noisy North road bike path. No time on Tuesdays for detours or pleasantries Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1574th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1574 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 08:03:00 +1000

The usual commute, plus a stop to say hello & thank you to the guy with a MTB and a broom who’d come out to clean up the broken glass on the Djerring trail under Golf Links avenue bridge. There’d been three or four wheely bins dumped along the path here over Easter … then yesterday one of them had been upended and tipped bottles everywhere, so of course by today someone had had a smashing good time and thrown every single bottle onto the path

Day 1573 ⛅ commute home

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:57:00 +1000

Cool, damp, getting dark earlier – must remember to put the lights on in the mornings so I’ve got them for the afternoon ride home. The earthworks in Huntingdale wetlands still not complete, but they’ve reopened Scotchmans Creek trail through there so there’s no more need for the detours one side or the other Scattered clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1573rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1573 ☀️ fixie2work

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 08:03:00 +1000

Cold and clear, off on the #fixie, trying lessen the wear and tear on the AWOL on the wintery commutes from the bike path gunge. Amazingly, some of the dumped Woolies trolleys have been colllected. There’s a slow section to carefully avoid the off-leash Alsatian that belongs to the guy living tucked away in a tent behind the trees, it runs around on the Djerring trail but thankfully hasn’t chased anyone as far as I know

Day 1572 ☀️ almost to the bay

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 15:41:00 +1100

A pleasant sunny autumn afternoon, off down towards the bay along Inkerman street – past all the NIMBY anti-bikelane posters, summarised as: ‘Preserve our private car storage! keep the dangerous shared parking/bike lane!". Typically, half a dozen close passes including one who immediately pulled over to park, attempting a dooring too … perhaps trying to make their point that bikes aint welcome round here Down to St Kilda road and … ah … there’s a huge concrete barricade across it where the tram tracks are being replaced, none shall pass

planted eight hyacinth bulbs between the magnolia and roses out the front

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 11:30:00 +1000

Boosting the small number of spring-flowering bulbs out in the front garden, there’s only a few jonquils, freesias, and a solitary hyacinth somewhere nearby. Fingers crossed these all come up

Day 1571 ⛅ short shopping

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 08:01:00 +1000

Fish, then bread, then home. Back to the Saturday morning routines Few clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1571st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1570 ⛅ wet commute

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 08:11:00 +1000

Very grey and very rainy, it hadn’t let up all morning and the forecast is more of the same for most of next week. Nothing for it but to put on the spray jacket – that some time ago lost its waterproofness and seems to only last about ten minutes before starting to seep through. Took the #fixie and feral footwear option, sandals, avoids wet socks and shoes and is bearable for rides under half an hour.

Day 1569 ⛅ wetlands and parklands

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 16:16:00 +1000

Off on the #fixie to the Huntingdale wetlands, then back down Scotchmans Creek Trail to Glen Iris and up through the urban forest and parts of Boyd Park Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1569th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1568 ⛅ physio and around

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 13:55:00 +1000

Monthly visit to the physio to try and get some semblance of normality into my left shoulder, then out and about through Hughesdale, Murrumbeena and Carnegie – all very quiet during school holidays Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1568th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1567 ⛅ grim grey afternoon

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 15:36:00 +1000

It never quite rained, but it looked and felt as though it would There’s been 100mm of rain in the past week, so what better than a ride over to the Glen Iris wetlands, and yes, they were indeed wet. Lots of mud around, a few waterbirds including a night heron hiding in the rushes Then back home before the late afternoon rush of cyclists home from work and dog owners out to empty their dogs in the park

2024/0408/2325 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 23:25:00 +1000

Day 1566 🌧 dull rainy commute

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 16:34:00 +1000

The skies were looking very dark and gloomy so I left early, first commute day after the end of Daylight Savings Time and of course I hadn’t got my lights. As I unlocked the bike I could see the first few spots of rain land on the footpath … “How clever am I to leave ahead of any rain” I thought … and managed to make it as far as Dandenong road before it started pouring on me and rained solidly until I got to Oakleigh station when it cleared up so I arrived at home drenched, but under a clearing sky

Read — “The Dragon at Noonday”

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1566 ☀️ fixie2work

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 08:03:00 +1000

Holiday over, back to work. Took the fixie today for something different. Down to Clayton, the crossing gates were closed so took Carinish road, added plus was avoiding the Metro Tunnel building site. Added minus was having my elbow clipped by a Tesla – imagine that, all that money and technology and the idiots driving them still can’t manage to legally pass a cyclist on an empty road The amusing part of this minor route variation is going past the hospital, where, as always, commuting health workers are walking up from the station … and a good 50% of them are puffing away on cigarettes

Day 1565 ⛅ post-holiday shopping

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 17:08:00 +1000

Easter at Lorne, then most of week away in South Australia, back home today to an empty fridge. Off to the shops for a few essentials so I can cook dinner … and to log in a ride for the day Few clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1565th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1564 ⛅ back on the GOR

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 17:07:00 +1000

After a long day driving to Lorne from South Australia we found ourselves back in Victoria, back on the Great Ocean Road, and back in a familiar timezone … except we’ve lost an hour with the end of daylight saving so it’ll be getting gloomy soon and I haven’t been out for a ride. I’d thought about sneaking out for a quicky at one of the stops along the way, but that didn’t happen so here I am going out to the St George river and back.

Birds for [2024-04-05 Fri], revisit Lake McIntyre

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 18:02:00 +1100

Back at Lake McIntyre again (Millicent, SA), and a walk around the lake this time. At the second bird hide Jo spotted a small bird moving out on the mudflats, then slowly we counted more and more. Five Black fronted dotterel scurrying back and forth. One more for the #birdsseenin2024 list

Day 1563 ⛅ family blue lake lap

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 13:09:00 +1030

Found ourselves up at Mt Gambier’s “Blue Lake” in the early afternoon and had driven up to a lookout, decided that the best way to get a full view of the lake was a lap on the bikes. There’s a narrow concrete footpath that has the better view but you’re not supposed to ride on it, or the road. There’s a few signs around the road saying “Scenic bike route”, but it’s narrow, two-way and has a huge proportion of retirees in large 4WDs, often with caravans, making for unpleasant riding.

Day 1562 ⛅ Southend to Millicent

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 15:54:00 +1030

Sandy. Very very sandy After spending most of the day bushwalking around in the Canunda national park near Lake Bonney we’d driven to Southend to have a look round there. I decided to ride back to Millicent – eye-balling the map it seemed just over 20km, although 4WD tracks for half the distance. Nothing to impossible, as far as I could tell, and if it became too hard I could always retrace my route to Southend and circle around on the sealed roads

Birds for [2024-04-04 Thu], Canunda National Park, SA

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 10:53:00 +1100

A windy day for our bushwalk to the Coola ruins, nothing much to see because of that … some unidentified medium-sized raptors, and emu, plenty of them seen on the drive in, and a few on the 8km hike. Definitely not a bird I see often in the wild, certainly one for the #birdsseenin2024 list

Day 1561 ⛅ Millicent family lake McIntyre

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:05:00 +1030

Background – this family holiday is not a cycling holiday, but we do have the bikes with us, also, I’m 1500+ days into riding every day, so there’s a certain incentive to keep on going A full morning and early afternoon doing tourist things on foot and we grabbed the bikes for an afternoon ride out westish to Lake McIntyre to a rehabilitated ex-quarry now wetlands for some bird watching. Rolled slowly around the lakeside path and amazingly, spotted a Latham’s Snipe from one of the bird hides – tiny little thing well disguised against the brown mud and reeds.

Birds for [2024-04-03 Wed], Lake McIntyre, SA

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:20:00 +1100

A short ride out of town to the wetlands in a rehabilitated quarry, then a slow loop around the lake – stupidly forgetting to bring out binoculars. Plenty of the usual suspects and three definite unusual spottings for the #birdsseenin2024 list, in the order seen they are: Blue-billed duck Lathams snipe Pied stilt

Day 1560 ⛅ exploring mlllicent

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 18:12:00 +1030

A long drive in the car and then here we are – in a new town in a new state in a new timezone. Nothing for it but to jump on the AWOL and go for an exploratory cruise around town and check the place out. A decommissioned railway line, filled in with gravel and quite rideable, made for part of the route, then around and about the streets looking at the housing styles, the commercial buildings, a lap of the footy oval and around to the municipal park and drain – they love their drains.

Day 1559 🌧 blanket leaf car retrieval

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 14:44:00 +1100

Up the hill in light Otways rain and choking smoke to fetch the car from the start of this morning’s bush walk A few strange meetings with the same pale blue Haval and a driver that I couldn’t tell if they were ignorant or malicious; first a very close pass on an otherwise completely empty road, at which I yelled and waved my arm out “give me more room!”. A few minutes later, there they are parked on a hairpin bend facing back down the hill, but as soon as I passed they did a u-turn and came back up behind me … “uh oh … “, but no, this time they passed so far on the other side of the road that they were off in the gravel.

Day 1558 ⛅ GOR lighthouse return

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 14:32:00 +1100

Third day at Lorne, third option for riding out – inland, down the GOR, up the GOR. Today, up the GOR to the lighthouse, with a minor detour at a tiny stub of a bush track that I’ve seen when riding and driving up Big Hill. Jump the armco, lift the bike over, pedal off into the scrub … then around a few curves and up a few steep gravelly pinches as the track curves up and around and seems to be heading back towards the GOR, but I couldn’t tell for sure.

2024/0330/1739 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 17:39:00 +1100

2024/0330/1726 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 17:26:00 +1100

Day 1557 ⛅ kennett koffee

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 14:17:00 +1100

There’s only so many ways to ride a bike out of Lorne; north-west up to the ridge, north-east along the Great Ocean Road, or south-west along the Great Ocean Road. South-west it was, down to Kennett River, or Kennet River, depending on which road sign you look at and how many T’s you want. Stopped off for a coffee, very busy in the cafe with the Easter tourist crowds. A latish start meant the sun dipped behind the ridge for the ride back, a reminder that summer time is almost over, late afternoon rides will definitely need lights from now on

Read — “Marina”

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1556 ☀️ Lorne Benwerrin loop

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 13:53:00 +1100

I don’t think I’ve been up this way for ages, my shoulder injury put a bit of a limit on the enjoyment of long climbs. If I’m really honest though, I’m just a bit over the drivers around Lorne, endless close passes and either completely oblivious or aggressively confrontational, especially on the hill up towards Benwerrin Nevertheless, its a lovely climb when the traffic is light – as it was this afternoon, bumper-to-bumper traffic crawling slowly down the hill and into town, the same on the Great Ocean Road, but next to nothing going the other way.

Day 1555 ⛅ wetlands and around

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:54:00 +1100

A late afternoon ride around the suburb for a couple of kilometres before going away for Easter. Up to the Huntingdale wetlands to check on the progress of the works – they’re re-opened the path through the wetlands for the break. Then back downstream as far as Malvern East, up through the side streets and home via Boyd park and the Djerring trail Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

Day 1554 ⛅ HIVE opening at Kilvington

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:42:00 +1100

Off to school for the official opening of the HIVE and a guided tour around a very clean and modern high school building. City of Glen Eira really needs to do something about the on-street parking along Murrumbeena crescent and Oakleigh road, the width of the street and the width of modern 4WD/SUVs makes a headache out of what’s labelled as a bike route Broken clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.

Day 1553 ☀️ short route home

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 16:41:00 +1100

Tuesday, duty calls and I must be home by 5pm. Out of work and take the short route home, seems months since i rode this way. Oh look, there’s no house here any more … or here. I need to use the old routes periodically to keep up on the bulldoze-and-rebuilds. Out with the old weatherboard small house, in with the mega-box or multiple townhouses. Home in time, all went according to plan

Day 1553 ☀️ commute commute commute

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 08:04:00 +1100

Maybe one day I should go a completely different way to work … but not today. Down the Djerring trail to Clayton, dodge the Suburban Rail Loop worksite, up Kanooka grove and a minor variation into Browns road. Endless piles of household garbage dumped on nature strips, council will have their work cut out for them this week, there’ll be even more illegal dumping over the Easter break and school holidays

Day 1552 ☀️ heading home

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 17:11:00 +1100

Warm autumn afternoon, the creek commute home. Added entertainment by riding with, or slightly behind, another guy on a gravel bike. He was going a bit faster, but I caught up at every road crossing and lights. We did get to answer one of those eternal questions – which way around the Huntingdale wetlands closure is quicker? He went south, through the streets and rejoined just before Huntingdale road, I went north and used the gravel track around the ponds.

Day 1552 ☀️ home2work

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 08:12:00 +1100

A little bit late this morning, a little bit tired and slow to get out of bed and get started. The usual route, down to Clayton, up to Monash Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1552nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

2024/0325/0500 – Adrian, here is your link to sign in to LinkedIn

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 05:00:00 +1100

This link will expire in 15 mins. Please do not forward this email to others to prevent anybody else from account.

Day 1551 ⛅ a lake and a beer

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 15:48:00 +1100

Down to Karkarook and a late afternoon lazy figure eight loop around the lake and then the gravel-path-triangular-Clarinda-block. From there it was westish through Moorabbin – carefully, since last time I did this was mid-November when I crashed and injured myself. No injuries today, the odd feeling riding through an industrial zone late on a Sunday afternoon when everything seems empty and quiet … except there’s a few cafes and venues that have setup in cheap buildings and seem to be thriving.

Day 1550 ⛅ loaves and fishes

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 07:48:00 +1100

Saturday morning, up to the shops for some fish for dinner and bread for breakfast. A rainbow trout and a pasta dura loaf, plus some hot-cross buns for weekend snacks. Very rudely the sky decided to rain on me as I left the bakery for a slightly damp ride home Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1550th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1549 ⛅ creek commute

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 16:10:00 +1100

Leaving in time to get home to get ready for an evening school function, enough time up my sleeve to take the leafy pleasant creek trail home. Gum leaves and a still autumn afternoon. Very pleasant Few clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1549th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

2024/0322/1454 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 14:54:00 +1100

Day 1549 ☀️ autumnal commute

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 08:12:00 +1100

Part of this morning’s ride was garbage … the part where I had to wait while the garbage truck reversed through the red light onto the pedestrian/bike path crossing, then trundled off up the hill slowly while I followed and couldn’t get past. Very stinky A lovely autumnal chill in the air otherwise, sunny and bright and with lots of lorikeets shrieking up in the trees along Browns road Clear sky, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 0m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

Day 1548 ☀️ ferndale loop

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 16:57:00 +1100

An afternoon loop around the Anniversary trail / Ferndale trail loop. Up the rail-trail hill and down the gravel path. Home through Carnegie and dodge the drivers Clear sky, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1548th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1547 ⛅ equinox laps

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 17:06:00 +1100

Blustery winds and a surprisingly cold afternoon. Decided to go for a few laps around the Packer Park velodrome on the #fixie since I haven’t been there for ages … probably not since some of my training for the 2022 Around the Bay. Definitely windy. Fast along one straight, slow up the other. Sixteen times around – unless I lost count – and then home Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 46%, Wind 4m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

2024/0320/0743 – Adrian, here is your link to sign in to LinkedIn

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:43:00 +1100

This link will expire in 15 mins. Please do not forward this email to others to prevent anybody else from account.

Day 1546 ⛅ straighter home

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:20:00 +1100

The shortish ride home, hockey training season has commenced and I must be home by 5pm…. Wow, petrol went up today from around 184.9c/l a few days ago to, on the ride along North road, 193.9, 213.9 and then astoundingly, 231.9c/l Broken clouds, 25°C, Feels like 25°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1546th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

QOTD: re. "National Harmony Day"

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 14:49:00 +1100

In 2000 the Federal Government rebranded the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination as ‘National Harmony Day’ in an effort that many felt was trying to pretend that Australia has already eliminated racial discrimination and can therefore just celebrate ‘living in harmony’ instead of doing the work to eliminate racism. – indigenousX

Day 1546 ☀️ home2work

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 08:04:00 +1100

One ride to work. One angry road-rager trying to run me down at Huntingdale station. Thumbs up Level Crossing Authority for building the bike path so it crosses all the car park entrances and forces the conflict points Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1546th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1545⛅ creek commute

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:36:00 +1100

Just riding on home on a warm afternoon, over 30°C under the trees along the creek, but always enjoyable Few clouds, 29°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 36%, Wind 4m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1545th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1543 ☀️ CycleDindi24 and a bit more

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:50:41 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; 50km of #CycleDindi24 then spur-of-the-moment decision to ride the 80km back to Lilydale and home. #laterpixel

Day 1542 ⛅ see more GVRT

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:45:56 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Seymour to the GVRT then the #railtrail to Yea and Alexandra. #laterpixel

Day 1545 ☀️ home2work

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 08:06:00 +1100

Feeling a little weary from the two day ride, aching legs and a sore arse. Strangely empty paths and roads, it looked suspiciously like a long weekend until I got to Dandenong road and met the bumper-to-bumper traffic jam, confirming that it is indeed a work day. Oh yeah, nearly taken out again on the roundabout near John Monash school, school parents and uni students come tearing up from the school and fly around it in a left turn, very rarely checking if anyone is coming.

Day 1544 ⛅ sunday beer ride

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 16:04:00 +1100

Feeling weary after the past two day’s riding, but still had to get out for a bit of a ride today – a bit of a ride that turned out to be a bit longer than I thought I’d do. Jo and I went off for a cruisy loop around the bike paths and paths, to Glen Iris wetlands along the Gardiners creek trail, up the Ferndale trail, down the Anniversary trail and through suburbs to the Djerring trail … then stop for a beer half a suburb from home

Day 1543 ☀️ part II, home via GCT

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 17:29:00 +1100

Part two of a long day, getting home from Yea, via Lilydale, a rest on the suburban train inbound while contemplating the optimum stop to get off and ride the rest of the way. Looked as though Blackburn station would put me near the Gardiners Creek Trail so that was my start – although I think Laburnum would have been closer. I ended up riding most of the way from Blackburn back to Laburnum, found my way onto the trail and now in familiar territory, south sou’west back home.

lots of birds in the wetlands by the trail, including a small flock of Yellow-billed spoonbills[1]

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +1100

[1] Yellow-billed spoonbill – GVRT, Molesworth, Vic

Day 1543 ☀️ CycleDindi24 and a bit more

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 07:51:00 +1100

A two-part ride, with two very different parts. First half was the #CycleDindi ride, out from Alexandra to whereever I felt like, back to the lunch, finish up at Yea. Part two had been nagging at me all yesterday afternoon and through the night; do I ride back to Seymour, wait until 7pm and try my luck on a possibly-full V/Line back to Melbourne, or do I try and ride all the way back to Lilydale and Melbourne?

Day 1542 ⛅ see more GVRT

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 13:37:00 +1100

An ugly pun in the ride title, Seymour to Alexandra along the Great Victorian Rail Trail – the GVRT. The #CycleDindi event providing impetus for the second of my two overnighter/weekends away for a bit of a ride in this part of the countryside. The V/Line trains are running reduced services so there’s only one or two trains a day that stop at Seymour – and none at Tallarook which is where I really wanted to start from.

Day 1541 ⛅ draw me an icecream

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 16:57:00 +1100

World’s worst strava art – a bit like an icecream cone on its side. Up the Djerring trail to Caulfield, down to Neerim road and a lap of the Caulfield racecourse, then home along Neerim road being squeezed by close-passing drivers Broken clouds, 22°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1541st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1536 🌙 early GOR to Wye

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 18:11:09 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Lorne to Wye River return on the #GOR. Up before the sun. #laterpixel

Day 1540 ⛅ physio appt and around

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:56:00 +1100

Off to a physio appointment for my shoulder, then meander around the suburb for a while in the cool and damp afternoon before its time to get back to work Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1540th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1539 ⛅ commute home

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:00:00 +1100

Back home the same way I rode to work this morning, curious to see if Coles or Council had collected any of the shopping trolleys after their assurances today. Nope, not a one. I did stop along the way to report 13 newly dumped ones through Clayton, which made for a very stop-start ride and got me locked out of NeatStreets for exceeding their rate cap of how many reports I can make in a day!

Day 1539 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 08:06:00 +1100

After three days down on the coast and riding along the Great Ocean Road, the morning commute along a rubbish-strewn path beside the suburban railway is bit of a downer. Seems that Coles have collected some of their trolleys, Woolworths haven’t done anything about theirs – from 14 we’re down to 8 dumped from Oakleigh to Huntingdale stations – although I suspect two or three were new this weekend. Time to rattle the cage – yet again – of council & business and see if I can provoke some action

Day 1538 🌧 kennett for koffee

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:37:00 +1100

Will I, won’t I … yes I will. Kicked out of bed early on a long weekend Monday morning and sent off to get in my daily ride before it heats up. Much the same route as yesterday, just a bit further, on from Wye River to Kennet River, contemplated Grey River or even Cape Paton, but turned at the headland just out of Kennet and started back … only as far as the coffee shop at first.

Day 1537 ⛅ family wye ride

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 10:07:00 +1100

Beat the heat. Family ride to Wye River for iced coffee, then back. Unfortunately Cam stacked in gravel on the descent to Cumberland River so he & Jo waited there while I did a solo time-trial and went to fetch the car. Grazes on both knees and elbows, all the sticking-out teenager bits. Cool change came through while we were at Wye, 25°C at St George and 37°C in Lorne!

846993 is your Facebook account recovery code

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 05:14:00 +1100

Hi Adrian, We received a request to reset your Facebook password. Enter the following password reset code: 846993

Day 1536 🌙 early GOR to Wye

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 06:56:00 +1100

Most unlike me, I got up early and went out for a ride as the sun was coming up Avoiding the forecast hot day by getting out of bed before 7am, off to Wye River for a coffee then home in time for breakfast. I’d half thought of continuing on to Kennett River, but Wye made the timing just right to get home for bacon and eggs. I found it very different to riding in the afternoon, far fewer cars, many more bikes, including the 7am Lorne bunch heading for Apollo Bay.

Day 1535 ☀️ creek commute

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:24:00 +1100

There’s a bar on campus called “The Count”, it has a few tables outdoors, and the one time in my life that I found it open I had an enjoyable beer. Several times on a Friday afternoon I’ve left work and tried to call in for a beer and found it closed. Today was no different; door shut, piece of paper stuck on the inside of the window saying “closed”. Maybe one day I’ll find out what their opening hours are

Day 1535 ⛅ 14 trolley commute

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 08:05:00 +1100

Still 14 shopping trolley along the Djerring trail in Oakleigh. Still no action by Coles, Woolworths or Monash Council despite repeated reports & a few promises that they’re “looking into it” Up Browns road rather than Kanooka grove to avoid having to follow the garbage truck slowly up the hill – my lungs don’t need that Friday morning feature! Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.

Day 1544 ⛅ odd lake visit

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 16:31:00 +1100

An unusual direction to approach Karkarook lake from, over to Poath road then south and try and find my way through Oakleigh South to the Warrigal road/South road corner without exposing myself to too much commute-o’clock traffic. Did get one minor laugh when a distinctive Falcon went flying past way too close, then half a suburb further on I saw it parked in the driveway … nice car you have there mister, it’d be a shame if anything happened to it…

Day 1533 ☀️ two loops

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 16:06:00 +1100

Looking a lot like a pair of spectacles that’s been sat on, the two loop ride up the Djerring trail to Murrumbeena, north to Gardiners creek and over Solway bridge, up the Anniversary trail and back down the Ferndale trail. Rejoin Gardiners creek trail and check out the Glen Iris wetlands, then up stream back to Malvern East and turn off onto the Scotchmans Creek trail and follow it back home through Oakleigh

Day 1530 ☀️ Strathbogie-man and random piggies

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:38:14 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; return from Mansfield to Euroa and serendipitously meeting old friends

Day 1530 ☀️ Strathbogie-man and random piggies

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:38:14 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; return from Mansfield to Euroa and serendipitously meeting old friends

Day 1529 ⛅ a man's man's Mansfield

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:35:52 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Saturday of my weekend ride from Euroa to Mansfield and back

Day 1529 ⛅ a man's man's Mansfield

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:35:52 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Saturday of my weekend ride from Euroa to Mansfield and back

Day 1507 ⛅ homewards with spider

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:31:30 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; some entertainment on #mycommute as I rode home with a large Halloween #spider - #laterpixel

Day 1507 ⛅ homewards with spider

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:31:30 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; some entertainment on #mycommute as I rode home with a large Halloween #spider - #laterpixel

Day 1495 ⛅ Jamieson surrounds

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:27:30 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; exploring around Jamieson. #laterpixel

Day 1495 ⛅ Jamieson surrounds

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:27:30 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; exploring around Jamieson. #laterpixel

2024/0306/0741 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 07:41:00 +1100

Day 1532 ☀️ trolley audit commute

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 16:58:00 +1100

Still fourteen shopping trolleys along the Djerring trail, a week after I contacted Monash council and pointed out that some of them had been reported a month earlier. They stated that it had been passed on to their cleanup team for action … any month now I guess Clear sky, 31°C, Feels like 29°C, Humidity 22%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1532nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1532 ⛅ post Super-Tuesday commute

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 09:04:00 +1100

The short version of the commute, after sitting for two hours on the Djerring trail counting cyclists for my Super Tuesday volunteering. Lots of joggers, dog walkers, one 2-stroke buzz-bike, one illegal sit-down e-scooter Surprisingly few cyclists this morning, I’m sure it was more on other years. Male/Female/Unknown, Bicycle/ebike/eScooter, travelling in one of twelve directions. Amusingly, one cyclist chose one of the four directions that wasn’t on the sheet – rode in, waited at the train crossing for a while, then did a u-turn and rode off.

Day 1531 ☀️ cruising home

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 16:15:00 +1100

Definitely feeling a little creaky at the end of the day, mind you, the bike’s much lighter today than yesterday. There’s no getting around the weight of a d-lock and it’d be foolish to go touring without one The creek commute, with company half the way as another rider and I seemed to be stopped for by every single red light from Monash to the Scotchmans Creek trail Clear sky, 22°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 43%, Wind 0m/s from ESE - by Klimat.

Day 1531 ⛅ and so to work

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:15:00 +1100

Bike a little dusty, legs a little sore. The morning commute after a biggish weekend. Feels like autumn Few clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 0m/s from E - by Klimat.app My 1531st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1530 ☀️ Strathbogie-man and random piggies

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 07:02:00 +1100

I could have said, “We’re going to Bonnie Doon”, but I’ve never seen The Castle. After the unexpected climb over the Strathbogie range yesterday it loomed a bit like a bogey man towards the end of the day’s ride, so Strathbogie-man it is “Tour de trail” this morning, Mansfield to Bonnie Doon and back with a free muffin and coffee. Then sat around for a while before retracing yesterday’s route to Euroa, had a beer in the pub then a pizza elsewhere, then caught the evening train back to Melbourne

Day 1529 ⛅ a man's man's Mansfield

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 14:07:00 +1100

I guess that was the Strathbogie ridge. Whoa. Nasty last 10km to Merton, than thankfully rail-trail gradients from there to Mansfield The first of my two-day overnight escapes to come up to the Great Victorian Rail Trail for an escape, some riding, and to join an organised ride – the Tour de Trail this weekend. The plan was to catch the train up to Euroa, ride across to Mansfield, stay overnight, ride the Tour de Trail out and back the next morning, then back to Euroa, back on the train and home

A Pacific heron – Donnybrook

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 12:58:00 +1100

A first for the year, a Pacific Heron / White-necked heron seen from the train. Another for the #birdsseenin2024 list

Day 1529 ⛅ surveillance saturday shopping

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 08:01:00 +1100

The ride from home to shps is now covered by at least eight temporary “traffic monitoring” cameras. Guess theyre trying to see who rides on willesden rd to avoid the “cyclists dismount” section through the station. No fish today – I won’t be home to cook it – just bread and hot-cross buns Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1529th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1528 ⛅ commute with no beer

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 16:29:00 +1100

Often it’s a Friday thing, but not today. Home along the scotchmans creek trail with no detours or delays … other than the detour around the wetlands construction. Arborist contractors hard at work mulching up the remnants of yet-another gum tree felled during the week, leaving some absolutely huge rounds of trunk lying around, not sure who is going to lift them! Broken clouds, 26°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 5m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Day 1528 ⛅ autumning to work

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:09:00 +1100

New season, new month. For some stupid reason I thought it was spring, then I remembered that autumn comes after summer. Must be getting old and forgetful Remembered how to get to work. Delighted to see that Monash council has cleared the fallen trees from the Browns Road bike path Broken clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1528th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

one last zucchini remains, ripening up in a race with the drying up and dieing plants

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +1100

Day 1527 ⛅ suburban sojourn

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 16:59:00 +1100

Perusing the map before going for the daily ride I spotted a park down south that had a bike path in it, can’t recall ever having ridden there. Checking on wandrer and indeed I’d never recorded a ride on it, couldn’t even remember what it looks like. Also saw that there were any number of side streets down in that part of the world that I’d not ridden, so off I went …

Very odd, the KML file from Google for yesterday shows only my morning walk, no ride, even though I had my phone with me

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:57:00 +1100

Day 1526 ⛅ windy hot

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 16:51:00 +1100

Forecast today was for catastrophic dangerous hot weather … then it seemed to all be a bit of a damp squib, the morning and early afternoon were cool to warm. Mid afternoon it warmed up a bit, but the cloud cover kept it below 30°C … so of course I didn’t go out for a ride until late, when the clouds had burnt away, the wind picked up to hot dry and gusty, and the temperature was up in the mid to high 30’s

Day 1525 ☀️ new bearings

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 16:53:00 +1100

Annoyingly, the Specialized AWOL has “specialized” bearings in the headset, so when LBS said I needed new bearings, we both then discovered that they’re a special order from Specialized. Ordered some time in early November, they’ve finally come in and were fitted today, so off I went on the creek commute home … here’s to another ten years of going AWOL The weather’s turned back to hot again, from 14°C it was up to 34°C this afternoon!

Day 1525 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 08:05:00 +1100

Happy bicycle seatpost greasing day to all who celebrate (27/2)… and a happy seized seatpost to those such as me who neglected this task Two weeks on from the big storm, bike path along Browns road still completely blocked by fallen trees – seems to be a forgotten part of the cleanup Cool commute, feels that autumn could be on the way, although the forecast for the rest of the week is back up to hot summer days

2024/0227/0111 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 01:11:00 +1100

2024/0226/2319 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 23:19:00 +1100

Day 1524 ⛅ commute home with trolley audit

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 16:39:00 +1100

Double checked my counting, sure enough, 15 trolleys dumped along the Djerring trail between Westminster street and Oakleigh station, some have been there at least a month. There’s also four or five fire extinguishers that appeared over the weekend, much cheaper to dump them than take them to the council waste depot Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1524th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1524 ⛅ commute with shopping trolleys

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:05:00 +1100

Trolleys, trolleys everywhere. There’s two dumped in the builder’s skip in our street, the three at the end of the shopping mall on the #DjerringTrail that have been there a month, another dozen from Hanover street bridge to Regent street – ever since the new container return depot opened in Oxford street the numbers dumped along here are getting ridiculous. If only Coles and Woolworths did something with the reports to trolleytracker, rather than just ignore them….

Day 1523 ⛅ farnarkling about

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 14:14:00 +1100

Followed the railways down to me a Moorabbin music and arts show, then Elster creek downstream almost to the bay. Home via Glen huntly rd and a stop at my favourite gelato shop The music & arts show was a bit of a dud, the venue is a gorgeous old building, but a very ugly location on the corner of the Nepean hwy and South road. Hardly anyone there, the “market” room has five tables of people with their goods, and one other customer.

Day 1522 ⛅ saturday shopping

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 08:11:00 +1100

Usual Saturday morning shopping for bread and fish, only point of note was that I disobeyed the signs and took my bike into the shopping mall with me so I didn’t have to leave it unattended Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1522nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1521 ⛅ home via beer

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 16:31:00 +1100

Commute along Scotchmans Creek trail, detour around Huntingdale Wetlands construction works then through the other half of the wetlands … have the fallen trees been cleared from the path? Yes they have. Now rideable all the way from Forster road to Malvern East with only the scheduled construction work interrupting Then up through Murrumbeena, back to Hughesdale and a pint of ale before getting home Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.

Day 1521 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 08:14:00 +1100

Djerring trail level crossing was closed so on down Carinish road, past the Suburban Rail loop building site and up to the hospital, then rejoin my normal route Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1521st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1520 ⛅ a bit toasty

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 16:29:00 +1100

Amusing, I’ve got a PB on a segment i didn’t ride! Stayed east of the Frankston line but ‘ol segment-matcher thinks i went through the underpass and down the west side. Other segment oddities, the ride summary says I have three “segment events”, one each gold, silver and bronze. The ride details lists the segment I didn’t ride as the gold, another one as the bronze, but has no reference to the silver.

Day 1519 ⛅ two hot loops

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 16:14:00 +1100

Anniversary trail, Ferndale trail, Gardiners Creek trail to start, then back along Scotchmans Creek trail and home through Oakleigh to finish off the figure eight. Glen Iris wetlands drying out and stink like a sewage farm On the homewards section I stopped to photograph a few pieces of political graffiti that have appeared on the local bike paths; all anti-labour govt Few clouds, 34°C, Feels like 33°C, Humidity 31%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.

Read — “Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom”

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1518 ⛅ creek commute with tree bypass

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 17:02:00 +1100

Near optimum route home at the moment, I get to ride along Scotchmans Creek Trail beside the creek and under the trees, but miss all the Yarra-Water works at one end of Huntingdale Wetlands and the not-yet-cleared fallen trees at the other Overcast clouds, 28°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 48%, Wind 5m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1518th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1518 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 08:04:00 +1100

Seriously people, just put the phone down for a few seconds and look up, look where you’re walking, you won’t get anywhere near so many surprises … and if you step straight into the path of a moving vehicle, you won’t get a fright and yelled at Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1518th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1517 ⛅ creek trail clearing

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 16:37:00 +1100

Monash Council has cleared some of the Scotchmans Creek trail so its getting a bit more rideable, still covered in sand, gumnuts, leaves and twigs, but the huge fallen trees are gone … or they are on the council section, the Huntingdale Wetlands is water authority land, and they haven’t started to clear the fallen trees, so that section is still impassable. Minor detour on the way back through Oakleigh to visit our old house which sold on the weekend – I wonder how much for?

Day 1517 ⛅ to work, again

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 08:06:00 +1100

Browns Road bike path still unusable, covered in fallen trees and branches. Luckily I’ve timed it right both Friday and today so I’m coming up here half an hour after the peak in the traffic. Going to be a few weeks before all the debris is gone Yeeha, along the way was nearly collected by an “e-bike” that shot past doing around 35-40km/hr. I can see why some people get grumpy at them, they’re not legal and they’re being ridden like trailbikes

Day 1516 ☀️ out and about

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 14:35:00 +1100

Somewhere a bit different for a weekend afternoon outing, not too far or too long as I’m exhausted after a few hours of furniture shopping. Down to Karkarook lake and a lap around, then follow the – very overgrown – bike path alongside the Dingely Bypass until I could make my way up into Springvale. Why Springvale? Excellent tasty Vietnamese Iced Coffee, I had a hankering! Along the way a minor detour and exploration of a park in Clarinda – it had promise, but didn’t extend far enough for the trails through it to really go anywhere

Day 1515 ⛅ short shopping

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 07:50:00 +1100

Up to the shops for bread and fish, and along the way I discovered a new mural that’s been painted on a large concrete wall between some shops and a council car park – very impressive rendition of Bunjil & Waa Few clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1515th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1514 ⛅ huntingdale wetlands wasteland

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:44:00 +1100

Huge amount of tree cover destroyed, but at least the Scotchmans Creek trail from Forster rrd to Huntingdale rd is passable, after that its a mass of felled trees with scrambled walking gaps forced through the bush. Somewhere under it all is the shared path. Not recommended for a few weeks until the council clears up Broken clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 3m/s from ESE - by Klimat.

Day 1514 ☀️ home2work

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 08:04:00 +1100

First ride along the paths and roads to work since the storm, the roads have all been cleared of fallen trees and branches, but most of it is still piled on footpaths and nature strips for collection. Really noticeable is the number of huge old trees that haven’t blown over, they’ve snapped three or four metres off the ground and are surrounded by shattered branches. The off-road bike path alongside Browns road in Clayton is completely impassable, quite a few trees down and covering it … I wonder how long until Monash council comes and clears it?

2024/0216/0026 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:26:00 +1100

Day 1513 ⛅ karkarook lake loop

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:30:00 +1100

Down south to Karkarook lake and around, not as much storm damage as north of the railway line, but still plenty of trees and branches down – especially along the windbreaks at the east and west sides of the golf courses. One in particular was a huge old pine tree, blown over, whose root ball had pulled up the entire path. Damaged section taped off, with the amount of trees down its not clear how long it’ll be before council get around to clearing it and repairing the path … hopefully sometime before the next storm that does similar damage

A field cricket rescued from in the house

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:55:53 +1100

One of several relocated so far this week. #wildoz #insect #cricket

Day 1512 ⛅ storm damage

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 15:28:00 +1100

An afternoon break while working from home, out and about on the #fixie to see the extent of the storm damage from yesterday. Seemed quite localised to Hughesdale & Oakleigh, branches … and trees … down along the Djerring trail and Scotchmans Creek trail, the former has been cleared, the latter simply closed off to be done later. Boyd park and Gardiners Creek look almost untouched, same with Hedgeley Dene and the streets of Glen Iris, Malvern East, Murrumbeena and Carnegie.

Day 1511 🌧 after the storm

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 16:08:00 +1100

After the storm front came through and dropped 14mm in half an hour or so the temperature dropped, then it cleared a bit, then it was time for a ride around to check out the damage. Whoa, what a lot of damage. Trains are stopped, traffic lights are out, roads are gridlocked, only the bikes are moving. The block of Scotchmans Creek trail from Drummond street to Atkinson street is impassable due to fallen trees, myself and other riders had to walk up through the gardens to the sports oval, then go cross-country to the road

Day 1510 ⛅ hot creek commute

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:13:00 +1100

A high of around 35°C out on the tarmac, then down to high 20’s along the creek in the shade and as wafts of a cool coast breeze started to make themselves felt. Bark and gumnuts crunching under the tyres, too hot for most of the birds to be calling, all mostly quiet. The big construction works of the new crap-trap on the creek in Huntingdale wetlands has finally started so the road detour is in place – complete with a misplaced sign pointing you off in the wrong direction, luckily I know my way so I was ignoring the helpful signs

Day 1510 ☀️ home2work, heating up

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:09:00 +1100

Monday morning, off to work. Tried to get away early enough to ride while it was still cool but circumstances were against me. Made it three-quarters of the way in comfort, but heading up Kanooka grove in Clayton I could tell that the temperature was rising, we’re in for another hot summer day Clear sky, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1510th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1509 ☀️ hot afternoon loop

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 14:04:00 +1100

Why do i always get lost when i try and follow the capital trail once i get to alphington? Crap signage doesn’t help! Tried for the Anniversary trail/Outer Circle trail up and around the city to come back in at Docklands. Blissfully cool on the Anniversary, under trees, through old railway cuttings and under bridges, then out into the heat of exposed paths along high-trafficed roads. Eventually made it, but every time I cross the river I lose the path and ended up guessing and heading vaguely west then rejoining paths.

Day 1508 ☀️ meandering on a fixie

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 16:28:00 +1100

Second of three rides today, I didn’t record the third one – a pre-dinner dash to the bottlo – this was a lazy couple of loops around Glen Iris and Malvern East, parks and side-streets. Too hot for any birds to be stirring in the parks, everything quiet and still, not that many people out either – although I did see a small mouse, or maybe a marsupial one, it raced across the path in Boyd park jumping quite high in the air as it went

Day 1508 ☀️ just shopping

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 07:52:00 +1100

The Saturday morning ritual, shoot up to the shops for fresh bread to have with breakfast and over the weekend, and fish for tonight’s dinner. Swordfish today, and some hot-cross buns for snacks from the bakery Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1508th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1507 ⛅ homewards with spider

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 16:09:00 +1100

Spider? Oh that spider. A work colleague had a few large left-over spiders from Halloween, free to good home. I couldn’t resist so I taped one onto the pizzarack and rode off home … may have got a few strange looks from motorists, but if it made them notice me for once, all the better Few clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app

Day 1507 ⛅ commute with truck

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 08:14:00 +1100

Guess I’ll just wait while the semi-trailer drives through the red light, at a school crossing, while the crossing has a green man and a crossing guard in attendance. Of course the semi driver is on the phone! I’d only taken the medium route to work as I couldn’t be bothered to ride the longer way – down to Clayton and up Browns road. North road crap bike path it was, still crap.

Day 1506 ⛅ afternoon break

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 16:14:00 +1100

Clearing my head while working from home, out for the Gardiners Creek-Ferndale-Anniversary trails loop, with a slight variation coming home. Back up the creek and under Warrigal road, then zig-zag back to get to Oakleigh Scattered clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1506th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1505 ☀️ to see the sea

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 15:20:00 +1100

Down to the bay to see the sea … then back up the Elwood canal to smell that in turn, far less pleasant. Blustery winds, lots of white-caps on the bay, windsurfers and kite-surfers out having fun. Seemed to be a headwind in both directions on the bike I did manage to stumble upon St Kilda Cycles, tucked away around a corner, not sure if I’ve visited them before. Must go back some time when I have a lock so I can lock up my bike and go inside

Day 1504 ☀️ creek commute home

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 17:18:00 +1100

My daily little bit of bushland, off down the Scotchmans Creek trail and all too soon back out in suburban roads of Oakleigh Clear sky, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 39%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1504th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1504 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:03:00 +1100

Yay, the dumped bike in the bike rack at work is finally gone. At least August to now with a “please contact security” sign on it Broken clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1504th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1503 ⛅ commute homewards

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 16:55:00 +1100

Cool and grey and even a few spots of rain, very different to yesterday Through the bushland along the creek, the worksite in the Huntingdale wetlands is growing larger by the day but they haven’t closed the Scotchmans Creek trail … yet. One side track between the creek and the back fences is closed off, it may vanish for good in the rebuilding of the litter trap, I guess we find out in a couple of months once the work is done

Read — “John Carter and the Giant of Mars”

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1503 ⛅ commute to work

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:09:00 +1100

Blissfully cooler after yesterday’s 40°C, even a few spots of rain to try and settle the dust. Starting to think I should do a bit of guerilla gardening down along the Djerring trail and take a pair of secateurs to the blackberries… Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 3m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1503rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1502 ☀️ scotchmans creek eastlink djerring loop

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 09:53:00 +1100

Out mostly before it got too hot, pleasant first leg under the trees along the creek trail, hotter alongside Eastlink then completely exposed on the Djerring coming home. Plenty of other people out walking and riding, trying to beat the heat. Tempted to call in at Springvale for an iced coffee but there was a festival on and people everywhere, looked as though it would have taken way too long to get anything so I passed it by

Day 1501 ☀️ loaves and garfishes

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 07:50:00 +1100

The morning shopping. I’ll make do with the one short ride today, too lazy and its going to be too hot later Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1501st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2024/0203/0105 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 01:05:00 +1100

2024/0203/0104 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 01:04:00 +1100

Day 1500 ☀️ TGIF beer and home

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 16:39:00 +1100

The afternoon creek commute, with a bit extra out to Malvern East and home via a beer. Something very odd happened on the way up Gardiners road though, at every single side-road and driveway crossing the bike path, drivers stopped at the give way sign. Can’t remember when that last happened The beer was cold and enjoyable Clear sky, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.

Day 1500 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:03:00 +1100

Giant can headphones over the ears, eyes glued on the phone held at chest height, blindly walking straight onto the shared path half-way around a corner. Try that on a road Mr Pedestrian and you’ll be going to hospital, luckily I managed to stop so all that happened was both of us got a scare Anyway, enough of that. Woohoo, 1500 days in a row riding my bike! My rules, my results, beat that!

Day 1499 ☀️ Noble Park return

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 17:27:00 +1100

There and back, a lovely straight line on the map. Blackberries are getting a bit of a problem along the Djerring Trail – the path is maintained by the council(s), but the blackberries encroach from VicTrack land and VicTrack refuse to ever do any clearing of noxious weeds. Result seems to be that any mowing that takes place chops off lengths of blackberry canes, which then dry out and form even more of a puncture hazard

2024/0201/0400 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 04:00:00 +1100

Day 1498 ⛅ lap of africa

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 17:31:00 +1100

Still not as good as the week at Bright and Jamieson, but better than yesterday. Around the Africa-shaped loop of Gardiners Creek trail, Ferndale trail and the Anniversary trail, then home via Carnegie. Astoundingly, no cars parked in the “no stopping” zone by the shops Few clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 3m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1498th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

I keep hearing them, but this morning I finally saw a Grey Butcherbird[1] for the first time this year

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:15:00 +1100

Time to update my #birdsseenin2024 list. [1] Grey Butcherbird - Galbally Reserve, Hughesdale

Day 1497 ☀️ bay breezes

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 16:06:00 +1100

Bland, boring and breezy. Bit of a cool wind off the bay, temperature down on my last few days riding. An uninteresting local loop after a week away in the high country. The connecting bike path between Neerim Road and Leamington Crescent still hasn’t been completed. One unnecessary piece of excitement when an idiot on the phone threw the door open in my path – parade ground voice made him reconsider his life choices

home from a week of camping, three whopper zucchini to pick and one more tomorrow

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +1100

Day 1496 ☀️ Jamieson tracks

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 13:45:00 +1100

Perusing the map of the local area I’d looked at all the dirt roads and tracks and decided on a bit of a challenge. How about this one, seems to make a reasonable shortish loop, and I thought that it it goes wrong, reversing back out would be easy enough More hike than bike on much of the climb. Steep rocky fire track up to the ridge, nearly flat at the top, medium to steep descent … with one section of what looked to be 45° down, eroded and rocky, nearly unwalkable let alone walk and lower a bike down it.

Day 1495 ⛅ Jamieson surrounds

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 17:22:00 +1100

Eleven years ago we spent a few days in Jamieson and enjoyed it, so this year we came here for two days after the annual camping trip to Bright. Afternoon ride covered most of the streets of town, although I managed to miss one or two, then out of town to the east. Turned off onto a gravel track and went up … then steeply up … then got off and walked.

Birds seen [2024-01-27 Sat]-[2024-01-29 Mon] at Bright & Jamieson, Vic

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 18:47:00 +1100

Some more first sightings of the year for the #birdsseenin2024 list White-winged chough – Bright Blue-faced honeyeater – Bright White-browed scrubwren – Jamieson Silvereye – Jamieson Grey fantail –Jamieson

Day 1494 ☀️ wandi apples

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 14:40:00 +1100

Out to Nightingale bros. along the bike path for an afternoon group ride & cider, then back to Bright for a beer at the brewery with friends Clear sky, 26°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 21%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1494th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

2024/0127/0715 – Adrian, here is your link to sign in to LinkedIn

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 07:15:00 +1100

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Day 1493 ⛅ Myrtleford rail trail return

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 10:10:00 +1100

There’s a saying that “if its not on Strava, it didn’t happen” and apparently, despite me knowing that I’ve ridden between Myrtleford and Bright in the past, it must have been pre-2005 and pre-Garmin as there’s no tracks in my accumulation of GPX files. Opportunity to fix that this morning when a group of friends announced that they were riding to Myrtleford … or the berry farm, or perhaps the berry farm and then Myrtleford.

Day 1492 🌧 berry farm in the rain

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 14:40:00 +1100

An afternoon family ride after a morning of weather most uncharacteristic for Bright in the middle of summer. We had rain and drizzle and cool weather all day, it eventually cleared up enough for a ride – out along the railtrail back to Eurobin to the berry farm where we had the place to ourselves. Between the three of us an icecream, a berry cup, an iced coffee, then watched as one other family drove in, stayed a while then left as the rain started again.

Light drizzle overnight then rain all morning

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 11:24:00 +1100

The tent leaked onto my sleeping bag and shorts, ironically, the only dry shorts I now have are my bathers

Birds seen [2024-01-24 Wed]; driving Melbourne to Bright, then cycling to Wandiligong

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:58:00 +1100

Some first sightings of the year, more for the #birdsseenin2024 list Wedge-tailed Eagle – Hume highway, Craigeburn Black-faced Cuckooshrike – Hume highway, Euroa Red-browed finch – Wandiligong Satin bowerbird (f) – Bright Gang-Gang Cockatoo – Bright

Day 1491 ☀️ wandi bridge

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 17:54:00 +1100

Squeezing in a ride in the late afternoon after setting up the tent. Warm and sweaty, roll out along the bike track to Wandiligong and visit the historic Chinese bridge. Bike track is looking a bit worse for wear, tree roots have broken up the surface in a few places and it could do with some maintenance. Kangaroos and galahs in the Bright cemetery as I meandered back to the campground

Read — “Llana of Gathol”

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1490 ⛅ morning shorty

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 07:54:00 +1100

It’s going to be a busy day so best squeeze the ride in straight after breakfast, jump on the #fixie for a spin up to Caulfield, down to Neerim road to see if the bike path part of the railway works is complete – still no – then up Queens parade to check on the protests about the proposal to cut down every single tree in order to build the other bit of bike path.

Day 1489 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 17:04:00 +1100

Home, my standard afternoon commute. Bike path north, dodging the drivers crossing, then Scotchmans Creek trail downstream to Oakleigh; Atkinson St, Drummond St, Chester St and a few more then home Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1489th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1489 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 08:12:00 +1100

Off to work, down to Clayton, up to Monash Uni Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1489th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1488 ⛅ windy Ferndale Sunday

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 16:20:00 +1100

Windy, late heading out, tired. Around we go, up the Anniversary trail and down the Ferndale trail, then poke about the Glen Iris wetlands and back through Hedgely Dene, a laneway, and the Djerring trail from Caulfield Our local Blue tongued lizard was out sunning itself as I came back through Galbally reserve Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1488th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Some huge bangs as we were woken by fireworks set off from very nearby, roman candles from the railway crossing

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 01:30:00 +1100

Blue tongue on the Djerring trail.

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 12:05:38 +1100

Spread out sunning itself. Galbally reserve, Hughesdale. #reptile #lizard #skink #wildoz

Day 1487 ⛅ shopping

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 07:57:00 +1100

Saturday morning shopping, aha, the bakery is open after their holiday. Bread, fish, home for breakfast Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1487th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1486 ⛅ creek commute

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 17:16:00 +1100

Friday afternoon commute home, as usual for a home commute it is north to the creek then along Scotchmans Creek trail. As usual for a Friday there’s a bit extra where I keep going to Malvern East and come up along Darling road then through Murrumbeena Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1486th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

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Fri, 19 Jan 2024 11:43:00 +1100

Day 1486 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 08:20:00 +1100

Cloudy and dull, wet paths from recent rains. About quarter of an hour later than my usual departure due to school-holiday laziness Down along the Djerring trail to Clayton, up through the suburb to Monash Uni. Two points of interest, a Metro engineer in his hi-vis standing in the path down near Huntingdale station where it always floods, examining the lay of the land – he confirmed he was looking at the flooding, maybe https://www.

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Fri, 19 Jan 2024 01:43:00 +1100

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Day 1485 ⛅ longest laneway

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 17:08:00 +1100

Meandering around after work, not fully enthused for the ride. It seemed to coincide with dog-walking o’clock as there were people coming out all over the place to walk their dogs, and as I passed through Ardrie park it was dog central. Along the way I found one of {{{locality(Malvern East}}}}’s long north-south laneways, now concreted, but with traces of the old bluestone in places. I’ve probably ridden it before, but went end to end just to be sure

Day 1484 ⛅ suburban shimmying

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:17:00 +1100

Afternoon outing while working from home, the Rosstown Rail-trail/Djerring trail triangle, but with a whole lot of back and forth zig-zaggy bits colouring in some roads I’ve never ridden before. I’ve still managed to miss a few in Murrumbeena and Carnegie, one day I’ll collect the full set Overcast clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1484th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1483 ☀️ warm home

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 17:05:00 +1100

Home along the creek, and a bit extra out to Malvern East then back on the Djerring trail. A proper warm summery ride Clear sky, 32°C, Feels like 32°C, Humidity 40%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1483rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1483 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 08:05:00 +1100

It rained overnight, so the bike path is flooded again. Councils wouldn’t dream of building roads that flood every time it rains, but with bike infrastructure its just accepted Another day, another near miss with a Clayton motorist ignoring a Give Way sign. I thought he was slowing to stop, nah, just so he didn’t hit the bump too hard up over the bike path. Emergency brakes, loud shout, a dismissive apologetic wave and the ubiquitous “Ah sorry so sorry” as he drives off, bewildered at what happened

A big thunderstorm woke me up, lots of lightning and thunder

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 01:50:00 +1100

Day 1482 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 17:08:00 +1100

Surprise surprise, riding north up the bike path alongside Gardiner road and I get to watch two cyclists heading south … thankfully not on my side of the path, they’re in the bike lane … except they’re in the wrong bike lane and are riding head-on at the peak-hour traffic leaving Monash Uni. Thankfully there’s no other poor riders trying to use the bike lane and ride in it legally!

Day 1482 ⛅ on the left in Australia

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 08:06:00 +1100

Riding, walking, driving, it sure would help if the residents of Clayton would remember … or learn … to drive on the left, to ride on the left, to walk on the left and not down the middle of the path then do the indecisive leaping dance. The scariest ones are the drivers, cutting a right-hand corner the wrong way, or going the wrong way around the mini roundabouts to turn right.

Bugger! Snapped the key in the sliding door – the door that's never been easy to close

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 21:30:00 +1100

The big sliding door installed in the renovations has never been easy to lock from inside, and for the past week or two I’ve ended up going outside, pushing it in against the frame and locking it, then running around and coming back in the front. Of course tonight the back deck is wet with paint so I tried from inside … and snapped the key

Day 1481 ⛅ bluestone rehab

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 15:08:00 +1100

Late afternoon outing after some tiring domestic duties, felt very slow and weary. Off to the west, Djerring trail to Caulfield and on down Inkerman street, then south and south-east through Ripponlea. Found a few tempting #bluestone lanes and cautiously rode through them – testing how my shoulder feels and how my riding on non-smooth surfaces is. Still not great, and hitting bumps when I’m not expecting them is a bit painful.

Day 1480 ⛅ loaves and fishes

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 07:45:00 +1100

Up to the shops for the morning bread and the evening fish, with some minor detour near home to circle about and grab the neighbour’s basket ball hoop that some miscreant yoof had hauled out of his garden and dragged off up the street Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1480th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

tada! The zucchini harvest has commenced. First three picked this evening

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 19:30:00 +1100

Day 1479 ⛅ kommutenbier

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 17:13:00 +1100

Commute home after my first day of work at work this year, a hot afternoon. Scotchmans Creek trail to Malvern East, then south to the Djerring trail and home … calling in for a beer with Baron P. Oath Scattered clouds, 33°C, Feels like 34°C, Humidity 43%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1479th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

Day 1479 ⛅ first 2024 ride2work

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:28:00 +1100

First bike commute since my crash on November 18, although I did ride through the campus yesterday. Left home late, avoided the last of the bike-path flood-puddles left from earlier in the week, said hello to another commuter on her way in to campus. Same place, same route Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1479th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of ‘21, ‘22, ‘23 and 2024 so far…

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Fri, 12 Jan 2024 03:19:00 +1100

Day 1478 ☀️ triangulation

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 17:00:00 +1100

A full triangular lap of my normal commute route. First time riding to, and through, Monash University since mid-November. Nothing much has changed along the way, still get drivers queue up blocking the contra-flow bike lane on Dandenong road, and queue up blocking the bike path crossing of Browns road. Stopped at the end of Huntingdale wetlands to take a photo of the warning sign that’s annoyed me since it was installed – the eastern sign warning of “vehicles on path” is off the path, but for reasons unknown the western one is right in the middle of the path.

Read — “A Rising Thunder”

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

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Wed, 10 Jan 2024 16:19:00 +1100

Day 1477 ⛅ leafy green and icecream

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 15:49:00 +1100

West towards the bay, then a few zig-zags exploring streets around Ripponlea & Elsternwick, finding some amazingly large houses and interesting bits of architecture. Called in for a gelato after squeezing my way through one of the narrowest bits of laneway I’ve come across – two lanes that meet slightly offset, and a chainlink fence blocking drivers from going through, but with a gap between fence and wall only just wide enough for my handlebars

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Wed, 10 Jan 2024 14:38:00 +1100

Long-billed Corella (Cacatua tenuirostris) scoffing quinces

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 10:27:45 +1100

On my morning walk, in someone’s backyard, Hughesdale, Vic. #wildoz #birds #cockatoo #australianbirds

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Wed, 10 Jan 2024 10:27:00 +1100

Day 1476 ☀️ sunny afternoon after work

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 17:01:00 +1100

Revisiting old favourites, seems to be ages since I rode up the Anniversary trail and down the Ferndale trail to Glen Iris wetlands. Hot and sunny, stopped along the way to take a photo in Ashburton where one of the cafes now has their outdoor tables half across the bike path, that together with two “Cyclists Must Dismount” signs, a council bin in the middle of the path, and no road crossing would all give you a hint that maybe the council really isn’t that interested in having a useful and rideable path

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Tue, 09 Jan 2024 11:21:00 +1100

Day 1475 ⛅ wet wet wet

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 17:09:00 +1100

Another day of near constant rain, somewhere around 15mm so far since 9am. Damp sandals back on for another brief roll around on the #fixie when it eased up to a gentle mist some time around 5pm. Everything wet, pools of water everywhere, nearly had the entire paths and parks to myself Malvern East Urban Forest so quiet and wet that I came around a curve and surprised a heron that was paddling along the bike path feeding in the water – which also says something about the quality of the path drainage.

Day 1474 🌧 a warm wet one

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 14:09:00 +1100

Foolishly I didn’t go for a ride this morning, so once it started raining around lunchtime and continued solidly all afternoon there was nothing for it except to go out and get wet. Sandals, thin jersey, single speed and off we go… up along the Djerring Trail to Caulfield, and follow the Frankston line down to Neerim road to see if the bike path has finally been built. It sort of has, I think the fence is meant to still close it off, but miscreants have pushed the fence and gates aside so you can ride through.

Not a bee, a wasp pauses in the garden

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 17:19:18 +1100

Hughesdale, Vic. #wildoz #insect

Hidden motionless, Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) watching me

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 17:17:54 +1100

Urban Forest, Malvern East, Vic. #wildoz #birds #australianbirds

Birds for [2024-01-06 Sat], two birds, one park

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 15:02:00 +1100

Around to Boyd park where I was pretty sure I could add one to my #birdsseenin2024 list Tawny frogmouth Musk lorikeet

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Sat, 06 Jan 2024 10:11:00 +1100

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Day 1473 ⛅ bread and fish

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 08:18:00 +1100

After the long hot ride yesterday I’ll be content with a short trundle up to the shops today. One slight added difficulty was that my usual bakery was shut, then the next bakery was shut, so had to loop around and return to the bakery that’s almost next door to the fish shop I’d first stopped at. Two kilometres, that’ll do Broken clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.

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Fri, 05 Jan 2024 19:46:00 +1100

Birds in [2024-01-05 Fri], riding down to Carrum

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 16:07:00 +1100

I think these are the new ones for the year for my #birdsseenin2024 list Pelican Darter Little black cormorant

Day 1472 ⛅ hot experimental loop

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 14:46:00 +1100

Went out for a longer ride today, longest since my crash. First bit was the easy bit, Djerring trail to Yarraman, then down the Eastlink trail and Dandenong Creek trail to the bay. The Bangholme poo farm was particularly redolent in the sun today Tried to come back roughly following a route I’d seen a Strava contact use, crossed with whatever Google Maps seemed to come up with – although that was a bit of a mixed bag.

Australian King-parrot (Alisterus scapularis) on the balcony, Lorne, Vic.

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:45:55 +1100

Hardly saw any in the week we were there, then two appeared on the last morning, the adult male strikingly bright against the sea mist that was blowing in. (Gadabunud land)

Large shiny native #cockroach on the balcony, Lorne, Vic

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:39:09 +1100

Off to https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/195783485 for ID #wildoz #invertebrates

An #echidna at Sheoak falls track, Vic., AU

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:32:45 +1100

The benefits of quiet bushwalking and paying attention, this one quietly trundled out of the undergrowth and was hunting for food less than 1m from my feet. #wildoz

Gang-gang cocky feeding in a bush

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:29:25 +1100

One of my favourite #birds, a small quiet #cockatoo with a voice like a creaky door. Not the best photo, cropped & zoomed #cameraphone. #wildoz #australianbirds

Rosy Hyacinth Orchid in the bush

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 22:02:29 +1100

Rosy Hyacinth Orchid (Dipodium roseum) in bushland near the Erskine River, Lorne, Vic. #wildoz

Kookaburra on the balcony wanting a feed

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 21:52:00 +1100

Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), Lorne, Vic. #wildoz #birds #australianbirds

Birds seen on [2024-01-04 Thu], Karkarook lake ride

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 14:50:00 +1100

Another jotted down list of the birds I saw today, seeing how many new ones for the year I can find for my #birdsseenin2024 list Common bronzewing Coot Grebe Black Swan Willie wagtail Goldfinch Straw-necked ibis White ibis

Day 1471 ⛅ karkarook and clayton

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 14:28:00 +1100

Time for a little more of a local ride today, I decided to go down to Karkarook lake and back up through the parks in Clayton, seeing what wildlife I could see. Surprise find was a pair of Black swans on a nest, not sure if I can remember seeing them here at the lake before Overcast clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.

Day 1470 ⛅ humid Melbourne loop

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 17:07:00 +1100

Holiday plans thwarted, we returned to Melbourne this afternoon so today’s ride was back over home territory. A very warm and tropical feel, water everywhere from the storms, puddles and washed rubbish on the paths, all the bush along the creek smelling strongly. Scotchmans creek and Gardiners creek trails downstream as far as Glen Iris wetlands, then home up through Carnegie and the Djerring trail – with all the inherent hazards of the illegally parked cars all along Koornang road

Birds seen [2024-01-03 Wed], Lorne to Melbourne

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 14:27:00 +1100

Here we go, birds on the home from Lorne to home for my first sightings of the year for the #birdsseenin2024 list Little corella King parrot White-faced heron Letter-winged kite Brown falcon Myna Pigeon – Lara Starling – Werribee Peewee Rainbow lorikeet – Hughesdale Chestnut teal – Glen Iris Pukeko – Glen Iris Turtle dove – Hughesdale

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Day 1469 🌧 echidna and thunderstorm

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 14:04:00 +1100

Around to Sheoak Creek with the teenager for a small bush walk, leaving the covid patient home in bed. We took the d-lock but forgot the keys. Tied the lock convincingly around the bikes and went on a short walk anyway, then headed back as a few drops of rain announced the arrival of the showers. Gradually wetter back to Lorne and a few mutterings of thunder. One echidna on the bushwalk, one smol ded snek on the road

Day 1468 ⛅ FROTY cathedrals and back

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 13:13:00 +1100

A short ride again, this time for my FROTY – First Ride of the Year. Off out of Lorne along the Great Ocean Road towards Aireys Inlet, but only 5km or so before turning around and coming back. Turnaround spot is the Cathedral Rock/Cathedral Rocks/Cathedrals surf spot, although the road sign naming it disappeared a few years ago leaving two rusty steel poles in its place. On the way back I tried to stop at all the safety markers for a photo; 114W, 115W, 116W, 117W, 118W and over the Erskine at the swing-bridge for 120W.

2024 Rainfall

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 1.5 10.0 2 67.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 3 22.0 1.5 4 5 0.5 6 2.5 15.0 7 10.0 1.0 1.5 2.0 8 32.0 4.0 0.5 9 27.0 29.0 13.5 5.0 10 1.0 14.0 13.5 11 3.5 2.5 9.5 12 4.5 9.0 8.0 6.0 13 2.0 1.0 3.0 1.5 14 1.0 13.0 4.0 2.5 8.0 7.0 15 0.

Birds Seen in 2024

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In the last two or three days of 2023 I saw a few posts on twitter tagged #BirdsSeenIn2023, together with injunctions to get your last sightings in, together with some lighthearted competition between birders in various countries to get the highest number of species seen in a given country. Then of course on New Years Day the first of the #BirdsSeenIn2024 posts appear – and being at Lorne where there’s always lots of birdlife had me quickly jot down my own list, about ten by the time I’d finished breakfast without leaving the house and almost getting to twenty species by lunchtime

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Mon, 01 Jan 2024 04:45:00 +1100

Day 1467 ⛅ LROTY Lorne ice cream

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 14:39:00 +1100

Out to St George river, back through town and off along the Bert Alsop track by the beach, up to the Reedy creek lilly ponds then into town for a gelato. With spouse in bed with COVID, it was teenager and self out for the #LROTY Few clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 4m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1467th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1466 ⛅ Mt Defiance return

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 14:29:00 +1100

Rough seas and a strong cold onshore breeze, really felt it at some of the headlands I’ve just about run out of options, today is much the same ride as yesterday, just a bit further. On from Cumberland river up around the headlands to the Mt Defiance lookout and read about Buckley, then back the same way Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 6m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Day 1464 ⛅ Lorne GOR shorty

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 20:29:39 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; 5km either side of Lorne on the #GOR – Cathedrals to St George river, carefully, due to injury

Day 1465 ⛅ GOR Cumberland return

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:53:00 +1100

Ride options leaving Lorne are limited when recovering from injury, the GOR north or south, or up either of the Deans Marsh road or Erskine Falls road. My shoulder won’t agree with the climbing of the last two, and the holiday traffic heading in to town ruled out the first, so off to the south it was. Off as far as the Cumberland river then a brief explore through the campground to the start of the walking track, taking a look at how high the flood waters from a few days ago had come

Day 1464 ⛅ Lorne GOR shorty

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 14:05:00 +1100

After a few logistical difficulties around getting the heavyweight AWOL on and off the roof rack, here we in Lorne for a week. This afternoon I headed out tentatively for a shortish ride; 5km out of town one way, then back through and out the other. Cathedral rocks to the north-east, around to the St George river to the south. Bumper-to-bumper traffic crawling in to town, an endless traffic jam from the tourist information centre out to the 117W marker, so roughly 3km of stationary or crawling cars – amusing enough to pass when heading in the opposite direction, slightly more hair-raising on the way back riding down their left-hand side, especially as quarter of the drivers seem to be on the phone, either calling or videoing through the windows

Day 1463 ⛅ djerring south-east to CLA

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 11:53:00 +1100

Second day back riding outside, this time down to Clayton and the COVID 5km limit then back home again. Taking it easy, avoiding any lumpy bumpy bits Overcast clouds, 23°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1463rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/1227/0919 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 09:19:00 +1100

Day 1462 🌧 on the road again

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 17:13:17 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; four years and a day riding every day in between. Boxing day 2019 and still going. First road ride since my injury

Day 1462 🌧 on the road again

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 14:29:00 +1100

Took myself off for a gentle first real ride since my stack, shoulder a bit achy on any bumps, but overall ok. Grey and drizzly, a few people out taking their christmas presents for a first ride but overall very quiet. Getting wet but being outside beats time on a stationary bike any day! Moderate rain, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 0m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1462nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Another one bites the dust … Golden Groceries has closed, a favourite old-style Chinese grocery shop

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 12:30:00 +1100

Over the years gradually everything in Oakleigh seems to be closing, leaving only the new-style Greek cafes. How long before it is solely a Greek-style theme park of a shopping centre?

2023/1225/0940 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 09:40:00 +1100

Day 1461 - four calendar years straight

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 09:31:00 +1100

Boxing Day 2019 and i went for a ride … then every day since, rain, hail or separated AC joint. Four years in a row. How silly is that. Amazing support from my family, despite the periodic joking questions of “How about you have a day off today” we’ve somehow managed to squeeze in time and space for a ride every day, anywhere and everywhere My 1461st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

676439 is your Facebook account recovery code

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 04:34:00 +1100

Hi Adrian, We received a request to reset your Facebook password. Enter the following password reset code: 676439

Day 1460 injury recovery 5wk1dy

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 15:47:00 +1100

Christmas eve, yet another half hour on the trainer My 1460th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1459 five weeks post injury

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 17:22:00 +1100

Right then, one week to go and I’m back to 100% … isn’t that how it works? Ugh, this may take some time My 1459th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/1223/0903 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x3)

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 09:03:00 +1100

Day 1458 injury recovery 4wk6dy

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:15:00 +1100

Oof, hard work after lots of walking about shopping trips Minimum acceptable ride, just on thirty minutes and not too much effort My 1458th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

483683 is your Facebook account recovery code

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 07:27:00 +1100

Hi Adrian, We received a request to reset your Facebook password. Enter the following password reset code: 483683

Day 1457 injury recovery 4wk5dy

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 16:50:00 +1100

Another half hour on the bike, and another three twenty minute podcasts at 1.4x speed – the only way to listen to American technical speakers My 1457th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/1221/0738 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 07:38:00 +1100

Day 1456 injury recovery 4wk4dy

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 17:15:00 +1100

The physio nods and smiles and says carry on My 1456th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1455 injury recovery 4wk3dy

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 17:16:00 +1100

Meh. Heart is not in it today, but I dragged myself out anyway. So it goes … and goes … and goes Another cooler day today, thankfully fewer mosquitoes around My 1455th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Human League – Empire State Human playing on the radio

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +1100

I haven’t heard that for decades, it used to be on one of my favourite mix tapes back when I was a teenager – possibly still is on one of my tapes in yet another box squirrelled away around the house

Tiny #spider on the wall

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 17:57:31 +1100

Exploring the garden, seeing what i can find #wildoz #spider

Day 1454 injury recovery 4wk2dy

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 16:50:00 +1100

Humidity and mosquitoes and podcasts and plums A little bit over half an hour today, I can’t be bothered going for an hour, but I’ll wait until the podcast ends My 1454th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/1217/2020 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 20:20:00 +1100

Day 1453 injury recovery 4wk1dy

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 16:31:00 +1100

Struggling through, spinning along. Watching the vege garden grow My 1453rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1452 post injury week four

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 10:51:46 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; four weeks restricted to the trainer so far, one heritage rail special over the back fence

Day 1452 post injury week four

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 16:48:00 +1100

After being able to ride with my hands on the bars yesterday, today I was back to sitting upright and holding the door frame – a bad experience sleeping last night stretched my shoulder the wrong way and has made everything ache all day. Another half hour; the plums have almost finished raining down on the shed, the zucchini plants are getting bigger, a few tomatoes are plumping up I did get to watch the Steamrail Victoria Christmas special go past, all the heritage carriages decorated in tinsel and people waving and shouting out the windows

picked 1.5kg of plums to make a batch of plum sauce – that's almost the end of this year's crop

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 12:15:00 +1100

2023/1216/0118 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 01:18:00 +1100

2023/1216/0117 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 01:17:00 +1100

2023/1216/0116 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 01:16:00 +1100

2023/1216/0115 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 01:15:00 +1100

Day 1451 injury recovery 3wk6dy

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:39:00 +1100

I’d much rather get my daily riding by commuting back and forth to work, its a real drag heading home on the bus on a Friday and thinking that the trainer awaits. Oh well, at least I seem to be able to rest my hands on the bars now, for most of the past few weeks I’ve had to sit up and hang on the door frame with my right hand, today I managed to spend most of the half hour with hands on top of the bars and my shoulder not complaining

Day 1450 injury recovery 3wk5dy

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 16:43:00 +1100

Another half hour, really not finding this at all interesting and only carrying on because I’ve ridden so many days in a row. Getting so very tempted to make it through to Boxing day then call it quits – that’ll make it four calendar years, 1460 days, since I started this rather silly challenge to myself. Although by the time I get to Boxing day it’ll nearly be into the new year and very close to me being allowed to ride my bike proper… so we shall see

2023/1214/1001 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 10:01:00 +1100

2023/1214/0800 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 08:00:00 +1100

2023/1214/0618 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 06:18:00 +1100

Day 1449 summer trainer fun

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 17:20:00 +1100

Another hot and sweaty half hour staring at the vege garden and plum tree and listening to the podcasts. The occasional glimpse of someone walking or riding past on the bike path adds interest, the sticky little flies do not My 1449th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

QOTD: "Can't wait till ‘curl | sudo bash‘ gets replaced with ‘chatgpt | sudo bash‘"

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:59:00 +1100

Day 1448 a sweaty mess

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 17:46:00 +1100

Yeesh, very hot and sweaty on the trainer today. Another half an hour, another three podcasts. I even caught and relocated yesterday’s redback so i don’t have to be quite so paranoid about checking my shoes before i hop on My 1448th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

woke up early and lying in the dark I could hear the leathery flap-flap-flap as some fruit bats flew away from the plum tree in the front garden

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 04:00:00 +1100

Red-back in the shed, careful everyone!

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 20:42:52 +1100

#wildoz #spider

Day 1447 spinning with the spider

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 17:37:00 +1100

Shed spider says hello and would i like to be quiet and stop disturbing her. I think I’m glad I found her as I was putting the trainer away, although I will pay more attention to checking inside my riding shoes before putting them on, just in case she decides to setup house in them My 1447th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

QOTD: Surveillance is not security. Surveillance is not safety

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 12:03:00 +1100

via The Crux, #72, https://pivotnine.com/newsletter/

Day 1446, injury plus three weeks, one day

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 14:20:00 +1100

Half way to the date the physio says I might be able to go out for a real ride, will I survive? Another half hour of podcasts and watching passersby pass by over the fence My 1446th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1445 three weeks, podcasts and precipitation

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 16:05:00 +1100

A rainy half hour with the front wheel and handlebars out in wet and the rest of me and the bike indoors so I can hang on the door frame. Not sure if its the temperature, rain or murphy’s finger of god, but today neither speed nor cadence sensors worked, although the Garmin head unit did say it connected to them. Perhaps more battery stuffing about is required My 1445th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1444 post beer trainer

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 18:29:00 +1100

Definitely not recommended, half an hour on the trainer at the end of a 34°C day after enjoying a cold pint on the way home from work. Entirely the wrong order Even managed to wear entirely the wrong jersey, i thought the three-quarter zip would let me remove it over the injured shoulder, but afrer getting it sweaty had to call for assistance from the family to re.ove it! My 1444th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Read — “Saint Peter's Fair”

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1443 injury plus 2wk5dy

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 17:38:00 +1100

Dragged myself out to the trainer for half an hour after a mid-afternoon work Christmas function and a later afternoon nap My 1443rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/1207/1052 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 10:52:00 +1100

Day 1442 injury plus 2wk4dy

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 17:23:00 +1100

Half an hour, half an hour, half an hour onward. All on the trainer in the shed, rode the sick grumbler With apologies to Tennyson Bit cooler than yesterday, fewer flies, same view. More plums fallen off the plum tree so there’s a distinct smell of fermenting fruit My 1442nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/1205/2034 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:34:00 +1100

Day 1441 injury plus 2wk3dy

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 17:22:00 +1100

30 minutes, 3 podcasts, several annoying flies that wouldn’t leave me alone and a wheel speed sensor that still refuses to work My 1441st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1440 injury plus 2wk2dy

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:40:00 +1100

First day back in the office since my crash, no bike commute for the first time in years, although I did avoid bus and train by getting a lift there and back. No incidental riding as a result, so a mandatory session on the trainer after I got home from work. Sweaty again, but at least I’m getting through the podcasts My 1440th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1439 injury plus 2wk1dy

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 15:08:00 +1100

The plums are nearly ripe, the cadence/speed sensor mostly worked … then only cadence for the last ten minutes My 1439th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1438 wk2 post injury

Sat, 02 Dec 2023 16:07:00 +1100

A rainy three podcasts-worth on the trainer in the shed. For the second day of summer the weather looks and feels like winter, so for once I’m not that unhappy about not going outside for a ride. Cadence/speed sensor has given up again, or maybe it wants a weekly new battery… My 1438th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1437 injury plus 1wk6dy

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 17:04:00 +1100

Ride. Pedal. Watch the zucchini plants grow. Repeat My 1437th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1436 injury plus 1wk5dy

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 16:28:00 +1100

Lets see what sensors we have today shall we – heartrate … eventually. Fiddle fiddle… cadence, aha! Ride ride ride, pedal pedal, hmm, why is speed a whole 3km/hr? Fiddle fiddle fiddle. Tada! Cadence and a reasonable looking speed. Ride ride ride, pedal pedal pedal. Done. still seems that the heartrate strap is measuring my heartrate all the time, but respiration only some of the time – I do not understand.

Read — “The Shadow of the Wind”

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1435 injury plus 1wk4dy

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:59:00 +1100

Oh surprise surprise, the cadence/speed sensor has stopped working againh. Oh well, that was almost a whole week without having to fiddle with it or change tbe bsttery A rainy half hour, not rainy on the trainer though My 1435th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1434 injury plus 1wk3dy

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 17:21:00 +1100

28 minutes and 28 seconds for the 28th of November. Oh well, I must take my entertainment where I find it. Another half hour hanging on the door frame listening to podcasts and watching the zucchini grow in the vege garden. One week and one day post injury, when I asked during a doctor visit this morning I was told “after six weeks we’ll see if riding is advisable” – so that’s not until 2024 as far as I can tell

2023/1127/2212 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:12:00 +1100

Day 1433 nine post injury

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 17:16:00 +1100

Nine days in a row on the trainer so far… and I suspect a lot more to come. Off to the fracture clinic tomorrow to find out how my shoulder & ribs are healing and ask them when I can expect to be allowed back on the bike For anyone looking at the graphs, that interesting notch there in the heatrate, cadence and speed would be where I took my fleece vest off and oh-so-carelessly lowered it into the rear wheel.

openphoto ... closed

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

I finally closed off a long-standing item in my todo list, what to do about my OpenPhoto instance at openphoto.ajft.org? I think I’d decided back in May to get rid of it – openphoto – but then not followed through and digging through and finding various embedded images and updating them to other locations Well its done now, the photo references changed to link to ones in my flickr account, the S3 storage deleted, the AWS image destroyed, and the DNS CNAME deleted.

Day 1432 are we having fun yet

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 16:30:00 +1100

Spin spin spin, no mozzies today which is a big improvement. All the magical measuring devices decided to play along nicely, so here’s a heartrate, a cadence, speed, temperature and respiration rate. Oddly, the last one was missing yesterday, although the heartrate sensor was working and measure my HR – not sure I understand how it can do one and fail to do the other My 1432nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1431 more of the same

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 16:10:00 +1100

Podcasts and pedalling, 25 minutes for the 25th of November. Not a lot but enough yo make me sweat and hopefully keep me a little bit fit and a little bit sane My 1431st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

13mm of rain overnight, the lawn needs a mow and my arm is in a sling… not today

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 13:30:00 +1100

Dat 1430 ave a heart guv

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 16:33:00 +1100

Yay, we seem to have an HR sensor… boo, something seems to be playing up with the speed/cadence sensor – perhaps there’s only a finite number of sensors allowed to work at once in the world. It is measuring cadence, but gave up on speed Me and the mosquitoes, a very humid spin on the trainer My 1430th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/1124/0051 – Reset your password

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 00:51:00 +1100

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Day 1429 pedals and podcast

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 15:29:00 +1100

We have speed and we have cadence, so a light spin while listening to a podcast and making time pass. Perhaps for tomorrow I should wind up the pressure on the wheel My 1429th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1425 not dead yet

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 12:53:41 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; twenty minutes on the trainer, arm In a sling, other hand hanging on the door frame

Day 1424 ☀️ crashed out

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:41:17 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; an enjoyable lap of the lake and roll around until I caught a wheel in a trench, came off and gave myself concussion, a separated AC joint, a couple of broken ribs and some grazes

Day 1428 sweaty shed time

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:00:00 +1100

The wheels on the bike go round and round… the ribs in me back go click and pop… Lion, tinman or scarecrow? Garmin still says i have no heart I tried to make it 22 minutes so riding time matches the date, but strava doesn’t want to be neat and tidy like that My 1428th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/1122/0700 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 07:00:00 +1100

Day 1427 whir whir whir x20

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 16:54:00 +1100

Another couple of battery changes and I still cant get HR strap or speed/cadence sensors to connect, so just another 20minutes. Fiddled around afterwards and i may have the speed/cadence sensor working, fourth battery tried. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s test… My 1427th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1426 no brain trainer

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:01:00 +1100

Another twenty minutes hanging on to a roof beam and pedalling. Another set of battery changes. Still can’t get HR strap or cadence sensor to connect up My 1426th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/1119/1639 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 16:39:00 +1100

Day 1425 not dead yet

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 16:27:00 +1100

20 sweaty minutes on the trainer, HR battery dead, cadence/speed sensor dead. I’m not dead, you’ll just have to take my word for it I fiddled about single-handedly with batteries and contacts but couldn’t convince either to work My 1425th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/1119/1321 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 13:21:00 +1100

2023/1119/0716 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 07:16:00 +1100

Day 1424 ☀️ crashed out

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 14:31:00 +1100

Hit a pot hole and hit the deck. 000 for concussion and dislocated collarbone from shoulder. Couple of grazes too. Ambulance to dandy hospital, bike rescue by joey It had been a quiet and enjoyable ride up until then; a lap of Karkarook lake, around the gravel track and start to explore a few parts of semi-industrial Cheltenham on an empty Saturday afternoon. I turned in to Viking court to follow a nicely restored MG, found a coffee roasters and an old-Holden specialty mechanic, then came to sitting at the side of the road waiting for the ambulance that I’d apparently phoned

Day 1423 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 08:12:00 +1100

The usual commute, the usual mix of pedestrians on the shared path at Huntingdale, both sides of the path, staring at their feet or at their phones. Amusing pair today on my side of the path, side-by-side, staring at their shoes. I slowed … I stopped … I put both feet down and stood there. The guy kept walking without looking where he was going, just about straddled my front wheel and leapt in the air, “oh sorry so sorry” as he jumped to his left and walked around me

Day 1421 ⛅ coffeeneuring meander

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 21:02:38 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; around and around searching for a #coffeeneuring destination, found Purple Yum in Holmesglen

Day 1422 ⛅ caulfield for coffee

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 16:24:00 +1100

Seems to be allowed by the #coffeeneuring rules, but only just… two rides in a week, and I get to choose when my week begins and ends. That makes coffee number six, a very tasty short macc. & mini pastry at Mister Baker in Elsternwick, and a new week starts Saturday and the challenge finishes Monday, so there’s three days over the weekend to get that last seventh coffee in

we've harvested the last of the broadbeans, time to dig the plants in on the weekend

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +1100

Day 1421 ⛅ coffeeneuring meander

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 16:07:00 +1100

Around and about looking for a coffee shop, my heart’s not really in it this year but I could still complete the #coffeneuring challenge if I try. Self-imposed rule is that each one has to be from somewhere I’ve never been. Tried a couple of spots, nope, closed. Nope, closed. Nope, closed. Three strikes, last chance, the little bit of Warrigal road down near the TAFE, aha, there we go, a mild but creamy flat white from Purple Yum and a sit in the park by the bouldering wall, then back home again

Day 1420 ⛅ longer loop home

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 17:05:00 +1100

Seems ages that I’ve been without the AWOL, but only six days according to the calendar. Wheel bearings replaced, but the special Specialized headset bearings are still on order – Mick Jagger bearings, they have lips, apparently. Anyway, the old ones have been cleaned up, greased up, and reinstalled to get me through. A joy to jump back on, so I took a longer route home; off up through Mount Waverley and Valley Reserve, down the railway line bike path and road route, then Gardiners Creek Trail and home through Murrumbeena.

the AWOL returns! New wheel bearings, headset bearings on order…

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 16:30:00 +1100

Day 1420 🌧 donate-a-bike commute

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 08:12:00 +1100

Finally got around to taking the old 21spd hybrid that’s been sitting in the shed out to drop it off for the free bikes collection at work. Of course that meant riding it to work with my knees out in the breeze and a silly grin on my face. Surprisingly enjoyable, although I nearly fell off when I stood up to pedal, then sat back down and almost completely missed the seat and would have sat on the rear wheel.

Day 1419 ☀️ creek fixie homewards

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 16:56:00 +1100

Feels like ages since I’ve ridden this bike along this track, cool under the trees, smells of gum leaves and bark, and a huge planting of jasmine out the front of one of the office blocks. Kept on going downstream to East Malvern station then up the hill to Murrumbeena, squeezed out where the bike lane vanishes and the drivers pull into the forward bike box, then the hair-raising section along Murrumbeena road sandwiched between parked cars and drivers not giving an inch as they’re not “in the bike lane” forcing you across into the remnant of bike lane left over sticking out from under the parked cars

Music from bandcamp

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Full digital discography, by Dos-Ovni 5 releases $5.00NZD Through The Sea, by Dos-Ovni Digital Track Same Sun, by Dos-Ovni Digital Track The Ward, by Dos-Ovni Digital Track Sinners, by Dos-Ovni Digital Track Fortune and Fame, by Dos-Ovni Digital Track Subtotal: 3.50 Additional contribution: 1.50 GST (10.0%): 0.35 Total: $5.35 NZD bandcamp/ajft

Day 1419 ⛅ home2appt2work

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 08:31:00 +1100

Late start, leave home around 8.30 on the #fixie to go to Mt Waverley for an appointment, then off to work. Only just made it for 9am as it seemed to take forever to cross Stephensons road, after the struggle up the hill from Scotchmans Creek Trail to Waverley road, my legs are definitely feeling fatigued from yesterday’s outing. Avoided the steep descent of Forster road by cutting through the old peoples’ home and back onto SCT

Day 1418 ☀️ sunday afternoon

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 13:44:00 +1100

A little bit sore from stupidly forgetting sunscreen before sitting out by the Djerring Trail for three hours this morning and counting for #SuperSunday, I’ll blame the overcast cool-look to the weather. Two bike options today; the #fixie and an exploration, or the #roadie and something further and faster… the latter won and off I went. Djerring Trail to Murrumbeena, up the Anniversary Trail and upstream Gardiners Creek Trail as far as Burwood highway, then out a few suburbs until I tried to hunt around and find the Eastlink Trail to head back south.

Day 1417 ⛅ we have ze tubes

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 10:21:00 +1100

Jeans and runners and road cleat pedals, never a good mix. Up to Carnegie to grab some long necks, err, long valve-neck tubes for the #fixie so I can finally get it back on the road after the multi-puncture debacle. Brr, there’s a cold damp wind blowing up from the south, big change from yesterday’s 30+°C Broken clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 3m/s from SW - by Klimat.

Day 1417 ⛅ shops on a borrowed mtb

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 08:42:00 +1100

Running low on bikes, its either the roadie with cleats or the tandem to get up to the shops for bread… I know, I’ll grab the kid’s MTB. Seats a bit low for me, but fun geometry and a quick spin up and back. Still very warm after a hot day yesterday, but cooling rapidly as the wind comes up from the south Broken clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Day 1416 ⛅ roadie home

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 11:19:00 +1100

Debated whether to use the bike path home then decided that the shade under the trees more than made up for a the debris and possible dogs when on the roadie. Oof, definitely the start of the summer weather. Out of work and it went from just under 30°C as I left the building and along the creek under the trees, to 36°C sitting in the sun on the asphalt wasteland waiting to cross D’nong road.

Day 1416 ⛅ roadie2work

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 07:59:00 +1100

With the other bikes off the road; one in the shop and one tubeless there’s nothing for it but to ride the roadie to work. Over a year since I last rode it so I’m paying careful attention to clipping out each time I slow or stop, then making a complete hash of clipping back in each time I take off. There’s the Shimano vs SRAM shifters too, but it does have that lovely lightweight road-bike feel, I could get used to it if I could make time to ride it more

Day 1415 ⛅ failed entubing

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:57:00 +1100

The AWOL is at the shop having the bearings replaced, the fixie has a puncture, the roadie has flat tyres and was last ridden in October 2022… and we’re all out of spare tubes that’ll fit the fixie. I know, I’ll ride up to Carnegie and buy some long-valve tubes… BUT FIRST, I shall swap a tube from the roadie to the fixie. Carefully inspected tyre and old tube and still cannot find a source of the puncture, so in went the tube from the roadie.

snails are taking over, every time there's any rain every path is covered, any mail not collected is getting eaten overnight!

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 11:30:00 +1100

Day 1414 ☀️ home2work2lbs

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 07:42:00 +1100

Off to work, to drop the AWOL off to have the unpleasantly knackered rear wheel bearings replaced…. once the mechanic investigates far enough to find out what size and shape are required Was amazing riding up the Browns road bikepath past the hospital car park, I normally leave home at 8am, then by the time I get there there’s a chain across the gates and the car park is full. Today it was bumper-to-bumper traffic, cars crawling in both directions and then into the car park, queuing across the bike path and refusing to give way to cyclists and pedestrians crossing.

Day 1412 ⛅ GOR and gravel

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 16:28:19 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; up into the #Otways from the #GOR, rough track and lots of climbing

2023/1107/1603 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x2)

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 16:03:00 +1100

Day 1413 ⛅ family wye lunch return

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 11:56:00 +1100

A late morning outing for the family, we rode down to Wye River for lunch at the cafe, an exploratory walk around the river, then back to Lorne. Warm and sunny and good food, although we did arrive only 5minutes before the kitchen closed! Scattered clouds, 27°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1413th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/1106/1343 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 13:43:00 +1100

Day 1412 ⛅ GOR and gravel

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 13:40:00 +1100

GOR down to near Wye River, then up up up the Wye River road until eventually meeting the Mt Sabine road. Newly graded, so no potholes or ruts, but plowing through thick loose stones for 5km or more. Down the Erskine Falls road back to Lorne I’d met and passed a couple of cycle tourists just out of Lorne, heading for Kennet river and chatted for a while – felt bad later as I told them that the Mt Sabine road was a viable option for them coming back, no idea if they came up that way the next day or what they thought of my advice if they did.

Day 1411 ⛅ Lorne hills

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 15:50:00 +1100

A busy day with a family bushwalk and late lunch outing, so I didn’t get out for a ride until late in the afternoon and was already feeling well exercised. Up the Erskine Falls road as far as the tip turnoff, then detour down along the firetrail that may or may not be a nature park, forestry, or private road. Seems a bit unclear; at one end it has a sign that looks the same as other forestry signs, “Management Vehicles Only” and a 3m wide open section of fence, so I rode in that way.

Day 1410 ⛅ Aireys and coastal gravel

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 13:50:00 +1100

Fairly windy today so I hadn’t wanted to head down the coast and have to ride back into it, rode up towards Aireys Inlet so I’d have it behind me and that mostly worked. Some minor detours around side roads to see – unsuccessfully – if they joined up with the Old Coast road, then up the Old Coast road itself and a little more exploring. I think its the first time I’ve ever gone up the hill to see where the paragliders launch, rather than just ride around it.

Read — “Riding Out”

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1409 ⛅ commute chores coffee

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 08:18:36 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a visit to the hammerbarn on #mycommute, then a very enjoyable #coffeeneuring flat white on the way to work

Day 1409 ☀️ creek commute home

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 17:15:00 +1100

Commute home before packing up for a long weekend away, not super urgent to get home quick, but urgent enough not to add on too much of a detour along the creek commute. North to the creek, Scotchmans Creek Trail back to Oakleigh, then a minor variation to see what the council’s intended route for the protected bike path will be from Scotchmans Creek Trail to the Djerring Trail – I’m not that impressed at the dog-leg through Burlington street bus route and Oxford street car yards

2023/1103/0943 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 09:43:00 +1100

Day 1409 ⛅ commute chores coffee

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 08:11:00 +1100

Home to work, via the hammerbarn for paint brushes and then call in at the Nott’s bottleshop … for a drive-thru #coffeeneuring coffee. Ridden past any number of times and thought it was a clever morning addition to the bottlo, was pleasantly surprised at how good a coffee they make Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1409th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1408 ☀️ some ferndale trackery

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 15:35:00 +1100

Afternoon work-from-home outing; up to the Gardiners Creek Trail, downstream, up the Anniversary Trail, some lovely gravelly goodness descending the Ferndale Trail then rejoin Gardiners Creek. Back upstream to Malvern East, then south through the suburbs to the Djerring Trail and home again Clear sky, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1408th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

qotd: Excellent

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 10:35:00 +1100

The word “excellent” is derived from the Christian practice of giving up the use of Microsoft Excel for 40 days to commemorate Christ’s sacrifice. It is a period of great productivity. The date of lent is calculated by using an obscure Excel macro on a field that didn’t originally have anything to do with dates, but Excel converted it to one anyway.

Day 1407 ⛅ wfh arvo quickie

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 15:16:00 +1100

Cool and windy, up to Caulfield, then check out the progress of the bike paths along the new rail trench. Nothing happening on the first section, from Leamington street down to Neerim road, but from Neerim south to Glen Huntly station is open at last – no room for any trees or gardens, just a concrete rail trench, a concrete wall, a concrete bike path and a road. No shade or shelter.

2023/1031/1758 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x3)

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 17:58:00 +1100

2023/1031/1757 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x3)

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 17:57:00 +1100

2023/1031/1756 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram (x3)

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 17:56:00 +1100

Day 1406 ⛅ work LBS commute home

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 16:26:00 +1100

Won myself a “free” service at the LBS at work… and the joys of ‘free’ mean finding that I need a new chain, cassette, brake pads, headset bearings, rear wheel bearings and, its suggested, complete replacement of the almost-worn-out BB7 brake calipers Musing my options and paying for today’s installment, I headed home the usual way along Scotchmans Creek Trail and up over the Atkinson street hill into Oakleigh Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

Day 1406 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 08:31:00 +1100

Cold again, but – keeping fingers crossed – the forecast rain seems to have held off, so a dry and windy commute to work. Oh yay, Garmin has awarded me a very American pumpkin badge for riding my bike on Halloween Few clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1406th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1405 🌧 southerly buster commute

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 16:55:00 +1100

Wee! What a wind, ignore what the Klimat summary says, it was definitely coming straight up from the south. I think the term “Southerly Buster” is more NSW than Victoria, but it came to mind, prompted by a track[1] on a compilation disc. I was listening to recently. Stonking great tail wind all the way up Gardiner and Forster roads, then mostly sheltered from it in the trees along the creek.

Day 1404 ⛅ djerring river bayside

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 11:10:23 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; sunny 50km Sunday loop and a coffeeneuring coffee in Edithvale

Day 1405 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 08:04:00 +1100

Out the door a little bit after 8am same as usual, off to work, down the bike path and up through Clayton. Cool and damp Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1405th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1404 ⛅ djerring river bayside

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 09:31:00 +1100

A gloriously warm Sunday morning and I went out for a longer ride than I’ve had for a while. Out to the end of the Djerring Trail at Yarraman, then south down along the creek and river to the bay, back around the bay and home up Chesterville road. Somewhere along the way I snuck in a #coffeeneuring coffee at a cafe on the Nepean highway, noisy traffic passing and uninspiring outside views, not helped by being given a takeaway cup when I asked for a proper cup.

Day 1403 ⛅ tiny shopping trip

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 08:04:00 +1100

A tiny ride, but sufficient to count for my self-imposed rules, that it must be over a mile. Morning trip up to the fish shop and bakery for tonight’s dinner and the weekend’s bread. Swordfish steaks if you must know Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1403rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1402 ☀️ nott beer and creek commute

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 16:09:00 +1100

Bit too busy for a few days this week with cow-orker being away, so #TGIF and get out of there, ride up to the Nott for a #beer and a sit, then home along the Scotchmans Creek Trail and the extension of my commute to Malvern East station and up through Murrumbeena. A few too many cars parked in the “Forward Bike Box” at the lights (2), a few too many cars driving in the bike lane in Murrumbeena (3) and a few too many cars driving through the Give Way sign and nearly hitting me on the bike path (1)

Day 1402 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 08:02:00 +1100

The usual commute, the usual Friday lack of commuters and lack of traffic Scattered clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1402nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1401 ⛅ the top piece

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 17:42:00 +1100

The 3pm afternoon ride was delayed by a nasty intrusion of work, didn’t happen until almost three hours later when I could take off for half an hour zipping around Hughesdale and Murrumbeena in the cold wind. Decided to follow the same initial ziggy-zaggy route for the first half, then went north instead of south, so the two routes next to each other now look like jigsaw puzzle pieces Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

the neighbours have moved out, either they didn't take their cat or it's found its way back "home" and is in our garden

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 09:50:00 +1100

Day 1397 ⛅ windy Albert park

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 16:44:12 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a cold, wet windy ride and a #coffeeneuring #cappuccino mid-way

Day 1400 ⛅ zig-zag brrr

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 14:48:00 +1100

Strong winds up from the south-west bringing cold weather and intermittent passing showers, somehow I managed to dodge most of them and although cold, it stayed mostly dry … mostly Not too far from home though, up and down and around the side streets, a bit of zig-zag through Hughesdale and Murrumbeena and home via the shops to grab some apples Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 4m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

Day 1399 ⛅ windy creek home

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 16:46:00 +1100

Warmer than the morning, but a strong gusty wind and subsequent debris all over the bike path Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 46%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1399th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1399 🌧 windy to work

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 08:02:00 +1100

Mostly a tail wind, warmer, but apparently only for today. Blustery, intermittent spots of warm rain, lots of dust and pollen around. Real sneeze season Light rain, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1399th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1398 ⛅ downstream homewards

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 16:58:00 +1100

It was grey and overcast this morning and I left my sunglasses at home – so of course the clouds cleared and it was bright and glary for the ride home. North to Scotchmans Creek Trail, downstream to Oakleigh, back over Dandenong road and home past the shops Broken clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1398th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1398 ⛅ wintery to work

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 08:04:00 +1100

Cold and grey and damp, spring keeps on oscillating back and forth like a spring. I really should get a video of the pedestrians down near Huntingdale station, shoulder-to-shoulder heading towards me, every single one of them staring at their phone, I can come to a complete halt and have people walk into me. Clayton is almost as bad, fewer pedestrians, but as many walk-on-the-right people as there are walk-on-the-left people, and a fair few who leap to the opposite side, regardless of which one they’re on, as soon as they hear a bell

Day 1397 ⛅ windy Albert park

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 10:18:00 +1100

It was cold, it was windy, it rained a few times. Oddly enough, I really enjoyed it. Down Inkerman street to St Kilda and a spur of the moment decision to head into Albert Park for a lap of the lake, then a #coffeeneuring cappuccino at “For Change” – a cafe in an old station building on the light rail line. The trip home involved some Middle Park side streets back to St Kilda, down the bay as far as Elwood then inland alongside a very full Elwood canal.

2023/1022/0806 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 08:06:00 +1100

2023/1021/1535 – AussieBirdCount – Boyd Park, Murrumbeena, Vic

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 15:35:00 +1100

Date Saturday 21 October 2023 Time 3:35 pm Duration 20 minutes Observers 1 Sightings: Rainbow Lorikeet × 8 Tawny Frogmouth × 2 Noisy Miner × 15 Grey Butcherbird × 3 Spotted Dove × 2 Australian Magpie × 2 Magpie-lark × 1 Pied Currawong × 1

2023/1021/1310 – AussieBirdCount – Suburban garden, Hughesdale, Vic

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 13:10:00 +1100

Date Saturday 21 October 2023 Time 1:10 pm Duration 20 minutes Observers 1 Sightings: Rainbow Lorikeet × 2 Grey Butcherbird × 1 Common Blackbird × 1 Rock Dove × 3 Common Myna × 9 Magpie-lark × 1 Spotted Dove × 1 Red Wattlebird × 6 Australian Magpie × 2

Day 1396 🌧 Saturday bakery

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 08:17:00 +1100

In order to have fresh bread with the bacon and eggs, first one must visit the bakery. So I did. Minor variation was to stay south of the railway line and cross over on the Hanover street bridge using the Schroedinger’s bike path – it has council painted notices on it telling cyclists to ring their bell, keep left, and be nice, but it has no legal signage telling anyone its a shared path and that cyclists are allowed on it in the first place.

2023/1020/2221 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 22:21:00 +1100

Day 1395 ⛅ creek commute home

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 16:45:00 +1100

Longer than my direct-ish commute along the creek, but shorter than my extended versions of these when I want to get a few extra kilometres riding. Had to get home in time to get down to the bike shop and collect the revitalized Norco MTB – now with a full range on the rear cassette. Hot afternoon, feeling like the summery part of spring Scattered clouds, 28°C, Feels like 27°C, Humidity 36%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

2023/1020/1230 – AussieBirdCount – Carlson Reserve, Clayton, Vic

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 12:30:00 +1100

Date Friday 20 October 2023 Time 12:30 pm Duration 20 minutes Observers 1 Sightings Australian Magpie × 2 Common Starling × 8 Little Raven × 1 Noisy Miner × 15 Rainbow Lorikeet × 6 Spotted Dove × 2 Welcome Swallow × 3

Day 1395 ⛅ off to work

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +1100

The three day a week commute, nothing out of the ordinary, except I managed to leave home spot on 8.00, a few minutes earlier than usual Broken clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1395th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

QOTD: "we'll be differing our change this evening, due to resourcing needing to pivot to other work that has come up, so will set this up for another window"

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 17:33:00 +1100

Day 1394 ☀️ sunny suburbia

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 15:52:00 +1100

Hadn’t intended to head out in this direction but as I was getting my bike out I realised that I hadn’t done anything yet about getting the rebuilt Norco off to the LBS to have its gears fettled back into working order. So off down southish, call in for a chat at the bike shop and arrange to drop it off “just come in, any time, 10am to 6pm”. From there it was winding my way around, a block this way, off down that street, up this one, etc.

2023/1019/1250 – AussieBirdCount – Suburban Garden, Hughesdale, Vic

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 12:50:00 +1100

Date Thursday 19 October 2023 Time 12:50 pm Duration 20 minutes Observers 1 Sightings: Common Myna × 4 Little Raven × 1 Noisy Miner × 2 Red Wattlebird × 12 Spotted Dove × 3

Day 1393 ☀️ ride2work day breakfast loop to wfh

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:11:05 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; when #Ride2Work day coincides with a #wfh day, ride in, eat, ride home, start work

Read — “Ring of Bright Water Trilogy”

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1393 ☀️ ride2work day breakfast loop to wfh

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:32:00 +1100

Wednesday, October 18 is national ride to work day. Wednesday is also a work from home day for me. Lets combine the two, I shall ride to work, eat the breakfast, then ride home to start work A very enjoyable cool sunny morning, very tempting to just keep on riding and forget about the work part of the day. On the way there I picked a road I’ve not ridden up before – according to Wandrer – that’s one more bit of Clayton coloured in, then arrived spot on 8.

Day 1392 ☀️ a long way to get home

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 16:40:00 +1100

Tuesday afternoon commute, lovely weather so I extended it a bit by following the Scotchman Creek Trail downstream as far as Malvern East station and then up to Murrumbeena and home along Kangaroo road – possibly not the best choice at leaving-work-o’clock, a bit too much speedy close-passing traffic Clear sky, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1392nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1392 ⛅ chilly home2work

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 08:04:00 +1100

No rain since yesterday morning and the path-ponds have drained away, so I took the Djerring Trail down to Clayton and up along Kanooka grove past the hospital and on up the Browns road path to work. Sunny, but chilly. Sat at the Dandenong road lights noting my odometer reading 6.66km for the ride so far, as endless bumper-to-bumper traffic crawled past down to the next set of lights at the Wellington road corner

Day 1390 🌧 karkarook and coffeeneuring

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 09:40:26 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; annual #coffeeneuring challenge. A lap of the lake and a short macc. at Hellenic Depot on the way home

Day 1391 🌧 short wet commute

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 08:11:00 +1100

Cold and wet and in between showers. Took the most direct route and avoided the flooded bike path – or the worst of the flooded bike path, still had to splash through the section that LXRA rebuilt that now floods every rainy day. One near dooring in Dandenong road, driver abused me for daring to yell out “DOOR!” as he threw said object into my path, apparently I startled him, the poor thing

Day 1390 🌧 karkarook and coffeeneuring

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 14:01:00 +1100

A week late starting the annual challenge, at least I’m allowed two rides a week over the seven weeks to make up the all import #coffeeneuring2023 coffee rides. Out for a sunny afternoon spin down to Karkarook lake and around the dirt track and bushland – again wondering how much of it will remain once the massive concrete rail yard is built here. Then it was step-wise north and west through Bentleigh East, thinking about finding a Sunday afternoon coffee but without much success, eventually calling in at Hellenic Depot when I was almost all the way home.

Day 1389 ⛅ norky bike zombie parts

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 13:53:00 +1100

Third ride for the day, and for those not familiar with my history, Norky bike was my MTB from late 1996 to around 2014, since then it has sat in the shed or donated parts The youngster has outgrown the old medium 26" MTB that had been canibalized and pieced together from bikes and bits in the shed. Time to do the obvious; dust off what remains of Norky bike and do more frankenstein-zombie work, rebuild this, move that over from there, oddly enough, the front wheel is now back on the original frame from 1996 – separated by the bike’s fourth set of forks – I think.

Day 1389 ⛅ referendum and coffee

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 10:29:00 +1100

Oakleigh polling places always seem full of anti-vax conspiracy people, long queues and lots of spruikers of parties and policies, so off we went to Hughesdale primary school were it seemed the place was almost empty. A solitary “Yes” campaigner, nobody from the “No” side, no queue to get in, no wait, a quick hello to some friends we bumped into and out again. Off to get a coffee from Jack the Milkman – good coffee, but a frustratingly inept wait-staff today.

Day 1389 ⛅ fishes and loaves

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 08:11:00 +1100

Saturday morning pre-breakfast shopping; a flathead for dinner and some fresh bread for breakfast and the rest of the weekend. Once around the block afterwards for a sticky-beak at the Drummond street referendum polling place – ugh, huge queue waiting to get in and vote, lots of “NO” spruikers walking up and down the line with brochures and posters and all their strident anti-everything paraphernalia Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat.

Came home to find an enormous cluster of snails on the wet path where a few had been squashed this morning

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 21:00:00 +1100

Very disturbing, not sure if they were eating the squashed ones or what attracted them, about a 20cm circle solid with garden snails on that piece of footpath

Day 1388 ⛅ creek commute home

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 16:54:00 +1100

Slightly shorter version of the longer commute along the creek, from Scotchmans Creek Trail I turned off around Phoenix park to make my way up Chadstone and Poath roads Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 0m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1388th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1388 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 08:15:00 +1100

A later than usual commute because I slept in, satisfyingly fewer people on the paths around the station and traffic through Clayton though, so perhaps I should sleep in more often. Amusingly, had to help a guy escape from the railway pedestrian crossing, the gates had closed and he didn’t understand that in order to get out he needed to push the button to release the gate, then push the gate itself

Day 1387 ⛅ riding around avoiding rain

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 16:41:00 +1100

A surprisingly circular route on the map, although it didn’t really feel like it at the time. Late start due to rain for most of the early afternoon, then I timed it perfectly, with the dark clouds coming over as I got back to the house and the rain starting back up as I went inside. North up through the suburbs to meet the Gardiners Creek Trail, downstream and up to join the Anniversary, back down to Gardiners Creek, over it and home through Murrumbeena and the Djerring Trail

Searching for and removing duplicate files on external drive

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Housekeeping on an old hard disk from the bottom of a drawer, I suspect that most of what is on it I’ve kept elsewhere, but some files may be unique, so I want a copy of them prior to scrubbing the disk and disposing of it. The files have different names and folder locations, eg I may have a photo in: $DRIVE/media/photos/2003/04/16/123-4567_img.jpg that I’ve already got a copy of in:

Day 1386 ⛅ wfh gardiners creek escape

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 15:09:00 +1100

Had a longer break this afternoon because I’m doing some work later in the evening, so out for a slightly longer ride. Downstream along the Scotchmans Creek Trail to the Anniversary Trail, up the hill to the gravelly Ferndale Trail turnoff and down the hill. Note that the magpie at the bottom of the Anniversary trail doesn’t seem to be swooping this year, or I’ve just been lucky. From rejoining the Gardiners Creek Trail at the end of the Ferndale descent I kept on going downstream until I could cross the creek, then back up the other side as far as Glen Iris, a few dirt tracks to get back to the GCT, then home up through Carnegie and along the Djerring Trail.

Day 1385 ⛅ creek commute home

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 16:52:00 +1100

Out of Monash Uni and north up to Scotchmans Creek Trail, then on down the trail through the bush and the wetlands to Oakleigh. Back south, up and over the Atkinson street hill then through the shops and home Few clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1385th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1385 ⛅ misty morning commute

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 08:07:00 +1100

Where did that cold misty drizzle come from? I’m sure it wasn’t in the forecast. Very grey and damp on the ride to work, the rest of the family also unimpressed on their rides to respective locations Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1385th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Stubble quail from my office window

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 11:42:17 +1100

Poor quality shot, best I could do of the small #quail in the garden outside. #wildoz #birds EDIT: Not a Stubble Quail, waiting on an ID via https://inaturalist.org

Day 1384 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 08:08:00 +1100

The tide’s gone back out again… OK, ok, not the tide, the post-rain flooding has subsided… until next time. Down the Djerring trail to Clayton, up through the suburb to work Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 0m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1384th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1383 ⛅ Scotchmans Eastlink Djerring

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 09:45:00 +1100

Staying well away from the bay today to avoid those riding around it, and getting the ride in during the morning prior to having to go to the airport. Lovely sunny Sunday, lots of people out and about, bikes everywhere. Scotchmans Creek Trail down to Jells Park, then on down south. Lots of construction work in the park, the toilet blocks and bbq facilities seem to all be being repaired or replaced.

misc. garden updates; mowed the lawn, all the bluebells and freesias are finished, the jonquils never flowered, the one tulip didn't sprout this year

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 14:30:00 +1100

Day 1382 ⛅ loaves and fishes

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 08:21:00 +1100

The minimal barely-there ride to keep up appearances. Maybe I’ll go for a proper ride later, maybe I won’t. Up to the shops for some salmon cutlets and a couple of loaves of fresh bread Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1382nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1381 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 18:08:34 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; the #flood on the #DjerringTrail on #mycommute is still there every time it rains. Council notified over a year ago, no apparent plans to make the hazard safe

Day 1381 ⛅ longer creek home

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 16:51:00 +1100

Still lots of debris around from the rain, but clear skies on the ride home. North to Scotchmans Creek Trail, then downstream as far as East Malvern station and up the hill to Murrumbeena for a short ride home along the #DjerringTrail. No floods on any of these parts! Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1381st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

under cover of the rain, the Charles de Gaulle and Just Joey roses are blooming

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +1100

Day 1381 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:57:00 +1100

Up and down goes the weather, covering all the possibilities. The sun is back out today but the temperature is down and everything is still soaked from the rain. Very soaked. The flooded sections of the #DjerringTrail, in Oakleigh are still flooded, the large lake across the entire path down near Huntingdale station about 10cm deep and 8m long, I sent off another photo of it the council, they’ve been ‘aware of the problem’ for over a year but don’t seem to have any plan to make the hazard safe

Day 1380 ⛅ caulfield racecourse lap

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 16:10:00 +1100

Mostly not raining, I took a break in the weather and rode up to Caulfield and back, taking in a lap of the racecourse. Had intended to go through the middle of it and check out all the building works and changes, but everything was still closed off. Misty rain started back up for the last half-suburb homewards Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat.

Day 1379 🌧 backwards commute triangle

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:53:00 +1100

The afternoon break in a work-from-home day, backwards around the triangle of my usual commute; Scotchmans Creek Trail to Forster Road, off-road path to Monash Uni., south through Clayton along the Browns Road off-road path and home up the Djerring Trail. All the parts of the paths that flood every time it rains are flooded, as expected Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

Australian classic, a sleeping #koala in the garden

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:46:10 +1100

#wildoz #marsupials

Stunning small #beetle in the Heart Morass, Sale, Vic.

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:46:10 +1100

#wildoz #insects

Very small #snake, a juvenile tiger I think, only 30cm long

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:46:10 +1100

#wildoz #snakes Sale Botanic Gardens

Read — “Casino Royale”

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1378 🌧 not made of sugar

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 16:55:00 +1100

Rain had almost stopped when I left work so I decided to ride home along the creek, quietly pleasant although everything soaked, lots of ducking under the wattle trees that droop low in the wet. Best thing about a rainy commute is there’s hardly anyone else riding, running or walking the dog … only one of the last, and you guessed it, off-leash cattle dog that came tearing out of the bushes to snap at my heels as I passed, despite the yelling and pointing from “the responsible dog owner”.

Day 1378 🌧 rain-dance commute

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +1100

Whee! Tailwind assist and outrunning the rain, light sprinkles, very dark skies, assorted wind-blown flying objects Light rain, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1378th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1377 ⛅ much warmer work2home

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 16:38:00 +1100

I suspected this would happen when I put on the merino jersey this morning. Under 10°C in the morning, high 20s in the afternoon! Lovely ride home along the creek for the first commute of day light savings time. A fair bit of debris about from yesterday’s wind, but nothing I had to stop and shift off the path Scattered clouds, 27°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 31%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat.

Day 1376 ⛅ windy DNF abandoned

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 15:59:27 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; tried to ride Sale to Traralgon, gave up In the wind and blown back to Sale

Day 1377 ☀️ suprisingly cool ride2work

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 08:08:00 +1100

Highly variable weather this week, a hot sunny weekend, howling winds yesterday, then back to cold today and apparently lots of rain due later in the week. I put on a warmish jersey, but only short sleeved and was almost regretting – thankfully its only a short ride Clear sky, 8°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 0m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1377th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1376 ☀️ straight home

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 16:34:00 +1100

A couple of hours in a very full three-coach V/Locity train and we’re back at Clayton for the short ride home. Luckily we got in the train early as it stood on the platform at Sale, so we got a decent pair of seats – I did remark to the conductor that they could almost do with a six-car set for the one train a day from Sale but he said it wasn’t needed, apparently a dozen people standing in the aisles from Morwell doesn’t mean it’s too full!

Day 1376 ⛅ windy DNF abandoned

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 08:44:00 +1100

Intention was to ride to Traralgon and catch the train, strong winds gusting brought us to a dead stop on flat roads. Abandoned and returned to Sale to wait for the one train at 2.09 The wind just didn’t let up all morning, from when we’d had breakfast at the bakery it was building and we commented that it’d make for a slog of a ride, but we had all day with trains every hour from Traralgon, or at worst we could get to Rosedale and catch the 2pm train that comes through from Sale.

Day 1375 ⛅ sale wetlands everywhere

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 10:21:00 +1000

After a leisurely breakfast in town we returned to the hotel, got on the bikes, and headed out for a full day of exploring around. Was probably around seven hours or so by the clock, three thirty-nine riding time, all over the place including a lazy hour or so lying around in the Sale Botanic gardens snoozing and reading the paper First port of call was the port, then off down the canal to the swing bridge to read up on the engineering and restoration.

2023/0930/0004 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 00:04:00 +1000

Day 1374 ⛅ sale arrival

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 15:31:00 +1000

A relaxing two hours on the train and here we are in Sale, then about a kilometre or so to the Criterion hotel – although we went around the block a bit to spin it out. The reason for the visit, to tick off another Criterion hotel in Jo’s collection. Only three so far, but its the principle of the thing. Warm and flat, big wide roads, lots of country utes but very little traffic, then plonk down at the pub for a beer.

Day 1374 ☀️ mini adventure start

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 11:55:00 +1000

Left home with plenty of time to get ourselves down to Clayton, grab a Banh Mi for lunch and get to the station for the train to Sale and a weekend away. Sadly, Banh Mi Bakery Cafe didn’t do a very good Banh Mi and we regretted not calling in at Lai Bakery in Oakleigh on the way. Third time in a week between home and Clayton station, with the train ticket being a whole $7 it makes for a great getaway

Day 1373 ☀️ creek and wetlands

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 16:14:00 +1000

An afternoon break while working from home, off up the Scotchmans Creek trail to Huntingdale Wetlands and a bit further off along the creek, back on gravelly paths through the bush, under the freeway in the drains and back along the other side Clear sky, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1373rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

We've nearly got some produce! A few of the broadbeans are about ready to pick

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 13:30:00 +1000

Day 1372 ☀️ WFH afternoon outing

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:06:00 +1000

Feeling a bit run down from yesterday’s adventure and not really wanting to take too much of an afternoon break so a shorty up to Caulfield and back, back via a northern loop almost to Gardiners Creek and meeting a bit too much of the afternoon commute traffic. Also ducked down to Neerim road to see if the bike path to replace the old bluestone laneway has been built yet … nope

Day 1371 ☀️ cool down

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 16:17:00 +1000

The final part of the day’s adventure, getting back home from the station after catching the V/Line in from Yarragon. From Clayton back to home, almost exactly the same distance as going out this morning, which I’d expect, but oddly, exactly the same riding time – to the second – which surprised me given how tired one half of the peloton was Clear sky, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

Day 1371 ⛅ Yarragon ridge explorer

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 10:18:00 +1000

The plan was Yarragon to Warragul via the ridge. Caught the train from Clayton out to Yarragon, first port of call a local cafe for a coffee and muffin then time to head south. Leaving town was easy, about 2km or so of the local “Yarragon Track” that parallels some local roads in a loop south of town. Then turn off and start to climb. 10km out as we got to the top of the ridge we missed the McDonalds track turnoff – too busy enjoying the first downhill of the day – and kept going for another 10km through rolling descents of plantation forests & farmland before I checked the route more carefully and found we’d missed it.

Day 1371 ⛅ warm up

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:26:00 +1000

First part of the day’s outing, the easy roll down to Clayton station to catch the V/Line out to Gippsland for our little adventure. A bit cool in the shadows but the day looks to be good for our outing Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1371st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1369 ☀️ GOR to Aireys

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 20:59:27 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; out and back on the #GOR to Aireys Inlet and a #coffee at the lighthouse

Day 1368 ⛅ GOR kennett for koffee

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 20:57:40 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; out and back on the #GOR to Kennett River for a #coffee

Day 1370 ⛅ POP fwap fwap fwap

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 08:07:00 +1000

So much for the puncture repair on the fixie. At least the patch gave out fifty metres from the office. We now have no spare tubes and yet another useless patch kit. It was looking to be such an enjoyable commute up until then, school holidays meant there’s almost no traffic, few people around the stations either. Sunny and calm, I think it was my first #fixie commute since I repaired the tube…

Day 1369 ☀️ GOR to Aireys

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 13:39:00 +1000

Off in the opposite direction along the GOR today, north-east to Aireys Inlet, with a lap around the Old Coach Road and a coffee at the lighthouse, then straight back along the GOR. Another windless day, warm and sunny and lots of small birdlife, absolutely hundreds of kangaroos in the paddocks up along Painkalac creek too. A bit much traffic along the GOR, including the usual assortment of idiots and close passers, but there always is

Small round blue boi

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 17:21:00 +1000

Superb fairy wren #wildoz #birds

2023/0923/1412 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 14:12:00 +1000

Day 1368 ⛅ GOR kennett for koffee

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 13:38:00 +1000

A quiet spring afternoon, hardly any wind, hardly any clouds. Surprisingly cool though, down around 11°C in the shadows! Lots of small birds around with no wind to disturb them, at the Kennett cafe I had a Crimson rosella on my table and blue wren hopping under my table, around my feet and on my shoe while looking for crumbs – much to the enjoyment of the group of German tourists

Day 1367 ☀️ tiny shopping

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 09:20:00 +1000

Probably my shortest measured ride ever, and only just enough to qualify for my vague self-imposed arm-waving rules, “on a bike, over a mile” Up to the shops to grab some bread and a barramundi for tomorrow night’s dinner, I even managed to forget to turn the Garmin back on for a few hundred metres or so, so maybe that’s taken a few percent off the distance Clear sky, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

Day 1366 ⛅ rosstown neerim block

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:07:00 +1000

Down the Rosstown Rail trail to Ormond playing traffic-leapfrog the whole way, narrow road, parking both sides, lots of traffic and sign posted as a cycling route – brilliant bit of endangerment by design by the council. Pick my way around building works and north up alongside the Frankston line almost to back to Caulfield, then Neerim road homewards Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Read — “A Morbid Taste For Bones”

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

The native frangipani[1] on the north side of the house is covered in blossom and smelling strongly

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:15:00 +1000

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenosporum_flavum

Day 1365 🌧 just like spring rain

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:11:00 +1000

A surprise reversion to the cold wet type of spring weather, a light rain started as I got to Oakleigh station and continued on and off around the local suburban loop. Up through the shops, north to Scotchmans Creek Trail, downstream to East Malvern Station, then a bit of a wiggle through East Malvern back to Murrumbeena and home along the Djerring Trail Light rain, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.

late afternoon with the sun starting to get low, the blackbird[3] is loudly calling in the bay tree

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 17:20:00 +1000

The mudlarks[1] seem to have been noisy all day – all week and month really – and the Rainbow lorikeets[2] are shrieking endlessly in the flowering callistemon, but as it cools down in the afternoon the blackbird[3] takes over [1] Magpie-lark [2] Rainbow lorikeet [3] Common blackbird

Day 1364 ⛅ windy short djerring

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 16:09:00 +1000

Another warm and windy afternoon, slowly rode off into it up along the Djerring Trail to Caulfield, then turned and rolled back with the wind behind me. A couple more close calls with dogs, its getting beyond a joke. A very aggressive Bull terrier tried to tear itself out of the owner’s short leash and go for me, barking, leaping and snarling, she hauled it back and said “He doesn’t like bikes”.

2023/0918/1929 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 19:29:00 +1000

2023/0918/1847 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:47:00 +1000

2023/0918/1846 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:46:00 +1000

2023/0918/1845 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:45:00 +1000

Day 1363 ⛅ easy roll home

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 16:07:00 +1000

Another very easy rolling ride, doing as little as possible to annoy my injured leg. Roll down hill, got off and walked up the spirally ramp to cross Dandenong road – which did let me see the Rainbow lorikeets nesting in the tree beside the bridge – then coast most of the way downhill through Oakleigh East Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.

2023/0918/1459 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 14:59:00 +1000

surprise surprise, a certificate has expired

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 09:50:00 +1000

2023/0918/0858 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 08:58:00 +1000

Day 1363 ⛅ gentle commute

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 07:59:00 +1000

Taking it easy, rolling along to get to work on the flattest option. Leg feels a bit stiff but the worst part was the first few pedal strokes as the bandage plucked hairs out while it stretched into position. Rear tyre suspiciously soft before I started, pumped it up and fingers crossed that its OK for the trip home Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 5m/s from NE - by Klimat.

Day 1362 ☀️ gently rolling

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 14:45:00 +1000

Managed to roll around the ‘hood nice and easy and slow. Stretched out some of the stiffness and did my best not to pull on the injury. Seemed to work. So far so good… Clear sky, 22°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 43%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1362nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Music from bandcamp

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Full digital discography, by The Orbweavers 10 releases $25.00AUD This discography includes these releases: Deep Leads, by The Orbweavers Digital Album When the Sky is Grey, by The Orbweavers Digital Track Ceiling Rose / Match Factory, by The Orbweavers Digital Album Silos on the Hill, by The Orbweavers Digital Track New Moon / Silver Moon, by The Orbweavers Digital Album Pull the Thread (Susie's Theme), by The Orbweavers Digital Track Loom, by The Orbweavers Digital Album When it Rains in Broken Hill, by The Orbweavers Digital Track Edges of Memory, by The Orbweavers Digital Track Graphite & Diamonds, by The Orbweavers Digital Album Subtotal: 21.

2023/0917/0559 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 05:59:00 +1000

Day 1361 ☀️ a windy outing

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 14:24:00 +1000

A windy northerly, so off up to the north with the intention of getting a tailwind home. Mostly worked out that way. Box Hill area was a bit of a challenge, all the big apartment towers funnel gusty blasts around in all directions, on a Saturday afternoon the food smells are enticing and the people are everywhere! Then it was down along the Koornung creek trail, one swoop – err, by a small leafy branch the fell out of a tree & clonked my helmet – and head south from Hays Paddock to wend my way back to Deepdene.

The garden bed around our lemon, orange and lime trees is now a sea of tiny tree seedlings from the mulch from nextdoor's tree!

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 11:00:00 +1000

Day 1361 ☀️ loaves and fishes

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 08:04:00 +1000

The usual morning far; garfish for dinner, some fresh bread and three pain au chocolate for snacks Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1361st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1360 ⛅ sunny creek ride home

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 16:35:00 +1000

A pleasantly warm spring afternoon, a few extra kilometres down to Malvern East and then up to Murrumbeena.. So many people walking their dogs along the creek trail, and after this morning’s events I approached every one of them with extreme caution. Home along the Djerring Trail and contemplate a beer at the local … but there’s beer at home so no refreshment pause today Few clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat.

brought up Postmarks on

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:56:00 +1000

Implemented an instance of “postmarks” on https://glitch.me by duplicating the project and following the bouncing ball of the setup instructions. So far so good, will I use it to replace https://pinboard.in – the latter seems more polished, but the #fediverse integration and self-hosted nature of the former appeals https://pear-voracious-lemonade.glitch.me

Day 1360 ⛅ doggy commute

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 08:08:00 +1000

First I watched as a shaggy mutt tried to take out two riders ahead of me between Oakleigh and Huntingdale, running loose back and forth across the shared path through commuting cyclists. Of course the owner was walking along 10m behind with the lead dangling ineffectually from their hand. Then riding up through Clayton on the Browns Road bike path a cattle dog came tearing out of the off-leash park and chased me up the path, snarling and yapping and getting in a few bites on my shoe and ankle.

first magpie[1] swoop of the season! Carroll Road in Oakleigh South

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:45:00 +1000

[1] Australian magpie www.magpiealert.com

Day 1359 ⛅ lake lap

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:35:00 +1000

Down to Karkarook lake at school emptying o’clock, so dodge the streams of cars around South Oakleigh primary, then on south and get the first #magpie swoop of the season. I have dutifully updated magpiealert with its location A lap of the lake, my fastest apparently, and I’m now a “Strava Local Legend” having ridden around the lake a massive TWO times in the past three months. Bit of a joke really, I think you can ditch the legends strava, unless they’re for some higher numbers

Day 1357 ⛅ two punctures one spare

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 14:56:10 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; a #puncture on #mycommute, then a second one after a hurried tube replacement

The Spanish bluebells[1] are finally flowering, and freesias[2] in various colours. The garden smells of freesias and jasmine and the distinctive bay tree[3] blossom

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:10:00 +1000

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinthoides_hispanica [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freesia [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurus_nobilis

Day 1358 ⛅ sunny afternoon break

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 14:57:00 +1000

First outing in a summer jersey & no wind vest since some time last autumn, a very pleasant sunny afternoon. Around to Huntingdale wetlands and up Stanley street to Mount Waverley, back down along the rail line to the Gardiners Creek trail and downstream to the Anniversary trail. Up the hill to Ferndale trail – stopping to chat with a guy from Audax that I know – then down Ferndale to rejoin the creek and keep on going downstream almost to Glenferrie road.

Read — “Equal Rites”

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Read — “Equal Rites”

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1357 ⛅ two punctures one spare

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 08:02:00 +1000

Well that was not fun. Here I am at work with two punctures. Was about to cross Dandenong road and I thought I could feel a piece of grass or something brush my calf each time the wheel went around, swiped at it, couldn’t find anything. Stopped at the lights and realised the tyre was flat, that the “grass” was the air blowing on my leg. I was conveniently close to the bike arrival station so in I went to avail myself of the repair facilities, inconveniently located in a dark corner.

Day 1356 ⛅ scotchmans creek home

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 17:02:00 +1000

A pleasantly warm late afternoon ride, never sure whether to say “up” or “down” to the creek and then home along the Scotchmans Creek trail. From work to the creek you’re heading north, but it’s downhill. Depends on whether I’m looking at the map or thinking about the ride. Added in a little detour to the end of Oakleigh then back to Atkinson street to get across Dandenong road. Home through the shops, dodging the drivers in the bike lanes

Day 1356 ⛅ where is everybody

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 08:06:00 +1000

Seemed strangely quiet on the roads and paths this morning, a pleasant spring day, but hardly any traffic for most of the ride. Fewer on the bike path, fewer around the station. The usual Monday or Tuesday bumper-to-bumper traffic jam on Dandenong road Monash council has finally collected the hard rubbish in Clayton, all that remains are the car tyres and gas bottles that shouldn’t have been out in the first place… and the junk that’s been dumped since last Friday when the collection finished

Day 1355 ⛅ Carnegie shopping

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 11:49:00 +1000

A precision raid on the fruit and veg market stall that had some discount orchids I happened to stumble over yesterday. The Garmin said 17°C but it felt much colder, damper and windier. Lots of people, as always, up and down Koornang road in Carnegie and cars everywhere. Some judicious use of side streets, lanes and car parks and we avoided the worst of it. A few other purchases crammed into my backpack and up my jumper and home again

Day 1353 🌧 wilder and windier

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 15:21:23 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; a longer commute home, and stormy skies under #skyrail

Day 1352 ⛅ there and back

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 15:20:01 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; down towards the bay and back, and rediscovery of a very narrow #laneway

The plum blossom has finished for the year, yesterday's wind stripped what's left, the new green leaves are appearing

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +1000

Day 1354 ⛅ short shopping

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 08:20:00 +1000

Cold and grey and damp and a bit later than my usual Saturday mornings, up to the shops for fish for dinner & bread for breakfast Overcast clouds, 9°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1354th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1353 🌧 wilder and windier

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 17:09:00 +1000

Yee-ha buffet-a-rooey! That was fun in an interesting kind of way It’s been very windy and stormy all day, certainly had to pay attention to the gusts and the flying debris. The creek path was covered in twigs and leaves, nothing too big, although there seemed to be a few more trees down in the parks either side of the path. Hadn’t been feeling the best all afternoon so I tried a little bit extra ride on the way home despite the weather, definitely sufficient to blow the cobwebs away

serendipitous podcast backlog, tuned in to a Jun 2017 YarraBug episode and a few minutes in hear a thank you read out to me for subscribing. A voice from the past

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 12:45:00 +1000

Major annoyance, I've left the home system on the VPN and can't synch up from work

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 09:50:00 +1000

Day 1353 ⛅ wild and windy

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 08:08:00 +1000

Overcast with strong gusty winds, it was a bit of an effort keeping the bike on track a few times today – surprise gusts had me heading off into the weeds one side or the other. One good thing was that being a Friday there’s a lot less traffic about, and the bad weather had kept most of the other riders and walkers indoors, hardly saw another soul on the way to work

2023/0907/1711 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 17:11:00 +1000

Day 1352 ⛅ there and back

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 15:06:00 +1000

An afternoon outing down Inkerman street almost to the Nepean highway, then cut through south to Glen Eira road back inland to Caulfield, part-way around the racecourse and home along Neerim road. Timing was impeccable, I got to pass all the schools just on mummy-o’clock school pickup time, large SUVs everywhere and plenty of dangerous driving I did get to revisit one of my favourite laneways – spectacularly narrow, I’m sure some mountain bike handlebars wouldn’t fit along it

a warm enough day to have the window open; jasmine blossom scent fills the room

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 10:30:00 +1000

Day 1351 ⛅ legless elephant

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:00:00 +1000

My strava art needs work, this legless elephant is barely recognisable, and probably against the rules. Impeccable timing though, I managed to start the ride precisely on 3pm A windy afternoon out, filling in the gap between working from home and some early-evening scheduled work. North to Gardiners Creek Trail, around and up the Anniversary and down Ferndale trails, then city-bound for a while and back out the other side of the creek.

Day 1350 ⛅ creek commute

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 16:47:00 +1000

No early rush home this Tuesday, hockey training is over for another season so I got to leave a bit later and come home on the longer route. Weather had vastly improved from this morning, the sun was out and of course I’d left my sunglasses at home, so a squinty ride through the trees, eyes half-closed against the late afternoon sun and clouds of small flies Shamed by another commuter while stopped at the lights, I had to admit that yes, my #fixie chain was indeed a bit loose and it really does need adjusting.

30482647 is your Facebook account recovery code

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 10:33:00 +1000

Hi Adrian, We received a request to reset your Facebook password. Enter the following password reset code: 30482647

Day 1350 🌧 Col d'anwet

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 08:04:00 +1000

Bad pun no biscuit. Wet, cold, really not very nice, especially after the good weather on the weekend. Fingers crossed the ride home is a bit drier Light rain, 8°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1350th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/0905/0659 – Reset your password

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 06:59:00 +1000

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Day 1349 🌧 rainy raynaud ride

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 16:58:00 +1000

A cold and very wet ride home, surprisingly dark too, with thick clouds for most of the afternoon. Took the shortest route home and arrived soaked, with my right middle finger number and dead-fish white, as it sometimes does in the cold, especially on the #fixie, something about the angle of my wrists and the flat bars seems to make it happen Light rain, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

Music from bandcamp

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Full digital discography, by Ether Diver 12 releases $15.99USD This discography includes these releases: These Damn Birds, by Ether Diver Digital Album Schizophrenia Simulator OST, by Ether Diver Digital Album The Alchemical Practice of Modular Synthesis, by Ether Diver Digital Album Oneirogen Codex, by Ether Diver Digital Album Haunted Space Object No. 1: Alien Music Box, by Ether Diver Digital Album Metaphysical Shitposting, by Ether Diver Digital Album Ether Diver, by Ether Diver Digital Album Psychedelic Ghost Stories, by Ether Diver Digital Album Haunted Space Objects: Catalog Two, by Ether Diver Digital Album Is Life in Dreams Are Made Of?

Day 1349 ☀️ home2work variation

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 08:04:00 +1000

Yeesh, collected by another cyclist in Clayton. I don’t know what it is about the people riding around there, endless very cheap hard-rubbish bikes, helmets on backwards if at all, on the footpath, on the road, either side as the mood takes them. Today’s was on the footpath parallel to me, then a sudden right angle swerve down a driveway and out across the road. Screech of my brakes and a thump as I hit his front wheel.

Day 1348 ☀️ lazy sunny afternoon

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 14:07:00 +1000

Clear blue skies and a warm windless day, there were people everywhere on the paths and in the parks, walking, riding, enjoying. Wasn’t sure how healthy I was feeling so the first part of the ride out along Scotchmans Creek Trail was done with the view that maybe I could turn around and come back if it wore me out too much. Felt OK so continued on, follow the tricksy signs of the trail until I got to Jells Park – thronging with people – then a lap around the far side of the lake through the conservation area and off up the creek for a while.

finally got around to removing the dead daphne from alongside the house – it fell victim to the builders and neglect

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +1000

Day 1347 ⛅ short shopping Saturday

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 07:58:00 +1000

Well that was a surprise! Beautiful clear blue sky, no clouds, not a breath of wind. Stepped outside for the quick trip up to the shops and discovered that it was down around 5°C and I was in a t-shirt and fleece vest. Brr! Fish shop & bakery and home. Not sure on the way home whether to laugh or shake my head as an old gent drove past, front tyre dead flat, squealing and flapping on the road, he smiled and waved and told me he knew when I pointed it out to him, then off he went…

Day 1346 ☀️ creek and extra home

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 16:30:00 +1000

Not feeling real well so the ride home was a bit of a struggle, suspect I’m getting sick. Tried adding a little bit extra on by continuing down the creek to East Malvern and back up through Murrumbeena, but it didn’t really help One Tesla driver has discovered just how well their brakes work when they stomp the pedal, perhaps that’ll remind them to check before driving through Give Way signs in future.

Day 1346 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:08:00 +1000

Rain earlier, but none as I rode in. Flooded patches of bike path from the LXRA rebuild of the path in 2018, the works that council tells me never took place. Glaring sun off wet concrete, the usual reduced numbers of motorists that there are on a Friday Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1346th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1345 ⛅ attempted rain dodging

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:22:00 +1000

Mostly successful, about half an hour of clear skies, and quarter of an hour of darkness and increasing rain on the stretch back along Neerim road home. Up to Caulfield and back, nothing special Bit cold and damp from earlier rain, very glary when the sun was out, then quickly dark as the clouds came over Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.

Walking back from Galbally reserve we laughed to see a pair of Wood ducks[1] perched ontop of a fence

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 08:35:00 +1000

Very odd seeing them standing 1.5m off the ground, perched. [1] Wood duck

Looked up to see a Grey butcherbird[1] on the back porch handrail, one eye on the spiderwebs, one eye on the cat

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 07:45:00 +1000

After a few minutes of bird-cat stand off the butcherbird flew off to the plum tree and the cat resumed its interrupted business of head-butting a plastic bucket [1] Grey butcherbird

Date 1344 🌧 karkarook lake

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 15:44:00 +1000

Down to the lake on my Wednesday afternoon work-from-home break, cut through the golf course driveway and gravel road down to South Oakleigh primary and onwards to the lake. I looked at a few magpies, a few magpies looked at me, but none of them have decided that swooping season has started yet Clockwise around the block that will become the railyards, enjoying the dirt roads, the bush and the birdlife before it all gets bulldozed and concreted.

an early morning walk due to an early start, we got home just as the rain started

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 07:50:00 +1000

most of the freesias are flowering now, a shame that the carefully purchased "red and blue" ones are mostly mauve and white!

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 07:30:00 +1000

Day 1343 🌧 shorty homewards

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 16:35:00 +1000

The Tuesday afternoon early departure, shortish route commute, getting home in time to get back out the door for 5.15pm hockey training. Warm and windy and slightly damp with a few spots of rain. Contractors have mowed the length of the traffic island along North road and that, together with the wind, has resulted in masses of plastic and rubbish being thrown off the grass and onto the path. Its really looking badly in need of maintenance

Day 1343 🌧 home2work

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 08:03:00 +1000

A few spots of rain, very little traffic. Almost rode straight out into Dandenong Road as the pedestrian lights and beeper went off for the second half of the crossing while my side stayed red, pure Pavlovian response to the beeps. I really do detest VicRoads insistence that pedestrians and cyclist here clearly only want to cross half a road at a time and need to wait in the middle and push a second beg-button

Day 1342 ⛅ cool creek commute

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 16:44:00 +1000

The fog lifted around lunchtime, but left a slight haze in the air all day. Very still on the way home, felt colder than the thermometer says. Lorikeets and Currawongs all noisy along the creek Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1342nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/0828/0841 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 08:41:00 +1000

Day 1342 ⛅ foggy to work

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 08:09:00 +1000

Played leapfrog with another rider this morning, he rode past up the path ahead of me and toward the station, I went across the rail lines and up the roads. Riding through the car park after the station he finally caught me, the Djerring trail’s “cyclists dismount” and walk through the station slower if the crossing isn’t closed by trains. Foggy sky and a cool ride, the hard rubbish piles in Clayton have grown enormously over the weekend.

2023/0828/0142 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 01:42:00 +1000

Day 1341 ⛅ railside and bayside

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 13:57:00 +1000

Went out for two hours in the best part of the day, the sunny end of the weekend, near perfect riding. Up to Caulfield then off down alongside the Frankston line cutting back and forth and around to see what’s been happening with the levelcrossing removals down that way. Then it was west to the bay, a minor detour somewhere down into Hampton, and a very busy bayside ride back up to Elwood.

Day 1339 ⛅ two part commute

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 13:44:39 +1000

Daily cycling photos; #wearitpurple, #beeroclock and #TGIF all in one. Sadly, was recalled to the office for a minor emergency at the end of the #beer

Callistemon has started flowering, so of course passers-by have started ripping branches off so they can "take the pretty flowers"

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +1000

Day 1340 ⛅ sleepy shopping

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 08:14:00 +1000

Slow to get out of bed after late u16 hockey last night. Loaves and fishes and home again Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1340th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1339 ⛅ two part commute

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 16:21:00 +1000

After a quiet afternoon at work I left a little early, headed across to Two Rupees for an afternoon beer in the last of the sun … and so of course as I got to the end of it I got a frantic call from cow-orkers that some servers had gone down and needed to be coaxed back into life (Help me Adri-an, you’re my only hope…). Back to the office for half an hour of computerage, then back on the bike for the Scotchmans Creek trail version of riding home

Day 1339 ⛅ educational commute

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 08:02:00 +1000

In which we learn that BMW drivers can go lead you slowly around the corner in front of you, then as you catch them they will suddenly decide to pull left and park in the no-stopping zone. In which we learn that young women in hatchbacks on Browns road DO NOT want to even acknowledge that there’s a Give Way sign for the bike path crossing, let alone do what it says.

the backyard is full of tufts of white fur from yesterday evening's cat fight with the new black and white interloper

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +1000

Day 1338 ⛅ triangley shape

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 15:34:00 +1000

Taking the afternoon working from home break on a sunny day, off down the Djerring trail, up through Monash Uni. to Scotchmans Creek Trail and back home. Double-checked the sign 800m from Oakleigh that I’d glanced at the other day and could have sworn it said “8.0km Oakleigh”, but no, it does say “0.8km Oakleigh”. Yay, council has reinstated the bollards at the end of Downing street. Boo, one of the local idiots has driven over the one next to it.

we may have a new feral cat around or under the house, a scrawny white one with black blotches just shot across the front garden

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:30:00 +1000

Day 1337 ⛅ elite loop

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 15:33:00 +1000

Nerd puns aside, the break from WFH. Down to the Scotcmans Creek Trail, around to East Malvern and up the Anniversary Trail, off the bitumen and down the gravelly goodness of Ferndale Trail dodging the afternoon ladies walkers and dogs. Rejoin as the Gardiners Creek Trail, upstream to the wetlands, leave the paths and up through the suburbs to Djerring Trail in Carnegie and home – dodging one 2-stroke monkey bike and one speeding unregistered commodore along the way

QOTD: Immerse yourself in the latest emerging wellbeing trends

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 10:46:00 +1000

Day 1336 🌧 it done did rain

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 16:35:00 +1000

Wasn’t raining during the ride, but it had recently and will again soon. Everything wet, muck flicking up off the bike path all the way along North road. Surprisingly cold too Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1336th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1336 ⛅ gonna rain commute

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 08:03:00 +1000

Not raining yet, but the forecast says 95% chance, and the skies agree. Started out sunny, quickly clouded over. As another cyclist said to me at work, “Not looking forward to the ride home this evening” Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1336th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1335 ⛅ creek commute home

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:39:00 +1000

Some suspiciously dark clouds built up late in the afternoon and it threatened to rain, nothing eventuated, just dark, grey and damp for the ride home along Scotchmans Creek trail. The roadworks at the corner of Atkinson street and Dandenong road have taken over the bike lane from the corner up past the vacant block and first house, bollards and signs declare “Bike Lane Closed” and force cyclists out into the one remaining, narrowed, uphill lane.

Day 1335 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 08:12:00 +1000

Big improvement over last week, starting to feel like spring weather again Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1335th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1334 ⛅ sunday pleasantness

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 14:07:00 +1000

Daily ride, today off up the GCT to Box Hill to fetch some shoes, then home via what parts of the Pipeline track are accessible and SCT. Sneaky little set of stairs from Gardiners Creek Trail takes you in the back of the block of shops and straight up to Anaconda, so that was a win. Asked Google Maps for directions home from Box Hill, mostly for entertainment value – I mean, who seriously directs cyclists to turn right across an eight lane road where there’s a 2m high embankment in the centre with tram lines on it?

we have successfully wrestled the second mattress back up the stairs to the attic room

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 14:30:00 +1000

Day 1333 ⛅ Corner Store coffee

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 11:40:00 +1000

Somewhere hidden in the backstreets down near Huntingdale station there’s a coffee shop that seems to have grown out of an import warehouse. I’ve been meaning to go there for a coffee ever since I stumbled upon it … or past it … one day while taking a shortcut home from Huntingdale road. They seem to thrive on locals walking in and a steady stream of customers from the nearby play centre and paintball places.

freesia buds are just about open, some of the grape hyacinths are flowering, the one hyacinth is nearly open

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 11:00:00 +1000

Book — “Equal Rites”

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

goodreads — “Mission of Honor”

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Day 1333 ⛅ saturday short shopping

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 08:25:00 +1000

The usual Saturday morning pre-breakfast short ride on the #fixie – up to the shops for some fish for dinner, bread for breakfast, and chicken for tomorrow night. Grey and damp with a few spots of rain Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 3m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1333rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1332 ⛅ creek commute home

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 16:41:00 +1000

So grey and dull this morning that when I realised I’d left my sunglasses in the house I didn’t worry about it… so of course in the afternoon the clouds cleared and I got to ride home squinting into the setting sun. A bit warmer than this morning, and a bit drier, pleasant enough to make an extension on the Scotchmans Creek trail ride home, continuing on downstream to East Malvern and home through Murrumbeena

Day 1332 🌧 fixie2work

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:58:00 +1000

Grey and dismal but not quite raining, not quite too cold. Definitely winter though. Had the entertainment of watching a driver come out of his driveway then travel most of a block against the one-way traffic of the Dandenong road service lane, keeping to the far right and weaving in and out of parked cars. Truly inspiring, the cherry on top was the P-plate on the ute Light rain, 9°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat.

Day 1331 ⛅ north-easterly-ish

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 15:39:00 +1000

Out for the daily escape with instructions from spouse to investigate the corner of Dandenong road and Atkinson street and report back on whether the council has started work on the promised protected bike lane. There’s a whole lot of construction equipment and site sheds that have appeared, but I suspect it has more to do with street light works down Dandenong road and not the bike path Chose to head out along Scotchmans Creek trail to Mount Waverley, then up through the streets to their railway line and back along it to Ashwood and a second pass down Atkinson street for another look.

Day 1330 ☀️ wfh afternoon break

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 15:58:00 +1000

Sunny break for three quarters of an hour, out for a loop around a few suburbs and a bit of the Scotchmans Creek and Djerring trails Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 39%, Wind 3m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1330th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1329 ☀️ coldly homewards

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 16:35:00 +1000

Tuesday afternoons, an earlier commute, a shorter commute, duties call Straight down North road between four lanes of roaring traffic, it really is an uninspiring bike route. Then up along the Djerring trail to Oakleigh and oh yay, some ijut has parked across the “No Standing” box at the end of the car park and is blocking access to the path. Managed to squeeze past, resisting the impulse to take the wing mirrors off when they caught on the handlebars.

Day 1329 ☀️ slightly frosty

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 08:02:00 +1000

Colder than yesterday, but sunny. About 4°C as I left home then falling, 2.7°C… 2.6°C… 2.5°C… dipping in the shadows down near Huntingdale then gradually climbing back up towards Clayton station. Yay, local council have finally responded to the reports of all the rubbish dumped along this section of the line, the crew I saw yesterday have cleaned out all the furniture and dumped bags of clothes under the bushes

Day 1328 ⛅ cold along the creek

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 17:04:00 +1000

Warmer than this morning’s ride to work, but definitely still on the wintery side. Mr Garmin thinks the average was in double figures because it was in the office all day and then took at least quarter of the ride to cool to the outside temperature. Very few joggers and dog walkers this afternoon Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1328th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1328 ⛅ chilly commute

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 08:06:00 +1000

Oh yessir indeedy, that was a chilly one. Could almost have done with a bit more clothes now that the trusty 1996 GroundEffect Frosty boy is getting a little … thin … in places. May have to buy another one some day Seemed to be something bizarre going on around the hospital car park in Browns road, bumper-to-bumper lined up down the road and queueing to get in, must have been some special ‘drive to work’ event.

Day 1327 ⛅ I wanna be straight

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 14:10:00 +1000

Earworm and ride title courtesy of Ian Dury, down the length of the Djerring trail, fiddle about in the showgrounds and back home. Stopped on the way out to pick up a big bag of rubbish, and on the way back for a dark IPA at Kaiju… just a bit too cold sitting outside In the last of the afternoon sun Few clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Day 1326 ⛅ helmetless family ramble

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 12:22:00 +1000

Err woops! Managed to get 5km from home before I realised I was only wearing a beanie, family hadn’t noticed either. Didn’t die We rode up to Caulfield then down along the Frankston rail line to explore the new paths and crossings now that the level crossings at Neerim and Glen Huntly roads have been replaced, the rail line dropping down and passing under them both. The old bluestone lane to Neerim road has vanished and will be a soulless concrete canyon when it reopens, but like a lot of the other surrounding work it hasn’t been completed yet.

We've tidied the shed and put out this year's hard rubbish for the council collection, the old men in utes are cruising the streets

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 11:30:00 +1000

Day 1326 🌧 loaves and fishes

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 08:20:00 +1000

A bit of a sleep in then hop on the #fixie, up to the shops for a snapper for dinner and some fresh bread and hot-cross buns, then home for breakfast Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1326th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1325 🌧 hockey to home

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 18:16:00 +1000

Cam’s opposition forfeited, so no match and an early ride home. Lovely spring evening, smells of wattles and jasmine and the occasional woodsmoke and dinner cooking Light rain, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1325th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1325 🌧 work to hockey

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 17:18:00 +1000

A bit of a variation on the usual commute along the creek to home – this evening it was off to Waverley Hockey club to meet the family for the U16 match. Start off north along Gardiner and Forster roads, then through Mount Waverley to the railway line and down alongside it on the intermittent bike path to Ashwood. Cut through Valley Reserve which is an always enjoyable bit of bushland, almost being knocked over by an off-leash dog was not so enjoyable, nor was the language from the nice woman when I asked her to keep her dog on a lead, like the council signs say.

Day 1325 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 08:42:00 +1000

A late night last night, a bit of a sleep in and a tough time getting going this morning. Thankfully an uneventful ride to work Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1325th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1324 ⛅ lap of lake

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:06:00 +1000

Caught up in work this afternoon so I didn’t get away until later than usual, mind stuck on annoying work problems. A quick and easy loop down to Karkarook lake, around and back north to home. The Oakleigh and Hughesdale hard rubbish is starting to build up for next week, large piles of mysterious crap on every third or fourth nature strip Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.

Day 1323 ⛅ windy from home

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 15:56:00 +1000

A warm but very windy afternoon break from working from home, down to the Gardiners Creek trail and west into the wind to Caulfield, up around the racecourse then back along Neerim road. Most of the roads are open now that the rail crossing has been replaced but there’s still a lot of landscaping and paths to be completed Few clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 43%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.

Day 1322 ☀️ go straight home

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 16:38:00 +1000

Left work a little late, no time for any of the longer options. Straight home through Oakleigh East, Huntingdale, Oakleigh and Hughesdale. One spot of amusement was seeing a near-new house where the occupants have managed to miss their garage and drive into a huge brick pillar that holds up the front porch – pillar is now lying on its side and the porch hangs down looking very dilapidated Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

Day 1322 ⛅ foggy home2work

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 08:04:00 +1000

A cold wet fog in the air this morning, quite thick for what I’ve seen in Melbourne. Cold and damp riding to work and thankfully no really stupid motorists driving blind Few clouds, 6°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 93%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1322nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1321 ☀️ creek commute

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:40:00 +1000

Nearly collected one of them small rotund asthmatic French bulldogs on the way home, off-leash of course, dashed across the path straight in front of me near the freeway underpass. You’d think with the cost of them that the owners would take better care of them… apparently not. Mind you, one of the owners dived across after it, without looking, and I nearly collected her as well Then a bit of added excitement at the Oakleigh shops, an individual who was either drunk, drugged, or otherwise damaged, was walking around and around in circles in the middle of the Atherton road intersection throwing punches and kicks at passing cars.

Day 1321 ☀️ home2work

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 08:04:00 +1000

Monday morning doo dee doo de doo, off to work, lalala. Ho hum Clear sky, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1321st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Oddly, other peoples' hard rubbish has started accumulating on our lawn; a footstool, a few discarded belts, nothing from us yet

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 08:00:00 +1000

A very noisy mudlark[1] has moved in to the garden

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 14:08:00 +1000

Saw it in the front a few days ago, in the back garden most of today, loudly calling and digging, one of the wattlebirds[2] has tried to chase it away a few times [1] Magpie-lark [2] Red wattlebird

Day 1320 ⛅ cool damp Sunday

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 14:08:00 +1000

Out for a Sunday afternoon for the first time in ages, just on two hours, not a really long time but longer than I’ve ridden for quite a while. Back to feeling wintery, the air very cool and damp and hovering around 11-13°C Out along Scotchmans Creek trail to Mount Waverley and up to the Pipeline track, though I found the Pipeline track was mostly unrideable due to maintenance works on the pipes, with most sections barricaded off.

White blossom is starting to appear on the plum tree over the shed

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 08:30:00 +1000

installed emacs 29.1 from snap, upgraded emacs packages

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 15:48:00 +1000

I still have the DEB version of emacs 28, bit scared to delete it just yet. There’s a few elisp warnings when things start, but so far Org mode and everything else works for me

Day 1319 ⛅ short saturday shop

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 08:03:00 +1000

Fish for dinner, bread for breakfast, some chicken for tomorrow night. Then back home for bacon and eggs Broken clouds, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1319th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1318 ⛅ windy ride home

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:29:00 +1000

Shocker of a northerly headwind on the way up Gardiners road & Forster road, then a little more sheltered along the path along the creek. Lots of twigs, bark and leaves down, but no branches. Wind had eased off a bit by the time I got to Atkinson street, but then got driven into by a woman tearing out of the pub car park at the Leighoak! From the far side of the road she looked up the hill, down the hill, then straight across the road to get into the Dandenong road service lane, I threw out my arm and was pushed sideways across the road with a very loud BANG, amazingly didn’t come off.

Day 1318 🌧 windy commute

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 08:02:00 +1000

Gusty northerly buffeting me around on the way to work. Odd bit of screamed abuse from a passing car passenger while I was waiting at the lights to cross Dandenong road, no idea what she said, it was loud, it was angry, but it was incomprehensible Light rain, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1318th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1317 ⛅ spring-like ferndale

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 15:39:00 +1000

A warm but windy spring day, near perfect for going out for a ride … although any day is better for a ride. Along the Djerring Trail to Carnegie, straight into the wind to Gardiners Creek, downstream to the Ferndale trail turnoff and up the hill. Back down the Anniversary trail and home through the suburbs. A few magpies seemed to be eyeing me up, but none have decided to start swooping… it’ll come, soon, I’m sure

Day 1316 ☀️ successful rail crossing perusal

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 15:30:00 +1000

With a warm spring-like afternoon and the sun shining, it was a much more successful trip to check on the level-crossing removal than my ride last Sunday evening in the cold and rain. Both Neerim and Glen Huntly roads are open again over the rail lines – well over, the railway has been lowered to remove the crossings. Queens road is still closed and there’s plenty of other works still underway, but the trains are now running again.

A Red wattle-bird[1] comes swooping in to the camellia and to sit on the fence, no photos due to the flyscreens

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 10:30:00 +1000

[1] Red wattlebird

the blossom on the nature strip plum tree has opened, from just buds on Sunday evening

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 18:30:00 +1000

Day 1315 ⛅ the gumnut express

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:32:00 +1000

Briskly home, straight along the North road bike path, half covered in gumnuts as it has been for years and a little like riding through ball-bearings as a result Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1315th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1315 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 08:05:00 +1000

The routine commute, only point of note was the rather cool looking flat-bed cargo bike that pulled up alongside at Clayton road – then later seeing it was someone else who’s on Strava and had a flyby or whatever they call overlapping rides these days Scattered clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1315th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1314 ⛅ creek commute home

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 16:43:00 +1000

The sunset commute home along the creek on the #fixie, birds and blossom. Oops, nearly had a headon. Pulled up alongside another rider at a red light and was nearly hit by a guy riding towards me through the red light – hadn’t expected that so hadn’t looked up for anyone, I’d been watching the cars tearing down Huntingdale road on my right to see if they were going to stop when THEIR light went red

Day 1314 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 08:09:00 +1000

The usual ride to work, the usual hazards. One near dooring by hospital staff, could see it coming and stopped, giving him the evil eye Scattered clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1314th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1313 🌧 not according to plan

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 18:01:00 +1000

Rail crossing works are supposedly over, or at least the line reopens tonight, so I thought I’d ride up and check out neerim road and glenhuntly road crossings. I got most of the way to Caulfield when it poured with rain, then circled a few blocks past some very active work sites and very closed roads. Temperature had started out around 16°C, then plummeted with the rain. Back home, very wet

“Brown-eyed girl” plays as we sit in the airport…

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 14:34:00 +1000

Part II of the “songs you will always hear” after “To her door” at the party last night, see 2004-03-31 Wed and 2006-03-01 Wed

Interesting airport beer prices; $11.90 for a half-pint, $15.90 for a pint

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 14:15:00 +1000

I had to go back and check, I guess the costs are in the glasses and service, not in the product

Day 1312 ☀️ saturday shopping

Sat, 29 Jul 2023 07:23:00 +1000

The usual Saturday morning pre-breakfast nip up to the shops ride, doubly important today because we’re off to the airport shortly for a flying visit interstate and this will be my only chance to keep up the rides, keep the chain unbroken Over the bridge, around the block, to the bakery and back home. Job done Clear sky, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.

Day 1311 ⛅ creek commute home

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 17:00:00 +1000

Sundown creek commute, birds calling and a setting sun. A little extra up along Scotchmans Creek trail to the end of the suburb, then back around the block and up over the hill to Oakleigh shops. Roosting lorikeets almost deafening in the palm trees near the station Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1311th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1311 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 08:13:00 +1000

Just the usual three day per week ride to work, down to Clayton, up to Monash Uni. A bit of water about from the rain overnight, but not enough to flood over the path down at Huntingdale. Somewhere along the way a home-built eBike came up behind me, rider slowed and politely called out then went past as some astounding speed, I’d love to know what he’s got built into that large sheet metal battery box!

Purple-pink bud colour is showing on the street tree plum on the nature strip

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 17:45:00 +1000

Day 1310 ☀️ Anniversary and Ferndale

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:48:00 +1000

Afternoon break for a sunny ride while working from home, it feels like ages since I’ve been out on the AWOL and around the Ferndale trail loop. A week away on holiday, a week back but only riding the fixie, only got back on the AWOL yesterday… checking my rides and it looks as though the last time I went around this way was back on the 14th of June!

Day 1309 ⛅ fitbit cable and SUV karen

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:35:00 +1000

Finally got around to putting my pedals back on the AWOL and took it for a ride – around to work to find the charger cable for my fitbit that had fallen down between the desk and wall. Then I got home to find the fitbit was 92% full anyway, it had just hung and needed a reset, as it seems to need 2-3 times a day nowadays Nearly didn’t get home though, yet again on the off-road bike path beside Browns road, yet another hospital staff member drove straight through the Give Way sign, straight across the bike path, and nearly collected me.

Day 1308 ⛅ north road home

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 16:27:00 +1000

Tuesday afternoon, leave briskly to go straight home and back out again at 5pm. Plenty of time today so I took the second-shortest route, not the absolute shortest most direct one. Gum nuts, debris and broken concrete slabs, the VicRoads bikepath down North road, untouched since it was built in 2011 Few clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1308th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

goodreads — “The Eagle of the Ninth”

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1308 ⛅ new winter gloves

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 08:05:00 +1000

Yet another new pair of winter gloves, and yet again, picked them up on my commute. I think I’ve got about four pairs now, rode past the first one in Kanooka grove and thought it looked like a nice glove, someone will be missing that. Then went around the next two corners and there’s its mate lying in the road, so a quick loop around and picked them both up

Day 1307 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:53:00 +1000

Wattle blossom along the creek, currawongs and noisy miners. Is it getting nearer to spring? Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1307th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1306 🌧 meandering architecture review

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 10:29:49 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; out on the #fixie looking at old and new buildings, housing and industrial

Day 1306 🌧 meandering architecture review

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 14:18:00 +1000

Wandering around Springvale, Clatyton & Oakleigh looking at houses and industrial buildings old and new on a drizzly grey Sunday afternoon Light rain, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1306th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

half a haircut! We've now discovered what the clippers do when the charge runs out, they very quicky stop

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 10:09:00 +1000

2023/0722/1010 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 10:10:00 +1000

Day 1305 ⛅ short shopping

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 08:31:00 +1000

Jump on the #fixie for the quick Saturday morning trip up to the shops while breakfast is cooking; fish for dinner, bread to go with breakfast, a couple of croissants for later. Then a detour around the block and home Broken clouds, 7°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1305th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Let's celebrate! My blog is 19 years old

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 22:57:00 +1000

My livejournal blog that is – or so the email told me. Long time since I looked at it or logged

Day 1304 ⛅ sunny ride home

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:24:00 +1000

After a very grey dark and damp week it was bright and sunny this afternoon so I left a little early and made the best of the trip home. Didn’t feel like following the creek path under the trees, so back down south to the Djerring trail and home in the sun … and into the sun! One drawback was that at this time of day and year, the sun is low and dead ahead along the trail, so everything forwards is a squint at dark silhouettes

Day 1304 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 08:00:00 +1000

Getting lighter in the mornings, but not getting any warmer this week. Missed the rain showers but the paths and roads are all wet Scattered clouds, 6°C, Feels like 4°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1304th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

indieweb.xyz seems to have suffered linkrot, the domain is for sale, I guess the previous owner gave up on renewing it

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 19:10:00 +1000

The joys of the “independent web”; independent, but highyly unstable as sites come with much enthusiasm, then go, due to lack of funds or interest. Farewell indieweb.xyz

Day 1303 🌧 rainy 10k

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 15:35:00 +1000

A cold grey and wet afternoon, so a quick spin up to Cauflield and back on the #fixie, taking a look at the progress of the level crossing replacement works down the Frankston line. In true major projects fashion the signs for pedestrians state that “Neerim road crossing will be closed until late June” – I guess July 20 is “very late June” Near miss by a learner driver who drove half-way through the Djerring trail crossing of Grange Road, didn’t seem to notice the red light and just about drove into the cyclist coming the other way

Oranges continue to ripen and fall, one or two a day. Consumption is not keeping up

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 08:30:00 +1000

Day 1302 ⛅ oakleigh and clayton junk ride

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 15:52:00 +1000

Annual hardrubbish collection soon, so the streets resemble third-world landfill in places as people dump anything and everything the instant they get the council brochure, completely ignoring the “three neat piles, sorted by type” and “not more than one week from collection”. On top of that is the year-round fly-tipping as people drive up onto the #DjerringTrail where the bollards have been removed or driven over and empty ute loads of garbage wherever they can.

Magnolia blossoms on the tree in the front garden are starting to open, all the buds full of colour

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 14:29:00 +1000

Day 1301 ⛅ straight home

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 16:36:00 +1000

Not quite running late but no time to spare, take the shortest route home for the late afternoon Tuesday family duties. Hard rubbish piles are growing on nature strips all through Oakleigh East, it must be that time again. Oh, and look, seems that petrol has gone up 30c a litre sometime today Few clouds, 10°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 5m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1301st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1301 ☀️ quaxing to work

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:04:00 +1000

The house seems somewhat bereft of fresh fruit and veges so a minor detour on #mycommute to grab some things for the next day or two, then straight up along Atherton road and down Dandenong road. Ugh, can’t believe that this used to be my main commute route for so many years. Traffic sucks, the bike lane is appalling, what it gives in shortness it more than takes away in unpleasantness

Day 1300 ☀️ fixie along the creek

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 16:37:00 +1000

Home again home again, etc etc. Back at work, back to the commute Clear sky, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1300th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1300 ☀️ cold commute

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 08:05:00 +1000

What a way to head back to work after a week in warmer climes, a 4.5°C commute! Definitely should have worn the winter gloves today, at least I remembered the beanie Clear sky, 6°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1300th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1299 🌙 back home

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 21:27:00 +1000

Quick night loop to keep the winning streak; no thanks to Jetstar for the three hour delay on the two hour flight. Finally back in Melbourne, unpacked, fed, time for a short cold trundle on the #fixie up to Murrumbeena and Carnegie then back home along the Djerring trail. One big fat Brushtail possum ran across the path in front of me, nothing else of note Clear sky, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

Day 1297 ⛅ falls and vistas

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 09:27:07 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; out to a #{{{tag(waterfall,waterfall)}}] and some impressive scenery near Maleny

Day 1298 ⛅ Saturday morning maleny

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 09:36:00 +1000

A last quick spin around town between breakfast and packing up the bike to drive back to Brisbane and return it – with much thanks – to its owner Five kilometres, a thousand screeching fruit-bats, and one platypus, Saturday morning tourist traffic building, there’s far more cars and people here on the weekend than during the week Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.

Day 1296 ☀️ asthma smoke circuit

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 19:12:10 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; very smoky sunset half hour around Maleny

Day 1297 ⛅ falls and vistas

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:01:00 +1000

Out to Gardeners Falls… and back up, then around to the scenic road past Mary Cairns Cairncross reserve. Back up and over to rejoin Bunya Street back past the pub and into town. A little earlier than the past few days and some fantastic views off south to the Glasshouse mountains, still managed to find some steep streets, but I could get to enjoy riding around this part of the world

Day 1296 ☀️ asthma smoke circuit

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 17:10:00 +1000

Incredibly smoky, you’d think it a bushfire but no, just woodfires in every house and a still evening A bit of a figure eight around Maleny after a rainy day out, skies had cleared, but the air was damp and as mentioned, smoky. Somewhere over near the golf course I found yet another stupidly steep street, they must go through a lot of brake pads and gear boxes in this town

Day 1295 ⛅ Baroon Pocket dam hill

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:56:00 +1000

Continuing the series of short rides on the borrowed bike, out for up to an hour in the afternoon while on a family holiday in Maleny Once again I left town heading north, this time towards the lake. Passing one of the last houses a guy getting his bins in calls out “You’ll know it on the way back” and I’m tempted to stop and ask him just how steep is it… Couldn’t possibly be as bad as yesterday, could it?

Day 1294 ☀️ maleny North at dusk

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 16:45:00 +1000

Killer hills r us. Next time I’m up this way on a borrowed bike it shall have lots more low gears! Nipped out for a quick trip northish from the house after we got back from the day’s family outings. After peaking at the water tank and a new housing estate the road dropped away and went down … and down … and down. After a short while I decided this was getting a bit silly and stopped at an arbitrary spot, turned around and came back, then rolled up and down a few side streets before getting back to the house

Maleny birds [2023-07-11 Tue]

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 11:36:00 +1000

Day walk around Maleny, and visit to a rainforest park, some lifers: Yellow-throated scrubwren Green catbird – heard Eastern whipbird – heard Laughing kookaburra Letter-winged kite Straw-necked ibis Magpie Pied currawong Rainbow lorikeet Logrunner Blue-faced honeyeater Thornbill (sp.) Cattle egret Australian raven

Day 1292 ☁️ borrow bike

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:46:06 +1000

Daily #cycling photos: 10km around Maleny on a borrowed bike

Day 1293 ⛅ first Maleny loopage

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 15:46:00 +1000

After yesterday’s introduction to the borrowed bike I took it out for a bit more of a decent loop around today – first swapping out the pedals for the ones I brought with me, not 100% sure that the ones on the bike were the exact same SPD style and I was having troubles with my shoes yesterday Out for a 20km loop, keeping an eye on the time, the sun, and the map.

A list of birds seen on Monday in Maleny – [2023-07-10 Mon] – and a mammal, monotreme and reptile

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 15:15:00 +1000

Pale-headed Rosella Noisy pitta Azure kingfisher Kookaburra Currawong Magpie Grey fantail Buff-banded rail Scrub Turkey Striated pardalote Wompoo dove Bassian thrush Yellow robin Lewins honeyeater Pied butcherbird White-faced heron White ibis Straw-necked ibis Platypus Fruit bat Turtle

Day 1292 ☁️ borrow bike

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 18:44:00 +1000

First day of a non-cycling holiday far from home and I’d thought that the run of 1291 days in a row riding my bike would come to an end – its got to end some day and I was ok for it to be now. It would have been, except for a wonderful spouse who went above and beyond the call of duty and contacted a coworker in Brisbane who has a cycling partner who was prepared to lend me a bike for the week!

Browsing in a gallery in Maleny, a familiar sound makes me look up. – there's a Kat1100 idling down the street with some other motorbikes

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 11:00:00 +1000

Day 1291 ☁️ dark early shopping

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 06:40:00 +1000

Dark, damp and windy early spin around and through the shops, grabbing pain au chocolate on the way Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1291st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1290 ⛅ creek commute

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:40:00 +1000

Lo, it is almost still afternoon as I ride home along the creek, maybe it really is starting to get light later Few clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1290th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1290 ⛅ off twerk

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 08:09:00 +1000

Cool and grey and feeling tired from a longish ride last nigh on the fixie. Down to Clayton, up to work. Thought that I was about to catch another cyclist in the contra-flow bike lane on Dandenong road, but no, she got to the end of it then kept on going, riding against traffic off down the service lane causing some consternation for the drivers heading towards her Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat.

Day 1289 ☁️ dinner with friends

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 18:02:00 +1000

An evening outing to Richmond and back to catch up for dinner with friends, some I haven’t seen for years. Half way in along the Gardiners Creek trail and there comes the SMS that the restaurant has closed… for good, and probably some months ago. A new one is chosen three doors up. Easy enough to get to, follow the trail around the river then up Burnley street and Victoria street, although I was followed for a block or so by a tram with a driver constantly ringing the bell because he was convinced that he couldn’t pass me even though I was well outside the painted tram line on the road, and the side of the tram is well inside it, more of a gap than half the car drivers leave along here – when I finally pulled over between two parked cars he drove past

Day 1288 ⛅ spares shopping

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:49:00 +1000

Spares for number one’s scooter that is. Wheel bearings have gone… err, some of them completely vanished. Off for the daily ride, fixie today, up to the big bike shop at Carnegie that has no bike parking. They have no scooter parts, but do direct me to a scooter shop, so off to find it … overshooting, circling the block, then finding the shop. Replacement wheels purchased. Home much the same way, in the reverse

Day 1287 ⛅ ghost bike loop

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 15:05:00 +1000

A short afternoon loop on a grey damp day. Didn’t help the mood that I rode down Darling road where a cyclist was run over and killed yesterday evening – a ghost bike is sitting at the corner. Bike track back to Oakleigh, then up Atkinson street and slip in the building site clay that’s all over the road before climbing the hill, skirting the shops and adding on a bit up and down through Hughesdale to home

Day 1286 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 16:42:00 +1000

Is it getting lighter later? Hard to tell, still feels very much the darkest part of winter. No #PassBox now so back to the full length of the Scotchmans creek trail back to Oakleigh, following one other fast rider and passing a few well rugged up dog walkers Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1286th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1286 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 08:03:00 +1000

Normal Monday morning commute after last week were I stayed home four days to take a training course remotely. Somewhere mid-Clayton I realised how cold it was when I saw my breath fogging out in front of me. Good to see the council truck clearing up the trailer load of dumped rubbish tipped alongside the #DjerringTrail over the weekend, although it’d be even better if the locals didn’t do it in the first place

Day 1285 ⛅ djerring dandy welly

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 13:51:00 +1000

The weather wasn’t looking that great all day so I wasn’t sure when to go out or how far to go; around 2pm after lunch and decided I’d better head out. Hadn’t been out to the end of the #DjerringTrail for a while so that was the first direction, then down the Eastlink trail a little way to meet the Dandenong creek trail and follow it back along the creek through the parkland up towards Jells Park.

Day 1284 ⛅ passbox return

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 09:17:00 +1000

My two weeks is up, time to return the #PassBox to its owner and let them review the data, matching up the recorded passing-distance events with the footage from the cameras – I just wish I got to see some of it, the particularly hair-raising but sadly too frequent passes on the #GOR and in Murrumbeena and Koornang roads. I’m never quite sure how to get through the CBD and out the other side, Inkerman street and St Kilda road got me to the city quickly enough, albeit with road works and building sites most of the way from St Kilda to the city.

Day 1284 🌧 early short shopping

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 07:40:00 +1000

The usual Saturday morning quick dash up to the shops for fresh bread and fish for dinner, I hadn’t been intending to record it here as I’m going out for a longer ride later, but habit got the better of me. Drizzly grey skies and wet roads. The bakery has decided that the permanent place for their big advertising sign is between the two bike hoops, which makes both of them hard to use, each week I push it a bit out of the way, each day they put it back so it leans on the bike hoops

2023/0701/0006 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:06:00 +1000

2023/0701/0005 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:05:00 +1000

Day 1283 ☁️ part creek home commute

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 17:41:00 +1000

First Friday in a while where I haven’t had to leave work before 5pm to get home for kid’s sport. A social beer with cow-orkers then out into the cool dark damp for the ride home. Roads and bike paths, very little traffic since we’re between semesters Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1283rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1283 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 08:20:00 +1000

Just the usual Friday morning commute, off to work along the Djerring trail and up through Clatyton. A little more road than usual, give that #PassBox something to do… although there’s very little traffic about Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1283rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/0630/0016 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:16:00 +1000

Day 1282 ⛅ squarely around

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 15:46:00 +1000

Another three quarter hour afternoon break on a day working from home. A lap around some nearby suburbs, including the ‘orrible hill up Stanley street through Mount Waverley – roadworks going on to try and narrow it and add some traffic calming/slow-down measures to limit the number of drivers who come screaming down the hill and straight through the give-way signs and across the Scotchmans Creek trail. Cool and damp as its been all week

2023/0628/2200 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 22:00:00 +1000

Day 1281 🌧 wfh afternoon break

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 15:44:00 +1000

Somehow managed to avoid the rain, although there were very dark clouds looming over me especially around Caulfield. Westwards along the railway and around Caulfield racecourse, then south far enough to cross the closed-for-rail-works Frankston line and home along the Rosstown rail trail. Wet roads and the start of the peak hour traffic Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1281st in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Aha! The Galbally park log has been located, 50m away in the playground now. A much better location and not such a hazard

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 08:30:00 +1000

ajft 😛 Yippee! Celebrating wildly as I finally get my pas…

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 21:54:00 +1000

Yippee! Celebrating wildly as I finally get my password changed by @m15o and can log back in https://status.cafe/users/ajft/21527

Day 1280 ⛅ karkarook variation

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 15:46:00 +1000

Down to Karkarook lake and along one side, then around the gravelly bush block and up through Clayton and home along the railway. Bit more road than usual to get some more footage for the #PassBox … but it went flat somewhere out on the ride. Either I’m doing something wrong or it does not have the 14hr battery life it says on the label! Oh well, back on the charger for its third overnight charge in under a week

the last of the bamboo stakes have now been used to make one final tripod for the broad-beans to climb

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 14:05:00 +1000

woken up by one of the neighbours' cats breaking in the cat door and scrabbling crazily around the kitchen before crashing back out again

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 06:20:00 +1000

Day 1279 ⛅ showery suburbia

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:05:00 +1000

A quick few blocks around the local suburbs in the late afternoon, everything wet and bright… until the next shower arrived and it got wetter and darker. Tried to cut through an industrial park to the streets behind, but that trick never works Scattered clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1279th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1278 ⛅ cathedral and st george river

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 14:45:00 +1000

An absolutely cold and miserable winter day, rain pelting on the windows from the time I got up to at least three pm, when it eased off a little I made the most of it and took off for the day’s ride. Didn’t really want to get too far from town in case the next squall hit so it was north up the coast to Cathedral rocks – where the sign has been “souvenired” – then back to town and out the other side, and on to the St George river.

goodreads — “No Country for Old Men”

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1277 ⛅ quiet GOR kennett return

Sat, 24 Jun 2023 14:08:00 +1000

Noticeably less traffic around than over the long weekend, a fairly quiet and peaceful ride down to Kennett River along the #GOR then a coffee and return. Some roadworks at the first point after the St George river, traffic lights and only one direction let through at a time, no hassles from the drivers behind me or in front. Fewer drivers, but the percentages of idiots probably about the same, at least today’s close-passing idiots will be recorded on the #PassBox … for whatever good that’ll do.

goodreads — “The Light Fantastic”

Sat, 24 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1276 ⛅ straight home

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:42:00 +1000

A short quick trip home, chores await, then a weekend away. Wet roads, setting sun. A large growling dog on the narrow footbridge over Dandenong road, but thankfully held close on a short leash Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1276th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1276 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 08:07:00 +1000

Morning commute, a bit more road than bike path to see how Clayton drivers behave with the #PassBox – shouldn’t have bothered, it went flat somewhere on the ride and switched off Several minutes delay & entertainment up near the hospital waiting & watching a garbage truck peeling the rear bumper off a small car during a ‘failure to pass’ manoeuvre. After several attempts to drive forwards & back the driver eventually stopped & got out and was busy trying to free the wedged bumper from somewhere in the side of his truck

Day 1275 🌧 squaring outing

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 15:20:00 +1000

Another afternoon break while working from home, trying to get back in under an hour, takes me too long to get organized when I get started so the riding is only 45min or less. Ignore the weather report, it didn’t rain at all More road bits than I’d usually include in any one ride, they’re all roads I ride, but normally I’d detour off along the creek trails or Djerring trail, rather than stay entirely on the roads and let the #PassBox get its money’s worth.

2023/0622/0125 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 01:25:00 +1000

2023/0622/0122 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 01:22:00 +1000

Day 1274 ⛅ block of murrumbeena

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:21:00 +1000

Out for a brief, brisk, ride around the suburbs on one of my two WFH days of the week. Intended to take the #PassBox out for a spin around Carnegie and Murrumbeena but I guess I must have forgotten to switch it off when I got home yesterday – dead flat. Oh well, out around the block at school pick-up o’clock. A surprisingly geometric ride on a cold clear afternoon. Home again in just over half an hour and back to work

Surprise log removal from alongside Djerring trail in Galbally reserve – always was in a hazardous spot for riders heading east

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 08:24:00 +1000

2023/0621/0640 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 06:40:00 +1000

2023/0621/0325 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 03:25:00 +1000

2023/0622/0125 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 01:25:00 +1000

2023/0622/0122 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 01:22:00 +1000

Day 1273 ☁️ a chilly ride home

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 17:11:00 +1000

I believe “bracing” is the word to describe the feeling of riding along the creek after sunset today. Not entirely sure about this ‘feels like 9°C’ business, it was definitely saying 6.5°C at one point Mostly the usual Scotchmans Creek ride home, but stayed on road for Gardiners and Forster roads, and used all of Atkinson street up over the hill to Oakleigh shops, all to give the #PassBox a little more to chew on

Day 1273 ⛅ late home2work

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 12:01:00 +1000

Morning engagement makes for a lunchtime commute to work. Near dooring in Clayton, typical aussie driver of oversize ute, parks badly at the shops then threw the door open in my face as I rode towards him. I swerved and yelled “Door”, he screams abuse and tells me to go get f*cked. One day the road rules will be known, observed and enforced, but not today Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 0m/s from WNW - by Klimat.

Day 1272 ⛅ half creek half road home

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:21:00 +1000

Better than this morning, not raining. Everything still wet, cold, getting dark. Was amusing to see the Garmin valiantly claiming that it was still around 19°C at the Ferntree Gully road lights … it was not, just takes a long time to cool down from the temperature inside the office! Cut the corner through Oakleigh East to reduce the amount of Scotchmans Creek trail. Very few other cyclists or dog walkers about

Day 1272 🌧 cold wet gloomy commute

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 08:10:00 +1000

Not really fun, just cold and wet. Shortest route. Spray jacket mostly works, but not quite long enough to keep my bum dry. Shoes and socks soaked. Hit a nasty hole in the road too, a square section dug out by roadworks, brim full of water and invisible – jarred wrists, banged my teeth together something ‘orrible, not sure how I didn’t end up with a blowout from that one

Day 1271 ☀️ sunny bayside

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 11:06:00 +1000

Decided to ride some roads to give the #PassBox something to see, so off along the length of the Rosstown rail trail to Elsternwick, then down the bay along Beach road, turning in at Charman rd and straight north to home. A sunny mid day ride with a gentle northerly blowing, nothing like yesterday, and overall very enjoyable. Pushed it a little bit and my legs are feeling pleasantly wobbly afterwards

84273584 is your Facebook account recovery code

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 15:54:00 +1000

Hi Adrian, We received a request to reset your Facebook password. Enter the following password reset code: …….. Didn’t request this change? If you didn’t request a new password, let us know.

QOTD: Vellums and parchments will survive another 1,000 years. We should save the ephemeral before it is lost

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 15:17:00 +1000

https://www.wired.com/story/my-fathers-death-in-7-gigabytes-internet-archive/

A Header Image for my Bandcamp Posts

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

While writing up bandcamp I decided I needed a header image for all my bandcamp blog posts so I created one; a combination of my profile image from bandcamp, the bandcamp logo and because I wanted it wider, an xplanet view centred on home (or at least the nearest airport)

Day 1270 ⛅ windy PassBox collection

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 09:11:00 +1000

Had a call from the #PassBox people earlier in the week asking if I was available for another two weeks of data collection for them – I’d seen an SMS earlier and not responded, getting a bit fed up with the whole “close passing” business in Australia. As far as I can tell all the states now have laws requiring a legal minimum passing distance, but there’s been no education, nobody much pays any attention to it, and there’s almost zero enforcement, meanwhile people pat themselves on the back that the law exists and conduct endless surveys & studies.

Day 1269 ☀️ creek commute

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 16:53:00 +1000

Surprisingly warm and with clear skies, lots of small insects in the air in clouds along the creek. Enjoyable as always, more people should have commutes like this Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1269th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Music from bandcamp

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Lifting Off The Ground, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Be The Light You Wanna See, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Vero Beach, by The Starlit Hues Digital Track Come Down Easy (Single), by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Again, I'm Going _____ Demos, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Snow Team EP, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Mistakes (Single), by The Starlit Hues Digital Album 1998, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Shoegaze As Fuck, by The Starlit Hues Digital Track Exactly What You Expected EP, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Yes EP, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Alone EP, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Lifting Off The Ground Demos 2, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Lifting Off The Ground Instrumental Demos, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Not Your Fathers Shoegaze, by The Starlit Hues Digital Album Subtotal: 7.

Day 1269 ☀️ home2work

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 08:14:00 +1000

A routine commute to work, down to Clayton, up to Monash Uni. The #Cycliq Fly12 has decided to crap out again and declare the SD card “corrupt” again, so endless bleeping and flashing lights. Another reformat & curse session and it’ll be right for another random length of time. Got to work and mentioned it to a colleague, he has a more recent Fly12 and his craps out all the time too – fully charged on Wednesday during the day, he turned it on for the ride home in the dark and it flashed red and turned off, tried again, same thing.

Day 1268 ⛅ short afternoon loop

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:20:00 +1000

Some days it just isn’t very interesting. “Why don’t you stop?” 1268 days? I can’t just not ride because I’m bored! Out for an afternoon break from work, three quarters of an hour of Scotchmans Creek trail, Waverley road and back home along the Djerring trail. Stopped to say hello to the guys building a fence up the street and got them to come down later and quote on repairing ours.

2023/0614/2243 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 22:43:00 +1000

Day 1267 ⛅ clear winter afternoon

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 15:09:00 +1000

Out for the daily ride in the best part of the day, the morning’s clouds and rain had cleared away and we had clear blue skies and bright winter sunshine. Paths wet, air cold, but it hadn’t yet started to get gloomy. The Anniversary double loop, north up to Gardiners Creek trail and around to join the Anniversary, then back south and aroung Gardiners Creek trail to the wetlands. Up the Ferndale Trail hill and back onto the Anniversary trail for a second trip down south, then across the golf course and through to Murrumbeena and the Djerring trail home

Music from bandcamp

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Patch3s, by maiester Digital Album €3.00EUR Patch2s, by maiester Digital Album €3.00EUR Shattering Lights, by maiester (feat. Norbert Peillon) Digital Track €2.00EUR Subtotal: 3.00 Additional contribution: 5.00 GST (10.0%): 0.30 Total: €8.30 EUR bandcamp/ajft

Day 1266 ⛅ go straight home

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:30:00 +1000

Tuesday early afternoon departure, go straight home to get to kid’s hockey training on time. Along the roads and through the ‘burbs, nothing terribly special or exciting Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 0m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1266th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1266 🌧 shorty in2work

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 08:21:00 +1000

Definitely a short-ride Tuesday this week. Not only will it be the short’n’quick trip home this afternoon, but pre-work chores meant no extras on the way in to work. Straight down the Djerring trail to Huntingdale then bounce over the gumnuts and sticks along the bike path down the middle of North road to work Light rain, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat.app

warm weather over the weekend and half a dozen oranges have ripened and fallen off, this crop all seem smaller than last time

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 07:45:00 +1000

Day 1265 ⛅ Mount Defiance GOR

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 14:04:00 +1000

A lazy sunny afternoon hour out along the #GOR, down to Mount Defiance and back to Lorne. Very little traffic at this end of a long weekend, but still enough that the 25% or so that overtake dangerously close were getting on my nerves, especially the big van with the memorable plate of “IBCRAZY” that nearly got the flat of my arm against the side panel as they shot past on a blind corner but pulled in because of oncoming traffic

Day 1264 ⛅ Lorne Benwerrin loop

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 14:23:00 +1000

Up the Deans Marsh road to the ridge at Benwerrin, got screamed at by a bogun in a ute. Not even on my side of the road, he was stopped at roadworks traffic lights waiting for the downhill turn as I rode through, two cars in front of me, four or five behind. Presumably I was “holding up traffic” and should have teleported out of the way, given that the lane had no shoulder either side, roadworks bollards or swampy forest

2023/0611/0555 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 05:55:00 +1000

Day 1263 ⛅ kennett koffee

Sat, 10 Jun 2023 13:59:00 +1000

First day of a long weekend at Lorne on the #GOR, first afternoon to go for a ride down to Kennett River to enjoy the view, enjoy the coffee, and not enjoy the close passing scary drivers. Am I getting older and less ok with their dangerous antics, or are they getting worse? I suspect the latter. Some truly horrendous driving, some near me, some everywhere else … like the guy who stopped on the apex of a corner so his passenger could get out and take photos.

2023/0609/2257 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 22:57:00 +1000

Day 1262 ⛅ shortishly homewards

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 13:19:00 +1000

Early finish to pack and get away for a long weekend. Straight back along North road then avoid the floody-muddy parts of the Djerring trail through Oakleigh and take the last stretch back to the station, then home Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 48%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1262nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1262 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 08:18:00 +1000

The morning commute, guaranteed to get up the noses of the Strava purist. It’s a #commute, and apparently these should be forbidden, nothing except pure training and racing is allowed. It’s under an hour on the bike, so clearly not worthy of even noticing. It includes no PBs or KOMs or WTFs. I care not, it’s #mycommute and its the 1262nd day in a row that I’ve ridden my bike… even if only a little bit

Day 1261 ⛅ wetlands and paths

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:30:00 +1000

A late afternoon outing, first off up stream along Scotchmans Creek to the Huntingdale wetlands and a lap of the lake, then back downstream along suburban roads and Scotchmans Creek trail as far as East Malvern station. Back up through Murrumbeena, then a detour into Springthorpe gardens and Boyd park, passing a wonderfully carved new log-bench, and home in the gloom of early evening Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

Ubuntu nastiness -- partial upgrade killed the gnome desktop

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 08:45:00 +1000

I logged in this morning to see the updater telling me that a partial upgrade was available, which I thought unusual as that’s usually for the xx04 or xx10 version changeovers. Hit “OK” and it started, then popped up a huge error box across the screen telling me I had no desktop installed (none of ubuntu-desktop or many others, not recorded). Gnome then exited, back to a console login. Manually installed ubuntu-desktop which pulled in a whole bunch of packages that I’d seen removed.

Ubuntu nastiness -- partial upgrade killed the gnome desktop

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 08:45:00 +1000

Ubuntu nastiness – partial upgrade killed the gnome desktop

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 08:45:00 +1000

Logged in this morning to see the updater telling me that a partial upgrade was available, which I thought unusual as that’s usually for the xx04 or xx10 version changeovers. Hit “ok” and it started, then popped up a huge error box across the screen telling me I had no desktop instaled (none of ubuntu-desktop or many others, not recorded). Gnome then exited, back to a console login. Manually installed ubuntu-desktop which pulled in a whole bunch of packages that I’d seen removed.

Day 1260 🌧 rainy rail works

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 15:19:00 +1000

A very dark afternoon with two large bands of rain, one oop norf and one dahn sarf, nowt in the middle. Snuck out on the fixie for a spin up to Caulfield and a brief exploration around the rail works and level crossing removals. All the rails are gone from Caulfield down to Ormond, the trenching has begun… lots of closed off side streets and detour signs everywhere, got stuck in traffic at pinch points a few times, then made it through the underpass on the Rosstown rail trail and home back along the trail

2023/0607/1117 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 11:17:00 +1000

Music from bandcamp

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Alexandra/ Dying On The Vine, by RVG Digital Album $4.00AUD Feral, by RVG Digital Album $17.00AUD Brain Worms, by RVG Digital Album $15.00AUD Subtotal: 36.00 GST (10.0%): 3.60 Total: $39.60 AUD bandcamp/ajft

Day 1259 ⛅ short ride home

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:26:00 +1000

Misty grey rain, very dark clouds overhead and behind me, streaming bright sunshine coming in under them from the west. Barely able to see where I was going for half the ride. Plenty of construction work on houses through Huntingdale, mostly knock-down rebuilds, although one seems to have been mothballed part way through Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1259th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1259 ⛅ thru Clayton salmon

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 08:06:00 +1000

The Djerring trail through Clayton passes straight through the rail station forecourt, and one of the shared uses of the shared path is for people walking between the car parks and station. There are big white arrows painted on the path, together with a bike and a pedestrian symbol, indicating that everyone should walk, and ride on the left. Widely ignored Melbourne wide these seem to be especially ignored around Clayton to Springvale, so every single day cyclists have to slow to a crawl, or stop, while walkers go left, or right, or straight ahead, or stop and stare, or yell and wave their arms.

The bay tree has had a large pruning to take weight off one dodgy trunk and amazingly, it is hardly noticeable from in the garden

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 17:00:00 +1000

pants hassles!

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 08:45:00 +1000

My work pants are cheap Kmart black chinos, the old pair wore out so I went and bought a new pair without really looking at them. Still black, still the same size, still the same price. Chucked them in my bag and brought them to work, then got changed. Surprise! This pair only have a right rear pocket, not a left, so the pocket that for decades I use to carry my keys around isn’t there.

Day 1258 ⛅ winter 2 work

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 08:12:00 +1000

Cold and sunny and still. The usual commute to work, being careful to avoid the large pile of smashed beer bottle down where the path floods at Huntingdale – luckily I saw it yesterday on the way home as it isn’t visible from the Oakleigh side until you’re on it Overcast clouds, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 93%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat.app My 1258th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

woken up by hammering. Oddly, sounds like someone nearby repairing a fence, no idea where though

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +1000

Hammering continued, on and off, for over an hour. Was sorely tempted to get up and go out searching for it

bamboo trellis tripods installed around the broad beans, pak choi planted

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 12:30:00 +1000

wardrobe failure, I put my toe through the material of my work pants while getting changed … I told you they were getting old, thin and worn

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 08:45:00 +1000

Day 1254 ☀️ around some trails

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:04:00 +1000

Djerring trail, Gardiners creek trail, Anniversary trail, and various bits of roads to join them together. Mostly off road, but due to the joys of #cycling on offroad bikepaths, still not safe from the #marvellous #melbourne #motorist With an impressive piece of driving, a motorist heading Sth on Murrumbeena rd mistook the #DjerringTrail for Neerim rd and attempted the “quick I’ll just hook right in here while there’s a gap in the oncoming traffic”.

Day 1253 ⛅ around and around

Wed, 31 May 2023 15:18:00 +1000

On the fixie around the local suburbs and around the velodrome, first time I’ve been there since before October I think. A few gentle laps and roll on home, school leaving o’clock so a bit of extra traffic about Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat.app My 1253rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1251 ⛅ humorous creekside

Tue, 30 May 2023 16:49:00 +1000

Two entertaining events on the ride home along the creek this evening. First, rolling through the Huntingdale wetlands at a very gentle pace, recovering from my cold & enjoying looking at the ducks. See two women walking along in front of me, one on the left of the centre line, one on the right, so I slow down and ring my bell. Woman on the left leaps to the right, woman on the right leaps to the left.

Day 1252 ⛅ shorty homewards

Tue, 30 May 2023 16:28:00 +1000

Not going to get caught out like last week and almost be late to Hockey training, slightly earlier departure and took the short route. Surprise, where that house used to be is now a vacant block… and that one … and that one. Plenty of construction work too, redeveloping Oakleigh East seems to be the thing to do Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Day 1252 ⛅ misty home2work

Tue, 30 May 2023 08:03:00 +1000

Morning commute along the bike path to Clayton then north up to Monash Uni, with a very light touch of misty rain, bit heavier than a fog, lighter than a drizzle, there’s probably some highly specific term for it Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1252nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

sorely tempted to buy some shiny new Growtac brakes for the AWOL … saved by the colour I want being out of stock

Mon, 29 May 2023 16:34:00 +1000

2023/0529/1256 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 29 May 2023 12:56:00 +1000

2023/0529/1255 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 29 May 2023 12:55:00 +1000

Day 1251 ⛅ snotty commute

Mon, 29 May 2023 08:03:00 +1000

Cold damp air and the vestiges of a cold, not a pleasant image, but that’s how it was. Down through Clayton, up to work Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1251st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1250 ⛅ three suburb shuffle

Sun, 28 May 2023 14:42:00 +1000

After lunch outing lazily cruising around the streets down through Oakleigh and Clayton, then crossing the rail lines and making my way back; Clayton, Oakleigh, Hughesdale. Even managed to find some small street segments I don’t think I’d ever ridden along, and a dead end in Clayton that surprised me. Gentle misty rain and wet autumn leaves Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat.

Day 1249 ⛅ skyrail cappuccino ride

Sat, 27 May 2023 11:35:00 +1000

Lazy late morning roll up along the Djerring trail to Carnegie for a coffee and to sit for half an hour, then back on Koornang road and through suburban streets and Kangaroo road. Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1249th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

planted a row of pea seeds that Cam collected yesterday when passing an XR protest

Sat, 27 May 2023 10:08:00 +1000

Day 1248 ⛅ around parks and paths

Fri, 26 May 2023 14:47:00 +1000

Home sick today and after a very quiet morning sitting around I took myself out for a lazy loop around to Malvern East via Boyd Park and the Urban Forest, then home along Scotchmans Creek trail and back through Oakleigh. Surprisingly I seemed to have missed a shower of rain that soaked Oakleigh and Hughesdale while I was further west Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat.

Day 1247 🌧 fixie between showers

Thu, 25 May 2023 16:11:00 +1000

All afternoon its been raining, but I managed to sneak in a short ride after 4pm when it eased off. Up along the deserted rail line to Caulfield and back. Hardly anyone on the Djerring Trail, just lots of people at the bus stops waiting for the rail replacement buses. No trains today Neither of my bikes have mudguards; but I always get wetter on the AWOL, probably from the wider tyres, so today I pumped up the fixie’s tyres and took it out

outside it's dull and grey and wet and a pair of Red wattlebirds[1] are feeding in the neighbour's tree

Thu, 25 May 2023 15:49:00 +1000

They’re in the Japanese maple, bouncing the branches about and shaking water off the tree, spiders or sap, not sure what they’re eating [1] Red wattlebird

Day 1246 ⛅ west wind to Westall

Wed, 24 May 2023 18:59:27 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; tailwind out to Westall, then try to sneak past the headwind home. Heartrate shows there was no escape

Day 1246 ⛅ west wind to Westall

Wed, 24 May 2023 15:16:00 +1000

Out for my afternoon break while working from home and not feeling real well. Fairly strong wind blowing, and contrary to what Klimat.app is saying it was most definitely from the west. Thought about riding off into it but I’ve been up towards Caulfield plenty of times recently so I went off the other way down the Djerring trail – a lovely ride with the wind at my back! Passed a crew of Monash council engineering staff walking the trail between Oakleigh and Clayton, pointing at parts of the path and writing on clipboards, I’m hoping they’ll fix the drainage and flooded sections, it would have been good if their walk was after the rain so they could see it all first hand!

there's a Grey butcherbird[1] sitting on the fence about 3m away outside the window, but the new windows with flyscreens mean no photos

Wed, 24 May 2023 14:00:00 +1000

[1] Grey butcherbird

Day 1245 ⛅ djerring homewards

Tue, 23 May 2023 16:36:00 +1000

Down through Clayton to the Djerring trail and follow it home. Probably should have taken the short direct route as I was nearly late for the 5pm drive to sports training. A near head-on when I’d just about got home, I guess the rider coming towards me comes from a country where they ride on the right! She glanced up, saw me, and swerved straight across the path into my way, recovered, then rode past with a “Sorry, sorry so sorry” as the two of us parted

goodreads — “The Bafut Beagles”

Tue, 23 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1245 ⛅ home2work variant

Tue, 23 May 2023 08:08:00 +1000

Tried a variation on the getting-to-work ride, through Clayton but avoiding the contra-flow bike lane in Dandenong road and try to get to the south-west corner of the uni. Doesn’t really work as there’s sizeable delays crossing Clayton road near the hospital, then you get spat out at the enormous diamon-shapped Dandenong road-Wellington road intersection and it takes multiple cycles of the lights to get across Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.

Day 1244 ⛅ creek ride home

Mon, 22 May 2023 16:38:00 +1000

Must have timed this one well, hardly any traffic leaving the uni and down to Scotchmans Creek trail, just screeching birds and late afternoon sun. Cool along the creek, then warming a little when you come out from under the trees and rejoin the concrete and tarmac of Oakleigh. Roadworks still going on in Stanley Avenue, and the confusing traffic-management traffic lights made a motorist angry and want to drive into me.

Openphoto closed off

Mon, 22 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Biting the bullet and declaring the experiment over Some time back around 2012 I became interested in Openphoto, which changed into trovebox, but then turned into abandone-ware. I’d spun up the server at openphoto.ajft.org on AWS and uploaded photos on and off over the next six years, then went back to Flickr as it just kept on working and kept on being more useful given the size of the community

Day 1244 ⛅ chilly home2work

Mon, 22 May 2023 08:12:00 +1000

Another cold clear morning, off down the Djerring trail to Clayton then up alongside Browns road, the Dandenong road contra-flow bikelane, and cut through to campus. Angry road-rager man stopped with his car sideways across the bike lane wanted to get out and punch me in the head (his words) for daring to shake my head as I had to worm my way around between his car and the one in front, both stopped waiting to merge into Dandenong road from the service lane.

Day 1243 ⛅ wearegoingawol 50000km

Sun, 21 May 2023 15:56:00 +1000

Late afternoon outing on a cool autumn day, just over an hour, hit the required distance. There, Strava says the AWOL has done 50,000km Off towards the bay but not quite getting there, avoiding roadworks in Caulfield. Meandered around a few streets then headed home as it cooled off and starting getting gloomy Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1243rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

An hour of shovelling and I've covered the citrus garden bed with wooodchip mulch from the neighbour's tree

Sat, 20 May 2023 13:30:00 +1000

Day 1242 ⛅ damp saturday shopping

Sat, 20 May 2023 08:20:00 +1000

Fish, chicken, bread, eggs, thereby answering the question of which came first, the fish, obviously Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1242th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1241 ⛅ soaked home

Fri, 19 May 2023 16:41:00 +1000

With impeccable timing I left work to a grey damp sky and no rain, then by the time I’d fiddled about getting lights on and bag covered a gentle sprinkle started. I decided to head down through Clayton on the one of the non-direct routes and as punishment, the gods decided that it should pour with rain on me from when I crossed Dandenong road all the way down to Clayton and back up the Djerring trail to Oakleigh.

Day 1241 ⛅ chilly to work

Fri, 19 May 2023 08:36:00 +1000

The short route to work today, a bit later than usual and with company, since Cam has another session of their school group project on campus. Cold, and tried our best not to run into each other riding two abreast on a very narrow path covered in gum nuts and overgrown grass Broken clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1241st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Is it garden or house? Either way, I suspect we have a possum in the roof space above the kitchen – noisy scratching, and definitely unwanted

Fri, 19 May 2023 07:45:00 +1000

Day 1240 ⛅ lake lap

Thu, 18 May 2023 15:07:00 +1000

Another hour break while working from home, sunny but feeling lazy, so off down south to Karkarook lake a for a lap and a bit, then meander back home through Bentleigh East (I think). Unfortunately I was coming home at leaving-school-o’clock, so far too many SUVs clogging up the roads around the various schools and a long wait turning across Centre road Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Day 1239 ☀️ autumn afternoon hour

Wed, 17 May 2023 15:17:00 +1000

Clear sunny sky, no wind but a bit chilly. Afternoon break while working from home – off down the Scotchmans Creek trail to Mount Waverley, up to the railway line and follow it back to Gardiners Creek trail, then loop down to Murrumbeena and home Old lady in Oakleigh shops tried to drive over me on the roundabout … twice! Came in from the side and nearly hit me, I overbalanced and shouted, so she stopped.

Day 1238 ⛅ damply homewards

Tue, 16 May 2023 16:23:00 +1000

A bit of a zig-zaggy ride south and westish until I got to the Djerring trail, then back home up the trail into the setting sun. Yay, the rain had stopped and the sun was out. Shoes still wet and squelchy from this morning and nicks cold wet and uncomfortable. I would really appreciate somewhere slightly warmer to dry them during the day! Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

Tracking down passport owner and returning them

Tue, 16 May 2023 09:30:00 +1000

Riding to work this morning I found four passports sitting in the rain in the gutter on Dandenong road A name search found one of them in Linkedin, a work colleague has a linkedin account and was able to message him and he phoned me back. The passports were taken during a burglary last night Owner arranged to come and collect them. Job done

Day 1238 🌧 short and wet

Tue, 16 May 2023 08:06:00 +1000

Five minutes before we were about to leave home it started pouring with rain, quick change of transport for the school kid to take the bus, then I waited a few minutes and rode off into the rain. Very wet, the spray jacket was not up to it as it was most definitely not “spray” Took the shortest route through the burbs, also ends up avoiding the lakes that form on the bike paths

Day 1237 ☀️ insects at dusk

Mon, 15 May 2023 16:50:00 +1000

Riding home at dusk at the end of a warm, still afternoon. I hit optimum insect density, too dark to wear sunglasses, too buggy to have no eye protection! Lots of small insects in the eyes and mouth, and lots of squinting and trying to see where I was going Roadworks progressing on Stanley Avenue, although it doesn’t look as though the position of the crossing is going to be relocated, what I’d read of that must have been a proposal rather than part of the plan

Day 1237 ☀️ Monday morning commute

Mon, 15 May 2023 08:05:00 +1000

Down to Clayton, up to Monash, the Monday morning commute Clear sky, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1237th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1236 ☀️ cyclists dismount slow

Sun, 14 May 2023 14:10:00 +1000

Went for a Sunday afternoon ride, met a stupid sign. After 30 years of Gardiners Creek trail being a shared path, Booroondara council has put up new signs on one of the bridges stating “Cyclists Dismount” and “Slow”, but both are written to be mandatory, so both must apply… simultaneously Unclear how much more of the Gardiners Creek Trail the council intends to stop cyclists from cycling on, and how they intend to enforce the dismounting of the hundreds of cyclists a day who use it as the main commuter path in from the south east

wandering around the garden examining the autumn fungi and falling leaves, we found a huge case-moth case hanging in a bush

Sun, 14 May 2023 11:00:00 +1000

another row of broadbeans planted, hopefully to stagger the crop production

Sun, 14 May 2023 10:30:00 +1000

Day 1235 ⛅ foggy shopping

Sun, 14 May 2023 08:14:00 +1000

Off to the local shops for fresh bread for the weekend and fish for dinner, lovely misty fog in the air that gradually got thicker while I was out. Cool and damp and absorbing all the sounds, I took a detour back the width of Hughesdale just for a little bit more, then home through the park where a couple of dog walkers were clearing up beer bottles and food wrappers from last night’s yobs in the park.

Day 1234 ⛅ ramones, leave home

Fri, 12 May 2023 17:50:31 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; a musical homage to the Ramones, starting many songs with a blistering 1 2 3 4…

Day 1234 ⛅ ramones go home

Fri, 12 May 2023 17:07:00 +1000

A cool ride home on dusk, even cooler along the creek. Roadworks still progressing on the Stanley avenue bridge, and the destroyed controller box has been replaced, so the traffic lights are working again at Huntingdale road Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1234th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1234 ⛅ ramones, leave home

Fri, 12 May 2023 08:06:00 +1000

One of my favourite numbers, and immortalized by the Ramones in the start of so many songs, a blistering 1.. 2.. 3.. 4… So here I am, 1234 days in a row riding my bike, nothing spectacular, just the usual commute in which I leave home … to ride to work. A chilly but sunny morning. A pleasant change after the five or so days of grey skies and rain

Day 1233 ☀️ wfh commute loop

Thu, 11 May 2023 15:10:00 +1000

WFH today, but I needed to go and collect something that couldn’t wait until tomorrow, so a very pleasant windless afternoon ride under a clear blue sky The traffic lights were out where Scotchmans creek trail crosses Huntingdale road – someone has managed to crash a car into the controller box and rip it out of the ground, normally they only seem to hit the “keep left of this sign” sign.

Day 1232 ⛅ the whole neerim and back

Wed, 10 May 2023 15:22:00 +1000

The WFH afternoon escape – out for about an hour, down the full length of Neerim road, city of Glen Eira’s crap bike lane and all, over the level crossing works to the end. Turn right, head north, up to Caulfield park and back towards Normanby road… except it’s a grid-locked mess due to rail works so I escaped through the pedestrian tunnel, crossed Dandenong road and used a few back streets to get me to Caulfield shops, then back on the Djerring trail and home, with a quick stop for some beers

Music from bandcamp

Wed, 10 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Mind Your Head - live stand up show, by Before Victoria Digital Album Carry On Up The Chartists (full band EP), by Before Victoria Digital Album Sods & Odds 2006-2015, by Before Victoria Digital Album Carry On Up The Chartists THE DEMOS, by Before Victoria Digital Album Moving Forward, by Before Victoria Digital Album IDIOT/W.A.T.M, by Before Victoria Digital Album The Sad Machines, by Before Victoria Digital Album A Christmas Gift For You From.

Day 1231 ⛅ rain and rainbows

Tue, 09 May 2023 16:25:00 +1000

Near constant drizzly rain all day, not inspired enough to do anything except ride home along the North road path. Added degree of difficulty, the grass in the median strip has been mowed today, so the path is covered in a thick layer of wet newly-mown grass clippings. Nice rainbow over the house once I got home Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Day 1231 🌧 short wet commute

Tue, 09 May 2023 08:05:00 +1000

Second day in a row commuting in light rain, or dodging the rain but still having to ride along the drowned bike paths. The lake across the Djerring trail near Huntingdale station is longer and deeper than yesterday, feet up and coast through slowly so as to not splash up too high and drench my shoes. Took the shorter route along North road rather than splash through more pools down to Clayton

Day 1230 ⛅ wet commute

Tue, 09 May 2023 08:00:50 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; no rain, but wet and flooded on parts of #mycommute

Day 1230 ⛅ inter-shower commute

Mon, 08 May 2023 16:38:00 +1000

Left work thinking I’d get soaked again but amazingly managed to ride home between showers. Everything wet, cold and smelling of gum leaves and bush along the creek. Very few people about, but as always a dog owner or two causing hazards, either with the dog tearing around off-leash or one of the 5m-long fishing-line like extender leads, trying in vain to haul the dog pack from way over there in the bushes while creating a near-invisible trip-line for anyone else

Day 1230 ⛅ wet commute

Mon, 08 May 2023 08:00:00 +1000

First wearing of the rain jacket for a long time, cold and wet out but I got lucky and it didn’t rain on me, just constant spray up from the tyres and from all the flooded sections of the Djerring trail. Bit chilly too, I don’t think I saw it get up to 8°C on the entire ride in. A two train wait at the level crossing, while ominous clouds got closer from the west, but amazingly the rain never caught me

Phew, caught up at last. From late February to early May, the blog is now up to date

Sun, 07 May 2023 21:47:00 +1000

Day 1229 ⛅ cold sunday shopping

Sun, 07 May 2023 11:49:00 +1000

Needed bread and milk and really didn’t feel like going out for longer later in the afternoon, so a quick dash up to the shops before lunch. Managed to just squeeze the bike on the end of the two hoops provided by the council, I have no idea why they chose to remove the third one. Luckily the family of four had locked all their bikes to the other hoop so I only had to share with one bike

goodreads — “At All Costs”

Sun, 07 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1228 🌧 autumn urban meander

Sat, 06 May 2023 15:07:00 +1000

Heavy rain early this morning and intermittent showers, took off for an hour while the skies looked clear enough and had a bit of an explore around the ‘burbs, heading in from Glen Iris to South Yarra and Prahran, then back homewards through South Caulfield … I think. Fascinating mix of housing styles, some good, some purely utilitarian, some just cheap and nasty. Spied various pubs and places I’d not seen for years, and many changed bits of road layout.

Day 1227 ⛅ hit the north ... road home

Fri, 05 May 2023 16:11:00 +1000

Seems that someone went to school this morning without taking their keys, and someone is now sitting on the front porch wishing to be inside the house, so someone else will be leaving work a little early and heading home on a moderately direct route to unlock the door The North road off road bike path, unmaintained in the decade since it was built, full of debris and surrounded on both sides by three lanes of peak hour traffic.

Day 1227 ⛅ coldly to work

Fri, 05 May 2023 08:06:00 +1000

Chilly, but bright blue skies, so an enjoyable Friday morning commute. As usual for a Friday there was very little traffic Scattered clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 4m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1227th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

QOTD – "I have started a 60 minute test. It will take a couple of hours to complete"

Thu, 04 May 2023 10:42:00 +1000

Day 1226 ⛅ appointment

Thu, 04 May 2023 08:30:00 +1000

Cool and damp along the Scotchmans Creek trail, up to Mount Waverley for an appointment, then back home much the same way. Road crew busy digging up the bridge over the creek in Stanley avenue, from what I’d seen a few months ago, as part of this the bike path will be slightly rerouted to make the road crossing a bit less hazardous from drivers flying down the hill and ignoring the give way signs

time .. and the blog entries … march on. There, that's all of March filled in

Wed, 03 May 2023 20:21:00 +1000

2023/0503/1804 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 03 May 2023 18:04:00 +1000

Day 1225 ⛅ bike trail loop

Wed, 03 May 2023 15:15:00 +1000

Cool and damp and at one point on the way up Atkinson street I dived in under a tree and sheltered as a squall front passed over and rain hammered down for three minutes, but overall not too wet. North up to Scotchmans Creek trail, then the Anniversary trail, Ferndale trail loop and a visit to the Glen Iris wetlands. The bunyip pond is completely covered in green weed, I can’t remember it ever looking that green, almost looks like a bowling green!

Day 1224 ⛅ not quite the creek

Tue, 02 May 2023 16:09:00 +1000

Commuting home, mostly parallel with Scotchmans creek rather than the bike path alongside it – just for something different today. Kept playing leapfrog with another rider who was flying along on a single speed ladies Reid, she was making it look like an ebike the way she flew long the path! Broken clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 5m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1224th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

starting to get annoying; a year's subscription to #Analog, six issues, five received. So far I've had five "urgent renewal" letters, starting only two months in!

Tue, 02 May 2023 12:10:00 +1000

When?

Tue, 02 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Things generally happen on dates and at times. Complementing the who, the what, the where, the how and the why; here are all the years and months containing various pages. Of limited use since I haven’t yet got a way to create yearly and monthly indexes in hugo. The site appeared sometime in 2001 and started growing forwards through time, then backwards as I used it to fill in photo albums, daily ramblings, and some of my travel journals.

Day 1224 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 02 May 2023 08:02:00 +1000

Up Browns road instead of Kanooka grove today, wider, but more traffic. No other cyclists today Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 0m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1224th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the hole is filling up … I've caught up in my blog to half-way through March

Mon, 01 May 2023 21:02:00 +1000

Day 1223 ⛅ autumnal creek commute

Mon, 01 May 2023 16:45:00 +1000

Can definitely feel the chill in the air along the creek, then noticeably warmer where the path climbs up the hillside and gets the last of the sun. Lovely autumnal smell of leaves from whatever tree deciduous trees are losing their leaves down near the golf course too Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1223rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/0501/1052 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 01 May 2023 10:52:00 +1000

Day 1223 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 01 May 2023 08:06:00 +1000

The usual commute to work, down to Clayton, up the hill, over Dandenong road and a last few twists and turns into campus and up to the building. Perfect timing meant that the same cyclist from last Friday pulled up at the same set of traffic lights as me as we waited to cross the road Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.

Day 1222 ☀️ lazy Sunday afternoon

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 14:21:00 +1000

Pleasantly warm and sunny, feeling lazy but need to go for a ride. Down and around Karkarook lake and the bush block, enjoy it while I can before the “reserved for parkland” becomes “concreted for train yards”. Then wiggle around up through Clarinda and Clayton and back along the Djerring trail home Clear sky, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1222nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Music from bandcamp

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Where Only Memory Can Find You, Where Only Memory Can Find You CD, by Mick Thomas Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album $25.00AUD Estimated to ship April 15, 2023 and estimated to arrive no later than April 29, 2023 Subtotal: 25.00 GST (10.0%): 2.50 Shipping: 10.00 Total: $37.50 AUD bandcamp/ajft

Day 1221 ☀️ some shopping

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 08:16:00 +1000

Saturday morning shopping, with the railway crossing gates closed due to an equipment fault. No crossing this morning, up on the south side, through the station underpass and back the full length of Willesden road Clear sky, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 0m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1221st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1220 🌧 wet rainy commute

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 17:00:00 +1000

Been feeling rubbish most of the day then its been raining all afternoon, so nothing fancy, just straight home in the rain. Taillight went flat somewhere along the way, probably about time I’d charged it up, I can never remember how many hours it holds and how many I’ve used it for Light rain, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 3m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1220th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1220 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 08:05:00 +1000

Scattered clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1220th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the broadbean seedlings have started to sprout

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 08:00:00 +1000

There's a hole in my blog, nothing updated all the way back to late February. Not having access to my PC broke my publishing and I need to catch up

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 16:57:00 +1000

Day 1219 ⛅ carnegie banh mi

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 12:45:00 +1000

Lunch break while WFH, a hankering for banh mi, so lets go up to Carnegie and grab one rather than the usual nearby. Earlier rain has cleared up, the path is all wet and the clouds are blowing away Very tasty lunch, then Neerim road & Murrumbeena road bike (endangering) lanes back to Hughesdale, out around the parked cars but enraging the drivers because you’re not in the bike lane. At least once you get to Hughesdale the bike lane ends so its only normal bad driving from here

The three tiny pumpkins all died, rotted and fell off so we've pulled out the plant – so much for the pumpkin crop

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 18:00:00 +1000

Day 1218 ⛅ riding home

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 16:54:00 +1000

Home on the route I normally use in the mornings, dodg’ems with the Browns road drivers and then the Clayton station phone zombies. Still suspiciously warm for this part of Autumn, I’m sure the weather will get cold again soon Broken clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1218th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1218 ⛅ commute with company

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:35:00 +1000

Cam is at Monash for a two day workshop so we rode in together, not quite the shortest route but probably the easiest to navigate. As we discussed on the way in, the bike path down the centre of North road was very much “build and forget” infrastructure from VicRoads - lifting concrete slabs, worn-away line markings, overgrown with grass and covered in ball-bearing-like gumnuts, it has never been swept, repaired or maintained

2023/0426/0521 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 05:21:00 +1000

Williamstown area, lots of black swans and waterbirds, but surprisingly, four or five Wanderer butterflies

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:30:00 +1000

Day 1217 ⛅ family explore west

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 11:20:00 +1000

Broken clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1217th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1216 ☀️ autumn perfection

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 16:38:00 +1000

Fantastic weather for a glorious ride home… or most of the way home. All good until I was nearly bowled over by an offleash golden retriever that came barrelling down Scotchmans Creek trail, then got in a shouty match with entitled karen who refused to hear that her & her furbaby should obey the leash law Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 38%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.

2023/0424/0816 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 08:16:00 +1000

Day 1216 ☀️ home2work

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 08:06:00 +1000

Beautiful clear, still, autumn morning with the last traces of fog burning off. Council workers busy around the Clayton war memorial getting everything neat & tidy for Anzac commemoration tomorrow morning Flashbacks to pre-internet days though; on the bike path between Oakleigh and Huntingdale some miscreant had found themselves a porno mag and shredded it, scattering x-rated pages the length of the path from Huntingdale station car park back up to Edward street

2023/0424/0637 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 06:37:00 +1000

2023/0424/0502 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 05:02:00 +1000

2023/0424/0329 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 03:29:00 +1000

2023/0424/0148 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 01:48:00 +1000

2023/0423/2305 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 23:05:00 +1000

2023/0423/1407 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 14:07:00 +1000

2023/0423/1406 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 14:06:00 +1000

I wonder when that happened? Gran Prix cycles has closed, rode past to see the shop empty and for lease

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +1000

Day 1215 ⛅ creek and bayside loop

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 10:13:00 +1000

Longest ride for quite a while, out to the end of the Djerring trail then down along the Dandenong creek trail to the bay and back up the bay. Sunny, enjoyable, plenty of people out and about enjoying there Sunday mornings, a good coffee somewhere in Beaumaris and home for lunch Scattered clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1215th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1214 ⛅ croissant shopping

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 08:25:00 +1000

The Saturday morning pre-breakfast shopping, but I’d decided to head to Pedlars in Huntingdale for croissants since theirs are pretty good. Of course when I got there they only had two left and there’d have been a ruckus if I came home with only two for the three of us! On the way back I stumbled upon a newish fair-trade cafe operating in a hidden industrial backstreet, and also got rained on, then grabbed bread and hot-cross buns from our normal bakery

Day 1213 ⛅ creek commute home

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 17:04:00 +1000

Fingers crossed but I may have just found an SD-card that the Cycliq Fly12 will accept for more than 5minutes and have resurrected the expensive brick back to life as a camera1. For the first time in months, years perhaps, I managed to have it run for the entire ride home and record the whole way, not beeping, flashing, and deciding that the card was corrupt (and corrupting several brand new cards along the way)

Day 1213 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 08:17:00 +1000

Nothing unusual, down the Djerring to Clayton, up Kanoka grove and past the hospital. Bike path alongside Browns road, keeping a way eye out for healthcare staff who ignore the giveway signs as they cross the path, then a final couple of streets to the office Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1213rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1212 ⛅ some shopping

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 16:10:00 +1000

New brake pads in the front and they seem to be in correctly, a few hard stoppies on the way up the path to get them warm and bed them in and everything looks, feels and sounds ok. Hopefully they won’t fail catastrophically after a month like the last pair Afternoon jaunt up to Carnegie to Officeworks for a couple of things. A few twisty laps around the block to get the distance up to an enormous double digits

2023/0419/2056 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 20:56:00 +1000

the 2023 eggplant crop consist of one small purple eggplant, ripening nicely, but only a bit bigger than a golf ball

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 08:45:00 +1000

Day 1211 ⛅ Caulfield fixie warmup

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 08:08:00 +1000

Not feeling 100%, yesterday’s flu vaccination at work. Trying to warm up a bit and become human with a roll up to Caulfield and back. Some interesting road works at the corner of Grange and Neerim on the way back, the road is closed for drain works but a small gap left for pedestrians. First time on the fixie for about two months Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat.

Day 1210 ⛅ flu vacc collection

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 14:52:00 +1000

I’d carefully scheduled my work flu vaccination for a day that I’m normally in the office, but school holidays intervened and I’m working from home. Used my daily ride to head in to campus, get the vaccination and ride home Unfortunately half way home and there was a load screeching and juddering from the front brakes, and a large thump. Pulled up quickly and found that the retention spring for the BB-7 pads had managed to come out from behind the pads and caught on the disk where it was promptly mangled.

goodreads — “Complicity”

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Two rows of broad bean seeds planted in one of the raised garden beds

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 17:15:00 +1000

Day 1209 ⛅ creek commute home

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 17:09:00 +1000

Should try and remember not to leave work between 4.45 and 5.15, traffic out of the Uni and down to the Monash freeway is bumper-to-bumper, and many of the drivers are inexperienced and … err… unfamiliar … with the road laws. Unlike, say, the tradies who come tearing out of Notting Hill who are familiar with the road laws but just don’t care about f@#$@$ing cyclists on their @#$@#$ing pushbikes on the @#$@$ing bikepath

Day 1209 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 08:09:00 +1000

The weekend’s flooding on the Djerring trail near Huntingdale station has mostly soaked away, all that remains is a slippery mess of leaves and mud. Presumably one day Monash Council or Metro Trains will clear it up, as it was reported six months ago and they told me they were working on it… Few clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 0m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1209th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1208 ⛅ dandy showgounds

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 15:27:00 +1000

Straight down the Djerring trail to Yarraman then a small meander around the showgrounds before coming back the same way. Always a strikingly straight diagonal line on the map Amused at the large roadsign on the Eastlink trail over the creek “No Motorised Vehicles On Bridge”, presumably what they’ve always intended is to prohibit motorbikes and cars, but these have never been allowed to drive down the shared footpath anyway. If its intended as a weight limit then they should state that, although that’s confusing since an unpowered tandem with two riders is far heavier than the kids on trailbikes that I’ve seen here.

Day 1207 ⛅ saturday shopping

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 08:29:00 +1000

Oakleigh traffic mayhem, the day before Orthodox Easter, bumper to bumper and they are not filled with a religious joyfulness. Quick trip up the inside of the lot, call in for fish at the fish shop and bread at the bakery - didn’t have the heart to tell the bakery that their advertising sign and plant pot now makes the two bike hoops almost totally inaccessible Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.

Day 1206 ☀️ pineapple and pint

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 17:24:00 +1000

A short, but profitable ride up to the local to meet Jo for a beer… stopping to pick up the $50 note sitting in the road Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1206th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1206 ☀️ creeking home

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 16:46:00 +1000

Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1206th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1206 ☀️ to work

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 08:14:00 +1000

Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1206th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/0414/0741 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 07:41:00 +1000

Day 1205 ⛅ a lap of africa

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 15:35:00 +1000

The Thursday afternoon working-from-home take a break and go for a ride. Off for a lap of the loop of Gardiners Creek trail, Anniversary trail and Ferndale trail. Someone created a strava segment for the whole loop, and owing to the shape it has “africa” in the name. Amuses me every time Few clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1205th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/0413/0459 – Reset your password

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 04:59:00 +1000

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password.

Day 1203 ⛅ Mount Defiance

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 19:48:07 +1000

Daily #cycling, photos; a curious #raven came to investigate as soon as I stopped at Mount Defiance on the #GOR

Day 1200 🌧 GOR misty rain

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 19:46:08 +1000

Daily #cycling, photos; a wet ride along the #GOR, the #Garmin “crash detection” stupidly went off twice, once while stopped, once while riding up hill. It does not like the rain. Newspaper drying out my shoes, try that with the online-version of the news

A #fungi beside one of the mountain bike trails around Forrest

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 18:58:42 +1000

#wildoz

Day 1204 🌧 local triangle via bear lair lane

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:47:00 +1000

Checking out the progress of the level crossing removals down the frankstonian line Light rain, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1204th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1203 ⛅ Mount Defiance

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 14:06:00 +1000

A quiet ride out by myself along the Great Ocean Road. Wasn’t greatly enthused or with any destination in mind so just a short outing to the Mount Defiance lookout and back. The best part was sitting around at the lookout and watching the ravens, one in particular flew down as soon as I stopped and came striding along the rock wall to investigate, to see if I’d left any food out for it

Day 1202 🌧 family Forrest frolic

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 11:19:00 +1000

Another successful attempt at escaping from Lorne for a family ride. Drove up to Forrest for a cruisy ride along the Tiger rail trail, then back for lunch at the cafe and off down to Lake Elizabeth on a mix of the local mountain bike tracks - the very easiest of the mountain bike tracks given that only one of us was on a mountain bike Tracks and trails everywhere, lots of fun, although the descent down to the Lake Elizabeth car park was wet, muddy and very slippery, then when you get there you find that you’re a long way from the lake and you’re not allowed to ride to it, and the only way out is back up the road since the mountain bike trail is one-way only!

Day 1201 ⛅ Otway mud monsters

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 14:09:00 +1000

Up the Deans Marsh road then meet the family for a slithery descent of Five Mile track with entirely the wrong tyres for the Otways in the winter. Much mud, many giggles A few signs on fences saying various parts of the forest are closed for planned burns, but the signs look well out of date, its the Easter weekend and none of the forestry people are working, and after the escaped burn-off a few weeks ago all the planned burns seem to have been cancelled

Day 1200 🌧 GOR misty rain

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 14:07:00 +1000

Useless #garmin crash detection went off twice in the rain, once 30s after I switched the damn thing off and was inside the coffee shop, the other time while gently riding uphill at around 17km/hr! Truly rubbish in the rain Otherwise, the ride itself was quite enjoyable. In and out of rain fronts and cruising down to Kennet for a coffee, then back again Light rain, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 6m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

Day 1199 🌧 muddy boots

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 12:57:00 +1000

Tried to dodge the rain, and failed Moderate rain, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1199th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

A #weevil collected by my arm while cycling

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 18:14:37 +1000

#wildoz #insect

Day 1198 ⛅ pre-rain ferndale loop

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 15:12:00 +1000

A few warm spots of rain, overcast, smokey Overcast clouds, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 41%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1198th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Grey Butcherbird on the garden fence

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 17:29:44 +1000

#wildoz #birds

there are still a few green tomatoes in the garden, I suspect nothing more will ripen now that its getting cooler

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 10:30:00 +1000

Day 1197 ⛅ wfh laptop collection

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 08:01:00 +1000

Scattered clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1197th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1196 ⛅ short home

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 16:36:00 +1000

Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1196th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1193 / #30DaysOfBiking 1/30

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:56:03 +1000

Daily #cycling, photos; day 1 of #30daysofbiking - from house we’re staying in to house we’re moving back into

Day 1196 ⛅ djerring to work

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 08:04:00 +1000

Scattered clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1196th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1195 ⛅ homeward chores

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 16:55:00 +1000

Scattered clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1195th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Stunning little metallic green #insect circled me at lunchtime

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 14:10:11 +1000

This was the best I could do with the phone when it sat still for a few seconds. #wildoz #invertebrates

Day 1195 ☀️ off to work we go

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 07:54:00 +1000

Clear sky, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1195th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1194 ⛅ inter-house loop

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 15:51:00 +1000

Few clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1194th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

looks as though the daphne may have succumbed to mistreatment or neglect during the renovations

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +1100

Day 1193 ⛅ house to house

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 09:47:00 +1100

Saturday, and the house is calling us back for a status check and to do some chores, so back down the Scotchmans Creek trail to Hughesdale I go Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 0m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1193rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1192 🌧 get on home

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 17:21:00 +1100

Light rain, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1192nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1192 ⛅ bushland creek then traffic

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 07:45:00 +1100

Down through Valley reserve, along the Scotchmans Creek trail, then straight south alongside Forster and Gardners roads, raising the ire of the almighty motorist as I chose to ignore the bike path and its four sets of unsynchronised lights to get under the Monash freeway and stayed on the road, with its two sets of synchronised lights Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 3m/s from W - by

2023/0331/0204 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 02:04:00 +1100

2023/0330/2355 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 23:55:00 +1100

2023/0330/2350 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 23:50:00 +1100

Day 1191 ⛅ backwards commute

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:44:00 +1100

Normally only ride this route in the other direction but since I’d gone a short way this morning decided to use it on the way home. Riding down the Browns Road bike path I remembered why. Bumper to bumper traffic up Browns road, drivers ignoring the give way sign and nearly collecting me where the bike path crosses, then another near miss as someone came flying out of the hospital staff car park across the bike path

Day 1191 ⛅ north road commute

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 08:30:00 +1100

Something different, follow the Djerring trail down to Huntingdale then the North road bike path to Monash Uni. Still as rubbish as when it was built over ten years ago, but falling apart because it hasn’t been maintained or swept once in the intervening years Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1191st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1190 ⛅ home and dry

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 17:12:00 +1100

Riding home, dodging the rain Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1190th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Music from bandcamp

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Beautiful Dissent, by Cober Digital Album $11.00NZD Subtotal: 11.00 GST (10.0%): 1.10 Total: $12.10 NZD bandcamp/ajft

Music from bandcamp

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Exploratory Guitar: Cavelands, by Winterwood Digital Album $10.00NZD Total: $10.00 NZD bandcamp/ajft

Day 1190 🌧 commute in the gloom

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 07:36:00 +1100

Sunrise is 7.30, but it was so overcast you couldn’t tell. Pleasantly dark and damp riding down through Valley reserve and along the creek, then mediocre to unpleasant as always straight south on the bike path to Monash, stopping to report the horizontal bike-path sign that appears to have been driven over last night Light rain, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1190th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1189 ⛅ shorty

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 14:46:00 +1100

Short’n’quick commute back to the house to collect kid and car Broken clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1189th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

goodreads — “Canal Dreaming”

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1189 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 08:05:00 +1100

Bike on the car and drive over to Hughesdale, kid onto bus, me onto bike, ride to work. Same as same as Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1189th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1188 🌧 Garmin stupidity

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 16:38:00 +1100

Bloody #Garmin and their bloody stupid “incident detection.” Every bloody time it rains, the bloody thing goes off at every second normal bloody stop… and of course screen is wet so you can’t cancel the bloody thing! Oh, and one very close pass only 100m into the ride. Still on the Monash uni ringroad and nearly clipped by tradies in a ute. Perhaps I should call #MUARC… Light rain, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.

Day 1188 🌧 Morning commute

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 07:46:00 +1100

Lovely ride down through Valley reserve and along the creek path for a little way, first commute I’ve needed lights for. Bit of foggy mist along the creek valley Got the grumpy scowl again, some of the Mount Waverley ladies do not like people riding bicycles along the bicycle path. Slow down, smile, say hello and wave, they scowl and shake their heads. Amusing since almost without fail they’ll say hello if I’m walking

woken by I think the neighbour's security alarm, it turned off after about ten minutes

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 06:05:00 +1100

A solid two hours of mowing and gardening, destroying the mower in the process – mangled the blade on a concrete cover

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 15:00:00 +1100

Day 1187 ⛅ to the working bee

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 10:21:00 +1100

Long way round to get to the house for a couple of hours in the garden wrestling with rampant vegetation and miscellaneous builders rubbish. So many nails and screws everywhere through the garden and lawn! Amazingly, was swooped by a magpie as I rode through Noble Park! Six months early my fine feathered fiend Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1187th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1186 ⛅ chores done

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 15:27:00 +1100

Renovation house chores over so back to the other house, down the Djerring trail then a zig-zag through Oakleigh East and up to Mount Waverley Close call at a huntingdale roundabout as a BMW SUV came flying through from my left and almost took out my rear wheel. Driver of course then gave me the finger and threw his arms about theatrically Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.

Day 1186 ⛅ house to house

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 10:15:00 +1100

Another Saturday, another family trip back to the house – me on the bike, them in the car – then tidy up, check up, review progress Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 4m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1186th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/0324/1737 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 17:37:00 +1100

Day 1185 ⛅ so much for a half day

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 16:25:00 +1100

Oh well, so much for a half day at work for my first day back. Too much piled up and too few staff so it was pretty much a fully day by the time I left and headed back up the hill to Mount Waverely Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1185th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1185 ⛅ back to work

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 07:57:00 +1100

My Covid-19 isolation is over so theoretically I can go back to work. The intention is to roll gently down the hill and spend maybe half a day in the office Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1185th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1184 ⛅ architectural review

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 19:09:11 +1100

Daily #cycling, photos; around the suburb looking at houses old & new, large & small

Day 1184 ⛅ architectural review

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 14:48:00 +1100

Meandering around Mount Waverley checking out the houses; 1950s whitebread Australian to 21st century McMansion faux chateau box, and most things in between. Some classic NIMBY too, a row of new big boxes, all proudly displaying the sign that they “Oppose high rise development in Mount Waverley village” Scattered clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1184th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1183 ⛅ down the creek

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 10:23:10 +1100

Daily #cycling, photos; down scotchmans creek to huntingdale wetlands, around and return

Day 1182 🌧 hanging ten on pipeline

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 10:21:42 +1100

Daily #cycling, photos; visualisation really, a gentle 10k. Including Pipeline track

Day 1183 ⛅ down the creek

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 16:09:00 +1100

Scotchmans Creek again, but downstream this time. Another gentle afternoon roll, down to Huntingdale wetlands and around, then back home the same way. Lots of waterbirds about as usual, including a pair of spoonbills that are uncommon enough here to be interesting Broken clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1183rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1181 ⛅ up the creek

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 16:29:01 +1100

Daily #cycling, photos; up the creek and slowly round the suburb while having a #covid19 of a week

Day 1182 🌧 hanging ten on pipeline

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 15:39:00 +1100

About 10km, and it involved some of the pipeline track, so there. Got home just as it started to rain Light rain, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1182nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/0321/0023 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 00:23:00 +1100

Day 1181 ⛅ up the creek

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:52:00 +1100

Covid isolation day 2, truly I am … up the creek. So out I go, for a carefully isolated ride … up the creek … Scotchmans creek to be precise. Careful framing of where you look and you can pretend you’re out in the bush somewhere Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 41%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1181st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1179 ⛅ hugs to wavs

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 16:02:31 +1100

Daily #cycling, photos; Hughesdale to Mount Waverley on the less salubrious parts of the #DjerringTrail

Day 1180 ⛅ COVID isolation day 1

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 14:38:00 +1100

Off by myself for a gentle roll, to get out of the house, and to sneak in and collect the laptop from work. Might have a lie down now Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1180th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1179 ⛅ hugs to wavs

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 12:41:00 +1100

Hughesdale to Mount Waverley, back to home number two from home number one via the Djerring trail and up through Clayton. Annoyingly, some grub has driven up onto the bike path at Westminster street and dumped a truck-load of rubbish. It’s where the bollard has been missing for months, courtesy of a lazy rail crew who took it out and never replaced it Overcast clouds, 29°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 31%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

Day 1179 ⛅ house to house

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 10:10:00 +1100

A saturday while renovations are going on, we know what that means … ride over to the house and spend the day cleaning up, packing up, gardening or otherwise checking up on the place Broken clouds, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 41%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1179th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1178 ☀️ TGIF go home

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 17:26:00 +1100

Straight up the bike path alongside Gardiner and Forster roads, turn onto Scotchmans creek trail for a while, then up the gravel trails through Valley Reserve. A detour around the block to see if the bottle shop has got their license yet and can act as a bar … still no … so a loop through the car park and on to the house Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 41%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.

hilarious! Just read that "bar-ends are in again" in flat-bar cycling

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 17:10:00 +1100

Day 1178 ⛅ downhill to work

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 07:47:00 +1100

New brake pads on the front make a world of difference, cutting it a bit fine with getting them replaced. Another pair on order in the mail Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1178th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1177 ⛅ homewards

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 17:05:00 +1100

Broken clouds, 25°C, Feels like 25°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 6m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1177th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1177 ⛅ down from Mount Waverley

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 07:41:00 +1100

Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1177th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1176 ⛅ up to Mount Waverley

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:37:00 +1100

Broken clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 0m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1176th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the blackberry splinter in my left middle fingertip came out, I can type again

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 09:01:00 +1100

Day 1176 ☀️ home2work

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 08:28:00 +1100

Clear sky, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1176th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

I grabbed a double handful of tomatoes while we were visiting the house, they're doing well considering the lack of watering

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 08:15:00 +1100

Day 1175 ⛅ mount waverley commute

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 18:00:00 +1100

Straight home, north to Mount Waverley then follow the creek around a bit and a pleasant last section along the trails through Valley Reserve Overcast clouds, 28°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1175th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1174 ⛅ family trundle

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 14:26:12 +1100

Daily #cycling, photos; rolling around Lorne for #coffee and to look at the gallery at the pier

Day 1175 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 08:43:00 +1100

Back in Melbourne, back to routine. Drive over to Hughesdale, see the builders, ride to work Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1175th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1174 ⛅ family trundle

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 10:11:00 +1100

Just a roll around town, out to the pier for a look around the art gallery shop, then out to the end of the point before turning and coming back Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1174thth day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1173 ⛅ family marriners return

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 11:25:00 +1100

A family outing, we drove down to Apollo Bay and rode out to Marriners Falls picnic ground, but parked the car at Skenes Creek to stretch it out a little longer. Its the one problem with riding and being at Lorne, you’re pretty much stuck with the Great Ocean Road in either direction, or straight up the hills from the coast and inland, and all three directions tend to have a lot of traffic.

2023/0312/0456 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 04:56:00 +1100

Day 1172 ⛅ Kennet for koffee

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 14:18:00 +1100

No koalas, a mob of kangaroos at Kennet up on the far side of the river, one tubby bush rat ran alongside near Cumberland River. Usual mix of average and below drivers Lovely tail wind on the way back Broken clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1172nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1171 ⛅ odd way home

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 16:43:00 +1100

Keeping with this morning’s theme of a strange route from work to home, straight north to Scotchmans creek but then detour off downstream towards Oakleigh before curving around back up the hills of Mount Waverley Broken clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1171st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1171 ⛅ around to work

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 07:49:00 +1100

Something a little different on the morning commute, the direct route is too direct so I added on a detour through Mount Waverley then down the hill to cross the creek, then up and across Ferntree Gully road and into campus from the west Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1171st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1170 ⛅ commute with no beer

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 16:31:00 +1100

Wouldn’t mind a beer, but the bar that I was looking for could not be found. Short commute to temporary home Broken clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 5m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1170th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1170 ⛅ commute

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 07:46:00 +1100

Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 4m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1170th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1169 ⛅ evening server updates

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 17:22:00 +1100

Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 6m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1169th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1169 ⛅ work2home via tiles

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:15:00 +1100

Work to home via a tile supplier to get some samples for the kitchen, then bike on the car, kid in the car, and drive back to where we’re staying Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 36%, Wind 6m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1169th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1169 ⛅ home2work

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:07:00 +1100

Ugh. Had to drive from where we’re staying (Mount Waverley) to home and traffic bad from crash. Then found out crash was a cyclist killed by a truck just round the corner from where we’re staying. RIP Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 3m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1169th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1168 ⛅ kid kollection

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 16:04:00 +1000

The short route from work to Hughesdale to collect car & kid Broken clouds, 22°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 35%, Wind 6m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1168th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/0307/1023 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 10:23:00 +1100

Day 1168 🌙 SuperTuesday and commute2work

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 06:08:00 +1000

Volunteering on the #SuperTuesday count again, sensibly chose the count location just outside our house… forgetting that we weren’t living at home at the moment, so an early start and a ride to Oakleigh to grab an egg & bacon roll & coffee, then up the Djerring trail to the crossing for 7am. Wonderful riding along the creek trail in the dark, crunching over the bark, only a tunnel of headlights and the quiet.

2023/0307/0618 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 06:18:00 +1100

2023/0307/0220 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 02:20:00 +1100

Day 1167 ☀️ commute with chore

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:43:00 +1000

A tale of two houses; commuting from work to the house we’re staying in, via our house to perform important renovation chores Clear sky, 24°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 35%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1167h day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1167 ⛅ spiralling in

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:46:00 +1000

Mount Waverley to Monash Uni, around Valley Reserve rather than through it today, a bit of Scotchmans Creek trail, then bike path to the Uni. Decided it was all a bit short so I added on a spirally loop of the campus to get to the building Few clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 4m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1167h day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1166 ☀️ spots in lostwood

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 14:45:04 +1100

Daily #cycling, photos; across the river in the punt, then around Willie & Spotto and home in the heat

Day 1166 ☀️ spots in lostwood

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 09:43:00 +1100

Long hot morning ride that was meant to be over by lunch time, I went a little further than intended and got home for a late lunch Down Inkerman st to the bay and back streets around to Westgate Park, then caught the punt across the river – something I’ve not done for years and been intending to do for a while. Off along the coast through Williamstown and around, then turning back inland and trying to guess a route back to Footscray – and being caught a few times by rail lines, freeways and lack of crossings.

Day 1163 ⛅ memorial commute

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 17:29:17 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; annual visit to the Nott for a pint and to remember

Day 1165 ⛅ warm spousal loop

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 14:18:00 +1100

Oh dear, I think I wore her out. The headwind on the return up the Djerring trail was a bit too much. Had to stop for an excellent iced coffee and cake at Marcianos cakes in Clayton Overcast clouds, 29°C, Feels like 29°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1165th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

2023/0304/0929 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 09:29:00 +1100

2023/0304/0920 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 09:20:00 +1100

2023/0304/0911 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 09:11:00 +1100

2023/0304/0900 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 09:00:00 +1100

Day 1164 ⛅ ugly traffic and industry

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 16:39:00 +1100

No morning commute today, was dropped off at work with the bike after some necessary kitchen hardware shopping out in the wilds of Dandenong. On the way home I decided to try and use a few roads not previously ridden, unfortunately found myself on a short section of Springvale road, this is of course, absolutely horrendous to ride along, with constant high speed near-passing drivers. At least the cruisy last section through the park to the house is good

Day 1163 ⛅ memorial commute

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 16:28:00 +1100

Commute home with annual memorial #guiness at the Nott Broken clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1163rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1163 ⛅ the short commute

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 07:48:00 +1100

Nothing to it really, straight down the hill, under the freeway then the off-road bike path alongside Forster and Gardener roads Broken clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1163rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1162 ⛅ late afternoon work

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 17:17:00 +1100

To work and back for some server patching from 6-8pm. Down the hill to the creek & south to campus on the way there, then back to the creek and detour along it and through Valley Reserve on the way home at dusk I’d forgotten how enjoyable it is riding in the evening or night when there isn’t much traffic about, lots of bird noises as they flock in to roost in the trees, corellas & ravens near work, then currawongs calling in the reserve

Day 1162 ⛅ afternoon break

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 15:37:00 +1100

Slightly complicated day. Break in the afternoon, ride to where we’re staying, drive to where we live, collect kid, drive back. Then snacks and a sit around and back to work for some scheduled work in the evening Broken clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 0m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1162nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1162 ⛅ home2work

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 08:33:00 +1100

My current commute for some of the week days; drive back over to Hughesdale, drop Cam off for the bus, then leave the car at the house and ride to work as though I was living there Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1162nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1161 ⛅ short ride home

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 16:06:00 +1100

Another short quick ride home to collect Cam and the car and drive back to Mount Waverley Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1161st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1161 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 08:07:00 +1100

Drive to Hughesdale, checkin with the builders, ride to work Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1161st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1160 ⛅ moist

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 17:11:00 +1100

Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1160th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/0227/1141 – Create a new password

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 11:41:00 +1100

Hi ajft, We got a request to change your password. You can create a new password to finish making changes in Accounts Center.

Day 1160 ⛅ whinging wet garmin

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 08:23:00 +1100

Sooky #garmin does not like the rain. The “I’ve crashed” alarm goes off every time I stop for lights, a crossing, or a t-intersection. Then it sends SMS scare message to NOK. Of course the touchscreen is hard to use in the wet so hard to cancel them too I think I may have a slow leak in the rear, possibly from hitting a kerb yesterday. At the going home of the bike, we shall see…

Day 1159 ⛅ two creek trails

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 09:46:00 +1100

Mullum Mullum and Tarralla creek trails, with some Dandenong creek trail on the way home and an excellent coffee at Common Room café Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 3m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1159th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1158 ⛅ summer rain

Sat, 25 Feb 2023 14:01:00 +1100

Mount Waverley to Glen Waverley and on down to Dandenong creek, traffic from Syndal to and through Glen Waverley never pleasant, especially on a Saturday afternoon. Then south through Jells Park, and the trail down to Yarraman before coming back alongside the railway on the Djerring trail and a final stretch north through Clayton back to the start Overcast clouds, 25°C, Feels like 25°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

builders had turned off the watering system tap so the vege. garden is all dried up, but harvested some toms

Sat, 25 Feb 2023 12:15:00 +1100

Day 1157 ⛅ more explore

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 16:45:00 +1100

Took the opportunity on the commute home to explore some of the block of houses in Notting Hill that seem to be tucked away between main roads. Interesting mix of old weatherboard and bulldozed-rebuild big boxes. Blackburn road the ‘orrible traffic sewer it always is, high speed traffic blasting past with under a metre clearance, minimum passing distance law a laughable footnote, zero compliance, zero enforcement Overcast clouds, 32°C, Feels like 31°C, Humidity 28%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.

Day 1157 ⛅ commute

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 07:52:00 +1100

Wonderful late summer morning, a hint of bushfire smoke back in the air. Around the hill and south to campus, calling in for an early coffee Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 55%,Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1157th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1156 ⛅ short work2home

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 16:04:00 +1100

Short and direct ride to get “home” to collect kid from bus and then drive back to temporary home Overcast clouds, 32°C, Feels like 31°C, Humidity 31%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1156th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1156 ⛅ home2work

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 08:06:00 +1100

Drive from Mount Waverley back to home, drop Cam off for the school bus and catch up with the builders if required, then hop on the bike and ride the normal route to work Broken clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1156th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

registered with the Victorian EPA to have garden soil samples analysed… this could be interesting

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 14:30:00 +1100

Day 1155 ☀️ commutage

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 07:45:00 +1100

If there’s anything smaller than a BMW X5 being driven in Mount Waverley this morning, well it was hidden behind all the BMW X5s and larger Slight variation on the ride to work from the lofty heights of Mount Waverley; around the north of Valley Reserve and down the hill, then a bit of Scotchmans Creek trail and south to uni. Drawback of the first part was that it perfectly lined up with the early morning sun, so a very squinty ride

haha, my $3.79 set of mini tools doesn't actually contain the T4 torx bit it says it does, only T5 and up

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 16:21:00 +1100

2023/0219/2336 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 23:36:00 +1100

The three of us went on an after dinner walk around the block, checking out the Mount Waverley architecture, old and new

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 20:00:00 +1100

There are some absolutely huge houses built on some blocks now, and to me some of them are absolutely hideous, all massive box with a stick-on facade from a selection, plastic grass, huge garage, not my style at all

Day 1150 ⛅ hot creek commute

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 18:04:22 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; riding homealong the creek as the cool change came through, 38.6°C max., dropped to 31.2°C at home

leaving work at 3.30pm to optimize riding home in the hottest part of the day… or, because I must meet with the builder & electrician

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:30:00 +1100

2023/0217/0534 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 05:34:00 +1100

MyFlickrYear2022

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Annual infographic roundup from flickr of last year’s activity for my account. Amusing to see that my “most faved” photo received one fave, digging into it, looks as though I got around 60 faves over the year, so that must have been for 60 photos MyFlickrYear2022 by the numbers. My most popular photo of 2022.

I have harvested the second tomato! Fingers crossed that the weather stays warm for long enough that the rest ripen up

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +1100

Day 1148 ⛅ djerring and gardiners loop

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 16:21:00 +1100

Thought I was going to go and ride the Ferndale trail loop but changed my mind as I went out the gate, off up the Djerring trail to Caulfield and down Glenferrie road to meet Scotchmans Creek, and the Scotchmans Creek trail, then upstream back to Ashwood and home south down through the suburbs. Ran into the closed path earthworks that Jo had warned me about, but I’d misinterpreted her description and thought they were the next sports oval upstream of the wetlands, not downstream.

Day 1147 ☀️ creek commute

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:42:00 +1100

Scotchmans Creek trail homewards, with a minor detour to the shops Minor amusement, riding along the trail and coming up behind an older couple walking, I rang my bell and the gent started looking up into the trees and all around, said “I wonder what that was?” His partner shook her head and replied, “Its a bike bell” Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 48%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.

Day 1147 ⛅ home2work with detour

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 07:58:00 +1100

Carefully left home in time to drop drycleaning off at 8.00 when they opened… only to discover that they open at 8.30. Oh well, coffee in the mall and check my email for half an hour, then chores and continue on my way. Yay, the dumped car in the station car park has been removed, only the bricks it was resting on remain Scattered clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 3m/s from ESE - by Klimat.

Day 1146 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 17:10:00 +1100

A big flock of corellas busy digging up the grass again, this time they’ve moved to the south-east corner. Fewer of them shrieking and dropping sticks on me as they’re further away North to the creek, home along the creek, wriggle through the Oakleigh streets Scattered clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 0m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1146th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Finally deleted all my lastpass data and then my lastpass account

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 14:40:00 +1100

Sadly, this may be too little too late Unfortunately I suspect my lastpass data is included in their breach, so unclear how vulnerable all my passwords and account details are

Day 1146 ⛅ short commute

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 10:09:00 +1100

Took the shortest, most direct route to work today after a morning appointment. Oof, legs didn’t want to get the fixie up and over the Dandenong road footbridge Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1146th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1145 ⛅ windy Sunday

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 14:31:00 +1100

Out for an hour with a gusty southerly blowing me around, at least it helped blow me up over the hill on Atkinson street and set a PB on the climb to Waverley road! Buffeted the bike around a bit though and made some parts of the ride less enjoyable than they should have been. The gusty winds also seem to put some drivers in a bad mood One obnoxious SUV driver in Poath road on the way home, closely followed by an obnoxious taxi driver, the SUV driver blasted on the horn because I was 1m out in the lane… avoiding the fully open door on the parked car, the taxi driver decided to lend moral support on seeing me give the finger to the blast on the horn, and hooked at me in passing presumably to “push me back where I belong”

Backlog of blog posts complete, I've filled in from [2022-12-23 Fri] to today

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 11:33:00 +1100

With a Christmas break away interstate, then trips to the coast and mountains in January, I ended up with a few too many holes to want to start publishing current posts without filling in older ones. So here they all are

colour starting to appear in some of the tomatoes and all the plants have collapsed as our stakes are too slender and soil too shallow

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 10:05:00 +1100

Day 1144 ☀️ shopping

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 07:29:00 +1100

The usual pre-breakfast short Saturday shopping trip to get fresh bread for breakfast and fish for dinner. Plus a reminder of the seemingly complete inability for Australian governments to do anything useful or sensible for cycling, in this case the council has replaced their old rubbish bins with much bigger ones, but they’ve placed them almost flush up against their own bike hoops on Chester street so you cannot put a bike on the hoop without it blocking access to the other hoop, or having it across the front of the bin and being covered in dumped rubbish

Day 1143 ☀️ so shelfish

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 16:42:00 +1100

Honestly officer, there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for why I’m circling the suburb looking for dumped white shelving… You see, during kitchen renovations we wanted a couple of big white panels to paint up with sample colours to test colour schemes, and during a morning walk this morning Jo was sure she’d seen some melamine shelves dumped on the street. Two beers later and I was sent out on the AWOL to scout around and retrieve any likely candidates.

Day 1143 ⛅ work2beer2home

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 16:42:00 +1100

The longer creek commute; Gardiner/Forster roads, Scotchmans creek trail downstream to East Malvern, south through the ‘burbs and home along the Djerring trail… with an hour or so interruption for a quiet pint of hazy IPA along the way. Yay, Monash Council has finally swept the creek trail and removed the massive sand and mud trap washed down after the last rains Scattered clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat.

Day 1143 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 08:05:00 +1100

Friday, rubbish collection day in Clayton so the streets are even more littered than usual, plus the added fun of dodging the garbage truck. The dumped motor scooter has vanished from behind the trees, but further back towards Huntingdale a newly dumped couch has appeared Scattered clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1143rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1142 ☀️ rosstown Inkerman loop

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:19:00 +1100

The Rosstown Rail Trail most of the way to Elsternwick, then north up Ormond road and back along Inkerman and the Djerring trail. Dodge the school traffic Clear sky, 26°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 3m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1142nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1141 ⛅ lake lap and shops

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 15:17:00 +1100

An afternoon outing on a working-from-home day, down to Karkarook lake for a lap of the lake and the gravelly dirt track around the block. Surveyors seem to be starting work, so perhaps it won’t be too long before its all fenced off and the parkland concreted over to create a railyard. Then up through Clarinda and Clayton, back to Oakleigh and a quick visit to the shops Overcast clouds, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat.

Day 1140 ⛅ creek commute

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:48:00 +1100

Hundreds of corellas screeching and digging in the grass at Ferntree Gully rd, Forster rd corner. Lots of frogs going Pock! Pock! Pock! in the refilled Huntingdale wetlands Few clouds, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1140th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1140 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 08:02:00 +1100

Typical fixie commute, no dramas, just how we likes it Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1140th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1139 ⛅ blackberrying homewards

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 16:45:00 +1100

All the rain last year and the warm weather without any really scorching summer days has meant that the plants .. and the weeds have taken off. The feral blackberries all along the bike paths and railway land are just about taking over the paths in sections, but VicTrack are renown for ignoring maintenance requests and weed or litter reports for decades, so nothing is ever likely to be done. On the plus side, it means I can take a leisurely cruise home along the Djerring trail and fill my lunch box with ripe blackberries

unintended security consequences

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 10:30:00 +1100

I used to always hit the screenlock on my mac as soon as I walked away, even if only for a minute or two. Then the security policies changed and we have to use the VPN for far more systems … but the VPN times out and disconnects if the screen is locked, which then needs account name, password, 2FA to reconnect. As a result, now I tend to leave my screen unlocked when I walk away for a few minutes

Day 1139 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 08:06:00 +1100

On the bike, off to work, a bit cool but not too unpleasant. Not much of a hot summer this year Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1139th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1138 ⛅ to Frankston

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 10:35:00 +1100

One way ride down to Frankston, carefully timed to meet up with the family so we could visit the homemaker centre and try to select flooring for the kitchen. A successful ride, an unsuccessful shop Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1138th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1137 ⛅ birthday party

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 17:47:00 +1100

A short family trundle across the suburb for beer and pizza with friends to celebrate a birthday, then home again a few hours later, possibly without the legally required amount of lighting Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 4m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1137th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Finally bit the bullet and cut off all my hair, number three it is

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 15:30:00 +1100

planted a punnet of lettuce seedlings and two pots of petunias

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +1100

Day 1137 🌧 fish chicken bread

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 07:58:00 +1100

The usual Saturday morning shopping, on a very wintery feeling grey and wet Saturday morning. To the fish shop, chicken shop and bakery, then home for breakfast Moderate rain, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1137th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Ugh! OK, which idiot thought he'd disabled his alarm after last Saturdy's 3.30am wakeup call for the Alpine Classic… and just got woken as a result?

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 03:30:00 +1100

Aha! Solved the "NAS won't turn on" … I couldn't find the power switch

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 19:04:00 +1100

Well that is a bit embarassing, I thought it was broken, but no, the power switch is hidden on the side and hard to see due to where the NAS is sitting at the back of the desk. Plugged it back in and switched it on. Last message is that it automatically shutdown because disk 4 overheated and got to 61°C

Day 1136 ⛅ creek commute home

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 16:53:00 +1100

Cool and grey and a bit wet on the path. Forster road and Scotchmans Creek trail, not sure if the council has tried to clear out the mud trap or if it was partly washed away in the rain yesterday and today – there’s a lot less mud and silt across the path, but its in a pool of water and is far more slippery Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

Day 1136 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 08:05:00 +1100

Cool weather has arrived and the commute felt like autumn, clear blue skies and a cold breeze, lorikeets screeching an magpies warbling in the trees. The usual route to work, down to Clayton then up the hill to Monash Uni. Mostly free of hazardous behaviour by others on the paths and roads, only one little dance around some oncoming pedestrians who come from Walkontherightistan and decided to leap from the middle of the footpath directly into my path when I rang my bell and made them look up from their phones

Day 1135 ⛅ ahead of the rain

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 14:59:00 +1100

After a glance at the weather radar I went out for the day’s afteroon ride a little early, and a good thing too! Blustery winds all the way around and a few light spots of rain on the last few km on the Djerring trail home… then ten minutes later it started pouring down North through Oakleigh, up to Gardinders Creek, around to the Anniversary trail and Ferndale trail, then back through the suburbs to Caulfield and the Djerring trail home.

Day 1134 ⛅ short chores

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 16:39:00 +1100

Short ride with Cam to a local appointment, then up to Murrumbeena and home along the Djerring trail to stretch it out a little bit. Rush hour traffic on Dandenong road had it bumper-to-bumper, which meant the rat-runners swerve into the service lane and race the length of the block then force their way back into the through lanes, but along the way they go flying past at 70+ in the narrow 50km/hr service lane.

Day 1133 ⛅ farewell david

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 10:08:00 +1100

WFH today, but in to the office for a farewell to a colleague who’s retiring. Then a little shopping and home Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1133rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1132 ⛅ chores

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 20:16:00 +1100

Short after dinner ride across two suburbs to collect a second hand high school calculator. Third ride for the day Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1132nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

garden renovation destruction – all the beds against the house stomped down to ground level during building works

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +1100

Things they don’t tell you about home renovations – the casual destruction of the garden and surrounds!

Day 1132 ⛅ creek commute home

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 16:32:00 +1100

Commuting home along Forster road and Scotchmans Creek trail, there’s a large deep patch of silty mud near Stephensons road that I reported to the council a week ago, nearly fell off riding through it again today. The heavier rains keep washing mud and sand onto the trails and the councils don’t routinely clear them, only – eventually – after hazard reports Broken clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 0m/s from SW - by Klimat.

2023/0130/1549 – Review of Chain Reaction

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 15:49:00 +1100

★★★☆☆ Ordered three weeks ago, still waiting Ordered three weeks ago. Have finally recieved an email saying I can start to track my parcel and according to the tracker it took 14 days to get to LHR from the depot and has three updates labelled “incorrect labelling”, but is now on its way Edit: Turned up on the 4th week

Day 1132 ⛅ off to work

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 08:04:00 +1100

Ugh, sore neck and shoulders from Saturday I wonder if anyone noticed that I had to renumber all my rides back to last week sometime, there were two 1127’s in a row. Oh well, here we are, back in the office & I even remembered to bring my u-lock Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1132nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1131 ⛅ rolling recovery

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 17:02:00 +1100

A roll around the block while waiting for the builder to turn up and let us back in to our house – they’d accidentally security latched the front door and we have no key for the newly installers from S - by Klimat.app My 1131st day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 202. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/0131/1441 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 14:41:00 +1100

2023/0128/0559 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 05:59:00 +1100

Day 1130 🌙 200km Alpine Classic

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 04:00:00 +1100

My annual mostly unprepared assault upon the Alpine Classic course, yet again I hadn’t put in enough training. After getting prepared for the 300 km Around the Bay I took a few weeks off with a sore knee, then Christmas snuck up on me and before I knew it here I was in Bright with once again, not enough hills in my legs. Must have been enough though, I made it through in about my normal sort of time and didn’t feel like chucking it in and turning around at any point

Day 1129 ☀️ wandi pub loop

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 16:18:00 +1100

Afternoon bike fettling before tomorrow’s Alpine Classic, then a gentle roll out to Wandiligong and back, part bike path, part road, part mowed paddock! The first third from Bright to Wandi is the bike path, which could do with some barriers to stop the ultra-light pilots and MTB owners from parking their 4WDs across the path. Lots of broken glass and overgrown blackberries too, the warm wet winter has let them run amok.

Day 1128 ⛅ out and back Harrietville

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 10:50:00 +1100

Family and friends out from Bright to Harrietville for a coffee, then back for a late lunch. Along the new(ish) bike path the whole way, through the bush and gum trees and dodging encroaching blackberry bushes. As always, the ride is a sneaky incline all the way to Harrietville, it looks flat, but climbs around 200m, so the ride back is always easier Overcast clouds, 27°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 35%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

Day 1127 ☀️ porepunkah warm up

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 16:51:00 +1100

What was intended to be a 10km roll out to Porepunkah and back almost doubled in length due to adrenalin and a dog – riding up the bike path from the river to the road in Porepunkah someone’s off leash dog lunged across the path at me, barking wildly, and tried to take a snapping bite of my leg, I swerved around it and yelled at the owners to put it on a leash, of course receiving a tirade of abuse about #@#$@#$ing cyclists on the #@#$@#$ bike path and to %@#$@#$ing watch out for their #@#$@#$ing dog.

Day 1126 ⛅ park life

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 09:03:00 +1100

Morning outing so the school holiday’ing kid has something to do, we rode up to shops then back along the Djerring trail to Caulfield and explored a few parks. Annoyingly, as we left I noticed my front tyre was a bit soft but didn’t think much of it, then it rained on us all the way up to Oakleigh so after the shops we adjourned to a coffee shop to consider our options – waited it out, then called in back home to change my tube and continue on our way.

Day 1125 ⛅ sunny meander

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 15:57:00 +1100

A variation on my lazy afternoon loop; off through Oakleigh and north up until I meet the Gardiners Creek trail, back downstream to climb the Anniversary and descend the Ferndale trails, then south back to the Djerring trail and home. Seemed to have plenty of lazy wandering today Few clouds, 27°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 5m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1125th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

potted up the cactus cuttings from grandad tritsch's garden

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 16:15:00 +1100

Day 1124 ⛅ family day out

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 10:39:00 +1100

A family outing, up to Caulfield on the Djerring trail and down along the railway works to E.E.Gunn reserve, checking the progress of the level crossing replacement works. Then it was follow the Rosstown trail to the bay, a coffee in Elwood, follow the planets around the bayside trail to Station pier and the two very large cruise ships, keep going a little further to find pluto, then back to Station pier and up to the city alongside the 109 light rail.

Day 1123 ⛅ fish bread and eggs

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 07:50:00 +1100

Bacon and eggs for breakfast… but only if I go and get the eggs Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1123rd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1122 ☀️ work2home

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 16:34:00 +1100

North to the creek, follow the creek downstream to home Clear sky, 22°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1122nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1122 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 07:47:00 +1100

Down the trail, up to work, last day of work for a week Scattered clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1122nd day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1121 ⛅ fetch that car

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 16:02:00 +1100

Along the Djerring trail to Carnegie, south almost to North road, across to Murrumbeena road and down to the mechanic. Once more I met a Sandringham lines bus, once more a close pass while I was in the bike lane. Once is unfortunate, twice a bad coincidence, six times in one day from three buses of the same company? Few clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 41%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

Day 1121 ⛅ home from car mechanic

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 08:07:00 +1100

A short drive to drop off the car with the mechanic, then a ride home in the bikelane up East Boundary and Murrumbeena roads to the Djerring trail. Five close passes from two Sandringham bus line buses, as they repeatedly had to stop in traffic while the bike lane was almost empty, the drivers seem to be of the opinion that so long as they’re not in the bike lane, the 1.

Day 1120 ⛅ pretend commute

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 20:47:00 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; around the commute triangle, great bush smells with the rains on the gum trees

Day 1120 ⛅ pretend commute

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 16:54:00 +1100

A miserably grey wet day, 14.5°C felt very cold after the 38°C yesterday! Out on the fixie for a lap of the commute route, down the Djerring trail to Clayton, up through the University grounds and north to Scotchmans Creek, then downstream to Oakleigh and home. A little extra detour downstream to watch the water rush under the rakali bridge… one day I’ll see a rakali here, but not today

Day 1119 ⛅ beware of triffids

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 17:30:36 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; no #triffid to be seen despite the warning sign

Day 1119 ⛅ beware of triffids

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:17:00 +1100

Hot out, a cruise roll up to visit the scary Caulfield geese, then back along the full length of Neerim Rd qndgrabbed some milk for an iced coffee. Amusing sign at the rail worksite, “Beware of Mobile Plant” – I immediately thought of a #triffid Scattered clouds, 36°C, Feels like 37°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1119th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1118 ⛅ scenic route home

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 17:37:47 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; spiralling around on the #fixie on #mycommute, finding unpleasant places to ride

Day 1118 ⛅ scenic route home

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:24:00 +1100

Some perusing of Wandrer’s map during the afternoon lead to me heading out to the east, looking to find some unridden roads in Notting Hill. I think I ended up reusing a route I’ve ridden previously, not much changed there. Ugly industrial bits, the squeezy rat-run down to Westall road, then the off-road bike path and very sketchy on-road bike lane to Westall station. From there its straight back up the Djerring trail

the last mince pie, twenty one today… game over

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 11:02:00 +1100

Day 1117 ⛅ bike trails and highway

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 17:07:51 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; loop ride, mostly bike trails and shared paths, one noisy stretch of highway

Day 1117 ⛅ bike trails and highway

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 14:06:00 +1100

Not too far, an enjoyable two hours out on a contrasting mix of bike trails and highway. Scotchmans Creek trail to start, Gardiners Creek trail and Djerring trail to finish, and the Burwood highway in between – with lots of high-speed close passing traffic, that minimum passing law isn’t known about, isn’t observed, and isn’t enforced, but it keeps the cycling lobby groups happy and makes them think they’ve done something useful

Day 1116 ⛅ hot bayside loop

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 14:07:13 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; down to the bay before it gets hot later… except it was already 43°C in St Kilda East. Phew, cooled to 37°C at home

Day 1116 ⛅ hot bayside loop

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 11:21:00 +1100

Hadn’t got up early as intended, so I went out late in the morning to hopefully miss the hottest part of the day, supposedly around 4pm today. All up quite enjoyable despite the heat, the beaches were packed, I suspect there will be plenty of lobster-red sunburn later, and a fair few grumpy people with parking tickets judging by some of the idiot parking I saw – 4WDs crammed in an emergency entrance “do not park here” gate?

Day 1115 ⛅ longish commute

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 18:39:49 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; #baaw on #mycommute, #fixie and #graffiti

Day 1115 ⛅ longish commute

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 16:42:00 +1100

Home along the creek on the #fixie with a bit of a detour – downstream to East Malvern station, then south through the suburbs and a last section along the Djerring trail Overcast clouds, 25°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 5m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1115th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

AWOL replacement thoughts – inconcievable I know…

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 14:46:00 +1100

Reading a review of the Kona Sutra and I thought it looks a lot like a modern AWOL, with thru-axles and cable/hydro brakes, but Shimano Tiagra shifters and I’m now attached to the SRAM ones. I wonder if I could snaffle a pair of their forks and do a swap, and get a custom adapter plate for the rear and convert to thru-axles…. tempting, but not with the seized seatpost, that would have to be fixed first.

a mince pie at work, the twentieth, only one left at home

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 13:19:00 +1100

Day 1115 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 08:01:00 +1100

The normal route down the Djerring trail to Clayton, up through the suburb to Monash Uni Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 0m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1115th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1114 ⛅ home2beer

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 19:15:41 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; out along the #DjerringTrail and a #beer at Bojak, then accidentally hit save not resume on the Garmin, so recorded two half rides out and back

Day 1114 ⛅ beer2home

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 17:45:00 +1100

Accidentally pressed “save” instead of “resume”, so today’s ride is split in two. Part the second, back home along the Djerring trail Scattered clouds, 27°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1114th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1114 ⛅ home2beer

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 16:18:00 +1100

Accidentally pressed “save” instead of “resume”, so today’s ride is split in two. Part the first, out along the Djerring trail and a beer at Bojak Broken clouds, 23°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1114th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

mince pie alert, getting low in the tin. Number nineteen in a series

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 14:43:00 +1100

Day 1113 ☀️ ferndale and about

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 18:17:03 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; mostly parks and trees and bike trails, with a stop for a #graffiti photo

Day 1113 ☀️ ferndale and about

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 16:38:00 +1100

A hot afternoon, out for a loop up to the Anniversary trail, down Ferndale trail on the gravel under the trees, around to Glen Iris wetlands to pay my respects to the ducks and back through Hedgeley Dene and the Djerring trail. Along the way I took a minor detour around a large new apartment in Caufield that seems to finally be finished, mostly just to get up over 20km

mince pie after lunch, my eighteenth so far

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 14:07:00 +1100

Day 1112 ☀️ lake and parks

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 20:04:33 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; around Karkarook lake and surrounds, back through Clayton parks

Day 1112 ☀️ lake and parks

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 17:29:00 +1100

A late afternoon outing, down to Karkarook lake and a figure eight loop, first around the bush block on the dirt track, then around the lake. Wended my way back through Clarinda and Clayton via Bald Hills Reserve, then back up the Djerring trail and home. Fantastic hakea (I think) flowers out on some of the treas in the reserve Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

mince pie number seventeen, with my second cup of coffee

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 10:36:00 +1100

A mince pie in the evening, back in my own home, sweet 16

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 21:51:00 +1100

Day 1111 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:21:22 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; #mycommute homewards along Scotchmans creek trail

Day 1111 ⛅ urgent beer

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 17:46:00 +1100

Having made it home from work on a hot summer’s day it was immediately discovered that there was no beer in the house, so back on the bike for a quick trip up to the end of the suburb and back to restock Overcast clouds, 21°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1111th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far…

Day 1111 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 17:04:00 +1100

Overcast clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 6m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1111th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1111 ☀️ home2work

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 08:29:00 +1100

Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1111th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1110 ☀️ family GOR ride

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 12:45:41 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; out to Mt Defiance on the #GOR and back to Lorne, mini explore of Cumberland River and Stony Creek

Day 1110 ☀️ family GOR ride

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 09:43:00 +1100

Out to Mt Defiance on the #GOR and back to Lorne, mini explore of Cumberland River and Stony Creek, then iced coffee at Riverbank cafe Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 3m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1110th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2023/0108/0402 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 04:02:00 +1100

Post bike-ride afternoon mince pie, fifteenth of the season

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 16:24:00 +1100

Day 1109 ☀️ GOR to Wye River

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 16:15:09 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Lorne to Wye River and return, on the #GOR

Day 1109 ☀️ GOR to Wye River

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 14:19:00 +1100

Clear sky, 30°C, Feels like 31°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 5m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1109th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021, 2022 and 2023 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

goodreads — “A Heart Full of Headstones”

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

A coastal evening mince pie, fourteen is the count

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 21:41:00 +1100

Day 1108 ☀️ WP to Lorne

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 16:46:47 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; some gravelly backroads to Anglesea,an iced coffee, then tailwind to Lorne along the #GOR

Day 1108 ☀️ WP to Lorne

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 15:34:00 +1100

The usual early January ride to rejoin the family at Lorne; leave work a bit early, catch the train to Waurn Ponds then ride down to the GOR and along to Lorne. Slight variations today as I hunted about and found a few gravel roads that I haven’t ridden previously. Some enjoyable, some were very corrugated and hard going, like the road past the airfield and in to Anglesea One slight mis-navigation step had me heading east for a while and would have added two long sides of a triangle, the shadows on the road had me realise I was heading the wrong way

Day 1107 ⛅ bay sunset and beer

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 21:26:12 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; down to the bay on the #fixie, then back via beer and dinner at a café

Day 1107 ⛅ bay sunset and beer

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 21:26:12 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; down to the bay on the #fixie, then back via beer and dinner at a café

Day 1107 ⛅ bay sunset and beer

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 17:48:00 +1100

After a very slow and boring day working from home I head out on the fixie down to the bay and back. Windy at Point Ormond and I got to watch a large cruise ship leaving, no idea which one though. Back up through Elsternwick and called in for a beer and then some dinner, then back home mostly along the same route Few clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat.

Day 1106 ⛅ dinner date

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 23:12:35 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a #fixie ride in to town to catch up with some friends for dinner, then a cool and damp drizzly ride home

Day 1106 ⛅ dinner date

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 17:55:00 +1100

Catching up with friends for dinner in Abbotsford, very long time no see. Must try harder Security is poor around the Victoria street end of Richmond/Abbotsford so I rode the fixie, then found there was a bike hoop on the footpath directly outside the window where we sat, so no problems keeping an eye on the bike. Good food, good company, pleasant enough ride in and a near deserted ride home

a WFH morning-tea mince pie, number thirteen I believe

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 10:50:00 +1100

Day 1105 ⛅ glove finding commute

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 18:19:25 +1100

Daily #cycling; a pair of gloves as today’s #roadsidefind on #mycommute down the Scotchmans creek trail

Day 1105 ⛅ glove finding commute

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 16:20:00 +1100

First commute home from work this year, as usual up to Scotchmans Creek trail, down the creek, then a little extra. Kept going down to East Malvern and came home via Carnegie and the Djerring trail. First commute home, first near miss with aggressive driver on Gardiners road ignoring the give-way sign for the bike path and forcing me to stop Two wins at East Malvern; I found a pair of cycling gloves where I guess someone loaded their bike into a car, nice and new and seem to fit me.

Day 1105 ⛅ and so to work

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +1100

Got the feeling I was the only person in Melbourne going to work this morning; one cyclist, no pedestrians at either train station, hardly any cars on the road. That Christmas-New Years post-apocalyptic feel to the commute. Nothing much changed, no drivers so no bad driving, one dumped KIA up on bricks in Huntingdale station car park Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.

Day 1104 ⛅ GOR to Geelong

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 17:12:35 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Lorne to Marshall on the #GOR and “washed out” Horshoe Bend rd

Day 1104 ⛅ GOR to Geelong

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 14:20:00 +1100

Out onto the GOR at around 2.20, bumper-to-bumper traffic coming in to town, tail-back all the way to the start of North Lorne. Thankfully not much traffic heading back towards Geelong. I saw a solitary Christmas beetle squashed on the road on the way up Big Hill, but not wanting to stop part way up so no photo. Kept my eyes open but no others seen all the way to Angelsea.

Post-lunch pre-bike-ride mince pie, twelth of the season

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 13:45:00 +1100

2023 Rainfall

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2 4.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 3 12.0 10.0 3.5 0.5 11.0 4 0.5 9.5 0.5 0.5 31.0 5 2.0 5.0 2.0 4.5 4.5 6 0.5 8.0 15.0 2.0 11.0 7 4.0 26.5 3.0 0.5 8 1.5 2.5 5.5 14.0 5.0 1.0 9 7.0 5.0 0.5 6.0 3.0 10 10.0 3.5 12.0 11 1.

A new year, and the eleventh mince pie

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 16:13:00 +1100

Day 1103 ⛅ FROTY - reedy creek track

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 14:00:41 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; 2023’s #FROTY, family dirt ride down to the #GOR and back to town, then solo up to collect the car

2023/0101/1144 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 11:44:00 +1100

Day 1103 ⛅ FROTY - reedy creek track

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 10:53:00 +1100

A family ride for 2023’s #FROTY, we drove up to Big Hill campground with the bikes then all rode down Big Hill track and Reedy Creek track to rejoin the GOR. Steep and gravelly or sandy, Jo had the worst of it on her All-Road’s tyres, Cam the best on wide MTB rubber, I slithered along in between Checking on the maps before and after, there are three tracks down from Big Hill track to sea level, I’m fairly sure I’d been down this one previously but wandrer says it was “new ground” so maybe I hadn’t, or maybe its only recently been updated to recognise that the track is accessible

2023/0101/0534 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 05:34:00 +1100

A NYE mince pie, into double digits we are, number 10

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 17:23:00 +1100

Day 1102 ⛅ LROTY, kennett for koffee

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 17:22:37 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; along the #GOR to Kennett River for an iced coffee, small detour up into the #Otways, then back to Lorne. 52km today, 800km for the month, 10000km for the year

Day 1102 ⛅ LROTY, kennett for koffee

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 13:42:00 +1100

Down to Kennett River for a coffee for my LROTY – last ride of the year – a minor detour up into the Otways along Ridge Rd and Kennett Rd, then rejoin the GOR for the ride back to Lorne Car parks full, people everywhere along the coast, a tour bus pulls in to see the birds & koalas, a BMW overtook me in the car park then pulled in ahead of me, parked in the “No Standing” zone then the driver nearly doored me as she got out.

Coastal mince pie, number nine in post-bike-ride Lorne

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 16:28:00 +1100

Day 1101 ☀️ NYEE Moriac to Lorne

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 13:33:00 +1100

New Years Eve eve, 66km to go to reach 10,000km for the year. Didn’t quite get there, moriac to Lorne just on 60km so at least six more needed tomorrow Bit of a westerly blowing but thankfully not much traffic, almost all passing reasonably until that last section from Deans Marsh to Benwerrin, ugh, too many close passes including being pushed off the edge by an Audi Q7 driver, old bloke peering out under his glasses as he squeezed through with oncoming traffic, less than 20cm

Day 1100 ⛅ accompanied ferndale loop

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 17:29:46 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; the Ferndale trail loop, with company, on a lazy afternoon

Day 1100 ⛅ accompanied ferndale loop

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 15:49:00 +1100

Around the Ferndale trail loop, with company today. Clockwise so we get to enjoy the descent through the trees along the gravel Scattered clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1100th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021 and 2022 so far… Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

mince pie count, number eight with housework

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 12:49:00 +1100

Day 1099 ☀️ smith's gap and Clare lane

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 08:18:28 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; up the gap and to the of Clare lane, then cut through laneway to Valley View ln and back along Norton’s rd

Day 1099 ☀️ smith's gap and Clare lane

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:52:00 +1100

Up the gap and to the end of Clare lane, then cut through laneway to Valley View lane and back along Norton’s rd, I don’t think I’ve ever ridden the lanes there and didn’t realise they join up. Then back home for breakfast and to pack before a long drive back home Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 0m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 1099th day in a row riding a bike; the last 6 days of 2019, my 2020 cycling challenge and all of 2021 and 2022 so far…

Day 1098 ☀️ hot hoskinstown

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 18:20:14 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; afternoon ride down to Hoskinstown then back around the triangle

Day 1098 ☀️ hot hoskinstown

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 14:55:00 +1100

Down through Bungendore to Hoskinstown, back along the longer two sides of the triangle – Plains Rd and Briar Sharrows Rd. Stopped to chat with two bike tourists off for a fat-bike ride through the forest to the coast, then back north to Bungendore – wish I’d got their details for instagram or elsewhere to see how they go. The siren call of the beer at the George called me in… just the one… then back out to the showgrounds

goodreads — “Shattered Bone”

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1097 ☀️ boxing day Bungendore

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 15:39:21 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: hot summery cruise around town on a half flat front tyre with a dead pump

Day 1097 ☀️ boxing day Bungendore

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 14:16:00 +1100

Hot afternoon on Boxing day, with little inspiration to head out anywhere very far. I rode in to Bungendore then went exploring around some of the streets in the new housing estates, winding around bare earth on a baking hot treeless ex-sheep paddock, it’ll be a few decades before there’s any shade in the various Elm-name-related developments Clear sky, 33°C, Feels like 32°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat.

2022/1226/0719 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 07:19:00 +1100

2022/1226/0638 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 06:38:00 +1100

2022/1225/1225 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 12:25:00 +1100

Day 1096 ☀️ foggy weereewa

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 10:51:27 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; morning ride out to the end of lake rd and back. 3yrs of daily rides today!

Day 1096 ☀️ foggy weereewa

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 07:53:00 +1100

Sneaking in the daily ride before family Christmas things, off up Lake road as far as it goes then back for breakfast. The road has been graded since I was last along here and was surprisingly un-rutted given all the rains so far this year …. except for one or two sections either at curves or by driveways where the cars had corrugated it. Hit one set of three bad ruts just a bit too fast, made it past the first two and thought the third was wide enough to ride through, then slammed the front wheel into the far side… and held my breath expecting an 8km walk home, but seemed to survive with only sore.

Day 1096 ⛅ tarago road

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 16:52:28 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a hot out and back on country NSW roads, dodging potholes and exploring droving laneways Update: Oops, was only day 1095, 1096 is three calendar years

Day 1095 ⛅ tarago road

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 14:11:00 +1100

Oops, mislabelled at first and got a day ahead of myself. 1095 today, 1096 tomorrow, 365+365÷366, first day of the unbroken line was boxing day 2019 Down to Bungendore and out along the Tarago road, I’m a bit disappointed that there’s no laneways or dirt roads that take you across to the lake, its all private land that’s part of farms or quarries. I did find a droving lane and explored along it, very quickly ending in a thick grass and scrub, but an interesting enough detour.

Mince pie, the well-travelled number seven

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 20:40:00 +1100

Day 1094 ☀️ foggy morning

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 07:46:35 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; out on my #fixie before breakfast, light fog all about

Day 1094 ☀️ foggy morning

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 07:05:00 +1100

Trying to work out when today I can go for a ride, will it be before or after 8-10hours traveling in the car? Before it is, so out for a bit of a local loop early in the morning – and a surprise fog along the Djerring trail and down along the creek of the Scotchmans Creek trail Clear sky, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat.

A Tawny Frogmouth gives me a stare for waking it from its afternoon nap

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 17:35:35 +1100

Boyd Park, Murrumbeena #wildoz #birds

mince pie afternoon snack, pie number six

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 14:51:00 +1100

Day 1093 ⛅ assorted shopping

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 09:20:00 +1100

Oasis and Chadstone, christmas hamper content collection, and a gift for a nephew. Wet roads and it rained while we were inside Chaddie, but we managed to avoid getting wet Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1093rd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1092 ⛅ Rosstown Inkerman Djerring

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 15:42:00 +1100

Out for an hour break before I finished up work for the last time this year, off down the Rosstown rail trail to Elsternwick then north through to Inkerman street, back east past Caulfield park and partly ‘round the racecourse, then Neerim road and a minor Carnegie detour to home Overcast clouds, 29°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 33%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1092nd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

On the fifth mince pie of Christmas my tummy said to me …

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 11:26:00 +1100

goodreads — “Synthetic Men of Mars”

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

daily mince pie count=1, total mince pie count=4

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 17:26:00 +1100

Day 1091 ☀️ a ferndale loop

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 16:03:00 +1100

Warm afternoon outing, up over the hill to Mount Waverely and down to Gardiners creek, avoiding the fire & police and traffic chaos on Waverley road where some Christmas drivers have driven into each other. Along the creek and around to Anniversary trail and on up to join the Ferndale trail. Downhill under the trees, back to the Glen Iris wetlands to check on the birdlife and see my first turtle in a while, then south to Carnegie and back along the Djerring - newly reopened as the “metrotunnel” seem to have realised that they don’t need to close off half a suburb’s bike path for the uncommissioned level-crossing gates that they’re not currently working on

2022/1220/0817 – Create a new password

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 08:17:00 +1100

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three, three mince pies! mwahahahahaaaa

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 21:50:00 +1100

mince pie count : 2

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 17:50:00 +1100

Day 1090 ☀️ creekwards home

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 16:51:00 +1100

Lugging home the laptop and the U-lock, sneaking in to Chadstone for a quick check for something. Something was not to be found, so back on the bike and home - I suspect some people were still circling the car park the entire length of my visit Clear sky, 26°C, Feels like 25°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1090th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

first mince pie of the season

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 10:10:00 +1100

Day 1090 ☀️ famous last commute

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:06:00 +1100

Last commute to work for 2022, minor variation in using Haughton road through Oakleigh, there’s so little traffic at this time of year that its mostly bearable. Only a couple of near passes and idiots planting their foot to get around and in front and then stop for the next roundabout Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1090th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1089 ☀️ sunny Sunday

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 13:58:00 +1100

A mix of leisurely outing and ride along Gardiners Creek trail and the Anniversary trail, and a tactical shopping raid to a specific instance of a particular shop for a particular gift. Success, enjoyment, summery cicada sounds Clear sky, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 41%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1089th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1088 ☀️ chadstone madness

Sat, 17 Dec 2022 11:44:00 +1100

Into the maelstrom! Initial added degree of complexity is the rail crossing being closed, so I had to go up to Poath road first, which then means riding up Dandenong road which has no service lane and no bike path, all the while being passed by (or passing) a bazillion grumpy motorists on their way to Chadstone Christmas car-park fun. Then I found that the Kmart bike parking is inside a building site, and half the side roads are closed so I had to zig-zag around to the northern side, all the while being passed by (or passing) a bazillion grumpier motorists now inside the Chadstone Christmas car-park fun.

Day 1088 ☀️ tiny ride

Sat, 17 Dec 2022 08:14:00 +1100

Saturday shopping ride is short enough without me forgetting to turn the Garmin on for the ride from home to the shops. Oh well, it just made it over 1.6km (1 mile), so it passes my rigorous requirements of a publishable daily ride. Tiny ride for fish and bread Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1088th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

2022/1216/2233 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 22:33:00 +1100

2022/1216/2234 – Create a new password

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 22:24:00 +1100

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Day 1087 ⛅ longer creek commute

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 16:51:00 +1100

Few clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1087th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1087 ⛅ to work

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 08:04:00 +1100

Even clearer skies, mostly dry paths. A few other cyclists, no snails. Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1087th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1086 ⛅ work2beer2home

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 17:06:00 +1100

Achievement unlocked; I have successfully sent an SMS reply from my Garmin while riding. Almost every time a message has come in it beeps and flashes on the screen and is gone before I notice, today I saw it, and had time to see the “»” button and both select it and choose one of the offered menu of replies. It was Jo on her way back from shopping, asking if we should meet for a beer.

Day 1086 ⛅ to work

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 08:06:00 +1100

Mostly clear skies, mostly wet paths. A few snails, no other cyclists Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 0m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1086th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

so many plums now, I just about have to do the limbo to get to the shed under the branches

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +1100

Day 1085 🌧 wet skies to the wetlands

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 16:41:00 +1100

No escaping it, scattered showers all day so I was guaranteed to get wet. Out the gate and up the street past the traffic management person sitting warm in her ute, eyes glued on her phone as they have been all day. Off through Oakleigh and Oakleigh East down to the creek, then back towards the west parallel with Scotchmans Creek trail but on the streets a bit further up the hill – a pair of secateurs today’s #roadsidefind as I passed the golf course

Day 1084 🌧 brrr weather

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 16:29:00 +1100

Miserable gray rainy day, I managed to head out in between showers for a cold lap around the Rosstown railtrail as far as the Frankston line, back up to Caulfield and home along the Djerring - with detours for all the rail works. Heading west I had my eyes almost shut and face turned aside from the constant pelting of paperbark flowers and leaves blasted down on me by the westerly wind.

Day 1083 🌧 wet wintery commute

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 17:59:01 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; #mycommute between the rainy patches, soaked paths and crunchy bark. Creek’s up…

Day 1083 🌧 wet wintery commute

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +1100

Surprisingly, I managed to make it almost the entire way home without being rained on, although everything was soaked and the creek was roaring with run off from the downpours during the day. Going through the tunnel under the freeway the creek has filled the three tunnels and is squirting out the gaps in the wall of the fourth … the fourth is the one that holds the bike path, with the path level currently about half a metre lower than high water in the creek in the next one over!

goodreads — “Ask an Adventurer”

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1083 🌧 weekday winter

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 08:09:00 +1100

Weekend summer, weekday winter. Yesterday 30°C with a hot wind, this morning down to 10°C and light rain. That’s the second weekend in a row where we’ve had a two-day tease of summer Wet and windy, about a five snail commute – the only wildlife on a day like this, snails crossing the wet bikepath Light rain, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat.app

Day 1082 ⛅ windy trails

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 10:11:00 +1100

Djerring trail, Dandenong Creek trail, Scotchmans Creek trail. Hot and windy wherever I was, not helped by very poor sleep the past couple of nights. Made it all a bit of a slog Intermittent railway work crews all the way down the Djerring trail, had to jump off and back on the bike path three or four times to get around their worksites. One wolfwhistle as I rode past one site, a particularly odd piece of behaviour, perhaps my legs look better than I thought

Day 1081 ☀️ detoured shopping

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 07:43:00 +1100

One does not simply cross the railway lines … not for another six weeks at least … so I decided to ride up to Poath road and back down Willesden to get to Oakleigh shops, calling in at what used to be my local bakery when I first moved to Melbourne in ‘96. Leaving home the backyard was full of smoke, I thought it was the rail crew burning something and didn’t think much of it… but then half way down Willesden road saw barricades ahead and two fire engines busy dealing with a fire at the Greek Orthodox church.

Day 1080 ⛅ brake fettling

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 15:23:00 +1100

A frustrating and drawn out process, out for a gentle meander around the suburbs, and to swap over the new brake pads from Wednesday for the correct ones for the BB-7 brakes – I’d been given the wrong type. I got to Koornang park in Carnegie and decided I’d pull out the old pads, put in the spare ones from my bag, and then go to the shop to swap the new wrong pads for a correct spare set… well the old ones fell out, the piston decided to follow them, and the remains of the spring broke in two.

Day 1079 ⛅ creek commute

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:39:00 +1100

Can confirm, the pedestrian level crossing in Hughesdale is closed off, dug up, and surrounded by a large worksite. Two months of noise and #djerringtrail interruption has commenced I debated whether to go through the underpass at the station but decided to stay on the north side of the railway; most definitely “none shall pass”. Paddington street dead end closed off, backhoes are digging up the footpath, and there’s trucks and work crew everywhere.

Day 1079 ⛅ back to winter and work

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +1100

Gave up this morning, back to the long sleeve jersey for a drizzly cold ride to work. Probably my last chance to cross the rail lines in Hughesdale until February, we had two days’ notice on Wednesday that the crossing and Djerring trail will be closed for almost two months! Rain, wind, stupid drivers, then here I am at work on a day I normally WFH because there’s an “all staff, in person only” meeting

Day 1078 ⛅ lake and burb loop

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 15:13:00 +1100

Afternoon outing as a break from WFH, down to Karkarook lake and around the big bush block – while its still accessible and the parkland not yet converted to concrete train stabling. Then off through the suburbs to the west and make my way up to Cycle Centre to grab some spare brakepads – I’ve got a pair in the framebag, but need to replace the rear pads and like to have a spare in personal stocks.

Day 1077 ⛅ summery creek commute

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 16:44:00 +1100

Highly variable weather, back to being warm and summery this afternoon Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1077th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

A Macquarie Turtle (Emydura macquarii) lazing around in the Jock Marshall reserve

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 16:13:22 +1100

A #turtle for my #wildoz photo collection

"All or some of these files are already exists" – professionally written software ftw

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 13:45:00 +1100

Day 1077 ⛅ another cool commute

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 08:08:00 +1100

Even had a bit of light misty rain in places, but otherwise quiet and uneventful, just how one would like ones commute through Clayton to be Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1077th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2022/1205/2051 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 20:51:00 +1100

Day 1076 ⛅ cold windy creek commute

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 17:18:00 +1100

Yeesh, what a difference! 35℃ yesterday, 15℃ and windy today! Felt a real cold unpleasant slog home along the creek trail too. Oh well, at least nobody tried to drive into me on the road crossings Easy come, easy go. Got home to see that strava tells me I’ve become the local legend on one part of the ride home, then half an hour later a second email to say I’ve lost the honour

Day 1076 ⛅ cool home2work

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 08:03:00 +1100

A few very light spots of rain, the usual morning commute Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1076th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1075 ⛅ hot lazy meander

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 14:23:00 +1100

A lazy afternoon roll around the suburbs after a long hot ride yesterday, mostly up the Djerring trail towards Caulfield, but with a detour around Malvern East and through Ardrie Park, then to Caulfield and through the middle of the racecourse. Back along Glen Huntly road and check on the progress of the railway crossing works Broken clouds, 34°C, Feels like 32°C, Humidity 28%, Wind 5m/s from NW - by Klimat.

Pacific black duck, and Pacific black ducklings in a weedy pond

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 12:23:22 +1100

#wildoz birdlife on the golf course

Day 1074 ⛅ Sheep Station loop

Sat, 03 Dec 2022 17:16:24 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a 100km #audax permanent with 30km getting to and from the start… and fumble fingers button trouble not recording 20km of the way home

Day 1074 ⛅ Sheep Station loop

Sat, 03 Dec 2022 06:45:00 +1100

A first audax permanent, a lovely, though hot, day out and around and over the Dandenongs A 100km #audax permanent with 30km getting to and from the start… and fumble fingers button trouble not recording 20km of the way home, so that’s the straight line teleport bit Some light mist and cool riding out along the bike paths to get to The Basin, I’d intended to start from there at 9am to give myself enough time earlier, but with a hot day coming and an earlier than expected wake up I was about 45min ahead of myself, so sat and had a very enjoyable coffee at the 1in20 cafe before riding up the 1in20.

Day 1073 ☀️ commute TGIF beer

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 19:15:29 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; along the creek on #mycommute then up to Kaiju for a #beer … or two

Day 1073 ☀️ commute TGIF beer

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 16:31:00 +1100

A Friday afternoon, a commute along the Scotchmans Creek path then a detour for a beer… quite a detour as it turned out, I decided to revisit Kaiju Canteen, a place I haven’t been to for a while. The creek part of the ride makes me feel that I’d earned the beer, especially in the near-30s temperatures Clear sky, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Day 1073 ☀️ pit-free home2work

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 08:04:00 +1100

Ze good news or ze bad news? Good news is that the council put the covers back on the #NBN pits in the Browns Road bike path. Bad news is that they left out the “Waterproof gasket, do not discard” sheets of thick black plastic, so next time it rains I suspect the entire area will lose their internet connection. Not my circus, not my monkeys… Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat.

Day 1072 ⛅ three blobs

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 15:06:00 +1100

So here we are, first day of summer… only just feels like it Well one thing that yesterday’s ride did give me was an idea for today’s ride… and here it is, one more blob tacked on the side of the other two blobs So north and west to do half the first loop, then up the Anniversary trail and back east through the streets to Gardiners Creek. That adds on the extra blob, then repeat the rest of yesterday’s ride

Common Brown #buttefly (Heteronympha merope) on a leaf

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 13:44:12 +1100

Saturday #wildoz park wanderings

One of many juvenile native #cockroach on this bush in the park

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 11:51:27 +1100

Day 1071 ☀️ two blobs

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 15:09:00 +1100

Warm sunny afternoon for the last day of spring, doesn’t feel like tomorrow is summer! Off through Oakleigh shops, up to Gardiners creek, loop around to Ferndale trail and home via the Djerring trail Minor emergency stop to avoid aggro. ute driver in Oakleigh who decided to short-cut his way around a roundabout by speeding the wrong way around the quarter head-on at me, rather than wait in traffic going the right way.

2022/1130/0251 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 02:51:00 +1100

Day 1070 ⛅ long creek commute

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 16:34:00 +1100

Birds in the trees, frogs in the creek, pleasant ride home with the extra diversion along Scotchmans Creek trail to Malvern East then up through the Urban forest & Boyd Park Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 0m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1070th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

goodreads — “Swords of Mars”

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1070 ⛅ its the pits

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 09:16:15 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; someone has removed all the telecomms pit covers on the Browns Rd #bikepath on no warning tape, no bollards, no work crew!

Day 1070 ⛅ its the pits

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 08:05:00 +1100

Someone has removed all telecoms pit covers on the bikepath along Browns Rd. First one is on the tight corner where you turn onto the path! There’s no work crew, no signage, no warning, no bollards… just open pits the entire length of the path! An otherwise fairly normal ride to work, although I’m tempted to head back down that way later to see if the council or contractors have made it safe or left the path in that state

2022/1128/1826 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 18:26:00 +1100

a relaxing half hour cutting back the overgrown grass along the front edging, until driven inside by the mosquitoes

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 17:45:00 +1100

Day 1069 ⛅ homewards variation

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 16:33:00 +1100

Slight variation on the commute home along the creek. Today as I crossed over Dandenong road and started heading up Atkinson street I decided to go over the hill rather than around it, then kept on down to the railway and over the bridge and home along that side. Can’t really recommend it, the rebuilt bridge some years ago has two much narrower lanes, so motorists can’t overtake, they just sit behind you and get angry

Scary looking large white-tailed #spider found in the bedroom

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 15:47:32 +1100

Day 1069 ⛅ sunny home2work

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 08:02:00 +1100

A sunny morning, another day when it feels as though we might finally be getting a little spring weather, even if it is almost the start of summer. Very little traffic, although one of the odd ones was a bloke on an electric golf buggy tearing up the bike lane behind me to get across Dandenong road – I think he was a contractor either cleaning or gardening for a few sets of apartments

Day 1068 ⛅ karkarook and bayside

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 10:07:00 +1100

Where to go, where to go? I should go out for a longer ride, in fact I should probably be training up a bit more for the Alpine Classic in late January… Down to Karkarook lake and a half lap of the lake, then westwards through industrial bits to Chesterville road and down to the bay. Up along the bayside trail looking … and smelling .. the choppy brown water, certainly not looking its best today after the rains and flooding and with a brisk wind.

Day 1067 ⛅ vote and sausage

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 13:37:00 +1100

First option for voting was to make our way down to Cam’s school where I’d have to vote “out of area”, but we had a guaranteed egg and bacon roll. Unfortunately Cam was exhausted from the morning’s sport, so we looked around for a closer option. https://democracysausage.org suggested that Murrumbeena school was the nearest option, so off we went, up along the Djerring trail and through Boyd park. Minor annoyance that all the gates of the school were shut except the front, so we had to circle around to the west side, then it was park the bikes, grab a sausage in bread, and line up to vote

Day 1067 ⛅ short Saturday shopping

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 07:57:00 +1100

Fish, bread, and around the block to see if there were queues at the local polling place. No queue… but no polling place either. I guess that hall isn’t used for state elections! I think my favourite turkish bread has gone up in price again too Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 1067th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1066 ⛅ birdwatching commute

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 16:30:00 +1100

Listening to the birds and looking out for the Tawny frogmouths on the creek commute home. DNF… did not find, just lots of rainbow lorikeets and noisy miners Chadstone Christmas traffic looked pretty ‘orrible, was most enjoyable to go over it on the bridge, around it through the park, then straight through at the lights, and at no point to have to join it Broken clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Citizen Science Christmas beetle count

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 13:47:00 +1100

Cool, one of my inaturalist photos is used as the background image 6'30s into the Citizen science – Christmas beetle count project webinar

Day 1066 ⛅ off to work

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 08:06:00 +1100

I wanted to make some sort of Hastings reference for 1066, but they all seemed to forced, I didn’t even have to battle my way to work, as usual for a Friday morning the traffic was very light. I did get to ride with the same guy as yesterday, two fixies up Kanooka grove – although his seems faster than mine… or perhaps its the legs. Perhaps he was going faster to get away from the squeaks and squeals of my rain-sodden chain, must add some chain lube when I get #aroundtuit

Day 1065 ⛅ creek commute

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 16:48:00 +1100

Standard afternoon ride home, north to the creek then Scotchmans Creek trail to Oakleigh. There’s a fallen wattle tree down across the path, all the rain has softened up the soil, then the wind uproots them. Pinged the council, lets see how long it takes them to tidy it up Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1065th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1065 ⛅ congested commute

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 08:02:00 +1100

Usually WFH on a Thursday, but a workshop chose otherwise. Off down the Djerring trail & up through Clayton Bumper-to-bumper cars down Clayton road queueing all the way through the traffic lights and across the bike path crossing. Of course this meant that when our light went green we had to thread our way around cars blocking the path, and I nearly get collected as one lurched forward because there was a gap in front, but the driver was also on the phone so he didn’t really look up before driving through the red

Day 1064 🌧 rosstown railtrail inkerman street djerring trail

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 15:10:00 +1100

In honour of last night’s decision by the City of Glen Eira council to cancel any further work on the Inkerman street cycling corridor, I decided to ride along there for today’s ride. Just as rubbish as it always was, shared parking and cycling, dangerously narrow so that it is almost always a dooring hazard. NIMBY local action group has spoken, on-street parking has triumphed. “While the Inkerman Road project was not supported, Council remains committed to investigating opportunities to improve safety for cyclists in Glen Eira.

Day 1063 ⛅ creek and djerring commute

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 16:51:00 +1100

Took the longer route home today, all the way along the creek to Malvern East, then along the roads to Caulfield and back down the Djerrring trail. A few interesting minor events There’s a tree down on the Scotchmans Creek trail, all the recent rain and wind has brought a largish wattle down. Pinged the council, they usually get rid of them within a day or two More scary, the driver at the Atkinson street bike path crossing.

Day 1063 ⛅ coffeeneuring commute

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 09:01:37 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a short macc. on #mycommute as the last #coffeeneuring coffee of the challenge. An unfortunate self #rickroll as you-know-what is playing on the radio

Day 1063 ⛅ coffeeneuring commute

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 08:05:00 +1100

Sneaking in a short macc. on the ride to work at John Street coffee shop, a place I’ve either ridden past or seen the sign for any number of times, but have never visited. Very nice little morning coffee, and extra points in their favour for giving it to me in a glass, so many places seem to default to disposable cups even when you say you’re having it there at the table.

Day 1062 🌧 hoist tha mainsail

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 16:52:00 +1100

Yeehah, windy! Not so warm either, at 8.5°C most of the way along the creek, with a bit of icy rain and a lot of downed small branches Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 4m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1062nd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1062 ⛅ cold windy commute

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 08:05:00 +1100

I’m kind of over this wintery weather, can we have some warm windless days please? Scattered clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 5m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1062nd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1061 ⛅ rosstown rail trail and planets

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 15:08:26 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; the length of the Rosstown #railtrail then around the bay past all the planet #sculptures, I missed mercury & couldn’t find pluto

Day 1061 ⛅ rosstown rail trail and planets

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 09:56:00 +1100

Windy Sunday morning down to the bay and around. Decided the best thing for it was to head out straight into the wind, followed the Rosstown Railtrail down through the suburbs to Elsternwick. Yay, the City of Glen Eira has redone the signage so at last people have a fighting chance of being able to follow the Rosstown route as it uses backstreets most of the way and doesn’t have a decided footpath or bike path.

goodreads — “The Ravenmaster”

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1060 ⛅ Caulfield oakleigh morning

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 07:12:00 +1100

Woke up a little earlier than usual, so rather than only ride up to the bakery for fresh bread I went out for three quarters of an hour or so. First out to Caulfield and around Caufield park to see the geeses, then back around the racecourse and along Neerim road all the way to Oakleigh. Detoured off down a short dead-end street in Carnegie that Wandrer says I’ve never ridden along, I suspect it’s correct, certainly can’t remember ever going down there.

Day 1059 ☀️ creek commute

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 16:15:00 +1100

Sunny and warm, home along the creek, no detours today because the intention was that I’d collect the family and we’d ride on to Glen Iris and drop in for a Friday beer at Deeds. Circumstances intervened, ride ended at home Clear sky, 24°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 41%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 1059th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1059 ☀️ sunny home2work

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 08:07:00 +1100

A pleasant break from the constant cold and wet spring weather we’ve been having, clear blue skies and sunshine. Still a lot of mud & debris around on the path, but its slowly drying out. The usual very light Friday traffic Clear sky, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1059th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

2022/1117/2031 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 20:31:00 +1100

Day 1058 ⛅ coffeeneuring djerring hour

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 16:51:08 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; out and back on the #djerringtrail, a #coffeeneuring short macc., then out and back the other way

Day 1058 ⛅ coffeeneuring djerring hour

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 15:12:00 +1100

Last chance for week six of the #coffeeneuring challenge so the pressure was on. South-east for 5km along the Djerring trail, then back into Oakleigh, a lovely half suburb of drafting an illegal e-Scooter before he turned off. Then the all important stop and a short macc. from the newish Corner Cafe Oakleigh. Newish because although its been fitted out for months it was also closed up for months with the ubiquitous “Staff Wanted” sign on the door.

Day 1057 ⛅ no coffee

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 16:03:00 +1100

Intended to stop in somewhere and grab a quick coffee, but didn’t Windy but thankfully dry loop around some ‘burbs. Up to Caulfield park, then Glenferrie road and into stationary traffic of expensive cars around Toorak and Kooyong. Eventually got onto the bike path and meandered my way back towards Oakleigh and home Somewhere along the way I saw some money on the road and thought it a gold coin, dithered a bit, then turned around and went back to spot it and pick it up.

Day 1056 🌧 hello winter

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 17:14:00 +1100

Ok weather gods, its not funny any more. Can we have our spring back? Below 10℃ and light rain, the only good thing about is that I get the path to myself and don’t have to dodge the doggies. Sure was nice at Huntingdale wetlands when I came out from under the trees and the sun was shining and no wind blowing, felt like it jumped up about five degrees!

2022/1115/1253 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 12:53:00 +1100

Music from bandcamp

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Community 4 - a compilation of Hobart music, by Various Artists Digital Album $5.00AUD Community 3 - a compilation of Hobart music, by Various Artists Digital Album $5.00AUD Community 2 - a compilation of Hobart music, by Various Artists Digital Album $5.00AUD Community - a compilation of Hobart music, by Various Artists Digital Album $5.00AUD Subtotal: 20.00 GST (10.0%): 1.50 Total: $21.50 AUD bandcamp/ajft

Day 1056 ⛅ commute rain or hail

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 08:03:00 +1100

Rain or hail? Why not both! Light stingy hail all the way through Clayton, gradually petering out to a chilly sprinkle of rain as I got to work and made a detour to lost property… except lost property don’t open until 9am, so on to the office Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1056th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1055 ⛅ post-rain creek commute

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 17:08:00 +1100

Debris everywhere, but not too many ponds across the path along the Scotchmans creek route. A mixture of gravel, mud, some slippery silt, leaves and lots of washed down wattle blossom Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1055th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

QOTD: "What's your wet weather clothing like?" "Same as my dry weather clothes, but more wet." @TheRicMan @elyobo

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 13:49:00 +1100

A #magpie at the Royston

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 11:20:50 +1100

goodreads — “A Fighting Man of Mars”

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

goodreads / indiebookclub / bookwyrm

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1055 🌧 wet ride2work

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 08:07:00 +1100

23mm of rain overnight, Djerring trail flooded and impassable so I took the short road route. One scary close pass in Edward street by a gravel truck, thankfully no dog on the back swaying side-to-side. Oof, left leg still not 100% happy so walkies time up over the second half of the Dandenong road footbridge Light rain, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app

Day 1054 🌧 trails and Yarra bvd

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 17:22:56 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; anniversary trail, Yarra bvd, a #beer at The Royston and home along Gardiners Creek & Djerring trails

Day 1054 🌧 trails and Yarra bvd

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 13:12:00 +1100

An afternoon ride after three hours of volunteer work counting cyclists on the Djerring trail this morning. The morning went from warm, sunny and still to clouded over and force-seven winds, then a little light rain, so clearly my altruism had got the better of me! Down to Gardiners Creek, around to the Ferndale Trail and up to join the Anniversary trail, then onwards until it meets the Yarra and turn off for a lap of the Boulevard.

Day 1053 ⛅ saturday shopping

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 07:59:00 +1100

Croissants from a suburb away, then back to Oakleigh for bread and fish. The route on the map looks like I’m sliding down the banister – Djerring trail – then climbing back up the stairs – grid-like roads home Broken clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1053rd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1052 ⛅ innies and outies

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 16:52:00 +1100

Work to docklands on the Gardiners Creek trail to meet some people for Friday beer and pizza. One does not simply ride through southbank at Friday beer o’clock, so added delays I’d intended to leave work at 4.30 to give myself plenty of time to get to Docklands, getting to the city is easy, but that last bit after Southbank looked to be a challenge in only partly known territory. Time got away from me, so later than I’d intended when I left, and once on the main part of the Gardiners Creek trail the name of the ride came into play… the vast majority of commuter cyclists ride in to the city in the morning and out in the afternoon, so anyone riding against the flow can be up against some scary volumes of riders, sometimes three or more abreast heading towards you.

Day 1052 ⛅ humid with no traffic

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 08:06:00 +1100

Hardly any traffic, but Clayton is full of wheely bins. Friday is bin day and give-work-a-miss day as far as I can tell. No traffic means no close passes Clayton road roadworks are finally finished, so no more stop-go people and boom gate where the Djerring trail crosses. Doubly good today, the crossing light was green as I got there so straight through Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

QOTD: "At 10:30am on 10-Sep-1942 waves of American B52's bombed…" SBS (B52 came out in 1952)

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 20:20:00 +1100

Day 1051 🌧 petrichor and horse poo

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 15:51:00 +1100

Just like spring rain…. a light sprinkle on a warm afternoon, gradually increasing as I made my way up the Djerring trail to Caulfield and a lap around the outside of the race course, the smell of rain on the road, path and gardens boosted by smell of wet horse… and horse poo. Warm wet quiet pleasant ride until the close-pass squeeziness that is the Neerim road bike lane back through Carnegie & Murrumbeena

there's a scarily large European wasp[1] buzzing around the outside of the house, I'd better check it can't get in and hasn't started a nest

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 10:14:00 +1100

[1] European wasp

two blissful nights of no feral ginger cat, then it was back at 5am and again just now, prowling around and yowling, trying to get back under the house

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 20:30:00 +1100

Day 1050 ⛅ WFH arvo bay loop

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 16:35:39 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a hot afternoon loop down to the bay, up to Elwood, inland home

Day 1050 ⛅ WFH arvo bay loop

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 14:25:00 +1100

Took a two hour break in the middle of the afternoon for today’s ride, off down to the bay and back. In a magnificent demonstration of how much of a heat island concrete and roads are, the temperature climbed up to a high of 36.8℃ on my way down Chesterville road, which added to the non-stop close passes by speeding drivers to make for a thoroughly unpleasant experience Temperature dropped to just on 30℃ around the bay, and on the way back inland and home some clouds had come over so it stayed down

2022/1108/2354 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 23:54:00 +1100

Day 1049 🌧 creek commute home

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 16:48:00 +1100

Managed to leave and ride home under black threatening skies, but no rain, so the gods must be smiling somewhere. Surprisingly few motorists around; no close calls on any of the crossings, mostly because there were no cars at all Moderate rain, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app My 1049th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

mastodon on aus.social is churning like an ant-nest whacked with a stick, pixelfed.social is off the air

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 15:57:00 +1100

Biketober October is over

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 11:45:00 +1100

Monash Uni. got 717 of 1000 rides in their challenge, I got to within 13km of my 1000km for the month. Probably going to be a long time before I get that many kilometers in a month

Day 1049 ☀️ clayton ute man

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 08:04:00 +1100

No teeth, and a matching number of brain cells. Angry man in a ute plants his foot as I was riding onto the Browns road bike path crossing and stopped two-thirds across as I swerved to not get flattened. Laughing at the top of his lungs and giving me the finger with both hands out the window, drove with his knees all of 10m up the road to join the bumper-to-bumper queue waiting for Dandenong road.

Day 1048 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:54:00 +1100

Warm afternoon ride, the Scotchmans Creek track is now dry, but still covered in a lot of gravel and dirt that’s been washed down so a few slippery patches. The butcherbird in Huntingdale wetlands isn’t swooping any longer, I’m not even sure if its still there Broken clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 3m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 1048th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1048 ⛅ summery commute

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 08:03:00 +1100

One day the drivers in Clayton will figure out how to drive clockwise around a roundabout. Today is not that day. One day the drivers in Clayton will figure out how to wait for oncoming cyclists to pass before turning right across their path. Today is not that day either Very warm and sunny, a vast improvement on most of last week Scattered clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat.

Under the house may finally be cat-proof again… or at least cat-resistant

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 07:30:00 +1100

After spending a couple of hours on Saturday & Sunday I’ve reattached all the weatherboards and base-boards that the restumpers removed to get access — I may not have done it well, but there don’t seem to be any holes left for the feral ginger cat to get in through. It appeared twice yesterday evening on the back porch and back garden, but bolted off when we approached. First night in four or five days it hasn’t woken me between 2-5am yowling under or around the house.

Day 1047 ⛅ coffeeneuring south-east

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 12:25:46 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; cà phê sữa đá in Springvale on today’s #coffeeneuring ride around lake and ‘burbs

Day 1047 ⛅ coffeeneuring south-east

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 10:09:00 +1100

A very warm day, and a morning meander out and around. Down to Huntingdale on the road alongside the rail line, then turn south through the gravel cut-through track and make my way to Karkarook lake. A gentle lap of the lake with many other people all doing the same; on foot, on bikes, with kids, with dogs, then a complete lap around the gravel path riding track and back up to cross the Dingely bypass and get onto the bike path alongside it.

2022/1105/2042 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 20:42:00 +1100

Day 1046 ⛅ short shopping trip

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 08:14:00 +1100

Saturday morning, fish and fresh bread then home for breakfast Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 0m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1046th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1045 ⛅ creek commute via beer

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 19:27:36 +1100

Daily #cycling commute; called in for a #beer at WOP on #mycommute

Day 1045 ⛅ creek commute via beer

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 16:20:00 +1100

Friday afternoon departure from work, eyes open for tradie traffic near the Nott. North to join Scotchmans Creek trail then downstream to Glen Iris and to loop back around up to Carnegie and along the Djerring trail. l. Much warmer, and more importantly drier, than last Friday, so I Stopped in at the local for a tasty hazy IPA then home through the park … dodging the illegally off-leash dogs as always

Day 1045 ⛅ to the rainy place

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 08:09:00 +1100

Left home in sunshine & a bit of clouds, overcast through Oakleigh, darker skies & wet roads through Clayton and finally a little light rain as I got to work Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1045th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2022/1104/0642 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 06:42:00 +1100

Day 1044 ⛅ lap of africa

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 16:28:00 +1100

That stupidly named strava segment still cracks me up. Down to Gardiners creek, around to Glen Iris wetlands & up Ferndale Trail then back down the Anniversary Trail. Added on a little bit extra by detouring out to Carnegie for one extra suburb of Djerring trail on the ride home. Only four cars parked in the No-Standing zone in Koornang road today Broken clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

2022/1103/1012 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 10:12:00 +1100

Day 1043 ⛅ home from physio

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 09:47:00 +1100

Accidental Strava Pro, I guess I must have hit some “trial” button after endless months of trying to stop them popping up when I don’t want them. Oh well, here’s to a month of Strava maybe behaving differently Flippin’ ’eck it did not feel like November on the ride home from the physio; cold and windy and huge amounts of standing water on the paths from the rains over the past few days.

Day 1042 ⛅ Teddy's and GOR

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 14:14:56 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; over Teddy’s lookout then out to Cumberland River and back

Day 1042 ⛅ Teddy's and GOR

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 13:31:00 +1100

Up and over Teddy’s lookout, then back down to sea level on the muddy fire trail to come out through the caravan park. Then off along the GOR to Cumberland River and check the river and hiking trails… closed due to floods, mud and erosion. Back to Lorne, getting caught by the rain as I entered town and poured on almost all the way back to the house. There was a bower bird sitting on the car as I got home

2022/1101/0522 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 05:22:00 +1100

Day 1041 🌧 coffeeneuring aireys

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 16:14:23 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; the #GOR to Aireys, a #coffeeneuring flat white, and return. Misty Otways mist made me moist

Day 1041 🌧 coffeeneuring aireys

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 13:45:00 +1100

Seemed windy again today, much like yesterday so I headed off in the opposite direction thinking I’d get a headwind out and a tailwind home. Didn’t seem to quite work out, I think it had turned around further to the north west so it was, again, tailwind out and headwind home Rode up the slippery gravel & mud track to the lighthouse and decided that I’d have a touristy coffee at the coffee up at the top, wet and windy weather meant that there weren’t many other people around.

goodreads — “War of Honor”

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm…

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

There are King parrots and a Crimson rosella on the balcony

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 08:18:00 +1100

Day 1040 ⛅ GOR to Wye

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 16:31:06 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; GOR Lorne to Wye River #tailwind there, #headwind back

Day 1040 ⛅ GOR to Wye

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 14:30:00 +1100

Bit of a wind about, had a tailwind from Lorne down to Wye River, then turned around and found it was a headwind all the way home. Tried to get a coffee at Wye cafe but they’d just shut for the afternoon. That’ll teach me not to continue on to Kennett River Scattered clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 4m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1040th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1039 ⛅ bread and close pass

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 07:59:00 +1100

Lovely new oakleigh bike lane in Atherton road, same old aggressive oakleigh drivers driving in them. Nearly lost skin off my elbow from that pass Mr Rug Wash, 15cm if you’re lucky! Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1039th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 202. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1038 🌧 rainy creek commute

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 18:06:56 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; sodden ground and #flood pools on the scotchmans creek trail

Day 1038 🌧 rainy creek commute

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 16:39:00 +1100

I’d been intending to have a Friday evening beer at Wines on Poath on the way home, but changed my mind along the way as it was too wet & drizzly on the ride and I’d have had to sit there in soggy bike gear. Off along Scotchmans creek and a little further to take me to Phoenix park, then up Chadstone road/Poath road into Hughesdale and home through the park.

Day 1038 ⛅ mud commute

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 08:04:00 +1100

No more rain after yesterday, but everywhere on the ride to work there seems to be mud and washed-out rubbish Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 1038th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1037 🌧 djerring trail flood audit

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 17:30:06 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; #bikepath with no camber and no drainage, plus rain, equals #flood

Day 1037 🌧 djerring trail flood audit

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 16:37:00 +1100

Raining on and off all day, not real inspiring to go out for the daily ride, but out I went. Flashbacks to Covid lockdown, out to the 5km limit on the Djerring trail and home, with a detour to get some milk. Found myself slowing to a crawl through the many flooded sections of path so I don’t splash too much and get totally drenched. The newly reflooded part near Huntingdale section is woeful, a deep, brown expanse of water that’s full of near-invisible rocks, slime & sticks – the result of railway works turning the bike path into the drain for the rail corridor.

Day 1036 ⛅ suburban meander

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 16:06:00 +1100

Slow meander around the Caulfield area, winding my way down along the rail works to Glen Huntly and back up to Caulfield Park. Sad to see that the bluestone laneway from Leamington Crescent to Neerim road has gone, dug up to vanish into the concrete rail pit Cruised around through the park in the damp grey afternoon, carefully avoided the dangerous gooses, then back towards Caulfield and ran into a work colleague on the Djerring trail so rode slowly back towards Murrumbeena chatting as he walked

Phone call to say that the rivnut in the R800 is now half cut out…

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 15:15:00 +1100

…but LBS discovered that the BB & headset are sleeved, so they can’t get the pieces out without much fiddling and it’ll take a day or so

the Just Joey and Charles de Gaulle roses are flowering and look near perfect in the light misty rain

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 13:15:00 +1100

Day 1035 ⛅ R800 LBS drop off

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 16:12:00 +1100

Otherwise titled, “Rivnut be gone”. Around and about and drop the bike off at the bike shop" Four rivnuts on the bike, one stuffed in each pair. Mechanic says he can replace the one in the down-tube, but if he touches the one in the seat-tube there’s a fair chance it’ll ruin the frame. One bidon cage it is then, or will be, once he’s replaced the replaceable one Broken clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.

Meta blog update

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

There was a lull of a couple of weeks, then a flurry of posts bringing my backlog of mostly cycling rides and photos all up to date. I fell behind after the last school holidays when we’d gone away for four days in late September, then it took me until mid October to catch up That and that last few weeks before the 300km ATB ride and I didn’t make time to keep this up to date.

Day 1034 ⛅ warm windy commute

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 16:12:00 +1100

Overcast, windy and warm riding home along the creek. Scotchmans creek path could do with a small street sweeper, but it isn’t going to happen, council only ever seem to clean roads, not bike paths Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1034th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1034 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 08:05:00 +1100

Quiet on the bike paths; two e-scooters, one dog walker, three joggers, one forklift full of scaffolding, two dozen people walking to the train, no other cyclists Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 3m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1034th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2022/1024/0024 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 00:24:00 +1100

Day 1033 ⛅ coffeeneuring Sunday

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 16:38:00 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; scotchmans creek, Dandenong creek and Djerring trails, with a coconut turmeric latte for a different #coffeeneuring drink

Day 1033 ⛅ coffeeneuring Sunday

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 13:55:00 +1100

Two hour triangular loop involving Scotchmans Creek, Dandenong Creek Eastlink and Djerring trails, with a coffeeneuring not-quite-coffee squeezed in for good measure. Didn’t quite rain on me, although it kept looking like it would, and the north-easterly winds were a bit unexpected I’ve been past “Code Five” in Wheelers Hill many times when riding to Jells Park, but it always comes too early in the ride to stop for a coffee, although it looks a popular, if oddly placed, cafe.

gathered up all the concrete rubble left around the place by the restumpers, now to get rid of it…

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 13:00:00 +1100

Day 1032 🌧 shopping in the rain

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 07:46:36 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; bread, fish and chicken drumsticks

Day 1032 🌧 shopping in the rain

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 07:16:00 +1100

An early wake up, lots of rain overnight and light rain falling on the way up to the shops on the fixie. Hardly anyone anywhere around Oakleigh; chicken, fish, bread and home again Light rain, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1032nd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1031 ⛅ commute TGIF beer

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 18:12:39 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; #mycommute along the creek, then a #beer

Day 1031 ⛅ commute TGIF beer

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 16:25:00 +1100

A very warm afternoon ride, as I rode along Gardiners road and Forster road between Monash Uni and going under the freeway I watched as the temperature display crept slowly upwards towards 30℃. It eventually reached 29.8℃ before I got to the cooler air, then slowly moved back down to around 25℃ once I turned off onto the bike path along the creek. A perfect example of urban heat islands and the effect of large expanses of concrete and tar

Day 1030 ☀️ sore leg ferndale loop

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 10:13:23 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a sunny spring afternoon on the Anniversary, Ferndale and Djerring trails

Day 1031 ⛅ commute and physio

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 07:57:00 +1100

Physio confirms that the wobbly knee-whacking top-tube bag made me wobble my knee and injure my leg. I think I knew that, but nice to have confirmation. Now have bruisy physio thumb-prints in my leg and a generally all-over sore leg Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1031st day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1030 ☀️ sore leg ferndale loop

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 16:22:00 +1100

A sunny spring afternoon on the Anniversary, Ferndale and Djerring trails. My left knee is still a bit sore so I’m taking it easy, although going for a ride seems to loosen it up trails Clear sky, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 1030th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

2022/1020/0537 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 05:37:00 +1100

2022/1019/0942 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 09:42:00 +1100

Day 1029 ☀️ ride2work 4 2nd breakfast

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 07:55:00 +1100

Today is ride2work day. I’ve checked the rules and nobody says you have to stay at work, so I rode to work, had a muffin and chat, then rode home to work from home Cool in the shade under the trees along the creek, warm in the sun. A pleasant ride with company as I met one of the local Audax riders along the way. Warmer still on the trip home as it was later and more exposed along the rail line

Day 1028 ⛅ home, but different

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 16:49:00 +1100

Normally this is the route to work, but due to the appointment this morning I’d gone up the creek to Mount Waverley so I chose the Djerring trail homewards. Leisurely roll down the hill along Kanooka grove, but always a little nerve-wracking beforehand on Browns road dodging the hospital workers driving out of their car park and across the bike path without looking, or at least, perhaps they look but then choose not to give-way

Day 1028 ⛅ home2appt2work

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 08:28:00 +1100

A chilly morning, and off along the Scotchmans Creek trail to Mount Waverley for a 9 o’clock appointment, then straight line to work - zoom down the hill to under the freeway, struggle up towards Ferntree Gully road, then dodge turning tradies the rest of the way through Notting Hill Disappointed to see that the vandals with shovels and bush saws have started up again digging their trails and jumps through the bush reserve.

Day 1027 ⛅ roundabout way home

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 16:41:00 +1100

Seemed a warm enough spring afternoon, and I’ll admit it, I was looking for a detour around the butcherbird from hell, so off north up to the Glen Waverley line then down that path to Gardiners creek and back home through the urban forest. Excellent weather, and no swooping birds Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1027th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Garmin Edge wouldn't sync through the phone, I found that Android had blocked the Garmin app from accessing Bluetooth!

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 11:00:00 +1100

Day 1027 ⛅ spring home2work

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 08:08:00 +1100

Grindy crap all over the bike from last week, mud and gravel washed all over the path, but an enjoyable sunny spring morning to ride to work Scattered clouds, 8°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 1027th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2022/1016/1833 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 18:33:00 +1100

2022/1016/1752 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 17:52:00 +1100

Day 1026 ⛅ karkarook coffeeneuring

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 12:19:12 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a #coffeeneuring lap of Karkarook late, down past the pobblebonk pond, then back around to clayton for an excellent #cappuccino and #baklava at The Grain Emporium

Day 1026 ⛅ karkarook coffeeneuring

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 10:30:00 +1100

Lazy sunny Sunday morning and out for a recreational ride, no need to push myself to get ready for the big event, no long hours today, just an enjoyable hour down and around the lake, then back up through Clayton for a coffeeneuring coffee – my second of the year’s challenge Plenty of people out walking around the lake, and picnicking of fishing at the southern side, the warm weather brings them out

2022/1016/0739 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 07:39:00 +1100

Day 1025 ☀️ short shopping

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 11:34:01 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: shopping on the #fixie … and some scammer thinks my vehicle has no e-tag

the large pile of old red-gum house stumps is now neatly stacked to dry out and become firewood

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 11:00:00 +1100

Day 1025 ☀️ short shopping

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 08:17:00 +1100

I’ve done my 300km ride, I don’t need to go on long training rides each weekend day. Still riding every day, but a quick spin up to the shops is sufficient. Fish fillets for dinner, bread for the weekend and cup cakes because I can With perfect timing, I spotted the scam SMS as I was getting back to the bike, the one about having no e-tag. So I laughed, and I took a photo

2022/1015/0124 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 01:24:00 +1100

Day 1024 ⛅ short work2home

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 16:42:00 +1100

I’ve still got a tight sore left leg and I suspect that the butcherbird is still out there, so this afternoon’s commute was the short route home. Bit of a zig-zag through to Dandenong road, up and over the foot bridge, then Greville street and Edwards street and home along the Djerring trail to Oakleigh shops Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 7m/s from W - by Klimat.

Day 1024 ⛅ ten bit ride

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 09:31:00 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; #flood on #mycommute on the Djerring trail due to railway works now using the bikepath as their drain

Day 1024 ⛅ ten bit ride

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 08:05:00 +1100

For years the narrow bike path down near Huntingdale station used to flood at the merest drop of rain, then when the railway was upgraded during the Skyrail/level-crossing removal project the drainage was fixed and it flooded no more. Last month some major trackworks took place, and, surprise surprise, all drainage is gone so the railway drains onto the bike track - now Djerring trail - and you find yourself stuck on a narrow path between a rock wall and a chainlink fence and having to ride through 8-10m of water, up to 20cm deep

Day 1023 ⛅ gardiners creek flood

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 16:34:05 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; checking out a few ‘burbs worth of Gardiners creek on the #fixie to see how high the #flood came

Day 1023 ⛅ gardiners creek flood

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 14:11:00 +1100

Checking the creek for flooding, on a #fixie in sandals. No hipster beard Seizing the opportunity when there wasn’t any rain, I had an earlyish hour break in the afternoon while #wfh and rode up to Gardiners creek to check the #flood levels. Nothing much to match the semi-apocalyptic forecasts and warnings, the creek was high, but not over the banks. All the underpasses were passable, if anything, Toorak road was not cleaner and safer than last weekend - the rain had washed the thick drifts of mud and slime off the path.

A very large pile of muddy part-rotten red-gum timber house stumps are lying on the front lawn… must get around to moving them soon

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 08:05:00 +1100

Day 1022 🌧 Ferndale coffeeneuring

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 17:20:24 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; over the #flood of Gardiners creek and around “africa”, calling in for the first #coffeeneuring #cappuccino of 2022

Day 1022 🌧 Ferndale coffeeneuring

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 15:14:00 +1100

Pleasantly damp and peaceful, out in a little light rain which stopped about half way up the Anniversary trail. then down the Ferndale trail. Gardiners creek was in flood, but not yet overflowing the banks, I suspect that’ll come tomorrow There was a bit of a slip’n’slide at times on Ferndale trail as the #fixie isn’t the ideal vehicle for the muddy gravel path. Called in at Pantry near Ferndale Park for the first #coffeeneuring coffee of the year, a #cappuccino to start off my participation in what is the silliest cycling challenge of each year

Day 1021 ⛅ commute gone bush

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 17:46:54 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a #nanoadventure on the #fixie on #mycommute, taking the offroad shortcut

Day 1021 ⛅ commute gone bush

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 16:41:00 +1100

Thought I’d risk the creek commute, my knee was up to the distance and I was hoping the butcherbird would be over its most obnoxious stage of swooping. Took a minor detour off through the bush at one point, a fixie on road tyres on a pine-chip covered mud track is non-optimal, but fun & a pleasant change. Then through the Huntingdale wetlands where the butcherbird reminded me that nesting season is definitely not over, loudly swooping, but no contact today

Music from bandcamp

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

daydreamin (album), daydreamin - CD Album, by DON HILLMAN Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album $25.00AUD Estimated to ship October 18, 2022 and estimated to arrive no later than November 1, 2022 Subtotal: 25.00 Shipping: 5.00 Total: $30.00 AUD bandcamp/ajft

Day 1021 🌧 home2work

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 08:05:00 +1100

Left knee is better than yesterday, but not good. Back to the normal commute route Light rain, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1021st day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

fruit on the plum tree is starting to pull the branches down so we have to duck under them already

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 08:00:00 +1100

Day 1020 ⛅ flat noisy commute

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 19:13:39 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; #mycommute along the flat, noisy, North Road bike path. Slow and sore from yesterday

Day 1020 ⛅ flat noisy commute

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 16:26:00 +1100

An unenjoyable route, straight down the broken bikepath in the middle of North road, bouncing across broken concrete slabs and through thousands of ball-bearing like gumnuts while surrounded on both sides by roaring peak-hour traffic. However, it is the flattest way home and nearly the shortest, so my post-ATB legs appreciated it Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 42%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1020th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1020 ⛅ slow sore and short commute

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 08:05:00 +1100

Everything stiff and sore, tendons behind my left knee protesting strongly at any movement. A very slow and short commute to work Scattered clouds, 7°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 0m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 1020th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the snowball bush is covered in flowers, all still green

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 08:00:00 +1100

Day 1019 🌧 ATB 300km

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 20:43:32 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a long day and a long way

2022/1009/0853 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 08:53:00 +1100

Day 1019 🌧 ATB 300km

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 05:17:00 +1100

Well that’s my longest ride to date! A very long day, I was optimistic, but not entirely hopeful that I’d complete the ride before Bicycle Network’s cutoff times, the 26km/hr required average speed is well above mine (24.5km/hr) Up at 4.10am and with a stunningly bright near-full moon shining across the garden, an auspicious start, I managed to put my nicks on inside out first time, then was about to ride off without my Garmin.

Day 1018 ⛅ Saturday afternoon roll

Sat, 08 Oct 2022 14:34:00 +1100

One last ride before ATB tomorrow, am I fit enough? Probably. Am I fast enough? Probably not Up along Gardiners creek trail to Richmond, then down through Richmond to South Yarra, around to St Kilda road and back up Inkerman street Scattered clouds, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 1018th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 1017 ⛅ post-rain commute

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 17:09:26 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; bit of a #flood on #mycommute after the storm today

Day 1017 ⛅ post-rain commute

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 16:24:00 +1100

High humidity and clouds of bugs everywhere, a big black cloud threatening overhead. Recent railway track work between Huntingdale and Oakleigh has changed the lay of the land so the Djerring trail now floods from chainlink fence to rock wall, there’s no going around it, slow down and ride through trying not to splash too much Not feeling well so left work a bit early and took a shorter route home

Music from bandcamp

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Back in the Day, Back in the Day CD (with bonus Monkey RC Christmas Card), by Mick Thomas Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album $20.00AUD Estimated to ship October 10, 2022 and estimated to arrive no later than October 24, 2022 Subtotal: 20.00 GST (10.0%): 2.00 Shipping: 10.00 Total: $32.00 AUD bandcamp/ajft

Day 1017 🌧 pre-rain commute

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 07:48:00 +1100

Haha! 15mm of rain in the rain gauge, the usual flooded lakes across the Djerring trail, but I managed to avoid being rained on The bollard that stops drivers parking illegally and blocking access to the trail in Oakleigh station car park has been cut off with an angle grinder at ground level. It took over ten years to get the council & railway to install it, hopefully it’ll take less than that to get them to replace it

Day 1016 ⛅ squarish loop and a hill

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 15:58:00 +1100

With the Garmin now thinking that my max HR is down somewhere near where it is in reality, amazingly, the HR zones say I spend time in 2, 3, 4, 5 and perhaps 6. Not sure about that 6, but sure is better than when it thought I could go up to 230bpm! Sunny afternoon almost around the Ferndale Trail loop, without actually riding on the trail itself, using various parallel streets

2022/1006/0300 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 03:00:00 +1100

2022/1005/2250 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 22:50:00 +1100

2022/1005/2225 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 22:25:00 +1100

Day 1015 🌧 meditative laps

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 16:54:09 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; some quiet laps in between showers of rain

Day 1015 🌧 meditative laps

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 15:05:00 +1100

Everything wet from rain earlier, but no rain while I was out Up to an LBS for some spare tubes and to discuss drilling out the loose spinning riv-nuts on the roadie, then down to Packer Park for however long it was going around and around. Somewhere along the way the Garmin heatrate monitor decided to misbehave, so while I rolled around comfortably humming tunelessly, it decided I was hammering along with a heartrate of 165bpm.

goodreads — “The Backyard Adventurer”

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm…

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 1014 🌧 meandering commute home

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 18:20:41 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; exploring industrial estates, a tip, a long straight #gravelroad and Karkarook lake on #mycommute

Day 1014 🌧 meandering commute home

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 16:51:00 +1100

Avoiding the Scotchmans creek trail butcherbird, I took a meandering long way home, off to the south and around. One magpie swoop on Westall road, a loud whoosh and a clack and it was gone. Off through the semi-industrial parts of South Clayton, straight roads, gravel roads, closed roads with bypassable gates, then pop out at the Dingely bypass and curve back around north west to Karkarook lake and a loop of the lake.

Day 1014 ⛅ same old commute

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 08:05:00 +1100

One day I’ll ride to work along a new and fascinating route… but not today Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1014th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1013 ⛅ bloody butcherbird

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 16:49:00 +1100

I debated avoiding the Scotchmans creek trail home entirely, then thought maybe I could just avoid the corner where the angry butcherbird lives and use a side street there. Slowing down as I approached, a good 20-30m from where it swooped & hit me last week I watched as a woman with two dogs quietly jogged through unmolested, and a woman with a pram walked past, again, ignored by any birds.

Day 1013 ⛅ monday ride2work

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 08:05:00 +1100

Brr, a little cooler than expected. Not helped by the cold air on slightly sunburnt arms from yesterday. Must remember sunscreen Overcast clouds, 8°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1013th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1012 ☀️ weird bayside fog

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 14:59:05 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; inland down to frangistan and back along the bay and into some weird thick #fog

Day 1011 ☀️ CoffeeOutside day

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 14:56:56 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; lazy few hours and a #coffeeoutside in jells park

Day 1012 ☀️ weird bayside fog

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 10:07:00 +1100

Down to Frankston and back on the roadie, I don’t ride it much but although less comfortable, it is quicker, so I should make it through any of the Around the Bay checkpoints before cutoff times Inland and down along the new paths alongside assorted new freeways, minor confusion where there’s no useful signs and I had to do a bit of back and forth to rediscover the trail. Found my way onto the Peninsula link trail and down to the old Baxter railway line for a right turn and downhill and bay-wards into Frankston.

Day 1011 ☀️ CoffeeOutside day

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 13:27:00 +1000

Headed out on a wonderfully warm lazy spring afternoon without much of an idea where I was going, initial thoughts were to get to the end of the Djerring trail and consider my options… circumstances had other ideas I’ve been meaning to check the brake pads ever since we got back from the very wet and gritty few days touring in Gippsland, but of course hadn’t got around to it – and I have great difficulty in seeing the pads inside the calipers.

the jasmine along the fence to the south is in full flower, smells strongly in the still spring air

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 10:45:00 +1000

Day 1010 ⛅ birdstrike

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 16:43:00 +1000

Commute home along the creek, and a blow to the head from the obstreperous Grey butcherbird that’s nesting alongside Scotchmans creek trail in the Huntingdale wetlands Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1010th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Music from bandcamp

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

photo(sphere), by photo(sphere) Digital Album $14.56NZD Subtotal: 14.56 GST (10.0%): 1.33 Total: $15.89 NZD bandcamp/ajft

Day 1010 ⛅ TGIF

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 07:57:00 +1000

Just another commute to work Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 1010th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1009 ⛅ farewell director

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 14:35:00 +1000

Normally work from home on a Thursday, today an afternoon farewell for the director of the centre so in to the office for an hour and a half One magpie[1], same one as yesterday, Huntingdale wetlands. Didn’t hit me this time, just a close pass and lots of warning yells Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app [1] turns out it wasn’t a magpie, positive ID later was of a very angry Grey butcherbird

Day 1008 ⛅ out for an hour

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 16:09:00 +1000

An enjoyable cruisy ride around the Anniversary trail and Ferndale trail loop, up through Hedgeley Dene to Caulfield and home along the Djerring trail Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1008th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Status Cafe Forum :: General : 🎵 What are you listening to?

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 14:24:00 +1000

when I’m working, almost anything instrumental or ambient, or sometimes non-english language. I find anything with english lyrics distracting Right now, https://talesundertheoak.bandcamp.com/album/the-toad-king https://forum.status.cafe/topics/22#252

WebP Exif and XMP meta fields

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 11:27:00 +1000

Source: [2022-09-29 Thu] Not sure if you still need the confirmation after the edit above, can confirm that Firefox 105.0.1 on linux gives the same error message you quote for bad.webp https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php?topic=13797.msg75231#msg75231

Status Cafe Forum :: Bug Report : There's no workflow to recover account if password lost

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 11:14:00 +1000

Like others, my password manager saved the forum password over the status.cafe password, so although I’ve got one tab logged in, I cannot login anywhere else or change my password. There’s no workflow to recover via email or reset a password for my status.cafe account https://forum.status.cafe/topics/54

Status Cafe Forum :: Questions : Password change?

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 11:08:00 +1000

Same here, and probably every single other person who uses a password manager and goes from status.cafe to forum.status.cafe. There’s no obvious way to change my status.cafe password, and no way to recover my account that I can find https://forum.status.cafe/topics/41#250

snails have eaten most of the basil and lettuce seedlings

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:15:00 +1000

woken again by yowling cat outside; either the neighbours still let theirs out or we've another local feral one

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 05:15:00 +1000

Day 1007 - trainer time

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 17:28:00 +1000

Three quarters of an hour squeezed in before cooking dinner, apparently the training doc. says I should go up to heartrate zone 5. I don’t think I have a heartrate zone 5. So sad, too bad My 1007th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1007 🌧 creek commute

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 16:38:00 +1000

Give me a swoop Vasili, one swoop only… Magpie or noisy miner, no idea what it was. The miners were all squawking like crazy as I rode through Huntingdale wetlands, then BANG a solid hit on the side of the helmet. Felt too solid to be a miner, but no ID. No blood and no repeats either, must remember to keep a lookout next time I pass through here! Other than that, a very quiet and dull grey ride home.

Day 1007 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 07:54:00 +1000

Down the Djerring trail, up through Clayton to work. Stopped to examine the big pile of ewaste that mysteriously appeared dumped on the bike path behind the scrap metal dealer, purely circumstantial location. Residents of Clayton still putting their hard-rubbish out for the collection last month, or perhaps its eleven months early… Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app My 1007th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

2022/0927/0415 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 04:15:00 +1000

2022/0926/1612 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 16:12:00 +1000

Day 1006 🌧 a rainy ferndale loop

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 15:05:00 +1000

Something about the current tyres on the AWOL – Schwalbe G-Ones – seems to just love water, maybe the compound or tread pattern, maybe even the bike geometry. They really seem to throw it back on my feet from the front, and up my back from the rear Out on a grey drizzly afternoon, thought of stopping for a coffee but everywhere was closed up at 3.30 on a Monday

the new Freesias are flowering – paid a bit more for red & blue bulbs, seems I got ordinary pink & yellows, oh well

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +1000

2022/0926/0910 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 09:10:00 +1000

Callistemon out the front has started flowering, so every second woman who walks past snaps off a flower, or a few flowers, or a small branch

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 18:00:00 +1000

Day 1005 ⛅ GSRT, Leongatha-Loch return

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 17:18:32 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; fourth #railtrail in four days, the Great Southern Rail Trail from Leongatha to Loch with family, then solo return

Day 1005 ⛅ GSRT, Leongatha-Loch return

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 09:49:00 +1000

Last day of the four day rail trail mini holiday, fourth rail trail as we rode the new section from Leongatha to Korumburra and on to lunch in Loch, back along the trail towards Melbourne. I rode it twice, once in each direction, the other two came slower back as far as Korumburra and I met them with the car Finding breakfast at the start in Leongatha was a problem, seemed everywhere was closed, but eventually we found a small cafe that wasn’t McDonalds and ate and ate until we thought we’d burst

Day 1004 ⛅ Grand Ride Rail trail return

Sat, 24 Sep 2022 14:47:19 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; Boolarra to Mirboo North and back along the #railtrail

Day 1004 ⛅ Grand Ridge Rail trail return

Sat, 24 Sep 2022 11:40:00 +1000

An out-and-back trip along the Grand Ridge Rail Trail from Boolarra to Mirboo North and return. I’d been ambivalent about the direction to ride, Jo more sensibly had checked the gradients and pointed out that it climbs all the way to Mirboo North, so the return would be much easier this way Very different countryside to the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail of the past two days, through the forest and often in cuttings or embankments, a pleasant change from the very flat and straight sections alongside farmland, and with the wild heath all flowering in various shades from white to deep pink-purples

Day 1003 🌧 Gippsland Plains rail trail day 2

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 13:09:44 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; Heyfield to Stratford along the wet and gritty #railtrail

Day 1003 🌧 Gippsland Plains rail trail day 2

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 09:23:00 +1000

A very wet gravelly track, my tyres flick it up all over me, my bike and the luggage. We were all filthy by the time we got to the end of the trail at Stratford Morning started with a very light rain and a toss up of whether to have breakfast then pack up, or pack and then ride to the cafe. The latter won, which was a good thing since the cafe was closed… as was the other cafe further through town… and the bakery.

Day 1002 ⛅ Gippsland Plains rail trail day 1

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 17:19:48 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; Traralgon to Heyfield along the #railtrail

Day 1002 ⛅ Gippsland Plains rail trail day 1

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 14:19:00 +1000

Day one of our family overnighter along the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail, we parked the car near the Traralgon railway station, unpacked the bikes, loaded up panniers and bags on mine and set off for to find the start of the trail. No real signs about but not too hard to find if you’ve checked the map prior. A very straight path, mostly sealed, alongside the road most of the way towards Heyfield, with a moderate amount of traffic noise when we were near the road

Day 1002 ☀️ Moe-Yallourn rail trail

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 13:28:55 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; out and back on the #railtrail

Day 1002 ☀️ Moe-Yallourn rail trail

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 11:22:00 +1000

An enjoyable short rail trail from near the centre of Moe out to the Yallourn W power station. Could do with a link path to bring the start the extra half kilometre or so to the railway station in town, but easy enough to get to along the road. Well signposted along it, with signs telling you the names of each side road, something that’s often missing on the rail trails.

2022/0922/0128 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 01:28:00 +1000

Day 1001 ⛅ velodromage

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 16:05:00 +1000

Nothing very strenuous, but off to Packer park for a few laps of the velodrome Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 1001st day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1000 ⛅ creek commute home

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:53:00 +1000

An uneventful and almost warm commute along the creek then up through Oakleigh to home Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 1000th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1000 ☀️ home2work

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 08:06:00 +1000

Almost feels like spring time, certainly warmer than two hours ago on my earlier ride Clear sky, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 1000th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 1000 🌙 ferndale trail sunrise

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 07:12:16 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; made it, 1000 days in a row. Chased by the #sunrise down Ferndale Trail

Day 1000 🌙 ferndale trail sunrise

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 06:03:00 +1000

The first ride for day 1000 couldn’t possibly be a humdrum commute, so I got up early and went for a lap around the Anniversary Trail and Ferndale Trail. Left at 6am, so I was chased by the sunrise all the way downhill along the Ferndale Trail, treetops lit up above me. The sun finally caught up with me down at the Glen Iris wetlands, a quick check for bunyips in the pools, then up through Hedgeley Dene and back to the Djerring trail to get home for breakfast

Day 999 ⛅ longer creek commute

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 17:47:48 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; no #bunyip, one nasty snappy dog

old mate has a different iced coffee bottle today, still lobbed over the fence from the park into the back garden

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 17:30:00 +1000

Day 999 ⛅ longer creek commute

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 16:40:00 +1000

One last ride before I get to 1000, something a little different on the way home, just extend it to Glen Iris station and come up through the urban forest and Boyd park. Was nearly bitten by a wildly barking, snapping, leaping Jack Russell that needed someone larger than a seven year old holding its lead, then had it go for the four or five year old girl on a bike behind me, then her mum, then both a dog and its owner walking past the other way.

Day 999 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 08:01:00 +1000

Sun is out, paths are still wet and there’s plenty of puddles after the weekend. Down to Clayton, up to work One more day to a thousand… what could possibly go wrong? Broken clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 999th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 998 🌧 wet and gritty

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 16:45:49 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; flooded and muddy from yesterday, then more rain when coming home

Day 998 🌧 wet and gritty

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 12:30:00 +1000

Not quite the full four hours, but I think the headwind on the way home from Frankston made up for it Easy spin out to the end of the Djerring trail, then a very wet & muddy trip down the Eastlink trail along the creek to Carrum. Red granite grit everywhere, and tiny insects filling the air and eyes. Along the way I met a couple going away for a three week bike tour around Gippsland, wished them all the best with the weather!

Finally got around to cutting down the trunk of the dead birch tree on the south of the house, two left still growing, until the next heatwave

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 11:45:00 +1000

Day 997 🌧 2hr 40km 10mm rain

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 16:50:15 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; Glen Waverley, Jells park, Djerring trail and a lot of rain and puddles

Day 997 🌧 2hr 40km 10mm rain

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 13:57:00 +1000

Morning chores prevented a morning ride so there was nothing for it except to go out after lunch as a light rain started to fall. Optimistically I thought that heading north might let me skirt around it. I made it most of the way up the Glen Waverley line path towards Mount Waverley before there was thunder and the rain proper hit me, then sheltered under the station canopy to check the weather radar….

2022/0917/0017 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 00:17:00 +1000

Day 996 🌧 home via beer

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 17:25:29 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; #mycommute dodging the rain to a cow-orker’s farewell #beer then home

Day 996 🌧 home via beer

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 16:28:00 +1000

We had farewell drinks for a work colleague down at Two Rupees after work, but the weather nearly prevented me getting there. Was just about to walk out the door when I saw the rain and decided too heavy to ride to the brewery then sit around in the wet, I’ll just go home…. Half a minute later a storm front hit and it was so heavy that myself and a colleague went back inside to wait it out, after ten minutes it had all but stopped so I changed my mind again and did go down to Two Rupees, where of course my cow-orkers who were already there were convinced I was mad

Day 996 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 08:06:00 +1000

Down the Djerring, up through Clayton. Today’s variation was Carinish road because the pedestrian level crossing was closed, so up past the hospital and the “Very good, very good, keep going” crossing lady at the primary school. She shouts encouragement to anyone who rides past up the hill, its a little bit TdF, a little bit toddler-esque, but a change from what usually gets shouted at cyclists, especially in Clayton

Day 995 trainer hour

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 15:42:00 +1000

Whirr whirr whirr… and some podcasts to listen to For reasons known only to the Garmin gods, today the cadence & speed sensor simply connected to the Edge automatically, no fiddling, no battery changes required. Inconceivable! My 995th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

While having lunch a Grey butcherbird[1] landed on the porch railing and watched us through the window, while singing and shouting at the cat

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 12:55:00 +1000

[1] Grey butcherbird

Day 994 ⛅ fixie meander

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 16:22:00 +1000

I think I should have gone out for some harder laps around the velodrome, but my heart wasn’t in it. After riding up to Caulfield and back to Packer Park as a warm-up the strong northerly wind took away what little motivation I had. About an hour of rolling around the burbs and a few laps instead Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 38%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

2022/0914/0111 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 01:11:00 +1000

2022/0914/0050 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 00:50:00 +1000

2022/0913/2318 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 23:18:00 +1000

Day 993 ☀️ raynauds commute

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 16:52:00 +1000

The usual afternoon commute north alongside Gardiner and Forster roads, then the Scotchmans creek trail through to Oakleigh. Had a great view of a pair of Bronzewing pigeons as they took off from the grass beside the trail and flew alongside me with the late afternoon sun shining through their … err .. bronze wings Cold again and I could just tell that if I wasn’t extra careful I’d end up with a numb middle finger.

Day 993 ⛅ windless and cold

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 08:01:00 +1000

Another chilly morning commute Overcast clouds, 8°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app My 993rd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 992 ⛅ cold creek commute

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 16:42:00 +1000

There are still wattles flowering along the bushland corridor alongside the creek, but again it was a cold ride once I turned off Forster road, warming up at Huntingdale wetlands when you come back out into the late afternoon sun Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 992nd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 991 ⛅ AGF gran freebie

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 09:01:17 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; friend couldn’t ride so gave me his AGF #granfondo entry

Day 992 ⛅ commute

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 08:10:00 +1000

Saved by the technology! I left home with the usual number and shape of lumps in my pockets, crossed the railway line and got around 50m away when the Garmin beeped loudly and told me “phone disconnected”. Quickly swatting the appropriate pocket I realised that the phone-shaped lump was a small picture frame I’d chucked in the pocket to take up to the other end of the house and that my phone, essential for logging on at work, was safely at home on the charger.

The front lawn and path are absolutely covered in dozens of snails, I have no idea where they all came from

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 21:30:00 +1000

Day 991 ⛅ AGF gran freebie

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 07:24:00 +1000

An amusing turn of events ending up with me, with no AGF ticket, travelling to Lorne to provide Evan, who had an AGF ticket, with accommodation in the house we have access to. The gods did not smile on Evan, so he couldn’t get there, but no problem, Alex, who also has a ticket, can bring Evan’s ticket and I can ride it. Yet again the gods laughed, Alex must stay back in Melbourne working, so the two people with tickets are in Melbourne, and the one person in Lorne has no ticket.

Day 990 ⛅ Otway Pennyroyalty

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 18:04:47 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; gravel roads in the #Otways, down to Pennyroyal and back

Day 990 ⛅ Otway Pennyroyalty

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 13:48:00 +1000

Up to Erskine Falls, around through the Otways, then down to Pennyroyal and back to Lorne. Saw some wallabies, found a near new phone in the bush, was attacked by a scary farm dog Great story around the phone; I found it on the way back up Pennyroyal-Wymbooliel road where it enters the state forest & becomes Normans Track, sitting about 3m off the track under the “Otway State Forest” sign and I thought it must belong to the group of riders I’d met up on the Mount Sabine road who’d just come up.

A Satin bowerbird[1] flew up to the neighbour's balcony, amazingly glossy blue-black

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 10:21:00 +1000

I’ve seen a few of the greeny-brown females around, this is the first male I’ve seen here in town [1] Satin bowerbird

Day 989 ⛅ creek commute

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 17:07:00 +1000

A warmer spring-like commute along the creek, this one after a farewell function for work colleagues. Only one beer allowed Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 989th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

QOTD: It's going to take some time before I get used to seeing the words "King Charles" not immediately followed by "spaniel"

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 13:43:00 +1000

goodreads — “For The Term of his Natural Life”

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm…

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 989 ☀️ Very big AUDI very close

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 08:04:00 +1000

Fark! The bigger the SUV, the bigger the entitlement. AUDI Q7 driver glanced right, looked at the cyclist approaching, then drove straight through the Give Way sign and pushed me out onto the other side of the road. Luckily no traffic coming the other way so I could pull out. Rode alongside yelling as I overtook Clear sky, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 3m/s from NE - by Klimat.

Day 988 ⛅ windy rainy lazy

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 16:03:00 +1000

I know what I should have been doing, but I just couldn’t motivate myself enough to do it. Went out towards Caulfield instaead and rode the long way around to Packer Park velodrome, then got buffeted back and forth by the wind for ten minutes until I decided it wasn’t getting any more enjoyable, so rode home as the rain started Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 6m/s from NE - by Klimat.

Duplicati stopped working 3 days after upgrading to Ubuntu 22.04 - Support - Duplicati

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 11:42:00 +1000

I’ve been using Ubuntu 22.04 since it came out, so five months or so. Duplicati 2.0.6.3_beta was running fine every day until the most recent kernel update & reboot (Sep 7). I suspect one of the ssl libraries got updated along the way and the 15 month old beta can’t cope https://forum.duplicati.com/t/duplicati-stopped-working-3-days-after-upgrading-to-ubuntu-22-04/14944/2

Day 987 ⛅ Scotchmans Eastlink Djerring

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 14:33:00 +1000

An afternoon outing on a very enjoyable spring day, taking a break before some scheduled work later this evening. Scotchmans Creek trail to Jells Park, down the Dandenong Creek trail & Eastlink trail to Yarraman, then home along the Djerring trail. A bit of traffic around in Mount Waverley as it was leaving school o’clock, then very few cars or bikes the rest of the way Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 2m/s from NE - by Klimat.

Day 986 ⛅ homewards creek commute

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 16:38:00 +1000

North to the creek, downstream to Oakleigh and around the shops to home, pretty much the same every work day where I’m in the office Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 986th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 986 ⛅ cold commute

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 08:03:00 +1000

Chilly morning so I dug the winter gloves back out, at least it was sunny and windless, though still cold in the shade of the concrete buildings down along the railway. Bliss to come out into the sun at the Huntingdale car park, even if it is only half a degree and sun on the face! Woohoo, yay me. Apparently strava thinks I’m a local leg end Overcast clouds, 7°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.

poring over google maps and the map of stage 15 of La Vuelta[1] and comparing to my 1998 bike tour route when I rode over Sierra Nevada to Capileira[2]

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 21:15:00 +1000

[1] https://www.lavuelta.es/en/stage-15 [2] https://ajft.org/1998/10/14/journal

Day 985 ⛅ scotchmans creek home

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 16:37:00 +1000

The roadworks under the freeway along Forster road are almost complete, all that’s left are rows of plastic bollards. Seems to have taken months and at last both bike paths either side are usable, a few more weeks and the left lanes will be open again so you’ll be able to ride straight through on the green light and a single lights cycle rather than on the bike path and stop and wait for six beg buttons - four if you’re lucky!

Day 985 ⛅ monday work morning

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 08:06:00 +1000

Minor detour to drop off a library book, then off to work. Hard-rubbish dumping on nature strips in Clayton has recommenced, 51 weeks early for 2023 collection Broken clouds, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 3m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app My 985th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 984 ⛅ some hilly bits

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 15:51:09 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; out to the Dandenongs, avoiding father’s day traffic, for some time in the forest

Day 984 ⛅ some hilly bits

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 09:55:00 +1000

Not quite the six hours and 2500m of climbing suggested in BN’s training plan, but not a bad half day out. Rode out to the Dandenongs along Scotchmans Creek and Blind Creek trails then found a few of the less trafficed roads before descending back down the Olinda-Basin road and home mostly along the Dandenong Creek trail. Being Fathers Day the hills were packed with families out for a drive or a lunch outing, so traffic was a bit of a problem, but the creek trails there and back were ok, just the usual off-leash dogs and mud-slime filled underpasses

Day 983 ⛅ Yarra Bvd and Hawthorn

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 13:58:00 +1000

The magical training document tells me to go out riding for five or more hours today. Reality and duties say that two hours in the afternoon will have to do. Yarra Boulevard and the Anniversary trail fits the bill, but with the Walmer street bridge closed I decided to do it anticlockwise and find my way home from the Hawthorn end… turns out I got half lost in Hawthorn and went exploring, finding a Carmelite monastery and a large number of 19th century mansions along the way

TIL uBlock orgin blocks the scripts to test for IPv6 connectivity on and

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 13:10:00 +1000

Day 982 ⛅ homewards

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 16:36:00 +1000

Just another Friday afternoon, home along the creek. With a tiny detour as far as Warrigal road and around Caloola reserve because I felt like it Scattered clouds, 12°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 982nd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Fri, 02 Sep 2022 12:42:00 +1000

Day 982 ⛅ another cool commute

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 08:04:00 +1000

Not spring, not winter, another cool damp morning on the ride to work. Most of the hard rubbish in Clayton has finally been collected, except for where the idiot residents have dumped out a second load. No sign of the dumped 2sroke mountain bike that I saw on Monday, hopefully it went into the crusher and wasn’t grabbed to reappear buzzing & smoking around the streets Broken clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat.

Day 981 going nowhere fast

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 18:30:52 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; spinning on the trainer for am hour

Day 981 going nowhere fast

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:02:00 +1000

An hour on the roadie on the trainer, I think I should increase the resistance but I really don’t like what the pressure roller does to the rear wheel & tyre. At least today I managed to convince the Garmin Cadence & Speed sensor to come back to life, it seems to like a very new, very good, CR2032 battery and uses them up quite quickly My 981st day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 980 ☀️ packer park velodrome

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:56:00 +1000

Some velodrome laps on the roadie, I don’t think I’ve done that before, usually its on the flat-bar fixie. Very nice to have good new tyres on it and not have to worry about the walk of shame home from disintegrating old rubber. A very pleasant afternoon, nothing too strenous, and only 20 more days to hit 1000 days in a row on the bike! Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

blossom mostly gone; plum tree and magnolia now covered in leaves, the first freesias are out

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 12:45:00 +1000

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Wed, 31 Aug 2022 03:47:00 +1000

Day 979 🌧 creek commute

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 16:41:00 +1000

Same again, grey and damp and cool along the creek. Nearly got taken out by an off-leash dog that came bounding out of the bush reserve, then got abused by its owner when I asked her to put it on a lead. Don’t know why the council is “looking into” having off-leash parks, there’s not a lot of compliance or enforcement of the leash laws around here Light rain, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

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Tue, 30 Aug 2022 13:00:00 +1000

Day 979 ⛅ cold damp commute

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 08:03:00 +1000

Cold and damp after 15mm of rain overnight, endless mountains of hard rubbish still lining the streets of Clayton, the hard-rubbish collection must be soon Scattered clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 979th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 978 🌧 wet creek commute

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 16:39:00 +1000

Melbourne spring doing what it does best, frequent weather changes. From clear and sunny on this morning’s commute to wet and overcast for the ride home. The rain had stopped, but everything was dripping and soaked, the wattles and eucalypts smelling strongly along the creek Light rain, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 3m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app My 978th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021.

Day 978 ⛅ feels like spring

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 09:09:21 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; the dumped bike at work is still securely locked in place by the security staff, presumably so it doesn’t get stolen

Day 978 ⛅ feels like spring

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 08:03:00 +1000

Lovely warm sunny morning with no breeze, it gradually clouded over by the time I arrived at work, but plenty of promise of warmer weather to come. The dumped bike is still blocking access to one of the four undercover bike hoops, securely locked by Monash security so it doesn’t get stolen, waiting for its owner to return… Yeesh, nearly left my Garmin on the bike all day, distracted by talking to someone as I was locking the bike I went inside & only noticed once I got to my desk.

Childhood #jigsaw puzzles surface in the attic, along with a request that they be "dealt with."

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 15:51:46 +1000

Oh no! Old favourite trains will stay, the rest can go

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Sun, 28 Aug 2022 13:21:00 +1000

Day 976 ☀️ PSTF 3pk 130km brevet

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 13:11:34 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; #audax Path Subject to Flooding, 3peaks ride - Mt Cooper, Mr Ridley and Mt Gelibrand

Day 977 ⛅ fathers day breakfast

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 08:43:00 +1000

Last week while having a coffee in Junto cafe we decided it’d be a good place for breakfast. This weekend we decided to go out for a Fathers Day breakfast a week early, avoid the crush, so headed down to East Bentleigh Excellent meals all round, and very good coffee. A detour on the way home via Oasis to stock up on dukkah for the pantry I’d been intending to go for a proper ride in the afternoon, but I suspect I shall laze around on the couch feeling full instead

Day 976 ☀️ PSTF 3pk 130km brevet

Sat, 27 Aug 2022 07:25:00 +1000

Path Subject to Flooding, 3 peaks, with four others. Almost entirely on bike paths; Mt Cooper, Mt Ridley and Mt Gelibrand, and an excellent bakery café in Westmeadows Medium thick fog as I left home around 7:25, it didn’t lift until 9am at Mt Cooper, but then revealed a clear and sunny near perfect day for riding. Most of the day there were two off in front of me and two way off behind me, but at a key part near Mt Gellibrand where I was about to hurl my Garmin into the bushes the first two caught me up as I’d passed them when the stopped for lunch.

Day 975 ⛅ creek commute

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 16:23:00 +1000

North out of the uni and along the bike path to Scotchmans Creek trail, looks like the path under the freeway is finally being cleared of all the site sheds and protective works from the freeway widening. Into the cool along the creek, through the wet & muddy tunnel under the freeway and up and over the hill to cross Stanley avenue and into Huntingdale wetlands. Bloke in a ute goes howling through the give-way sign, well over 50km/hr and not a chance he’d have seen me or slowed so I eased off and went across behind him at around 15km/hr, nearly getting cleaned up by the SUV coming up the hill that drove across in front of me on the crossing.

Day 975 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 08:01:00 +1000

Off to work, another cool morning and lots of pools of water around on the paths. Maybe one year we’ll get bike paths with drainage Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 975th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and following up with all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Early morning three days in a row, a bottle chucked on the front lawn; Coke, Sarsaparilla, Coconut water

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 07:00:00 +1000

Day 974 ⛅ fixie laps

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 15:56:00 +1000

Over to Packer Park for some laps of the velodrome, more people on the track than I’ve seen for a while, and I think I was passed by all of them except the kid on the run-bike and the young girl on her scooter. Eventually had to leave as the club juniors turned up for training Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

our mate who chucks Dare choc. milk bottles over the fence into our garden is still at it, another one today… still don't know who it is though

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 11:00:00 +1000

Day 973 half-hour trainer

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 09:14:47 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; @gyroscope graphic of yesterday’s spin on the trainer

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Wed, 24 Aug 2022 20:27:00 +1000

Day 973 half-hour trainer

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 18:02:00 +1000

Grey rainy day all afternoon and busy with work so I squeezed in half an hour on the trainer before cooking dinner. Warm up was 15minutes of cursing and hand exercises getting two new tyres onto the rims – the ancient front tyre had decomposed and was sticking to the rim Cadence and speed sensor still says its dead Jim My 973rd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

the blossom is out on the peach tree in a pot, I wonder if we'll get any peaches?

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +1000

Day 972 ⛅ home via LBS

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 16:38:00 +1000

Flippin’ ’eck it’s cold. Raynaud’s numb thumb as well as middle finger today, can’t be good for them. New tyres for the roadie collected then home for a hot mug of tea Scattered clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 972nd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 972 🌧 home2work

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 08:05:00 +1000

The Oakleigh & Huntingdale Djerring trail lakes have returned, 18mm of rain overnight & bike paths built with no camber & no drainage do not go well together. Clayton motorist tried to drive into me through a give-way sign. Life returns to normal No comment made regarding the gent with the cross bike and the big headlight on the front… and a small headlight on the back. A bit disconcerting following someone along the path with a white flashing light on the seatpost

Day 971 🌧 dodging thunderstorms

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 16:05:00 +1000

It mostly worked - left work early to race home between storm fronts, I tried to go around 3.30, was called back to work on an urgent problem, then raced home between clouds, taking the short route. Only a little damp on the toes Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app My 971st day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 971 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 08:04:00 +1000

My legs were definitely complaining about yesterday’s ride. The climb up Kanooka grove was slower and more uncomfortable than usual. An otherwise pleasant commute, no ijuts, no yelling druggies, half decent weather Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 4m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 971st day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the large fragile succulent has finally been repotted from the tall skinny pot to a wider one… and drastically pruned, maybe it won't fall over in the wind now

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 15:00:00 +1000

Day 970🌙 a road ride, inconceivable

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 13:13:07 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; unaccustomed exercise of a road ride with friends

Day 970🌙 a road ride, inconceivable

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 06:41:00 +1000

Many thanks Evan, Andrew, Alex & Chris for dragging me up and down the bay. With 187 “strava achievements” I guess it was a little faster than I’m used to The patched rear inner tube gave out 5km from home and I debated catching the train from Caulfield, but patched it again in Caulfield Park, pumped it to a gentle 50psi & limped the rest of the way… via the bike shop.

Day 969 ⛅ djerring and two creek trails

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 14:11:00 +1000

It was a sunny afternoon, but with a stiff cold south-easterly blowing in my face for the first 15km all the way down the Djerring trail to Yarraman. Then wend my way through Dandenong and north up the Dandenong creek trail. Even more water and mud around than last time, we’ve had about 20mm of rain the past week and it all comes funneling down from the suburban stormwater drains into the creek.

blossom; the pink street plum, magnolia, the one hyacinth, camellias, white plum, they're all doing it

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 17:15:00 +1000

Day 968 🌧 creek commute

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 16:52:00 +1000

The protective fence to keep the vandals from digging dowhill dirt trails is nearly finished, at least all along the uphill side of the path through the bush from freeway to wetlands. Not sure if the council is going to do anything about the downhill side where trees were cut down, although the dirt track is starting to wash away and undermine the main path! Moderate rain, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 0m/s from NW - by Klimat.

The information regarding … accounts migration to using … accounts would have been waterfalled by now

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 14:13:00 +1000

Really, waterfalled is now a bureacraptic verb?

2022/0819/1228 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 12:28:00 +1000

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Fri, 19 Aug 2022 08:50:00 +1000

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Fri, 19 Aug 2022 02:58:00 +1000

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Thu, 18 Aug 2022 23:01:00 +1000

Day 967 🌧 velodrome and beer

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 16:05:00 +1000

Some laps of the velodrome on the fixie, then stop in to buy some beers on the way home. I may have solved the mystery of why I can never get to zone 5 according to my Garmin’s heart-rate monitor. Somewhere in the Garmin settings it seems to think that my maximum heart-rate is 200bpm. I suspect 180-175 is more accurate! Light rain, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat.

Day 966 shed spin

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 16:41:00 +1000

The Garmin cadence/speed sensor said nope. No amount of fiddling and battery swapping could convince it to synch up today, so heart-rate is all we have Six repeats of three minutes in zone five…. say what? I’m sorry dearest training document, I don’t seem to have a zone five. How about we negotiate down to 4x3x4 instead? Listening to podcasts makes it easier, but the bike on the trainer rocks and wobbles and threatens to walk its way out across the path.

Day 965 ⛅ commute home

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 16:38:00 +1000

The reverse of my normal commute. This morning I rode along Scotchmans Creek trail to get to Mount Waverley and deliver the lasagne, so this afternoon I went south through Clayton down to the Djerring trail and home. Bumper to bumper traffic along Browns road, at least that meant nobody could move so nobody could try to drive into me on the bike path crossing – although they could still park across it.

Day 965 ⛅ rainy lasagne commute

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 07:59:00 +1000

Delivering a lasagne, in the rain, with a few brief encounters of Melbourne’s Marvellous Motorists and how they drive at commute o’clock when it rains Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 965th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 964 ⛅ sundown creek

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 16:36:00 +1000

Just going on dusk as I turned off Forster road and onto the Scotchmans creek trail, a bit too gloomy for my sunglasses… so of course I copped an eyeful of tiny flying insects brought out by the damp still evening air. Decided that despite the light levels I needed the glasses! A few people out walking, a couple standing in the middle of the path smooching, a council contractor busy wiring in the new fence designed to stop the mountain bikers from gouging trails through the bush straight down the hillside… and a woman stopped at the side of the path holding her toddler while he has a large poo on the bike path.

Day 964 ⛅ lost keys panic

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 08:35:00 +1000

Retracing my route searching for my keys, they weren’t in my jersey pocket when I got to work. Panic! Called home, no hadn’t dropped them as I left in the morning. Got to the end of Browns road and rechecked all pockets & found them tucked in “the pocket that is never used” in my backpack. Stand down from red alert, back to work, Monday morning resumes Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 0m/s from W - by Klimat.

Day 964 ⛅ commute and druggie

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 08:08:00 +1000

Just for once the drivers in Clayton didn’t try to drive into me on the Browns road bike path. Instead today I had a yelling attacking druggie tried to punch and attack me, all the while his lady friend screaming at “F’in pushbike C*t get off the f’in footpath and on the f*in road”, Um, yes lady, its a shared path, your mate is standing on one of the bicycle symbols

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Sun, 14 Aug 2022 09:47:00 +1000

Day 963 🌧 the unpleasant south-east

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 08:42:00 +1000

Rain, roadworks, winds, and endless streams of abusive close-passing horn-blasting drivers. Not an enjoyable part of the world to ride through Other things of note; magpies have decided swooping season has commenced, in Dandenong South at least, and after yesterday seeing several hundred cyclists in everything from individuals to mass bunches, today I saw a grand total of four Fitting a 5-6 hour ride in with a family breakfast I left shortly after and followed the various bike paths parallel to main roads out to Dandenong and through, then discovered the Hallam Valley Trail.

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Sun, 14 Aug 2022 02:17:00 +1000

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Sat, 13 Aug 2022 13:02:00 +1000

the magnolia is in full flower, the pink street-plum coming out, the white shed-plum just starting… it's nearly spring

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 13:00:00 +1000

Day 962 ☁️ djerring and bay loop

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 10:11:25 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; dawn ride down the #djerringtrail, Dandenong creek and back up the bay

Day 962 ☁️ djerring and bay loop

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 06:11:00 +1000

Early morning start as I tried to be out the door at 6am, but only made it out of bed by then. Off in the dark to the end of the Djerring trail then turn south down along the Eastlink & Dandenong creek trails. The creek and surrounds is a mess of stinking mud and overflowing plastic rubbish from the recent heavy rains, but still an enjoyable run down through the farmland and creekside tracks to the bay.

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Sat, 13 Aug 2022 00:26:00 +1000

Day 961 ⛅ creek commute

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 16:38:00 +1000

The standard homewards commute; north to Scotchmans creek trail, downstream to Oakleigh, then through the shops to home. Always cold and damp feeling along that first stretch of the trail from Forster road to the Huntingdale wetlands. The wattles are fully in flower, as is the climbing creeper thing, so the whole track smells strongly, a bit like jasmine & honeysuckle from the creepers Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 3m/s from NE - by Klimat.

TIL: Gary Numan is 13 days older than Gary Oldman

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 09:25:00 +1000

Day 961 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 08:03:00 +1000

There was an impressive bit of motorist stupidity in the last 50m to work; riding up the last stretch of the ring road to our building, the driver behind not wanting to overtake because of oncoming traffic. I indicated & started to turn right into our building, the driver behind slowed, but the driver behind them lost patience, pulled out and overtook both of us as I was turning right and nearly took my front wheel out!

Day 960 exercise in frustration

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 16:20:00 +1000

Something about the Garmin Speed & Cadence sensor gives me trouble every single time I use it on the trainer. I have to fiddle with it, poke its reset button, take its battery out and try a different one, push “resynch” on the Garmin and and wait, then possibly try some or all of these two or three times until eventually it works. Today was no different Then after fifteen minutes or so I realised that the rear tyre on the roadie was flat, so out of the trainer, off with the tyre only to discover a puncture… on a wheel that hasn’t been on a road for over a year.

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Thu, 11 Aug 2022 15:56:00 +1000

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Unit one at the end of the street has had their entire garden stripped, no more overgrown hedge, no trees, no bushes, nothing

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 08:10:00 +1000

Day 959 ⛅ around in circles

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 15:05:00 +1000

Felt like I went around in circles at work, so went out on the fixie and went around some circles on the track Amusing Garmin feature, it can tell you when you’re coming up to a sharp corner. Very useful on unfamiliar roads I’m sure, not so very useful on a velodrome. BEEP “sharp left” BEEP “sharp left” BEEP “sharp left” … stupid thing hasn’t done that before, and the option has been on by default since I got it!

goodreads — “Invasion — The Secret World Chronicles”

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0000

My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm…

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 958 ☀️ and home again

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 16:46:00 +1000

Another cold afternoon commute, north to the creek, downstream to Oakleigh, then through the shops to home Clear sky, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 958th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 958 ☀️ 2 degrees and no beanie

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 08:01:00 +1000

Stupidly I left my beanie at work yesterday so only had a thin cap on under my helmet this morning. Very chilly, down to 2.3°C in the shade on the Djerring trail to the south of the concrete buildings. Frost on the grass and only two other riders; one a regular, the other an idiot on a 40km/hr “e-bike” electric motorcycle Clear sky, 4°C, Feels like 4°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.

Day 957 ☀️ sunny and chilly

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 16:40:00 +1000

Lovely clear blue skies, but clearly still winter out there! Brr, cold down under the trees along the creek. Good to be leaving and coming home in daylight Clear sky, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 0m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 957th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 957 ⛅ cold ride2work

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 08:05:00 +1000

A magpie beside the path with a beak full of sticks for a nest, a gentle reminder that swooping season starts soon … whenever the magpies deem it to be time Cold & sunny, an eventless spin down the path to Clayton & up past the hospital to work. I even had a motorist reverse back from blocking the contra-flow bike-lane to let me through Few clouds, 6°C, Feels like 4°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat.

Day 956 ⛅ creeks and rail lines

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 15:03:04 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; flooded creek underpasses and rail-side bike paths

Day 956 ⛅ creeks and rail lines

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 09:09:00 +1000

Mostly along bike trails; Djerring trail out to Dandenong then Dandenong creek path up alongside the creek to Jells park and further north. Somewhere along the way stop at a footy ground and scoff a sausage roll. Divert off along the Blind Creek trail to Ferntree Gully and stop for coffee and a muffin then follow the railway line northish to Boronia and Bayswater before rejoining the Dandenong creek trail for a while, then straight north to another rail-side trail at Heatherdale and follow that one towards the city as far as Box Hill, finally getting myself back onto the Gardiners Creek trail towards home, with a quick diversion up the Anniversary trail, down Ferndale trail & a final bit of the Gardiners Creek again.

Day 955 ⛅ winter wattles

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 17:46:37 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; wattles, bike paths, a #puncture and a pump failure, and lastly, a #beer

Day 955 ⛅ winter wattles

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 14:19:00 +1000

Afternoon ride in along the creek path to Richmond, then a lap of the boulevard and home along the Outer Circle/Anniversary trail, much the same as last Sunday. I took a different route through Richmond and Abbotsford & wound my way around industrial buildings on the city side of the river, trying to remember where the roads went from some years ago when I rode here more often. Lots of wattles out flowering all along the river & in all the parkland, and a very full and very brown river flowing strongly.

cleaned the evil muck out of the gutter on the south side of the house, then wedged it up a bit with old Ikea brackets

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 13:15:00 +1000

the raggedy looking daffodils are flowering, the magnolia now covered in blossoms – despite the wind this week

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 08:45:00 +1000

Day 954 🌧 cold dark and wet

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 17:15:31 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; #mycommute after the downpour, but still raining

Day 954 🌧 cold dark and wet

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 16:07:00 +1000

Some torrential rain and a pitch black sky about half an hour before I left work, all I had with me was a pair of emergency blinkies so I left a bit early so as to not get stuck in the dark. Melbourne’s Marvellous Motorists had all gone a bit crazy with the rain & the cold so it was important to keep a weather eye on them, especially with some of the huge flooded patches of roads.

Day 954 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 08:02:00 +1000

Cold and damp and feeling surprisingly unaffected by yesterday’s nice long ride out and back along the GOR. Feeling quite smug too, that the weather yesterday was the best its been all week Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 954th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 953 ☀️ waurn ponds lorne return

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:19:58 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; a jaunt along the #GOR to lorne, some chores, then back. Sunny, bit windy, very enjoyable

Day 953 ☀️ waurn ponds lorne return

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 08:50:00 +1000

Chores to be done at Lorne, rather than drive down I caught the train to Waurn Ponds and rode. Did chores, ate lunch, rode back and caught the train. Simple 6.05am prelude, woken by garbage truck 8.50am depart WP 10.00am coffee at Anglesea 11.35 arrive in Lorne 3.15pm arrive WP 5.30pm home 6.00pm encore, flat tire with a piece GOR of wire It all went remarkably well & according to plan, stunning clear blue skies and little traffic along the GOR - what there was is mostly tradies working & retirees holidaying, only a couple of tourist mini buses.

Day 952 ⛅ around and around

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 17:49:27 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; laps of the racecourse and the velodrome on the #fixie

Day 952 ⛅ around and around

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 14:52:00 +1000

Not quite the two hours I intended to do, three quarters of that, with laps and loops of a racecourse, a velodrome and half a suburb. Added challenge, going out at leaving-school o’clock and lots of railway works around the Frankston line on Neerim road That northerly wind is still blowing, made the north-east corner of the velodrome hard work, although somewhere along the way I managed to set a personal fastest time.

Day 951 ⛅ whoa the wind

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 16:35:00 +1000

Strong northerlies blowing and buffeting me around, I’m not sure I believe the reported “1m/s” shown below. Sheltered along Scotchmans Creek under the trees, and strongly scented with the wattles and a pale yellow climber both flowering at the moment Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 951st day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 951 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 08:04:00 +1000

Tried to catch kid who left a minute ahead of me to check excursion things were packed, too much of a head start fingers crossed that things were remembered… Few clouds, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 951st day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 950 ⛅ work2home

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 16:23:00 +1000

Noisy traffic alongside Gardiner & Forster roads, then cold under the trees along the creek-side trail to Huntingdale wetlands, warmer and more open to Atkinson street, then noisy traffic up through Oakleigh and home Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 950th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

[2022-08-01 Mon 11:52] Reset your password

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 11:52:00 +1000

Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password. Reset password If you ignore this message, your password will not be changed. If you didn’t request a password reset, let us know.

Day 950 ⛅ cool-cold commute

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 08:03:00 +1000

Somewhere between cool and cold, clear blue skies and a chilly wind. A dozen currawongs shouted at me from some pine trees near the hospital and lorikeets were shrieking in the trees up above Browns road. Surprisingly little traffic, maybe everyone is taking an RDO Broken clouds, 8°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.app My 950th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

2022/0731/2341 – Review of Wiggle

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 23:41:00 +1000

★★★☆☆ Order was fine, delivery confusing Order was fine; delivery company confusing. Email stated: “Please find confirmation that your parcel shipped from … via Evri International has arrived in country.” “You may track your parcel using … here” – but “here” is a link to hermesworld “Alternatively, you may track your parcel using the local delivery partners tracking website using tracking number … via hXXp… daiglobaltrack .com/tracking.aspx?custtracknbr=…” the “daiglobaltrack” URL is a link to ‘http… globaleco.

Day 949 ⛅ windy Bay loop

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 14:29:00 +1000

Yay, finally have the new saddle on the bike. Boo, seatpost is still firmly seized in the frame so there’s no way I can lift it up the 1-2mm that it really needs. Another windy day on Beach road, a quick trip down south to the bay with a tailwind on Chesterville road, then slogging my way back up to St Kilda and home along Inkerman & the Djerring trail. Almost no other cyclists or pedestrians on the way up around the bay, unsurprising given the weather

Day 949 ⛅ Oasis family lunch

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 13:03:00 +1000

As well as their aqmazing range of spices, foods, ingredients and pastries, Oasis has a very popular little cafe and make some fantastic sausage rolls, so we rode over there at lunch time for shopping and eating Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 43%, Wind 3m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 949th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

serious rose pruning is underway, the tour de france is over, so in this garden the rose pruning commences

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 14:45:00 +1000

Day 948 ☀️ North to the river

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 13:51:15 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; frosty ride up to the Yarra at Wonga Park, then back through Warrandyte and eastlink/ djerring trails

Day 948 ☀️ North to the river

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 07:23:00 +1000

Frosty first thing, down to -1°C riding up Gardiners creek and then Mullum Mullum creek trails. Stopped for an early coffee in Croyden, can highly recommend “The Secret Garden” there. Then north up through Wonga Park towards the river, pass by Kellybrook winery to check on the oak tree we got married under - still there, but the winery wasn’t open so no photo today. Up to the river and off along one of the dirt tracks that looked as thought it might go all the way through to Warrandyte, as usual Google Maps was unhelpful and showed some tracks that had clearly locked gates across them and “Private Property, no entry” signs.

Day 947 ⛅ creek commute

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 16:16:00 +1000

The usual commute home from work, north to Scotchmans creek, then home along the Scotchmans Creek trail. Cold and damp through Mount Waverley to the Huntingdale wetlands where it opens out a bit and gets warmer, today I extended it another suburb on through to Malvern East and up past Chadstone. qHome just in time to walk in thue door, get changed, jump in the car and leave again Scattered clouds, 12°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.

Day 947 ⛅ off to work

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 08:05:00 +1000

A little light rain, Friday drivers in Clayton try to hit me on the bikepath crossing as usual. Further on another driver stopped diagonally across the contra-flow bike lane, and now that the council has installed speed-hump barriers to separate off the bike lane, but it makes it harder to get around drivers who stop there when turning. Up to campus and nearly get taken out by a parent illegally stopping to let out the kids for the JMSS, doors fly open, kids get out, driver then takes off while I"m only three-quarters past the car.

the grape hyacinths have started flowering, the white bulbs flowering too

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 08:00:00 +1000

Day 946 ⛅ exercisish

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +1000

I think I was heading towards the Hawthorn velodrome for a few laps and sprints, but it was looking a bit grey & damp, so I turned around and decided to go up and down the first section of the Anniversary trail. Up the trail fast(ish), then roll back down on the streets either side. Would have done a few more repeats but I stopped for a chat with H, and then it rained on me so I went home

First magnolia blooms are out, the street-tree plum is showing pink buds, the daffodil buds a touch of yellow

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 09:14:00 +1000

Day 945 4x10min efforts

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 16:18:00 +1000

Cadence sensor decided not to play along, so only HRM today. Podcasts and whirring sounds for 80 minutes. Sweaty My 945th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

another empty cartoon tossed in over the fence this morning, back garden & coconut water this time

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 08:02:00 +1000

Day 944 🌧 icy rain commute

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 17:18:52 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; #raynauds finger says hello

Day 944 🌧 icy rain commute

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 16:35:00 +1000

Fairly normal cool to cold sunset cruise home along the creek – Gardiners Creek trail – then I got to the corner of Drummond street from Dandenong road and an icy rain started pouring on me. Very rude of it, can’t it have waited five more minutes until I was home? The temperature dropped & my funny finger went numb Light rain, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 6m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

old mate back to old tricks; Cam came home to find another "Dare" iced coffee bottle thrown over the fence into the front garden

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 15:58:00 +1000

#QOTD No context overheard sentence fragments – I DON'T LIKE PANDAS

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 10:36:00 +1000

Day 944 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 08:02:00 +1000

Wouldn’t you know it, for eighteen months there’s been a huge white teddy bear perched on a front wall just around the corner on my commute. I’ve been meaning to take a photo of the bike leaning against it for ages, nearly detoured yesterday to do that. Today the bear is gone, there’s a big billboard advertising the house for sale Broken clouds, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

Day 943 ⛅ cool damp creek commute

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 16:39:00 +1000

Sunset fixie commute to get home before the sun goes down, lazy me left the lights at home. Minor interruption from a five minute phone call taken at the side of Gardiner road, shortly after a motorist tried to run me down at the lights – much to the horror of the cyclist behind me “But why didn’t he slow down for that crossing?” … um, sorry mate, you’re a bit naive if you think Melbourne’s marvelous motorists care one iota about bike path crossings or if there’s a cyclist on them

Day 943 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 08:03:00 +1000

Yay, the eternal lake across the Djerring trail behind the dilapidated industrial buildings in Clayton has finally drained… until next time it rains. Djerring trail rail level crossing was closed so straight down Carinish road, then the wriggle around the hospital & up the path alongside Browns road. Second win for the morning, the enormous overgrown banksia rose that was encroaching over half the path has been cut back at the fence line.

Day 942 ☁️ experimental goat

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 12:48:46 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; Sunday longish ride, anniversary trail, merri creek, docklands, bayside

Day 942 ☁️ experimental goat

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 07:01:00 +1000

Intention had been to get over to the Marybyrnong river, possibly even the other side, then make my way down to the bay and back. As it was I followed the Anniversary trail up and around to where it crossed the Yarra, then managed to get lost – again – in Alphington. Building sites all around, no sign of where the bike path goes or how to get to the Outer Circle trail so I took off in a semi-random northerly direction up through places I’ve not visited for decades.

002940 is your Facebook account recovery code (again)

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 20:29:00 +1000

Interesting, exactly the same code as two days ago. Still wasn’t me requesting it though

Day 941 🌧 jells and djerring

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 17:13:11 +1000

Daily #cycling photos: bit wet out, but a peaceful and enjoyable ride

Day 941 🌧 jells and djerring

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 14:36:00 +1000

Out along the Scotchmans Creek trail to Jells Park, down Eastlink Trail to Yarraman, then home along the Djerring trail. Today’s variation was a bit of a loop to the north & around Jells Park, it added on a few kilometres and was a very pleasant damp grey ride on the gravel paths alongside the creek and bushland. Egrets, hundreds of ibis & a few herons made it a day for long-legged birds, but no kangaroos this time

Let's celebrate! My blog is 18 years old: ajft — LiveJournal

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 12:12:00 +1000

No, not this blog at https://ajft.org, apparently the near-abandoned livejournal blog that I must have started 18 years ago Source: [2022-07-23 Sat]

Day 941 🌧 a short shopping

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 08:21:00 +1000

A big ride planned for the afternoon, but its the principle of the thing, so here’s the little ride to the shops in the morning. Fish from the fish shop, bread from the bread shop, then home again before the rain starts Moderate rain, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 0m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 941st day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 940 ⛅ work2home

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 16:39:00 +1000

A metre matters … apparently, until there’s someone driving towards you & the driver behind can’t leave a metre, in which case 20cm will do. Then when 3/4 of the way past the cyclist, slow down and turn left without indicating, it’s the #Oakleigh way. Useless, the lot of them …and there was me thinking that the woman who drove through the Give Way sign and parked across the bike path in Gardiners road was going to be this commute’s excitement, no, that was just the entree.

Day 940 ☀️ ride2work

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 08:08:00 +1000

Commute down the Djerring trail & up through Clayton on the fixie, one loud yell & emergency stop as yet another motorist on Browns road ignored the Give Way signs and would have ploughed into me where the bike path crosses the road. Driver behind stopped and shook his head, driver coming the other way stopped & stared open mouthed, but mr did-not-stop just kept on going, the quicker to get to the stationary queue of traffic waiting to turn onto Dandenong road

002940 is your Facebook account recovery code

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 18:14:00 +1000

Hi Adrian, We received a request to reset your Facebook password. Enter the following password reset code:

Day 939 trainer brain strainer

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 16:22:00 +1000

An hour in the back garden spinning away and listening to a podcast, catching the last of the winter afternoon sun and the occasional choking face-full of smoke from dog-walkers on the path over the fence Mostly at a reasonable pace, with 5minutes of rocking and shaking and trying to throw the bike off the trainer and into the vege garden My 939th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 938 ☀️ a cold quicky

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 16:16:00 +1000

Caught up in work I didn’t get out until for a ride until a bit later than usual, and then had to be back by 5pm for family duties. A quick loop around to the Glen Iris wetlands and back along the Gardiners Creek path Clear sky, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 938th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

2022/0720/1330 – Review of 99 Bikes

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 13:30:00 +1000

★★★★☆ No fuss No fuss, easy to order, arrived on time

#QOTD "Ride as much or as little, as long or as short as you feel. But ride." ~Eddy Merckx

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 09:03:00 +1000

frost all over the lawn and garden this morning

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 08:00:00 +1000

Day 937 ☀️ around again

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 16:08:00 +1000

Wintery cold, with clear skies. Didn’t really want to leave the nice warm house but off I went for a few more laps of the velodrome. I suspect my maximum heart rate isn’t what it used to be, or I just don’t have the commitment to push myself that hard on an empty oval track Clear sky, 12°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app

Day 936 ⛅ nearly a snow day

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 15:55:00 +1000

I’m surprised it says feels like 10°C, felt much colder to me, and those big billowing clouds coming in from the north west looked as though they were going to dump snow. Brrr, a brief outing on the fixie, up to Caulfield, around the racecourse and one of many options for the route home Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10, Humidity 66%, My 936th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 935 ⛅ not 6hrs

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 17:17:40 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; a lap of the boulevard, not quite the 6hr #atbiad training guide suggested ride

Day 935 ⛅ not 6hrs

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 13:59:00 +1000

ATBIAD training doc says I should go out for 6hrs on a group ride with friends. Distinct lack of friends or hours, so two hours in to Richmond, a lap of the boulevard and home along the Anniversary trail. There’s an amusing number of piles of car parts & glass where boy racers have driven into the cliffs or trees while briskly ignoring the 50km/hr speed limit along the boulevard. Thankfully no sign of the boullie tacker

2022/0717/0009 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 00:09:00 +1000

Day 934 ⛅ wind sculpture more wind

Sat, 16 Jul 2022 16:32:41 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; absolutely crazy winds on a trip to McClelland #sculpture gardens

Day 934 ⛅ wind sculpture more wind

Sat, 16 Jul 2022 09:03:00 +1000

One very windy ride! Out after breakfast and an impressive tailwind down along the Djerring trail and Dandenong creek trail, managed to sit on 40km/hr for a while on the flat gravel path past the stinky ibis rookery. Rain started as I got down to the bay & continued most of the way to Frankston where I met the rest of the family at the station, with their bikes. Then up along the path to Langwarrin & the McClelland Sculpture Garden, a fascinating place for a visit and a wander… but preferably on a warmer day!

Day 933 ⛅ tgif

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 15:17:00 +1000

Seeking motivation and a destination, took myself in towards the bay along Inkerman, then up the St Kilda road bike lane to the river. Home along the south side of the river as far as I could get, then back across to the north side and eventually Gardiners creek trail Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 933rd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

outside it's cold and damp, the daphne is flowering and smells wonderful

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 09:50:00 +1000

Day 932 ⛅ fixie triangle

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 16:20:00 +1000

Intended to go out on the AWOL, but after pumping up a slightly soft rear tyre yesterday I found it dead flat today. Out for a backwards lap of my commute triangle, complete with being driven into on Browns road by yet another motorist ignoring the Give Way sign – she was stopped due to bumper-to-bumper traffic before the crossing so I rode across, stupidly I hadn’t thought that she’d see the car ahead of her on the far side of the crossing move off and decide to simply drive up to join it.

Day 931 ⛅ ashburton squiggly bits

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 15:23:00 +1000

Couldn’t decide where to go and ride, thought I’d better try for some hilly parts. Over to Ashburton & up and down a bunch of side streets Scattered clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 931st day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the daphne is flowering, in an evening break from the day-long rain I could smell it wafting across the garden

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 18:00:00 +1000

Day 930 ⛅ whirr whirr whirr

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 16:56:00 +1000

The day was cold, grey and miserable. I was cold, grey and miserable. It really didn’t seem to be a day to go out for a ride anywhere, and working from home, I didn’t have to commute, so instead I spent an hour on the trainer making loud whirring and thwack-thwack-thwack noises as the slightly out of balance cadence magnet decided to hit the sensor Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

harvested the first Pak Choi for chicken stir-fry tonight

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 18:30:00 +1000

Day 929 ⛅ fixie 10km

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 16:12:00 +1000

Up the Djerring trail to Caulfield, around the racecourse and home along the Neerim road crappiest of the crap bike lane. City of Glen Eira should hang their collective heads in shame at this mess of on-street parking, potholes and bike stencils. Amusingly, was close passed on one other City of Glen Eira bike lane by … a City of Glen Eira council van Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

Day 928 ☀️ Mount Cowley

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 09:20:00 +1000

Up the Erskine Falls road by myself, stopping twice, once to pick up a $10 note someone had dropped, and once to take off my beanie as I was too hot. Family drove up to meet me, well timed, passed about 1km from the top. Then unpack their bikes and ride off to Mount Cowley. Brrr, starting section is downhill in the forest, 5°C, damp and misty. Beautiful forest, no traffic, one wallaby.

Day 927 ⛅ Lorne - Apollo Bay return

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 14:46:42 +1000

Daily #cycling photo; the #GOR to Apollo Bay, #coffee, then back

Day 927 ⛅ Lorne - Apollo Bay return

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 09:25:00 +1000

My weekly escape for a long ride, it was a toss up today of whether to leave early and be back for lunch, or have bacon and eggs for breakfast with the family and then go out. The bacon and eggs won. Very light traffic along the Great Ocean Road, the joys of the pandemic are the absence of the terrifying overseas tourists staring at the scenery and failing to deviation an inch from the line they’ve chosen on the road … or as another rider I met today said, failing to drive on the left and driving head-on into another car after nearly collecting him back in January!

Day 926 🌧 GOR wind and rain

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 13:34:00 +1000

Out for my ride after lunch along the GOR to Aireys Inlet with a tailwind that I didn’t realise was there, then almost blown off my feet at the lighthouse. A quick look about and up to the shops where I stopped in for a coffee, then as I went to leave ending up standing around for 10min or more because a rain squall came through. Managed to get home moderately dry after pushing into the wind all the way back from Aireys Inlet to the Memorial Arch

Day 925 ⛅ GOR to Mt Defiance

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 15:56:32 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; Lorne to Mt Defiance along the #GOR… and back

Day 925 ⛅ GOR to Mt Defiance

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 14:40:00 +1000

I think the much vaunted training plan says I should go out for around three hours today and try to push the pace. I think my body said I should I go out for a very gentle meander and just enjoy the view. After a busy morning & early afternoon getting to Lorne I headed out for a gentle roll to the Mount Defiance lookout, then back home again Few clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 5m/s from WSW - by Klimat.

Day 924 ☀️ sunny winter triangle

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 14:51:00 +1000

Fantastic clear blue skies and no wind, a perfect cold winter afternoon ride during my hours off… then back home for some scheduled evening work Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app My 924th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

brr, frost on the ground this morning

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 08:00:00 +1000

2022/0706/0543 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 05:43:00 +1000

2022/0706/0539 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 05:39:00 +1000

2022/0706/0526 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 05:36:00 +1000

Day 923 ☀️ spinning round

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 16:10:00 +1000

Work was going around in circles all day, so what better leisure activity than to go to the velodrome and do a few more circles. Nearly came a cropper when a 4yo dived across the track, and the heart rate monitor decided to play up for a while so it pretended I topped 200bpm for a while All up, an hour on the bike is far better than any number of hours at work

2022/0705/0725 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 07:25:00 +1000

Day 922 ☀️ mangled spectacles

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 15:37:00 +1000

Mangled spectacles? That’s what the route looks like to me, although the top loop, the “africa”, remind me a bit of a Leunig character A sunny winter afternoon, pleasant enough out in the sun, but don’t stop for too long or you’ll feel the chill Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 922nd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 921 ☀️ rail and bayside loop

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 09:13:00 +1000

Off to see what the level crossing removal works along the Frankston line are doing, up to Caulfield and then down side streets and paths alongside the line. Serendipitously met an instagram buddy at Murrumbeena road and had company for a suburb or two as we chatted about just how cold it was. Somewhere down past Highett I turned towards the bay and came home along better known roads, past what seemed to be everyone and their dogs out for a Sunday walk while the weather was clear!

Day 920 ☁️ cardinia reservoir and hills

Sat, 02 Jul 2022 12:29:04 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; Djerring trail, Eumemerang creek, Lysterfield lake, Cardinia reservoir, Menzies creek, Kallista for coffee, Olinda, down the old coach rd, dandie creek to Jells park and home via scotchmans creek trail

Day 920 ☁️ cardinia reservoir and hills

Sat, 02 Jul 2022 05:38:00 +1000

Saturday early long day, a cold and dark start but at least the first 15km is known territory… Varied from cold to “really too cold for the gloves & jersey I was wearing” back up to almost pleasant in the sun Djerring trail, Eumemerang creek in the dark in the fog on a dirt track, Lysterfield lake as the sun came up, country roads to Cardinia reservoir – but access closed off by Melbourne Water so reroute, up to Menzies Creek and on to Kallista for coffee.

Day 919 around the burb and collect eofy purchase

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 15:30:00 +1000

Up and down a bit of the hilly part of Mount Waverley, then back down the hill, through Monash Uni and off to collect some purchases. Industrial Westall, down to the Djerring trail and home via the beer shop So where did my klimat.app weather summary go? My 919th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2022/0701/0727 ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram.

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 07:27:00 +1000

Day 918 spin in da shed

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 21:46:57 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; an hour on the trainer

Day 918 spin in da shed

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 16:53:00 +1000

Losing track of the ATBIAD training suggestions; lost track of it all somewhere in the however many minutes warm up, four sets of this many minutes at that effort and that many minutes of recovery and a final different number of minutes to cool down. Couldn’t quite see the Garmin’s screen and hadn’t taken a cheat-sheet with me. Spent about an hour making whirring noises & staring at the shed wall

Day 918 ⛅ dental appointment

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 14:22:00 +1000

Bwahaha, a dentist visit … at 2.30 …. #dadjoke imminent Fixie & kid on ye olde mtb, off to the orthodontist to get orthodontificated Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app My 918th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 917 ⛅ a djerring each way

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 15:35:00 +1000

Up to one end of the Djerring trail, back past home and down to the other end, then turn around and come home. Headwinds when going north-west, tailwinds when going south-east Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app My 917th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the pak choi are growing well, might be able to harvest some of the bigger ones soon

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +1000

Day 916 ⛅ velodrome dromage

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 15:38:00 +1000

Added degree of entertainment, for the first few laps there were two guys on e-scooters alternating which way around the track they went. Could have done a little jousting. May have actually followed some suggested training instructions Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 916th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

#QOTD: Have you tried turning it off and never turning it back on again?

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 14:05:00 +1000

944714 is your Facebook account recovery code

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 17:04:00 +1000

Day 915 ⛅ the creek commute

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 16:43:00 +1000

Tentatively rode home, keeping an eye on the new #Garmin the whole way, but unlike this morning it sensibly stayed silent and didn’t trigger its catastrophe alarm every time I stopped. Was it the cold and wet? Is it stupidly sensitive? Will it do it again? Creek commute, with half the path a muddy building site as the council is building a fence along the path and across the hillside, to stop the idiot vandals who keep digging dirt jumps and erosion tracks straight down through the bush.

goodreads — “Tales of Robin Hood”

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm…

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 915 🌧 alarming commute

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 08:09:00 +1000

A bit of a #Garmin feature test, “the collision alarm”. Damn thing went off four times in under 8km. First time as I stopped to carry the bike down the steps to pass under Oakleigh station, then twice as I stopped for traffic lights at Clayton road and Carinish road, then finally when I got to work and stopped to get off the bike. Either it is ridiculously sensitive, or it doesn’t like operating in the cold and wet

Day 914 🌧 to jells park

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 13:20:00 +1000

According to the grand training plan as documented by whoever at Bicycle Network feels that any ATBIAD participant has no family life, I should have gone out for a four hour ride today. Instead, I rode over to Jells Park and met the rest of the family for an exploratory walk around the lake and wetlands. Amazingly, despite having ridden the Scotchmans Creek trail to Jells any number of times over the past few decades, I still managed to get lost somewhere in Wheelers Hill and popped out at the park boundary annoyingly mid-way between two park entrances

Day 913 🌙 down to devilbend reservoir

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 13:19:01 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; to devilbend reservoir and back through frangistan

Day 913 🌙 down to devilbend reservoir

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 06:54:00 +1000

With a Suzy Quatro earworm[1], down to devilbend reservoir, and amazingly, the first 50+ km were all on off-road bike paths. Out the gate in the dark and Djerring trail to Yarraman, Dandenong creek trail down to Patterson Lakes, then freeway-adjacent paths through Langwarrin, Baxter to Moorooduc. It was only at Moorooduc where I turned off onto the roads, a short section of one then a long straight eight kilometres all the way to the dam.

374137 is your Facebook account recovery code

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 03:34:00 +1000

Day 912 ⛅ new garmin who dis

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 16:49:00 +1000

Had been planning to go for a little explore after work but as I got to on the bike I realised I’d left my rear light at home on the charger so I’d better get home before the sun went down and I turned into a pumpkin First ride with the new Garmin 830, I must get around to setting up all those extra features some day soon…. Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 4m/s from WNW - by Klimat.

Day 912 ⛅ work-wards

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 08:06:00 +1000

Friday morning commute, down to Clayton, up to Monash Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 912th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 911 ⛅ against the commuters

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 15:48:00 +1000

Heading towards the city, a lap or two of the Hawthorn velodrome because I haven’t been around it for ages, alongside the Burnley gardens and then in through the middle of them, I honestly can’t remember ever having gone through there – then found a tiny, narrow, well hidden bike path alongside the railway bridge over the Yarra that spat me out somewhere in Toorak. A few back streets and found myself on Toorak road in peak hour in a useless intermittent bike lane, then turned off and made my way back south to the Djerring trail and home

Day 910 🌧 velo-laps

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 15:41:00 +1000

Sorta kinda trying to follow some of Bike Network’s suggested trainings for ATBIAD, although as far as I can tell reading through it seems to presume that you don’t have a full-time job, or a family, or any other duties other than going out on your bike for 2hrs on weekdays, 5hrs on the weekend. Bit of a warmup, then some hard roundy-roundy, then some easier roundy-roundy, then more hard roundy-roundy, then meander on home

898563 is your Facebook account recovery code

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 07:36:00 +1000

pixelfed

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 17:55:54 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; sneaking in a little #atbiad training on #mycommute

Day 909 ⛅ solstice sunset

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 16:06:00 +1000

Left work a little earlier than usual for a spin out to the Dandenong showgrounds and back, tried the backstreets of Notting Hill as a way to get down to the Djerring trail and seemed to spend over half the time sitting at traffic lights or waiting to cross roads. Felt slow going. Springvale at leaving-work-oclock is an eye-opener, any pretence of there being roadrules is quickly quashed, keep a 360-degree watch and treat all cars, trucks, pedestrians, e-scooters, powered-skateboards and bikes as a potential threat.

goodreads — “Ender's Game”

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm…

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 909 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 08:03:00 +1000

Legs a little rubbery after the session on the trainer, but otherwise a mostly normal commute Stopped to move a bizarre pile of rubbish off the Djerring trail; one plastic lightsabre, one smashed Yellowglen wineglass, an egg whisk, a carved wooden spoon, and 50-100 hotel-size tubes of body wash in a bulk wrap. Didn’t have a bag to put it all in so I left it bundled up in the sodden paper bag it had obviously fallen through

Day 908 Trainer games

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 17:40:00 +1000

The technology seemed determined to defeat me; first the heart-rate monitor strap decided the battery was flat, so I swapped that one and got it working, then the cadence/speed sensor wouldn’t connect, fiddled a bit and gave up. The old roadie on the trainer will not stay put, doesn’t seem to matter what I do, the damn thing gradually creeps along the shed floor, so a few interruptions until I managed to wedge the front wheel against the door frame.

Day 908 ⛅ commute home

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:51:00 +1000

Not quite the creek commute, not quite the shortest way home. North to Rickets road, then through the side streets to rejoin Scotchmans creek trail. Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 0m/s from NW - by Klimat.app My 908th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 908 ⛅ home to work

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 08:05:00 +1000

In the gloom, down the trail, up the hill, through the campus, and so to work Broken clouds, 9°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 4m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app My 908th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 907 ⛅ some Sunday silliness

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 13:56:00 +1000

Well it started out silly but ended up a bit too serious. Was debating where to go for my daily ride & glanced at Strava, saw a recent ride up the pipeline track with minor Wandrer detours and decided I’d see if I could follow it… exactly. Didn’t have the daylight to do the whole thing, but I think I made most of the seemingly random small block circumnavigations and dead-end explorations, eventually getting up to the bike path that runs alongside the Ringwood rail line.

Day 906 ☀️ just shopping

Sat, 18 Jun 2022 08:15:00 +1000

Pre-breakfast mini shopping trip; get the fish for dinner, get the bread for breakfast, get home Clear sky, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 2m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 906th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 905 ⛅ scotchmans creek commute

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 16:57:00 +1000

Home in the dusk along the cool and damp creek path. Nobody drove into me on Atkinson street at the lights, although I did have a delivery guy on an ebike scare the beejesus out of me by flying past on my left Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 905th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 905 ⛅ commuting with the ducks

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 08:10:00 +1000

Light misty rain and big pools of water on the Djerring trail. The spray jacket can deal with the the former, nothing much deals with the latter. Gets to the point where you’d be drier to ride on the road, which sort of defeats the intention of building an offroad bike path Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat.app My 905th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

oranges have started ripening, we find about one a day on the ground under the tree, two today

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 08:10:00 +1000

Day 904 ⛅ the karkarook

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 15:37:00 +1000

Down and around Karkarook lake, but from an unexpected direction. I nearly always head south from Huntingdale station past the golf courses, around the lake and then along the gravel track around the block and back through Clarinda. Today for variety I did it in reverse Traffic in Clayton bumper to bumper and queued through the traffic lights, red lights purely advisory as drivers swerve around traffic islands to make it to the next blockage.

the Cordyline against the bedroom wall has resprouted and scratches noisily up and down on the wall when the wind blows, I've broken off all the resprouted bits … again

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +1000

Day 903 ⛅ revisit ferndale trail

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 15:54:00 +1000

It feels like ages since I’ve been up the Anniversary trail and down the Ferndale trail on the gravel, probably only two weeks, but it included a long weekend away and a week with the bike in at the mechanics so a mentally much longer time Dull and gloomy, the gears are still jumping so no hill climb sprint attempts. Seemed to pick optimum dog o’clock for the trip down along Ferndale, on leash, off leash, on the path, off the path, was sort of amusing when one “off leash and under effective control” mutt decided to bark its head off and chase me the length of the block while its owner stood around screaming ineffectually

Day 902 ⛅ creek commute and clipped by car

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 16:53:00 +1000

Enjoyably cold damp commute along the creek as usual… up until I was back on the road on Atkinson street to cross Dandenong road. Waiting on the left at the lights, the lights go green, ute driver plants foot, tears past to get the jump on the centre lane traffic, BANG, collects my hand and speeds off. Off to @VictoriaPolice where they refuse to take report because there’s no injury, no damage.

Day 902 ⛅ back 2 work

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 08:07:00 +1000

All too soon the long weekend is over and it’s back to work, back down the Djerring trail, back up Kanooka grove hill, and back through the south end of campus to get to work Overcast clouds, 8°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app My 902nd day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 16:49:00 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; up the Deans Marsh rd, across the Mt Sabine Rd through the #Otways then down past Erskine Falls and back to Lorne

Day 901 ⛅ Benwerrin loop

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 13:55:00 +1000

Nearly needed the spray jacket, lovely and misty up in the forest Not too much traffic up Benwerrin, mostly passing safely except for a few up near the top. Hardly any traffic at all on the Mt Sabine Rd, just me and the parrots. A bit more on the descent, including one absolute idiot boy racer in a golf, about 75cm away at 90+km/hr and giving me the finger out the window.

pixelfed

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 16:42:14 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; Lorne to the Split Point #lighthouse on the #GOR, then back, with a little rain. 900 days in a row on the bike, woohoo

pixelfed

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 16:39:57 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; the #GOR to Kennett River, a #cappuccino, and home

Day 900 ⛅ to the lighthouse

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 13:51:00 +1000

Tada! Done it, although 900 days in a row isn’t quite the achievement that 1000 will be … fingers crossed. Afternoon ride along the GOR to Aireys Inlet, up and around to the lighthouse then stop at the local shops for a coffee. A couple of little side streets on the way and out, then back to Lorne into the wind and the rain that had sprung up. Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 7m/s from SW - by Klimat.

Day 899 ⛅ Gadabunud Ocean Road

Sat, 11 Jun 2022 14:24:00 +1000

A late start after lunch, out along the Great Ocean Road from Lorne … Gardabund country … and along the coast through Wye River to Kennett River. A glance at the cafe to check that they were open then at the distance ridden and I decided to keep going out to 25km then come back for my coffee. Part way up one of the climbs and into a gusty wind was far enough so I turned back for coffee at one of my favourite spots, the Koala cafe at Kennett.

Day 898 ⛅ homewards

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 16:08:00 +1000

Leave work a bit early, ride home along the creek. Pack the bags and eat the dinner, then off to the Otways for the long weekend Broken clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.app My 898th day in a row riding a bike, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 898 ⛅ fixie commute

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 08:17:00 +1000

A bit annoyed. Was all prepared to ride the AWOL, all shiny from its new brakes & gears and with new tyres…. new Schwalbe G-One tyres that have now covered 44km and apparently have one puncture. They replaced the slightly balding Schwalbe Marathons that did 12,000km with … err, no punctures Quick change of shoes into my slightly damp runners, jump on the fixie and off to work. Did not run into anything, was not driven into by anyone

Day 897 🌧 straight cold and wet

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 15:31:00 +1000

Straight out for 10km or half an hour or … until I get a phone call from work asking me to test something and turn around to go home again. Down the Djerring trail to Springvale and a bit, then repeat in the reverse Out in the rain, home into the glaring sun shining off the wet paths Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.

the back lawn is adrift with tufts of cat fur from the night-time fight between neighbour's cat and a possum, perhaps they should keep it inside

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 12:30:00 +1000

Day 896 ⛅ dusk quicky

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 16:52:00 +1000

Even a chaotic busy day at work cannot stop the stupidity, I took a quick half hour break between a busy afternoon and scheduled evening work to go for a spin on the fixie up to Caulfield and back. The road- and rail-works are starting along the Frankston line, preparation for the great disruption that will be the massive trenching to lower the line below road level. Sadly, I suspect it’ll involve the removal of several of the enjoyable old bluestone laneways, they’re still accessible … for now.

goodreads — “Wheels Within Wheels”

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm…

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

pixelfed

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 17:36:29 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; today, #mycommute in the rain

Day 895 ⛅ so much wet wintery fun

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 16:45:00 +1000

In the Three Railway Engines, it rains and Henry goes into a tunnel and won’t come out. I’m not saying it would help me get home in time for dinner, but as I rode into the tunnel I was thinking that Henry might be onto a good thing Cold, wet, some slippery autumn leaves and a few grumpy Oakleigh drivers racing to get home lest their nice warm cars get mucky

Day 895 🌧 wet ride2work

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 08:20:00 +1000

Another cold damp morning Moderate rain, 7°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 3m/s from W - by Klimat.app Riding 895th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 894 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 16:50:00 +1000

Overcast clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Riding 894th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 894 ⛅ fixie2work

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 16:50:00 +1000

Rainy and cold, everything wet and gritty. I felt guilty about taking the shiny newly refurbished AWOL out so I left it home all warm and dry. Fixie commute, remembering at last to clip the rear mudguard on before I left home Overcast clouds, 9°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 4m/s from W - by Klimat.app Riding 894th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 893 ⛅ triangle with roos and wind

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 10:12:00 +1000

My usual Sunday rides are after lunch, today we’ve got things to do later so I rescheduled to the morning, out for two hours then home in time to cook everyone soup. Felt doubly smug in the afternoon as the constant rain fell against the windows, having had clear skies the entire time I was out in the morning Tailwinds all the way out to Jells park and down the Eastern freeway trail, then turned at Yarraman and straight into a headwind the whole way home.

pixelfed

Sat, 04 Jun 2022 16:07:33 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; shopping with family on the revitalised AWOL

Day 892 ⛅ more shopping

Sat, 04 Jun 2022 11:14:00 +1000

Yay, the AWOL is back, in all its luggage-carrying glory. Multi-stop chores trip with family; Hughesdale to the chemist, Murrumbeena for a coffee, Carnegie for household goods Used my big outside voice on a motorist who turned from Neerim road into Murrumbeena road and was driving straight through the red lights at the Djerring trail as we crossed. Made him stop, and I think it’ll take him a few days to get over the shock

that bloody rope grass, around the side of the house its grown up a metre inside the wall and out between two weatherboards

Sat, 04 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +1000

Day 892 ⛅ shop around the block

Sat, 04 Jun 2022 08:16:00 +1000

Morning shopping on the fixie and a lap around a block and a laneway just because it was there Broken clouds, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 1m/s from E - by Klimat.app Riding 892nd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 891 ⛅ short home commute

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 16:40:00 +1000

Duty calls, no time for detours, leave work at 4.30 and go straight home Overcast clouds, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app Riding 891st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 14:45:14 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; #djerringtrail blocked at the level crossing installed by the #lxra. #WorldBicycleDay

Day 891 ride2work WorldBicycleDay

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 08:02:00 +1000

Hmm, looks as though I’ll have to subscribe to Klimat.app, I thought I had. No Klimat.app forecast for you Cloudy with a stalled train across the level crossing, train moved off but then the gent with the “railway incident investigation” vest told me the crossing’s closed. Oh well, off down Carinish road and the inevitable close passes. Got to work to see news of “person hit by train” in Clayton. Bleh.

a "found note fragement" – Expenses:me:entertainment:food $1.80 ; lollies

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 18:10:00 +1000

I wonder when that was from? That line seems to have been cut and pasted into the midst of another note and I spotted it while archiving everything

Day 890 fixie laps

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 15:41:00 +1000

Round and around Surprise surprise, the LBS didn’t call me today to pick up the AWOL so still out and about on the fixie. Around and around we go. Couldn’t decide where to go today, fed up with the close passing and general crap behaviour of drivers recently so I took myself off to the velodrome for some laps No weather summary today, klimat.app must have decided to have a break

the freesias I planted have started coming up all through the front lawn – earlier than I expected

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +1000

Day 889 🌧 a brisk little lap

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 15:12:00 +1000

A little chill, perhaps a few degrees warmer than yesterday, hovering either side of 10. Thought I’d timed it right but got the icy rain from Murrumbeena to Caulfield Don’t you love it when a clueless motorist decides to pass when there’s a traffic island and no room, realises that with 20cm clearance they’re breaking the law … but then decides rather than speed up and get past, or slow down and pull back in, they’ll slow to your speed and drive alongside the entire length of the narrow section, then speed up past once the road opens out again!

pixelfed

Tue, 31 May 2022 18:36:54 +1000

Daily #cycling photos: damn cold, Feels like zero

Day 888 ⛅ brass monkey pox

Tue, 31 May 2022 16:44:00 +1000

Yeesh, that was a chilly one. Really should hunt out the long fingered gloves… brass monkey due to the weather, monkey pox as its topical A minor detour around campus to meet the bike security stamping people who would be there from 3-6… except they’d got too cold and packed up and were leaving at 4.30, can’t say I blame them! Off up through campus, onto the bike path and up alongside Gardiners road.

Day 888 ⛅ cold commute

Tue, 31 May 2022 08:06:00 +1000

888, an auspicious number, on the fixie because the LBS doesn’t seem to have finished the work on the AWOL. Missed the rain this morning, fingers crossed for the afternoon Broken clouds, 9°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 4m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app Riding 888th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 887 🌧 character building

Mon, 30 May 2022 16:19:00 +1000

Cold and wet and dark and gloomy. Thankfully not raining too heavily, just scattered showers. Wonderful warm steamy gravy smells as I pass the pub as the bistro prepares for dinner, very tempting to pull in for a pint by the fire. Wet and gritty along Scotchmans Creek trail, I think I need to find the clip on mudguard from wherever it is in the shed Light rain, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.

Day 887 🌧 morning commute

Mon, 30 May 2022 08:11:00 +1000

No rain, just cold and grey and noisy … I chose to use the decrepit bike path in the centre of North Rd. Annoyingly, the local “graffiti artists” have hacked down yet more trees & bushes in the parkland along the Djerring trail to give a clear view of the back walls of the concrete & tin buildings. Stopped to clear their dumped branches off the path … again Moderate rain, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat.

2022/0529/2351 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 29 May 2022 23:51:00 +1000

pixelfed

Sun, 29 May 2022 17:13:59 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; kid and I hopped on the #tandem for a loop down to the bay and back

Day 886 ⛅ tandem bay ride

Sun, 29 May 2022 13:06:00 +1000

Dust off tandem, pump tyres, mount up and ride off… turn around, come home, fetch allen keys & put seat up, try and tighten seat bolt. Mount up, ride off, half way around the block there’s a suspicious sinking feeling followed by a rapid descent and a THUNK. Turn around, come home, fetch spanner & put the seat up, then tighten the seat bolt properly with Allen key & spanner. Third time lucky, mount up, ride off…

a tactical raid on a large outdoors supply business and we have two new comfy chairs for the front porch, to sit in the sun and drink coffee from

Sun, 29 May 2022 10:30:00 +1000

planted two punnets of Pak Choi seedlings (11 plants)

Sat, 28 May 2022 11:00:00 +1000

pixelfed

Sat, 28 May 2022 10:17:20 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; yesterday, the massed railway machines wait for darkness

Day 885 ⛅ shopping

Sat, 28 May 2022 08:17:00 +1000

Very quiet morning shopping, hardly anyone around on the streets Scattered clouds, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat.app Riding 885th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2022/0527/2352 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Fri, 27 May 2022 23:52:00 +1000

Day 884 ⛅ home time

Fri, 27 May 2022 16:13:00 +1000

Reverse of my usual commutes; I rode to work through the middle of the ‘burbs today so on the way home I went south and up the Djerring trail rather than north and along the creek. A change is as good as a holiday… nah, not really, a holiday is much better. Lots of railway construction implements lurking, waiting for sunset and their chance to make noise & wreak havoc

Day 884 ⛅ suburban commute

Fri, 27 May 2022 08:04:00 +1000

A commute to work through the burbs on the fixie today, the AWOL is in at the LBS getting some much needed TLC. Looks as though #wandrer says I haven’t ever gone around some of these streets so I made a little detour to colour them in Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app Riding 884th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

pixelfed

Thu, 26 May 2022 16:46:57 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; out on the #fixie through the autumn leaves, filling in a few niggly bits for #wandrer

Day 883 ⛅ the singles peed

Thu, 26 May 2022 15:48:00 +1000

Wet oil slicked roads and lots of autumn leaves, the joys of rain on garbage collection day Out and about on the fixie around Hughesdale, Murrumbeena and Carnegie to fill in a few niggly streets for #wandrer that I’ve managed to miss in the past. It’d be much easier if I planned a route for these, more fun to just glance at the map and try to remember them Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 1m/s from ENE - by Klimat.

Day 882 ⛅ LBS and meandering

Wed, 25 May 2022 15:34:00 +1000

Finally got #aroundtuit and booked the AWOL in at the LBS for almost complete drivetrain replacement. Mechanic pointed out to me that one of the jockey wheels has collapsed so it would be sensible to replace them. Oops, I’d noticed it was worn, hadn’t realised the bearings had seized and plastic sheared so the middle was stationary and the outside spinning around it. Then went and meandered around a few suburbs and crunched through some autumn leaves

glanced out the window to see a large rat come over the fence from next door, run down behind the silver birch tree and disappear

Wed, 25 May 2022 09:45:00 +1000

awake, head whirling, work, life, railway noises

Wed, 25 May 2022 01:45:00 +1000

2022/0524/1713 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Tue, 24 May 2022 17:13:00 +1000

Day 881 ☀️ home again

Tue, 24 May 2022 16:41:00 +1000

Same old same old. North up Gardiner and Forster roads, wind my way along the creek trail, south on Atkinson and over the hill into Oakleigh. Minor variation through the Oakleigh shops to avoid a bunch of buses and home up Willesden road Clear sky, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.app Riding 881st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 881 ☀️ same again

Tue, 24 May 2022 08:05:00 +1000

Another chilly morning, so close to needing the long fingered gloves. Successfully remembered all required items of work clothing Clear sky, 6°C, Feels like 5°C, Humidity 93%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app Riding 881st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 880 ☀️ creek commute

Mon, 23 May 2022 16:31:00 +1000

Someone drove into someone else on the freeway, so once again traffic banked up along Forster road. Roadworks at the freeway on ramps still not complete. Turning off Forster road and riding along the creek is still as enjoyable as ever, even if it is cold down in the trees near the water Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 880th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

goodreads — “The Red Chapels of Banteai Srei”

Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm…

Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 880 ☀️ chilly commute

Mon, 23 May 2022 08:03:00 +1000

Another cold grey commute, another monday morning Clear sky, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 90%, Wind 0m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app Riding 880th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 879 ☀️ trail highway creek

Sun, 22 May 2022 13:50:00 +1000

A pleasingly symmetric route once I got home and looked on the map, with a little embarrassment along the way as I think I confused the Burwood and Maroondah highways. Cold and nearly misty, plenty of people out all wearing their winter woollies Up the Anniversary trail until I decided to turn onto the highway and head east, through Deepdene and on to Laburnum, places I never visit. Turn off the highway here and into unknown territory and a track along a park, then an Aha!

pixelfed

Sat, 21 May 2022 14:02:00 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; family ride, some shopping, a coffee, a vote and the mandatory democracy sausage

Day 878 ☀️ democracy sausage

Sat, 21 May 2022 11:18:00 +1000

Family ride up to Chadstone for some essential shopping, then down through Hughesdale to Brew for a brew – coffee, too early for the other brew – then continue to a place of polling to do our democratic duty and vote. After voting, the great Australian tradition, the fund-raiser democracy sausage Clear sky, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app Riding 878th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 878 ☀️ door door

Sat, 21 May 2022 08:28:00 +1000

A near dooring and a hasty departure, angry Jeep driver threatened to punch my head in for yelling “Door!” and disagreeing when he told me “I’m f$ing parked ya f$in c$t. F$ing watch it!” Shopping, fish, bread, then a detour around the block to check out the size of the queue at the local polling place. Yeouch! A packed conga line along the block up Drummond street then around the corner and half way up the laneway to Palmerston grove

Day 877 ☀️ straight home

Fri, 20 May 2022 16:42:00 +1000

Duties call, no time for any extension to the commute, there’s a requirement to be home by 5pm so straight through the suburbs it is Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 0m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app Riding 877th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 877 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 20 May 2022 16:42:00 +1000

Friday commute, down the Djerring, up through Clayton, avoid the pedestrians ignoring the “walk on the left” signs, avoid the drivers ignoring the “give way” signs Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 3m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 877th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Thu, 19 May 2022 17:45:58 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; cold and overcast with a large #cockatoo #mural

Odd phone call, someone "returned my call" as I'd called him

Thu, 19 May 2022 15:51:00 +1000

Phone rang while I was out riding, cold fingers meant I fumbled it and hit “cancel” rather than “answer” so I called it back. Guy on the other end wanted to know why I’d called him, I said I was returning his call. He said he was returning my call from 15:47. We agreed it was a mystery and hung up. No record of an outgoing call on my phone at 15:47.

Day 876 ⛅ grey day grey mood

Thu, 19 May 2022 15:35:00 +1000

A dull day but a very bright mural of a punk cockatoo. Pink, a PINK Cockatoo. Must get around to seeing them in the wild some day. Fat fingers ftw in typing strava descriptions on a phone Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app Riding 876th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 875 ⛅ another cold creek commute

Wed, 18 May 2022 16:38:00 +1000

Almost the same as yesterday, a late afternoon shower had come through and dropped the temperature, the roads were wet and glary, the air cold Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app Riding 875th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 875 ☀️ shorter commute

Wed, 18 May 2022 08:03:00 +1000

Normally WFH on Wednesday but a mandatory 9am meeting, so off to work at the south end of campus and park in the catacombs – then got half lost trying to find a way to easily get from the basement to the ground floor, without having to go outside Clear sky, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Riding 875th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Cam came home to be confronted by a large dead rat on the kitchen floor, and a cat very proudly showing it off

Tue, 17 May 2022 17:30:00 +1000

Day 874 ⛅ empty muffin box

Tue, 17 May 2022 16:28:00 +1000

Home with a large and lumpy backpack, sadly, the muffin box is now empty Another cold ride along the creek, an afternoon rain shower had come through and again dropped the temperature down. Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Riding 874th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 874 ⛅ muffins in my bag

Tue, 17 May 2022 08:00:00 +1000

Didn’t eat the muffins, but I did take them to work for morning tea. Another chilly ride, hovering around 10°C, you definitely feel it warm up at Huntingdale as you come out from behind the concrete factory units and into the sun at the railway station Heart attack material, completely unprompted, a driver entering the hospital car park stopped at the Give Way sign rather than trying to run me over.

Day 873 ⛅ cold creek commute

Mon, 16 May 2022 17:03:00 +1000

Intermittent rain all afternoon had dropped the temperature and left the roads wet, but luckily all blown away and left me with a clear sky … a cold, clear sky. Bumper to bumper traffic down Forster road to the freeway, for the freeway on-ramp was closed and all the drivers had to continue on and divert along Waverley road. Up and down along the creek, feeling the temperature rise and fall with the path – cold down by the creek, warmer up on the hillsides

Day 873 ⛅ monday morning commute

Mon, 16 May 2022 08:04:00 +1000

Cold morning, straight down the path and up through Clayton to work. Railway level crossing was open so I could stay on the path rather than use Carinish road Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 1m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app Riding 873rd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Sun, 15 May 2022 16:39:18 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; windy lap of the lake & surrounds, then up two Two Rupees #brewery for a #beer taster

pixelfed

Sat, 14 May 2022 14:24:55 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; rainy trip through the city to return the #passbox

Day 871 ⛅ passbox return

Sat, 14 May 2022 10:51:00 +1000

More straightforward than my route to collect the #passbox two weeks ago, Inkerman street, St Kilda road and then La Trobe street bike lane through the city to avoid Google’s directions to ride past the Queen Vic. markets and Victoria street traffic jam on a Saturday. Far more successful and much quicker, albeit wet as the light rain came down all the way in. Bumper to bumper traffic up St Kilda road and through the city, generally easily passed in the bike lanes, although the average motorist’s “1m passing” is laughable, the approach seems to be that so long as their car isn’t in the bike lane, or isn’t in it very much, she’ll be right

Day 872 ⛅ 23 km and 2 rupees

Sat, 14 May 2022 10:51:00 +1000

Twenty-three kilometres, four beers, two rupees, one wife. Cycling is all about the numbers Discovered while getting ready that my shoes were very cold and very wet from yesterday so I hunted around and found an old pair that really should have been thrown out long ago; worn out cleats and a tear in one upper made them feel a bit like slippers, but better than cold wet feet! Warm strong winds, pleasant from behind, bit of a slog on the post-brewery ride home.

Day 871 🌧 light rain and shopping

Sat, 14 May 2022 08:35:00 +1000

Grey, quiet and damp. Lots of mushrooms sprouting in the lawns on the ride up to the shops, I don’t think I’m adventurous enough to add them to my diet. Fish, bread, return home for breakfast Light rain, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Riding 871st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 870 ⛅ friday homewards

Fri, 13 May 2022 17:14:00 +1000

The clouds finally started to lift around 4.30 … just in time for it to start getting dark as dusk arrived! A dry and surprisingly warm ride home, lots of Friday evening race-home-from-work traffic, including someone who must have done something sufficiently stupid directly in front of the police car to be pulled over, they weren’t one of the four or five drivers who immediately before had passed me very closely, so it must have been something else

Day 870 ⛅ misty morning

Fri, 13 May 2022 08:07:00 +1000

Out into a sneaky mist, very light and drifting around as I left home, gradually thickening and turning to a very light rain by the time I got to work. Unexpectedly damp by the time I got there Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 1m/s from N - by Klimat.app Riding 870th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 869 ⛅ quiet paths and busy roads

Thu, 12 May 2022 15:44:00 +1000

An afternoon ride, out to give the #PassBox some bike lane passing traffic to measure. Some good, some not so good behaviour I suspect. I wonder if I’ll get a highlights reel? Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 869th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 868 ⛅ rosstown rail trail and back

Wed, 11 May 2022 15:08:00 +1000

Off down the Rosstown rail trail for the first time in months, probably not been along it since my encounter with angry road-rager man. Included mandatory getting lost by choosing the wrong side street. Home straight along Glen Huntly road, between endless parked cars and endless slow moving traffic Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app Riding 868th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

our friend is still up to their antics, another "Barista Bros" iced coffee bottle chucked over the fence, front garden this time

Wed, 11 May 2022 12:45:00 +1000

pixelfed

Tue, 10 May 2022 17:36:21 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; the geo-fenced #escooters seem to have escaped their bayside council area

Day 867 ⛅ scotchmans not scootermans

Tue, 10 May 2022 16:50:00 +1000

Homewards creek commute along scotchmans creek trail, found a lime e-scooter dumped a long way from the nearest allowed council- I guess the geo-fencing isn’t working with thus one Scattered clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 3m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 867th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

odd harrassment phone call; private number & Indian voice again

Tue, 10 May 2022 08:08:00 +1000

Wanted something (unclear), insisted it was not a wrong number and hung up on me after saying “bye bye mummy”. That’s the third call including the abusive ones on [2022-04-30 Sat] morning

Day 867 ⛅ another chilly morning

Tue, 10 May 2022 08:07:00 +1000

Down to Clayton, up Kanooka grove hill, dodge the health-care workers as they ignore the give-way signs on the bike path, a block up Dandenong road in the contra-flow bike lane and so to work. Still haven’t met any traffic in the contra-flow bike lane so I still don’t know how well the new yellow speed-hump barrier thingy will work Scattered clouds, 7°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.

Day 866 ☀️ straight thru

Mon, 09 May 2022 16:51:00 +1000

Now here’s a route I haven’t used for a while, straight through the suburbs, pretty much a straight line home, or line of best fit when taking into account the traffic and road conditions Clear sky, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.app Riding 866th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Music from bandcamp

Mon, 09 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

photo(sphere), by photo(sphere) Digital Album $14.56NZD Subtotal: 14.56 GST (10.0%): 1.33 Total: $15.89 NZD bandcamp/ajft

Day 866 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 09 May 2022 08:07:00 +1000

Another cool morning bordering on cold, if my ride was any further I’d go for the long fingered gloves. Strangely little traffic today, I’m not sure where all the motorists were Broken clouds, 9°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 0m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app Riding 866th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Sun, 08 May 2022 16:26:22 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; scotchmans creek trail, eastlink trail, djerring trail, plus surprise #kangaroos in jells park

Day 865 ⛅ Afternoon triangle

Sun, 08 May 2022 13:54:00 +1000

Scotchmans creek trail, eastlink trail, djerring trail, plus surprise #kangaroos in jells park Oh look, the near new “park land” promised and delivered by skyrail at Noble Park is now fenced off and being dug up to turn into car-park land Broken clouds, 16°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app Riding 865th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

planted the pomegranate where the peach used to be in the front lawn; dad's corea, and 2pkts of freesia bulbs

Sun, 08 May 2022 10:30:00 +1000

a few rainy days and the latest fungi sprout up, a new type at the south-east corner of the house, hopefully not growing on house timber!

Sat, 07 May 2022 10:30:00 +1000

Day 864 🌧 Saturday shopping

Sat, 07 May 2022 07:35:00 +1000

A miserable wet looking day and a busy schedule for the rest of it meant today’s ride was a Saturday shorty – up to the shops for fresh bread and some chicken marylands for tomorrow, with a couple of tiny minor variations of streets on the way home for variety Light rain, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app Riding 864th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 863 ⛅ cold creek commute

Fri, 06 May 2022 16:13:00 +1000

Fairly normal homewards commute, the stretch along Gardiner and Forster roads were on-road today rather than the mixed-blessing that is the off-road bike path. Today’s roadworks have the bike crossing under the freeway on the western side, complete with a traffic management person directing us between a large crane and semi-trailer Been quite a few weeks since I’ve ridden on the road. There’s an on-road bike lane in Gardiner road parallel with the off-road bike path on the other side, and confusingly, signs along Forster road that say “Bicycles only” that apply to the old on-road bike lane that was removed during resurfacing months ago.

Music from bandcamp

Fri, 06 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Curve of Binding Energy, by Milford Progress Association Digital Album $5.00AUD Subtotal: 5.00 GST (10.0%): 0.50 Total: $5.50 AUD bandcamp/ajft

Day 863 ⛅ chilly commute

Fri, 06 May 2022 08:07:00 +1000

Maybe I should have worn the long sleeve jersey, it was a little bit cool this morning. Fingers complained too The contra-flow bike lane in Dandenong road now has a raised yellow divider separating the bike lane from the one-way lane, but no flags or posts to stop motorists driving over it, and no lane marking yet to stop them blocking the gap in it when they turn to merge from the service lane to the main part of the road.

one last zucchini filling out, although the plants don't seem to realise winter has arrived

Fri, 06 May 2022 08:00:00 +1000

pixelfed

Thu, 05 May 2022 16:46:49 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; today i learned that Ferndale track is Ferndale Trail, and that this set of lights won’t detect. E or the car next to me

Day 862 ⛅ trail not track

Thu, 05 May 2022 15:14:00 +1000

Well how about that, the Ferndale Track is actually the Ferndale Trail, more alliterative, but it’ll always be a track to me Thumbs down Waverley road lights, twice around a full cycle and you didn’t register me or the car beside me. Off through the red we went Few clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app Riding 862nd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 861 🌧 not the kessel run

Wed, 04 May 2022 15:05:00 +1000

The intention was to go out and do a lap of Karkarook lake before the possible light rain arrived. The reality was a face-full of icy cold rain while heading south past GSAC so I turned tail and headed back home. Of course it was leaving-school-o’clock so there were added amusements at various points as frantic SUV drivers surged about trying to collect their little darlings lest they or their cars got wet

pixelfed

Tue, 03 May 2022 17:47:28 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; stopped in for some capsicums on #mycommute

Day 860 ☀️ work2shop2home

Tue, 03 May 2022 17:02:00 +1000

Cool and peaceful along the creek, then decided on the spur of the moment to go over the Atkinson street hill rather than around and up Drummong street. Lady in a big black 4WD tried to reverse over me at the traffic lights – she drove through the red light, half through the intersection, then changed her mind and reversed back and either hadn’t checked or didn’t care that I’d moved up to the stop line behind her.

Day 860 ☀️ home2work

Tue, 03 May 2022 08:03:00 +1000

Clear sunny morning, the work crew in the contra-flow traffic lane have worked their way further down the Dandenong road service lane. Amusingly, especially given that they are working on the bike lane and COMPLETELY BLOCKING it, they only seem to have traffic management at the “upstream, car-facing end” and not the “downstream, head-on cyclist end” Clear sky, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.

Day 859 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 02 May 2022 17:00:00 +1000

Very enjoyable late afternoon commute, with currawongs calling all along the creek and lorikeets shrieking through Oakleigh as they started to roost Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app Riding 859th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 859 ⛅ home2work

Mon, 02 May 2022 08:07:00 +1000

Wow, looks as though the d’nong road svc lane “contra-flow” bike lane might finally be getting bollards to stop motorists queuing along it to turn right Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app Riding 859th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

the lawn mown, today I found and removed three blackberry seedlings in it. All about 3cm high, all under the bay tree, I guess from birds' poop

Sun, 01 May 2022 15:00:00 +1000

Day 858 ⛅ boring bay loop

Sun, 01 May 2022 14:17:00 +1000

Sunday afternoon ride down to the bay and around, nothing very interesting. Amazingly and amusingly, had some yelled abuse from a passenger on Beach road, no idea what the doppler-shifted idiot was yelling, I hope he yelled at every cyclist from Port Melbourne to Frankston and has no voice left Gave the PassBox a workout on Chesterville road and possibly on Glen Huntly road on the way home, but the cameras were going flat by then as they only get around 90minutes life

2022/0501/0314 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 01 May 2022 03:14:00 +1000

2022/0501/0254 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sun, 01 May 2022 02:54:00 +1000

Day 857 ⛅ passbox collection

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 10:24:00 +1000

Was called up a few days ago and asked if I’d like to do another two weeks with a PassBox and agreed, hopefully with more success and less hardware hassles than last time. Followed Google’s cycling directions to get to West Melbourne - definitely not cycle-friendly and lead me into some near impenetrable traffic roads with no shoulder. Lots of debris and mud from the rain overnight. Fitted the AWOL with the PassBox and both cameras, was assured that the cameras have “about 90min battery life” and the PassBox should last the week.

Day 857 post-rain shopping

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 08:08:00 +1000

35mm of rain overnight, very wet roads and big puddles. Chicken, fish and bread and home for breakfast Riding 857th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2022/0430/0524 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 05:24:00 +1000

pixelfed

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 17:35:44 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; found a #prawn on #mycommute and nearly crashed when I braked too hard on the wet path

Day 856 🌧 finders keepers

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 16:51:00 +1000

Commuting home, autumn gloom, the Cycliq Fly 12 has now started to completely fall apart and the front end with the light & camera lens has detached from the inside and rattles. Now has a bit of string tied around it to hold it together, otherwise the light goes out every time I hit a bump Not quite racing the rain, but trying to get home before it got too heavy.

Day 856 ride2work

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 08:16:00 +1000

Dull grey commute, no dogs, no errant drivers. Not bad Riding 856th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 855 🌧 grey afternoon lap

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 15:18:00 +1000

There was no rain. Dull, warm, lots of little insects in the eyes Moderate rain, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app Riding 855th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

2022/0428/0116 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 01:16:00 +1000

2022/0427/2108 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 21:08:00 +1000

2022/0427/2059 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 20:59:00 +1000

Day 854 ⛅ SE parks

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 15:35:00 +1000

Another warm late afternoon ride, not feeling like mid-Autumn at all. A meander down and around a few of the parks, not in the order I usually visit them. Attempted ankle bite from an off-leash aggressive Jack Russell, the owner thought it funny, I suspect they’d have been very upset if it had connected as I would have booted it into the lake for them to retrieve Overcast clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.

Day 853 🌧 work2home

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:11:00 +1000

Grey and dismal wintery looking, but surprisingly warm once I went outside. Not a drop of rain, so ignore any forecast below. It would be nice if just once the staff from Monash Medical Centre would give way at the give way sign and not try and run cyclists over Moderate rain, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 853rd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

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Day 853 ⛅ commute and appointment

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 08:17:00 +1000

First day back at work after a two week holiday, and a dentist appointment along the way Broken clouds, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.app Riding 853rd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Day 852 ⛅ family river ride

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 14:29:00 +1000

A warm sunny Anzac day public holiday & a family excursion up north to the river, to ride around the paths & wetlands and explore places we’ve not visited before… or if we have, many years ago A surprising number of kangaroos in the paddocks alongside the river here, together with the riverside parkland it certainly didn’t feel like you were in Melbourne any more Downstream as far as the Bourke road bridge, then back mostly the way we’d come, but with a few excursions along single track and muddy paths through the bush.

Day 851 ☀️ a bit of bay

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 14:18:00 +1000

Lazy afternoon ride down to the bay, south and home, with a coffee at the Brighton Baths Clear sky, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 3m/s from S - by Klimat.app Riding 851st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 850 ☀️ acquisition of beer

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 16:30:00 +1000

Late afternoon emergency, there is no beer in the house. A quick dash up to the bottleshop to resupply Clear sky, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app Riding 850th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 10:44:24 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; back in Melburn, riding home from the Spirit of Tasmania 1

pixelfed

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 10:43:01 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; a #toastie after riding to the #arboretum

Day 850 ⛅ home from the sea

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 07:11:00 +1000

What better way to end two weeks of holiday in Tasmania than by riding home from the ferry. We got ourselves organised on board the Spirit of Tasmania, drove out onto the street and pulled over so I could ride the rest of the way. A surprisingly straight line route once complete; along the bay to St Kilda, up Inkerman street then the Djerring trail to Oakleigh, and rejoin the family for a much-needed cafe breakfast

Day 849 ☀️ arboretum bound

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 13:59:00 +1000

Good countryside, lousy truck drivers The aboretum is great, the ham and cheese toasty a well-received late lunch, but ugh, that traffic on the road towards Spreyton. Everywhere in Tasmania I’ve seen road signs telling motorists the legal passing distance when overtaking cyclists, everywhere I’ve been I’ve (mostly) found that drivers do that and more … until today on this road. Every car driver went out wide and around me. Every truck driver did not.

pixelfed

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 17:22:38 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; 30km out and back from Scottsdale on the NE Tas #railtrail

Day 848 ☀️ N.E. Tas rail trail

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 12:21:00 +1000

After driving through Derby and not stopping for any of the MTB trails – another day, another trip – we stopped in Scottsdale and rode 15km out along the North East Tasmanian rail trail. Sadly missing in any facilities at the start, the old station building is derelict, boarded up and falling apart so if you need to get changed you either do it in the car or behind a bush.

pixelfed

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 18:15:00 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; squeezed in 10km as the sun went down, up to the next town and back

Day 847 ☀️ Scamander sundowner

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 17:24:00 +1000

We arrived in town late in the afternoon so I quickly got changed, jumped on the bike and took off to squeeze in a quick 10km before the sun went down. Just about made it, out and back with the lights on and stopping to take a few sunset photos and check out the beach – one of the more corrugated bits of dirt track I’ve met for a while

Day 846 🌧 anyone for bridge

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 16:02:00 +1000

Around Richmond, scouting for dinner locations. Feels good to be on the bike after 10km in a kayak this morning… my first paddle in 21 years! Light intensity drizzle, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 3m/s from SSE - by Klimat. Riding 846th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 17:42:42 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; Port Huon & #earworm, ;🎶 the buoys are back in town…🎶

Day 845 ⛅ doin' port huon

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 16:36:00 +1000

Another late afternoon ride at the end of a non-cycling day, snuck in another 10km or so up and down Port Huon and surrounds as the sun went down. Firstly off to the south-west, over a boardwalk and up a side road that lead towards some docks I’d seen earlier – found large piles of buoys and ropes at the side of the road and eventually a large industrial gate and various signs forbidding entry – oops, too busy looking at the river as I’d crossed the bridge and I hadn’t realised the entire area was private property of one of the fish-farming companies.

pixelfed

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 16:37:53 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; nondescript bikepath, with detours around #MONA, bits of river, and the botanic gardens. V. windy returning to get the car

Day 844 ⛅ intercity cycle way

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 11:12:00 +1000

A family ride along the rather grandly named “Intercity Cycleway”, although I’m not sure which cities it runs between, outer Hobart to inner Hobart as far as I can tell. There’s nowhere to park or get changed at the very end so we drove a block further and found a park with a toilet block, unpacked the bikes from the car and got ready Very nondescript bikepath along derelict railway and backs of industrial buildings, but with detours around #MONA, bits of river, and the botanic gardens.

pixelfed

Sat, 16 Apr 2022 16:13:47 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; creek and river and park and an extra lap of the town hall roundabout to get to 10km

Day 843 ⛅ exploring New Norfolk

Sat, 16 Apr 2022 14:37:00 +1000

Creeks and rivers and parks and an extra lap of the town hall roundabout to get to 10km We had a morning at the markets and walking around galleries and antique shops, a wonderful lunch and an exploratory family round around the town and the Derwent. Some magnificent sequoia trees in the park along the river, and great views of the cliffs on the far side Broken clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 40%, Wind 0m/s from WNW - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 17:42:53 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; one very steep driveway to Basecamp Tasmania

Day 842 🌧 BCT driveway

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 16:15:00 +1000

What a ridiculously steep driveway they have here! Lots of wallabies too With accommodation at a premium in Hobart over Good Friday and Easter Saturday, we’d stumbled on Base Camp Tasmania as a camping option in nearby New Norfolk … or rather, 10km or more out of town from New Norfolk up a country road and then UP one of the more amazing driveways I’ve ever come across. I went out for a short ride, hard on the brakes to roll down the driveway, up and down the dirt road for a bit of a look around then girding my loins, attacked the driveway for the trip back up to the camp.

pixelfed

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 17:58:39 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; a quick sunset exploration of the town

Day 841 ⛅ Bothwell explore

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 16:59:00 +1000

A late afternoon arrival at Ratho farm — accommodation for the night — meant a short ride into the town of Bothwell and a quick exploration. Found the old cemetery, a few churches, lots of old stone buildings and a roaring fire where guys from the local footy club were setting up for training. Turned down an offer to join in, off to the top of the nearest hill for a lap of the water tanks and a look around, then back to the farm as the sun was going down

pixelfed

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 17:30:14 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; family ride in to Strahan, boat cruise, ride around the bay then back and out to the ocean beach

Day 840 ⛅ how do you say strahan

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 08:17:00 +1000

Family ride to cruise, then after we returned, up to the supermarket, around the bay, and out to the ocean beach. We’d misread some of the brochures and thought it was “about 2km” to the beach, turns out what it actually said was that there was a 2km dirt road along the beach… once you got there. Nearly had a revolution on our hands as 1/3 wanted to go back, 1/3 wanted to go on, and the remaining 1/3 wasn’t convinced either way.

pixelfed

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 18:12:56 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; #rainforest, #railtrail and #gravelbike

Day 839 - Montezuma falls rail trail

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 14:06:00 +1000

Rainy in the rainforest, 5km or so out then back along the wet and slightly muddy rail trail. Plenty of old sleepers still there, so some sections were a bit lumpy, and a few simple plank bridges over small creeks that required a bit of care. Lots of fun, light drizzly rain and about 11°C. No forecast from Klimat.app for reasons unknown, but it was cold and damp, as you’d expect in a rainforest

Day 838 ⛅ A 10km of smithy

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 16:36:00 +1000

Short trundle around town after a day in the car being tassie turistas. Found an interesting dirt road leading off to the north-east around the coast but lack of time or daylight prevented too much exploration so I retraced my route back to town and around the block and up both sides of the river. Who’s cooking chippies? What’s that smell? Aha, an enormous McCains tattie chippie factory Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 5m/s from SW - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 16:41:46 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; family ride around Stanley

Day 837 ⛅ who is Stanley

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 15:03:00 +1000

An afternoon family ride to explore a bit more of Stanley and surrounds; out to the fishing wharf to look around, successfully spot a seal and unsuccessfully hunt for a geocache, then back through town and out on a loop around to Highfield, the #visitstanleytas art frame, and some great views back to the town and The Nut. We almost made it back ahead of the rain but not quite, the last block to the supermarket in a wet rainy rush, then a dash back to the caravan park after some shopping

Day 836 ⛅ filler

Sat, 09 Apr 2022 07:21:00 +1000

With a full day of travel booked in I’d been wondering when I’d get to sneak the day’s ride in, thinking it might be a block around the motel in the dark in the evening. An SMS telling us that the ferry had been delayed an hour meant I could squeeze in fifteen minutes before breakfast, so I did, up to Murrumbeena and back, pausing for a photo of a gorgeous old Citroen

pixelfed

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 10:03:35 +1000

Daily #cycling photos; ride2work, drop #garmin on concrete, swear

Day 835 ⛅ garmin smashing commute

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 08:03:00 +1000

Rode to work, put gloves & Garmin in helmet, put helmet on pannier rack and started to lock up the bike. Bike swivelled around, helmet tipped off, Garmin hit the concrete and came up with a screen full of spider-web cracks. Seems to still be working, I suspect has much lower waterproofness and may be problems with the touchscreen. Probably time for a new one Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat.

Day 834 ⛅ shopping and outing

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 16:07:00 +1000

Spare toobs for the mtb rider, some vitally important end of term chocolate, and milk for coffee. Then a cruisy ride down along Gardiners creek and home along the Djerring trail Scattered clouds, 22°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 3m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app Riding 834th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

CYCLED study, effect of bike on car roof

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 11:59:00 +1000

Realised a few days ago that for the two weeks of our Tassie holiday we’d likely to be driving most days with the bike on the roof-rack. I wonder if the bluetooth dongle will be close enough to the phone to register, so the Ethica app on the phone will think I’m riding?

Day 833 ⛅ around and back

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:20:00 +1000

Up to Caulfield then toss a coin, head north, play in traffic until it stopped being fun, then come home along the creek Saw a guy on a touring bike with full panniers and camping gear, I wonder where he was heading? Or maybe he was coming home Overcast clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app Riding 833rd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 832 ⛅ creek commute

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 16:40:00 +1000

All the “path closed” and “detour ahead” signs are still up along the bike path from Ferntree Gully road to the freeway… but just like yesterday, there bike path isn’t closed and there is no detour. Forster road is closed, but the bike path still squeezes through the building site under the freeway Scared the beejeebus out of a driver who, as per usual, ignored the Give Way signs and drove out across the bike path then stopped “for the traffic” at the edge of the road looking right.

Day 832 ⛅ short commute

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 08:05:00 +1000

Stopped and chatted to another cyclist at the level crossing as we waited for trains to pass, then she shot off ahead up through Oakleigh shops and left me wondering whether she was heading to Monash Uni. Abandoned my usual route down to Clayton and went the short way through Oakleigh & Huntingdale and had the amused satisfaction of her catching up to me at the corner of Dandenong and Clayton roads and a slightly confused “how did you get here?

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Day 831 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 16:46:00 +1000

Only had to avoid drivers ignoring Give Way signs at two of the four cross roads between Bayview & Ferntree Gully roads … there only were drivers at two of the four cross roads… Then what’s this? All the way along the bike path to the freeway there are signs warning of closures, detours, “40km/hr speed limits”. Got down to the freeway and the road is closed but the bikepath is open, so presumably those signs that are on the bikepath, hidden behind parked cars, and blocking the cyclists, are actually for the drivers on the far side of the road?

Day 831 ⛅ onwards to work

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 08:04:00 +1000

Gloomy grey clouds looming, wet roads, very light traffic. Both level crossing gates closed so use plan B, down to Okalee station and through the underpass to avoid gates one, then straight along Carinish road to avoid gates two. Avoided angry man swaggering along the wrong side of the path at Oakleigh shops, chest out, hands on hips and elbows out, sneer on his face and stepping in peoples’ way to force cyclists across to the far side to go round him.

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Jo started on pulling out the dead tomato plants but I'd injured my back, couldn't bend over, so didn't help!

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 18:00:00 +1000

Day 830 ⛅ magic carpet ride

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 13:36:00 +1000

During some household tidying this morning an old rug was uncovered… a rug that belongs to a family member and could be returned. So I did. Also forgot my phone so no photos of either it or the very pleasant amber ale from 2 Rupees on the way back Very pleasant riding along in the gentle misting rain, quietly soaking up all the sounds of a sunday afternoon, only on Blackburn road then down Westall road was there any traffic noise, everything else just a cloaking grey

picked all the remaining green tomatoes

Sat, 02 Apr 2022 14:15:00 +1100

Day 829 ⛅ saturday shopping

Sat, 02 Apr 2022 08:27:00 +1100

Not even 2km! Who cares, it counts as a day with a bike ride… under my rigorous definitions. Up ya bum to Strava people who won’t log anything less than three hours at four jigawats. Bought some very tasty looking salmon cutlets for dinner and chicken drumsticks to bake up for tomorrow, and fresh croissants for lunch Overcast clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat.

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Sat, 02 Apr 2022 08:14:00 +1100

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pixelfed

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 18:34:36 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; creek commute & a #beer at baron poath

Day 828 ⛅ work2beer2home

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 17:00:00 +1100

Not ideal sitting outside with a beer weather, bit cool, bit breezy Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat.app Riding 828th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Music from bandcamp

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Demo IV (In Serene Sorrow), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo XIV (A Shivering Scream), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo VIII (Towards Silver Smoke), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo II (A Spectral Silence), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo X (At Starlit Statues), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo VI (With Stitched Scars), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo XIII (Near Sacred Symbols), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo XII (Of Sapphire Stone), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo III (By Solitude Spellbound), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo I (The Sad Spirit), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo XV (In Sleepless Search), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo VII (Over Strongholds Snowbound), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo V (Under Somniferous Shadows), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo IX (Where Secrets Slumber), by Ghoëst Digital Album Demo XI (Through Secret Structures), by Ghoëst Digital Album Subtotal: 4.

Org mode rainfall table formula

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

This has been nagging me on and off for ages and I never got around to fixing it properly – how to correctly get the Org mode table formula to sum the monthly total and year-to-date total of my rainfall recordings. I’d been semi-automatically copy/pasting it for far too many years, but finally got around to reading fully how to reference rows, columns and specify ranges in the TBLFM:

Day 828 ☀️ ride2work

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 08:03:00 +1100

Near miss on Browns road … again. Emergency stop on the bike path crossing as yet another driver ignores the Give Way sign and drives straight across in front of me. The local population has no conception that “Give Way” signs apply to anything other than cars, and often only those that are bigger than the ones they’re driving. Then they sit there and stare quizzically at you as you yell & point at the Give Way sign, sometimes call out “Sorry so sorry” and drive off nodding

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Day 827 ⛅ windy round da burb

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:35:00 +1100

Cloudy, windy, trafficy. Not inspired, again, just like yesterday. Out for a brief spin up towards Caulfield, down along the railway railworks and zig-zag about in Carnegie The Garmin was getting distinctly troublesome after I got home, when plugged in to recharge the barest movement has it flashing from “charging” to “external power disconnected” and it took half an hour and numerous pokes & prods on both it and the Garmin app to convince it to upload the data… perhaps I’ll need to buy myself a new one for Christmas

zucchini plants are dying off, but still producing flowers

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 13:00:00 +1100

TIL: a timber pallet is approximately 1cm too wide to fit completely in the team car… and is very heavy

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 18:30:00 +1100

pixelfed

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 16:47:13 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; satellite map of karkarook lake lap

Day 826 ⛅ karkarook not babadook

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 15:40:00 +1100

Uninspired today, out for a brief lap of the lake and found an unpleasant south-westerly waiting for me. Unpleasant peak hour commuter traffic too, shame about that supposed minimum passing distance law,be nice if it was observed or enforced Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app Riding 826th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

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Day 825 ⛅ not straight home

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 16:39:00 +1100

Commute, chores, delivery, exercise, its all happening this afternoon. Very enjoyable too, under a calm grey overcast sky Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 825th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Day 825 ⛅ commutes that count

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 08:02:00 +1100

Stopped to say hello to the BN counter person counting at the spot where I’d have been counting last week if I hadn’t had COVID. Gent going for his morning walk also observed that many cyclists ignore the Djerring trail once they get to the railway level crossing and go straight down Carnish road Went for the Browns road double header at one of the car parks, two drivers, one entering and one leaving the car park, BOTH ignored the Give Way signs and kept driving across in front of me.

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Day 824 ⛅ creek ride home

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 16:41:00 +1100

The joys of the offroad bike path along Gardiners road in Notting Hill. When first built, only a year or so ago, it crossed all the side roads only a metre or so in from Gardiners road. Of course motorists ignore the Give Way to Cyclist signs and either try to run you down or queue across the bike path waiting to turn, blocking it. For the last few weeks the council has dug up all the new intersections, relocated the bike path crossing to be a car length back and requiring cyclists to do two sharp turns to zig-zag onto the crossing, then another two to get back off it to where the path is.

pixelfed

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 09:39:42 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; coffee art, onion or heart?

Day 824 ⛅ bike good, work bad

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 08:02:00 +1100

First commute for a few weeks; first COVID isolation, then COVID. Same old route, last week of day light savings so its a bit gloomy. Fuel-reduction burns in the forests to the east so there’s a haze of smoke over Melbourne choking and stinging the eyes Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app Riding 824th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

pixelfed

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 17:51:38 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; sunny Sunday, free to go out again

Day 823 ☀ bayside loop

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 14:08:00 +1100

Free at last! Covid isolation over, a warm windless sunny Sunday afternoon, time to go… off down the Djerring trail to Yarraman, follow the creek trail to Carrum, then back up bayside to Elsternwick and Glen Huntly road home. Along the way the roadworks sent me inland at Edithvale and I stumbled upon the lovely long dirt road “Longbeach trail” all the way up the back of the suburbs from Edithvale wetlands to Mordialloc.

pixelfed

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 16:39:19 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Garmin went flat as I passed 20km, so I stopped

Day 822 flat bat 20

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 15:48:00 +1100

Was intending to go for an hour or 32km or maybe 40km, but just as I passed 20km the Garmin went flat and turned off. Clearly my time was up, so I stopped Riding 822nd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

suspicious number of European wasps[1] flying in and out of the tomato patch, may need to investigate further…

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +1100

[1] European wasp

Day 821 flower power hour

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 15:14:00 +1100

Another hour on the trainer in the garden, watching a few too many European wasps fly in and out of the tomato patch. At least they stayed over there and I stayed over here, and unlike yesterday the mosquitoes stayed away Tomorrow my last day of COVID isolation Riding 821st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 16:40:49 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; rewrapped the bar tape on one bike, then rode the other on the trainer

Day 820, a score of km

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 15:37:00 +1100

Redid the bar tape on one bike, then spent half an hour on the trainer on another. Two isolated days to go Was all very disorganised today, couldn’t make up my mind whether to go for a distance or a time, then after quarter of an hour the bike moved enough to start wobbling and I had to get off and reseat everything. Then the mosquitoes discovered me, the shady patch under the trees is their favourite as well as mine

pixelfed

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 16:05:49 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; another day of #covid19 isolation on the trainer

Day 819 are we having fun yet

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 15:20:00 +1100

Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, then real bike rides can start again on Sunday. Half an hour, half an hour, half an hour onward, All in the garden from Covid. Rode (on) the R800. (with many apologies to Alfred, Lord Tennyson) Riding 819th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 16:32:27 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; on the trainer, in the garden

Day 818 perseverance perspiration and podcasts

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 14:53:00 +1100

So I went for the 40km target on the trainer today, I’m not sure if this is good for the treatment of covid-19 or not, regardless, it keeps up with my commitment to ride every day and it helps to pass the … sweaty … time. I definitely prefer a ride where the scenery changes and the breeze blows! 40.0km, anyone would think I’m following some sort of organised training plan… bwahahaha

goodreads — “There Are Other Rivers”

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

There Are Other Rivers by Alastair Humphreys My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

pixelfed

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 19:27:01 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a hot sweaty half hour on the trainer

Day 817 covid iso 6 days to go

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 15:26:00 +1100

Only half an hour today, anything over 14km will keep up my target of 100km per week, providing I can do that every day and no short slack Saturday shopping trips… The novelty has worn off, the podcast made it go faster, lordy its a hot sweaty experience though, I’m so glad when the breeze blows Riding 817th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

found a new type of caterpillar on the lemon-scented bush by the bins, long and skinny and camouflaged against the branch

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 13:15:00 +1100

pixelfed

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 16:05:09 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a +ve RAT, a week more isolation, an hour on the trainer

Day 816 you dirty RAT

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 12:58:00 +1100

Day one of covid isolation rides. Trainer goes Brrrrrrrrrrrr Rummage in the shed to unpack the trainer and set it up, find the ancient unused Garmin speed and cadence sensor and be astounded that they work. Ten minute test ride, break for lunch then an hour on the sweaty noisy thing. Discover that this means I had a 2hr 24min ride not a 70min ride. Riding 816th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

goodreads — “Old Man's War”

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

happy to see a decent sized skink between the shed and fence while mowing, clearly the cats haven't slaughtered all of them

Sat, 19 Mar 2022 11:15:00 +1100

Day 815 ⛅ shopping

Sat, 19 Mar 2022 08:46:00 +1100

Bread, fish, hot-cross buns Few clouds, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 87%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.app Riding 815th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 16:57:32 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; I’m bad, I’m bad … and I found la tour

Day 814 ⛅ like michael jackson

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 15:14:00 +1100

I’m bad, I’m bad… The pretend commute triangle with a bump on the end to make it up to 20km Broken clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.app Riding 814th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

first thing in the morning the back lawn had dozens of small parasol fungi, 15mm across, but 11am they'd all shrivelled and gone

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 11:10:00 +1100

pixelfed

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 16:58:35 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: taken in isolation… or something

Day 813 ⛅ leroy brown

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 15:30:00 +1100

Well maybe not quite that bad. Some would say this ride was insufficiently isolatory Loop around the tracks Gardiners, Anniversary, Ferndale and home via Carnegie & Djerring trail. Large thunderclouds building around overhead, only three or four spots of rain Overcast clouds, 28°C, Feels like 29°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 3m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Riding 813th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

pixelfed

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 16:33:12 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, lap of lake and lost in the burns

Day 812 ⛅ a very naughty boy

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 15:07:00 +1100

Isolating from the family, down around the lake, up and through the ‘burbs The bike lane at the end of Greenvale Ct is spectacularly well hidden; narrow, behind a pole, and with the “shared path” sign 3m up hidden in a bush Overcast clouds, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 1m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app Riding 812th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

we're getting towards the end of the tomatoes, I picked a few handfuls today and the rest will be in a race against the warm weather

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 08:15:00 +1100

the zucchini have nearly finished, there are around seven finger-sized ones still growing, about the same number smaller, yellow and starting to rot

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 18:15:00 +1100

Day 811 ⛅ RAT says go home

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 11:44:00 +1100

So, it would appear that we are now a “close household contact” according to Mr RAT. Better pack up & head home from work, lest my cow-orkers start dancing around me pointing & chanting “unclean, unclean” A midday version of the creek commute, still warm & humid, but not as humid as this morning Overcast clouds, 26°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Riding 811th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Ouch, coffee gone up from $4.00 a cup last year, $4.50 in January, $4.75 now

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 09:34:00 +1100

Day 811 ⛅ humidity goes up to 11

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 08:03:00 +1100

One of the more unusual idiot motorists today, a hoon in a black Ford Territory went flying past the house along the Djerring trail, off through Galbally reserve dodging the dog walkers, joggers, commuters & kids riding to school, cut across the parkland and drove out onto Arthur street before disappearing up Poath road. We really could do with those bollards down at the Warrigal road end! Tried to catch up to get the rego but it was going too fast and had too much of a head start

pixelfed

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 17:25:30 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: a bayside loop on labour day

Day 810 ⛅ long weekend monday

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 13:43:00 +1100

Making the most of a long weekend when we shouldn’t have been in Melbourne… but restricted to home due to illness in the family Off down south to the bay and follow it around to Mordialloc, then toss a coin and decide to turn around and ride the bayside path all the way back to St Kilda. Lovely tail wind most of the way back up the bay, I almost didn’t notice it … until turning into it for the last stretch home inland from St Kilda, up Inkerman street and back along the Djerring trail.

after a few days of only finding a single strand or not even that, this morning the orb spider's web is back in all its glory

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 08:45:00 +1100

pixelfed

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 17:26:50 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; jot Sunday afternoon out and about

Day 809 ☀️ jells and beyond

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 14:08:00 +1100

Scotchmans creek trail to Jells park then north up Dandenong creek trail to the Eastlink freeway, follow the trail alongside to Koomba park then explore the wetlands by boardwalk. Another short section of bike path then a single long session straight along Highbury road rolling up and down across Glen Waverley & Mount Waverley. Gardiners Creek trail, Anniversary trail, Ferndale Track, more Gardiners Creek trail then a repeat of yesterday – south down Glennferrie road and home along Neerim road

Day 808 ☀️ autumn afternoon

Sat, 12 Mar 2022 13:50:00 +1100

Wasn’t meant to be in Melbourne this weekend, but the family has a plague – not the plague though – so they’re on the couch and I’m out riding Down to St Kilda and around to Port Melbourne, back in to the city along the light rail bike path. Pick my way through Southbank behind another couple of cyclists, 10km/hr max. yes sir certainly sir. Over the river and whoops, accidentally found a Moomba festival.

lemon tree along the fence isn't looking well, pale small leaves and dropped a lot of them, much smaller than the lime & orange trees

Sat, 12 Mar 2022 08:45:00 +1100

pixelfed

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:03:55 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: commute along the creek, loop around Carnegie and Murrumbeena, #beer with Baron P Oath and home

Day 807 ⛅ ride and beer

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 16:51:00 +1100

Slightly extended homewards commute, along Scotchmans creek for a while then cut through to Gardiners creek and ride along the hidden bit of suburb between Holmesglen station and the golf course. Tighten the helmet straps and ride across the golf course, then south to Carnegie & back to Bar on Poath for a beer as the sun starts to set Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Day 807 ⛅ ride2work

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 08:14:00 +1100

Amazing, didn’t have to stop at the level crossing gates. One of three day’s commutes where I used the Djerring trail through Clayton, the other two I’ve gone straight down Carinish road to avoid the wait Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 89%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.app Riding 807th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin/ Strava / ridewithgps

Day 806 ⛅ park your nobles here

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 15:44:00 +1100

Down to Noble Park along the Djerring trail, up through the back streets and home along Dandenong road. No nobles to be seen, parked or mobile Few clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat.app Riding 806th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 17:09:21 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; scotchmans creek path, assorted backstreets, some ugly main roads

Day 805 ☀️ assorted waverleys

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 15:25:00 +1100

Mount Waverley, Glen Waverley, then Glen Waverley railway bike path and Waverley road I even snuck in a quick espresso & Portuguese tart at the tiny newish bike shop & coffee shop opposite Jordanville station, probably about a 7/10, a bit pricey for what and where it was Clear sky, 22°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.app Riding 805th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Day 804 ⛅ creek commute

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 16:43:00 +1100

Boring ordinary creek commute, no variations, no detours Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 804th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 804 ⛅ cool grey commute

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 08:02:00 +1100

Djerring trail level crossing closed again, straight down the road again, much easier than waiting. Also means I avoid the full length of Kanooka grove hill by wriggling up past the hospital… on the downside it means dealing with primary school drop off traffic and scary hospital worker traffic, I swear some days that they’re trying to drum up business for the emergency ward Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat.

the orb spider still spins her web most nights, but the wind and rain destroy most of it by morning

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 08:01:00 +1100

pixelfed

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 21:09:56 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; through the wetlands and listen to the #frogs

Day 803 ⛅ froggy creek commute

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 16:40:00 +1100

Cut the corner on going under the freeway and back along the creek path by using Hardner road, explored two semi-industrial dead ends and crossed the next main road semi-illegally – is ok for pedestrians, perhaps not when riding. Back down to the creek and around the Huntingdale wetlands, the POCK-POCK-POCK! frogs were going off, the rain over the weekend must have livened them up Up through Oakleigh, a couple of speeding close passes in Drummond street between primary school and shops, then side streets and home, watching the local naughty boys putting half bricks in the railway lines to make loud bangs as the trains hit them (the bricks, not the naughty boys)

goodreads — “The Phoenix and the Carpet”

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The Phoenix and the Carpet by E. Nesbit My rating: 4 of 5 stars Strange, like Five Children & It. Not sure what I was expecting since all I’d ever heard of Nesbit was as the author of the Railway Children so when I saw these two in a roadside library I picked them up View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.

Day 803 ⛅ ride2work

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 08:02:00 +1100

Sunny, windless and cool, a perfect early autumn morning The Djerring trail level crossing installed by the Level Crossing Removal Authority was closed so I didn’t bother waiting, exited the bike path and rode the rest of the way through Clayton on the road – how to make a bike path, aussie lessons 101, what’s the bet the locals complain about cyclists ignoring ’the perfectly good bike path’ now that the 10 minute timetable has more frequent trains closing the crossing

Day 802 ⛅ a short shopping

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 11:30:00 +1100

Partially successful shopping. LBS now closed on Sunday due to covid staffing, but we got to chadstone and found fluffy slippers, a sloth doona cover, and a cheap pillow case for cooking Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.app Riding 802nd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 801 🌧 soggy shopping

Sat, 05 Mar 2022 07:44:00 +1100

49mm overnight and a light drizzle now. A very damp and dull ride up to get the morning bread, hot-cross buns, and salmon for dinner Light rain, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 92%, Wind 2m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app Riding 801st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 19:21:01 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: 800 days in a row riding a #bicycle, inconceivable! Stormy dark skies, stopped in for a #beer or two

Day 800 🌧 Friday commute and beer

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 16:40:00 +1100

Busy day at work, wind down riding home along the creek, stop in for a beer or two at Bar on Poath. Along the way I took a few photos of the bike path reconstruction that’s happening at each intersection on Gardiners road, I’ll try and work out what they’re doing Dark clouds and the build up of a thunderstorm, there were a few spots of rain but it still hadn’t arrived by the time I got home

Day 800 ⛅ to work

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 08:05:00 +1100

Woohoo, 800 days in a row riding the bike. How stupid is that? Nothing much of note, down the bike path, up through Clayton. A driver attempted an extra degree of difficulty manoeuvre, drove across the bike path into the hospital car park, then changed their mind and reversed back without looking, through the give way sign and across in front of me. Browns road, Clayton, of course Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 16:57:11 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; down to the lake, around the block, back through the traffic

Day 799 ☀️ south to karkarook

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 15:44:00 +1100

Trying to work out the kinks after a day of working from home and moving a fridge yesterday. Slow and sore, and hot and dusty. Down to Karkarook lake and around the bush block. It’ll be such as shame when it gets bulldozed, fenced off, and concreted over for the railyards, especially after all those years of promising local residents it would remain recreation space. The homeward leg was an ugly mix of trafficed roads

finally rid of the old fridge!

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 21:00:00 +1100

Yay, Jo put it back on gumtree last week, now that uni is back and sold it to a student who is living in a flat down on Warrigal road. No car so we took it down there for them, after wrestling it through the house, down the steps, across the garden and into the car… where it fitted, amazingly. (approx. 70x70x170cm)

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Wed, 02 Mar 2022 16:55:00 +1100

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Day 798 ⛅ africa legend

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 15:41:00 +1100

Is there anything sillier than Strava’s “local legends”, especially when you get them on your first ride somewhere? At least this was for going four times around … but in a whole 90 days! Very humid again today, riding along the paths under the gum trees there’s a very strong bushland smell Broken clouds, 27°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app Riding 798th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

Picking up a fallen lime I spotted a black and white caterpillar on the lime tree

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +1100

We’ve seen a few of the large black and white orchard butterflies around, I took a photo and checked up the picture online, seems to be a Dainty Swallowtail (Papilio anactus)

Day 797 🌧 humid creek commute

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 16:38:00 +1100

Impeccable timing; after watching in horror as a torrential storm pounded down on the windows, I waited ten minutes and left work to damp roads, strong smell of eucalyptus bark and leaves, very high humidity but no rain! Still have no idea what’s happening with the roadworks and rebuilding of the intersections of bike path and roads along Gardiner road, but it was too hot and sticky to stop and take any photos.

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Tue, 01 Mar 2022 10:41:00 +1100

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pixelfed

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 07:46:47 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; counting cyclists for annual bn survey

Day 797 🌧 supertuesday counting

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 06:42:00 +1100

An early start to get down to my allotted corner; Westminster & Edward streets, for the annual “SuperTuesday” rider survey for Bicycle Network. Very light intermittent drizzle, just enough to make the paper damp and bring out the sticky irritating flies! Grand total of 84 cyclists; 18 female and 66 male, 27 heading towards the city, 57 outbound. That doesn’t include me – I arrived before and left after the count times, although I guess I could have ridden up the road and back a few times and counted myself if I really wanted

The orb spider got me – I didn't see her in the dark

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 06:40:00 +1100

Going out early on the bike, still dark as I walked down the garden and I must have broken some of her web to get the bike. Coming back I was closer to the plum tree and just as I saw her hanging in the remnants at about thigh height I walked into it… and her. Nothing quite like the feel of sticky spider web and a large orb spider running down your leg to get the adrenalin flowing first thing in the morning

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Tue, 01 Mar 2022 04:15:00 +1100

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Tue, 01 Mar 2022 02:26:00 +1100

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Mon, 28 Feb 2022 21:17:00 +1100

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Day of the grey butcherbird[1]

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 16:50:00 +1100

Breakfast this morning and we could here them calling constantly, at least a pair, possibly more. Back and forth between different outposts a few trees one side or the other of the house. Then leaving work this afternoon what did I hear? Another pair in the gum trees around the university calling back and forth to each other [1] Grey butcherbird

Day 796 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 16:03:00 +1100

Home via Scotchmans creek trail, after first riding north out of Monash Uni along the bike path beside Gardiner and Forster roads. Drivers crossing the path have been a hazard since the path was built, there are Give Way signs, but the majority of drivers ignore them and intimidate cyclists out of the way … or hit them. Last couple of weeks there’s been roadworks here “to make things safer”, its not yet clear what’s being done but it looks at first glance that the cyclists are being forced to zig-zag further up the side roads, either to slow them down (20km/hr cyclists being endangered by 50km/hr motorists now reduced to 15km/hr cyclists being endangered by 50km/hr motorists), or possibly to give the drivers more room to stop after the bike path but before turning into Gardiners road.

Music from bandcamp

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000

My Arms Are Hollow Tubes, by Barnaby Oliver Digital Album $15.00NZD Subtotal: 15.00 GST (10.0%): 1.33 Total: $16.33 NZD bandcamp/ajft

Day 796 🌧 ride2work

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 08:03:00 +1100

Haha! Not this morning mr truck driver, I can see you rolling straight through that Give Way sign and I’ll not let you drive over me. I’ll just stop and stand here giving you the slow hand clap. You’ll have to try again tomorrow. Browns road, Clayton, again…. The new signalling on the Dandenong line is in operation now, the trains now run every ten minutes. Great for train commuters, not so good for the cyclists, since in their infinite wisdom the Level Crossing Removal Authority installed a level crossing on the bike path in Clayton, and most riders also use the pedestrian crossing in Hughesdale.

both jade trees are growing well – for the first year ever we've had them on drippers through the summer and it really shows!

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 18:30:00 +1100

Day 795 ⛅ roadworks and railworks

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 13:44:00 +1100

A brief ride up to the station to wave my phone at the card reader and “tap off” – my phone went flat on the train ride earlier and if I didn’t recharge it and get back to the station I’d be charged a day ticket rather than a 2hr ticket. Then off up towards Caulfield and an encounter with numerous bits of roadworks and railworks, presumably all to do with the impending level crossing removals at Neerim and Glen Huntly roads.

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Sat, 26 Feb 2022 19:07:00 +1100

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Sat, 26 Feb 2022 18:42:00 +1100

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Filled the green waste bin to the brim with lawn clippings and feral weedy grass… again

Sat, 26 Feb 2022 14:24:00 +1100

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Day 794 ⛅ just the shopping

Sat, 26 Feb 2022 08:03:00 +1100

Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat.app Riding 794th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Sat, 26 Feb 2022 01:01:00 +1100

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Day 793 ☀️ beer and pizza

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 19:06:00 +1100

Third ride of the day, off down to Kaiju cantina for a beer and a pizza for Friday night dinner. Busy and a bit noisy, but very very tasty. If it hadn’t been for an earlier beer elsewhere there may have been some others sampled from their selection Very enjoyable family jaunt there and back along the Djerring trail, home as the sun was setting, with two of the three members of the family indulging in some Friday evening bike path sprints on the way home – I was the sensible one

Day 793 ⛅ commute with added bmw

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 19:06:00 +1100

Damn. Thought the BMW SUV slowing for the bike path was due to the give way sign, nope, slowing for the speedhump so he didn’t damage his precious. By the time I realised I was stopped, but half a metre onto the crossing and THUMP, took out my front wheel and tipped me over into the very itchy grass. “So sorry, oh sorry, my kid was crying in the back”.

Day 793 ⛅ work2beer2home

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:05:00 +1100

The intention had been to leave to work and ride to Kaiju Cantina in Huntingdale for an afterwork beer, join the family and have pizza. The plan did not survive contact with the enemy – Friday – so I was forced, forced I say, to go to Wines on Poath for a beer after work with friends before going home to go back out and have the beer and pizza later

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Fri, 25 Feb 2022 01:04:00 +1100

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Day 792 ⛅ joined up loops

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 15:45:00 +1100

Another variation combining Gardiners Creek trail, Anniversary trail, Ferndale track and the Djerring trail. A sort of figure eight, north to the creek and half-way up the Anniversary trail, then back down and clockwise around the Africa-shaped bit. On the second time around turn off at East Malvern station and south to Carnegie, dodge the illegally parked cars in Koornang road and home along the Djerring trail Broken clouds, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat.

Day 791 ☀️ bayside

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 15:26:00 +1100

Long afternoon break before evening work. Down to the bay, up the bay, inland home. Low tide, high temperature, still air and stinky smells coming from the weeds. Lots of people on the beaches and big thunderclouds building up over to the west, maybe there’ll be a thunderstorm later Clear sky, 32°C, Feels like 33°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 791st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

pulled out the mysterious plant growing through the brick pavers near the back door, relocated it down near the shed

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 13:30:00 +1100

Day 790 ☀️ commute home with extra

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 16:37:00 +1100

The creek commute home, but I kept going for a suburb or two, on to the station at East Malvern and then around and south to Carnegie and home along the Djerring trail. Five cars parked in the no-standing zone in Koornang road, Glen Eira council should take the signs away, they have zero intention of ever enforcing them, I think there’s been cars parked here every day for the past three years whenever I go past in the afternoons

goodreads — “Dune”

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Dune by Frank Herbert My rating: 4 of 5 stars Can remember first reading this when I was about 15, staying up all night and finishing it around 4am. Not quite so gripping on a subsequent read, but held up well. Amused to see on line one of page one that the publisher has managed to make a typo and misspell Arrakis as Arrauis View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm…

Day 790 ☀️ half ugly commute

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 08:03:00 +1100

Every six months or so I ride the bike path along North road to remind myself just how bad it is. Today was that day and its still just as bad. Worse actually, as there’s been zero maintenance since it was built ten or more years ago and half the concrete slabs have lifted, cracked and moved, while the rest of it is covered in gum nuts and debris or overgrown with grass

Day 789 ☀️ creek commute

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 17:05:00 +1100

Preferred homeward commute, north up to the creek then downstream on Scotchmans creek bike path and a last stretch through Oakleigh. Only one near miss at the side streets crossing the bike lane, perhaps that’s because there was only one with a car on it as I approached, so only one driver to ignore one Give Way sign. Busy along the creek path at the tunnel under the freeway, three guys spraying graffiti on the walls, one on lookout and another taking photos of their artwork, at least they were in the drain tunnel and not the bike path tunnel this time

glorious NBN scam phone call

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 14:22:00 +1100

NBN: Hello sir I am calling from the NBN me: Oh hi there NBN: How are you enjoying your NBN, are you having any problems? me: Well yes, just a few, get a few calls from scammers you know NBN: Oh yes, and what do they ask you? me: Well they say they’re from the NBN and they ask me if I’m having any problems NBN: Oh, and do they tell you to FUCK OFF … click

Day 789 ⛅ Monday commute

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 08:07:00 +1100

First day back in the office since the start of January, first day of O-week and we’re all supposedly sufficiently vaccinated with low case numbers that its safe to return. Have I got everything? Clothes, d-lock, new work shoes, lunch, the bag weighs a tonne so anything I haven’t got can come in tomorrow Down the Djerring trail to Clayton and up the Kanooka grove hill. Is there a hint of autumn in the air?

Almost a dozen finger-size zucchini, but they just won't get any bigger, either needs more water or compost

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 07:45:00 +1100

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Sun, 20 Feb 2022 20:53:31 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Moama Murray meander and riverboats festival

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Sun, 20 Feb 2022 20:50:30 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; morning explore along the Murray and across to riverboats festival

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Sun, 20 Feb 2022 20:48:24 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; short evening ride from motel to riverboats music festival

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Sun, 20 Feb 2022 20:46:29 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; coming home with two well-balanced #coffee cups

plenty of tomatoes ripened over the weekend, the zucchini stubbornly refuse to get any bigger

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 18:30:00 +1100

Day 788 ⛅ Moama explore

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 10:07:00 +1100

A slightly more structured exploration ride this morning, followed by coffee in town and the final afternoon at the Riverboats Music festival Off to the east and turn off to get to the river, everywhere we go seems to be a rabbit warren of dirt tracks and no through roads that take you to picnic spots or boat ramps. Unclear at times where one part of public access land ends and private property begins, we found ourselves at one time at the gate of a large resort so turned around and rode down to the riverbank the other way, then followed the path along the bank – straight through the preparations for a wedding, the path went between pulpit and pews!

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Three or four small parrots flew up in the red gum

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:31:00 +1100

Blue winged parrots[1] I think, first time I’ve seen them here (Echuca, Vic) [1] Blue-winged parrot

Day 787 ☀️ Moama Echuca meandering

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 09:37:00 +1100

Out at around 9.30, home at nearly midnight and covered a whopping 14.4km! A bit of a morning exploration from the motel around Moama, then over the border to Echuca and off along the riverbank to checkout the new bridge over the Murray… due to be opened in a few months. Back into town to catch up with friends over brunch, then the afternoon and evening at the Riverboats Music festival and a sleepy-eyed near-midnight ride back into NSW at the end of the day

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Day 786 ☀️ riverboats festival

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 19:23:00 +1100

Huge ride; NSW to Vic and back. From the motel to the Riverboats Music festival and return Clear sky, 24°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 40%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.app Riding 786th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Day 786 ⛅ A B C D E F G...sac

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 08:20:00 +1100

Accompanying number one on the morning ride to GSAC for the school swimming carnival, as the route was unfamiliar. Left home at 8.20 for 9am mustering, didn’t realise I was behind a school-commute time trial specialist and got there well ahead of schedule Snuck a Temperance Society coffee in on the way home and carefully rode home with two coffees wedged between bungy-chords on the front rack Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 3m/s from W - by Klimat.

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Day 785 ☀️ variation on a theme

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 15:55:00 +1100

A different route, much the same time and distance, and through a few favourite parks along the way. Saw my friend the Glen Iris wetlands turtle Clear sky, 24°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 785th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Wed, 16 Feb 2022 17:28:48 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a quick spin up and around the racecourse on the #fixie

Day 784 ⛅ Caulfield quicky

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 16:16:00 +1100

I was just about to go out for a ride at 3.45 when I got a call to collect number one from school, the puncture fairy had visited and the front tyre was flat. Twenty minutes later home again and out on the fixie for a quick spin up to Caulfield on the Djerring trail, around the racecourse and home along Glen Huntly road Overcast clouds, 22°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

lunchtime garden visitor – a Grey butcherbird[1] on the back deck

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 12:35:00 +1100

We often hear them calling in the trees around the park but don’t see them much, a bit of a surprise when I walked into the kitchen at lunchtime to see one suddenly fly up off the back deck. I think it was collecting spiders or insects from all the webs when I started it, then flew up into the plum tree and watched me for a minute or so then flew off across the neighbour’s garden when I went outside for a better look

autumn crocuses have started to sprout in a pot, almost growing as we watched them today. 5mm this morning, 15mm this evening

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 18:30:00 +1100

Day 783 ⛅ dentist

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 08:17:00 +1100

Morning dental appointment for a delayed-by-covid-lockdown checkup Gloomy and grey, starting to feel like autumn this morning Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 82%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.app Riding 783rd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 17:33:19 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Sacred kingfisher at phonecam limit, near Karkarook lake

Day 782 ☀️ lakeside loop

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:53:00 +1100

Down to the lake, around the lake, around the gravelly block, back home again. Stopped at one spot to try and take a photo of a Sacred Kingfisher, but too distant for the phone cam. No horses today, but along the way I did meet other road users, the angry & the relaxed Mr angry in his van didn’t like the lack of room between me and the next car over on South road so blasted through the gap, then gave me the finger due to the loud noise as my forearm hit the side panel.

pixelfed

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 19:03:02 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; #selfie with a #beer after a hot windy ride

Day 781 ⛅ hot windy Sunday

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 13:59:00 +1100

Probably the worst time of day to go out for a ride, all the sensible people go in the cool of the morning, me, I wait for the hottest, driest, dustiest time for my afternoon outing. Still, it has to be done… Followed the Scotchmans creek trail off through Mount Waverley and for once I managed to spot all the road signs and follow it the full length to Jells Park, even finding a new cafe somewhere along the route.

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Sat, 12 Feb 2022 18:40:40 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: a bit of an adventure along the O’Shannassy aqueduct, lunch in Warburton and back on the #railtrail

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Day 780 ☀️ aqueduct and rail trail

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 11:15:00 +1100

Bit more of an adventure than anticipated! The climb up from Woori Yallock to join the aqueduct trail is barely walkable, let alone pushing the bikes, at least for us. Thankfully the trail along the aqueduct is mostly flat and very enjoyable in the forest. Took much longer than expected, so a late lunch in Warburton then an icecream and a rest by the river before taking the rail trail back to the car

Day 780 ⛅ shopping

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 07:45:00 +1100

Fish and bread, yay, the bike hoops have been reinstated at Oakleigh Central after the repaving. Parking for several hundred cars and at this door, two bike hoops

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Fri, 11 Feb 2022 18:03:27 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: a lap and a #beer

Day 779 ⛅ Friday, beer o'clock

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 15:57:00 +1100

Through the suburbs, up the hill, down through the park, up through the other park, back along the bike path and stop for a beer Scattered clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 3m/s from SE - by Klimat.app Riding 779th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Friday morning, house to myself, finally opened the Hawkwind box set and put all six CDs in the player and hit play

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 10:15:00 +1100

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Day 778 ⛅ two loops

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 15:54:00 +1100

Africa and suburbia, its still novel enough that I get a giggle at the name of that loop and strava segment. Phew, something in the ponds in the golf course is particularly foetid a the moment. On the way home was tempted to stop for a beer, but went home and back to work instead, aren’t I virtuous!

pixelfed

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:06:45 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; half hour on the velodrome on the #fixie, then two cheeky clockwise laps to “unwind” … because I could

Day 777 ⛅ loop da loop

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:55:00 +1100

Over to Packer Park and half an hour on the fixie on the velodrome. Then, because I had it all to myself, a couple of laps the wrong way, just because I could… and to see if there’s a strava segment for going against the flow. Of course there is! Almost as fast around clockwise as I was anti-clockwise, but it did seem very weird at the time Broken clouds, 29°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 40%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

Day 776 ☀️ commutish and around

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 15:44:00 +1100

Down the Djerring trail to Clayton then up through Monash Uni and out north. Forster road to join the Scotchmans creek trail and half-way through Mount Waverley then up Lawrence drive… and emergency stop to avoid large white SUV whose driver decides to turn right while heading at me. City-wards along the Glen Waverley rail path then south to Murrumbeena, yet again watching motorists drive through the red lights at the Djerring trail crossing – this time two stopped, but the driver behind leant on the horn until they drove through the red to get to the Neerim road lights a mere 15m further up the road! Street lighting from Murrumbeena road to Rosella street is still on 24x7 and has been since the Djerring trail was opened… in September 2018!

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Mon, 07 Feb 2022 17:19:53 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Djerring trail, Inkerman st, some Elwood and home up Glen Huntly rd

Day 775 ☀️ nearly to the bay

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 15:51:00 +1100

Westwards on the Djerring trail, through some unpleasant roadworks and temporary lane setups at Caulfield station then Inkerman st to the bay, some St Kilda nd Elwood and home up Glen Huntly rd Clear sky, 28°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 37%, Wind 1m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app Riding 775th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Sun, 06 Feb 2022 17:18:18 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: north, then around river and creek

Day 774 ☀️ Northern Explorer

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 14:15:00 +1100

Almost straight north up the Anniversary trail to Deepdene, then explore some places I’ve not visited, or not visited for a very long time. River flats and paths along the Yarra and through some of the hilly suburbs over to Darebin creek, then back down the creek, across the yarra, rejoin the Anniversary trail and homewards Clear sky, 27°C, Feels like 27°C, Humidity 42%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

moving the garden hose reel to wash the car, we found a pair of Marbled geckos[1] living in the coils

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 10:30:00 +1100

[1] Marbled gecko

a much needed mow of the lawns and half an hour of battling the long grass edging

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 17:30:00 +1100

Day 773 ☀️ djerring to Carrum and back

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 12:49:00 +1100

The ride we’d intended to do some months ago that was cancelled by plumbing; me ride to Yarraman, family drive there and meet up , then all ride along the Dandenong creek 0ath to Carrum. The homeward trip the same but reversed.

goodreads — “Five Children and It”

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit My rating: 3 of 5 stars Distinctly strange View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 773 ☀️ garmin killing shopping

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 07:49:00 +1100

USB cable was jammed in the Garmin this morning, needed major force to unplug. It may have just had its last ever charge… we shall see

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Fri, 04 Feb 2022 17:55:31 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a lake, some parks, then home along the #djerringtrail

Day 772 ☀️ karkarooking

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 15:39:00 +1100

West to Carnegie along the Djerring trail then the long way around to Karkarook lake. A little unpleasantness riding south on Tucker road, there always is, the council has built the most useless bike lane that you can’t ride in due to parked cars, but the motorists driving past will deliberately hook you or pass too close because you’re “not in the bike lane”. Around the lake, off down the gravel paths then back up through Clayton meandering through Bald Hills reserve and Namitjira park.

The wildlife

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 17:10:00 +1100

Do I restart the Gemini blog I had (or have)? A few notes from here and there, but no entries for most of Jan. Yes or no? I would prefer to publish it from Org mode so I can write entries remotely

Day 771 ⛅ a little shopping

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 16:00:00 +1100

Grey cool day, short ride to chadstone for new shoes

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Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:41:01 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a lap of the tracks on a cool afternoon

Day 770 ⛅ around again

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:36:00 +1100

The well worn route, although I made the mistake of leaving home to hit all the school pick-up traffic on day two of term. Through the suburbs to Gardiners creek, north to the Anniversary trail, down Ferndale track to the Glen Iris wetlands, south through Hedgeley Dene and suburbs then home along the Djerring trail. Surprisingly cool and breezy, very different to the last few hot days. Lots of gravel & mulch washed around on the paths after last weekend’s rain

Wildlife for [2022-02-02 Wed]

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 13:00:00 +1100

Pausing to open the gate in the front garden when I was nearly collected by a juvenile magpie[1] that flew down and perched on the fence within arm’s reach. Someone nearby must be feeding it, completely fearless as it hopped around and took pieces of bread and cheese from my fingers, although it did keep one eye on the cat… as did we [1] Australian magpie

Day 769 ⛅ djerring south-east

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 15:50:00 +1100

Headwind both ways, how does that work? Road works both ways too, but I was expecting them on the way back. Smoke and firecracker shells at Springvale, incense blowing across the path

Wildlife for [2022-01-31 Mon]

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 21:30:00 +1100

Walking down the garden late at night, trying to find the cat that had decided it was too hot to come inside. A flicker of movement infront of me at around thigh height and I stopped just in time. The very large orb spider was busy building her web across the garden path, from plum tree to vegetable garden to outdoor chair – perhaps with a view to catching pedestrians

pixelfed

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 17:17:59 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; back in #Melbourne, sweaty

Day 768 ⛅ hot humid bayside

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:19:00 +1100

Sweating like Nadal, what a very humid day. No cooling breeze off the bay, just an annoying headwind! Foolishly came back through Hampton at leaving-school o’clock, so much thick traffic, mostly made of thick SUVs that take up all of one lane and half the bike lane. Zero chance of a metre passing, 20cm if lucky Few clouds, 31°C, Feels like 34°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 08:05:46 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; out and back on Lake road before breakfast

Weereewa wildlife for [2022-01-30 Sun]

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 07:27:00 +1100

Early morning ride. Flocks of Eastern Rosellas[1], some crimson[2] too. Magpies[3]. The grebe[4] nest nearest the road now has 2 eggs. An unidentified hawk or harrier. One swamp wallaby[5] up on the escarpment and later a few mobs of roos[6]. Thick clouds of little flies and a few dragonflies, the rest waiting for more sun. Rabbits zoom across the road, some very close. [1] Eastern rosella [2] Crimson rosella [3] Australian magpie [4] Australasian grebe [5] Swamp wallaby [6] Eastern grey kangaroo

Day 767 ⛅ early lake road

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 06:53:00 +1100

Out before breakfast this morning, up to the end of Lake road and back Flocks of Eastern Rosellas, some Crimson rosellas too. Lots of Magpies. The grebe nest nearest the road in the flooded paddock now has 2 eggs. An unidentified hawk or harrier. One swamp wallaby up on the escarpment and later a few mobs of roos. Thick clouds of little flies and a few dragonflies, the rest waiting for more sun.

Day 766 ⛅ intra-family visit

Sat, 29 Jan 2022 08:59:00 +1100

Bungendore to Yass River road for a family visit, bacon and eggs for breakfast then out the door, turn right and straight up Smiths gap. Ugh

Tomorrow was Thursday

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 11:28:00 +1100

An accidental statement from Cam, but a good name for a book

pixelfed

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 09:08:27 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; gidleigh lane and a post-ride #cappuccino

Day 765 ☀️ gidleigh explore

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 07:13:00 +1100

To Bungendore and off south towards hoskinstown, then turn off to explore Gidleigh lane until I got to Butmaroo lane, turn around and retrace the route home - stopping for coffee at Gunna Doo bakery Clear sky, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 93%, Wind 1m/s from NE - by Klimat.app Riding 765th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Thu, 27 Jan 2022 17:59:53 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; in to Bungendore and explore, then home

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Thu, 27 Jan 2022 17:58:51 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, 10km out and back on Lake road

Day 764 ⛅ Bungendoring

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 16:47:00 +1100

In to town, around and about and explore some streets and lanes I’ve never seen before, mostly around the older parts of town Broken clouds, 28°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app Riding 764th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 763 ☀️ post drive leg stretch

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 18:32:00 +1100

After a 5hr drive to Bungendore, a little evening leg stretch - 5km out along Lake Rd, dragonflies and insects everywhere, Weereewa near overflowing. Clear sky, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 5m/s from E - by Klimat.app Riding 763rd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

pixelfed

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 19:33:53 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; 20km out towards Harrietville then hurry home ahead of the #storm

Day 762 ⛅ storm chaser

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 16:18:00 +1100

Out for a later afternoon ride, the storm clouds building. Decided to try the “Back Germantown road” and follow it to wherever it goes. Earlier today google maps had indicated that the route to Mount Hotham went this way… but I don’t believe it. Started as a sealed country lane, then dirt, then narrower dirt and climbed off into the hills… after about 10km I decided that it was late in the day, I was heading for a very large very black thunderstorm, and I had no idea where the road really went, so I turned around and headed back to Bright.

Day 762 ⛅ storm chaser

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 16:18:00 +1100

Wildlife for [2022-01-25 Tue]

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 08:29:00 +1100

Yesterday. Sacred kingfisher[1] on the ride to Harrietville, second I’ve seen this trip. Saw one up on tawonga gap on Saturday Gang-gang[2] cockies In pairs creaking around in the trees, a small flock of king parrots[3], kookaburras[4] most mornings starting at dawn. Magpies[5] all around and I think I just saw a small flock of bowerbirds [1] Sacred kingfisher [2] Gang-gang [3] King parrot [4] Laughing kookaburra [5] Australian magpie

Day 761 ⛅ swimming holes

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 14:52:00 +1100

Supposed to be a lazy afternoon at a waterhole along the Ovens river, ended up being me riding up and down the river far too many times trying to locate kids who were pushing the boundaries of how far downstream they could go on assorted inflatables. River currents around snags and rocks got unpredictable and a few people got more than they bargained for. Came home with the same number of people we set out with, so all ok

pixelfed

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 11:47:27 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; group ride with friends to Harrietville on the new bike path

Day 761 ⛅ Harrietville social ride

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 07:33:00 +1100

Ow ow ow, my bum is sore. Temporary Giant saddle, your days are numbered. Excellent coffee at Dolly caravan in H’ville Overcast clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 0m/s from W - by Klimat.app Riding 761st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

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Wildlife for [2022-01-23 Sun]

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 15:46:00 +1100

Hot afternoon, not the hottest its been in Bright. Blue faced honeyeaters[1] around, thought I saw some earlier, definitely just saw a few on the rubbish bins [1] Blue-faced honeyeater

Day 760 ☀️ wandi coffee

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 10:48:00 +1100

Group ride with friends and kids down to Wandiligong for coffee at an apple orchard

pixelfed

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 17:34:41 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; pulled the pin on the Falls Creek climb and dragged my sorry self back to Bright

Day 759 🌙 Alpine Classic 200km DNF

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 05:53:00 +1100

Pulled the pin at Bogong and returned via Mt Beauty. The last 16km up to Falls Creek didn’t look feasible today Insufficient training and fitness, not enough climbing and not enough long rides, so even though the weather was very kind to us today, I didn’t have the legs for the distance & the mountains. Stupidly, I’d thought about changing from the 200km to the 130km yesterday but didn’t, then while on the ride had thought about turning around at Mount Beauty but didn’t, and started up towards Falls Creek.

pixelfed

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 18:29:46 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; ritual blessing at the church doors might be helpful

Day 758 ☀️ bright porepunkah

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 16:33:00 +1100

Start of the annual Bright camping trip, COVID-free we hope… Late afternoon spin up to Porepunkah and a bit beyond, then back again, collecting my Alpine Classic paperwork along the way. Fingers crossed for tomorrow Clear sky, 31°C, Feels like 29°C, Humidity 20%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app Riding 758th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 757 ☀️ pretend commute filler

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 15:28:00 +1100

After a week of coastal rides, great views and wonderful forest rides, today I was back at home and completely unenthused about going out for a ride on a hot sunny afternoon. Couldn’t go too far or too long as there’s too much to do, so around the fake commute, with a bit tacked on at the end that almost lead to my undoing under the side of a Thrifty rental truck – I suspect a rental being driven by someone completely oblivious to the truck’s width. Easterly is blowing, the motorists are ignoring the give-way signs, the traffic is a pain and the magic vanishing bike lanes are full of litter where they do exist. Welcome back to Melbourne

four zucchini that grew while we were away now harvested, two quite large

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 08:30:00 +1100

pixelfed

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:17:21 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; into the #Otways to avoid the wind, only partially successful

Day 756 ⛅ falls loop

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:09:00 +1100

Wind avoidance, head inland. Only partially successful! Very windy up at the top along the Mt Sabine road. Close passes on the way back is endemic, maybe one in three drivers pass safely with enough room Few clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 8m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app Riding 756th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021. Garmin / Strava / ridewithgps

Day 755 🌧 Around lorne

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:30:00 +1100

After a 12km bushwalk earlier today, my ride was just a gentle roll around town and out to the St George river. Garmin was dead flat so recorded it on my phone

goodreads — “Encounters with Animals”

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Encounters with Animals by Gerald Durrell My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

pixelfed

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 17:27:50 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; very #windy on the #GOR, one #koala, one #coffee

Day 754 ⛅ windy Cape Patton

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 14:01:00 +1100

After lunch ride down the GOR to Cape Patton, not the best time of day given the southerly that was blowing. Stopped in for a life-saving coffee at Kennett river on the way back, plus saw a koala in the koala tree Scattered clouds, 23°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat.app Riding 754th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge and astoundingly, all of 2021.

pixelfed

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 19:47:54 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; afternoon at the Road Nationals

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Day 753 ☀ 2022 road nats

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 11:35:00 +1100

Annual pilgrimage to Buninyong for the Road Nationals, timed to near perfection as we drove up from Lorne with the bikes on the roof, arriving for the last two laps of the womens race, then stayed for the mens. Gradually worked our way around the circuit, riding along the verge and parallel paths and empty bits of road when we could Clear sky, 23°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 30%, Wind 2m/s from WNW - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 16:44:55 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; #GOR to the #lighthouse … and back

Day 752 ⛅ twisting around Aireys

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 13:59:00 +1100

After-lunch ride along the GOR to Aireys Inlet, then explore some of the side streets in that town – I hadn’t realised where some of them go, usually only go through along the main road. Then up to the lighthouse, lean into the wind, before rolling back down the hill back along the GOR to Lorne Overcast clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 3m/s from SW - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 16:19:26 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; #selfie at Mt Defiance on the #GOR

Day 751 ⛅ an afternoon defiance

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 15:04:00 +1100

Enjoyable roll along the GOR, high humidity and a bit of a sea breeze, all the bush smells coming out. Not much traffic, still too many close passes. Had the Mt Defiance lookout to myself when I got there so sat and gazed out to sea for a while. Saw a penguin on the way back, dead, I guess it had been dragged up by a fox or cat, seemed too far from the water to just be roadkill crossing the road

Wildlife for [2022-01-14 Fri]

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 13:08:00 +1100

Ibis, lots and lots of Ibis. Huge flights of straw-necked ibis[1] in v-formation all heading east as we drove Werribee to freshwater creek [1] Straw-necked ibis

pixelfed

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 17:04:59 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; AWOL in the lavender

Day 750 ⛅ hot empty parks

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:37:00 +1100

Will I make a thousand days in a row? Who can tell… three quarters of the way there. Definitely an afternoon for mad dogs and Englishmen, hot, dry and an annoying wind. Everyone else in Melbourne was sensibly either not in Melbourne or resting indoors as I had the paths, the parks and most of the roads all to myself Scattered clouds, 32°C, Feels like 32°C, Humidity 33%, Wind 2m/s from ESE - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 18:05:43 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; there and back on the #djerringtrail

Day 749 ⛅ DJ Erring

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 15:58:00 +1100

Out the door on the daily ride, onto the Djerring trail and notice immediately that there’s a strong constant south-easterly blowing, what else to do but to point my nose into it and push out to Dandenong, then turn and come home with it at my back. Had intended to go through from the old Dandenong showgrounds to the railway station but roadworks and closures had me off up a maze of detours and ugly roads, so ended up with a bit of a confusing loop through D’nong before I got back to the showgrounds and into known territory.

picked three near perfect small tasty-looking zucchini before they escape to become zeppelins

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 10:25:00 +1100

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Day 748 ⛅ fetch da car

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 16:43:00 +1100

Down to the mechanic’s to collect the car. He who collecteth the car payeth the bill… sadly

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Cam trimmed the pittosporum hedge and can reach up surprisingly high these days

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 10:05:00 +1100

Day 748 ⛅ home from mechanic

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 08:25:00 +1100

Chores. Getting home after dropping the team car off for a service. Would love to have a metre long pointy stick to enforce the minimum passing distance law on East Boundary road

pixelfed

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 17:16:18 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; wheel in the water

Day 747 ⛅ warm wetlands

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:39:00 +1100

A Monday, a hot day, an RDO in January. Everyone’s gone away to the beach or the bush, Melbourne very quiet & less than a handful of people on the bike paths. The Garmin says 35°C, the forecast said 29°C so I find an empty playground to sit in the shade under a tree for a while Quietly enjoyable lap around the loop, only spoiled as I waited to turn right across Waverley road.

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Sun, 09 Jan 2022 20:40:00 +1100

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pixelfed

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 20:07:31 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a lap of Lysterfield #mtb tracks with family

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Day 746 ⛅ AWOL around Lysterfield

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 14:46:00 +1100

Green and blue, but no black. A family outing with Cam & I riding around the mountain bike tracks Roadworks and misreading the map took us on a roundabout route to get to the car park and get started – I always wish that Lysterfield was closer to the train line so it would be easier to get there by bike & train Cam wasn’t that eager for anything difficult or strenuous so I thought we’d just take the green route, the wide fire road around the lake and possibly detour up the blue route at the north end for a taster, then cut back on a parallel fire road once we’d had enough.

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Sun, 09 Jan 2022 07:50:00 +1100

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I have picked the first home-grown zucchini, it suddenly got much larger after the rain

Sat, 08 Jan 2022 09:10:00 +1100

Day 745 🌧 loaves and fishes

Sat, 08 Jan 2022 07:56:00 +1100

A normal Saturday after the last two, up to the fish shop and the bakery, fish for dinner & bread for breakfast

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Day 744 🌧 boostered

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 09:48:00 +1100

Down to Sandown racecourse for my Covid booster then home again. Mostly in between rain showers, although the Djerring trail has no drainage so the entire way there and back was through standing water, warm, and I ended up with soggy clothes and a general layer of gritty mud

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pixelfed

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 17:47:11 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; humid, near head-on with an idiot, found a basket swing

Day 743 🌧 super humid

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 16:02:00 +1100

Another day where we were supposed to get lots of rain, not sure where it fell but it wasn’t on me… although the creek was overflowing and the humidity felt to be 100% Around the Gardiners creek/Ferndale track/Anniversary trail loop, and a scary near head-on with two idiot yob boys in a golf cart hooning along the bike path near East Malvern station. I’m not sure where all the rest of the people are, off at their beach houses for the summer, there just doesn’t seem to be anyone much around.

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Thu, 06 Jan 2022 10:23:00 +1100

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pixelfed

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 17:18:53 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; visit some parks then park in front of a big black door

Day 742 🌧 parking

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 16:06:00 +1100

Forecast was for rain today, quite a bit of rain, but somehow it stayed dry all day. Warm and humid, with the occasional puff of colder damper air coming in from the south-east, and an overall smell of distant bushfire smoke in the air. A lazy easy ride down to Clayton along the Djerring trail, then around two parks, prompting musical earworms… Gary Numan and David Bridie, “Down in the Park” and “Albert Namatjira” … Namatjira park and Bald Hill park… there’s always a music reminder somehow, no matter how strained and distant

picked up today's three fallen limes and accidentally brushed the lemon tree… thump, thump, thump. Picked up the fallen lemons as well

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 13:39:00 +1100

pixelfed

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 11:38:39 +1100

#Hawkwind reading & listening from me to me

Day 741 ⛅ creek commute

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 16:07:00 +1100

Exausted after my first day back at work and a few big rides, took it easy on the way home. At least I hope I’m just exausted and not getting sick… too much omicron covid around everywhere I’ve been…

pixelfed

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 09:02:19 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; back to work

Day 741 ⛅ 2022 commute 1

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 08:16:00 +1100

The (nearly) two week Christmas break is over, back to work, back to the office three days a week. After time away it seems a lot longer than that since I’ve ridden down the Djerring trail and up through Clayton, blissfully empty of cars and drivers today, although the post-Christmas/New Year smashed glass is prevalent on much of the paths Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 0m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

tomato and zucchini plants growing well, the capsicums look quite small and undeveloped

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 08:00:00 +1100

Day 740 ☀️ noodles

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 20:06:00 +1100

Takeaway noodles for dinner, the home kitchen is empty. All praise the local noodle shop

the first of our zucchini look about ready to pick, first produce of the new garden beds

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 20:00:00 +1100

Day 740 ⛅ Lorne Wye River return

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 07:15:00 +1100

Much less traffic and many more bikes in the morning compared to the afternoon. Far more relaxing, much higher percentage of drivers pass safely too… all except for one in a Kia carnival, way too close on the apex of a curve.

pixelfed

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 17:18:17 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; steep roads a lookout and a #beer

Day 739 ⛅ around lorne

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 13:23:00 +1100

An energetic family bush walk this morning, a big ride yesterday, I really wasn’t up for much of a ride today… but of course I had to go out and do something So up and down around town it was, exploring yet more of the steep Lorne back streets. In all the years I’ve been coming here I still don’t think I’ve ever visited half these streets, and sadly, they keep extending into the bush each year.

2022 Rainfall

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2.5 2 0.5 1.0 5.5 1.0 21.0 3 1.0 2.5 0.5 1.0 3.0 4 3.5 5 52.0 1.0 0.5 6 0.5 4.5 3.5 8.0 11.0 0.5 7 1.0 0.5 2.5 8.0 2.5 15.0 8 12.0 1.0 0.5 9.0 2.5 18.0 7.0 4.0 9 0.5 1.0 2.5 1.0 10 1.5 11 13.0 5.5 2.5 12 1.5 3.0 10.

pixelfed

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 18:25:41 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Mt Sabine road & Grey River road, then GOR home

Day 738 ⛅ otways gravel and GOR

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 13:23:00 +1100

Bit more of an afternoon out than I intended, but fantastic being out along the Mt Sabine road In the Otways. Wallabies, crimson rosellas, a pair of blue-winged parrots and a swamp harrier whooshing along in front of me. A surprise Winnebago on a narrow section, a pair of dirt bike riders and a few speeding 4wds. Got the last coffee of the day at Kennet & got bitten on the bum by a march fly

pixelfed

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 13:07:41 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; the GOR on a hot morning

Day 737 ☀️ Hot Ocean Road

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 09:54:00 +1100

Last day of the year, last ride of the year. Not as memorable as some, probably more memorable than others Hot day, mid 30s, heavy traffic as everyone drove to the beach. Bumper-to-bumper parking from Moggs Creek through Fairhaven to Aireys. Met the family for their mini-golf challenge, a milkshake, then the Hot ride back. Yay, done it, that’s a bike ride every day of the year for the second calendar year in a row

pixelfed

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 17:51:08 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; an #otways gravel loop

Day 736 ⛅ Benwerrin Mt Cowley Sharps tk

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 13:39:00 +1100

Up the Deans Marsh road to the Mt Sabine road – march fly corner – sure enough the march flies appeared as soon as I stopped and rested in the shade. A quiet ride along Mt Sabine road, past the Erskine Falls road turnoff and on to Mt Cowley, one spectacularly close pass by a white 4WD, I suspect one of the telecoms tradies I later passed at the top of Mt Cowley.

pixelfed

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 15:32:00 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; GOR Lorne to Aireys and Old Coach rd. Corrugated badly. Picnic lunch

Day 735 ⛅ GOR and old coach rd

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 10:12:00 +1100

Cam an I rode along the GOR up to Aireys, detouring inland for the loop around the Old Coach road. Badly corrugated, but almost no traffic. Drinks at Onda, picnic lunch in the park, then back as far as the memorial arch and phoned for a lift back to Lorne for Cam. Rode the rest of the way alone and had a very enjoyable beer on arrival Few clouds, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 3m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 16:40:43 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Lorne to Kennet River return

Day 734 ☀️ GOR close pass muppets

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 13:54:00 +1100

Down the Great Ocean Road from Lorne to Kennet River, a coffee and then return. Far too many drivers either oblivious of the minimum passing law or consider it doesn’t apply to them because they’re good drivers, just about got clipped by a few really close passes and I’d say that around 50% were under the 1.5m minimum. The AGF and Bicycle Network pat themselves on the back at the law’s existence, but out in reality nobody obeys it and nobody enforces it, so its worse than useless

pixelfed

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 17:00:04 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Moriac to Lorne, farmland, forest & Great Ocean Road

Day 733 ⛅ Wind and washerboard

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 13:38:00 +1100

Moriac to Lorne, via dirt roads and Otways tracks to try and escape the wind and constant roaring near passes from speeding tourists. Less wind in the forest, but very corrugated road. Good feeling coming out to the sealed section at Aireys, then it rained along the GOR. Finally got to Lorne in time for a very late lunch Scattered clouds, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 8m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 16:16:04 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: boxing day, the Sydney to Hobart commences

Day 732 ⛅ year3, boxing day

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 14:07:00 +1100

Boxing day, a gentle lap around my most commonly ridden loop. Minor variations to pay homage to the day that the Sydney to Hobart yacht race starts, a detour to take photos of the road signs; Adrian street at my 5km boundary, then Sydney street and Hobart road in Murrumbeena Boxing day 2019 was the start of this streak of every day riding, so today marks the start of the third year.

pixelfed

Sat, 25 Dec 2021 11:03:15 +1100

Coffeeneuring 2021

Sat, 25 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The annual entertainment that is the Coffeeneuring challenge, now in its eleventh year and with me doing it for my fifth. Seven rides to seven coffees in seven weeks… how hard can it be? Extra rides for extra fun, maximum of two per week.

Day 731 ⛅ chasing reindeer

Sat, 25 Dec 2021 07:18:00 +1100

One gear, one hour. Pre-breakfast Christmas ride, get the daily ride in before social activities and eating take over. Festive-50 here we come

pixelfed

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 16:22:14 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; quiet trails and terrible roads today

Day 730 ☀️ yeah nah mix

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 13:46:00 +1100

The northy-southy bits were good, the easty-westy roads ‘orrible. Perhaps you need to ride Heatherton Rd occasionally just to remind yourself what crap roads and crap drivers Melbourne has The SE quadrant was stated as my target when the semi-rhetorhical “where do I want to go today?” was voiced after lunch Definitely felt like summer on the trails; windless and warm, crunching eucalyptus bark on the path, birdsong from the trees

Day 730 ☀️ emergency bread

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 12:25:00 +1100

About to start making lunch and I realised two things; there’s no bread in the house and I was meant to go up to the bakery after breakfast. Quick dash on the fixie. Oops, forgot to take a mask

Day 729 ⛅ headwaters of the GCT

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 15:22:00 +1100

Off up the Gardiners Creek Trail to the far reaches of Nunawadding, a second attempt to ride in the magic square that, according to veloviewer, means I go from having ridden 10x10 to 11x11 map squares. As meaningless numbers go, it has to be a good one. Haha, I think I did it. Far enough north and east to fulfill the quest… err, and end up stuck on Springvale road with peak-hour Christmas shopping traffic. Yuck. The trip home was along the Pipeline track; one jogger, two women pushing a pram and three young kids on bikes, much more pleasant traffic to be around

Day 728 ⛅ chaddie

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 10:14:00 +1100

Christmas shopping chores. With Christmas shopping traffic and the rest of the Christmas shopping public. Tried to be as quick as possible, while giving the side-eye to the Chadstone chin-masks on both staff and shoppers. Near nobody checking in on QR codes because nobody wants to be pinged that they’ve got to isolate over Christmas - fingers in the ears, if I can’t hear you I can’t get catch it…

Day 727 ☀️ three bike trails

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 15:12:00 +1100

Scotchmans creek trail, Dandenong creek trail, Djerring trail… and some muppets

Day 726 ☀️ last 2021 work2home

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:18:00 +1100

Shopping collection on the way home, down Wellington road past the huge queue of cars for the Covid testing station. Click’n’collect and proceed southwards down Westall. Nearly get collected at a crossing on the bike path where yet another motorist refuses to slow down or giveway. Then home up the Djerring trail

goodreads — “Steppe”

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Steppe by Piers Anthony My rating: 3 of 5 stars View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 726 ☀️ last 2021 ride2work

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 08:06:00 +1100

Last working day of the year, and last day in the office for the year. Down the Djerring trail, up Kanooka grove and Browns road, along the contra-flow bikelane on Dandenong road and up through the block to Monash

Day 725 🌧 storm dodger

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 15:15:00 +1100

Mandatory daily ride, squeeze in between thunderstorms

trimmed off a massive pile of overgrown Bay tree branches, both in our garden & out on the Djerring trail

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 15:38:00 +1100

Day 724 ⛅ second shopping

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 10:04:00 +1100

Morning family meander to some shops; Fitzroy Cycles to the north, Oasis to the south. Fitzroy cycles isn’t in Fitzroy, many years ago it was, but for a long time it was in Carnegie. Now it has moved and is “Fitzroy Cycles Chadstone” which is in neither Chadstone, the shopping centre, or Chadstone the suburb

Day 724 🌧 oakleigh shopping chaos

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 07:47:00 +1100

What a lot of very big men in very big 4WDs revving past with very little clearance

Day 723 ⛅ creek commute

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 17:05:00 +1100

Bypass the Christmas mayhem traffic, cruise along the creek and up over the five or six car chadstone pileup

Day 723 ☀️ Morning Ride2work

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 08:19:00 +1100

Huge queue of cars backing up in the Dandenong road service past three or four side streets, dozens of people inching down the road to the drive-through COVID testing site

Day 722 ☀️ Afternoon lake

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:10:00 +1100

Clear sky, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 46%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.app

Day 722 ⛅ Morning milk

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 07:12:00 +1100

Clear sky, 21°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 46%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.app

Day 721 ⛅ Stone, Chad Stone

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 08:46:00 +1100

Tactical raid on Chadstone, get there as the doors open, get in, get a phone case & screen protector and get out. Mission accomplished

pixelfed

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 21:23:38 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, Bellarine #railtrail outing

goodreads — “Dark Star Safari”

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux My rating: 4 of 5 stars Surprised myself in enjoying this, the last few time I tried reading Theroux I found them uninspired and tedious. Good read of a modern view through Africa from top to bottom View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 720 ⛅ ferry railtrail train

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 10:44:00 +1100

Thoroughly recommended day outing. Catch the ferry from Docklands down to Portarlington, ride to South Geelong on the Bellarine rail trail, then catch the VLine train home. If there was one section I’d revisit & try to do differently it’d be the route from Portarlington to Drysdale as you’re on the only road, rolling up and down annoying hills with a narrow shoulder and noisy traffic. I think the longer route around the coast to Indented Head then inland on a back route would have been more pleasant

Day 719 ⛅ Afternoon Ride

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 16:09:00 +1100

Broken clouds, 32°C, Feels like 30°C, Humidity 25%, Wind 0m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app

Day 719 ⛅ Morning Ride

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 08:17:00 +1100

Few clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 0m/s from NE - by Klimat.app

Day 718 ☀️ Afternoon Ride

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 14:41:00 +1100

Gardiners creek trail and up along the Yarra. Stop at Dights falls for some contemplation. Continue up the river to the Eastern freeway and locate the Anniversary trail then follow it back to East Malvern

Day 717 ☀️ Morning Ride

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 08:06:00 +1100

Saturday morning shopping on the fixie

Day 716 ⛅ Afternoon Ride

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 17:03:00 +1100

Broken clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

Day 716 ⛅ commute

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 08:05:00 +1100

exhausted

pixelfed

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 14:11:30 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; to work for the Christmas BBQ on a grey drizzly day

Day 715 🌧 work christmas lunch

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 12:24:00 +1100

Lousy weather, lousy mood. Showed myself briefly and came home. A pair of Yellow-tailed black cockatoos flying alongside on the creek path was the highlight Light rain, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 3m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app Riding 715th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 19:03:21 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a windy ride around a well worn route

Day 714 ⛅ windy wetlands loop

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 15:41:00 +1100

Broken clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 4m/s from E - by Klimat.app Riding 714th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 17:37:48 +1100

Daily #cycling photos: creek commute with frogs, no dog attack this afternoon, much better than this morning

Day 713 🌧 frogs not dogs

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 16:58:00 +1100

A surprisingly cool and damp afternoon, and I’d thought the weather was finally starting to warm up! Homewards creek commute, straight up Gardiner & Forster roads and downstream along Scotchmans Creek and through the Huntingdale wetlands, ree-ree-ree and Pok! Pok! from the frogs, far more enjoyable wildlife than this morning’s dog attack Light rain, 15°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 713th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge;

pixelfed

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 10:10:53 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; just the visualisation on the map today…err, yesterday

Day 713 ⛅ bite fright

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 08:01:00 +1100

Came VERY close to being taken out by an attacking dog. Leapt across the path and snapped for my leg, hauled snarling and barking back on the lead.

Day 712 ⛅ train racing

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 16:38:00 +1100

Inbound trains at a standstill the whole way home, overtook two stopped outside stations on reds. Apparently there’s “wildlife on the track” at Caulfield

Day 712 ⛅ mostly creek commute

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +1100

Lovely spring morning so I decided to take the Scotchmans creek track to work… then half way along remembered I’d seen VicRoads notices about Forster road being closed for freeway roadworks – MOAR LANEZ! Turned off the creek path at Stanley av and made my way through the suburb, across Stephensons road and along Rickets road to get to Forster. Then nearly got taken out on the off-road bike path, yet again a motorist crossing the bike path ignored the Give Way sign and tried to run me down. Oh well, saw her in time, emergency stoppages worked, loud shout got her attention

pixelfed

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 17:11:22 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; Beach Rd, Dandenong ck, Djerring trail

Day 711 ⛅ widdershins bay loop

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 13:43:00 +1100

My Sunday afternoon longer ride, today was a cloudy & still afternoon when I left home so I headed down towards the bay, following Murrumbeena road south then whatever it turned into then using some inspired guesswork to head across and down to reach the bay – popping out at the Black Rock roundabout. Then onto the Beach bike path and follow it south as far as I could, a bit of a breeze had sprung up so it wasn’t as easy as I’d thought.

dug up the "garlic crop" and it was a complete dud, two, pea-sized bulbs from four plants

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 10:28:00 +1100

pixelfed

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 08:58:55 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; short shopping trip on the #fixie

Day 710 ⛅ shopping

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 07:47:00 +1100

Coolish, nearly felt like rain on the way home. Quick dash up to the shops; chicken drumsticks, a barramundi, bread & croissants and a photo op. against a back wall of a bank Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 0m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app Riding 710th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 19:13:28 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; the creek commute & an IPA at the baron, then home

Day 709 ⛅ work2beer2home

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 16:03:00 +1100

Left work a little early and rode across campus to the physio, then back to the office to drop off my lock and home along the creek. Accidentally overshot my suburb and was forced to call in at the local bar for a beer to make up for it…. not an accident at all Scattered clouds, 20°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app Riding 709th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge;

Day 709 ⛅ home2work

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 08:01:00 +1100

Cooler, still in that variable Spring weather. Lazy roll down the bike path to Clayton and up the hill to work

pixelfed

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 17:12:56 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; around Karkarook lake and home with ominous storm approaching from the west. Managed to beat it home

Day 708 ⛅ pre-storm ride

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 15:40:00 +1100

After mistiming it yesterday, today I went out a little earlier, and tried to keep an eye on the ominous black wall of cloud approaching from the south-west. Something must have worked, the first spots of rain were landing as I turned off the bike path home into our street! Around to Murrumbeena and south with the after school/start of commute traffic all the way down to South road. Alternating useless & semi-useful bike lane all the way, it comes, it goes, it has cars parked in it, it vanishes 50m before intersections, typical “world class” Melbourne bike infrastructure.

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Wed, 01 Dec 2021 16:55:03 +1100

Daily #cycling photos;out on the #fixie thinking that the approaching storm would pass to the south… it did not

Day 707 🌧 electrical storm

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 15:39:00 +1100

With a name like that, I’ll have an Ed Kuepper earworm every time I look at the ride Weather forecast all day had been for afternoon storms, but a glance at the BOM radar seemed to say it’d go past to the south, so I thought I’d be ok for today’s ride… Secret Christmas chores were calling so I slung the lock & mask in the bag, the bag on my back, and jumped on the fixie and pedaled around to Harvey Norman with looming storm approaching.

pixelfed

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 18:03:12 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; final #coffeeneuring coffee of 2021, iced coffee in the park

Day 706 ☀️ iced coffee commute

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 16:05:00 +1100

Wherein the coffee shops of the south-east conspire against me Left work early, in 30°+C heat, determined to sit with an iced coffee & relax and make it to 11 coffeeneuring coffees for 2021. Got to Pinewood, via a bit of Blackburn road ugliness, to my intended destination to find it seems to be permanently closed. Made my way down to Scotchmans creek and got part way home when I realised there’s a cafe just up from Huntingdale wetlands… except I got there to find them closed for the afternoon.

Day 706 ☀️ sneezy commute

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 08:10:00 +1100

Yay, the giant gorse bush just west of Huntingdale station that was blocking half the Djerring trail has gone, into the mulching machine

Day 705 ☀️ creek commute

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 16:50:00 +1100

North up Gardiner and Forster roads, west-ish along the Scotchmans Creek path, then home

A rumble of thunder from the large cloud that's been gradually building up all afternoon

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 15:39:00 +1100

pixelfed

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 13:40:44 +1100

pixelfed

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 10:45:32 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; too nice a day to go straight to work, a #coffeeneuring #cappuccino on the way

Day 705 ☀ coffee commute

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 08:04:00 +1100

Too nice a day to go straight to work so after a gently roll down the Djerring trail I stopped in at a Clayton cafe for a coffeeneuring cappuccino. Wrong side of the street so no morning sun, but very relaxing sitting with the sparrows and the world passing by, a local gent sitting at the next table with his 8.30 breakfast – a rollie & a VB Clear sky, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.

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Sun, 28 Nov 2021 18:44:35 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; bike path out then gone bush on Mt Dandenong. Fantastic day

Day 704 ☀️ just dandy

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 11:33:00 +1100

A fantastic warm spring day with hardly a breath of wind, people everywhere out and about on their bikes — a great day Bike Network’s "Super Sunday" bike count — and I was counted twice; once just outside the house then again over in Mount Waverley Out towards the Dandenongs, I’ve given up on Ferntree Gully road and the aggressive speeding drivers, especially out towards Knox, instead followed the Scotchmans Creek track up through Mount Waverley then Waverley road down to Jells Park — with the mandatory speed run down from the Police academy.

pixelfed

Sat, 27 Nov 2021 10:26:05 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; fish shop & bakery visit on the #fixie

Day 703 ⛅ bakery

Sat, 27 Nov 2021 08:20:00 +1100

Fish for dinner, bread for breakfast. Saturday morning shopping trip up to Oakleigh. The fish shop that was mysteriously closed for two weeks is now open and the staff seem to be wearing their masks over their mouths rather than under their chins… but it could be a coincidence Few clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 6m/s from SE - by Klimat.app Riding 703rd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge;

Whizzzz…. Whooosh…. Whirrr…. Wheee… four mysterious pieces of rail equipment speed past, off to perform trackworks, each sounding unique, none sounding like a normal train

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 22:10:00 +1100

pixelfed

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 18:06:08 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, might be time for new handlebar tape

Day 702 ⛅ commute variation

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 16:49:00 +1100

Decided to try something different this afternoon so took a bit of detour through Mount Waverley, assorted back streets then rejoin the Scotchmans creek path to follow it downstream to where I normally turn on. Something different, an interesting variation on a windy afternoon with threatening rain clouds Overcast clouds, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 4m/s from E - by Klimat.app Riding 702nd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge;

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Day 702 🌧 misty commute

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 08:03:00 +1100

Misty rain, lots of railway machinery lining up to perform its noisy duties all weekend, surprisingly light traffic around the hospital, only one hospital staff tried to run me down ignoring the give-way sign on the bike path

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Thu, 25 Nov 2021 17:09:47 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, AWOL In the rock garden, where the grass trees are flowering

Day 701 ⛅ physio-elbow

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 15:39:00 +1100

Another physio appointment at work on a day that I’m working from home! Planning on leaving at 3.30 to arrive for 4pm I stuffed about and didn’t get away for another ten minutes, so took the most direct route, looking carefully about at all the grid-locked traffic and listening to the sirens… it didn’t slow me down but it did make me wonder. Had to visit the office to grab my d-lock, then cut across campus to the sports centre and made it there only one minute late to my appointment.

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goodreads — “Ashes of Victory”

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Ashes of Victory by David Weber My rating: 3 of 5 stars View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

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pixelfed

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 17:01:23 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, 700 days in a row! New shoes, old route

Day 700 🌧 noo shoes

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 15:09:00 +1100

How about that, 700 days in a row, on the bike… even if only for ten minutes to go up to the shops for some bread. December 26 2019 to today, I double checked the figures! New shoes with old cleats, I only had to stop twice to whip out the Allen keys and do a little adjusting. Same as the old shoes except camo instead of plain black ‘cos those were the ones on sale.

pixelfed

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 17:57:37 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, a meandering ride for #mycommute home

Day 699 ⛅ not straight home

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 16:39:00 +1100

Somewhere different on the ride home, down towards Karkarook lake and around the gravel track. I never approach this ride in this direction so it felt a little strange. Clayton road commuting, shops, shoppers, then suburban streets and down to empty roads and a gravel path under gum trees. Up around Karkarook lake past all the ponds of frogs then homewards through Oakleigh south and golf course access tracks. One last detour for a photo stop on the steps of the church and home

"If you finds any dates of data missing once data is back to one day prior to current date as normal" #gibberish

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 13:41:00 +1100

Day 699 ⛅ home2work

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 08:02:00 +1100

Windier than yesterday, but blissfully free of dangerous idiots. Ignore the forecast below that says the wind was 0m/s, it most definitely was not, although it was from the north

Two huge bearded iris flowers appeared in the front garden near the rain gauge, purple & white

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +1100

Day 698 ⛅ creek commute

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 16:31:00 +1100

A much more enjoyable trip home than to work, and this afternoon only one driver decided that the give-way signs didn’t apply to him rather than three or more. With the behaviour of the drivers around here the off-road bike paths are almost as dangerous as riding on the roads, at least along the creek it was quiet and pleasant… apart from the idiot on his 2-stroke powered “bicycle”, but nobody does anything about them either

pixelfed

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 11:04:48 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; three drivers, three give-way signs, zero compliance

Day 698 ⛅ hazardous commute

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 08:03:00 +1100

Three give-way signs, three young women in hatchbacks, three times hard on the brakes to avoid being hit. There’s something about riding in Clayton, especially near the hospital staff car park Broken clouds, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 79%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app Riding 698th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

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Sun, 21 Nov 2021 23:30:00 +1100

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pixelfed

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 19:30:08 +1100

Daily #cycling photos; a windy afternoon and a #coffeeneuring macchiato

Day 697 ☀ windy again

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 13:59:00 +1100

Sunday afternoon ride, I’ve been meaning to do this one again for a while. Out to the end of the Djerring trail at Yarraman then down the Eastlink trail and along the creek to Carrum, back up the bay and depending on how far around the bay I got, north or east to get home. The constant southerly blowing the entire time made the exposed track down the creek and along the bay hard work.

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Sat, 20 Nov 2021 11:56:57 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, local #bakery does hot-cross buns all year round

Day 696 ⛅ bakery day

Sat, 20 Nov 2021 07:35:00 +1100

Saturday morning shopping, only need to visit the bakery. Fresh bread and treat ourselves to some hot-cross buns - made year ‘round, even if the new owners do have a slightly different recipe Overcast clouds, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 0m/s from SE - by Klimat.app Riding 696th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 17:41:03 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, AWOL against the picnic log

Day 695 ⛅ and home again

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 16:55:00 +1100

Straight up Gardiner & Forster roads, then the creek commute and a little bit extra by circling around Chadstone before approaching home from the west. Saw a spoonbill in the wetlands, and lots of ducks and ducklings Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app Riding 695th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

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Day 695 ⛅ to work

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 08:06:00 +1100

Down the Djering trail, give up at the pedestrian crossing over the rail lines that’s closed and use Carinish road instead. Then up through Clayton, dodge the car doors at the primary school & hospital. Up the contra-flow bike lane that is empty of oncoming cars today, across Dandenong road, one last block and so to work

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pixelfed

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 17:16:11 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, suspiciously warm on a very windy ride

Day 694 🌧 much wind

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 15:45:00 +1100

Spring weather bouncing around all over the place, after far too many sub 10°C days it was warm verging on hot, with a strong dusty north-westerly wind blasting dust and pollen all over the place. Paths and tracks full of gum nuts and leafy twigs and eyes full of grit Moderate rain, 25°C, Feels like 25°C, Humidity 32%, Wind 6m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app Riding 694th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge;

Music from bandcamp

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

King Parrot Creek, by DON HILLMAN Digital Track Subtotal: 4.00 GST (10.0%): 0.10 Total: $4.10 AUD bandcamp/ajft

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Wed, 17 Nov 2021 18:09:15 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, #baaw on the way home

Day 693 ⛅ physio appt

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 15:44:00 +1100

Working from home today, but I had to go to work to visit the physio, so that’s today’s ride organised. Amazingly pleasant weather too, almost 20°C, starting to feel like spring again Broken clouds, 19°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 0m/s from S - by Klimat.app Riding 693rd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 21:05:08 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, out of order repost, fumble-fingers deleted it previously

Day 692 ⛅ same same home

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 16:35:00 +1100

Two days in the office in a row, most unusual! Homewards commute, reverse of this morning, back down Gardiner road and Forster road then Scotchmans Creek track to Oakleigh. It didn’t rain on me

pixelfed

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 11:54:41 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, a literal drowned rat at the start of #mycommute

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Tue, 16 Nov 2021 11:51:14 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, except the weather is so miserable that I didn’t take a photo, only a visualisation of the route

Day 692 🌧 drizzly creek commute

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 08:06:00 +1100

Feeling slightly more gruntled than yesterday, decided to take the slightly longer creek route to work. Got to the Atkinson street lights it started to rain, then rained on me all the way along the Scotchmans creek track to Forster road. Apparently this November has been cold and wet, you’d never have guessed… Light rain, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 85%, Wind 0m/s from SW - by Klimat.app Riding 692nd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge;

a literal "drowned rat" in the middle of the path in the back garden caused much amusement as we left this morning

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +1100

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Mon, 15 Nov 2021 17:59:47 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, cold damp grey commute

Day 691 ⛅ work2home

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 16:40:00 +1100

The weather hadn’t improved all day, barely got over 10°C, at least it wasn’t raining or hailing on either commute! Not the most direct route home, but still not very enjoyable Overcast clouds, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app Riding 691st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

Day 691 🌧 ride2work

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 08:08:00 +1100

Legs of lead, drizzly grey skies, off to work Light rain, 9°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat.app Riding 691st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

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Sun, 14 Nov 2021 15:25:13 +1100

Daily #cycling photo; “go now”, she said, “you’ll miss the rain”, she said…

Day 690 🌧 rain dodging

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 14:23:00 +1100

Unenthused, warm and cozy at home and still feeling worn out from yesterday’s ride, but not enough to break a 689-day riding streak. Out on the fixie, up to Caulfield, around the racecourse, down Booran road and home along Glen Huntly and Neerim roads Tried to time it to dodge the showers, did not succeed Light rain, 13°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 4m/s from W - by Klimat.app

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Sun, 14 Nov 2021 11:48:36 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, yesterday’s abandoned due to rain #soloslog

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Day 689 🌧 soaked semi-soloslog

Sat, 13 Nov 2021 07:20:00 +1100

Since the organised ride finished in 2018, this is my third annual pilgrimage out to west Gippsland for my own ride around the course of “The Slog”. Early train to Pakenham, follow the prompts of the Garmin, a coffee at Lang Lang, snacks at Poowong, lunch at the Ellinbank church and the demoralising slog back towards Pakenham along the Bunyip river road. That’s the theory anyway…. weather this year was not looking good but I headed out anyway

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Fri, 12 Nov 2021 19:03:54 +1100

Daily #cycling photos, tree down on #mycommute home

Day 688 🌧 work2home

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 16:18:00 +1100

Cold grey wet commute, at least the rain had stopped and I only had to deal with the spray and the puddles…. and the large wattle tree down across Scotchmans Creek trail. Stopped for a photo and to report it to the council, they seem to be moderately quick at clearing the paths, if much slower and cleaning up the fallen trees, there’s still plenty about from the last storm and the storm before that

pixelfed

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 11:05:11 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, first commute in over two months

Day 688 🌧 home2work

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 08:05:00 +1100

First real commute for around two months, straight into a cold south-easterly headwind, all grey and rainy. Have I remembered my lock, my pants, my shirt, my staff card? Light rain, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 2m/s from E - by Klimat.app Riding 688th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

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two of the capsicum seedlings are broken and dead, we suspect the cat has walked on them, but have no proof

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 18:13:00 +1100

pixelfed

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 17:48:08 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, up to Glen Waverley and back

Day 687 ⛅ two creeks and a railway

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 15:54:00 +1100

Meandering off up Scotchmans creek to Mount Waverley & Glen Waverley and then to be unceremoniously dumped on Waverley road, “bike path ends.” Off up side streets past very large new faux french provincal McMansions to the Glen Waverley line and down the line to Warrigal road. Seemed to be playing leap-frog with two gents riding mostly parallel on the adjacent roads, I finally parted company with them as I went under Warrigal road.

goodreads — “Last of the Mohicans”

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper My rating: 3 of 5 stars View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

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pixelfed

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 17:48:08 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, to the doctor, then a #coffeeneuring #cappuccino while waiting for my prescription

Day 686 🌧 doctor chemist coffee

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 15:10:00 +1100

Revisit the doctor to review elbow ultrasound, then off to the chemist for drugs & elbow strap. Doctor confirms that sore elbow is sore Long wait for prescription so I sneak in an opportunistic coffeeneuring cappuccino and sit in a food-court style coffee pastry cafe, not really my scene, but it beats standing around in the chemist Even managed to accidentally hit the “finish” button so apparently my daily ride ended at the local shops, if Strava let me join in an extra bit I’d do that, but it doesn’t look like they do so you’ll just have to imagine my trip home

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pixelfed

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 17:38:29 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, including a pun about five-bar reception

Day 685 ⛅ south of the river

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 15:43:00 +1100

Couldn’t decide where to go today and wanted something a little different. Off up Malvern road and Chapel street the way I used to commute home from work 20 years ago or so. Ugh, Chapel street hasn’t got any better for riding along, it has a bike lane now, but it’s full of parked cars and near useless. There’s a minimum passing law now, but nobody pays any attention to it and it’s near useless

goodreads — “Diary of a Young Naturalist”

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyed it, really felt that he captured how he lives and his autism and the wildlife he observes View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

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Mon, 08 Nov 2021 22:22:00 +1100

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Mon, 08 Nov 2021 11:17:33 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, #fixie to the clinic for an ultrasound scan of elbow

Day 684 ⛅ elbow ultrasound

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 10:07:00 +1100

Down to Clayton medical precinct for an ultrasound scan of my sore elbow. Yes, I have a torn tendon. No, that’s all the detail I’m told until I go back to visit the doctor Djerring trail and the traffic sewer that is Clayton road, home much the same but with a few semi-industrial side streets for variation Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 1m/s from SE - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 17:44:43 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, AWOL under the Westgate

Day 683 ⛅ like a salmon

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 14:38:00 +1100

Down to the bay then back upstream; Port Phillip Bay, Yarra River, Gardiners Creek, Scotchmans Creek and home Inkterman street through Caulfield and St Kilda is always a bit of a hassle, I’m not sure if the drivers are extra obnoxious because its proposed to make a protected bike lane from the bay to Caulfield along it, or if the bike lane is being proposed because the drivers are so obnoxious.

planted out three punnets in the new garden beds; tomatoes, capsicum, zucchini

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 15:42:00 +1100

pixelfed

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 12:14:02 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, morning shopping on the #fixie

Day 682 ⛅ eggs bread fish

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 07:53:00 +1100

Saturday morning shopping, have to get eggs if we want bacon and eggs for breakfast! Then the fresh bread, and some fish for dinner. Nearly forgot to take today’s ride photo, remembered in the shed Broken clouds, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 1m/s from NW - by Klimat.app Riding 682nd day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 18:31:23 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, AWOL and galbally reserve mural

Day 681 ⛅ escape the chores

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 16:27:00 +1100

After an afternoon working at home interspersed with moving a cubic metre of top soil from where the truck dumped it to where the gardener wanted it, I escaped for an hour and took off for my daily ride. Off down Scotchmans Creek trail, the tree blockage has been removed, and along to East Malvern station, up the Anniversary trail, down Ferndale track then a variation on my normal route in these parts.

A cubic metre of topsoil was delivered, many barrow-loads were moved from driveway to vege gardens

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 10:45:00 +1100

pixelfed

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 14:26:58 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, ride to work and back to farewell a cow-orker

Day 680 ☀️ farewell pizza lunch

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 11:56:00 +1100

Not allowed to ride to work to go to work, but I am allowed to ride to work to attend outdoor farewell pizza for a work colleague. Nom nom nom Everything very warm and steamy after 43mm of rain overnight! Plenty of debris washed around, and branches from last Thursday night’s storm that haven’t been cleared up yet Clear sky, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

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pixelfed

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 12:50:35 +1100

Daily #cycling photo…or visualisation today. Courtesy of @gyroscope@instagram.com

Day 679 🌧 tennis anyone

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 10:33:00 +1100

Tennis elbow that is Off to the doctor to find out why sore elbow is sore Light rain, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 7m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app Riding 679th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 17:46:19 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, karkarook lake and meander home

Day 678 ☀️ hot and lazy

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 15:47:00 +1100

First day that feels like summer, even if it is still only spring. Hot and sunny and dry and dusty. South down the gravel track past the golf course, most of a lap of Karkarook lake, a lap of the gravel track down to the south and home up through Clarinda and Clayton. No cicadas yet, just noisy miners being noisy everywhere I went Clear sky, 30°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 26%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat.

odd, discovered that cal(1) wasn't installed and took some searching to see I needed to install "ncal" package

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 09:32:00 +1100

pixelfed

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 21:04:33 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, reflections of a #coffeeneuring macchiato

Day 677 ☀️ coffee hunting

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 16:02:00 +1100

Around a fairly normal afternoon loop, taking it easy because my right elbow tendons are being painful from either injury or overuse. The ride interrupted by a major blockage between Chadstone and the freeway by a tree down that completely filled the track. Climbing up a metre wall into the garden and around it then lowering the bike a metre and a half back to the path was a challenge. Up the Anniversary trail and down the Ferndale track, coffeeneuring coffee at Blakes Feast and a meander around Glen Iris wetlands.

Music from bandcamp

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Luna et Oceanum, by Milford Progress Association Digital Album Echo Seven Five, by Milford Progress Association Digital Album Silenced Geographies, by Milford Progress Association Digital Album Embers Only, by Milford Progress Association Digital Album Hammerfest, by Milford Progress Association Digital Album Alcubierre Drive, by Milford Progress Association Digital Album Transoxiana, by Milford Progress Association Digital Album Western Wilds, by Milford Progress Association Digital Album Subtotal: 23.45 GST (10.0%): 0.

pixelfed

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 19:03:56 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, gardiners Creek and pipeline track

Day 676 ☀️ trick or treat

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 15:46:00 +1100

Lots of trees down from Thursday night’s storm, lots of people out celebrating American plastic pumpkin festival Followed the Gardiners creek trail all the way up to Blackburn lake, and I had my phone with me this time so I could look up the map and find where to go every time the bikepath signage fails, as it so often does Then east from the lake to Nunawading and found myself a corner fish’n’chip shop to scoff a gelato, too hot for coffees today, it’ll have to be a coffeeneuring gelato!

pixelfed

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 11:17:57 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, family ride abandoned, called home to deal with plumbing

Day 675 🌧 abandon dnf plumbing

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 10:17:00 +1100

On my way out to Yarraman for a family ride, got as far as huntingdale & the phone rang. The intention had been for them to drive out to Yarraman, me to ride out to meet them, then all of us ride down along Dandenong creek to the bay for lunch, then home doing it all in reverse. It was not to be. The sink & toilet isn’t draining, evil is bubbling up in the back yard.

pixelfed

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 10:05:20 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, short shopping trip on the #fixie

Day 675 ⛅ shopping

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 08:38:00 +1100

Bread and fish, fish and bread, Saturday morning pre-breakfast shopping Few clouds, 10°C, Feels like 9°C, Humidity 77%, Wind 1m/s from W - by Klimat.app Riding 675th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 17:36:42 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, rode the #fixie up to the hidden Caulfield lake in crazy wind gusts

Day 674 🌧 much wind

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 16:04:00 +1100

An aching arm and elbow, wet roads, a strong wind and a bad mood. Not much for it but to go and do the daily deed, up to Caulfield on the Djerring trail, around the lake and home along Neerim road. I reckon that of all the cars that passed on Neerim road it would only be a handful where the drivers bother to pull out to give at least a metre, the rest seem to be blissfully ignorant or just plain dangerous

pixelfed

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 19:17:33 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, watching the rain roll in across the bay

Day 673 ⛅ rainy bay day

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 15:54:00 +1100

When I went out it was sunny and dry and warm enough that I left the spray vest at home, I was thinking of riding down to the bay, having a gelato and coming home! Of course that meant that it clouded over and by the time I got to Sandringham the lightning and rain started and made for a fairly wet and wild ride home Scattered clouds, 28°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 39%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.

pixelfed

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 17:31:04 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, skinniest #laneway ever. No fat bastards!

Day 672 ☀️ go west

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 16:01:00 +1100

Headed west towards the bay with thoughts of a quick coffee before getting back in time for an evening shift of work. Insufficient time as it happened so I turned around at Barkly street and headed back homewards. At one point tried ducking south on a random side street thinking to get to Glen Huntly road, but found myself in a dead-end street with a laneway at right-angles off the end… a lane-way that half way along narrowed to the most incredibly squeezy path I’ve yet found!

pixelfed

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:40:52 +1100

pixelfed

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 17:19:43 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, around karkarook lake, listening to the #pobblebonk (banjo frogs)

Day 671 ☀️ banjo territory

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:54:00 +1100

Banjos? Banjo frogs, pobblebonks, Karkarook lake and the ponds south of it seem full of them, all calling tunefully and making me smile South-east down parallel with the railway to Huntingdale, then south through the sneaky closed gravel road to Clarinda, more south to the lake. Then just this once I went around the block clockwise, a rarity, I suspect because we’re just used to doing the easy left-turns here. Empty gravel track, gum trees and lorikeets… squint your eyes and pretend you’re out in the bush and not in a patch of land that was going to be a park but is now promised to be concreted over as a railway stabling yard.

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Mon, 25 Oct 2021 17:38:51 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, a visit to the #wetlands and a night-heron beside the lookout

Day 670 ⛅ wetlands wildlife

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 16:11:00 +1100

A leisurely afternoon loop after yesterday’s exertions. North through Oakleigh to join Gardiners Creek track, past the croaking frog-filled ponds and around past the sports ovals and pigeons foraging, up the Anniversary trail and down Ferndale track. Turn left at the end back onto Gardiners Creek track and follow it around to Glen Iris wetlands, pause for a while and watch the wildlife – a Nankeen night-heron and a long-necked turtle caught my eye – then back to the golf course, up through Murrumbeena and home along the Djerring trail

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Sun, 24 Oct 2021 19:17:00 +1100

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pixelfed

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 18:42:21 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, a big loop of bike trails and a #coffeeneuring macc. & donut

Day 669 ⛅ sunday fun day coffeeneuring too

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 13:40:00 +1100

The afternoon didn’t quite go to plan, but overall pretty much what I intended – out to the end of the Djerring trail, up the Eastlink trail to the Mullum Mullum, then back west until it crossed, or got near, the Gardiners creek trail and home. Somewhere I missed while heading north and got onto the Dandenong creek trail and gradually curved around to the east so had to make my way up to Ringwood and through to the Mullum Mullum, then on the way back I went to far and ended up coming down to the Anniversary trail and home that way.

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Sat, 23 Oct 2021 14:11:59 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, short ride to the shops, dodging rain

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Sat, 23 Oct 2021 14:10:55 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, out to Bojak brewing in Dandenong for just the one #beer

Day 668 🌧 after rain shopping

Sat, 23 Oct 2021 08:30:00 +1100

A miserable ride with a hangover, up to the shops on wet roads in light drizzle. Entirely self-inflicted. Daily photo was the fixie leaning against a wheely bin on a shop mural, the bin a relic of an ancient past, from the “City of Waverley”, an entity that hasn’t existed for thirty years Light rain, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 91%, Wind 2m/s from SE - by Klimat.app Riding 668th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge;

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Day 667 ⛅ one beer vasili

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 16:13:00 +1100

Just outside the 15km limit, Bojak brewing was on the list of places to go. Very helpful staff squeezed me in at an outdoor table for just the one… and some cans of stout to take home. Sadly, luggage failure had a can drop off, part burst, and spray me with stout at Clayton. Nothing for it but to stop and scoff the remainder… then realise they’re 12% alc., 3.3 std.

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Thu, 21 Oct 2021 20:59:00 +1100

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pixelfed

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 18:02:11 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, AWOL against a #sculpture

Day 666 ⛅ ominous

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 16:02:00 +1100

Bit of a lazy ride partly around the pretend commute, then up through Mount Waverley to the Glen Waverley line for a long wheeeeee down the hill to join Gardiners Creek trail, up to the Anniversary trail and home through Murrumbeena and the Djerring trail. Very warm at times, the outdoor thermometer display at the Robert Blackwood hall said 28°C, warmest I’ve ridden in so far this spring. A very slow climb up the hill in Mount Waverley, definitely not in the mood for it

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Wed, 20 Oct 2021 18:09:52 +1100

Daily #cycling photo on a fantastic sunny spring afternoon, and a short macc. in Ferndale Park for #coffeeneuring number one

Day 665 ⛅ coffeeneuring one

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 16:03:00 +1100

Fantastically enjoyable warm, sunny, windless spring afternoon. Ideal for a lazy ride around, so that’s what I did. Up to Caulfield, wend my way down to Gardiners Creek, up Ferndale track and pause for a coffee as the first of the 2021 coffeeneuring challenge, then back down the Anniversary trail and up through Murrumbeena and the Djerring trail to home Scattered clouds, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 1m/s from SSE - by Klimat.

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Tue, 19 Oct 2021 21:23:51 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, around the wetlands and home past the old milliner, only their #mural remains

Day 664 🌧 frogs and dogs

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 16:07:00 +1100

Pleasant, ordinary, routine daily ride. Roads and shared paths; wetlands full of frogs, bikepaths full of dogs. Ok, ok, they’re not bikepaths, there are no bikepaths in Melbourne. But shared footpaths full of dogs does not roll off the tongue so well Light rain, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 2m/s from ENE - by Klimat.app Riding 664th day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pompom bush is in full flower, and hidden under the pittosporum the lilac is flowering

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 13:15:00 +1100

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Mon, 18 Oct 2021 18:07:28 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, annoyingly, angry man in a car got all #roadrage at me

Day 663 🌧 roadrage monday

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 15:53:00 +1100

A big thank you to the three women in Oakleigh road who stepped in and told the screaming angry man to just drive on home. He’d been coming at me nearly head-on on my side of the centre line, I waved my arm out with a “give us a bit of room” and he clipped my fingers as he shot past, then chucked a u-turn, caught up with me a block further on and forced me off the bike with the car, screaming and shouting about me “punching his car”, trying to push me over and get a punch up until I got away and made it back to where stunned onlookers were onlooking.

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Sun, 17 Oct 2021 18:29:34 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, around to visit parents in law

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Day 662 ⛅ family chores

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 14:01:00 +1100

Carer visit to family, then extended it a bit for the joy of the descent down alongside the Glen Waverley line to Gardiners creek. Some climbing up from the creek to the Anniversary trail then another enjoyable descent back down to creek level and the golf course. Somehow seems to have more descending than climbing on the way around Overcast clouds, 17°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 1m/s from SW - by Klimat.

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911018 is your Facebook account recovery code

Sat, 16 Oct 2021 19:12:00 +1100

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Sat, 16 Oct 2021 09:08:50 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, shopping on the #fixie

Day 661 🌧 post-rain shopping

Sat, 16 Oct 2021 08:25:00 +1100

28mm of rain overnight, so everything is soaked, but at least it wasn’t raining as I went up to the shops. Minor detour around the block and up along Mona walk for a bit of variation, stop at the wall of Lazy Moe’s for the daily photo then up and over the bridge to the shops Light rain, 12°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.

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Sat, 16 Oct 2021 03:10:00 +1100

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Fri, 15 Oct 2021 17:31:58 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, #fixie in the rain

Day 660 🌧 wet fake commute

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 16:20:00 +1100

A cold rain front moved in from the south-west earlier in the afternoon and its been raining ever since. The best part of going out for a ride in the rain, at least on the bike paths, is muppet factor of zero, there’s almost nobody else around. Worst part of riding in the rain on the bike paths is that they’ve got no camber and no drainage so you get drenched, far wetter than riding on the roads

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Fri, 15 Oct 2021 09:53:00 +1100

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pixelfed

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 18:18:57 +1100

Daily #cycling photo on a humid, stormy afternoon after 14mm overnight. Insects everywhere

Day 659 ⛅ moistness

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 15:54:00 +1100

Warm, humid, dark foreboding clouds and little sticky insects everywhere. After 14mm of rain overnight there were ponds and floods along many of the paths and plenty of mud down Ferndale track The trail-building vandals have ripped down all the council fencing and sawn through the logs to re-open their bush track that runs vertically down the hill in Mount Waverley. Heads up anyone riding Scotchmans Creek trail, you’re likely to meet idiots plummeting out of the bush and crashing straight through in front of.

pixelfed

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 17:33:45 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, lots of #laneways and bluestone today

Day 658 ⛅ meandering

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 16:02:00 +1100

Went out for a meander and discovered laneways I could swear I’ve never seen or ridden before, including the very tight footpath in the photo cutting through from one street to another. Probably illegal to ride along it, but I’d got there by following a big council sign that said “Cycle Route” with an arrow, needless to say it had directed me off down a side street and there were never any more signs or any indication of where this cycle route would take me!

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pixelfed

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 17:33:44 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, scotchmans creek & djerring trail

Day 657 ⛅ some scotch man

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 15:48:00 +1100

Not having the best day at work today so I was looking forward to the break, even if I didn’t know which way to go today. Off up Scotchmans creek trail, a near head-on with an idiot on an illegal 2-stroke motorised MTB at Huntingdale wetlands then an uneventful ride the rest of the way to rejoin Waverley road. Back streets and side roads until I came out on Springvale road - ugh - then Ferntree Gully road - almost as bad - a bit of an excursion through Notting Hill and a couple of even uglier roads down to join the Djerring trail at Westall.

pixelfed

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 17:48:08 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, against a #djerringtrail #artwork

pixelfed

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 15:20:39 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, resting at Clayton station on the ride home

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Day 656 ⛅ loop the lake

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 16:03:00 +1100

Another day with a cold southerly blowing, off to the south to Karkarook lake almost straight into the wind. Strange to see people on the golf courses as I rode past, for weeks they’ve been empty. Around the lake then south and east and take the gravel track around the park. Back up through Clarinda & Clayton and a near miss from an overtake-and-turn-left driver who then stopped and started yelling & swearing at me for not indicating, clearly his 20cm passing distance and almost putting me under his car while turning left was all my fault as I was also turning left.

Day 655 ⛅ carer visit

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 14:34:00 +1100

Combination daily ride and family visit to check up and help around the garden, we avoided the Forster road hill by spiralling around through Valley reserve and dodging the family picnic groups… up to an including the 30 or more people in one group! No lockdown policing in leafy Mount Waverley, and everyone happy to make their own special exemptions for themselves Much colder & windier than I expected, and very tired legs from an excess of walks yesterday

front porch wildlife

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 17:43:00 +1100

Sitting on the front porch with a coffee when a loud and persistent buzzing made me look up, was it a blowfly or a wasp? Closer investigation showed it to be a particularly large and nasty-looking European wasp[1], perhaps a queen looking to set up a nest, definitely something we do not want above our front door! Was wondering if I could swat it with something or chase it away as it was landing and half crawling into the gap between the timber and the tin roof when I saw what I thought was another crawl out about 20cm away.

pixelfed

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 09:15:55 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, short Saturday shopping ride

Day 654 ⛅ shopping

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 08:07:00 +1100

Apparently my 2km Saturday shopping rides are considered laughable in some quarters. I’ll show them. bwahaha! Here we go, almost doubled it, 3.5km today! West to Poath road to get a run-up, then weeeeeee the length of Willesden to Oakleigh shops; fish, bread … and a bunch of spring onions … then home for breakfast Overcast clouds, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 0m/s from N - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 18:10:53 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, #plogging the Glen Iris #wetlands

Day 653 ⛅ wetlands loop

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 16:09:00 +1100

Sunny spring afternoon, over the hill from Oakleigh and down to Gardiners creek wetlands, nearly rear-ending a Tesla in the car park when the driver decided to simply stop in the middle of the road rather than park, indicate, pull over or do anything expected in order to let the passenger “get out here to save you having to park”. Then around to the Anniversary trail, up the hill, down Ferndale track and back onto Gardiners Creek trail.

lawn needs mowing, when it gets long I realise just how many plum seedlings sprout each year from bird-dropped stones!

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 08:20:00 +1100

pixelfed

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 17:39:20 +1100

Daily #cycling ride, #laneways & pavė

The flowers on the snowball bush are turning white

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 17:30:00 +1100

Day 652 ⛅ prize pavé

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 16:08:00 +1100

Sausage fingers hit the wrong accented “e” to start with, but here we are now with the correct pavé, in homage to the Paris Roubaix on the weekend Rosstown railtrail, some laneways up and down, more rossie, then north up Hawthorn road and wind back through Malvern East and DJerring trail… hmm, I wonder if “DJ erring” is playing anywhere at a gig near you Broken clouds, 14°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.

Noticed that the snowball bush against the back fence has flowers – green so far, camouflaged against the foliage

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 17:30:00 +1100

pixelfed

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 17:02:15 +1100

Daily #cycling ride photo, with #beer

Day 651 ⛅ includes beer

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 15:56:00 +1100

Warm sunny afternoon, a bit of Djerring, a visit to the wetlands, three quarters of Africa and home via the beer shop. Then back to work… Scattered clouds, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 42%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app Riding 651st day in a row, including my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 17:53:19 +1100

Daily #cycling, map visualisationas I left my phoneat home

Day 650 ⛅ no phone no photo

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 15:57:00 +1100

Somewhere up there to the north and east there’s some roads that if I ride, it’ll take my “maximum square” from 10x10 to 11x11, so off I went in search of it. Stupidly, I got half a suburb from home and realised I’d left the phone at home so had no way to check the map or where I needed to be Navigating by memory, off up the Gardiners Creek trail and in the direction of Box Hill, losing and finding various signs along the way.

pixelfed

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 18:03:31 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, hills today

Day 649 🌧 some hilly bits

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 16:04:00 +1100

I happened to notice yesterday that there was one day to go on a climbing challenge I’d entered, and somewhere over 200m of climbing left to do. Clearly nothing for it but to go up and down and make sure I completed it, for what is life without strava challenges? Squally rain clouds kept passing over, a few times raining on me and a few times I just missed them. Up and down, roads I don’t think I’ve ever ridden even though its only one suburb north.

pixelfed

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 17:30:19 +1100

Daily #cycling photo, family ride to Braeside park, me on the AWOL, them on the #tandem

Day 648 ⛅ braeside park

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 11:15:00 +1100

Family ride on a warm and windless sunny spring day. Me on my AWOL, Jo and Cam on the tandem, after a small bout of seat wrangling involving grease, rust, recalcitrant seatpost bolts, allen keys and an adjustable spanner. The two of them now have the same length legs so the rear seat doesn’t need to move, but when Jo and I swap as pilots up and down it goes, the reach to the bars is a bit short for me, too far for her

pixelfed

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 17:07:46 +1000

Second ride of the day, #tandem time

Day 647 🌧 tandemage

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 15:22:00 +1000

Now that we’re down to one tandem and all three of us can ride it, the Trek T-50 might get a little more use. Jo dragged it out of storage, cleaned off a few spiders, pumped the tyres in preparation for her and Cam to go for a ride tomorrow. While it was out we decided to go for a ride to check we could still remember how. Definitely could do with some TLC & work on the gears, convincing the front dérailleur to move to the big ring requires an act of god, and the brakes are not as good as they could be, perhaps replacing them with the spare v-brakes that are lying around could be called for

pixelfed

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 08:48:16 +1000

Daily #cycling photo, #mural on the way home from pre-breakfast shopping

Day 647 🌧 damp shopping

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 07:53:00 +1000

Up and out of bed, looks like its going to rain, and that it has rained, but at least it isn’t currently raining. Off to the shops; chicken drumsticks, a barramundi for the wok, fresh bread and as a treat, a box of warm hot-cross buns. Outside the mall three women sit sipping their coffees and outdoing each other with tales of aching arms and post-vaccination illness, around at the coffee shop next to the bakery there’s a dozen old blokes inside drinking and smoking, ignoring lockdown as always

pixelfed

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 17:44:41 +1000

Daily #cycling photo, off to Yarraman to the old Dandenong showground

Day 646 🌧 gone bush

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 15:50:00 +1000

Tried to leave early enough in the afternoon to miss the rain but left it too late and had a dry ride out and warm damp ride home. I must have missed the heavier patches because there were some large pools flooding the path where it doesn’t drain well Out along the Djerring trail to the far end at Yarraman to dip my toes in the bushland around the old Dandenong showgrounds, then back home the same way.

Music from bandcamp

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Nether | Aether, from Adam Casey & the Liminal Choir Digital Album $12.50NZD Releases November 25, 2021 The Mountain & Us, from amongleaves Digital Album $12.50NZD Releases October 27, 2021 Subtotal: 25.00 GST (10.0%): 2.40 Total: $27.40 NZD bandcamp/ajft

pixelfed

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 17:18:23 +1000

Daily bike ride post, #fixie in the rain

Day 645 🌧 wet western wandering

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 15:59:00 +1000

The forecast rain has finally arrived, albeit a day and a half late. No wind though, so a leisurely spin up to Caulfield on the fixie with the paths almost entirely to myself. Extended the ride with a loop out, around and through Caulfield park, being careful to give the scary geese a wide margin. Wet gravelly paths grinding and scraping on the rims, orangey-red muck flicking up all over my legs.

pixelfed

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 13:55:26 +1000

Day 644 ⛅ loop and swoop

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 15:58:00 +1000

Our Covid-19 lockdown travel limit has been bumped up from 10km to 15km so I’d thought of going out to the end of the Djerring trail and back, but five minutes out in today’s wind changed my mind, straight into a south-easterly, ignore what the Klimat app summary says! Decided to do the triangular loop through work so only stayed on the trail to Clayton then turned north. Up through the uni, Gardiners road and Forster road and left onto Scotchmans creek track and starting heading homewards.

Day 643 ⛅ exploring north

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 14:03:00 +1000

Revisiting the Deakin Uni section of Gardiners creek trail & Wattle Park — I’d ridden past or through a few days ago and we’d come up here in the car for a morning walk. Around through some hilly parts of well-off suburbia and back down the Anniversary trail. Minor detour for a gelato in Ashburton then tempted fate by rolling the entire length of Ferndale track mostly one-handed while eating it, dodging dogs, joggers and a plethora of young kids out to ride the jumps. Post-gelato coffee at Blake’s feast, then south to Carnegie & home along the Djerring trail

Day 642 ⛅ more dead people

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 09:26:00 +1000

School holiday activity with number one son and the second in our cemetery visits, diametrically opposite in our 10km travel circle. Far better weather than Friday’s trip out to Springvale, almost tshirt weather.

Day 641 ☀️ Sunday sunshine

Sun, 26 Sep 2021 14:19:00 +1000

Clear blue skies and an expanded horizon, so off to visit some places in the 10km boundary. Scotchmans creek track to Mount Waverley, found my way to Syndal station then the pipeline track up to Burwood highway. Turn back west with a bit too much close passing traffic until Gardiners creek at Deakin Uni, north a bit, wind my way around to Riversdale road then briefly explore Wattle Park. Home a close copy of a few days ago, Burke road and the Djerring trail, but detouring on the way through some of the leafy parts of Camberwell and a meander up through Hedgeley Dene

Day 640 🌧 okkalee shopping

Sat, 25 Sep 2021 07:56:00 +1000

The pre-breakfast shopping; up to Oakleigh, mushrooms & bread to go with the breakfast, some salmon cutlets for dinner. Home via the war memorial in the park for today’s ride photo

Day 639 ⛅ hello dead people

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 09:38:00 +1000

Family ride down the Djerring trail, through sandown racecourse and across to Springvale cemetery to see the dead people, or at least the stones put on top of them to hold them down

Day 638 ☀️ rosstown and around

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 15:51:00 +1000

Rosstown rail trail down to Elsternwick then halfway home up Glenhuntly road before turning off north up Bambra and the rest of the way via Caulfield and the Djerring trail. Of course part way along it got lost and missed a turn off and had to go three quarters of the way around the block, only been riding along it 20 years or so but the crap signage still gets me occasionally!

Day 637 ⛅ sunny afternoon

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 15:54:00 +1000

An extended version of my oh-so-well-known loop; over to Gardiners creek, up the Anniversary trail and down Ferndale track. Turn right instead of left when I got back to the creek and follow the Gardiners creek trail along to Glennferrie road and then Ooof, that climb up from the creek to Toorak road. Out of practice and out of legs, then traffic & trams south to Caulfield, back past the park, Caulfield station, and home along the Djerring trail

goodreads — “Harry's Last Stand”

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Harry’s Last Stand: How the World My Generation Built is Falling Down, and What We Can Do to Save It by Harry Leslie Smith My rating: 3 of 5 stars View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

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Tue, 21 Sep 2021 18:35:00 +1000

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Day 636 ⛅ djerring do

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 16:04:00 +1000

Down to Sandown, spring to Springvale, west to Westall… err, on the way back at least. Assorted alliterations on a 10km jaunt down the Djerring trail and then homewards on parallel streets on the north side of the railway. Discovered that there really isn’t any easy way through from Springvale station to Westall road other than crossing back to the south, but persisted and found all kinds of interesting dead ends, railway sidings, and run down bits of suburbia.

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Tue, 21 Sep 2021 13:29:00 +1000

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Day 635 🌧 10km north

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 14:28:00 +1000

Highly variable weather today, I took my chances and headed north… north to the limits of my 10km. Up along the Anniversary trail, much quieter than when its sunny, only a few people out walking, most rugged up in their puffer jackets like arctic explorers.

Day 634 ⛅ windy bay loop

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 13:54:00 +1000

To the bay, because I can! Woohoo, the 5km restriction has gone up to 10km, and now I can reach the bay, or at the least the section of it from Sandringham to St Kilda, so off I went.

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Day 633 ☀️ shopping

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 07:49:00 +1000

Saturday morning trundle up to the shops for fish & bread, over the Hanover street bridge today to check on the signage.

Day 632 ⛅ dat wind

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 16:04:00 +1000

Surprisingly warm, but ridiculously windy. For all its weight the AWOL is such a wobbly beast in the wind, front end keeps trying to take off into the shrubbery. Even with glasses on I ended up with eyes full of grit & sticks.

Day 631 ☀️ southeastwards

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 16:08:00 +1000

Busy afternoon so I only wanted to head out for a shorter ride, the half hour turned into three-quarters of an hour so it didn’t really make much difference from any other day in the end.

Day 630 ☀️ pretend commute

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 15:58:00 +1000

It seems a while since I’ve been this way, so off to pretend to commute to work. Down the Djerring trail to Clayton, up the hill to Monash University but don’t stop, straight through campus and head home. North up Gardiner and Forster roads, then follow the Scotchmans Creek trail back to Oakleigh, pausing to watch the ducks at Huntingdale wetlands

Day 629 ⛅ africa and blob

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 15:48:00 +1000

I still laugh when I think that someone created a strava segment for the entire loop around Gardiners creek, Ferndale track and the Anniversary trail that has the vague shape of the African continent and named it “I bless the rains down in Africa”. Today’s ride is dedicated to that segment, and the enjoyment of riding up Ferndale track, even if it is a dodge-fest of walkers & dogs and kids on BMX & MTB.

Day 628 ☀️ winter wind

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 16:10:00 +1000

Bright sunny skies and a cold winter wind straight up from the south. Brisk ride up to Caulfield, down Ormond, home along the Rosstown rail trail. Cold weather and an ill-fitting mask made for foggy sunglasses

Day 627 🌧 lake ride

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 12:52:00 +1000

Weather forecast was for a high of 14°C, a sunny morning & an increasingly wet afternoon. Early lunch and straight out for today’s ride, getting home as the temperature dropped and just as the rain started to fall.

family walk from Atkinson Street to Huntingdale wetlands and around, making the most of the sunny morning

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +1000

Day 626 🌧 afternoon leisure loop

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 15:36:00 +1000

For the past few weeks Satuday has been almost a day off; I go out for a quick ride up to the shops before breakfast, but haven’t been going out later in the day. Today I decided to make the best of the sunny afternoon and took myself out for a lap of the paths; Scotchmans creek, Gardiners creek, Anniversary trail, Ferndale track, Gardiners creek, back to Carnegie and Djerring trail home. Pleasantly warm, if a few too many small flies in the eyes in the damp near the creek

Day 626 ⛅ extended shopping

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 08:03:00 +1000

Sleepy head was still in bed so I took my time and detoured down to huntingdale to get croissants from a new bakery. Up huntingdale road into the wind, then across to oakleigh for the Saturday morning regulars, fish & bread. Old men still sitting around in cafes, drinking coffee, smoking, ignoring lockdown.

Day 625 ⛅ plain old friday

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 16:02:00 +1000

Nothing special, just around the loop. Through the ‘burbs to Gardiners creek, down the creek to Anniversary trail, up the trail to Ferndale track, dodge the dogs & owners & little piles of poo all the way to the bottom. Around to Glen Iris wetlands for a meander, then home up to Carnegie and back along the Djerring trail

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Day 624 ⛅ a big vee

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 15:39:00 +1000

A warm windy day, a quick and easy ride down to Clayton station along the Djerring trail, the flooded sections finally drying out after winter with water and mud over the path for weeks on end. Up Kanooka grove then an interesting variation, turn back towards home and slog into the wind back to Oakleigh, then turn into Ferntree Gully road and head east until I end up on my normal “triangle” of a route. Down Forster road to the Scotchmans Creek track and a slightly more sheltered trip home along the bikepath along the creek

Day 623 ⛅ cest la vie

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 15:56:00 +1000

Squint hard and you too may see the strava-art dog

Day 622 ⛅ the pipes

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 16:02:00 +1000

Abstract strava-art, the westward facing duck

Day 621 ☀️ karkarook lake

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 15:46:00 +1000

A quick clean & oil after the drenching last Friday, then off down the gravel road past the golf course and south to the lake. Lots of walkers as always, all with varying interpretations of how best to share a shared path. Stopped to say hello to a bird photographer then completed the loop of the lake and started homewards. Minor detour eastish to take in another park and parts of Clayton, then back home along Haughton road

Day 620 ⛅ velodrome laps

Sun, 05 Sep 2021 13:47:00 +1000

Packer Park velodrome on the fixie, the only time I get to pass people is when it’s full of kids like today!

Day 619 🌧 el shoppingo

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 08:05:00 +1000

Same old Saturday morning routine, up to the shops for fresh bread for the weekend, some fish for dinner & something for tomorrow’s dinner. Home before the rain started

Day 618 🌧 frogs

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 15:40:00 +1000

Could have gone out for the daily ride in the morning before it started to rain, but no, followed my usual schedule and took a work break in the late afternoon.

Day 617 ☀️ too windy

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 16:01:00 +1000

Yet another variation of a 5km lockdown loop; Scotchmans and Gardiners creeks, Hedgeley Dene, around Caulfield racecourse and down to Glennferrie road, home along some backstreets of Carnegie & Murrumbeena. Yes, it was warm & very windy

Day 616 ⛅ wattle day

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 15:44:00 +1000

Wattle day, first day of spring, September 1. Clear blue sky and warm, first outing in a summer-weight jersey for a few months. Longish ride to clear the head, or as longish as fits comfortably in the working afternoon and with the interminably extended lockdown6. So much for that Audax ride on the 11th, so much for that tassie visit in school holidays.

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Day 615 ⛅ daisy daisy

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 15:56:00 +1000

Off for the figure eight, Gardiners creek trail to Glen Iris wetlands, up the Ferndale track, down the Anniversary trail and back through the golf course. Home run is south to Murrumbeena and back along the Djerring trail. Lots’n’lots of people out and about, seemed to be a day for young teens on bikes. There were way too many scary moments on the Gardiners creek trail as oncoming riders pull out to overtake two or three-abreast pedestrians, then look up and see me, but have committed to going so they just barge on through.

Day 614 ⛅ windy triangle

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:54:00 +1000

Man what a wind! Intended to go out to the north and west but that solid wind had me turn around and go a different direction. Off along Scotchmans creek path then south. Had a bit of an explore in some of the business parks of Mount Waverley and found a through-road I never knew existed, that down past Monash Uni and into Clayton. Dodged endless massive piles of roadside garbage waiting for hard-rubbish collection and being blown hither and yon, then turned up the Djerring trail for the slog home into the wind.

Day 613 🌧 hilly bits

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 14:32:00 +1000

Rainy all morning then fining up in the afternoon and gradually getting sunny while I was out. Wasn’t sure where to go so I thought I’d head along Scotchmans creek to Forster road and maybe go up and down the hill. On the way a detour for some hilly bits of Chadstone - the suburb, not the shopping mall. Got to Forster road and my heart just wasn’t in it, so detour off to wiggle through Mount Waverley then down the rail line to Ashwood.. and turn around and back up the way I’d just come. Off through northern Mount Waverley – I think – then bits of Ashwood and Jordanville and finally home straight down Warrigal road, which I haven’t ridden along for years and is an appallingly bike-unfriendly traffic sewer, but today was near empty so I rode it for completeness.

Day 612 ☀️ shopping

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 07:48:00 +1000

Chicken Marylands for tomorrow, ling fillet for tonight, fresh bread and hot-cross buns, a quick stop for a photo then home for breakfast

Day 611 ⛅ prickly pair

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 15:52:00 +1000

Cold and grey, although there was no wind and the sun came out on the way home, so overall quite enjoyable.

beaten at Finska as today's pre-work activity – 50/45 – I think we need to shift the throwing line back a bit for more challenge

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 08:15:00 +1000

Day 610 ⛅ chilly arvo ride

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 15:53:00 +1000

Brrr, only just over 10°C despite what the weather thingy says. Sunny, cold and windy. Celebrated international dog day by choosing to not run into the off-leash Jack russell that ran straight across in front of me in the park

Day 609 ⛅ lockdown sucks

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 15:51:00 +1000

A cold lap around the work commute triangle, pausing for a photo next to an amusing sign at the back of a building; lockdown six and a sign stating “suction point” prompted the ride’s title

goodreads — “The Master Mind of Mars”

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Master Mind of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews My reading also logged on indiebookclub and bookwyrm… Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Day 608 ⛅ ashburtoning about

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 15:54:00 +1000

Down to the Solway bridge creek crossing and up into Ashburton, then wriggle around on streets not previously visited

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trains restarted after overnight works, woken by a loud and long freight

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 05:00:00 +1000

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Day 607 ⛅ fifth reason

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 13:15:00 +1000

Down to Sandown racecourse for my second covid-19 vaccination. Cold & windy & a splash of icy rain on the way home

Passed a pair of tree mulching trucks parked on the end of the bike path in Oakleigh, I wonder if they’re about to dump yet more massive piles of woodchips on the metre-high storage dump alongside the path, or if they’re just parked there coincidentally.

Day 606 ☀️ lost sunnies ride

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 13:16:00 +1000

Windy Sunday ride. Found an alley cat mural, lost my sunnies somewhere between Caulfield and home. Hundreds of people out, social distancing… not so much

Day 605 ⛅ bakery

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 08:24:00 +1000

Still counts as a daily ride, over a mile was my only requirement way back when I decided. Recently its been the one day a week where all I do is ride up to the shops and back, in the Garmin drop down list a ride that becomes “Transportation” rather than “Recreational”. Leading on to my annoyance with them, why isn’t it consistent as “Transportationq” and “Recreation” or “Transportational and Recreational”? Oh well, up to the shops, a bag of mussels for dinner & fresh bread for the weekend

Day 604 ⛅ uni commute triangle

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 16:05:00 +1000

A pretend commute, the triangle down to Clayton, up through Monash Uni, continue on up Forster road then home along Scotchmans Creek trail

Day 603 ⛅ sunny spring

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 15:48:00 +1000

Haven’t been this way for a while so back around the creek, up Ferndale track and down the Anniversary trail – nearly spat out my coffee when I realised later that the strava segment “bless the rain in africa” was all about the shape. Despite the playgrounds being closed there’s still a few kids in each of them and this time it looks as though the councils haven’t bothered closing everything off with tape – except for the BMX track where they’ve plonked huge concrete barriers on top of each large jump. Of course the 20-30 kids there ignored them and use all the rest of the park that they can get to, swerving around the edges of the barricades.

goodreads — “The Potter's Field”

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Day 602 ⛅ a-wriggling

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 16:01:00 +1000

Stayed within Oakleigh and Oakleigh East, filling in streets that according to Wandrer.earth I haven’t ridden before. Perhaps I have, perhaps just not since I joined up… A surprising amount of hilliness, or not really, all my normal bike routes go along with the curves of the land.

Day 601 ⛅ lawnmower man

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 15:47:00 +1000

Daily ride plus a visit to mow a lawn. Rain has cleared up but still felt damp and cool in the sun

Day 600 🌧 bwahahaha

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 16:09:00 +1000

Day 600, made it. Admittedly, a global pandemic preventing holidays away does make for more likelihood of riding around… and around … and around… the local neighbourhood.

Day 599 ☀️ Sunday wind day

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 14:28:00 +1000

Longer Sunday afternoon ride, although the wind had come up so I should have gone out earlier in the morning. Fairly strong and constant westerly the entire time, so it made the first part down the Djerring trail and the last bit home along Neerim road enjoyable, but some of the mid section along the rail line in Mount Waverley were hard going.

repair the toy remote control car…

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 12:11:00 +1000

Half-heartedly started on this when I first was handed the broken car in 2017, then put it aside “for later”, of course it just sat there for a couple of years and ended up in with a box of other possibly repairable electrical things. For the past few months its been sitting in the bag with the other things to go on the annual hard-rubbish and yesterday we threw it out.

not quite our garden … guerilla rose pruning on the nature strip across the railway, and a general rubbish collection

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 11:45:00 +1000

Day 598 ☀️ Saturday shops

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 07:54:00 +1000

Fish, bread, home for breakfast. The weekly short ride, this week on el tigre – the fading cell bikes fixie – and for a minor variation, home over the Hanover street bridge

Day 597 ⛅ junk ride

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 15:48:00 +1000

Around and around the streets of Bentleigh East, following the streets that wandrer says I haven’t ridden. Houses, cars, gardens, endless piles of hard rubbish dumped out for the annual collection

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Day 596 ⛅ mostly side roads

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 15:52:00 +1000

No rain, no collisions, not even any road raging swerving drivers. A much better day today

Filling in a bunch of side streets in Malvern East that wandrer says I haven’t ridden, perhaps I’ve ridden them in the past, perhaps not. Down through Argyle and Central parks, absolutely chockablock with people walking dogs. Or at least people walking with loose dogs racing around near them. Fascinating selection of architecture too, all kinds of house styles, but mostly pricey ones. Some lovely long bits of lumpy bluestone laneways and ending up in Hedgeley Dene for a roll around the ponds and garden beds. Home was straight back along Waverley road, up alongside the Outer Circle rail urban forest & through Murrumbeena

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Day 595 🌧 rainy crashy

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 16:06:00 +1000

Rubbish rainy afternoon ride. Hit by a driver on the Djerring trail bike path on the way out, then punishment hooked by a ubereats driver on Neerim road on the way home.

goodreads — “The Chessmen of Mars”

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Day 594 ⛅ norf wind and penis

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 15:44:00 +1000

Not my penis, just one I found on a signboard by a bin while travelling along some previously unvisited side streets in Ashburton

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Day 593 ⛅ GI content

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 15:52:00 +1000

What I thought was GI turned out to be ME; Malvern East rather than Glen Iris, oh well, there goes today’s joke. Wriggled around a few back streets to colour in a bit of the wandrer map, ended up in Hedgeley Dene and said hello to a couple of 2yr olds looking at ducks. Home along Waverley & Belgrave roads, dodge the ute stopped in the forward bike box, then Murrumbeena road and Djerring trail, dodjing the djog djropppings

Internode CSS failure

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 13:43:13 +1000

Day 592 ⛅ lockdown 6 pt 3

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 13:33:00 +1000

Sunday afternoon longer ride… since when did anything over 20km become a longer ride? Oh well, lockdown 2hr & 5km it is. Seemingly hundreds of people out and about on every path, park & track in the bits of Melbourne I visited.

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Day 591 ⛅ just shopping

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 07:30:00 +1000

Pre-breakfast shopping for fish and bread, and a lap around the block to find a photogenic spot for a photo

Day 590 ⛅ darn sarf

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 15:51:00 +1000

Down south to Karkarook lake, lockdown 6, day 1. I think my 5km boundary is 2/3 of the way around the lake but I’m not much of a triathlete so I break the law rather than swim the lake. Wiggled around a few side streets to fill in a bit more of Oakleigh South

Day 589 ⛅ no bunyip

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 15:58:00 +1000

Some roads, some creek, some paths, some ponds, some gravel and some mud…. but no bunyip

Day 588 🌧 happy birthday awol

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 15:48:00 +1000

Seven years and 37,000km according to strava, it is a truck, but it’s a well travelled truck. Not bad for a bike that my local - useless - bike shop & Specialized dealer assured me was not being imported to Australia. Commuter, tourer, adventurer & mental health saviour. Here’s to more years where #wearegoingawol

Day 587 ⛅ the school run

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 08:02:00 +1000

Accompanying number one son to school to bring home the saxophone that should have come home on the bus yesterday.

Day 586 ☀️ inconceivable

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 15:48:00 +1000

Took a wrong turn, thought I was heading south to the lake, found I was stuck in an industrial area so went around the block. Got back to where I’d started and later found it was a strava segment and I’m now 2nd overall! Unexpected, unprecedented and unlikely to stay that way for long!

Day 585 ☀️ Sunday bayside

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 14:15:00 +1000

A sunny Sunday afternoon and time to go for a longer ride, and finally somewhere near the bay, well out of my 5km lockdown circle. Djerring trail to Caulfield, then down Inkerman to St Kilda along the route proposed for the major separated bike lane. Through the back streets to Beacon Cove including what felt like a maze at the end. Fishermen, kids, roller-skaters, the pier and foreshore full of people out enjoying the weather and post-lockdown freedom.

Day 584 ⛅ chicken fush bread

Sat, 31 Jul 2021 07:56:00 +1000

Saturday shopping, drumsticks, mackerel, hot cross buns. Suprisingly close pass by a white van man making no attempt to pass safely on a completely empty Atherton road

Day 583 ⛅ windy rubbish

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 15:52:00 +1000

Down to the south east along the Djerring trail, up and down a few streets and home again. Pretty strong wind blowing everything about, and lots of rubbish dumped everywhere in the streets — either routine illegal dumping or people getting in early for the annual council hard rubbish collection — either way it was all blowing around making the streets look like land fill

Day 582 ⛅ rosstown rail trail glenhuntly road

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 16:14:00 +1000

Towards the bay along the Rosstown Rail Trail route until I got to Hawthorn Road, then north to Glenhuntly road and home along it & Neerim roads. Rosstown Rail Trail is a chicane-style riding with the route being along narrow suburban roads with parking both sides & lots of through traffic, prepared to be bullied out of the way by oncoming SUVs, especially at “after school pick up” time.

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Day 581 🌧 sanity preserver

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 16:09:00 +1000

Escaped from a busy work afternoon for three quarters of an hour, then got a little bit of almost every kind of weather, but thankfully none of this morning’s hail. Wind, rain, glaring sunshine in the eyes, odd wind from a different direction, more rain, a dry bit then a soaked bit of path. Motorists were all in an equally mixed up condition, many very confused about what a bicycle lane is and what the legal overtaking distance is

Day 580 ⛅ a windy loop

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 15:38:00 +1000

Lots of small branches down and assorted rubbish blasting about in the wind, made for gritty eyes on the dustier sections. Through Ashwood to Gardiners creek trail, up Anniversary trail, down Ferndale track then Gardiners Creek back to the golf course and south through Murrumbeena to the Djerring trail.

Day 579 ⛅ jingle jangle

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 15:11:00 +1000

A lap around the work commute triangle, finally the new path through the Huntingdale wetlands is both officially open and swept of mud and crap! Hard work coming back up the Djerring trail, straight into the wind

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Day 578 🌧 Park life

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 14:07:00 +1000

Meandered off through Carnegie, down towards the creek through Ardrie and Central parks then Hedgeley Dene Gardens and down to Gardners creek. Lots of people out walking, lots of dogs too! Up the Ferndale track, pausing for a coffee between playground and flooded path then continue to the top, join the Anniversary trail and back home again

goodreads — “Thuvia, Maid of Mars”

Sat, 24 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Day 577 ⛅ Saturday shopping

Sat, 24 Jul 2021 08:05:00 +1000

Saturday pre-breakfast shopping, a snapper for dinner & bread for breakfast. The French bakery has changed hands and we don’t seem to have hot-cross buns 365 days of the year any longer

Day 576 ⛅ kark park

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 15:41:00 +1000

Dull, grey, damp and cold. Down to Karakarook park for a lap around the lake and home again

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Day 575 ⛅ lappity lap

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 16:09:00 +1000

Some laps of the Caulfield velodrome then a meander up to Boyd Park to play spot-the-tawny-frogmouth and take a peek at the orchids

Day 574 ⛅ Afternoon Ride

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 15:51:00 +1000

Rosstown rail trail until I got to the rail railway, then north to Glenferrie road and a long wait at the level crossing. East to Carnegie, up a block, then west along Neerim road and once again a long wait at the level crossing.Finally up and around the racecourse then home along the Djerring trail

Day 573 🌧 ferndale and hail

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 15:43:00 +1000

Waited until the optimal time for a break in the rain & headed out for the day’s entertainment. Down through Oakleigh to the creek… the stormy full creek. Could have just about gone white-water kayaking under the rakali bridge. Strangely few other people around, not a soul to be seen until I got to the golf course, arriving just as three hardy types ran off the green and under some trees because, of course, it had just decided to start hailing. Over the Solway bridge to the start of the Anniversary trail in the hail, then up to Ashburton as it eased off to rain.

Online shopping economics

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

My current old pair of jeans failed catastrophically on the weekend, suddenly tearing through around the groin and across the backs of the legs where for months they’d been “a bit thin.” Getting a new pair was complicated by Covid lockdown, but to replace them with the same cheapies in the same size and use KMart’s “click & collect” seemed simple enough. Step 1, locating them in the online catalogue wasn’t too hard.

foosball challenge by Cam; I lost 9:1, never have been very good at it!

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 08:15:00 +1000

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Day 572 ⛅ pretend commute

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 15:47:00 +1000

Down the Djerring trail and up through Clayton to Monash Uni, not to work though, carry on straight through and out the other side, up through the business parks and eventually to Forster road, then home along Scotchmans Creek trail. Huntingdale wetlands path now seems to be officially open, albeit covered in topsoil and still with various bits of traffic barrier & equipment lying around. Cold and damp, especially along the creek

Day 571 ⛅ lower left quadrant

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 13:53:00 +1000

Lets see if we can stay in the 5km lockdown zone and trace out the boundary. Easy on some parts, harder on others, here’s the lower left quadrant of the circle, out to Caulfield then down and around to Karkarook park, which was packed with people all simultaneously “exercising with at most one other person”

Jo has commenced the annual rose-knobbing – rose pruning time triggered by the last week of the Tour de France

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +1000

Day 570 🌧 shopping

Sat, 17 Jul 2021 07:44:00 +1000

Saturday morning shopping, but with added lockdown. Ride up to the shops; fish, chicken, bread, then ride home. Oakleigh mask-wearing is a joke, I can half understand the people who don’t wear one at all, but the sheer number with them on the chin or only over the mouth, what’s the point? Three shops; half the staff in shop one, noses out, except for one guy who took his off to talk to someone. Second shop, both staff noses out. Third shop, yay, she’s wearing a mask… until I’d paid, then she took it off and put it on the shelf, presumably until the next customer came in.

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Day 569 ⛅ 5km lockdown limits

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 16:05:00 +1000

Ceremonial first day of lockdown fixie ride to the ends of the earth… or at least the limits of lockdown

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Day 568 ⛅ sunshine and wattles

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 15:41:00 +1000

A mid-afternoon escape from a looming fifth lockdown, out for a loop in the sun along Scotchmans Creek trail, Anniversary trail, Ferndale Track, some roads and the Djerring trail. The wattles are starting to flower and smell of spring time. Not many other people out, too early for dog-o-c’lock. Called in for some beers and to view a mural in the ‘burb on the way back home

Meyer lemon & orange tree both still covered in large ripe fruit, we're getting one or two oranges a day

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 09:10:00 +1000

Day 567 ⛅ cold windy short one

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 15:32:00 +1000

An uninspiring cold and windy afternoon. Up the Djerring trail to Caulfield, avoiding the motorist who ignored the give-way sign and tried to flatten me as he drove out of Murrumbeena station car park. In through the blue tunnel and around the racecourse lake, then out through the stinky horse tunnel back into suburbia. Home along Neerim road riding just outside the useless unusable bike lane full of parked cars

Tuftes

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 21:44:00 +1000

A work colleague produces many graphs, but in my opinion has much room for improvement. This afternoon while looking at some I thought of Tufte & wondered if a copy of his book wouldn’t go astray. Searched on google for Tufte in the afternoon, read the Wikipedia page & booktopia page on the book. Then in the evening browsing, the same tufte ad in instagram, independent.co.uk, dmarge & SMH. Then this morning, the ad seems everywhere, in one of the cycling news sites and again in theage.

Day 566 ⛅ dodgem home

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 16:47:00 +1000

Dodgem? Dodge who? All of them! Clayton drivers ignoring give way signs, phone-staring electric-motorbike delivery riders on the footpaths, off lead dogs and red-light running cement mixers. Pretty much the full house of expected behaviour

endless verbal references to moss key doze, it shouldn't bug me but it does

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 11:15:00 +1000

Day 566 🌧 milk and work

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 07:07:00 +1000

Logistics failure lead to insufficient milk for breakfast, so a pre-breakfast dash up to the nearest mechanical cow, then home for a bit and off to work. Much prefer my daily rides around Lorne and the Otways, suburban Melbourne is a bit of a step down in scenery

Day 565 ⛅ North Lorne

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 13:24:00 +1000

The schedule is full, not much free time for a ride, so after lunch it was a brief spin around the streets of North Lorne. Mostly parallel with the coast, but still quite lumpy. A detour up along the path through the bush alongside Grassy Creek, Red-rumped finches & Superb Fairy wrens cheeping & jumping around in the sheltered valley. Joyous find of the day was a muddy but mostly unscratched 45 from 1987, The Trilobites’ “Night of the Many Deaths”. Home along the gravelly beach track and up to the house, then pack the bike & luggage for the trip home to Melbourne

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Day 564 ⛅ five mile mud track

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 14:13:00 +1000

Out for my daily ride after lunch, it had been really windy down on the beach so I headed inland. Nearly ended in disaster before I’d begun, at the right angle turn at the bottom of our street a woman in a Range Rover came around the corner completely on my side of the road, head turned off to the side, tooting on the horn and waving to her friends in a house nearby and completely ignoring the fact that she nearly put me up and over the bonnet! Just about had to stop and compose myself and honestly thought about turning around and shakily heading back up to the house

goodreads — “Daemon”

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Day 563 ☀️ great ocean road

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 14:12:00 +1000

Lorne to Wye River and back, accompanied by the rest of the family almost to Cumberland River. Not much traffic, not much notice of road rule 144A re. minimum passing distances.

Day 562 ☀️ homewards

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 16:39:00 +1000

Commute home, nothing special, north to Scotchmans creek and home along the trail. Screechy halt to avoid ramming the passenger door of the motorist ignoring the give-way sign, she looked somewhat confused as a cyclist “appeared from nowhere” and “yelled at her for no reason” while she happily drove straight across the bike path without looking.

The superstitious research data management document with no section 13

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 15:40:00 +1000

A multi-part document where amusingly there’s no section 13, which reminded me of the motel we stayed in last week that had no room 13, just 11, 12, 12A and 14. Nothing superstitious here, that section had been cancelled when it was discovered that the material was covered in two other overlapping sections

cold winter lunchtime walk

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 13:00:00 +1000

Sunny, still, no wind and shrieking lorikeets. There’s a hazy mist in the air from the near-zero minimum. I walked around the top of the campus to the lake, around the lake and back through the middle, hands in pockets all the way!

Day 562 ⛅ frost and trains

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 08:15:00 +1000

Frozen finger commute today, out the door & look at the frost on the grass and car windows, then stand around and wait for a V/Line to crawl through the crossing heading for Oakleigh. Freezing cold as usual along the Djerring trail, then I caught and passed the V/Line as it was stopped waiting to enter Huntingdale. Caught and passed the Metro at the next signal ahead of it too, then paced the train all the way to Clayton station.

Day 561 ⛅ NAIDOC pavlova

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 15:08:00 +1000

Thursdays are one of my work-from-home days, so it was dissappointing to find that the coworker with baking skills was promoting a NAIDOC afternoon tea today… until I realised that I could combine my daily ride with a visit to work and a plate full of tasty pavlova.

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Day 560 ⛅ geocaching Albert Park

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 09:46:00 +1000

Five hours elapsed time, only 13.3km and an hour and a quarter riding, the rest spent poking around hunting for geocaches with number one son. Fairly successful, 13 finds and 3 DNFs, together with a decent coffee at the boatshed and enjoyable chicken roll in St Kilda afterwards. A surprisingly tiring outing

4am, two noisy men and a bookshelf banging around out in the street, why the hell would you carry it down the street now?

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 04:05:00 +1000

Day 559 ⛅ bird strike

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 16:57:00 +1000

Leaving work on dusk the gum trees around campus are a shrieking mass of lorikeets, then down to the creek and you can hear the currawongs. Always in the background noisy miners being… noisy. At one point I came around a corner and there were 20-30 of them in a shrieking mob, on the ground and fluttering around – I’m not sure if they were partying or fighting but the entire flock exploded up as I rode through them, arm over my face with birds and feathers everywhere

Day 559 ⛅ el commutage

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 08:16:00 +1000

Down to Clayton, up to Monash, ho hum, yawn, what a lot of dumped furniture and crap on the streets

Day 558 ⛅ homeward bound

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 16:49:00 +1000

Still cold and grey but in a better frame of mind than this morning, decided to ride down to Clayton and home along the Djerring trail

Day 558 🌧 and so to work

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 08:19:00 +1000

First commute after a five day mini holiday, not in the mood for it and the cold and damp didn’t help. Took the short route after dodging the flooded mud-covered mess that is the Djerring trail in Oakleigh

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Day 557 ⛅ family around kerang

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 09:29:00 +1000

What very sticky mud they have around here!

Day 556 ⛅ Loddon wetlands

Sat, 03 Jul 2021 17:18:00 +1000

A full day in the car viewing silo art then an extra 50km from Swan Hill where we’d planned on staying to Kerang where we could find accommodation meant that my ride on a “non-riding day” was squeezed in to the time between arriving at the motel and heading out for dinner. A brief explore up along the levy beside the Loddon river and a lap of the bushland parks as the sun set, the light orangey gravel showing up nicely in the fading light, the river and wetlands and red gums all giving the area a definite feel of bunyip territory… best be home before dark

Day 555 ⛅ Natimuk and Arapiles Big Sky Trail

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 08:20:00 +1000

If we’d known about the Arapiles Big Sky Trail yesterday, and had the bikes with us, we’d have ridden it on our way through the area. As it was we didn’t find out until we got to the tourist information and were on our way out, so we decided to head back today and ride the trail – with me planning on riding out from Horsham first. The weather forecast didn’t look great, but the we figured we’d be back before the rain started

Day 554 ☀️ Horsham city sunset

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 17:21:00 +1000

A lazy start to the day and a full day of driving around from Horsham to see silo art and the local area left me with little time to squeeze in a daily ride. Out just before sunset for a zoom around the blocks in the CBD, a bit of criterium-like / criterium-light fun and a bit of checking out places for dinner. Caught the sunset just perfectly as I crossed the Wimmera river and even managed to take a photo that mostly does it justice.

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Day 553 ⛅ Horsham mini explore

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 15:44:00 +1000

A long drive to a five day family holiday… a holiday that isn’t a cycling holiday, but involved taking the bikes. Late arrival in Horsham and I dived out for a quick exploration of the nearby streets and area. Managed to find an industrial area first, then a new housing development that could have been any town in Victoria from Echuca to Torquay to outer Melbourne, made my way up to the Wimmera river and crossed over to the northern bank where I was in a mix of roadworks and bike paths before finally making my way back to the motel

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Day 552 ⛅ sunset creek commute

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 16:44:00 +1000

Left work a bit earlier than yesterday, so it was slightly lighter, slightly warmer. Certainly noisier, the roosting lorikeets and noisy miners making quite a racket from all the tree tops. Intermittent warmer & colder patches of air riding along the creek, then back into traffic to cross Dandenong road and make my way through Oakleigh commute drivers for the last suburb home

goodreads — “Dragonsdawn”

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Day 552 ☀ frosty boy

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 08:12:00 +1000

C-coldest morning so far this year, frost on the ground and on the cars and a very chilly on the sheltered southern sides of the two-storey concrete buildings down along the Djerring trail. Rode all the way down the trail with another rider who I meet occasionally, then parted company for the hill climb up Kanooka grove.

Day 551 🌙 cold dark creek commute

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 17:19:00 +1000

Bloody cold and damp down by the creek!

Day 551 ☀ cold commute

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 08:10:00 +1000

COVID lockdown number four is over and we’re now allowed, ney, required, to be in the office this week… but we’re also required to wear masks at all times inside. There goes the productivity, but, there’ll be bums on seats to convince the upper echelons that work is being done

Day 550 ⛅ sunday pre-lunch ride

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 11:11:00 +1000

There are things to do in the afternoon, so my usual Sunday afternoon ride became a Sunday late morning ride. Two loops, a squashed eight, around the creek path to East Malvern station, follow the creek to the Glen Iris wetlands, up Ferndale track and back down the Anniversary trail to the bridge, golf course and East Malvern station. Then home via Murrumbeena

blocked off one corner of the neighbour's fence where their cat climbs over – with an old wire shelf – what will the cat do now?

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 10:30:00 +1000

cleared weeds & "black matter" from guttering above water tank, the downpipes are completely choked due to poor layout

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 16:15:00 +1000

Day 549 ⛅ more shopping

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 14:29:00 +1000

An unproductive visit to several shops, but I did get to see anger in the car parks and stupidity in the shops. Some genius put the Covid QR code on an automatic door, so of course it scoots off out of view as soon as you approach to scan it!

Day 549 ⛅ half a shopping

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 07:43:00 +1000

It was 2.2km, honest it was, but some doofus turned his garmin off at the bakery and forgot to turn it back on for the ride home from the shops. You know the drill; Saturday morning, fish shop, bread shop, home

Day 548 ⛅ extended pretend commute triangle

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 15:39:00 +1000

Followed the old outer circle rail line to East Malvern, then back up Scotchmans creek to Forster road. Forster road bike path to Monash Uni, jiggle through Uni, down Clayton to the Djerring trail and home.

Day 547 ☁️ fixed 10k

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 06:28:00 +1000

Lazy me does not normally get out of bed this early unless there’s something special happening, today there’s plans for a (non-bike) day long outing and it looked to be the best time to get in a daily ride. So out it was, into the dark, and strangely warm, early morning for a spin on the fixie down to Centre road and back. Half a dozen other commuters went past the other way, met three or four people out for a walk including one in pitch black clothes on an unlit section of path with his earbuds in - he jumped as I passed, apparently hadn’t noticed my light, my voice or my bell… at least he wasn’t drunk & took a swing at me, as has happened along there

Day 546 ⛅ windy ride

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 15:57:00 +1000

Much warmer than the last few days, ignore the automatically generated “Feels like 7°C”, I think they got something wrong there, it was an almost warm wind. Gusty, northerly, but dull & grey out

Day 545 ⛅ where to now

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 15:38:00 +1000

Another cold grey wintery day. Another hour out of the house around and back again. A bit of creek path, a bit of bike path, a lot of road and a fair number of close passing ijuts in SUVs

the daphne smells strong, the oranges are falling – one or two a day – and the cats are digging up vast swathes of the garden

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 13:05:00 +1000

Day 544 ☀️ A West variation

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 15:49:00 +1000

Heading west past Caulfield, down Inkerman street and site for proposed separated bike lane, currently the site of an unusable car park bike lane. North, back to Dandenong road and then main-ish roads back east. Off down a laneway I may or may not have used in the past, then home through Carnegie … only three cars parked in the clearway today

Day 543 ☁️ family grange reserve

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 14:24:00 +1000

A couple of months ago we’d found our way to The Grange reserve to check out the UFO and read the info on the 1969 sightings, and stumbled on the remnant bushland reserve to the south, but having no locks with us couldn’t explore further. Today we went back down there, on a very cold wintery afternoon, locked up the bikes and walked most of the paths through the three main types of bushland in there. Despite the late afternoon sun it was cold & damp & not at all conducive to a leisurely poke around, so we’ll probably have to head back again when the weather warms up

plenty of magnolia blossoms out now, is this early, or do I think that every year?

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 12:00:00 +1000

Day 542 ☁️ el shoppage

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 08:19:00 +1000

Fish shop, chicken shop, bread shop, home

Day 541 🌧 round in the rain

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 16:01:00 +1000

If that’s strava art then I guess it’d have to be a watercolour…

goodreads — “The Warlord of Mars”

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Day 540 ☁️ pretend commute

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 16:04:00 +1000

The pretend commute triangle, Djerring trail, Clayton streets and Scotchmans Creek track … or “rail trail” as it is bizarrely signed in some locations, despite there never having been a rail line on it or near it.

Day 539 ☁️ oranges and roadrage

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 15:41:00 +1000

Suburban loop to drop off some oranges, a mix of bike paths and roads, Scotchmans creek track, Glen Waverley line track, Gardiners creek track, Anniversary track and Djerring trail interspersed with roads where necessary, and closes passes, as the new road rule 144A seems to be purely ornamental, neither obeyed nor enforced

Day 538 ☁️ four south east parks

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 16:00:00 +1000

Something a little different today; down the Djerring trail for a suburb then a visit to four suburban parks in Oakleigh South or Clarinda or I’m not sure where. Davies reserve, Talbot reserve, Bald Hill reserve & Namitjira park. I was going to add in the big vacant patch of derelict bushland as well, but it seems to be finally under development; fenced off and bulldozed flat, not a sceric of vegetation left. Then northish to the railway line in Clayton and home back along the Djerring trail.

Day 537 ☁️ ferndale upwards

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 15:54:00 +1000

Clockwise today, but much the same route as many other days. Dog o’clock, so uphill along Ferndale track is a sea of athleisurewear-clad ladies with their puppies. Lots of mud still around from the rain last week

Day 536 ☁️ further afield

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 14:13:00 +1000

Sunday afternoon outing; a mix of bike paths & Burwood highway. Very busy on many of the paths with people everywhere. There’s plenty of wreckage from the storm last Wednesday night too, big trees down and either not yet attended to or only partly sawn off and pushed aside. I managed to nearly fall off a few times, all the recent rain & mud have my pedals in a poor state. Luckily there was a signpost next to the road at the lights and a frantic grab had me hanging on the pole while trying to get my foot out

Day 535 ☁️ fishes and loaves

Sat, 12 Jun 2021 08:36:00 +1000

Morning ride to the shops for some salmon cutlets and fresh bread for the weekend. Favourite local bakery may have changed hands, the price has gone up and the name on the bank transaction changed, fingers crossed nothing more changes

Day 534 ☁️ the old triangle

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 15:34:00 +1000

A backwards pretend commute; home to work to home along Scotchmans creek trail, bike lanes, paths and roads through Clayton, then Djerring trail home. New path through Huntingdale wetlands still fenced off, I’m guessing while the mud settles. Mysteriously soft front tyre from yesterday pumped up and stayed mysteriously hard overnight

we have one early magnolia blossom, and lots of buds waiting for spring

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 08:10:00 +1000

Day 533 ☁️ go soft and go home

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 15:36:00 +1000

A suspiciously soft front tyre had me turn around at Huntingdale wetlands and head for home. Not sure if there’s a recent puncture, a slow leak or just gradually me not paying attention in the cold and wet

not too much wind storm damage overnight, just another – rotten – paling off the front fence

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 08:15:00 +1000

Day 532 🌧 a bracing ride

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 15:43:00 +1000

Yesterday it was come home north into a northerly, today south into a southerly. But I get ahead of myself. Out in a break in the rain … well most of a break. Paths almost completely to myself the entire way around, a few people out for an afternoon outing with kids in parkas and gumboots. Not another cyclist to be seen until I started home from Glem Iris wetlands when six kids on MTBs shot past through the underpass, heading out for some muddy fun. Both creeks thundering down over the rocks, overflowing and churning through the parkland. The wetlands looking very … wet

Day 531 ☁️ cold wet triangle

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 15:57:00 +1000

Some days, even ABS cannot prevent a collision (Adrian’s Big Shout)

Music from bandcamp

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Mataora, by Winterwood Digital Album $10.00NZD Sketches in Monochrome, by Winterwood Digital Album $10.00NZD April, by amongleaves Digital Album $10.00NZD Subtotal: 30.00 GST (10.0%): 3.00 Total: $33.00 NZD bandcamp/ajft

Day 530 ☁️ dat wind tho

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 15:55:00 +1000

What kind of fool would head south on a day with a strong northerly? What kind of a question is that? Fun first half, slog of a ride home

Day 529 ☁️ wheezing around

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 14:10:00 +1000

Not feeling 100%, but not dead yet so out for today’s ride. Djerring trail to Caulfield, south to the Rosstown trail and home along it

I emptied the chiminea ash, Jo emptied the compost bins, together we collected all the autumn leaves

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 11:30:00 +1000

Day 528 ☀️ breakfast essentials

Sat, 05 Jun 2021 08:26:00 +1000

Shopping. Brr. Were those covid-like symptoms or did I just have a runny nose because it was really really cold & damp? You be the judge…

Day 527 ☁️ lake and creek

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 15:51:00 +1000

Cold damp ride; wet bike paths, the sump-pump in the tunnel under Caulfield racecourse clattering and thumping like crazy, autumn leaves in slippery piles and a dull cloudy afternoon ride home

goodreads — “The Journal of a Voyage to Lisbon”

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Let the cat out of the laundry to be met by an ungodly stench and enormous cat crap on the floor beside the litter tray

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 07:15:00 +1000

zing-ding-ding-ding… the idiot on the 2-stroke MTB goes whizzing up the bike path… again

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 02:55:00 +1000

Day 526 ☁️ autumnal out and about

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 15:33:00 +1000

Minor variation on the loopy ride; up through Mount Waverley or parts nearby to Gardiners creek trail, back down to the Anniversary trail, up to Ferndale track, down to Glen Iris wetlands. Paused at Blakes Feast for a coffee & muffin along the way and sat on a log in the sun. Check on the waterbirds and bags of dog turds, then home along Gardiners creek, south to Murrumbeena and home along the Djerring trail

The lemon tree is blossoming again, smells great. Garlic has sprouted and coming up in the rose bed. The 2m diameter dead patch fairy ring in the lawn has reappeared (magic), and the orange tree is covered in big juicy bois

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 11:38:00 +1000

Day 525 ☁️ sunny loop

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:10:00 +1000

Down the Djerring trail to Clayton, up through Monash campus and on northwards to meet Scotchmans Creek trail, then back down the trail through Huntingdale wetlands until it meets Gardiners creek trail, turn off south to Murrumbeena, rejoin the Djerring trail and head home. The new section of bike path through the wetlands is very nearly complete, joined up at one end but not the other, just a week or two more…

Day 524 ☀️ dead garmin

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 15:40:00 +1000

Hadn’t realised when I went out that the Edge820 failed to charge up on the plugpack overnight – its been doing that more frequently, very temperamental about holding the cable “just so”. Went flat about 40% of the way around the Anniversary trail/Ferndale track/Gardiners creek loop

Day 523 ☀️ reason number five

Mon, 31 May 2021 13:18:00 +1000

Normally a puncture on a bike ride is no cause for celebration; today I’ll make an exception for the one in my upper arm

Day 522 ⛅ Lake lap

Sun, 30 May 2021 13:37:00 +1000

Out for my daily lockdown exercise along with number one son, we meandered about through Oakleigh, down the gravel path by the golf course – a discovery made last year during lockdown strava stalking – then around bits of Oakleigh south to Karkarook lake. The path around the lake was packed, endless groups of people out for their lockdown exercise & socialising, not paying a lot of attention to the requirement for “exercising with at most one other” or “mandatory mask wearing”. Then a minor diversion south along a gravel track before turning and heading home on a straighter route.

Day 521 ☁️ Saturday shopping

Sat, 29 May 2021 08:18:00 +1000

Around the block to try and wake up, then up to the shops for bread and fish. Oakleigh locals doing the Oakleigh “lockdown mandatory mask” thing; about half the masks hang on the chin or proudly display a nose out the top, about a quarter of the people don’t bother with one at all. Eaton mall chairs & tables all packed away, smokers & drinkers stand around chatting and sipping on takeaways instead

Day 520 ☁️ lockdown limits

Fri, 28 May 2021 15:47:00 +1000

Out and back, out and back, 5km this way, 5km that way, then home via the fruit shop. Spin spin spin, third day in a row out on the fixie

Day 519 🌧 fixie spin

Thu, 27 May 2021 16:24:00 +1000

Luckily the rain stopped this afternoon, nothing else seemed to go right. A quick spin down to Westall & back along the Djerring trail, lockdown at midnight, so nothing past 5km for the next week

Day 518 🌧 out yet again

Wed, 26 May 2021 16:04:00 +1000

Uninspiring ride on an uninspiring day. Wet, cold, grumpy

Day 517 🌧 homewards

Tue, 25 May 2021 16:47:00 +1000

Excellent rainbow, wet roads, warmer than expected ride home along the creek

Day 517 ☁️ warm northerly a-blowin

Tue, 25 May 2021 08:03:00 +1000

Overcast clouds, 16°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 9m/s from N - by Klimat.app

Day 516 ☀️ all the insects

Mon, 24 May 2021 16:40:00 +1000

I can’t remember an evening ride home when I’ve had to squint through that many insects; whatever they were, flies, gnats, none of them biting, but a constant pattering against my face, eyes and arms. A bit too dark for the sunnies so I took them off for a while and tried to ride with eyes half shut, then gave up and put them back on.

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Day 516 ☁️ Morning Commute

Mon, 24 May 2021 08:11:00 +1000

A little later than usual, but time enough not to have to bolt straight through the suburbs to work. Down to Clayton, up to Monash

Day 515 ☀️ lazy bay ride

Sun, 23 May 2021 13:32:00 +1000

Leisurely two and a half hours out in the sun, cruise down south to the bay then meander along the beachside path. Windless afternoon, the bay was almost like a mirror in parts, much to the enjoyment of kayakers and snorkellers. People everywhere as I made my way back up to Elwood & St Kilda, then home up Carlisle street along with a run-in with some very excitable lads tearing around in a car screaming with a huge Israeli flag hanging out the window; not sure if they’ve just won the footy, the eurovision, or the latest round of genocide

garden challenge accepted; rake up the autumn leaves on the front lawn before the wind returns

Sun, 23 May 2021 11:35:00 +1000

Day 514 ☀️ awesome autumn afternoon

Sat, 22 May 2021 15:43:00 +1000

The day warmed up, all chores completed, out for a leisurely loop among a multitude of others making the most of the late afternoon. After this weeks mishap I did find myself treating all dogs, on and off lead, with a great deal of care and suspicion, no problems, other than the usual piles of shit and bags of shit left alongside the paths – and one poor guy fuming and muttering to himself as he scraped said shit off his bike and shoes in Ashburton

Day 514 ☀️ frosty shops

Sat, 22 May 2021 07:59:00 +1000

Morning chores, up to the shops; fish, bread, chicken drumsticks for dinner tomorrow. A chilly spin on the fixie with frost in all the shaded spots and six hot air balloons drifting overhead

The GWARNY…

Fri, 21 May 2021 17:34:00 +1000

Via a Cycling Tips email, the GWARNY inaugural edition | Ride | Strava Very tempting, not sure I’m up to 260km of gravel by myself, even doing it over two days looks to be a challenge. Possibly do it as a two day ride staying at Forrest or Gellibrand…

Day 513 ☀️ eggs mushrooms and rubbish

Fri, 21 May 2021 13:18:00 +1000

Lunch break fixie outing, up to the shops for eggs and ‘shrooms … but via the Djerring trail dumping ground. Old rubbish still there, new dumping on the path. Council, VicTrack & Metrotrains all finger point at each other to clean up and make safe

Day 512 🌧 damp afternoon

Thu, 20 May 2021 16:13:00 +1000

Up to Caulfield along the Djerring trail, poke around the Monash Uni campus exploring for a bit, then three straight roads to zig-zag home. Cycliq Fly12 shat itself again and decided that another SD card is “unusable” so I had to put up with be-DOOP alarm every 30s all the way home

Day 511 ☁️ not coffee

Wed, 19 May 2021 08:07:00 +1000

Was supposed to be a morning coffee meet up at Levi for school parents, but had to turn & hightail home for injured partner driving duties. Next time…

Day 510 ☁️ not bitten by a dog

Tue, 18 May 2021 16:42:00 +1000

Unlike some bike commuters in this household, I managed to ride home from work without being bitten by a dog and spending the night in hospital. Watch out for those dogs on bike paths people!

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Day 510 ☁️ trash track tuesday

Tue, 18 May 2021 08:04:00 +1000

From Oakleigh to Huntingdale along the Djerring trail there has been a constant dumping of truck-loads of mulched trees, mounds over a metre high filling every available space. I suspect its a commercial tree removal place not prepared to pay tip fees for their green waste, it certainly doesn’t look like “mulch” for the path surrounds. Today a truck load of garbage has been added alongside, almost blocking the path, old garden tools, bags, a dead whipper-snipper. Strangely enough this isn’t the bit of the Djerring trail that features in all the pretty pictures on instagram

Day 509 ☁️ monday-ay-ay

Mon, 17 May 2021 16:50:00 +1000

Marvellous Melbourne motorists (tm) trying to set some sort of record today; two give-way signs and a stop-sign ignored, two of them adjacent bike path crossings, the second one very nearly had a front wheel embedded in the side of her Hilux. At least the phone-holding driver of the third looked a little sheepish as I yelled and pointed and he managed to stop only about half way across the bike path

Day 509 🌧 muh-muh-monday

Mon, 17 May 2021 08:08:00 +1000

Rain it has done. Wet the roads are

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Day 508 ☁️ one man went to mow

Sun, 16 May 2021 10:13:00 +1000

…went to mow a parents’ in law’s lawn

Day 507 🌧 hail and shopping

Sat, 15 May 2021 08:43:00 +1000

Storms overnight, a sleep-in, flurries of icy hail in the morning and a dash up to the shops for fresh bread and tomatos & mushrooms for breakfast

Day 506 🌧 creek commute

Fri, 14 May 2021 16:47:00 +1000

Scotchmans creek bike path through the wetlands, not much progress on the new bike path but a trailer load of e-waste has been lugged down from the road and dumped under the bushes – lots of old computer and printer parts. Must have been a function on at the pub too, there were seven cars parked in the bike lane under the “no stopping” signs - on a Friday its normally only one or two, one day the council will enforce the parking restrictions…

Day 506 ☁️ morning commute

Fri, 14 May 2021 08:02:00 +1000

Was half intending to ride down to Clayton and up to work that way, but half way between Oakleigh and Huntingdale the bike path was closed for yet more railway cable pulling. Detour along Edward street and took the straighter route through Huntingdale to Dandenong road and down to Monash

Day 505 🌧 raining ride

Thu, 13 May 2021 15:48:00 +1000

Should have gone out at lunch time but I left it too late, the rain started at 2pm and had mostly eased off by 3.30 so out I went. Just a short ride, up the Djerring trail to Caulfield, around the racecourse and home along the City of Glen Eira bike lane abomination.

Day 504 ⛅ morning teapot

Wed, 12 May 2021 08:40:00 +1000

Well it looks a bit like a teapot, perhaps, if you squint at the map in the right frame of mind. Off to a friend’s house to collect something, but they’d forgotten and gone out, and I’d managed to leave my phone at home and couldn’t call them. All up mostly a waste of time, but a lovely autumn morning to be out riding

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Day 503 ☁️ cold creek commute

Tue, 11 May 2021 16:40:00 +1000

Lorikeets shrieking in the trees, perhaps they’re complaining about cold feet. You can feel the temperature drop as you get to the turn-off to Scotchmans creek trail, then cold and damp the length of the creek path. After yesterday’s phone call the council have come and killed the wasp nest, so that hazard is gone, now if only they’d deal with the motorists who cross the path…

Day 503 🌧 a grey day

Tue, 11 May 2021 08:05:00 +1000

To work on wet roads, but not quite raining

Day 502 ☀️ home backwards

Mon, 10 May 2021 16:35:00 +1000

Normal commute days for a while have been the Djerring trail in the morning and Scotchmans creek path in the afternoon, did the opposite today so I could check on the wasps & poke the council in the morning, then drop in at birthday venue in the afternoon. Both chores complete, feeling very efficient today

Day 502 ☁️ commute to work

Mon, 10 May 2021 07:59:00 +1000

A half creek commute, council still hasn’t dealt with the European wasp nest, must phone them and remind them. Huntingdale wetlands new path looking good, not yet connected to old path though… and today’s an RDO so no concreting. Beat the rain to work by a few minutes

Day 501 ☁️ sundee arvo

Sun, 09 May 2021 15:14:00 +1000

South to Bunnings for chores, of course there’s no bike parking at Bunnings because Bunnings is for blokes and blokes drive 4WDs. Missed out on a sausage in bread by about 2minutes too! Then down and around Karkarook lakea and the gravel tracks to Old Dandenong road. Met a birdwatcher along the way and had a chat about the wildlife around that park, then left him and promptly just about rode through a small flock of Bronzewing pigeons sunning themselves in the dust.

The MGR Window system

Sun, 09 May 2021 10:31:00 +1000

Around the vintage of the Sun ELC that I used when I started work at ADFA, I can’t remember “MGR” explicitly but I can remember that look of SunOS ref. https://hack.org/mc/mgr/ (via mastodon)

planted out eight or so bulbs of "planting garlic" between roses and citrus trees

Sat, 08 May 2021 14:00:00 +1000

Day 500 ☁️ Morning shopping

Sat, 08 May 2021 07:55:00 +1000

How boring is that for 500 days in a row cycling, a mere 2km to the shops & back for the weekend’s fresh bread and some swordfish for dinner

Day 499 ☀️ longer creek commute

Fri, 07 May 2021 16:23:00 +1000

The usual number of close passes along Gardiner & Forster roads, then down to Scotchmans creek track and feel the temperature drop. Follow the creek track back to East Malvern – the nasty wasp nest still hasn’t been dealt with by Monash council. Off up Waverley road to Caulfield with yet more close passes, then home along the Djerring trail with the sun setting behind me

Day 499 ☁️ and so to work

Fri, 07 May 2021 08:02:00 +1000

Don’t you just love the friendly little toot & wave as the motorist lets you know that they’re sailing through the red light after your light goes green!

Day 498 ☀️ anyone for golf

Thu, 06 May 2021 15:47:00 +1000

The almighty map indicates that there’s a track through the golf course and onto the neighbouring streets. The almighty map neglects to show the 3m high chain link fence separating the two! Explored a bit of the main tracks through the golf course, clambered over a section of fallen down fence and continued on my way… up the hill, down Ferndale track, around the wetlands, uphill to Carnegie and home along the Djerring trail

lots of citrus; the meyer lemon has some fruit, the orange tree is covered, the limes are just finishing and the lawn lemon is going strong!

Wed, 05 May 2021 18:25:00 +1000

Day 497 ☁️ midweek meander

Wed, 05 May 2021 15:52:00 +1000

Short ride with a delivery of home-grown limes included. Off down the Djerring trail to Westall, wriggle around on side streets past endless piles of end-of-lease household goods dumped on the streets, then home again

goodreads — “The Missing Prince”

Wed, 05 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Day 496 ☁️ post rain commute

Tue, 04 May 2021 16:41:00 +1000

Cold and grey; drivers parked in the “No Stopping” lane on Gardiner road, drivers stop in “Forward Bike Box” at traffic lights, drivers flying past well under a metre away on Forster road. Not much changes, and that’s under a kilometre of road. It would be interesting if just one day the road rules were enforced along there… here’s guessing everyone would claim they were being victimised or that it was “revenue raising”

Day 496 ☁️ post rain commute

Tue, 04 May 2021 08:03:00 +1000

With 14mm of rain overnight everything is very wet, dodged the puddles, pools and perpetually flooded sections of bike path and got to work mostly dry from the knees up

Day 495 ☁️ half dry half wet

Mon, 03 May 2021 16:26:00 +1000

Very cool and damp as I left work, and I made it about half way home before a light mist appeared. Then the mist turned to drizzle, the drizzle to rain. Wet by the time I got home

Day 495 ☁️ very good driver

Mon, 03 May 2021 08:04:00 +1000

Wasn’t expecting that! Got to work, went to turn right to get to the bike parking up by the doors of the building but there’s a car driven up the footpath, yet again, blocking the entrance rather than use the loading bay further down. Turn wider to go around his left and he shoots BACKWARDS out along the footpath and onto the crossing. I yell and jump, he stops. He starts screaming out the window that “I’m a very good driver, you watch it” while I’m trying to ask WTF he’s doing driving on the footpath

Day 494 ☁️ outing and shopping

Sun, 02 May 2021 14:08:00 +1000

Had to go out some time, even though the legs were a bit sore from yesterday and the shoulder ached. Up to one of the nearby bike shops to check some panniers for fit and purchase them – finally – replacing the last pair which are a bit leaky and a bit scuffed and worn, but not bad after 20+ years of, admittedly intermitten, use.

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Day 493 ☀️ May Day 100

Sat, 01 May 2021 07:15:00 +1000

My first Audax ride for quite a while, the stars all aligned with a ride on an available day and not too far away so I could get there and back. Still required getting up at an unpleasantly early hour as far as I’m concerned. +BEGIN_EXPORT md <!–more–> #+END_EXPORT Minor headache at the start, I couldn’t find it! Stupidly had thought I “new” where it was leaving from and got to that park only to find that nobody was there and that I couldn’t find any of the ride details through my phone, the emails, or even the contact number of the organiser.

Day 492 ☀️ a sunny autumn commute

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:17:00 +1000

Clear autumn weather, a great afternoon to leave work a little early and take a longer ride home. Up through Mount Waverley, down along the railway, around some of the Gardiners creek track, Anniversary track and Ferndale track to Glen Iris, once around the wetlands and home via Gardiners creek & Murrumbeena road

goodreads — “The Gods of Mars”

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Day 492 ⛅ misty morning

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 08:02:00 +1000

Changing things around, decided to ride to work along the creek, checking whether the council has got rid of the wasp nest. Nope, latest update is an email that “it will be inspected”. Lovely mist in the bushland along the creek

Day 491 ☀️ observing rule 144A

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 16:40:00 +1000

New road rule… yeah… nah. Same old road behaviour. Didn’t quite get to smack a door panel, but I could have. A metre passing distance? Don’t make me laugh.

Day 490 ☁️ daily outing

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 15:55:00 +1000

Off down the Djerring trail to Westall, completely forgetting that parts of it are closed for the next month due to ubiquitous railway digging up signalling stuff works. Around to Springvale and through the shops; smells, sounds and traffic of south-east Asia, nobody pays much attention to any road rules about roundabouts or stop-signs or parking legally, that new rule about 1m passing distance for cyclists just gets added to the pile. Back home, squinting into the setting sun

nostalgia; Toyah early this morning triggers one lot of memories, a waft from the coffeepot, my flat in Canberra

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 11:33:00 +1000

Day 489 ☁️ a creek, fresh concrete and wasps

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 16:55:00 +1000

Realisation while riding down Forster road that the new road rule 144A only applies to motorists passing on the right, if you’re riding straight ahead and there’s a left-turn feeder lane then motorists can legally speed past as close as they want. Same if you stop to turn right. Bizarre that legally they have to give a metre on one side, but not the other

Day 489 ☁️ Morning autumn grey

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 08:04:00 +1000

An unexciting ride to work, perhaps that’s preferable to one made a little too exciting by Melbourne’s Marvellous Motorists. Grey, damp, cool, with parrots shrieking

Day 488 ☁️ road rule 144A

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 14:14:00 +1000

Captains log, day 488. Victorian Road Rule 144A has been in effect for a smidgin under 17 hours and no appreciable difference can be seen in the behaviour of Melbourne’s Marvellous Motorists. The new bike path through Huntingdale wetlands is creeping inexorably towards its junction with Huntingdale road and the scary bad wasp nest is still alongside Scotchmans creek track at Park road

Day 488 ☁️ ride2work

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 08:03:00 +1000

Quiet damp autumn day, very little traffic. Big thumbs up to whoever trimmed the giant dangly bike-path covering rose bush in Browns road, made the left turn from Lantana street a much less thorny undertaking

Day 487 ☁️ damp loop with fruit and beer

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 14:14:00 +1000

Up the Anniversary trail and down the Ferndale track for an afternoon ride with Jo, then homewards and overshoot to the shops to top up the fruit basket, then homewards again and overshoot to get to the beer shop. Gradually got darker, greyer and damper the whole time we were out

cleaned the gutters, skinned the back of a little finger, bled copiously

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 12:45:00 +1000

Day 486 ☁️ Morning meander

Sat, 24 Apr 2021 06:53:00 +1000

Woke up early (for me) and decided to go out for a little ride before the morning visit to bakery & fish shop, off through a few suburbs west then back again to be home for 8 o’clock breakfast

Day 485 ☁️ creeky commute home

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 16:43:00 +1000

Straight north on the off-road bike path along Gardiner and Forster roads, dodging doors and breaking laws… I think it would be around $1500 in fines to ride the 1.5km for the average cyclist - three ‘walk only’ crossing segments mixed in with the ‘cycling allowed’ ones, and intersections with beg-buttons and crossing lights that default to always red, even when the road lane alongside is green. Most people ignore the stupid and just ride as though the bike path can be ridden on a bike

Music from bandcamp

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

City's Calling Me, CD (with bonus poster), by Mick Thomas' Roving Commission Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album Subtotal: 30.00 GST (10.0%): 2.50 Shipping: 8.00 Total: $35.50 AUD bandcamp/ajft

Day 485 ☁️ and so to work

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 08:14:00 +1000

Contra-flow bike lane in the Dandenong road service lane still a problem. Motorists wanting to merge into the rest of Dandenong road queue along – and block – the bike lane, which is on the right hand side from their perspective, and the overseas students who ride up here to uni ride on the far right, kerb-hugging on the side opposite the bike lane! Had an oncoming driver swerve out to go around an overseas student this morning, which then put their car in the bike lane heading at me before they hooked back around me.

the deciduous tree on the nature street looks very autumnal in the low early morning sun, all the yellow, orange to brown leaves

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 07:55:00 +1000

Day 484 ☁️ appointment there and back

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 08:28:00 +1000

Over to the Mount of Waverley for an appointment, via Scotchmans creek trail. There’s a program of works to upgrade, ie replace, the second half of the ancient skinny tar path through the wetlands with a new 3m wide concrete path to match the other half. There’s a single 10m section with “Cyclists dismount” signs asking people to walk through because… um… “machinery” … apparently. I hadn’t seen the sign because I was looking at the group of 15 hi-vis clad workmen standing around having a pre-work tallk, got a sound telling off for not dismounting. Said “Wut?” and looked around. Got told “We’ve got machinery & trucks coming through”. I said “Where?” and looked around again, perhaps they’re disguised as cyclists and are invisible…. nope. Oh well, got off, click-clack walked 10m, got back on and rode away. Coming back I went the other way around the wetlands to avoid the stupid

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Day 483 ☁️ Glen Eira-tating about

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 15:54:00 +1000

Cold wintery day, dry at least. Out and about and around a block that looks remarkably rectangular. A fine set of Glen Eira bike lanes

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Day 482 🌧 cold and wet

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 16:55:00 +1000

If I’d left fifteen minutes earlier it might have been dry, as it was I sat around at work and watched the rain pelt down for ten minutes, then chanced it in a break – made it to Clayton road before it started again. Arrived home very wet and cold

Minor amusement half way through Huntingdale in the pouring rain, motorist driving towards me speeds up and takes a shortcut the wrong way around a roundabout to avoid having to slow and possibly give way.

Day 482 ☁️ wintry commute

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 07:55:00 +1000

Scattered clouds, 14°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.app

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Day 481 ☁️ back a twerk

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 08:03:00 +1000

The daily commute is so lack lustre after a few days away riding around new places. So boring that I forgot to record the ride home so, oh no, strava won’t know about that extra 6km later in the day

Day 480 ☀️ escape from Phillip Island

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 16:09:00 +1000

Sneaking the daily ride in on the end of our Cape Woolamai walk, rode from there to San Remo and rejoined the family for the drive back to Melbourne

Day 479 ☁️ my island roam

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 15:19:00 +1000

Ride title with apologies to the Warumpi band. Afternoon outing to see a bit more of Phillip Island and try to remember how to spell it it. Echidna on the first km from the house, lots of wallabies, lots of road kill. Across to Ventnor, down to the south, along a walking track between headlands, then home almost via Cowes. Mixed bag of bike paths along some roads, at least a decade old and badly in need of repair.

Day 478 ☁️ Bass Coast Rail trail family afternoon

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:48:00 +1000

Drove out to the new start of the rail trail at Woollamai, not at “the recreation reserve” as described on a website, more “in a paddock to the side of the racecourse”, the only place to park seems to be along the side of the road, and unloaded the bikes.

Day 477 🌧 rhylly rhylly cool ride

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:28:00 +1000

An afternoon exploration of the RAMSAR wetlands to the north of Rhyll… and some of the streets of Rhyll to get there. Google maps shows a road along the side of the bay, but each of the roads we went down ended in a dead-end or a muddy footpath to the waters edge so we’ll just chalk that down to another Google map road that never existed. Up past the boat ramp and sailing club to the wetlands, then follow the boardwalk all around the coast, cursing that we’d left both binoculars & bird book in the house! A shower of rain as we got to Conservation hill had us hurriedly retrace our route 100m to a shelter to wait it out, then onwards for a lap of the Oswin Roberts Reserve before taking the shortest route home straight along the Cowes-Rhyll road.

Day 476 🌧 both sides of the bridge

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:22:00 +1000

What better way to start our five days on Phillip Island than with a half hour explore either side of the bridge to the island. Parked at the Tourist Information centre and rode back along the bike track to the bridge, then under and around the coast of Newhaven. Back to the bridge and up and over and down to San Remo, then around to the windswept coast to struggle along on a sand-covered track. Finally gave up – too much sand and too much wind – and cut back through San Remo, then retraced our route over the bridge and straight back to the car

Day 475 ☁️ homewards

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:30:00 +1000

A twitter mention of inaccessible beg buttons necessitated a visit to the corner of North & Clayton roads, at 3m off the path it scores pretty highly. Then home along main roads and side roads

Day 475 ☁️ an industrial commute

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 08:10:00 +1000

Ride to work with a little exploration, some of the parts of Clayton never previously visited. I found a salami factory, a builder of furnaces, and an importer of fine natural marble and granite. Also found a nasty bit of traffic on Blackburn road to get up to Uni. Cold and sunny, lorikeets shrieking fit to burst in the flowering gums

Day 474 ☁️ slave to the app

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 17:07:00 +1000

Which app? The app with the map, wandrer says I haven’t been down that road… so down that road I went. Stupid really, I ended up spending far too much time stuck at traffic lights on a tiny bit of high-trafficed Blackburn rd. Apparently I managed to ride 2.2km that it thinks I’ve never ridden before. Now wasn’t that fun. I also found a gigantic Sushi Sushi warehouse, but I suspect they don’t sell direct to the public

Day 474 🌧 ride2work

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 08:18:00 +1000

Cold and grey but I rode between the showers and somehow stayed dry. A few zigzags near work to check that the council had removed the swastika graffiti. Then, as usual for a Monday I had to squeeze around the truck parked in the building entry, for some reason the weekly milk delivery driver refuses to use the loading bay 8m away and drives along the footpath to block the building door

Day 473 🌧 rainy sunday ride

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 12:39:00 +1000

Pouring rain, icy hail, wind… then a brief break in the clouds so number one son and I headed off for a quick outing to Caulfield and back. About a suburb away and the next squall hit so we sheltered under the railway station then abandoned the ride, turned around and came back home for lunch!

NAS or eWaste?

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Long, long ago I bought a Noontec “media player/NAS” as it looked to be possibly useful as a music player … and was cheap. I never got #aroundtuit with respect to making it useful at home, and it ended up in yet another box hidden away. Poking about at it recently to try and resurrect it, and … The thing is eight years old, it never worked when new and I can find no updated firmware for it.

Day 472 🌧 breakfast and shopping

Sat, 10 Apr 2021 08:37:00 +1000

Up to Murrumbeena for cafe breakfast at Levi, a big thumbs up! Then back past home and to Oakleigh for bakery & fish shopping.

Day 471 ☁️ TGIF POETS

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 16:43:00 +1000

Meh, had enough of work for the week, so off I went home. Down through the “closed” Forster road building site and home along the creek

Day 471 ☁️ commute with bus and fly

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 08:19:00 +1000

I don’t know why I swallowed a fly. Ech! I do know why I made an emergency stop half way across Clayton road – driver of an oncoming bus decided to turn left over the bike path right in front of me

Day 470 ☁️ loop almost to the bay

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 16:11:00 +1000

Filling in some streets on Wandrer, playing with the parked cars in Centre road. Searching for bike lanes under parked cars and shaking me head at the ijuts in the councils who paint such things and think they’re being useful

Day 469 ⛅ ferndale track at dog o'clock

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 16:07:00 +1000

Variations on a theme, down towards Gardiners creek then back around to Ashwood & Ashburton, a few streets in the general direction of up the hill. Down onto Ferndale track at dog-walking o’clock, ladies in athleisurewear and their fur-babies galore. Chance meeting with @Haytch and a km or so of his company then turn off at the wetlands and home up via Carnegie and the daily five cars parked illegally in the clearway

Day 468 ☁️ cruisy parks ride

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 15:30:00 +1000

My gloves could kill a brown dog, and legs, arms and back all feel a little weary from yesterday. Gentle park meander

while we were away something, probably a cat, has pushed the timber aside to get in under the house

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 14:00:00 +1000

Day 467 - thru forest to Forrest

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 09:04:00 +1000

An awesome day out inland through the Otways from Lorne down a track I’ve never ridden – Neck Track – to Barwon Downs, then along the road to Forrest and back to the coast on the Kaanglang road. Neck track is rideable, but not driveable. Kaanglang a nice empty gravel road. Then Wye River road and Wye Track down to Wye River, the latter a complete sandpit of newly graded firebreak through the bush that had me slithering and dragging the rear wheel anchor-like down the hills. A restorative long macc. and the last 15km home along the GOR

Day 466 ⛅ ride around Lorne

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 15:38:00 +1000

A big bushwalk earlier today so a shorter easy ride around town in the afternoon. Just enough to keep up appearances and keep the clock ticking over – 466 days in a row and counting. Garmin was dead flat due to logistical errors so it was recorded on my phone

goodreads — “Rather be the Devil”

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Day 465 ☀️ family tandem to Mount Defiance

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 10:10:00 +1100

Cam and I on the Trek, Jo on her road bike, from Lorne out to Mount Defiance and back. Coffee at Wye River traded off against the climb back up from Jamieson river and avoiding the climb won, so a shorter ride it was – and coffee in Lorne on the way back.

Day 464 ☀️ GOR to Painkalac reservoir

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 13:29:00 +1100

Gentle Annie track puts the pain in Painkalac! Sandy & steep, but gloriously quiet and still in the bush after just a bit too much GOR traffic. Iced coffee at Aireys to recover, then back to Lorne along the GOR, again, just a bit too much traffic and a few too many close passes

Day 463 ☀️ exploring bay-wards

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 13:29:00 +1100

Another fantastic sunny autumn afternoon, no wind, bright blue skies. Westwards through the ‘burbs until I found myself surrounded by dead people with stones on top to keep them underground, then wriggle around south and east for a bit Discovered a wonderful skinny tree covered tunnel along the railway line, popped out at Ripponlea station, then made my way home

Day 462 ☀️ LBS and explore

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 16:05:00 +1100

Down East Boundary road to explore a newish LBS that I aint been to before, fascinating selection of old road frames hanging in the windows. Fantastic autumn afternoon, clear blue skies, no wind

Day 461 ⛅ go fetch car

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 16:32:00 +1100

Nearly forgot, late afternoon msg tells me to go and pick up the car. All those 5km lockdown bike rides came in useful today, the gravel track between the golf courses a good route to get from North road down to a mid-suburb side route through to Bentleigh East. Avoided the hell that is Centre road and used the lesser hell that is North road – offroad bike path for a block then gave up and used the empty bus lane, the bike path is of the “build & forget” variety that has had zero maintenance since it was built in 2010, now cracked with lifting slabs and covered in debris, along with seven “bike path ends/give way” side road crossings. Safer and quicker to use the road

Day 461 ⛅ car chores commute

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 08:11:00 +1100

Drop the car off with the mechanic, then ride to work, doing my best to avoid the traffic sewers that are North rd and Centre rd. Nearly t-boned yet again by motorist crossing the bike path at the hospital car park

Day 460 ⛅ roadworks and creek

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 16:56:00 +1100

Creek commute home, sneaking through the pedestrian/cycling hole through the closed off roadworks on Forster road

Day 460 ⛅ ride2work

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 08:11:00 +1100

An Audi kind of a ride. First roundabout, 50m from the gate, brake hard on a wet road as woman in an A4 doesn’t even slow, straight through in front of me. Follow her round and as I exit, breathe in and swerve left as important man in big black Q7 overtakes, skims my elbow. Followed them both all the way through to Oakleigh shops, so no big gains for them.

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Day 459 ⛅ djerring river bayside loop

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 14:04:00 +1100

Making the most of good autumn afternoon. Djerring trail to Yarraman, down the creekside trail to Carrum. Up the bay to Pt Ormond, pausing for a gelato in Mordialloc. Home along Glen Huntly road

goodreads — “Fallen Angels”

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

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Day 458 🌧 butcher baker fishmonger and rain

Sat, 27 Mar 2021 07:57:00 +1100

Saturday morning pre-breakfast shopping

Day 457 ☁️ beer and bike

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 16:27:00 +1100

Warmer, but not warm. Sat in a sunny patch for an after work beer and listened to the DJ, then home via Clayton, dodging the hospital staff as they come a-zoomin’ out of the hospital car park. Called in to visit evening Little Aths and say hello, then off home to make pizzas and wait for them to arrive

Slightly disappointed that the Garmin says 8.88km – which looks a nice number – but strava has decided it was only 8.87km

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Day 457 ☀️ ride2work

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 08:03:00 +1100

Coolest morning so far this autumn, hovering around 10°C with colder patches in the shade on the south sides of the concrete walls facing onto the bike path. Minor variation on the backstreets through Oakleigh East

Day 456 ☁️ suburban block

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 16:42:00 +1100

An uninspired block of suburbs nearby, some streets detoured along for fun, some out of habit. Looks a bit like a strava art dog

Day 455 ⛅ dampness

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 16:28:00 +1100

After the rain, everything wet and steamy, fungi starting to come up and debris around the paths. Short afternoon loop along the creek and home along the Djerring trail

the orb spider redid her web last night, this morning it's dripping with raindrops between plum & loquat trees

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 09:08:00 +1100

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Day 454 ☁️ creek commute home

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 17:02:00 +1100

Through the closed off building site under the freeway & home along the creek

Day 454 ☁️ humid commute

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 08:04:00 +1100

Back to work, down to Clayton on the trail and up through the streets. Did a few wriggles to colour in the map

big fat cold orb weaver lurking in the plum tree above the shed door, two days now I've had to break her web to get in the shed

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 07:50:00 +1100

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Day 453 🌧 rainy eastern triangle

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:02:00 +1100

Down to Clayton and up through some side streets, not sure if I’ve ever gone up here before. Lots of empty rental houses and piles of dumped rubbish on the street. Meander through the uni campus and up to the north. Forster road closed under the freeway but there’s a pokey little tunnel of fencing and redirections left for pedestrians and cyclists, then up to the Scotchmans creek trail and home as the rain started.

Day 452 ☁️ lbs and rainy park ride

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 15:34:00 +1100

Aha, scary noises from Jo’s mtb caused by distinct lack of brake pads. 1) Buy new pads. 2) remove old pads. 3) simply depress brake pistons… um… err.. Argh! Nope. Bike & new pads may be revisiting the LBS

But that’s getting ahead of myself, on the ride I only bought the new pads then continued on up to Caulfield park for a gentle meander through the trees in the rain, just me and the ducks… and a few scary geese. Eventually the scary geese told me to move on, so I did, back towards Hughesdale through an assortment of side roads

Day 451 ⛅ Saturday morning shopping

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 07:53:00 +1100

Up to the shops, buy a barramundi. Ride up Portman street, dodge the car doors. Back into Chester street, buy the bread. Through the carp ark, left onto Atherton, down the hill and home again

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☀️ 450 family icecream ride

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 14:02:00 +1100

All three of us are home today, two sick, one has Fridays off, so out we went for a gentle ride up the Djerring trail to Caulfield. Quick Myki-related chore at the station, then down through the blue tunnel for a wander around the park in the middle of the racecourse. Number on son most insistent that we DO NOT use the stinky horse (road) tunnel to get out, so retraced out route to the north then around the racecourse and down to Booran reserve for a play and home along Glenhuntly road and through the laneways of Carnegie back to the Djerring trail

the cat has lost her collar and registration tag out in the garden somewhere

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 08:30:00 +1100

Most likely she got it caught on a branch or bush while outside and got caught, then pulled it off in getting free. Bizarrely, this reminded me of a rather grotesque video I saw a few weeks ago of a deer stag trotting around with the head of a deceased rival caught in its antlers, extra bizarre because on looking at this morning’s newspaper that story was in “the oddspot” in the Age.

Day 449 ☁️ lazy loop

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 15:54:00 +1100

Wheezy & with blocked sinuses… or is that sinai? But after 448 days in a row I’d have to be sicker than this to not go out for a daily ride. Gently rolling around to Murrumbeena on the Djerring trail, then down to Gardiners creek and a visit to the wetlands – drying out and overgrown with slimy algae – then back along the creek track to Oakleigh and home after only one near miss at a roundabout. Couldn’t be bothered shouting, wasn’t quite going fast enough to ram them, just stopped in the roundabout and let the young lady drive in from the side and across in front of me… I am invisible

down to three beetroot seedlings, all with leaves eaten off, all dug up and dumped by cat digging up the soil

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:00:00 +1100

☀️ 448 karkarook Lake and surrounds

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 16:13:00 +1100

Feeling sick, still going out. Lazy rambling ride around nearby. Down to Huntingdale along the Djerring trail, south down the sneaky dirt track alongside the golfcouse and back streets to the lake. Around the lake and down through the park that has now been earmarked to be turned into a huge train marshalling yards, then back up bogan traffic central that is Clarinda and Centre roads – rush hour traffic, close passes, one yelled obscenity from a young lady heading the other way, then home back along the Djerring trail

☀️ 447 Afternoon quickie

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 16:16:00 +1100

The work meeting didn’t end until 4.15pm and I had to be home again to get changed to go for an appointment at 5.15pm, not much to do but a quickie up the Djerring trail to Caulfield and Neerim road home along Glen Eira’s finest bike lanes (yes, that is sarcasm)

☀️446 home again

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 17:06:00 +1100

Wiggly down through Clayton to the Djerring trail, dodge the hospital muppets as they drive out of their carp ark without looking. Get on the bike path and start homewards. Slam to a halt and give a motorist “The look” as she completely ignores the Give Way and cuts across the path. I stop, she stops, she flaps her hands apologetically as I ride across, she drives off. Then I realised that I think I know her, either from school or Little Athletics… perhaps it’ll make her look at the road signs next time

the buzzwords and business-speak are strong with this one…

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 10:59:00 +1100

446 ride2work

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 08:18:00 +1100

☀️There is a difference between knowing the path and riding the path.

Cool ride to work, not the shortest route but close to it. Do wish that whichever contractor or truck operator dumped huge piles of mulch and topsoil alongside the Djerring trail would do just that and not cover a third of the path with thick dirt!

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445 lake bellfield silverband falls

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 08:59:00 +1100

☀️ I told you, I don’t want to join your super-secret boy band.

Last chance for a ride around Halls Gap and surrounds before we have to pack up and leave – the family didn’t want to ride this morning so I went out by myself, up to the lake and explored along the dam, then up to Silverband falls before turning around and coming back to town.

444 halls gap winery

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 10:18:00 +1100

🌧 You’ve gotta cross over the anger bridge and come back to the friendship shore.

Three rode out to the winery but only two rode back…

444 halls gap bakery

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 08:13:00 +1100

☁️ It’s not about who you know. Enlightenment comes from within. The Dalai Llama texted me that.

Down to the other end of town to get to the bakery for some fresh bread for breakfast. Halls Gap is a very long skinny town, its a surprisingly long way from one end to the other

443 ride2work

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 15:39:00 +1100

Baskin Robbins always finds out! ⛅

Riding home, shortest route, we’re going away for the weekend

443 ride2work

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 08:02:00 +1100

They call me Mister Tibbs! ☀

Down along the Djerring trail, dodge the council or railway truck watering the gardens, up through Clayton, dodge the hospital staff who ignore give-way signs while crossing the bike path. Get to work. Drink coffee.

442 passbox drop off

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 16:08:00 +1100

To infinity and beyond!

Combining my daily ride – 442nd day in a row – with dropping off the PassBox back to its owner. Such a pity that something went wrong with it and it wouldn’t charge, only got 4-5 days logging from it. Gardiners creek path to the Yarra, up around Burnley, through Richmond, Abbotsford, Collingwood, Fitzroy and Carlton to West Melbourne. May have gone through other places, its all a foreign country to me, I know I ended up lost in what I think was Melbourne Uni and facing some very large bits of building site.

441 ferndale tk wetlands loop

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 16:09:00 +1100

Game over man. Game over! ☀

Its been a while since I went around the loop, so around the loop I went. A bit of Oakleigh, down to Scotchmans creek trail, downstream to Glen Iris station, through the golf course, up the Anniversary trail, down Ferndale track, pause at the wetlands, tunnel under the freeway and home up Darling road to Carnegie – past the illegally parked cars in the clearway, still there every day, three years on Glen Eira council refuse to do anything – then home down the Djerring trail.

440 trucks trucks trucks

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 16:38:00 +1100

I did it all for the cookie. The Cookie. ☁

Something had happened on the Monash freeway and the traffic had turned to treacle, riding down Forster road I could look up at a long line of stationary traffic heading inbound. Forster road itself was nearly stopped, two long queues, one coming off the freeway, one trying to get on to it, both trying to squeeze through the roadworks under it.

440 rainy ride2work

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:13:00 +1100

Like deep fried butter, I am unhealthy, yet irresistible. ☁

Misty damp ride to work

439 lorne benwerrin loop

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:41:00 +1100

I look like a crossing guard for justice. ☁

Cool damp loop around the Deans Marsh Rd, Mount Sabine road and Erskine Falls road. Such a pity that the PassBox is dead, as usual just a few too many very close passes on the way up the hill.

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438 family tandem GOR kennet river

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 10:27:00 +1100

If you shoot me, you’re liable to lose a lot of those humanitarian awards.

Family tandem ride, the old Trek T50 rides again!

437 saturday shopping

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:05:00 +1100

☁️ Consume mass quantities!

The Saturday pre-breakfast shopping, fish for dinner and bread for breakfast… and hot cross buns for snackages

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436 creek commute home

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 16:23:00 +1100

☁️ There’s always something to look at if you open your eyes!

Unproductive day at work, end of the week, a grey cold ride home along the creek. The wreckage of Huntingdale Spoonville crumbles slowly away, the smell from the half-empty wetlands wafts unpleasantly over the track

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436 ride2work

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:16:00 +1100

Good friends don’t let you do stupid thingsalone. ☁

Woohoo! The rusted out sections of the railings on he pedestrian bridge over Dandenong road have been replaced, that only took at least a decade!

435 WFH fake commute

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 16:09:00 +1100

☁️ Well, I’m the boss… Head Honcho. El Numero Uno. Mr. Big. The Godfather. Lord of the Rings. The Bourne… Identity. Er… Taxi Driver. Jaws. I forgot the question quite a while back. Who are you, again?

Afternoon exercise, follow the streets down to Clayton station, then Djerring trail for a bit, up to Monash Uni and through to Scotchmans creek, then home along the creek trail.

434 norf and sarf explorations

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 16:05:00 +1100

☁️ In case you were wondering, I am, by definition, the best version of myself.

Shaped a bit like texas, or maybe a fang. South down well known roads at a crap time of day, then picking my way north-westish either side of the railway line for a while. Part company with the railway for some west and north sections, then home along the unrideably rubbish bike lanes of Bambra and Neerim roads.

433 home via Clayton and Djerring trail

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 16:45:00 +1100

Suffering is the great teacher. ☁

Riding home, south – dodging hospital staff all the way – then up the Djerring trail. Perhaps one day they’ll start to learn to give way at the give way signs…

433 supertuesday ride2work

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 09:07:00 +1100

Coffee or waste water from burnt beans? ☁

Two hours of SuperTuesday bike survey sitting on the corner almost in the front garden, then ride to work along the shortest most convenient route. SuperTuesday count thrown into disarray by maintenance work closing off the Djerring trail to drive trucks and backhoes along it to reconcrete it to repair the damage caused by the trucks and backhoes that drive along it

432 home memorial commute

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 16:45:00 +1100

Hmm. That came off as less sarcastic than intended. Let me try again. ☁

The home commute along the creek, broken by a short stop at the Nott for a small guiness and a sit. No chickens any more, nor grass, the beer garden has changed. Then a windy ride the rest of the way – that’s an autumn southerly I guess

432 crap bike lanes of the south east

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 08:03:00 +1100

She has a checkered past but has done enough good to confuse the issue. And me. ☁

Crap bike lanes of the South Eastern suburbs, a quick overview.

Two more turns of "Divine Right", Cam killed my king, he's won! Then he killed Jo's second king, so cleared the board!

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 19:30:00 +1100

431 sunday afternoon date ride

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 13:16:00 +1100

A fake Jamaican took every last dime with a scam. It was worth it just to learn some sleight-of-hand. ☁️

Date night! Err, afternoon. Number one son away for the afternoon so Jo & I went out for a ride, meeting up at the north end of Jells park to ride out along Blind creek track to Knox to collect some click, but then got there to discover that without photo ID nobody was collecting anything. Oh well, we decided to continue on up the creek … without a paddle … ducking carefully at each road crossing where the bike path reused one of the storm-water channels. Popped out halfway between Boronia & Ferntree Gully, turned right along the railway-side path to the station, then found our way onto Ferny creek trail for the ride back as far as Scoresby. Unfortunately it doesn’t quite rejoin Jells park, but luckily there’s a brewery nearby so we dropped in a for a pint. Back to Jells park, Jo hopped in the car to come home, I rode up the ugly hill and back along Ferntree gully road.

finally banged some holes in Cam's old thermos and added it and a few found mugs to the succulent container garden

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 11:00:00 +1100

bought and assembled a second timber garden bed & weed-mat, the only way to keep the feral grass out is isolation!

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 15:30:00 +1100

430 passbox collection

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 09:53:00 +1100

If my mental state were an actual state, it would be Florida. ☁

Fully instrumented. For the next two weeks I have an ultrasonic “PassBox” range measurer and front and rear cameras. #science

430 not chopin, shopping

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 07:58:00 +1100

☁️ I don’t know how but they found me

Off to the shops, fish for dinner, diced beef for tomorrow night’s curry, bread for breakfast. Elevated heart rate at the near head on with motorist driving the wrong way up a one way street – been a while since I’ve met one of them in Chester street

Chilly, had the arm hairs fluffed up on the ride home from the bakery

429 figure eight with beer

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 16:21:00 +1100

⛅ They were a bit bitey.

A cool early autumn feel to a late afternoon ride. A figure eight of two loops, up Ferndale track and back down Anniversary trail, then retrace some of the Gardiners creek track and south to Carnegie – cars still parked in the clearway as always – and back to Hughesdale for a beer at the baron (Bar on Poath).

428 miscellaneous suburbia

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 16:02:00 +1100

Sometimes bad luck is the best luck you’ll ever have. ☁

Couldn’t make up my mind where I was going, started off as west through the suburb, then joined the Rosstown trail for a while, veered off south along the bikepaths and sharrow-marked route beside the railway, then back across the line and north again. Ended up coming up Bambra road in the handlebar-width bike lane, parked cars on one side, moving cars on the other – all up a pretty crap route. Around part of Caulfield park, down to the creek, a few blocks of creekside path and home up through Murrumbeena.

427 two loopy bits

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 16:01:00 +1100

You can’t spell awesome without ME. ☁

Two loopy bits and a connecty thing, I think I fail at strava art. Anniversary trail & Gardiners creek trail enjoyable, Burwood highway… not so much

426 creek ride home with extra bit

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 16:37:00 +1100

Greetings from The Humungus! The Lord Humungus! The Warrior of the Wasteland! The Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla!

Home along the creek and a little bit further along Scotchmans creek track, circle around Chadstone at a respectful distance and home up Poath road

426 straightishly to work

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 08:01:00 +1100

60% of the time it works every time ☁️

Ride to work, with added parking complexities upon arrival. Bonus cherry picker parked where bike parking is, so today we have to contend with no bike parking and workmen with angle grinders and sheet metal cutters on the outside of the building

425 home along the creek

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 16:41:00 +1100

☁️ Digging the hole deeper

Cool and damp and overcast with a light sprinkle of rain, and quiet, a very pleasant change from an office with angle-grinder wielding workman on the outside

425 south-easterly tick to work

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 08:01:00 +1100

If you don’t know who I am, then maybe your best course would be to tread lightly.

I swear, one day I’m going to centre punch one of the hospital staffs’ cars. Every bloody day up Browns rd they ignore the Give Way signs and drive in or out of the car parks across the bike path.

424 Family uoouoo hunt number 3

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 13:18:00 +1100

It can get weirder! ☁

All three of us rode in along the Gardiners creek path as far as the botanic gardens, then clockwise around the outside of the gardens to the first of the uoouoo – straight up Anderson street hill. Then it was back and forth one side or the other of St Kilda road collecting a total of eight, finishing up behind the boatsheds on the Yarra. Here we split; me to ride home down St Kilda and Dandenong roads, them to catch the train, if the timetable had been a a few minutes slower I might have beaten them home

423 UFO bikepath and beer

Sat, 20 Feb 2021 14:38:00 +1100

Either way, it’s closure.

Family ride down to Westall to find the UFO, we found it, had a bit of a play, then cut across Westall road to Springvale and made our way homewards along the Djerring trail. Finally got to stop at the gaming cafe/bar that for a year or so we’ve looked at but never visited – it always looks closed and is not easy to get to from the bike track. Still not easy to get to, but the appearances are deceptive and its just the dark windows, a very friendly and enjoyable space for reading a book, playing a game, having coffee & cake or a beer. Final ride the rest of the way home was through a few semi-industrial bits of Oakleigh and a couple of laneways to track down a local coffee roaster & cafe that we’d heard of.

finally assembled the timber raised garden bed and picked a spot for it – now to line it, fill it and grow something

Sat, 20 Feb 2021 13:00:00 +1100

goodreads — “Favourite Australian Short Stories”

Sat, 20 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

423 fishes and loaves - Saturday shopping

Sat, 20 Feb 2021 07:37:00 +1100

They were a bit bitey. ☁

Same old Saturday morning routine, up to the shops for fresh bread and some fish for dinner. Followed a guy on a MTB homewards, wondering what was wrong with the way his bike looked… finally realised, yet another bike-in-a-box that had been put together with the forks on backwards

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422 fast out and headwind home

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 16:14:00 +1100

☁️ I can’t believe you like money too. We should hang out.

I really don’t believe that weather forecast, sure felt like a square-on headwind coming home… and it was a quick trip out to Dandeong on the way out. More NW than NNE, and hot, 33 and a third according to Garmin’s finest technology. Haven’t been out along the Djerring trail for a while so straight to the end it was, saw more electrical contraptions than bikes on the way out; skateboard, scooter and a very fast e-bike with a drunk or stoned guy on board, not a single other bike!

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421 lost in el wood

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 16:09:00 +1100

Water. Like out of the toilet? ☀

Free at last, bwahahahaha! Ok, so five day lockdown is over and I can venture more than 5km from home, so south and west and across to the bay, then up along the bayside track before turning off to explore and get lost in the leafy twisty roads of el Wood – sounding much more exotic with that extra space and change of capitlisation. Home along Carlisle street, added excitement of brand new soft squishy tar, a broken down tram and a few blocks of bumper-to-bumper jammed grumpy people

420 two quickish tangled loops

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 16:18:00 +1100

There’s a party over here so you might as well be here. ☀

Last day of lockdown number three, but being a good boy and staying in my 5km zone. Something a little different, a bit of a south-west loop then more quicklier than usual to the Glen Iris wetlands and up the Ferndale track instead of down. Nearly got caught by a woman big game fishing using small dog as bait on the end of a long extensible lead, but managed to get around it. What part of “Fixed length lead under 1.5m” don’t these people get? Lovely wheee down the Anniversary trail and home through Oakleigh

419 meanderings

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 16:05:00 +1100

The only thing with less character than Chardonnay is wainscoting. ☁

Hot afternoon meanderings; suburban hilly streets, both Gardiners and Scotchmans creek paths, Ferndale track and Glen Iris wetlands. An entertaining interlude standing quietly by the ponds watching grass parrots feed at my feet

Three more turns of "Divine Right"; I lead on points, but my armies are almost wiped out

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 19:40:00 +1100

418 home school PE homework

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 14:02:00 +1100

⛅ The big fish eat the little fish and I keep on pedaling

Out for some after lunch exercise and to accompany number one son on his home-school PE task, going for a ride. A surprisingly large number of Protective Services Officers standing around Oakleigh station looking untidy, and far too many divvy vans and police when we returned an hour later – getting home to discover that we’d missed out on the local noisy idiots protesting against covid lockdown. Apparently “the protest stormed Oakleigh” and “the police stormed the protest”, depending on which report you read.

417 sunday sorta square

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 14:13:00 +1100

☁️ People say nothing is impossible. But I do nothing all the time.

Lockdown outing, day two. A square sort of a ride. People everywhere, the “Malvern wrist mask” very much on show. Huge crowds at every coffee shop, the “exercise coffee” a good excuse to socialise when all the cafes are closed

416 family park ride

Sat, 13 Feb 2021 15:48:00 +1100

☁️ I can be just as non-competitive as anybody. Matter of fact, I’m the most non-competitive. So I win.

Out for a family ride within our 5km boundary in the late afternoon; Ardrie park, Hedgeley Dene, Glen Iris wetlands. Haven’t seen this many people in the parks and on the paths since… the last covid-19 lockdown

yet again spent a few hours pulling ropey grass out of everything, and lo, we managed to open the side gate

Sat, 13 Feb 2021 13:58:00 +1100

416 chicken fish bread

Sat, 13 Feb 2021 08:09:00 +1100

A book hasn’t caused me this much trouble since Where’s Waldo went to that barber pole factory ☁️

Just the shopping; chicken, fish, bread and hot-cross buns…. happy new year of the ox. The streets are nearly deserted, outside the shops too, with all the cafes closed. In the shops still busy, nearly everyone in masks, although still an amazing number of chin-masks or noses out

415 pre-lockdown last rites

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 16:15:00 +1100

☁️ You’ve got a hell of a way of flagging somebody down!

Pre-lockdown last rites… err, rides. Down to the bay for some sunshine, seaweed smells and sea breezes before five days back in the 5km bubble. South to Cheltenham, down the new bike path to Mentone, westwards to the bay… a surprisingly long way before you hit the water, then up the bayside path to Elwood. Inland along the canal past billions and billions of toadfish, then homewards up Glenhuntly road. Got home to find I’d missed the family by just a bit, so off to the next suburb to the Little Athletics barbecue to use up the food that had been bought for the, now cancelled, weekend competition.

414 hot overcast windy triangle with uoouoo

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 17:15:00 +1100

No power in the verse can stop me. ⛅

Hot, dry, dusty and cloudy. Blustery winds make for a short ride, up to find the uoouoo that I missed on my first outing to find the beasties. Then dicing with doors all the way down Kooyong road to Glenferrie, and pacing a tram most of the way back to Carnegie. Ding ding!

413 ferndale loop with beer

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 16:04:00 +1100

The big fish eat the little fish and I keep on pedaling. ⛅

Back to the summery 30’s, gum leaves crackling, intermittent cicadas. Gardiners creek, Anniversary trail and Ferndale track then up through Hedgeley Dean and some winding around in Glen Iris … or is it East Malvern? Home via the beer shop, purchasing some beer

412 long creek commute

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 16:40:00 +1100

Sorry I’m late. The sidewalk is more comfortable than it looks. ⛅

Riding home, Gardiner road/Forster road and the creek, then a bit extra of the path because I could. Heard a kookaburra up close in Huntingdale wetlands

412 ride2work

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 08:01:00 +1100

Would you like to try our EXTRA BIG ASS TACO? Now with more MOLECULES! ⛅

Ride to work, wait at crossing. Lights go orange, lights go red, our light goes green. Zoom! Commodore driver runs the red as we start to cross. Proceeds cautiously across Wellington road.

411 creekside ride home

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 16:29:00 +1100

☁️ How many licks does it take to get to the center of a snowball?

Homewards commute, Forster road roadworks and then smile-inducing cruise along Scotchman’s creek.

411 ride2work

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 08:07:00 +1100

Resistance is futile. ☁

Ride to work, sit in open plan office wearing a mask all say, ride home. Guess which two of these three activities are fun?

410 sunday bayside uoouoos

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 11:45:00 +1100

There is a difference between knowing the path and riding the path. ☁️

Family ride down to the bay and bayside around to Port Melbourne hunting uoouoo all the way. Back up the light rail track to Flinders Street to part company and ride home alone. Miserably cold grey and windy along the bay path, gradually warmer as we headed back inland.

guerilla gardening – trimmed off the overgrowing ivy and blackberries between home and Warrigal road

Sat, 06 Feb 2021 09:03:00 +1100

409 fish chicken bread

Sat, 06 Feb 2021 07:35:00 +1100

🌧 There’s always something to look at if you open your eyes!

Saturday morning pre-breakfast shopping. There’s something amusing about trying to turn left at a T-intersection when a driver coming from the right is so desperate to prevent sharing a lane that they grind their wheels along the kerb to make a point. Sounded expensive

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408 wingman for number one

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 08:01:00 +1100

🌧 There’s always something to look at if you open your eyes!

Scary black clouds & threats of deluge, number one son requested company for the ride to school. Turned out to be dark and steamy, but nearly zero rain. Parted company at Koornang road and came home via two of Glen Eira council’s completely crap bike lanes - both full of parked cars, rubbish & potholes

407 the triangle to the east

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 16:11:00 +1100

If you type “Google” into Google, you can break the Internet. ⛅

Unenthused. Down to the SE along the Djerring trail, up to Monash Uni along the scary bike path – hands on brakes and eyes on crossings, motorists simply will not stop at the give-way signs. Through the uni and out the other side, up to Scotchmans creek and home via Huntingdale wetlands

The sky starting to cloud over to a uniform grey, the first few scattered spots of rain herald tomorrow’s forecast deluge

406 bayside uoouoo hunting

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:02:00 +1100

☀️ I’m sick of following my dreams. I’m just going to ask where they’re going and hook up with them later.

Daily escape from WFH, down to the bay, hunt up a couple more uoouoo, head home up Carlisle street. Parallel to Inkerman but so much less traffic and grief from motorists, I’m not sure if that says that the proposed bike route down Inkerman is needed even more, or if they chose the wrong street and should put it one street south.

The Cycliq Fly12 has died again, perhaps finally, perhaps I just need a new mount for it. Over heavy and with the mount bracket not central, the weight of the camera means it gradually swivels to point up, or down. As a result you tighten the clamp… just a little. Too many years of this and today either the thread of either the bracket or Fly12 stripped and now it won’t do up more than finger tight.

405 worldwetlands day commute home

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 16:08:00 +1100

Okay, let me begin my three-part apology by saying that I think you’re a wonderful human, with great potential. ⛅

How better to get home on World Wetlands day than along the creek path and past the Huntingdale wetlands. Not a lot of wildlife, but on the other hand, not too many rampaging off-leash dogs. I’ll be glad when the roadworks under the freeway are complete and it all gets a little less interesting to ride through.

405 to highschool and work

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 08:01:00 +1100

🌧 See You Later, New Doug.

Westwards ho… most of the way as highschool commute companion, then about face and off to work

404 shortest commute home

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 14:33:00 +1100

The only circle of trust you should have is a donut. ⛅

Amusingly, now that I’m required to be back in the office on Monday & Tuesday, of course something came up and required me to leave early so I could do school-related things then work from home for the rest of the afternoon. Pretty much the shortest most direct commute home

404 get thee to work

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 08:04:00 +1100

⛅ Diffle and duffle with the jelly leg shuffle

Very unusual. A bog standard commute to work. I don’t think I’ve done one of these since the middle of last year.

403 family uoouoo hunting

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 11:29:00 +1100

And If You’re Not Down with That We Got Two Words for Ya! SUCK IT! ☁️

Caught the train to Richmond then spent an hour or two hunting uoouoo, burgers for lunch then home along the Yarra and Gardiners Creek trails

goodreads — “Nikola Tesla: Imagination and the Man That Invented the 20th Century”

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

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402 loaves and fishes

Sat, 30 Jan 2021 07:52:00 +1100

Do you understand what a conspiracy is? When you conspire with everyone you come across, you’re not really conspiring with anyone. You’re just doing random crap. ☁

Any near normal weekend at home starts with a trip to the fish shop for fish for dinner, and the bakery for fresh bread for breakfast

401 soggy smelly homewards

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 16:41:00 +1100

If idiots could fly, this place would be an airport. ☁

40mm of rain today, everything still sodden & stinking as I got changed to ride home. Dice with death in Clayton as staff from hospital refuse to give way at each bike path crossing. Bleh

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Fri, 29 Jan 2021 10:14:00 +1100

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401 1st of highschool then soaked commute

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 07:57:00 +1100

Time to nut up or shut up. ☁

First day of high school for number one son, of course the added degree of difficulty is the expected 30mm of rain today! Only light for the ride accompanying him to school for the first time, then constant and soaking half an hour later when I left and rode to work. North road is woeful at the best of times, straight road, fast traffic, very narrow lanes, dense commute traffic, add in the rain and I arrived at work in a foul mood – first day at work since May last year. Won’t take that route from Ormond to Clayton again

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Fri, 29 Jan 2021 04:50:00 +1100

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400 variations on an hours outing

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 16:46:00 +1100

⛅ Now, I May Be An Idiot, But There’s One Thing I Am Not Sir, And That Sir, Is An Idiot.

A slightly fatter version of my current routine hour loop, without the favourite bits. Not sure where I was going really, regardless, it was my 400th day in a row of riding. w00t

399 a nine of uoouoos

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 15:26:00 +1100

☀️ U.S. Deploys Vowels To Bosnia

Bit of a strong south-easterly blowing so although I was feeling more recovered from Sunday I didn’t really want to do much. Out and about chasing up the “uoouoo” public art sculptures, managed to get to nine of them – would have had a tenth but it seems to be inside a market that’s closed on Wednesday. All the little parks and sidestreets of Prahran and South Yarra vastly different to how I remember those parts of the world from years ago. Finally decided enough fun had been had and came home by escaping south out of Prahran and home up Inkerman.

goodreads — “Infinite Detail”

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

398 groan and go on

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:42:00 +1100

☁️ I’m not lazy, I’m energy efficient.

Just a short local ride to keep my legs revolving, shame about the sore bum from Sunday!

397 wandiligong family ride

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 14:16:00 +1100

⛅ I’m gonna call you tonight and you need to pretend to be Peyton Manning or Papa John.

Family ride up to Wandiligong after the worst of the heat had passed, off to investigate what has happened to the very rundown Wandiligong Hedge Maze – sure enough it had closed, but luckily it has now reopened as a new business, “5 Acres”. The hedge itself has been bulldozed and some of the rest of the gardens revitalised.

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Mon, 25 Jan 2021 04:15:00 +1100

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396 200km alpine classic

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 03:59:00 +1100

Sweet fancy moses! 🌙

My albatross. Every year I enter, every year I fail to train properly, every year I drag myself along it by willpower & stupidity. Thus it is written

395 a partial buffalo

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 09:55:00 +1100

What if there were no hypothetical questions? ☀

Out by myself for the last real warm up ride before the Alpine Classic. Enthusiasm beat sense and I headed off towards Mt Buffalo, along the way seeing a pair of Wedge-tailed eagles circling up the valley and seconds later, two of what must be their fledglings perched in a tree overlooking the road. Enormous birds, and very impressive to see up close.

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Fri, 22 Jan 2021 23:58:00 +1100

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394 sneaky wandy beery

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 17:56:00 +1100

Slow and steady wins the race. Unless, of course, it’s actually a race. ⛅

Late in the afternoon and I hadn’t been for my daily ride so jumped on the bike and took off towards Wandiligong, taking a road I don’t think I’ve ever ridden before “Back Wandiligong Road”, gravel in sections then rejoining the main road in town. All the way through as far as the Wandi pub, seemed to be a few places recently sold – the realestate market looks good, a great place to live if you had work or were retired I guess! A quiet beer then back to Bright along the bikepath

393 anniversary ferndale gardiner djerring

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 16:08:00 +1100

Kip, stand by to take the blame. ⛅

Hot afternoon ride, just under 30C according to the BoM, up around 35C out on the road according to the Garmin. North through Oakleigh and over the freeway to Gardiners creek, up through Ashburton to the shops, Anniversary trail and Ferndale track, Glen Iris wetlands then south to Carnegie and home along the Djerring trail.

pixelfed

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 11:57:06 +1100

392 cross-train, ride and mow

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:37:00 +1100

Why don’t you just say it? I am a cotton-headed ninny-muggins! ☀️

Daily bike outing and cross-training. Ride to parents’ in laws house, mow lawn, ride home. Dodge the obstreperous

391 boring suburban block

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 16:13:00 +1100

⛅ If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again.

Very uninspiring streets & drivers after a weekend of beach and forest roads and scenery. Cold southerly too, hard to imagine its forecast to be nearly 40°C on the weekend

390 Norman track

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 13:44:00 +1100

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way. Beer? Soda pop? Diet Dr Pepper? ⛅

Up the Dean’s Marsh road to Benwerrin, Mt Sabine road for a few km, then endless gravelly descent on Norman track. Sadly what goes down must come up so there’s the long slog back up Pennyroyal rd and Dean’s Marsh road back to the Ridge then 10km back downhill into Lorne

389 One Benwerrin

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 14:04:00 +1100

Remember… The more you weigh the harder you are to kidnap. Stay safe… Eat cake. ⛅

Short afternoon ride so we can do family things later. One Benwerrin and a few of the streets of North Lorne

388 Cape Patton GOR

Sat, 16 Jan 2021 14:20:00 +1100

Nothing goes over my head. My reflexes are too fast. I would catch it. ☁

Great Ocean Road to Cape Patton and back, coffee at Kennet River on the way back. Thoroughly enjoyable.

387 short shopping

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 09:32:00 +1100

Go outside. The graphics are amazing. ⛅

Shopping in the rain: fish, bread, fruit, hot-cross buns

386 must go on

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 16:17:00 +1100

⛅ Where’s the beef?

Tired and dispirited, but have to go out after so many days in a row – up to 386 today. South towards the bay, but turned off into the surprisingly large cemetery then lost myself in bayside suburbs

tidied, re-organised and made usable the small end of the shed… now if only it had a power point

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 15:30:00 +1100

385 trails and tribulations

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 14:34:00 +1100

⛅ Fancy a cuppa?

Ugh. Sore wrists and thigh. Bike taken out from under me by motorist driving through a red light at Kew bvd slip lane, from a standing start! “SMIDSY…” and presumably didn’t see traffic light either.

New paths and tracks up around Darebin wetlands are really well done, made me feel that the tracks we’ve got out in the south east are falling behind

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Wed, 13 Jan 2021 14:18:00 +1100

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384 shoe shopping

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 11:11:00 +1100

Burn some dust here. Eat my rubber. ⛅

Shopping with number one son, down Gardiner’s Creek to Anaconda, home via newish track along railway and backstreets

Amusing interaction with angry man in Boyd park, we were rolling along at around 12km/hr, son chatting away and this guy and his dog 10m or so in front of us, 3m off the path. As we approached he adopted a very angry “hands on hips, jaw thrust out” post and yelled “Ding, ding!” I’m guessing he thought we should have rung our bell… to warn the pedestrians on the path… except there weren’t any, only him, and he knew we were there

Less amusing interaction on the way home, idiot in a hatchback, red P-plates shot past skimming my elbow with around 20cm to spare in Neerim road, presumably angry that the two of us were riding side-by-side and decided to “teach me a lesson”

noon, 34.5°C, it'll be a quiet lazy day around the house

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 12:05:00 +1100

383 short milk ride

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 08:00:00 +1100

404 Not Found ⛅

Boring short ride, need milk. Going to be too hot today, I think this’ll do for the day

382 Otway forest loop

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 08:53:00 +1100

⛅ There is some good news. There’s some cake left!

Perfectly still morning so I went out for my ride early, or at least early for me. Climbed up the Deans Marsh road to Benwerrin, then along the Mt Sabine track to Mt Cowly – highest point in the Otways. Back down to almost sealevel through the forest on Sharps track, then up and over the last ridge in to town and stopped for a well earned cappuccino and croissant. Sharps track was closed to 4WD traffic, presumably because once I rode down it I found lots of damage from the 140mm of rain and roadworks underway. A fantastic three hours out in the forest, and very light traffic on the roads that had any at all, Sharps track itself was empty, then crazy busy at the Lorne end though with tourist cars parked everywhere around Allenvale, half-blocking the dirt road.

381 Wye river family ride

Sat, 09 Jan 2021 09:57:00 +1100

Everything I did brought me here. ☀

Family ride Lorne to Wye river and back. Lots of caravans, smacked one for getting too close - idiot squeezed past us on Wye River Bridge with oncoming traffic. May have sold the tandem on the way home to a family in the ‘van park.

Usual inept confusing service at Wye River cafe; the sign outside says wait to be seated… so we waited… and waited.. and then finally grabbed a waiter and asked where do we sit, he just shrugged, waved his arms and said “Oh just grab a table anywhere, we’ll be right over”. Ordered two iced coffees and one iced chocolate, one of each turned up and we sat and watched as two other orders were filled before the remaining glass, still waiting on the counter, was eventually filled with its coffee.

380 Waurn Ponds to Aireys Inlet

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 16:45:00 +1100

☀️ I’m gonna call you tonight and you need to pretend to be Peyton Manning or Papa John

Train to Geelong then ride most of the way to Lorne. Got a lift from Aireys inlet, constant noisy Friday evening holiday traffic passing too close took all the fun out of it.

Enjoyed the birdlife; a large flock of straw-necked ibis stalking around in a paddock as I left Waurn Ponds, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos flying overhead in pairs hear and there, then a pair of Gang-gangs creaking at each other and me as I rode in to Aireys Inlet

woken again, this time an idiot on a motorbike going up and down Djerring trail

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 04:20:00 +1100

woken by loud swearing and rattle cans, vandals in the street and around on Djerring trail

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 02:30:00 +1100

379 djerring trail and beer

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 17:19:00 +1100

People like what they like. ☀️

Djerring trail and a beer… and another few beers

Out for a daily ride so I do not break the chain – 379 days and counting – not really feeling like doing much or going far so I jumped on the fixie for a spin up to Caulfield and back. An “aha” hit me half way through the suburb, although today is my first day of work, it is not a Monday and so I could call in and have a beer on the way back… so I did. Not only did I have a beer but I bumped into a few other cycling people and through various connections discovered we have friends in common and ended up with a copy of the Cyclingtips annual shoved in my letterbox.

378pt2, Southern Cross to home

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 17:56:00 +1100

Hope is the only thing stronger than fear ☁️

Second part of getting home from Lorne; ride from Southern Cross station to Richmond, stop for a very lacklustre pizza at Silvio’s, explore the desolate wasteland that is Bridge road while closed to have its tram tracks replaced, then home along the Gardiners creek track. Sadly, after decades of awesome pizza, Silvio’s changed hands a few years ago and has been riding on their reputation ever since, tonight’s pizza was hot and fresh, but ingredients weren’t very inspiring and the place had run out of garlic bread. Didn’t help that all four staff had their covid-19 masks on their chins, and there was no sign of QR code or even a paper book to sign in.

378 Lorne to South Geelong

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 13:32:00 +1100

⛅ Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

The first half of the Lorne-home swap over thing, we do some variety of this every year, spouse or I have to go back for work, so she takes the car and I ride and catch the train. Left Lorne just after lunch to ride to Waurn Ponds – the far end of the line – but the weather and riding along the way was good so I decided to continue on to Marshall, then I got to Marshall 30s after a train pulled out so I kept going to wait for the next train at South Geelong. The angels were smiling because a VLine pulled in about a minute after I got to the station, so no 20 minute wait. Traffic along the Great Ocean Road not too bad, fairly light and most drivers well behaved, but the back road up to Marshall and in to Geelong is woeful. Forget any idea of “a metre matters”, I think you’re just meant to be thankful that they don’t ram into you for being “in the way”

377 Erskine falls

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 14:04:00 +1100

You’re in my world now, grandma. ⛅

Gently up through the misty forest to the falls turnoff, not got down to the falls, the climb back out is ludicrous. Then whizz back down and up to Teddy’s lookout before riding back through town

goodreads — “Eye of the Needle”

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

376 Lorne tandem ride

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 10:41:00 +1100

If I had known the world was ending, I would’ve brought better books. ☁️

Tandem ride with number one son. Rain-filled river and churning brown surf. Coffee on the return and avoided a rain shower. Map route around the point still looks like a boob

375 wye river rainy GOR

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 13:30:00 +1100

☁️ Almost shadwhacked my dilly.

GOR in the rain.

goodreads — “More Dashing: Further Letters of Patrick Leigh Fermor”

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

374 moriac to lorne

Sat, 02 Jan 2021 12:02:00 +1100

Super fish on tomato 🌧

Moriac to Lorne, the inland route. Will require some editing as my garmin thinks I did 50km and averaged 165km/hr in the first minute.

Lovely rural detour south and west from the main road, then far too many idiot motorists from Deans Marsh through the forest to Lorne. Sticky dirt roads giving that lovely “is my rear tyre going flat?” feeling, herds of jersey cattle watching me pass. The side roads were interesting, but hilly

2021 Rainfall

Sat, 02 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 20.0 16.0 2 0.5 4.5 3.5 3 8.0 8.5 4 11.0 14.0 1.5 37.0 3.0 43.0 5 13.0 1.0 1.5 0.5 7.5 8.0 1.5 6 3.0 2.0 1.5 0.5 3.0 7 0.5 0.5 4.5 29.0 1.0 8 0.5 4.0 0.5 1.5 9 8.0 7.0 1.0 13.0 2.5 10 0.5 0.5 17.0 2.0 10.0 0.5 11 9.5 16.

373 two loops

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 13:31:00 +1100

I have some ideas on how to fix that. They’re not very good ideas, but at least they’re ideas! ⛅

FROTY is nearly always somewhere on the GOR, but not this year. Sick spouse, NYE at home and a first ride around well known tracks. Trial school commute with number one, then Anniversary trail and Ferndale track - down then up, with a visit to the Glen Iris wetlands and turtle in the middle. Gelato at Ashburton on the way back

I’ve ridden 373 days in a row; boxing day to NYE 2019, all of 2020, and today

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366/366 collect the full set

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 10:36:00 +1100

☁️ Man the walls!

Off to visit a games shop with number one son, south-east along the Djerring trail and bike path beside Westall road. Shop hidden in industrial area looks like a warehouse from outside, like aladdin’s cave once inside!

366th day of the year. 366th day of 2020. 366th day of the year that I rode. How’s that for stupidity?

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Wed, 30 Dec 2020 16:06:00 +1100

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365/366 one more day

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 14:13:00 +1100

⛅ Tougher than a Waffle House steak.

“This activity completed 40% of the Rapha #Festive500”… ok, looks like a big day tomorrow to get the other 300km in! Or maybe just a sleep in and a best effort to hit 50%.

Djerring trail to Yarraman, a surprisingly brisk south-easterly in the face on the way out. Sharp right and up the Eastlink trail to Jells Park, arriving about half an hour after the cafe closes, so no ice cream or coffee for me. Double stupid points for the indian mob who decided to set up their cricket match along the bike path in the park, then got aggro and yelled at me when I suggested that it was a dumb place to put wickets & stand. North out of the park and home straight along Waverley road… including straight up the ‘orrible ‘ill to the police academy.

Second last day of the year, I’ve ridden every day so far, what could possibly go wrong…

364/366 bayside beauty

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 15:03:00 +1100

Everyone is mine to torment. ⛅

A fantastic sunny afternoon, a cruisy ride down south & along Hampton road to the bay, then up around the bay to Port Melbourne. Through back streets to St Kilda, then home up Inkerman st, dodging the locals who show their intense dislike for the proposed bike route by hooking in at you as they pass.

363/366 smiths gap and side roads

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 06:47:00 +1100

So the dead don’t want to die today, is that it? ⛅

An early start after a poor night’s sleep, out the gate, onto the Sutton road, turn right and straight up Smiths Gap – ugh. I do sometimes wonder what my fastest times were up back in pre-strava days. Up at the top and explore the side roads, Forest and Bede road to the north and the ends of both, then back south and Joe Rocks road and on to Mountain road. There’s a very steep gravelly descent on the latter, had my hard on the brakes all the way down and both tyres threatening to slither out from under me, climbing back up was a careful balance of power, traction and momentum, once I stopped there was no restarting.

The maps show lanes almost meeting up with a temptation to go cross country and try and avoid the climb back up, but I suspect that like most of them, they’re solely in and out roads and end at gates or fences

362/366 bungendore hoskinstown

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +1100

⛅ How come no one ever told me that I sounded like that?

I came down this way a year ago, or was it two? At least this time I’m not trying to find the non-existant route from Forbes Creek back to the coast highway. A brief outing in Bungendore to the cemetery, then back streets and a newish bike track south through the “Bungendore Meadows” housing development and off towards Hoskinstown. The last six or so kilometres are a rocky gravel road, so after unsuccessfully trying to refill my bidon at the Hoskinstown memorial hall I came home along the other two sides of the triangle, sealed all the way. Fog across the paddocks and valleys all the way down, with spider webs all along the roadside glistening with dew and a big fat orb weaver in the centre of each one

361/366 mathews ln lake rd

Sat, 26 Dec 2020 09:13:00 +1100

Failure is not an option ☁

Exploring the two local roads from mum & dad’s place, south down Mathews lane to the end, it almost looks as though it was intended to cross the paddocks along a fence line and rejoin Bungendore to the east or the Sutton road to the north. Then retrace my route & ride the full length of Lake road to its end at a private gate, again, it looks as though it once went further up the lake shore and joined up with the Federal highway.

Parrots everywhere, and lots of ‘roos around the lake shore. Rabbits all over the place, scampering off the road and into the bushes, even a pair of fox cubs playing on the road around the lake shore

360/366 tarago road bungendore

Fri, 25 Dec 2020 07:15:00 +1100

Am I missing an eyebrow? ☁

Completely unexpected weather for Christmas day, cool to almost cold, light misty rain. Off to Bungendore and up the Tarago road until I decided to turn around. Explore a few turns to the side on the way, all dead-ends unfortunately, then back through the newish Elmsleigh suburbia.

11 degrees and drizzle! Merry Christmas.

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Chiltern, 27°C, sunny and cicadas

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 12:36:00 +1100

359/366 sneaky morning block

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 08:15:00 +1100

This was so easy a caveman could do it. ☁

Snuck in my daily ride before a long day in the car, once around a block in the cool & a light mist. So much for summertime!

358/366 meandering towards the end

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 13:29:00 +1100

⛅ “Don’t Quote this” -Ghandi

No work today, out for a meandering afternoon ride. No real idea where I was going, couldn’t make my mind up. Half way along the Anniversary trail and changed my mind and came back, then down Ferndale track and an exploration of streets; major & minor, through Malvern and Glen Iris. Stopped for a coffee at Central Park and was not thrilled when one of the old ladies at the table near me started coughing - barking like a dog - her companion asked how she was and she said “I’m feeling much better”. Oh good.

moved a spare piece of bluestone and a pile of cut branches to artfully make use of the cleared garden bed under the plum tree

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 12:15:00 +1100

357/366 rainy afternoon ride

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 15:57:00 +1100

☁️ My heart keeps beating like a hammer

Out and westwards under dark black clouds coming in from the south. Around the side streets to the side of Glenferrie road and some mansion-viewing detours, then join up with the Gardiners creek track as the rain hit. Sheltered, troll-like, under a bridge for a few minutes then rode back along the creek path through gentle rain

356/366 quiet grey afternoonage

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 16:03:00 +1100

🌧 Never Half-Ass Two Things. Whole-Ass One Thing.

A very relaxed quiet grey overcast outing, hardly anyone out and about, paths mostly empty and a few light spots of rain. Home to East Malvern via the Scotchmans creek path, then off up the Anniversary trail and down the Ferndale track – a few dogs & joggers & kids on school holidays. Meander around Nettleton park at the junction of Gardiners & Back creek and watch the ducks & ducklings, then join the main Gardiners creek path and upstream to Glen Iris wetlands – pausing along the way for a ten minute coffee break at Blake’s Feast. Mudflats exposed & stinky today, lots of moorhens around and kids throwing sticks into the mud. Home was up through Hedgeley Dene & straight back along the Djerring trail

Got Cam to place a row of bricks the length of the citrus garden against the fence – our cat & the neighbour's two have dug under between them

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1100

355/366 a little bit of up

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 13:58:00 +1100

⛅ Do you hear that Fezzik? That is the sound of ultimate suffering.

Out to the base of the Dandenongs along Ferny Creek track - never ridden it before and FAR more enjoyable than Ferntree Gully Road. Some very low road underpasses, low headroom and at or below creek level, such is life for afterthought bike infrastructure. Lung busting attempts on one of the trails in the park, then steep downhill back to the streets near the quarry. Foolishly thought I’d ride up Burwood highway and back down the Pipeline track - forgot entirely how much highway that’d need and nearly was late home for family dinner

an hour ripping out ropey grass

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 11:30:00 +1100

the “garden bed” around the plum tree is just dirt & weeds. I have no idea what to do with it, we can’t seem to grow anything other than the grass that creeps through everything. Disturbed so many lizards & beetles that I just want to let it all go feral again

354/366 short shopping

Sat, 19 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +1100

I like being weird. Weird is all I’ve got. That, and my sweet style. ⛅

Just the short Saturday morning shopping ride. Fish and fresh bread, laughing a little that my favourite local bakery has hot-cross buns on the counter, then again, they make them all year round. Flathead for dinner, turkish bread for breakfasts

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353/366 exploring rail paths

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 16:06:00 +1100

Like turtles stampeding through peanut butter ⛅

Around and about through the nearby ‘burbs then up to meet the Glen Waverley line and explore some of the newer bits of paths built as part of the crossing removals. Then cross the creek and back along well worn familiar territory

Lots of small fish in the wetlands, no sign of the turtle

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352/366 work christmas function

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 11:18:00 +1100

Geez, somebody get that kid a sandwich! ⛅

A ride in two parts, there and home again. Off to work, but only to attend the outdoor socially distanced christmas function. BBQ & beer & catching up with people not seen in person for many months.

Forecast of a thunderstorm but nothing much came of it, a few billowy clouds for a while and two or three spots of rain, mostly just sunny and hot

the railway side of the fence has been painted over!

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 10:30:00 +1100

I’m vaguely amused that either @MonashCouncil or @metrotrains has finally painted over the graffiti along #djerringtrail - been there about 2 months. Checks calendar… just in time for school holiday and a “clean slate” for da boyz wif da kanz

351/366 brief outing

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 16:11:00 +1100

Just another ride. ☁

Just a shorty for today, a bit of the Rosstown rail trail, bike track up along the Frankston line then wriggle around & head home – things to do. Nearly embarrassed myself into the rear of another cyclist by looking down at flappy shoelace just as he suddenly slowed & turned into a driveway

350/366 southerly suburban sploration

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 16:17:00 +1100

I See Your Schwartz Is As Big As Mine. ⛅

Off in a southerly direction to fill in some of the streets to the south that I’ve never ridden along, with a random turn-here/turn-there approach. Rode the length of the abysmal Tucker road “bike lane”, I’m not sure if the designer of it was malicious or incompetent, but painting pictures of bicycles underneath parked cars and labelling it “cycling infrastructure” only makes the passing motorists angry at you when you ride out of the doorzone in “their” lane.

Pleasantly cool with a few spots of rain

349/366 hot afternoon figure eight

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 16:07:00 +1100

We can stay up late, swapping stories, and in the morning, I’m making waffles! ☀

Hot afternoon and out for a ride, leaves and bark all crunchy underneath the wheels. Birds all quiet, no joggers, no ladies with dogs in the ladies with dogs park, not many out when its 36°C on the road, 33°C under the trees.

348/366 family icecream ride

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 13:45:00 +1100

⛅ One moment I was the best thing since sliced bread. The next, I was toast

Sunday afternoon family outing, up along Scotchmans creek trail to Glen Waverley and then some previously unvisited paths through the suburb to get to the shops to hunt for an icecream. Never knew that there was a path straight north from Waverley road up past Holmesglen tafe and through the newish townhouse developments

Surprisingly hard to find icecream in the land of roast duck, noodles & bubble tea but we found some – fancy little tubs from Nitro lab, very nicely presented. Then home in a more straightforward way, parallel to the Glen Waverley line on bike path, road and cross country, then south through the streets and bombing down the Atkinson street hill

347/366 before breakfast meander

Sat, 12 Dec 2020 07:03:00 +1100

⛅ The best things in life aren’t things

Too lazy for a proper ride this morning, stayed in bed until 7am then went for a meander around the nearby suburbs on the way to the shops for bread for breakfast & barramundi for dinner

Cicadas started up, first time for a while since the weather's been cooler again. Only sang for 10-15 minutes though

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 20:45:00 +1100

346/366 twenny dayz togo

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 16:13:00 +1100

☀️ Dude, where’s my car?

2020, day 346 of 366. 20 days to go. What a lot of little rides.

Minor variation parallel to the Anniversary trail up to Ferndale track, down the track and sidestreets to Glen Iris wetlands and met my old friend the turtle. Poked about and checked out the birds – the herons have fledged – then home along Gardiners creek track and up through Okalee

345/366 clayton triangle

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 16:18:00 +1100

You’re killing me smalls. ⛅

Scotchmans creek trail to Mt Waverley, Forster road to Nothing Hill. Through backstreets and Monash Uni, down to Clayton and home along the Djerring trail. Note to ubereats/doordash/whoever deliverer, yes, you’re being exploited, no, you’re not doing yourself any favours riding through Clayton on the wrong side of the road

344/366 the bay and back

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:09:00 +1100

What?? I shaved my legs for this? ⛅

Good weather, bad mood. Could have written an entry for “crap bike lanes of Melbourne” for this one, I think the City of Glen Eira is up there with the worst of them.

343/366 meandering chores

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 16:11:00 +1100

⛅ Where’s the beef?

Guess who rode into Valley reserve and came out heading east instead of west… I think I’ll blame the overcast sky. Around and about and do some chores then more around about and homewards

342/366 cycliq test cycle

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 16:45:00 +1100

☁️ I’m emotionally constipated, I haven’t given a s*** in weeks.

A cold and wintery lap around a suburb or two, trying out the Cycliq Fly12 now that I have the assistance of Cycliq support.

had to sweep & shovel a path through the chomped plums to let Cam out of the garage on his way to school – the cockatoos[1] are back in the plum tree

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 08:30:00 +1100

[1] Sulphur-crested cockatoo

341/366 lazy sunday afternoon

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 14:58:00 +1100

☁️ How did I end up like this. Where the fourth most popular pastime is going down to the laundry room and watching my knickers spin dry?

Lazy Sunday afternoon ride, watched the ducks, meandered about

341/366 lazy sunday afternoon

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 14:58:00 +1100

☁️ How did I end up like this. Where the fourth most popular pastime is going down to the laundry room and watching my knickers spin dry?

Lazy Sunday afternoon ride, watched the ducks, meandered about

Half an hour in the roof cavity checking for leaks above Cam's room – turns out the wet clothes on the floor was the cat peeing on his jumper

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +1100

340/366 second solo slog

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 07:16:00 +1100

☁️ Lost! My Precious Is Lost!

Second solo slog, later in the year this time so Cardinia Shire has had its annual rubbish collection, not quite such a third world view to the roadsides

339/366 ride past work

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 16:13:00 +1100

⛅ I’ve made a huge mistake

Cycliq Fly12 has shat itself again, third time this week. Yet another SD card now declared “dead” by the device and it hung while turning off until I can find a pointy reset pin. New SD card installed, try and connect with app. for 20 minutes, app crashes, phone restart, app sits for so long “Loading settings” that Cycliq turns itself off and so app is now hung waiting for a disconnected device and won’t reconnect if Fly is turned back on! Restart phone, reset Fly, rinse, repeat. Nope, useless. Fingers crossed that Fly works tomorrow. More stuffing about trying to lodge support call with Cycliq, expect they’ll say “thanks, goodbye, old device”

Enjoyable ride other than the technology

Cockies[1] discovered the plum tree today, a dozen or so were busy splitting the fruit open to crack the stones and eat the kernels, mess everywhere underneath!

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +1100

[1] Sulphur-crested cockatoo

338/366 the ten square is mine

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 15:14:00 +1100

☀️ A ride that isn’t on Strava is like winking at someone in the dark. You know you’re doing it but nobody else does.

Early finish for the day, boss man owes me some hours. The cunning plan involved going out to the end of the Djerring trail, down to the bay and around, but cutting the corner to ride down Corrigans road and capture the missing square – the silliness that is trying to get an “explorer max square” up from 9 to 10. Corrigans road is straight, heavily trafficed, and ugly, it does have an ornamental bike lane for 2/3 of every block, vanishing at intersections and full of parked cars the rest of the way. Then past bumper-to-bumper traffic to the Dandenong bypass and … bypass them by taking the bike track across to join the Dandenong creek trail. South and south-west alongside creek and river to Carrum, then back up the bay dodging roadworks for a while, home up Charman, Chesterville & Mackie roads

337/366 wednesday wetlands

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 16:14:00 +1100

Game over man. Game over! ⛅

Third verse, same as the first. Not quite, and substitute days of the week for verses and apologise to the Ramones. Northish, then wind around not quite along the Anniversary trail to Toorak road then find our way back to Gardiners creek and poke around Glen Iris wetlands. Met a gent in the wetlands who pointed out to me a heron nest with three gawky and over large White-necked heron chicks stumbling about like teenagers - in a spot that I’ve been past endless times over the past weeks but not noticed! In retaliation I showed him the Willy wagtail nest 3m in front of our noses as we stood by the park bench.

336/366 blown around the burbs

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 16:11:00 +1100

☁️ Gosh, if I could just figure out that riddle. Why can’t I get it?

Windy out there today, gusting all over the place. Wasn’t sure where I was going so started towards Caulfield but then decided to detour in and out along sidestreets as I met them. Disastrous choice on the way home was to pop out onto North road mid-block and want to cross

a few mm of rain over the weekend, the fungi patch have sprouted under the dead silver birch again, I haven't seen them for ages!

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 07:50:00 +1100

335/366 warm afternoon loop

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 16:01:00 +1100

⛅ I only pass gas once a year, for an hour on top of a mountain in Switzerland.

Daily afternoon outing, warmer than expected, up to 30°C in places. The novelty of a non-slipping chain and smooth gears hasn’t yet worn off. North to Gardiners creek trail, around to Anniversary trail and down Ferndale track – dodging the lovely ladies and their puppies – then around past the wetlands, say hello to the squawkers in the waters and home along Gardiners creek and a wriggle through Murrumbeena

Discovered a large dead branch broken off the plum tree and hanging above the shed, victim of a recent storm

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 08:15:00 +1100

334/366 GOR - gadabunad ocean road

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 13:48:00 +1100

⛅ You like that! You like that!

A windy afternoon ride south west down the Great Ocean Road, Wye River then Kennet River then about a bit further to push it over 25km. Back to Kennet river for kappaccino and kake at Kafe Koala and laughed at the world as the solid headwind eased off, the sky clouded over and the wind resumed from east, a gentle headwind for the return trip. Complete dearth of overseas tourists so the vehicle mix has changed, its all 4WD and SUVs, no minibus groups or hire cars, and thankfully slightly safer passing than usual – you couldd still make an absolute mint when the 1.5m minimum passing law comes in, IF you enforced it and fined the offenders

333/366 freshwater creek to lorne

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 14:13:00 +1100

☁️I got dressed today!

Freshwater Creek to Lorne, first time along the GOR for four or five months, we were driving down and I got out at Freshwater creek and rode the rest of the way while the family drove. Constant traffic, noisy and fast but thankfully no Chinese mini-buses, so there were far fewer close passes. Light rain and beautiful coastal scrub smells, got a bit hungry along the way due to lack of lunch but resisted the urge to stop for cake. Arrived at Lorne within five minutes of my estimate

goodreads — “My Family and Other Animals”

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

333/366 the number of the half beast

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 07:34:00 +1100

⛅ I’m riding here! I’m riding here!

333 days in row riding, 333 the number of half the beast, or the number of the Belconnen to Tuggeranong bus, at least it used to be, back when I caught said bus. Over to the shops before breakfast, for fish and for bread. Bike hoops at Oakleigh Central can still be lifted straight out of the ground, contractor “fixed” them by, err, doing nothing except sliding them back into the hole

332/366 out in the midday sun fun

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 13:09:00 +1100

⛅ Hello Moto!

I’ve been “volunteered” for some late afternoon work so the daily bike ride got bumped forward to lunch time, also hoping to avoid the hottest part of the day with the BoM saying it’d reach 32°C between 4-5pm. The Garmin recorded an average of 33°C and max of 37.3°C, the joys of riding on a road out from underneath tree cover. Home to Caulfield on the Djerring trail, north along Glenferrie road through lunchtime traffic, turn right and blissfully cool down under the freeway on the Gardiners creek track with a pause at Glen Iris wetlands, then home through the old Outer Circle rail line/Urban forest/Boyd park

331/366 new bits, so quiet

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 16:11:00 +1100

Obviously you’re not a golfer. ⛅

South into the wind, down to the bay, explore the concrete ugliness that is the new bike path from Cheltenham to Mentone. Then back up the bay and inland up Hampton street. Eventually decide time to turn for home and wriggle around from South Caulfield to Carnegie until I recognised where I was

330/366 shiny revitalised awol

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 13:35:00 +1100

Collected AWOL from LBS, surprisingly quick service! Shiny new chain & cassette and a clean, degrease & lube – all expected. New rear derraileur cable – unexpected. New crank locking bolt as old one was stripped. Squeaky brakes all the way home, slightly over-tightened. All very enjoyable

330/366 awol service dropoff

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 08:44:00 +1100

Took the AWOL up to Fitzroy Cycles for a long-overdue and Covid-lockdown-delayed service. Chain is so ridiculously worn that it skips under the slightest load on the big ring, something wrong with the left crank too, retaining nut works loose every 2-3 days and has done ever since last “service” where BB was replaced – and two weeks later the crank fell off because it hadn’t been attached properly! I suspect this may be a pricey shop visit

pixelfed

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 21:33:46 +1100

Nankeen night heron on my daily bike ride, via @gyroscope_app

329/366 afternoon loop

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 16:55:00 +1100

Later in the afternoon than my usual 4pm outing, almost 5pm by the time I got away. Too hard to think, off on a simple route up the Anniversary trail, down Ferndale track, pause in the Glen Iris wetlands for a look around and then home along Gardiners Creek. Spent a relaxing few minutes standing around by the creek watching a Nankeen night heron, first being mobbed by wattlebirds, then quietly stalking off into the shallows of the creek

328/366 after the rain

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 16:15:00 +1100

After the rain… well after, but stayed away from the creek-side paths just in case, 48mm overnight is bound to have made a mess. Up to Caulfield, keep going to Hawthorn road and turn left. Down Hawthorn, squeezed between parked cars & tram tracks, then a curvy diversion back towards Carnegie and home

Mostly Cloudy, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 7m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

327/366 family picnic in the park

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 11:32:00 +1100

Family picnic get together in Jells park to celebrate all the birthdays we’ve missed during covid lockdown so far this year. I rode there, the rest of the family drove and I didn’t notice as they passed me in the rain. Very tropical kind of day, a warm afternoon bracketed by rain before and afterwards

Got to the park in the rain with a flurry of activity as people left because it was raining, then the clouds passed and we found a sheltering tree for the rest to join us and eat and drink and talk. Afterwards, rode home… slowly, with a very full tummy. I think I’m finally starting to understand where all the variations of the “Scotchmans Creek Bike Path” go through Mount Waverley to Jells Park, a complete misnomer, its a combination of several off-road paths and a maze of diverging on-street routes, after 20+ years I might now be understanding them, even the one with the big flight of stairs

Mostly Cloudy, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 2m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

goodreads — “Anzac & Aviator”

Sat, 21 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

the offending long and droopy bay tree branch has been removed, no longer do we need to duck while walking down the garden

Sat, 21 Nov 2020 09:50:00 +1100

pixelfed

Sat, 21 Nov 2020 09:14:52 +1100

Tasty Vietnamese-style blend, espresso in Springvale

326/366 morning djerring

Sat, 21 Nov 2020 06:11:00 +1100

Woke early, out for a ride. About half an hour SE down the Djerring trail then turn around and back, pausing for a small pastry and a fantastic coffee from a vietnamese bakery in Springvale - very much like the coffee we had in Vietnam, I think that means I’ve snuck in my seven coffeeneuring coffees for the season, personal challenge was each one had to be somewhere I’d never been before, and each in a new suburb or town.

Sunny on the way out, clouding over on the way back. Around through Oakleigh for the normal Saturday morning fish & bread, then home for breakfast. . 40 days to go of 2020

Partly Cloudy, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 3m/s from E - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 18:36:54 +1100

#macchiato #cOFFEE and banOFFEE pie icecream #coffeeneuring2020

325/366 coffeeneuring offee ride

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 16:31:00 +1100

That diamond-shaped bit of Brighton has been bugging me for a while, so I went and did a lap. Yeesh, wot a lot of wange wovers and wand cwuizers. Then north up to Elsternwick and home along the well known Glenhuntly road route, pausing for a coffeeneuring ‘offee – macchiato cOFFEE and banOFFEE pie gelato

Partly Cloudy, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 55%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat.app

Seedling check on the wildflowers; every single one of them dead or gone, so much for that lot

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 08:30:00 +1100

pixelfed

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 18:20:40 +1100

324/366 creeks stairs and possum

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 16:11:00 +1100

Hot dry summery day, gumnuts and bark crunching under the tyres. Ravens sheltering in the shade, beaks open panting. Up Gardiners creek exploring, through Damper creek reserve and home along Scotchmans creek, with intervening suburban roads

Ended up with a splitting headache and aching neck. I’d really like to punch in the face whoever on a @#$@#$ Melbourne council decided that on a bike route they’d put signs 4m up on poles so you look up for directions…. and a set of stairs to crash down with a hidden ramp off the side. Luck, reactions, and a solidly built AWOL meant I stayed upright, didn’t bite my tongue off and fall crashing onto the Burwood highway

Then riding through Mount Waverley I made a new friend - a baby ringtail possum that had fallen out of the tree and was making its way back over the hot grass while being attacked by two magpies. Rescued & returned to the tree, hopefully where mum can recover it

Mostly Sunny, 33°C, Feels like 33°C, Humidity 23%, Wind 6m/s from N - by Klimat.app

323/366 revisit old commutes

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 16:07:00 +1100

Revisited roads and places I haven’t ridden for months, if not years. In towards the city along Waverley & Malvern roads, then up Chapel street, I think I used to commute home this way back around the turn of the century. Chapel street still the appalling mess its always been, bikes squeezed between opening car doors and tram track, with pedestrians darting across the road every few metres.

Over the river and turn into the side streets of RIchmond, tunnel under the freeway and then the Yarra and Gardiners creek trails homewards. Some of the trail surface still the same vintage as it was when I commuted here every day and starting to get a bit broken in places

Mostly Sunny, 28°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 25%, Wind 1m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app

322/366 turtle tuesday

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 16:03:00 +1100

Watched a turtle in the wetlands, said hello to a birdwatcher, bought a birthday present whiskey on the way home.

Scotchmans creek, Anniversary trail, Ferndale track, Gardiners creek, Koornang road and Djerring trail.

Partly Cloudy, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 42%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat.app

321/366 321 zero blastoff

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 16:06:00 +1100

Day 321 of the year, 321 days of riding in a row. Windy, dusty, sneezy. No money found at the side of the road, nothing lost, nothing gained. Scotchmans creek track to Glen Waverley, Glen Waverley rail-side track back to Holmesglen, then home. Did I mention windy?

Partly Cloudy, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 44%, Wind 7m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app

320/366 serendipitous finds

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 16:07:00 +1100

Strange weather, strange ride. Put it off for a while but went out anyway into hot dusty wind. Rode down through Clayton and Westall and along random industrial back streets and found a new micro brewery. Had a beer, bought some beers and rode north through Monash uni. Emergency pineapple stop, pick up roadside $50 and proceed. Realise it isn’t raining, I’ve blown a beer can. Ride “gently” home being spattered with dark ale. Have a shower. Done

Overcast, 29°C, Feels like 29°C, Humidity 35%, Wind 7m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

319/366 lazy afternoon wetlands loop

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 16:22:00 +1100

Strava art sphinx, lazy afternoon ride. I can’t pedal hard because the slightest pressure on the cranks on the big ring and CLUNK-CLUNK-CLUNK off comes the thoroughly ruined chain. Gently making my way to when I can get the bike serviced. Home up to Caulfield, around the Monash campus for curiousity, then a few random streets of Malvern East and down to the Glen Iris wetlands. Usual mix of birdlife, as I was sitting quietly watching the willy wagtails in their nest I realised I could see a nankeen night heron camouflaged in the scrub across the pond - they’re even harder to see than a hi-vis clad cyclist with flashing headlights. Back along the Gardiners creek path and home through Oakleigh, unlike yesterday there were no yoof tagging the bus interchange as I came through today

Partly Cloudy, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 3m/s from SW - by Klimat.app

Another hour, another half wheely-bin of horribly rampant grasses cut down, dug up, chucked out

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 13:00:00 +1100

319/366 short shopping

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 07:44:00 +1100

Saturday morning short shopping trip, fish for dinner and bread for breakfast, pausing to poke the ridiculous council bike hoop that lifts out of the ground but they refuse to fix. Random ride title almost longer than the ride, especially given that I forgot to hit the “go” button between fish shop and bakery

Mostly Cloudy, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 3m/s from W - by Klimat.app

318/366 froggy pobblebonk friday

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 16:11:00 +1100

Very tasty Banh Mi for lunch, very large tummy, very leisurely ride. Down the gravel track past the golf course, to the lake, half a Karkarook lake and then the gravel L – south, then east – to rejoin Old Dandenong road – pobblebonks galore – and make my way back through Clarinda and Clayton

Overcast, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

317/366 new tyre ride

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 16:32:00 +1100

AWOL had a puncture when I went to take it out, the Gravelking SK had finally worn too much. Got a few too many punctures with them in 15 months/7500km of mostly on-road riding, I suspect the replacement Schwalbes will be bullet-proof, they certainly weigh enough! Half an hour of faffing about with tyres and tubes then Gardiners creek track, Anniversary track, Ferndale Track, Glen Iris wetlands and home along the road & Djerring trail

Overcast, 22°C, Feels like 22°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 5m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app

316/366 click-and-collect

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 14:13:00 +1100

Single-speed cheeky click-and-collect shopping trip, in and out and home before the rain. Minor navigation mishap had me going past Oakleigh Grammar at little-darling-collection-o’clock, wall-to-wall 4WDs, even more than pre-COVID-lockdown

315/366 hot afternoon bay ride

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 16:07:00 +1100

Strava add-ons need to learn to play nicely together, once again Bandok overwrote Klimat, so no weather summary. I can tell you it was hot, Garmin says 26-35°C, average of 32°C. So post ride recovery is a nice cold beer.

First time down the Rosstown Rail trail in many many months, all the way to Elsternwick and then down along the bay. Beaches are all full, not a mask in sight, although the people walking on the paths seem to be wearing them. Got half lost somewhere in Hampton but seemed to make my way home in almost the most direct route. Over 30km, that’s about my limit at the moment!

pixelfed

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 14:10:53 +1100

“it’s been a good year for the roses”

watered the native daisy seedlings I planted out on Sunday, they're not looking well, I suspect they dried & died

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:15:00 +1100

314/366 over there and back

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 16:10:00 +1100

Hadn’t been that direction for a while so south and west, then up past Caulfield racecourse and lost myself in the streets of Malvern. Extricated lost self and made my way down to the creek, back through known territory

Clear, 27°C, Feels like 27°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 16:16:44 +1100

313/366 exploring back creek

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 11:02:00 +1100

Family ride on a near-perfect Sunday exploring up along Back creek – from where it flows into Gardiners creek upstream until we lost it around Toorak road, then up its valley to rejoin the Anniversary trail at Hartwell. Lovely relaxing coffeeneuring cappuccino under the trees at Hartwell then rolling back down the Anniversary trail to Gardiners creek. Little bit of hike-a-bike bush bashing to get from the end of one park up to Toorak road, its a shame that there’s no path that last few tens of metres

Despite it being Bicycle Network’s “Super Sunday” we only saw two bike counter people – one in our front garden as we went out, and one near Alamein at 13:01, a minute after the survey ended and as he was packing up

Clear, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 1m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

goodreads — “The Happiest Refugee”

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

I have cut down the offending half-dead pittosporum & now I shall have a little sit down and a mug of coffee

Sat, 07 Nov 2020 11:43:00 +1100

312/366 boring shopping

Sat, 07 Nov 2020 08:08:00 +1100

The boring but essential bit of Saturday morning, up to Oakleigh shops for bread for breakfast, fish for dinner, and something for tomorrow. Discovered that the City of Monash council bike racks are criminally irresponsible, you can just lift them out of the ground

Mostly Cloudy, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat.app

311/366 parks to the southeast

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 16:10:00 +1100

Bandok ate Klimat, so no one-line weather summary other than mine - it was cool and grey and damp… again. Decided to visit a few local parks to the south-east; Namitjira reserve, Bald Hill park and Davies reserve. Water birds in the first, lots of wattlebirds in the second, just people and dogs in the third

310/366 clayton huntingdale triangle

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 16:07:00 +1100

Cold, windy and uninspiring, a quick triangle down to Clayton, up through Monash Uni to the Scotchmans creek trail, then Huntingdale wetlands and home

309/366 just like spring rain

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 16:08:00 +1100

Impressive change from yesterday; then 31°C and summer, now, 11°C and a cool misty rain. Hardly anyone out on any of the paths or in any of the parks. Even the hardy birdwatchers of Glen Iris wetlands stayed away, so I got to see a Sacred Kingfisher all by myself. Scotchmans creek track, Anniversary trail, Ferndale track, a bit of Gardiners creek, straight up Darling road then Djerring trail to home

Possible Light Rain, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 81%, Wind 6m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

Finally cancelled that embarrassing "Audax Super Randonneur Challenge" for 2019-2020

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 15:33:00 +1100

I was never going to complete the series, but after doing a few 200s I optimistically thought I could do a 300, maybe maybe even a 400. I couldn’t see myself in any state of fitness or mindset to enter a 600, let alone complete one, but 2020 intervened and the whole thing became moot

308/366 dandenong creek to dandenong

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 16:05:00 +1100

One of my longer rides in months and temperature up into the low 30s. Out along Wellington road and down Dandenong creek to … Dandenong. People having neatly spaced barbecues, picnics and parties in every park, and fantastic good food smells from many of them. The creek track is hard to find in places where it crosses roads, I lost it completely on entering Dandenong and ended up back on the main road for a few blocks until I saw a sign to the showgrounds, then home up the Djerring trail

Mostly Cloudy, 28°C, Feels like 28°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 16:46:50 +1100

Yarraman to Carrum along the creekside track

307/366 fourth coffeeneuring ride

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 10:14:00 +1100

Absolute stunner of a day. Number one son has a curriculum day from school so we went out for a few hours – drove out to Yarraman at the end of the Djerring trail then rode down the Eastlink trail to the bay and back. Near flat the entire way and along bushland, farmland with creek, swamp and river all around. More birdlife than you can shake a stick at; hilights were the pelicans, egrets & darter, but a huge flock of straw-necked ibis & a pair of swamp harriers close by overhead came a near second. Amazing down at Carrum at the boat ramp, so many cars & trailers that traffic management staff were in place, and boats as far as you could see up and down the river and out into the bay. Carrum’s looking pretty good now that the level crossing is gone & a “sky rail” is in place, starting to look like a beach holiday town

Along the way it not only incorporated keeping him & me enjoyably entertained for the morning, my daily ride – 307 of 366 so far – but the fourth coffee of the annual coffeeneuring challenge with a short macc. at Freddies in Carrum

Partly Cloudy, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 1m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

306/366 late afternoon loop

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 16:29:00 +1100

8th overall on “Tollington’s Arse”, what a delightfully named strava segment! I suspect this could mean that only eight people have ridden it… Not just that… Inconceivable! My wife beat me, that’ll teach me to wait for her!

A late afternoon outing with Jo trying to ride off the effects of a large barbecue lunch, up the Djerring trail to Caulfield, through hard-rubbish lined expensive streets down towards the creek. Took her on a surprise detour through some lengthy bluestone laneways and popped out back on Wattletree road not knowing if we were facing north or west until the mental map popped back into place.

Notable afternoon wetlands wildlife was a white-faced heron stalking around the mudflats, doing a very dainty toe-shaking maneouvre to stir up insects to grab.

Clear, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

edging the grass alongside the house turned into pulling a frighteningly large half cubic metre of old dead grass & creepers out from under the house

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 12:00:00 +1100

pixelfed

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 20:58:47 +1100

that’s it, there is no more, the end, all done

305/366 karkarook and beyond

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 15:12:00 +1100

Afternoon exploration on a cold wintery day. Near impossibility of turning right across Warrigal road sent me down through East Bentleigh almost to South road, then around the side streets to the underpass into the park. Plenty of people walking the lap of the lake despite the cold weather and wind, Black swans & cygnets, swamphens and moorhens with their respective chicks, and a Great crested grebe swimming around, then a solid phalanx of fisherfolk along the southern bank. Then off to explore the gravel track to the south, nicely sheltered from the wind with small flocks of goldfinches and red-rump finches around together with honeyeaters and pigeons and one frightened rabbit. Around and back up Old Dandenong road to get back to Karkarook park - it looks as though Kingston council is planning on building a bikepath/horse trail all the way around. Back around the last part of the lake and north up Clarinda road and make my way back through better known streets

Mostly Cloudy, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 75%, Wind 7m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

an hour and a half on the front lawn, pulling out nasty prickly burr weeds

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 11:00:00 +1100

305/366 loaves and fishes again

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 08:08:00 +1100

The Saturday morning routine, I’ve got to buy the bread before we can have bacon and eggs for breakfast, and I get the fish for dinner too, today is deep-sea cod fillets

Mostly Cloudy, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 4m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app

304/366 a variation around the creeks

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 16:08:00 +1100

Strava ad-ons compete and overwrite my ride description, Bandok changes the name to silly names, Klimat puts in the weather icon and a description. Depending on what order they catch the new ride I get one or both … or part of both like today

North over the freeway until we join Gardiners creek then upstream, across a suburb or so, down Ferndale track, poke around Nettleton park at the junction of Back creek and Gardiners creek, then upstream to the Glen Iris wetlands and eventually home

pixelfed

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 15:09:23 +1100

pixelfed

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 14:12:07 +1100

goodreads — “Duel at Araluen”

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

303/366 two creek block

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 16:07:00 +1100

Two creeks, no bunyip. Lots of baby waterbirds and an interesting pair of parrots shot out of a tree overhead, too fast for an ID, maybe swift parrots, fairly sure not rainbow or musk lorikeets. Will never know

Mostly Cloudy, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 21:40:16 +1100

302/366 bayside sunshine

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:06:00 +1100

Warm springtime is back. Maskless hordes on the foreshore are back. Angry women driving up Inkerman giving you a swervy-nudge to “get back in the door-zone bikelane” are back. The world returns to a pretend bit of normalcy

Clear, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 21:11:33 +1100

or at least an assortment of notation

301/366 too many vandals

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 16:08:00 +1100

A few too many kids with shovels digging up every bit of park & bush alongside the bike paths to make mud wallows & jumps. Maybe leave it for the MTB parks and stop digging and cutting council parkland

Overcast, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 7m/s from SE - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 08:41:00 +1100

pixelfed

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 17:33:35 +1100

a very windy ride for the “collect” part of a click-and-collect order

300/366 gathering the magic

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 16:08:00 +1100

Gathering the magic for number one son from a large and windswept industrial estate. Phenomenally gusty wind, blasted my back and forth all over the road or path. Wow, riding every day of the year, 300 days done, 66 to go. #whatcouldpossiblygowrong

Mostly Cloudy, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 6m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app

crazy strong easterly winds all day, back garden is full of fruit, leaves and twigs

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 15:20:00 +1100

So many green plums from the tree that it looks like an olive harvest, dead sticks from the silver birch, and a few medium sized bits of dead bay tree that have been caught up in the jungle and finally dislodged

goodreads — “The Red Fox Clan”

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

2020/1026/0317 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 03:17:00 +1100

Hi ajft, Sorry to hear you’re having trouble logging into Instagram. We can help you get straight back into your account.

2020/1026/0114 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 01:14:00 +1100

Hi ajft, Sorry to hear you’re having trouble logging into Instagram. We can help you get straight back into your account.

pixelfed

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 21:26:04 +1100

bad #wordplay

pixelfed

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 21:14:46 +1100

inspired by the dig tree

pixelfed

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 17:00:59 +1100

299/366 wow that wind

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 14:50:00 +1100

Cold south-easterly wind, threatening rain, up the Anniversary trail and down the Ferndale track. Pause for a coffeeneuring cappuccino at Ferndale park and watch the many yellow and black clad footy kickers – go tiges – then on down the hill to join Gardiners creek trail. Through the Glen Iris wetlands, Hedgeley Dene and some lovely unexplored bluestone. Strava art, a strange ghost-like beastie facing north-east

Overcast, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 80%, Wind 7m/s from SE - by Klimat.app

2020/1024/1808 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 18:08:00 +1100

Hi ajft, Sorry to hear you’re having trouble logging into Instagram. We can help you get straight back into your account.

298/366 windy wandering

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 15:05:00 +1100

Out for an afternoon ride despite the wind, the rain had stopped but everything was very wet, lots of debris and minor flooding. Up the Scotchmans creek trail and managed to follow the signage through to Jells park. South to Wellington road, detouring around a flood. Wellington road to Springvale rd, turn south into a cold blustery wind and crap traffic (as always). Spent a few minutes rolling quietly around the shops in Springvale to get my breath back, then home along the Djerring trail.

Overcast, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 7m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 14:42:11 +1100

gratuitous goat edition

298/366 rainy shopping

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 09:57:00 +1100

Rain eased off after 36mm overnight, time for a quick ride up to the shops for salmon for dinner and hot cross buns for elevenses. Not so many maskless old blokes standing around drinking smoking and talking today, but bakery lady still had to chase one out of the shop for ignoring “Only 2 customers allowed, please wait outside”

Possible Light Rain, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 95%, Wind 6m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

2020/1024/0840 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 08:40:00 +1100

Hi ajft, Sorry to hear you’re having trouble logging into Instagram. We can help you get straight back into your account.

2020/1024/0147 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 01:47:00 +1100

Hi ajft, Sorry to hear you’re having trouble logging into Instagram. We can help you get straight back into your account.

pixelfed

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 17:13:39 +1100

297/366 a macchiato in my balaclava

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 13:40:00 +1100

Coffeeneuring ride number two, out for a longer ride than I’ve had for months. Down to Albert park & a lap ‘o the lake. People everywhere making the most of the weather and the post-covid lockup freedom. Wriggle around back streets of St Kilda checking Art Deco buildings and strange bits of one way bike lane, then pause in Balaclava for a short macchiato just as the rain started… and stopped. Up the hill through judaic traffic mayhem as it was religion o’clock, then home ahead of the light sprinkle that’s threatening to turn into 15mm of rain

Overcast, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 2m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 21:35:01 +1100

I’ll never make a professional hand model

pixelfed

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 21:33:52 +1100

a dude in his hammock having a siesta, neatly avoiding me having to draw faces

296/366 spares and repairs

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 16:04:00 +1100

Off to repair a bike shaped object, second time lucky, this time I did not lose the crank-holding-on-nut through a gap in the deck planks and under the house. Fixed, should get a lad through his last term of primary school

Then off to the wetlands; no wind, lots of birds, a family of just fledged swallows making noises at each other on the bunyip pond railing

Saw two Royal spoonbill (Platalea regia) in Huntingdale wetlands[1]

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 17:19:00 +1100

[1] Royal spoonbill

295/366 ride2workday ride

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 16:11:00 +1100

Its ride2workday but its working from home year, so ride from home through work and home again. Birds du jour were a couple of spoonbill feeding in Huntingdale wetlands, followed by a Tawny frogmouth on its nest a bit further along the Scotchmans creek trail. Amusement du jour was attempting a fix of a friend’s son’s bike and dropping the crank retaining nut very neatly through a small gap in the deck planking and losing it under their house

Mostly Cloudy, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 18:13:19 +1100

with a bit of seaweed thrown in

294/366 to see the sea

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 16:06:00 +1100

First time down to see the sea since I don’t know when, probably June! Had a mirror slapping time on the ride home, or could have done, and was definitely tempted when the offending young lady went past a second time within hand smacking distance. Bring on an enforced minimum passing distance… but don’t hold your breath

Clear, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

Changed to dream theme

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

For a couple of months I’d been half-heartedly looking at changing the theme of this site to one that shows thumbnails and lets the tiny trivial posts be shown in full. I still haven’t really got my head around hugo and what it can to, but I found the dream theme and made a few changes here and there to get what can be seen. Today, with some trepidation, I pulled the trigger and pushed out a new version of my blog, my site, my embedded bits and pieces and here it all is.

goodreads — “Dark Emu”

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

pixelfed

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 21:21:02 +1100

pixelfed

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 20:55:14 +1100

it was my birthday recently and I thought the cake would make a good piece of bait for the trap

293/366 coffeeneuring one, noble park takeaway

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 15:55:00 +1100

Dan let me out, so out I went. Straight out to the end of the trail, grabbed a coffee & sat under the trees. Then straight back home again

Mostly Cloudy, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

292/366 cold family outing

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 11:47:00 +1100

Family ride around to Central Park and intending to come home along the creek. Surprisingly cool and damp, felt like a winter day. Spent too long talking with an older couple in the park about their e-Bikes and cycling in Europe, so after a brief visit to Hedgeley Dene we came mostly straight home so Jo could watch the netball final

Mostly Cloudy, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 5m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

goodreads — “Jack London Illustrated”

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

pixelfed

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 17:35:43 +1100

quick and inspirational

Logged geocache GC7HVQA[1], (others found it while we were searching)

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 15:30:00 +1100

GC7HVQA [1] Jack climbed a beanstalk high

pixelfed

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 13:51:06 +1100

not really drawn yesterday

291/366 misty morning shops

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 07:39:00 +1100

Misty rain turning heavier, made it home without the bread going soggy. Wore the wrong jacket

Possible Light Rain, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 88%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

290/366 TGIF quiet rain ride

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 16:01:00 +1100

Slowly fill in a few more Malvern East back streets, then down to the wetlands and a surprise sighting of a Sacred kingfisher. Light rain gently increasing all the while

Mostly Cloudy, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 64%, Wind 2m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app

289/366 wind, dust and pollen

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 16:05:00 +1100

Sneezy ride squeezed in before the storm hits, buffeted around by the wind & the air full of wattle pollen and grit

Possible Light Rain, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 13:18:07 +1100

a day late, within my deadlines

pixelfed

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 11:51:28 +1100

a day late, within my deadlines

Found a stunning little emerald green spider in our Bay tree, then another two

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 08:15:00 +1100

288/366 dogs off leads, masks on chins

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:06:00 +1100

Dogs off leads, masks off faces, just another day in Melbourne. Made the mistake of turning my head to look at group of eight maskless guys drinking/smoking in Eaton mall Oakleigh. “NICE MASK FAGGOT, FUCK PUSHBIKES C*NT!” … homophobic, anti-cyclist, anti-covid, the idiots get the trifecta

Mostly Cloudy, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 2m/s from W - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 21:50:17 +1100

pixelfed

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 21:50:17 +1100

rushing to meet a self-imposed deadline

287/366 maths coprocessor ride

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 16:15:00 +1100

Around and down to the wetlands; today’s wildlife includes three teens smoking in the bird hide and a small unidentified honeyeater high up in the branches. No bunyip

Partly Cloudy, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat.app

286/366 afternoon enjoyment

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 16:12:00 +1100

Two minds about going out for an afternoon ride, went anyway and enjoyed the break from work

Clear, 23°C, Feels like 23°C, Humidity 48%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app

286/366 school dropoff

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 09:18:00 +1100

Accompany number one son to school for the first time in months, acting solely as luggage transport for the heavy load of school-at-home stuff

Clear, 11°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 84%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 21:42:46 +1100

idea vs execution, so-so. Oh well, I’m keeping up day-by-day

pixelfed

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 20:30:35 +1100

285/366 namatjira wetlands

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 14:43:00 +1100

Family ride to Bald Hill park & Namatjira wetlands, we’ve been here before, but not for ages. Lots of birds, lots of people, cold southerly wind vs warm spring sun

Partly Cloudy, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 58%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

284/366 saturday shopping

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 08:35:00 +1100

Just the shopping ma’am

Mostly Cloudy, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 3m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 18:42:23 +1100

little fat fella practicing his

283/366 south and windy

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 16:07:00 +1100

Not sure if that was a southerly or a westerly, but it was strong and gusty. A little too exciting at times

Overcast, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 72%, Wind 7m/s from W - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 13:55:17 +1100

the legends spoke of teeth in the darkness…

pixelfed

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 12:31:12 +1100

..and remember that #wellbeing and well being mean different things #ink #scribble #artwork

282/366 dentist checkup

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 08:29:00 +1100

Today’s ride brought to you by the letter D for dentist. Went up the wrong side of valley reserve & was nearly late, then got a little disoriented on the way home through Mount Waverley — thought I was heading south when I was going west, oh well, straight down Huntingdale road and continue on

Possible Drizzle, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 6m/s from N - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 22:05:55 +1100

fancy a drink? a fancy drink

281/366 frogs and bunyips

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 15:59:00 +1100

Random activity namer is making fun of Melbourne lockdown — every day is the same

Frogs? Yes, they go POK! Bongk! and Reeee-ree-reee. Bunyips? No sightings, despite a misty damp ride along the creek

dull grey overcast sky, but almost luminous greens from all the wet foliage in the garden, loquat in particular nearly glowing

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 08:15:00 +1100

pixelfed

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 21:31:59 +1100

nothing fancy, just a mouse in the wall

280/366 cold misty afternoon

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 16:05:00 +1100

Who can remember the heat on the weekend, was it all a dream? Grey skies, misty rain, tyres hissing on a wet road. Roads and paths are empty

Overcast, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 13:34:06 +1100

Lilac and jasmine are flowering alongside the house, still almost drowned out by the pittosporum flower scent

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 08:10:00 +1100

pixelfed

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 21:40:15 +1100

a knife, a sword, helicopter or guillotine? Nothing came to mind, an axe it was

pixelfed

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 21:38:41 +1100

thinking of an old red plastic radio that was in the kitchen when I was in highschool. Once again hurrying through to get something done before bedtime

279/366 lacklustre loop

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 16:08:00 +1100

M-m-m-elbourne in the spring. Nearly 30°C on the weekend, down to 10°C today, and drizzling rain. A fairly lacklustre loop

Overcast, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat.app

278/366 afternoon escapage

Sun, 04 Oct 2020 14:08:00 +1100

Random ride titler speaks truth. Went for a ride, bought onions on the way home

Overcast, 26°C, Feels like 26°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 7m/s from N - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 17:41:11 +1000

three in a row, ten percent done already - #inktober2020 #artwork - can I keep going?

pixelfed

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 17:39:18 +1000

drawn in conjunction with number one - #inktober2020 #artwork - a very hurried idea, sketched up in bed

pixelfed

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 17:37:44 +1000

I nearly wasn’t going to, number one son dropped out and I’d let slip a day but here we go - #inktober2020 #artwork - a very hurried first drawn in bed

277/366 windy family ride

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 11:27:00 +1000

Gusty & dusty, that northbound bit along Forster road was a real slog. Family ride around the eastern part of our 5km area then back along the creek and past the massed gelati customers of Oakleigh

Clear, 25°C, Feels like 25°C, Humidity 43%, Wind 9m/s from N - by Klimat.app

277/366 hayfevery shopping

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 08:00:00 +1000

Heating up, gusty warm north wind full of dust & pollen, amusing watching the masked shoppers quickly pull their covid masks off to sneeze, then put them back on. Fish, chicken, bread, in that order

Windy, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 9m/s from N - by Klimat.app

276/366 dust wind and pollen

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 16:18:00 +1000

Always wondered if that road lead there, and it does. Very windy, at least mandatory covid mask stops a lot of the dust & pollen

Clear, 24°C, Feels like 24°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 7m/s from N - by Klimat.app

Orange tree is blossoming again, jasmine is still out, grape hyacinths are done and need dead-heading

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 08:30:00 +1000

275/366 triangley thingy

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 16:14:00 +1000

Would like it very much if left crank wouldn’t keep working loose, has done ever since last “service” by the lbs that I have finally given up on for good. Despite refitting and retightening, it just won’t stay

Mostly Cloudy, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 3m/s from NW - by Klimat.app

274/366 windy wednesday wandering

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 16:11:00 +1000

Along the creek, buffeted by the wind. Mask rules mostly ignored, nobody seems to care

Overcast, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 65%, Wind 6m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:49:29 +1000

273/366 homeward bound

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 12:19:00 +1000

Home from the park with number one son and friend, detour via the mystery vacant land

Overcast, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app

273/366 get thee to a park

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 10:48:00 +1000

Park life. Taking number one son to meet close friend for a play in the park

Overcast, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 3m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app

went out and planted a packet of sunflower seeds around the garden, here and there, I'll never remember where they all are

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 11:45:00 +1000

272/366 school holiday activity

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 10:38:00 +1000

School holiday outing with number one son. Up the trail to the end and a lap of the hidden lake. Passing visit to Booran park and home via the Rosstown rail trail

Partly Cloudy, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 71%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app

271/366 Clayton meandering

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 13:33:00 +1000

Sidestreets and parks, a ride-by of our old house & street, a lap of the shopping strip and home

Partly Cloudy, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 45%, Wind 3m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

270/366 saturday shopping

Sat, 26 Sep 2020 09:02:00 +1000

Saturday sleep-in, then butcher, fishmonger, baker & home for a late breakfast

Mostly Cloudy, 9°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 7m/s from SW - by Klimat.app

269/366 cold wet loop

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 16:13:00 +1000

Did not feel like 7°C, Garmin said 4.2°C when I last looked. Discovered that up hill, with mask, in rain = how to waterboard yourself. Got home to find that she who protects the clean floors required me to nude up on the back deck. Recovery beer needed

Possible Light Rain, 10°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 6m/s from SW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 14:08:02 +1000

268/366 miscellaneous hazards

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 16:10:00 +1000

Cold and wintery. Buzzed by a drone with 50cm clearance, avoided huge tree knocked down by truck, amused by old ladies complaining that there are bikes on bikepaths. Old lady one to old lady two “The only problem with this path…” pauses as I ride past along Djerringtrail and not quite out of earshot “…is the bicycles”

Overcast, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 5m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

Rail workers carefully park their backhoes and attachments on the lawn so the all important, non-existent, traffic isn't affected, lawn comes off second-best

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 12:43:00 +1000

pixelfed

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 18:06:34 +1000

267/366 partial burbing

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:12:00 +1000

Filling in some unvisited streets of Huntingdale and Oakleigh East, including an infill of dead-ends on the site of a sold-off high school. Discovered that the Ferntree gully road service lane is bidirectional, I never knew that. Chilly wind, spring doing its up and down thing

Mostly Cloudy, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 6m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app

266/366 dahn sarf wiv number one

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 09:56:00 +1000

Dahn sarf wiv number one son. Very windy. 100 days to go

Cloudy, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 7m/s from NW - by Klimat.app

the morning family battle blocks/Finska game is turning the back lawn to a mud pit

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 09:00:00 +1000

potted three assorted succulent cuttings that we brought home from a visit to the parents in law

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 11:35:00 +1000

265/366 limits of our 5km circle

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 09:41:00 +1000

Take it to the limit… of the 5km from home isolation boundary. Nine suburbs; Hughesdale, Oakleigh, Huntingdale, Oakleigh South, Clayton, Murrumbeena, Carnegie, Caulfield East, Caulfield North. Amusingly, only about 3m of Huntingdale!

Overcast, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 78%, Wind 4m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

264/366 sunday two loops

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 14:04:00 +1000

A windy afternoon, lots of people relaxing a in a bit of a over-this-whole-covid-thing kind of way. Perhaps not as much masks or separation as is required, and as for the kids with the lemonade stand selling cans in the park - how the hell do they get away with that?

finally mowed the lawn, and mangled the lawn mower on the concrete thing in the lawn, then spent half an hour beating the blades back flat

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 10:55:00 +1000

263/366 a puzzling ride

Sat, 19 Sep 2020 14:24:00 +1000

Family ride around to drop off jigsaw puzzles, up the Stanley street cliff, through the park, along the creek

half an hour of careful weeding, a bucket full of onion weed into the green bin…. hopefully with all their corms

Sat, 19 Sep 2020 10:58:00 +1000

263/366 saturday shopping

Sat, 19 Sep 2020 08:13:00 +1000

One does not simply buy bread… actually yes, one does

Overcast, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 73%, Wind 4m/s from NE - by Klimat.app

262/366 wetlands visit and plog

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:10:00 +1000

A wetlands visit, a cleanup, found a raincoat chucked under some bushes and a pouch on a track by the pond. Both stink from smokers, both full of ciggie packets and rollies. Get in the bin

Overcast, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 2m/s from S - by Klimat.app

onion weed, oxalis and some nasty looking clover-like burr plants, the lawn is not at its best right now!

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:20:00 +1000

261/366 cool damp meandering

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 16:14:00 +1000

Lazy meander around, a cool damp day. I spy with my little eye… a dumped fridge, tv, two washing machines, two mattresses and a large dead carp. Different wetlands, same POK! frogs. Current earworm; “Heaven”, Talking Heads

Overcast, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 4m/s from SSE - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 11:22:00 +1000

Prime time

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Noticing the announcements last weekend as “internet time” ticked over 1600000000, sparked a thought about the numbers and their display and a pun on “prime time”. When is the time a prime? How would I display it? A quick query on wolfram alpha and the next few primes are available: 1600000009 | 1600000019 | 1600000021 | 1600000069 | 1600000091 | 1600000097 | 1600000099 | 1600000153 | 1600000163 | 1600000177 | 1600000183 | 1600000187 | 1600000223 | 1600000307 | 1600000319 | 1600000321 | 1600000331 | 1600000343 | 1600000357 | 1600000403.

260/366 failed strava art

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 16:14:00 +1000

To the wetlands, hear the POK! frogs, see the hordes in the parks and playgrounds, feel the chain fall off every time we push, pray it’ll hold together until I’m allowed to visit the LBS

Overcast, 21°C, Feels like 21°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 5m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

Getting near Daylight Savings Time, the blackbirds[1] are calling ridiculously early in the morning, before first light

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 04:45:00 +1000

[1] Common blackbird

259/366 widdershins triangle

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 16:13:00 +1000

Widdershins around the triangle. By the end of the year all Melbourne’s spoonvilles will have spread and joined up and formed one mega-spoonville

Clear, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 60%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 11:59:00 +1000

258/366 sunny wetlands visit

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 16:07:00 +1000

Another sunny spring afternoon, plenty of people out and about as the playgrounds are now open and we’re allowed out for two hours now. No bunyips

257/366 sunday square root two

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 14:14:00 +1000

Sunny Sunday afternoon, parks and paths packed, roads deserted, bike is falling apart, entire drive train is well past replacement date

pixelfed

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 13:11:03 +1000

planted the "Australian Wildflower Everlastings" seeds into a poly box

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 12:29:00 +1000

A couple of days with rain and there are fungi popped up all around the two dead birch stumps

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 10:31:00 +1000

planted Cam's bean seedlings out into the garden, the science experiment is over

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 11:29:00 +1000

256/366 shopping in the rain

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 08:07:00 +1000

Rainy Saturday morning shopping; bacon, mussels, chicken & bread. No candlesticks

Overcast, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app

Convinced Cam to sleep inside tonight – he's been camping in the garden for two weeks!

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:50:00 +1000

255/366 lazy loop Gardiners creek

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 15:57:00 +1000

Up the creek, lots of frogs, then home view an architectural smorgasboard of Jordanville’s houses. Eek, what’s that, an o-Bike has resurfaced in Oakleigh

Mostly Cloudy, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 6m/s from N - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 09:29:27 +1000

254/366 the wetlands again

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:05:00 +1000

Warm sunny afternoon, paths and parks are packed. Met the bloke who sleeps rough in the wetlands park & the bird hide full of smoking teens again. Nearly got wrapped in someone’s big-game fishing dog lead, hate those things

Clear, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 54%, Wind 3m/s from NE - by Klimat.app

twitter quote re. RUOK

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 11:55:00 +1000

“r u ok?” idk mate the planet’s on fire, there’s a plague ravaging the population and both the government and opposition are 100% on board with doing sweet fa about it. not feeling great if I’m being honest.

253/366 bland loop

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 16:17:00 +1000

Around an uninspiring loop went an uninspired rider

Partly Cloudy, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 5m/s from S - by Klimat.app

cheapy K-mart totem-tennis broke this morning, exactly two months old, bought on [2020-07-09 Thu]

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 08:45:00 +1000

252/366 sunset bunyip hunt

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 16:57:00 +1000

Sundown bunyip hunting, zoom decompressing, brain recharging ride

251/366 wetlands revisited

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 15:57:00 +1000

Third time in a week that I visit and the bird hide in Glen Iris wetlands is full of kids smoking, it’ll be full of their fag packets when I go past next time… I just know it

goodreads — “Echoes of Honor”

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

250/366 ITB-friendly gentle triangle

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 14:01:00 +1000

Gently rolling afternoon ride, trying hard not to exacerbate painful spasming ITB.

Parks & paths are packed, masks, mostly not. Sunny day, I think people have run out of care factor

Clear, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 50%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat.app

pulled another seemingly endless mass of ropey grass out of the garden beds, it really is the only thing we can grow reliably

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 10:30:00 +1000

finally cut down most of the dead, and decomposing, east-most silver birch, getting in before it comes down in a storm

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 11:15:00 +1000

constant twinges and spasm in my left ITB, been going on for days and driving me crazy

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 10:39:00 +1000

almost all the grape hyacinths are out now, the one full hyacinth died back a while ago

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 10:29:00 +1000

249/366 saturday shopping

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 07:59:00 +1000

Butcher, fish shop, baker, then home for breakfast. 2.2km of chores

Clear, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 76%, Wind 4m/s from N - by Klimat.app

248/366 a near miss and a hit

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 16:04:00 +1000

Clipped at lights by motorist ignoring “Forward bike box” on Belgrave rd then 10min later knocked off bike on #Djerringtrail by motorist ignoring stop sign and tearing out of railway car park, how’s your Friday going? Arse hurts, wrist hurts, knee hurts. Bloody Falcons, bloody Audis, bloody drivers. Oh well, at least the post clipping adrenalin resulted in a PR along Murrumbeena road

Overcast, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 5m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

Number one son has relocated the tent, he's been camping in the garden a week now

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 15:28:00 +1000

pixelfed

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 17:51:12 +1000

latest decorative mobile in the garden, made of Commonwealth Bank dollarmites tokens, has blown apart over the past few days and lies in pieces on the ground

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 17:00:00 +1000

247/366 the circle is complete

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 15:55:00 +1000

I think that’s the full circle of the bounday done, or at least as close as you can get riding on the roads inside.

Partly Cloudy, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 61%, Wind 8m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 12:31:15 +1000

spattering of rain overnight, the car and Cam's tent covered in red mallee mud dots

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 08:15:00 +1000

246/366 the north west bit

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 15:59:00 +1000

Warm and windy with wandering whatsits on the path

Windy and Partly Cloudy, 20°C, Feels like 20°C, Humidity 47%, Wind 8m/s from N - by Klimat.app

While on the roof in the wind I used the broken weatherboard to hit the dead silver birch, snapping off the nearest 1.5m branch

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 13:10:00 +1000

245/366 riding the north east bounday

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 16:03:00 +1000

Nearly bit off more than I could chew; just over my hour and missing a turn, just outside my bounday. Definitely unexplored territory

Overcast, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 17:29:12 +1000

244/366 chilly backstreets

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 16:00:00 +1000

Surprisingly chilly

Partly Cloudy, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 4m/s from SSW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 11:26:16 +1000

243/366 upside down miss jane

Sun, 30 Aug 2020 13:58:00 +1000

No, not even abstract strava art

Overcast, 19°C, Feels like 19°C, Humidity 44%, Wind 8m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

242a/366 afternoon proper ride

Sat, 29 Aug 2020 15:12:00 +1000

Windy, sunny, many many people, and the first heart-stopping magpie swoop of the season.

Clear, 18°C, Feels like 18°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 6m/s from N - by Klimat.app

242/366 saturday shopping

Sat, 29 Aug 2020 07:39:00 +1000

Saturday morning shopping, fish for dinner & bread for breakfast

Clear, 9°C, Feels like 6°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 21:59:34 +1000

241/366 warm wiggly western wanderings

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 15:39:00 +1000

Fantastic spring weather, every woman and her dog out for a walk or a run or a … step straight off the footpath in front of me, just like yesterday

Clear, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 2m/s from NW - by Klimat.app

Leaves are out on the neighbour's Japanese maple, our tiny peach tree in a pot has three blossom

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 11:47:00 +1000

240/366 windy pre-storm ride4

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 16:09:00 +1000

Around the lake, around the velodrome, around some back streets.

Yay, beat the storm home. Boo, nearly got taken out by entitled woman walking off footpath into the road in front of me.

Partly Cloudy, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 49%, Wind 7m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

239/366 exploring south

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 16:09:00 +1000

Heading south, I’m sure one of the roads that I glanced at on the map simply wasn’t there when I got to it. Saw two eastern rosellas, nothing in the kookaburra’s nesting tree, and one homeless guy’s camp.

238/366 the south east quadrant

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 16:13:00 +1000

Too many piles of dumped junk, endless reminders of how wasteful everyone is. All the left-over uncollectable car tyres and gas bottles just dumped on the street, smashed TVs and other glass glittering along the streets

237/366 old and toothless

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 16:05:00 +1000

AWOL now has a tube, yay. AWOL has a completely dead chain and chainrings, boo.

Overcast, 10°C, Feels like 8°C, Humidity 67%, Wind 2m/s from SW - by Klimat.app

the entire back garden is humming with the bees in the plum tree above the shed

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 13:10:00 +1000

236/366 cold wet and a bit illegal

Sun, 23 Aug 2020 11:37:00 +1000

Overshot the 5km boundary, missed a turn off in the rain. Did I say rain? Why yes I did. Apparently a cold shower is invigorating and character building. My character is well built.

Overcast, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 63%, Wind 7m/s from SW - by Klimat.app

235/366 jesus ride, loaves and fishes

Sat, 22 Aug 2020 08:27:00 +1000

Be like Jesus… ride to the bakery and fish shop for loaves and fishes

Possible Light Rain, 7°C, Feels like 3°C, Humidity 68%, Wind 8m/s from W - by Klimat.app

234/366 highway, 'burb and creek

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 15:45:00 +1000

Cold, grey, and Oakleigh East is full of junk. Still on the singlespeed

Mostly Cloudy, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 52%, Wind 7m/s from WNW — by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 09:47:24 +1000

the low morning sunlight looks great on plum blossom & rainbow chard in the back garden

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 08:05:00 +1000

2020/0821/0127 – "ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram"

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 01:27:00 +1000

2020/0821/0113 – "ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram"

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 01:13:00 +1000

2020/0821/0110 – "ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram"

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 01:10:00 +1000

2020/0821/0108 – "ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram"

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 01:08:00 +1000

2020/0821/0107 – "ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram"

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 01:07:00 +1000

233/366 to the north, adrian

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 16:07:00 +1000

On the 5km limit to the north is “Adrian street, Burwood” - it seemed an appropriate point to visit. A rain drenched face mask does a good job of self-water-boarding, cannot recommend. Still on the fixie, must fix the AWOL flat some day

Mostly Cloudy, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 6m/s from WNW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 11:54:38 +1000

pixelfed

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 09:16:01 +1000

The street tree plum is getting its purpley leaves, blossom starting to fall. White plum in the back is at its best

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 08:49:00 +1000

232/366 seven suburbs djerring

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 16:08:00 +1000

Seven suburbs Djerring trail; Hughesdale, Murrumbeena, Carnegie, Caulfield East, Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Hughesdale, Oakleigh, Huntingdale, Clayton, Huntingdale, Oakleigh, Hughesdale

Possible Drizzle, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 74%, Wind 4m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app

A bitcoin scam

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0000

It seems that slightly more effort went into this one than the usual scatter-gun spam emails or cold-calling remote access scams. First up was an SMS to my phone, addressing me by name, so they’ve got some of my details – firstname and phone number. Adrian I saw this story and thought about you: http://pigso.co/coXYZ123 A bit sus, perhaps it was someone I knew, so I messaged back. Of course there was no reply.

231/366 carnegie velodromage

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 16:13:00 +1000

Single again… speed that is. Out on the fixie since the AWOL has a puncture

Partly Cloudy, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 4m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 10:09:08 +1000

The shoe repair place that’s been there as long as I can remember has closed up and moved out, once their signage was taken down the old hand-painted sign-writing for a previous occupant was revealed. It’d be great if whatever business moves in next could leave the old sign there and work place their own signwriting above or below it. Shift that airconditioning compressor up onto the roof behind the parapet and it’d look very stylish and timeless.

230/366 north-east limits

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 16:06:00 +1000

Ouch. Came off the edge of a bike path and put the front wheel in a slot between kerb & road, half ripped the tyre off, blew out the tube and nearly sprained both wrists. Called for lift home.

Clear, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 48%, Wind 2m/s from NNW - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 16:14:37 +1000

229/366 endless rubbish

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 14:30:00 +1000

Council hard-rubbish collection starts tomorrow. Absolutely astounding piles of junk outside every second house

Possible Light Rain, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 69%, Wind 6m/s from SW - by Klimat.app

the front garden along the fence is overrun with oxalis, we can't recall it ever being a problem… did it come in with the level crossing project?

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 10:30:00 +1000

Time has finally come to disassemble the trampoline and pile it by the street for Monday's annual hard-rubbish collection

Sat, 15 Aug 2020 11:30:00 +1000

228/366 saturday shopping

Sat, 15 Aug 2020 07:34:00 +1000

Shopping via hard-rubbish viewing; fish, chicken, bread and forgetting to turn garmin on for the trip home.

Finally, the game ends! Almost two weeks on the clock, "Divine Right" reaches the end of turn 20. Jo wins by killing a king, 70pts!

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 20:30:00 +1000

227/366 plogging in the bunyip wetlands

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:06:00 +1000

Day 227 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

enjoying watching the bees on the camellias through the window

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 11:02:00 +1000

pixelfed

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 10:53:16 +1000

226/366 south-east into clayton

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 15:58:00 +1000

Looks a bit like a very long horned cow

Partly Cloudy, 17°C, Feels like 17°C, Humidity 57%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat.app

the blossom is coming out on the plum tree in the back garden – the brush tail possum has been in at night starting to eat buds and leaves

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 08:39:00 +1000

pixelfed

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 08:36:40 +1000

225/366 a northern loop

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 16:13:00 +1000

Ride not long enough. Still fuming about angry locals who nearly drove into me on the Oakleigh shops roundabout.. twice, then spat out the window calling me an f’ing dickhead. Noice commadore mayt

Mostly Cloudy, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 70%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat.app

2020/0812/0852 – "Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password"

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 08:52:00 +1000

2020/0812/0803 – "Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password"

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 08:03:00 +1000

2020/0812/0702 – "Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password"

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 07:02:00 +1000

2020/0812/0518 – "Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password"

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 05:18:00 +1000

Another exausting 45minutes of Divine Right, up to move eighteen, I can sense a three-way nil scoring draw approaching!

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:10:00 +1000

224/366 around and down

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 16:10:00 +1000

Would prefer the old men in utes to go away and stop their hard-rubbish scavenging, or at least DRIVE ON THE LEFT. Idiot old buggers kerb crawling up the wrong way so they can check out all the dumped rubbish from the driver’s window looking for good buts

Overcast, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 59%, Wind 5m/s from NNE - by Klimat.app

223/366 hit the north - of bentleigh east and oakleigh south

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 15:50:00 +1000

Plum blossom season. Well that’s embarrassing, I missed Kashmira street. Hughesdale streets full of zig-zagging kerb-crawling hard rubbish scavengers in utes and vans

Clear, 15°C, Feels like 15°C, Humidity 62%, Wind 1m/s from S - by Klimat.app

Butcherbirds[1] east and west of us are having a shouting match, first time I've heard them for a while

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 08:30:00 +1000

[1] Grey butcherbird

an hour well spent; uncovered the brick path in the front lawn from encroaching couch grass

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 17:00:00 +1000

pixelfed

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 12:43:56 +1000

222/366 laneway loving

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 11:00:00 +1000

A bit of laneway lovin’ – combination of cobbles, concrete, grass, mud and art gallery

Partly Cloudy, 13°C, Feels like 13°C, Humidity 86%, Wind 5m/s from SE - by Klimat.app

Another hour of game play, we've now finished turn twelve of the "Divine Right" #boardgame and I suspect it'll be a threeway nil draw at turn twenty

Sat, 08 Aug 2020 20:30:00 +1000

221/366 rainy shopping

Sat, 08 Aug 2020 07:53:00 +1000

Definite drizzle. Shopping; fish, chicken & the weekend bread

Possible Drizzle, 10°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 94%, Wind 5m/s from ESE - by Klimat.app

Another hour and two more turns of the TSR "Divine Right" #boardgame

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 20:15:00 +1000

220/366 winter wetlands

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 15:03:00 +1000

Ow ow ow. ITB says no

219/366 uninspired loop

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 16:01:00 +1000

Unenthused.

Partly Cloudy, 11°C, Feels like 11°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 4m/s from S - by Klimat.app

2020/0806/1208 – "ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram"

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:08:00 +1000

Hi ajft, Sorry to hear you’re having trouble logging into Instagram. We can help you get straight back into your account.

Birding in isolation; home and nearby

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Over the six weeks from [2020-08-01 Sat] to [2020-09-12 Sat], what birds can I see while in “COVID-19, Stage 4 lockdown” at home. Restricted to one exercise outing per day, 5km range, 1 hour maximum.

Stage 4 lockdown was extended, so I extended my isobirding…

…until [2020-10-18 Sun] which was our last day restricted to five kilometres.

Grand total; 46 species (as of 2020-10-28 Wed).

Amusingly, within days of the lockdown ending I saw a first for me, a couple of Royal Spoonbill in the Huntingdale wetlands.

2020/0805/1659 – "ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram"

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 16:59:00 +1000

Hi ajft, Sorry to hear you’re having trouble logging into Instagram. We can help you get straight back into your account.

2020/0805/1637 – "ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram"

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 16:37:00 +1000

Hi ajft, Sorry to hear you’re having trouble logging into Instagram. We can help you get straight back into your account.

218/366 go west then south then home

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 16:04:00 +1000

Mostly Cloudy, 10°C, Feels like 10°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 5m/s from SW — by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 08:44:09 +1000

pixelfed

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 17:10:26 +1000

217/366 a triangle of limits

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 15:44:00 +1000

May have to knock the tip off that triangle next time

Possible Light Rain, 10°C, Feels like 7°C, Humidity 51%, Wind 7m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app

Morning mug of tea in the garden, a strange noise, I look up. There's a duck perched on a chimney, calling loudly. #chimneyduck

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 08:15:00 +1000

A mentally exausting 75 minutes of "Divine Right", we're finished turn 8 of 20

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 20:45:00 +1000

216/366 northwest lockdown limit

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 16:01:00 +1000

Less than 5km from home. Tick. Less than an hour. Tick.

Out for my daily ride; far far fewer people out and about today. Much the same percentage with no masks, err, “exercising” or wearing them “nose free” or as chin-bandages or carrying them around their neck as goodluck charms

Overcast, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 56%, Wind 4m/s from WSW - by Klimat.app

Covid-19 "disaster curfew", traffic noise dwindles to nothing, unnaturally quiet as I got into bed

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 22:00:00 +1000

pixelfed

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 14:41:51 +1000

a warm day and the street tree starts blossoming, the hyacinth opens

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 14:36:00 +1000

215/366 sunday family triangle

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 10:27:00 +1000

A bit of the heights of Chadstone, then Scotchmans creek path, newish bike path down through Monash Uni to Clayton, connecting with Djerring trail and back home

214/366 just the shopping

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 07:53:00 +1000

I think the message is finally sinking in, almost all the shoppers in Oakleigh have masks… except for the smokers, the coffee drinkers and the sitting around talkers.

I wonder where the local butcherbird has gone[1]? Haven't heard them for a while. This week's birds are the Brown thornbills in the bay tree

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 17:43:00 +1000

[1] Grey butcherbird

pixelfed

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 17:12:36 +1000

213/366 friday exploration

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 15:53:00 +1000

Colouring in the backstreets, explore the new “Caulfield Village”, straight back along the traffic sewer. Found a lovely bit of bluestone, some aparments incorporating a rebuilt concrete laneway, and a lane that I knew of but never suspected went all the way through

212/366 local loops

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 15:53:00 +1000

Around 50% of the people in the park and bike path either have no mask or wear it as a chin sling, I’ll stick to riding on the local road.

Music from bandcamp

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

From Our Corners, by Various Artists Digital Album $10.00NZD Painted Night, by Winterwood Digital Track $10.00NZD Subtotal: 20.00 Total: $20.00 NZD bandcamp/ajft

211/366 around in the sun

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 15:55:00 +1000

Fark, that was close! Nearly taken out by 30km/hr electric scooter on Scotchman ck trail… idiot had a big dog running with him … 3m to the side, head-on at me, on one of those invisible extender leads. Slid to a halt with front wheel wrapped in dog & lead

pixelfed

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 14:37:58 +1000

210/366 mounting mount waverley

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 16:03:00 +1000

Day 210 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

209/366 bordering hughesdale

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 16:11:00 +1000

Day 209 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

camellias are flowering, and the wattlebirds[1] keep landing on them for a feed

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:37:00 +1000

[1] Red wattlebird

pixelfed

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 15:41:29 +1000

208/366 southerly sunday swirl

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 13:49:00 +1000

Day 208 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pulsing stabbing ITB twinges all weekend, something is all wrong with how I'm riding

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 11:48:00 +1000

2020/0725/2349 – "ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram"

Sat, 25 Jul 2020 23:49:00 +1000

pixelfed

Sat, 25 Jul 2020 11:48:31 +1000

207/366 loaves and fishes

Sat, 25 Jul 2020 08:19:00 +1000

Day 207 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

2020/0724/2151 – Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password."

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 21:51:00 +1000

206/366 homewards commutenchorz

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 15:28:00 +1000

Day 206 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

206/366 ride2work, inconceivable

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 08:31:00 +1000

Day 206 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

205/366 goodbye garmin

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 16:13:00 +1000

The joys of internet-of-things devices. Here on the desk is a Garmin Edge805. Right next to it is a phone with the Garmin Connect App. The Edge says I rode 11km, the phone can’t download the ride because the company’s website has been unavailable for the past six hours… down “for maintenance” apparently.

[2020-07-27 Mon] four days later and the Garmin site is back, rebuilt or recovered from their ransomware attack.

204/366 revisit Caulfield lake

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 16:09:00 +1000

Day 204 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 20:57:12 +1000

203/366 springing back to mount waverley

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 15:59:00 +1000

Day 203 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

202/366 masked mount waverley wander

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 15:52:00 +1000

Day 202 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

goodreads — “In Enemy Hands”

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

looked up as the Noisy miners[1] were screaming, watched as a falcon went whooshing past overhead

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 13:45:00 +1000

[1] Noisy miner

201/366 elite sunday suburban

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 13:37:00 +1000

Day 201 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 15:58:15 +1000

200/366 family cold tandem ride

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 14:02:00 +1000

Day 200 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

2020/0718/1317 – "Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password"

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 13:17:00 +1000

200/366 shopping; fish, chicken, bread

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 07:54:00 +1000

Day 200 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

199/366 school chores

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 13:48:00 +1000

Day 199 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

foggy and damp, the smell of the daphne strong through the back garden

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +1000

pixelfed

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 17:20:41 +1000

198/366 the three 'burb wriggle

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 16:07:00 +1000

Day 198 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

2020/0716/1333 – "Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password."

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 13:33:00 +1000

2020/0716/0203 – "Hi ajft, We got a request to reset your Instagram password."

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 02:03:00 +1000

197/366 paprika and baklava

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 11:00:00 +1000

Day 197 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 14:05:56 +1000

196/366 collect things from work

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 08:34:00 +1000

Day 196 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

195/366 setting boundaries

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:12:00 +1000

Day 195 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 18:12:03 +1000

194/366 mud puncture outing

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 13:56:00 +1000

Day 194 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Sun, 12 Jul 2020 10:15:12 +1000

193/366 soggy saturday shopping

Sat, 11 Jul 2020 08:22:00 +1000

Day 193 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

192/366 another wriggly ride

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 15:54:00 +1000

Day 192 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

the annual rose pruning has commenced, and as usual, I stand well back and nod in agreement

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 15:30:00 +1000

pixelfed

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 12:39:37 +1000

2020/0710/0517 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram – break in attempt

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 05:17:00 +1000

team kids kid kollection

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 13:08:00 +1000

Day 191 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 11:43:19 +1000

191/366 morning chores

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 08:32:00 +1000

Day 191 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

2020/0709/0624 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram – break in attempt

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 06:24:00 +1000

190/366 wintery sunlight

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 16:11:00 +1000

Day 190 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 13:42:36 +1000

daphne fully flowering, a few magnolias out, spindly blossom thing flowering and all the hyacinths sprouting

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 13:30:00 +1000

189/366 team kids pickup

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 16:21:00 +1000

Day 189 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

189/366 team kids dropoff

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 08:31:00 +1000

Day 189 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

188/366 school holidays activity

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 11:37:00 +1000

Day 188 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

unpacking the car in the dark, the daphne now noticeable in the back garden

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 18:30:00 +1000

Eight or ten brown quail[1] exploded up from under our feet on a late afternoon walk around Painkalac creek

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 16:00:00 +1000

[1] Brown quail

187/366 Separation creek to Kennet river return

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 10:50:00 +1000

Day 187 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

186/366 Lorne Wye River return

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 14:02:00 +1000

Day 186 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

Birds now

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 10:18:00 +1000

Wattlebird[1] on the trees. Sparrows on brad’s balcony. White cockies[2] about. Swallows high overhead. A pair of kookaburras in the gum trees [1] Red wattlebird [2] Sulphur-crested cockatoo

185/366 Benwerrin loop

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 14:28:00 +1000

Day 185 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

184/366 wriggle out, straight home

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 16:09:00 +1000

Day 184 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

183/366 team kids pickups

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 16:10:00 +1000

Day 183 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

183/366 happy new financial year

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 08:35:00 +1000

Day 183 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

2020/0701/0056 – ajft, we've made it easy to get back on Instagram – break in attempt

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:56:00 +1000

182/366 echidna strava art

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 16:10:00 +1000

Day 182 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 12:49:12 +1000

pixelfed

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 13:20:43 +1000

tiny hints of pink; daphne, jasmine, magnolia, a tip of colour on the ends of the buds

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 13:10:00 +1000

181/366 Team kids drop off

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 08:31:00 +1000

Day 181 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

180/366 Scotchmans creek and DJerring trail

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 14:24:00 +1000

Day 180 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 10:18:02 +1000

179/366 loaves and fishes

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 07:55:00 +1000

Day 179 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 18:51:36 +1000

178/366 gentle loop with ITB pain

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 16:10:00 +1000

Day 178 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

177/366 cold icy rain and rainbows

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:07:00 +1000

Day 177 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

176/366 backstreets and boomers with bogroll

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 16:25:00 +1000

Day 176 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

175/366 hark, a new found laneway

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 16:21:00 +1000

Day 175 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 08:41:55 +1000

174/366 malvern east loop

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 15:56:00 +1000

Day 174 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

173/366 solstice sunday

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 13:43:00 +1000

Day 173 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

A trans-Atlantic Teapot – an opening line, an inspiration, a theme… but for what

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 12:48:00 +1000

Finally removed the strange yucca-like thing from the side of the house – no more nighttime scratchings on the wall

Sat, 20 Jun 2020 14:00:00 +1000

172/366 fish and bread

Sat, 20 Jun 2020 07:33:00 +1000

Day 172 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

171/366 rummage around clayton

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 16:05:00 +1000

Day 171 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

170/366 jeans shopping

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 13:15:00 +1000

Good to see that Covid-19 is over… Chadstone is packed, thought I’d sneak in and buy some jeans but wow, people everywhere

Mostly Cloudy, 16°C, Feels like 16°C, Humidity 66%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat.app

pixelfed

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 11:01:18 +1000

169/366 midday chicken chores

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 13:04:00 +1000

Day 169 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 11:41:36 +1000

168/366 chased by a rainbow

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 16:13:00 +1000

Day 168 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

woken by a screeching yowling animal – possum? fox?

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 05:05:00 +1000

167/366 colouring in the map

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 16:06:00 +1000

Day 167 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 12:15:12 +1000

166/366 family ride, alleys and parks

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 13:12:00 +1000

Day 166 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 06:25:56 +1000

165/366 loaves and fishes ... and chicken

Sat, 13 Jun 2020 07:52:00 +1000

Mostly Cloudy, 12°C, Feels like 12°C, Humidity 83%, Wind 5m/s from N - by Klimat.app

164/366 a new Oakleigh laneway

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 16:25:00 +1000

A big loop with little squiggly loops in Oakleigh - I found a new alley

Partly Cloudy, 14°C, Feels like 14°C, Humidity 53%, Wind 3m/s from N - by Klimat.app

163/366 wetlands and huntingdale

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 16:16:00 +1000

Day 163 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 10:45:06 +1000

162/366 bread milk and not quite 10km

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 16:27:00 +1000

Day 162 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 11:44:55 +1000

Testing embedding with Pixelfed, from my account on pixfed.com. Example: 'pixelfed status=https://instance.domain/p/user/postnr % width=500' will show a frame of 500 px width instead of the default 400 <iframe src="${status}/embed?caption=true&likes=false&layout=full" class="pixelfed__embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width=${w} allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script async defer src="https://pixelfed.social/embed.js"></script> Unfortunately it seems that the Pixelfed instance at pixfed.com has disabled iframe embedding, although they still have the “embed” button enabled that produces that code that would otherwise work. Relying on the internal image URL, I can embed it as I’ve done at the top of the page, but I’ve got no idea if that’ll keep working

pixelfed

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 11:43:38 +1000

161/366 Carnegie crazy garmin

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:18:00 +1000

Day 161 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

A day of firmware failures

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

This had been a series of three twitter posts for a day in which the Fitbit, Garmin and Cycliq devices all stuffed up – but then the that night the Wemo joined in so I thought it justified a post to, once again, show how unreliable the average commercial smart devices/IOT are. Shit firmware day; 1 of 3. The fitbit Inspire HR goes black-screen for most of the day, I can tell its still working ‘cos it is still synching to my phone, but there’s no display until I take it off for an hour and wait.

160/366 Mt Defiance family ride

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 10:37:00 +1000

Day 160 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

159/366 Lorne to Wye River and back

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 13:40:00 +1000

Day 159 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

158/366 saturday shopping

Sat, 06 Jun 2020 08:11:00 +1000

Day 158 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

157/366 around chadstone

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 16:19:00 +1000

Day 157 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

Micro Kubernetes — microk8s

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Stumbled over a pointer to running microk8s on a cluster of raspberry pi systems and it looked interesting – probably about time I got a bit of hands-on experience with kubernetes. No handy rpi system at the moment so I installed it on the ubuntu box and started working my way through very basic “Getting started” info at https://microk8s.io/docs. Can’t seem to get it to work. It installs, but the basic first set of tasks fails at:

156/366 to caulfield, back differently

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 16:12:00 +1000

Day 156 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

pixelfed

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 10:45:15 +1000

155/366 up and down Oakleigh style

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 16:18:00 +1000

Day 155 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

154/366 an interesting wriggle

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 16:17:00 +1000

Day 154 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

153/366 oh the wind and rain

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 16:11:00 +1000

Day 153 of my 2020 cycling challenge; Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

Three attempts to reset my twitter password at midnight, someone was busy

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:20:00 +1000

pixelfed

Sun, 31 May 2020 16:02:56 +1000

pixelfed

Sun, 31 May 2020 16:01:12 +1000

very suburban, I raked up all the autumn leaves and made the lawn nice and tidy

Sat, 30 May 2020 16:00:00 +1000

pixelfed

Fri, 29 May 2020 18:52:41 +1000

A therapeutic half hour around the chiminea fire with number one son

Thu, 28 May 2020 17:50:00 +1000

pixelfed

Thu, 28 May 2020 15:03:50 +1000

pixelfed

Wed, 27 May 2020 16:03:28 +1000

Old notebooks

Sat, 23 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

The other night Cam wanted somewhere to write down details of his carefully selected “Magic the Gathering” card decks. I rummaged around through miscellaneous piles of stationery and found an “A6 and a bit” notebook that I’d bought as a refill for my journal, but then found to be too big to fit inside the journal cover. Off he went with that and on I kept exploring…. So many old notebooks and journals of so many sizes.

ADSL to NBN with Internode

Sat, 16 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

OK, here we go. Time to finally get on with it and change our home over from our ADSL to the NBN. Our ISP has been pestering me on and off for months and I was just about to start the process when we all went home and worked from home due to COVID-19. Loathe to have something go wrong with a working setup I put it on hold for the past two months…

goodreads — “A Mathematician's Apology”

Wed, 06 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Window birds – Noisy miner[1] – six or so feeding in the neighbour's tree

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 13:55:00 +1000

[1] Noisy miner

Window bird – rainbow lorikeets[1] – small flock

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 09:08:00 +1000

[1] Rainbow lorikeet

Window bird – spotted dove[1] – puffed up on the wires

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 09:00:00 +1000

[1] Spotted dove

goodreads — “The Saint to the Rescue”

Sun, 26 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

goodreads — “Honor Among Enemies”

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

A drawback of this daily #inktapril challenge – I've just finished my favourite gel pen

Sat, 11 Apr 2020 10:57:00 +1000

More old photocopies to the bin

Sat, 11 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

A cold windy wintery day, stuck inside being good little socially-isolated folk, what better task than another round of purging the ancient folders of papers, photocopies, ephemera and treasure… More old photocopies of electronics and computing hardware projects that I never screwed up the courage – or the money – to tackle. First find from the folder, not necessarily in order I collected the articles, just order I’m uncovering, one of many single-board computers or bus-based systems that I daydreamed about building over the years:

I have resurrected my early-2000s webcam

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 15:02:00 +1000

Awesomely ancient #webcam from early 2000s is resurrected from a box of bits and amazingly, still works despite being cracked and falling apart

A serendipitous advantage of finally getting a splitter cable for headphones & microphone – an extra 30cm of length so I can use it easily with the PC on the floor

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 13:05:00 +1000

I really really should do something about using some of the Raspberry Pis that I own! I think I've got at least a B+, a 3 and a Zero

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 10:56:00 +1000

new seat not as slippery as it looks, despite the rain and cobbles it seems ok on a first trial

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 15:05:00 +1000

Finally replaced the broken seat on the AWOL – with the original seat from Jo's new Giant, looks a bit slippery though

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 11:45:00 +1100

Purging old paperwork

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Over the years I accumulated printouts and scans and photocopies of hardware and software, things of interest at the time, inspiration for projects… often projects that never occurred. Loathe to throw them out as they still give me joy, not so much for the content as for the memory of a time and my pursuits at that time. I can convince myself to discard them now… sometimes… if I can find an online copy and have a little think about where or when each one came from.

goodreads — “Race Across the World”

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Wildlife on our walk to Chatauqa peak; jacky lizard, pardalote, big fat pinecone lizard

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 13:00:00 +1100

goodreads — “Flag in Exile”

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Removed the dead pigeon from the roof, all afternoon ravens[1] & kookaburras[2] had been thumping and banging and eating the carcase – had to chase off a dozen Euro. wasps[3]

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 17:15:00 +1100

[1] Little raven [2] Laughing kookaburra [3] European wasp

Amazing sight watching a pair of falcons swoop back and forth trying to catch the neighbour's pigeons, while the pigeons spiralled around higher than I'd ever seen them before

Sat, 07 Mar 2020 17:15:00 +1100

A screeching yowling cat fight outside kept us awake for an hour or more

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 01:00:00 +1100

I keep hearing the word melanographer, and I keep thinking melon-ographer – someone who writes on melons

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 15:30:00 +1100

I love ip-geolocation; at work in Clayton, Okta thinks I'm in Windsor, at home in Hughesdale they say Thornbury

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 09:57:00 +1100

Motel booking stupidity

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

A few months ago I booked the three of us in for two nights’ stay in a country motel, and today we drove up to check in. Then the trouble began. Motel name obscured in text below. The motel is “Blah Blah Motel” and the website I booked at is https://blahblahmotel.com.au/, so that pretty much implies that it is the motel’s website, not some third party booking agency. Under the “Standard Rooms” page on their website, it shows a photo with two queen sized beds in the room.

From a cycling podcast, Feb 2020.. "It's a 20yr old steel frame from the 1980s." Um, how old?

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 12:41:00 +1100

bizarrely angry ute driver at a roundabout

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 08:45:00 +1100

Guy in a ute pulled up at roundabout in front of me on my left just before I got there, he stopped, I kept going and rode through, as I passed in front of him he blasted on the horn the entire time – 2-3s or so – then started up and drove across behind me

goodreads — “Absolute Pandemonium”

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

listening to Toyah, feeling old, it was so very very long ago

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 13:23:00 +1100

Two older Greek gents talking at the shops, I overhear and Aha, its not just me. "All the tomato plants, pff, they flower, then the flowers fall off, no fruit"

Sat, 01 Feb 2020 10:45:00 +1100

Aargh, both misuses in one day. pedal vs peddle

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 15:12:00 +1100

First it was https://www.monash.edu/people/transport-parking/cycling You can take your bike on all metropolitan trains, making it possible to peddle around Melbourne… Then in an “Orbital Transmission” email from https://arstechnica.com/ we get: A celebrity pedaling bad health science has…

It lives! Repurposing a retired MTB

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Some time in the second half of last year we realised that number one son really had outgrown his 24" bike, the seat was up as high as it would go and his knees were wobbling wildly out to the sides. Upgrade time it was. Trouble is, he’s just as likely to shoot up in height in the next year or so and make any newly purchased 26" bike undersize, so with a definite “Aha!

50mm of rain, two weeks away, warm weather, the lawn was half way up to our knees so I finally mowed it!

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 12:30:00 +1100

goodreads — “Patriot Games”

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Cycling Lorne to Waurn Ponds

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Now how does that work? Two weeks ago, on New Years Day, I rode from Lorne to Waurn Ponds to catch the train back to Melbourne. I had a tailwind, I felt good, I thought I made good time and having left at 2 pm I got to Waurn Ponds in time to get straight on the 4.38 pm train. Two days ago I repeated the exercise, legs felt like lead, I had a bruise on my thigh from a small stupidity in the main street of Lorne, didn’t really put any effort in and wasn’t that fussed at how quickly I got to Waurn Ponds because I knew I’d have to wait around for the 5.

PUT THIS UNDER YOUR TONGUE FOR 1 MINUTE AND FUNGUS WILL VANISH

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 10:41:00 +1100

call me old and grumpy, but I cringe whenever I see an email that starts "Hi team…"

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 09:31:00 +1100

lorikeets[1] in the plum tree screeched at us to go away, we were interrupting their feasting

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 08:20:00 +1100

[1] Rainbow lorikeet

bushfires all over the east of Victoria for weeks and not a peep out of the Alpine Classic, no updates on their website, no emails, nothing. Will they cancel?

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 11:59:00 +1100

2020 Rainfall

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2.0 8.5 7.0 4.0 2 20.0 4.0 27.0 3.0 13.0 0.5 3 14.0 8.5 0.5 4 2.5 36.0 1.0 2.0 5 7.0 55.0 4.0 0.5 11.0 10.0 1.5 6 8.5 7.5 10.0 18.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 7 1.5 2.5 2.5 0.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 8 0.5 1.5 9.5 6.0 5.5 9 0.5 1.0 1.5 4.5 10 1.

2020 cycling every day... a challenge

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Each year for the past few years I try and ride as often as I can, my reasoning is that if I can’t go far, at least I can go often! Best effort to date was 2017 when I managed to ride 363 of 365 days, succumbing to the flu and staying in bed for two days in September. Rules are minimal; on the bike and over 1km, hopefully over 1.

goodreads — “Field of Dishonor”

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Saved by habit! Nearly left my keys at Lorne

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Habits are a wonderful thing. Whenever I go for a bike ride, I put my house keys in my left rear jersey pocket, my phone in the right, and maybe a snack or sunglasses or coin pouch in the centre one. I hop on the bike, ride off, and reach back and pat pockets, right then left … just to be sure. Today I was leaving Lorne to ride the 60km back to Waurn Ponds before catching the train to Melbourne to have the house to myself for two days while I had to go to work….

goodreads — “The Short Victorious War”

Mon, 30 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

2019 Bike commutes

Sun, 22 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Annual bike commute summary and statistics. I think I rode to work every day this year, at least I can’t remember catching the bus. Shortest ride was around 2-3km when I had to drive to my parents in law’s house and ride from there. Longest was probably 30-40km on a Thursday or Friday afternoon when I can take a detour on the way home and go exploring. From the visualisation of all the GPX tracks I saved its all variations on a theme and either straight out and back each day or an approximately anti-clockwise loop.

2019 lunchtime walks; 186 of 253 possible days – Mondays to Fridays, without leave days

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 13:52:00 +1100

oodk – Out of Disk Killer

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 10:19:00 +1100

# rpm -qi oodk Name : oodk Version : 0.1.2 Release : 6.e23_5 Architecture: x86_64 Install Date: Wed Sep 31 01:23:45 2019 Group : System Environment/Kernel Size : 2266176773 License : CDDL Source RPM : oodk-0.1.2-1.src.rpm Relocations : (not relocatable) URL : http://localhost/ Summary : Disk equivalent of Out of Memory Killer Description : This package contains the Out Of Disk Killer. At system defined levels randomly chosen directories are securely deleted from the file sysetm.

breakfast discussions on cow reaching escape velocity, use of the moon for gravity slingshot, and cow re-entry

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 07:20:00 +1100

goodreads — “The Inimitable Jeeves”

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

The plums are ripening, and as fast as they do, the blackbirds[1] peck holes in them and they fall off and rot

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 08:30:00 +1100

[1] Common blackbird

misty rain, dead legs, sore arse. Feeling like a post audax lump of lead

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:55:00 +1100

Cool and grey ride, feeling flat and sore and mentally exhausted, magpies[1] warbled in the trees

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 08:45:00 +1100

[1] Australian magpie

My Spotify artist of the decade – Tinariwen

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 21:45:00 +1100

My Spotify top artists, 2-5 – Tinariwen / The Stranglers / Lee Hazlewood / Killing Joke

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 21:39:00 +1100

Spotify suggests that I let Leonard Cohen (rip) know that I listened to him most of all artists this year

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 21:38:00 +1100

that horrible lurching adrenalin feeling as I thought I'd lost my journal – dropped on a walk – no, left it in the car

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:15:00 +1100

goodreads — “Love Among the Ruins”

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Wolfgang[1] staying the night via #warmshowers, on his way from Melbourne to Sydney

Fri, 29 Nov 2019 21:46:00 +1100

[1] Wolfgang

Spotify seems to think I'm in South Australia, I keep getting University of South Australia and South Australian motorbike ads

Fri, 29 Nov 2019 12:23:00 +1100

Well that's a first; a Russian dating spam purporting to be a gay man, perhaps its because I never responded to the female ones

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 09:27:00 +1100

Google Keep is always popping up "You are signed out, sign back in" – why do I suspect a product to be discontinued

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 09:14:00 +1100

The cockies[1] are back, splitting unripe plums and adding to the general mess under the plum tree in the back garden

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 08:30:00 +1100

[1] Sulphur-crested cockatoo

Otago Central Rail Trail — Day 4 — Hyde to Middlemarch

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A very windy ride from Hyde to Middlemarch, then making our way by bus back to Queenstown. Otago Central Rail Trail - day 4 - Hyde to Middlemarch Started the morning with muesli, fruit and homemade bread for breakfast then packed to have the bags ready for an 8.45 am pickup. Didn’t get to see Peter on the way out but left about 8.30 am for the drive back to Hyde – a reverse of yesterday’s drive.

Otago Central Rail Trail — Day 3 — Wedderburn to Hyde

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A day that ended feeling strange to me – accustomed to starting somewhere, riding to somewhere else, then staying there the night. At the end of the day’s riding we backtracked by car to our accommodation. Otago Central Rail Trail - day 3 - Wedderburn to Hyde After a quiet night in the lodge with only two other people in the building things got busy around 9 am as a large coach-full of around 50 high-school kids from Christchurch arrived for a day’s excursion – the gently downhill ride from Wedderburn to Hyde.

Coffeeneuring 2019 no. 7 — International Railtrail Coffeeneuring

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

In a week of riding along the Otago Central Rail Trail for our first “overseas family bike touring holiday” we drank at least one decent coffee a day that would qualify, for clarity, here’s the one I chose to be number seven of this year’s challenge. There was a coffee on day one, but I was too busy enjoying it to take a coffeeneuring photo. Day two of our mini bike tour was from Omakau to Wedderburn, with the morning tea stop coming early at Lauder.

Otago Central Rail Trail — Day 2 — Omakau to Wedderburn

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Omakau to Wedderburn with a mix of weather, overall a bit less windy than yesterday although we did get caught in a rainstorm in our last half hour to Wedderburn. Otago Central Rail Trail - day 2 - Omakau to Wedderburn Breakfast and packed in time for our bag to be collected for transport, then onto the bikes and around the corner to the She Bikes, He Bikes shop to get Jo’s handlebars adjusted – yesterday we’d got height and brake levers correct, but the assymetric “hand-shaped” grips were at an odd angle putting a large lump in her palms and as luck had it, they were held on by the one Allen key that I didn’t have with me.

Otago Central Rail Trail — Day 1 — Clyde to Omakau

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

After a few years of trying to get away once or twice a year for a few days for a family bike tour on a Rail Trail, this time it was an overseas trip to New Zealand for a four day ride along the Otago Central Rail Trail. Minimising luggage by staying in motels or cabins and mostly eating out, we organised an itinerary through She Bikes He Bikes and had them do the logistics – hiring us a tandem, carrying a 15kg bag with half our luggage and transporting us and my bike between the ends of the trail and Queenstown.

cockies[1] have found the plum tree, the ground underneath is littered with split green plums, the kernel eaten out of the stones

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 08:15:00 +1100

[1] Sulphur-crested cockatoo

bother, I think my 256MB Samsung SSD from 2013 died sometime today

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 14:18:00 +1100

🎶MyPlan / Waits for me / Like a mongrel waits / Downwind on a tight rope leash:🎶 – with appologies to Ultravox & our HR's "MyPlan" system

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 11:32:00 +1100

tomato seedlings survived the hail last Friday, but their location will make automatic watering problematic in summer

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 08:30:00 +1100

Coffeeneuring 2019 no. 6 — The Solo Slog

Sat, 09 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A long one, and it would have been “an event” and disqualified according to the rules, but the event was cancelled so I rode the route anyway. In 2012 I first rode “The Slog”, a 160km fund-raising ride around Gippsland, starting and finishing at the Chairo Christian School just out of Pakenham. I’ve entered it and ridden every year since, except for 2013 where I entered but stayed home due to illness & bad weather.

YTBC[1] flock of 6-8 flew over

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 12:49:00 +1100

[1] Yellow-tailed black cockatoo

Coffeeneuring 2019 no. 5 — Lorne to the lighthouse

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Two rides in a row, two days apart, acceptably within the bounds of the rules. Unlike two days ago, today I left Lorne on the Great Ocean Road to the north-east, off towards Aireys Inlet and the Split Point Lighthouse. Out of town, a few kilometres of flat coast road then up Big Hill and into the steeper forest sections, winding and twisting. Up and over Cinema point and down to Eastern view and back to flat coastal road and eventually, to pass under the arch that marks the official start of the Great Ocean Road.

Tramway walk yesterday afternoon

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 08:14:00 +1100

Very strong winds around the pier and point so we walked the tramway track. Getting overgrown in places. Around to the river then up to the lookout. Saw two yellow-tailed black cockies[1] and a Gang-gang[2] on the way back from teddy’s lookout. [1] Yellow-tailed black cockatoo [2] Gang-gang

Birds on the road

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 15:54:00 +1100

Gang-gangs[1] x3, honeyeaters two types. Currawongs[2] calling, magpies[3], black cormorants & blue wrens & lots of crimson rosellas [1] Gang-gang [2] Pied currawong [3] Australian magpie

Coffeeneuring 2019 no. 4 — Kennet river koffee

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A long weekend down at Lorne, an afternoon out along the Great Ocean Road. I’m over half way through the coffeeneuring challenge for 2019. Road riding options from Lorne are somewhat limited; its either along the coast one way, towards Wye River, along the coast the other way to Aireys Inlet, or inland to Deans Marsh. Today it was fifty kilometres or so, south-west along the Great Ocean Road through Wye River and on to Kennet River, stop for a coffee at the Kafe Koala, then retrace my route back to Lorne.

goodreads — “The Royal Ranger”

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

trying to cool the house down with the doors open, a huge European wasp[1] flies in, zooms around the kitchen and makes life hell for three or four minutes

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 07:15:00 +1100

[1] European wasp

Came home to find two ravens[1] sitting on the back gate, I think one a fledgeling, perhaps making use of the birdbath

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 18:00:00 +1100

[1] Little raven

goodreads — “Swallows and Amazons”

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

All the roses are flowering, from Charles de Gaulle in the backyard, to Just Joey & miscellaneous fence roses in the front, un-nibbled by possums too!

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 11:00:00 +1100

Coffeeneuring 2019 no. 3 — Sunday loop

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Sunday afternoon and out for a ride; off to the east along the Djerring trail, then under the Eastern Freeway and south along the paths besides the creek all the way down to the bay. Abundant birdlife all the way, a couple of rabbits, and one surprised fox racing off into the reeds as I passed. Then out onto Beach road at the mouth of the Patterson river, turn right and head up along the bay while dark and rainy clouds approached from the west.

goodreads — “A Tale of Two Cities”

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Sits in pub, brown eyed girl plays. Laughs

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 16:15:00 +1100

Mistypes exiftool as exitfool and can't escape hearing it in my head Mr T.'s voice

Sat, 19 Oct 2019 11:58:00 +1100

Ugh, woken by loud voices from some guys clowning around on the Djerring trail, yacking away and kicking the fence

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 02:15:00 +1100

2019/1015/0941 – Review of Chain Reaction

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 09:41:00 +1100

★★☆☆☆ No idea why I’m being asked to review… No idea why I’m being asked to review ChainReactionCycles. According to their email my order was dispatched, but it hasn’t yet arrived. Perhaps don’t be so eager to get reviews before delivering a service

Coffeeneuring 2019 no. 2 — A cunning Monday plan

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I volunteered to help with transport to and from the the schools’ softball competition, but wasn’t intending to stay and watch all day. Initial plan had been to come home and work from home, then I decided to take the day off, finally I had a brainwave – take the day off, put the bike on the car, drive the kids to softball then go for a ride starting and finishing at Jells Park near the softball centre.

Scream from the kitchen, the cat has brought a maimed half-dead myna in and dropped it in the middle of the rug

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 07:20:00 +1100

Coffeeneuring 2019 no. 1 — Saturday afternoon rambling ride

Sat, 12 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

After finding out about the semi-humorous “coffeeneuring” cycling challenge in the Chasing Mailboxes blog and joining in the challenge in both 2017 and again last year, 2018, I’d put it in my calendar to add some interest to riding over the next few weeks. Seven rides to seven coffees in seven weeks… how hard can it be? My intentions for the first ride this year were to leave work early yesterday, go for a ride, and call in for an iced coffee or cafe sua somewhere around Springvale, however when I got to the area I realised I was running out of time since we were expecting visitors around 6 pm or so.

the native frangipani is in flower for about a week now, the wattlebirds[1] are loving it

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 18:00:00 +1100

[1] Red wattlebird

ATBIAD, 50km with number one son

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

After last year’s success and enjoyment, Cam and I had again entered the 50km option of the Around the Bay event, this time to do it on our own bikes. Strangely warm when we got up at 6 am, I spied one of Jo’s warmer jerseys sitting on a chair in the kitchen and stepped outside to check the temperature, amazed to find that it was over 20 °C when I’d been expecting it to be down around 10 °C.

Eurobites is gone, closed up in Oakleigh and decided to move to Grantville, another empty shop in Portman street now

Sat, 05 Oct 2019 11:45:00 +1000

Finally put a new 16GB SD card in the Cycliq Fly12 yesterday, maybe it'll work more reliably now

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 16:45:00 +1000

Orgzly reconfigured with a local repo, synched by Syncthing, something's wrong though

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 16:28:00 +1000

For some reason the Android Orgzly app. doesn’t seem to recognise that the files in the phone have been changed by the Syncthing app., if I force a “pull” in Orgzly then it loads the new files, but if I press “Synch” it says that nothing has changed.

Cat now routinely bashes her locked cat-door open, needs rework to keep her in at night

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 18:15:00 +1000

goodreads — “The Lost Stories”

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Damp air and felt very cold on the ride this morning, slow aching legs

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 09:55:00 +1000

goodreads — “The Emperor of Nihon-Ja”

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

corea and callistemon in flower outside the office window, noisy miners[1] and rainbow lorikeets[2] keep visiting for a feed

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 12:25:00 +1000

[1] Noisy miner [2] Rainbow lorikeet

mysterious cat business, Misty didn't come in at dusk, stayed out until after [2019-08-26 Mon 20:30]

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 20:30:00 +1000

goodreads — “Halt's Peril”

Sun, 25 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Good URLs don't change

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 10:20:00 +1000

Now where 1did I read that… oh yeah, that’s right, something Sir Tim Berners-Lee wrote. Hang on, I mis-remembered, the actual title is Cool URIs don’t change, ((c)1998 Tim BL) Now 18 years ago I bookmarked a website that was of interest to me. Two days ago I received a polite email from the company that now owns that company that had the website that contained the page that I linked to.

had a hot chocolate in the afternoon, the smell reminds me of family holidays at the beach

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 14:30:00 +1000

Strike two; location information again found to be off on my phone

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:30:00 +1000

Location information turned off on my phone, did I do that or did it happen after the update on [2019-08-18 Sun]?

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 09:21:00 +1000

An hour later, two yobs return, smashing and kicking the hard rubbish around in the street again

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 23:45:00 +1000

two yobs yelling and smashing all the hard rubbish outside in the street

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 22:45:00 +1000

Unknown … album covers

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

40 years of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures, my unrecognised screen background So 40 years after the release of what I thought what was one of the most recognisable album covers of all-time, I have that image based on pulsar activity as my screen background at work. Three people so far this week have asked what it is, one asked, “Oh, is that something you’re working on.” Nobody recognises it, and when I explained, one just said “Who?

Work crew started vegetation removal on south side of Oakleigh station

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 09:19:00 +1000

goodreads — “The Kings of Clonmel”

Sat, 10 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Spotify just decided to play Roxy Music's [Virginia Plain] () for me. Last night RRR's Superfluity opened with the same track

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 10:15:00 +1000

Oakleigh station upgrades

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Sort of loosely associated with the whole Skyrail thing has been some upgrades and changes to Oakleigh train station. Last year the station changed from three rail lines to two – although most people believe that what really needs to be done is to upgrade the entire Dandenong line to four lines. The old platform one is fenced off and passengers now use the island platform only for inbound trains, with access via the pokey tunnel with ramps that are apparently not compliant with modern standards.

You spent HOW MUCH on an Amiga?

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Being one of those people who never tends to throw anything out, over the years I’ve kept far too many receipts, printouts and old pieces of paper. Periodically I get the urge to purge, I’ll round up some related paperwork and scan it then shred it. Last weekend I found a bunch of receipts of my Amiga 1000 from 1986 onwards. Ouch. What a lot of money it seems! I wonder what happened to my old A1000, I can’t remember who I sold it to or how.

Haha, surprise! Cycliq Fly12 camera hasn't been recording any video since [2019-07-27 Sat], it runs, just doesn't record

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 11:52:00 +1000

Another of Melbourne's Marvellous Motorists

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

There are a few low bridges around Melbourne that people periodically manage to drive trucks into, these are inevitably reported in the news and people usually react by shaking their collective heads and asking themselves, “How on earth can you just drive into a bridge?” Well, I can’t answer for all of them but here’s an example of how some of them occur: Yesterday my son and I were standing in the bus interchange at Chadstone and heard a massive bang/clang.

Currawong enjoying the birdbath, that's at least three species; Currawong[1], Wattlebird[2] and Mynah[3] that use it

Sat, 03 Aug 2019 14:30:00 +1000

[1] Pied currawong [2] Red wattlebird [3] Common mynah

Mylio? Yeah nah…

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 10:24:00 +1000

I like it, seems to work fairly well. Downside, there’s no linux version which is a major minus for me, and it’d cost me $US100 a year for the privedge of looking at my own photos. Nope, back to the drawing board

Endless ssh login attempts

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A mention in a podcast and a few comments at work got me interested, just how many ssh login attempts is every single PC, webcam, smartdevice, being subjected to? A quick check of the fail2ban(1) logs on my home PC and I found that for yesterday alone there are 266 failed login attempts from all over the world. Poking around with a little awk(1) and some shell and I find:

work-related stupidity injury

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 09:29:00 +1000

Sitting in my chair, I’d put my foot on the headphone cord, I lifted up the headphones to put them on and they came to a sudden halt then swung around and smacked me across the bridge of the nose. Ow. Ow. Ow.

Geocaching Huntingdale Wetlands

Sun, 28 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Fantastic sunny Sunday so number one son and I went out for a ride, north through Oakleigh to Scotchman’s creek and then along to the Huntingdale Wetlands. Some fun zooming around on the gravel road and slippery mud single track and then stopped to watch the pukeko1 and work out where next… He suggested checking for nearby geocaches and I was suprised to find that we were within 50m of one!

Panaracer Gravelkings on AWOL, 8000km from Vittoria Randonneurs

Sat, 27 Jul 2019 14:08:00 +1000

Grey butcherbird[1] on the fence near the study window; calling, calling, calling

Sat, 27 Jul 2019 07:30:00 +1000

[1] Grey butcherbird

amused that Spotify all week is alternating ads for sugary lollies and a dental clinic

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 09:41:00 +1000

QOTD "If this sounds crazy to you, it is because you are not Dutch."

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 13:56:00 +1000

goodreads — “Erak's Ransom”

Sat, 20 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Read an Ian Rankin Rebus novel, listening to a Rebus-inspired Spotify playlist

Wed, 17 Jul 2019 15:56:00 +1000

So much of the character of John Rebus revolves around his music, firmly places his age and style. Curiousity got me, a quick search and I found a playlist someone had created, whether of albums & songs mentioned, or just inspired by… of course now Spotify will think I’m an old boomer too from a day or two of the Stones, Black Sabbath, Nazareth, Velvet Underground and Joni Mitchell

Huntingdale station finally gets a Djerring trail bypass

Wed, 17 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

It looks as though the badly implemented lack-of-bike path through the newly rebuilt Huntingdale station precinct is now being rectified. For years the old railway car park had the “Station trail” bike path come in one end, then left it to cyclists to mingle with parking and un-parking motorists for 200m or so, then rejoin a new section of bike path at the far end of the car park. By bureaucratic sleight of hand this was referred to as part of a “continuous off-road bike path” regardless of the hazard it presented to anyone from commuter cyclists to families with small children who tried to ride through there.

goodreads — “Saints of the Shadow Bible”

Sun, 14 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Strava and Relive breakup

Fri, 12 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Well it was fun while it lasted, and the most fun of all seems to be the interpretations of the decision by Strava to disconnect Relive from accessing data: Strava’s email to Strava/Relive users Many of us at Strava have enjoyed using Relive over the last few years, but because of Relive’s recent updates, unfortunately, we have decided to end this integration. The current version of Relive violates several of the terms that we ask of API partners.

Gmail says "Something's not right"… and I'm inclined to believe it

Thu, 11 Jul 2019 18:02:00 +1000

Now and then, 500 Bridge Rd Richmond

Thu, 11 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Browsing through old photos and old blog posts I came across some of my photos of Richmond from 1998-2004 when I lived there, and more importantly, from 2003 onwards when I had my first digital camera. How much has changed since then? Time to go and take a look, perhaps a revisiting of all the pubs of Richmond is called for…. An easier first target is 500 Bridge road, fifteen years ago it was a beautifully craft-filled shop, “The Violineri” – what has it become now?

goodreads — “The Siege of Macindaw”

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

goodreads — “The Sorcerer in the North”

Sat, 29 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

epic advertisement for wireless headphones

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 15:26:00 +1000

I stood up from my desk, had the headphone cord wrapped once around my ankle, jerked to a halt and catapulted a quarter of a mug of tea across the floor and in the direction of colleagues

Why do I hate the acronym EOFY so much? Not sure, but it annoys me

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 19:52:00 +1000

Epic dogfooding

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Some time ago I added the RSS feed of my blog to my own feed – I’d suggest everyone do that, one of Murphy’s laws seems to be that no matter how much proof reading you do, something always seems to slip through and is only visible after you hit the “publish” button. Today I’m sitting at home wheezing and coughing so I took the opportunity to browse through a backlog of ancient entries; check the spelling, does it make sense, is it embarrassing enough that I’ll cut some fragments.

goodreads — “Oakleaf Bearers”

Sat, 15 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Busy weekend, now it's raining. Time for a cup of tea and a book in bed

Sun, 09 Jun 2019 21:48:00 +1000

goodreads — “The Icebound Land”

Sat, 08 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

ten European starlings[1] and two Indian Mynas[2] on the lawn, finally a native, a Red Wattlebird[3] in the birdbath

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 13:15:00 +1000

[1] Common starling [2] Common myna [3] Red wattlebird

Musing on the confusing

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

While the sane world specifies dates in the form dd/mm/yyyy, with the units going from small-medium-large, the Americans insist on specifying their dates as mm/dd/yyyy, so medium-small-large. Sometimes I realise while I’m reading a date, sometimes I don’t, sometimes it takes too long to sort it out, especially when it comes from some non-American company who wouldn’t normally use the US format, but they’re using some software that does it for them.

goodreads — “The Burning Bridge”

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

My ankle's aching, is the weather changing or am I just old and decrepit?

Tue, 28 May 2019 22:10:00 +1000

Damn, dropped my Samsung earphones into a mug of tea, the left one may be dead

Sun, 26 May 2019 15:23:00 +1000

goodreads — “The Ruins of Gorlan”

Sat, 25 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Paranoid? Attempt to register a very bogus looking 'recovery address' for my email at google

Fri, 24 May 2019 13:40:00 +1000

Paranoid? Email trying to get me to login and unlock my Amazon account. Targetted or just spam?

Fri, 24 May 2019 13:39:00 +1000

Argh! The Cycliq Fly12 hasn't recorded any video since [2019-05-10 Fri]!

Thu, 23 May 2019 14:30:00 +1000

I plugged the Fly12 into my laptop this afternoon to see if I could extract the video of me catching up to, then overtaking, the motorist who choose to drive hugging the kerb and blocking the bike lane in Gardiner road yesterday. Frustrated that once again the Fly12 has failed me, this time there’s just not a single video since [2019-05-10 Fri]. I suspect that the SD card has failed, that’d be the SD card supplied with it that the camera has always periodically decided it can’t write to.

Surprise again! Oakleigh station car park partly closed for crane work on shops – but blocking bike path again

Wed, 22 May 2019 08:37:00 +1000

Every time they take the easy way out, rather than leave a footpath width aisle at the south side of the car park to keep the Djerring trail open, they close off the entire end of the car park and force pedestrians and cyclists out to make their own way – either through the shopping centre on foot, or under it through the tunnel with bus, car and truck traffic.

Surprise! East side ramp up from Oakleigh station underpass is closed off, go west and around

Wed, 22 May 2019 08:35:00 +1000

goodreads — “Monk's Hood”

Fri, 17 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

like being back in Skyrail construction times, Djerring trail closed for a week, trucks roaring up and down

Mon, 13 May 2019 08:00:00 +1000

Huge gravel trucks in and out of our street up onto the bike path, chain-link fence blocking access to the bike path. I think they’re removing the rest of the old signalling conduit and wiring and I guess doing some landscaping.

Riding home; low sunlight, currawongs[1] calling, 13°C along the creek, its almost winter

Wed, 08 May 2019 17:00:00 +1000

[1] Pied currawong

I've been listening to Tinariwen all day and my ears hurt

Mon, 06 May 2019 15:47:00 +1000

These headphones drown out cow-orkers, but eventually they make my ears hurt, especially my left one

Indulgently reading through a blog, entry by entry

Sun, 05 May 2019 21:54:00 +1000

Almost gluttony, like the current fad of “binge-watching” an entire TV series just because you can. I follow a link that looks interesting, to another referenced blog, it’s gone, the site now owned by what looks like a chinese plumbing firm. Serves me right.

There's a sticker on a lamp post "CASH PAID FOR GUITARS" and I think to myself, "I hope he did, hate to think he stole them"

Sat, 04 May 2019 15:57:00 +1000

Authentification she says, over and over, it bugs me but I can't bring myself to say something

Fri, 03 May 2019 20:30:00 +1000

Kuro5hin gone, how about that

Thu, 02 May 2019 20:07:00 +1000

Doing a little housekeeping on my RSS feeds, transferring some from feedly to my org-mode reader, changing some from HTTP to HTTPS, deleting some of the ones that haven’t been readable for years. Oh, what’s this, looks like kuro5hin vanished three years ago – I guess I wasn’t paying attention. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuro5hin

QOTD: "When cooking wild mushrooms, Dr Lebel says, “leave half for the coroner”."

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 11:50:00 +1000

goodreads — “The Dreaming Void”

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

A weekend at Wilson's Prom

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Our first break was four days on the Great Southern Rail Trail, the second was with the extended family at Lorne, the last was to be four days, three nights camping at Wilsons Prom. Setting up the tents in the strong wind, which later rose to about force 8! It didn’t start out particularly well; all three of us had varying levels of a cold, so we weren’t intending to do anything particularly strenous while camping – no full-day hikes or speed-climbs of Mount Oberon were planned!

Driving in to Lorne at night there were two kangaroos and a fox in Polwarth road

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 22:30:00 +1000

GSRT day 4; Fish Creek to Leongatha

Sun, 14 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

dst. (km) Today 35.9 Trip 168.4 Last morning of the mini trip; breakfast in shifts in the motel room since they only gave us two bowls. Pack the panniers one last time. A bit more wind than the last few days, and slightly less small birdlife as it all sheltered away. Still plenty of larger birds in the paddocks, together with a magnificent view of a Wedge-tailed eagle soaring above the strip of forest over the railtrail, only just above the tree tops overhead, presumably watching for some of the many rabbits we saw.

GSRT day 3; Port Welshpool to Fish Creek

Sat, 13 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

dst. (km) Today 45.4 Trip 132.5 A few spots of rain as we packed to leave this morning but none noticeable during the ride. Muesli and fruit in the cabin for breakfast, then pack up and start back towards Leongatha. 2019-04-13T09.28.09.0643_samsungPreparing for departure at the Long Jetty Caravan Park, Port Welshpool Leaving the caravan park we headed straight out onto the Long Jetty for an essential last visit – out to the end, said hello to the catchless fisherman then turned around and back to land, rejoin the road to the far end of Port Welshpool, turn left and head inland on a few unmarked local roads and rejoin the rail trail.

GSRT day 2; Foster to Port Welshpool

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

dst. (km) Today 38.5 Trip 87.1 I think we’re in the groove today; breakfast in bed, then get up, pack up, second breakfast at the bakery in town and a quick look around, then off down the rail trail for today’s ride – shorter than anticipated due to a minor misreading of distances yesterday. First breakfast was left-over pizza from the pub last night, second breakfast was pastries and coffee while sitting in the sun at Ando’s bakery.

GSRT day 1; Leongatha to Foster

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

dst. (km) Today 48.6 Trip 48.6 For the last three years we’ve tried to get away for a multi-day bike tour on the rail trails in Victoria. Nothing too adventurous, our setup is that Jo & Cam ride his tandem carrying a minimum of essentials in daypacks, I carry the luggage in panniers and bags on the AWOL. Staying in caravan park cabins or motels cuts down on what we need to take, as does eating out, so the panniers hold pretty much only a change of clothes and toiletries.

An after work beer, via a mini adventure

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

There are any number of small breweries around Melbourne, the trick seems to be finding them, and finding when they’re open. Leaving work a little bit early, today I had my sights set on Beach Hut Brewery – named in a way that implies a bay-side location, but tucked away in Scoresby near the corner of Ferntree Gully road and the Eastlink freeway. A quick check of the map and it looks as though I can head east along Wellington road until it meets Dandenong creek and the Eastlink freeway, then follow the bike track alongside the freeway all the way up to the corner.

Adventures on the commute home

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Last Sunday we rode along the gravel path on the south side of Scotchmans creek from Stanley avenue near the Huntingdale wetlands up to the freeway, today on the ride home I decided to take a mini-adventure, retrace the route in reverse and take a few photos as I went. Turn left off Forster road and onto the gravel track, no council vehicles today, no snakes either, so both warning signs can probably be ignored.

Skink Link cycling

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A drizzly grey day after yesterday’s pouring rain, having spent the morning inside we went out for a ride in the early afternoon to take a look at the City of Monash “Skink Link” habitat works along Scotchmans Creek. I’d seen one of the piles of logs a few times while riding past but hadn’t stopped to look in detail, and in describing it had managed to confuse Jo, since she’d received email updates about the work, but it placed them on the other side of Drummond street.

goodreads — “Guns, Germs & Steel”

Sat, 30 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Clyde Mountain cycling

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Keeping in touch with my roots, I read Tim the Yowie Man’s column from the Canberra Times on local history of the Canberra area. I’d bookmarked The downhill daredevils who conquered The Clyde – two cyclists riding from Canberra to the coast in 1943 – and read it this afternoon, prompting almost a stream-of-consciousness of memories of a similar trip. There aren’t many routes to take so it almost parallels the trip Richard & I made after the end of year 12; the road much improved from 1943 in that article, but for us two eighteen year olds quite an adventure, and given how long ago it was and that I can’t find anything I wrote about it, strong memories.

A picture of a Mandarin duck stirs up a memory

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 10:58:00 +1100

Country diary: iridescent beauties, pavilioned in splendour When I was 11yrs old we flew to the UK for my uncle’s wedding, I can remember a book of birds of the world that my grandparents owned. White cover, watercolour pictures, all 8000+ birds listed and many illustrated. In an obssessive count-them-all approach I think I wrote out the names in lists in an exercise book or on paper. I wonder what happened to those lists, if I kept them for a while or if they went straight in the bin once we left?

A loop of the lake

Sun, 17 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Well the intention today had been to drive in to Stawell and ride out along the Grampians Rail Trail back towards Halls Gap, but circumstances conspired against us – a longer than anticipated hike up to The Pinnacle in the morning, a late arrival in Stawell for lunch and finding the town much larger and more spread out than expected. Instead we decided to start heading back towards Melbourne straight after lunch, but to stop in Ballarat for a lap of Lake Wendouree.

Two family rides out of Halls Gap

Sat, 16 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Two family rides today, morning ride to the north, along a firetrail at the base of the ridge, off towards the golf course through the bush and back into town. Then later an excursion out to Lake Bellfield, back for lunch, and a minor detour to search for – and find – geocache GC133Q5. Interestingly, both rides came in at 12.7km. Morning – firetrails and an old rail line in the bush Walking across the sports ground in the morning I’d found that there was a dirt road, or more accurately a sand road, that skirted the base of the hills and headed north.

Lorne Otways loop

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Going AWOL at the top of Teddy's Lookout Escape for a couple of hours in the afternoon; out of the car port and straight down into town without time to warm up. Then ten kilometres of the climb up Benwerrin, I suspect that I’ll never again surpass my quickest time up the climb. Turn left at the top and today there are no march flies, then there’s a quiet ten kilometres or so along the dirt road along the ridge.

Fencing; Public vs Private construction

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Sometime almost exactly a year ago we had the side fence between our house and the neigbour’s replaced. We’ve no idea how old it was but it had been getting more and more dilapidated and finally started to fall over. We got a couple of quotes, OK’d it with the neighbour, and a recommended fencing tradesman came with his assistant and replaced it. They started work in the morning at around 7.

Best laid plans… or, best to book ahead

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 13:00:00 +1100

We had a brilliant idea, go to the M.C. Escher exhibition at the NGV for the afternoon and miss the worst of the heat, sadly, we didn’t bother to book tickets, thinking that it’d be ok to just turn up and queue up… checking online at lunchtime only to find the online tickets sold out and a quick phone call saying that there were some tickets at the door, but the queue might be up to an hour long…

Two hours of Windows wrangling, I feel soiled

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 12:00:00 +1100

Some time in the last week the Windows 10 laptop came to a grinding halt every time Jo started using it. Doesn’t help that with 4GB of RAM and three potential users, we need to make sure that we log out when done because a “hibernating” session chews up far too much memory and doesn’t seem to get swapped out – not to mention the odd time when the audio from the inactive session suddenly starts back up and plays through the speakers when someone else is logged in!

The lad's homework — Music of the 1960s

Sat, 02 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Doing some end of the month tidying up and I came across a list of songs thrown together to help the lad with that week’s homework: “listen to some music from the 1960s.” We’d had a thoroughly entertaining hour or so after dinner as I hunted around in Youtube and chose what I thought was an appropriate selection. Part way through I guessed — incorrectly — with Silver Machine, then we lapsed into a few songs that were recommended to be listened to, then dragged ourselves back to the task at hand:

memories tumbling over themselves

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 17:25:00 +1100

Reading a fictional diary about time and memory and earlier today a factual diary with references that stirred up memories; Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five – I have memories of reading one of Vonnegut’s books while in high school, around year eight or nine I suspect, probably that one, none of the other titles look familiar. A debt owed to Ian I suspect, a highschool friend with an older brother, so through him we learnt of authors, of things to do with bike racing and touring, and of 2XX, at a time when Canberra had two government radio stations; 2CY and 2CN, and two commercial; 2CA and 2CC.

Org mode visualisation for 2019

Wed, 27 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Following on from last year and the org-workflow post in 2017, I’m still generating graphs from my Org mode notes for 2019. Here’s this year: Bookmarks The pile of unread bookmarks: Still stubbornly hovering around 50, there’s a number of items that I must get through some time when I’ve got time and inclination. A change in workflow as I now use pinboard.in for most of my quick bookmarks means that all that I’ve got left in the graph above are the old items.

Autumn bike commutes

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

My favourite time of year, the temperature is just right, usually not too wet, enough daylight hours and unlike spring, no swooping magpies! Although it’s heating up again later this week, on a still clear afternoon I took a few mini detours for a thoroughly enjoyable commute home. Suburban back streets to Huntingdale, then through a back alley for some local colour, industrial brick buildings and rear yards. A few decades worth of discarded industrial detritus in some places.

2019/0224/1051 – Review of CouriersPlease

Sun, 24 Feb 2019 10:51:00 +1100

★★☆☆☆ Parcels left in public view, unsigned for Selected “DO NOT LEAVE” on delivery form. Two days later received email telling me delivery date, went to confirmation form and asked “Please deliver Thu/Fri, DO NOT LEAVE IF UNATTENDED”. Courier left parcel on front doorstep in plain view of the street then their office phoned up to say it had been left. Asked why they ignored my instructions and was told, “Oh yeah, they shouldn’t do that”

2019-02-23T18.42 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Sat, 23 Feb 2019 18:42:00 +1100

Farewell geourl.org

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Since [2003-01-09 Thu] I’ve had references to http://geourl.org to locate resources, alas, sometime while I wasn’t watching that site has vanished and so none of the links will work. All through my blog posts are entries with latitudes and longitudes, many of them not visible once it is processed through Org mode and hugo, but some are. A brief bit of reading h-adr on the microformats website and some updated macros, then a republishing and blog regeneration and I think I’ve now got valid microformat location information embdedded in pages.

Visualising cycling rides — relive.cc

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I followed a link to a visualisation of someone’s bike ride on https://relive.cc and was impressed with the insight it gave to a ride. So I signed in, carefully read the terms and conditions and privacy policy as one always does… and linked it with my strava account. Of course since then I don’t think I’ve ridden anywhere interesting, so it has waited until yesterday afternoon’s long ride home to get a decent video of my own.

Blue flower wasp in the garden

Sat, 16 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Every summer I see them whirling around the bushes at work – Blue flower wasp – but they never seem to sit still for long and I have rarely been able to get close enough for a photo – I’m also a little wary of getting too close to any wasp! Late this afternoon I saw that this one had landed on the lawn in the back garden and was walking around very slowly, slowly enough that I could get up close and take a photo with my phone.

Peeking into an open source package

Thu, 14 Feb 2019 09:50:00 +1100

A blog posting catches my eye, I decide to take a look. A one-person piece of software on a private git server, I clone it. Instructions are minimal, but tell me to run one script to build it, I run it, it fails with a huge error dump in package dependencies inside a framework inside building a Docker image. I look at the “issues” page and decide to lodge one. I can’t register because it never sends me the confirmation email.

A Groove Train!

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 15:52:00 +1100

Walked out of the cinema after a movie to find that directly in front of us there was a Groove Train cafe-restaurant! Amazing, still the same decor I remember from the late 1990s, almost the same menu too, when we walked over and checked. The original one is long gone from Bridge Road Richmond, I wonder how many there are now…. Wow, 26 of them spread across the country, that does look like a successful business!

gyrosco.pe/ajft

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 12:04:00 +1100

Had been posted to /en/lifelogging, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

goodreads — “The Honor of the Queen”

Sat, 09 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Blondie's Atomic comes on, memories fly out

Thu, 07 Feb 2019 14:36:00 +1100

Driving around at night with Richard in his bright yellow Ford Escort, cold Canberra nights, music blasting

2019-01-29T19.39 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 19:39:00 +1100

2019-01-13T11.52 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Sun, 13 Jan 2019 11:52:00 +1100

Australian warrant canary

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Such a quintessential image, bin chicken as warrant canary. All credit to TIM HOLMAN.

we have a new friend – fairly bold juvenile magpie[1] frequently visiting and eats plums and scraps from the lawn

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 18:45:00 +1100

[1] Australian magpie

2019 Rainfall

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 0.5 3.5 7.0 2 13.0 1.0 4.5 3.5 8.5 3 0.5 14.0 1.0 27.0 4 1.0 5.0 1.5 5 3.5 0.5 2.5 2.5 6 2.0 3.0 4.0 7 11.0 1.0 0.5 5.5 1.0 8 6.0 4.0 12.0 1.0 3.5 6.5 9 7.0 2.0 9.5 2.5 8.5 10 3.0 5.5 4.5 4.0 0.5 3.5 1.5 1.0 11 3.

2019-01-04T20.08 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 20:08:00 +1100

2019-01-01T17.55 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 17:55:00 +1100

2019-01-01T10.41 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 10:41:00 +1100

FROTY, Tandem to Mt Defiance

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 10:41:00 +1100

First ride of the year - FROTY - a family ride ot Mt Defiance and back to Lorne along the Great Ocean Road

Last ride of 2018, #Benwerrin #Gadubanud

Mon, 31 Dec 2018 15:40:00 +1100

There will always be a ride that is the last ride of the year (LROTY), but I like to make it an interesting one, or memorable in a way, and on the last day of the year if possible.

2018-12-30T17.53 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Sun, 30 Dec 2018 17:53:00 +1100

2018-12-27T09.03 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Thu, 27 Dec 2018 09:03:00 +1100

2018-12-23T12.29 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Sun, 23 Dec 2018 12:29:00 +1100

goodreads — “On Basilisk Station”

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

YTBC[1] in South Oakleigh

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 18:05:00 +1100

Standing around after athletics training, five yellow-tailed black cockatoos[1] flew slowly overhead, the kids and I all smile and watched [1] Yellow-tailed black cockatoo

sitting in the garden, too hot in the house, watched as a butcherbird[1] came and drank from a cup still full of rain. Must get around to putting in a birdbath

Fri, 07 Dec 2018 19:30:00 +1100

[1] Grey butcherbird

2018-11-30T18.45 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 18:45:59 +1100

Obstruction, my lord

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

About 15 years ago I moved to Oakleigh and although I’d probably used the “Station trail” bike path – now the “Djerring trail” – before then, that was when I started it using it at least weekly, sometimes daily. The path is pretty poor, it runs between train stations but vanishes at each one. Too hard to work out a through-route for cyclists so in fairly typical Melbourne bike facilities fashion it just vanishes, leaves you to – “Cyclists dismount” – walk through connecting footpaths and pedestrian underpasses, then ride through car parks, then rejoin the next section of shared path – all additionally dangerous if you’ve got small children with you.

Bicycles Only ... but where?

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 12:32:45 +1000

For some reason there's a row of these signs along Gardiner road on the power poles, midway between the footpath and road. Completely unclear what they mean. They're a "bike lane" sign, with a bicycle symbol and a single word "Only" — implication is that bicycles are allowed to ride here, and only bicycles. But where is here? The footpath is a footpath, under Victorian law it's illegal to ride on it unless it's been gazetted as a "shared path", which this one is not.

IP geolocation is so much fun

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 11:28:00 +1100

Some services seem to put me at -25.2744, 133.77514, which is the geometric centre of Australia, others die a horrible death on IPv6 addresses and end up in China, even my home ADSL connection seems to end up be placed 10km away in Preston

Melbourne, Springtime

Fri, 23 Nov 2018 17:30:00 +1100

We’re three-quarters of the way through November, summer starts at the end of next week, we had several days over 30°C last week, today it’s rained all day and is currently 14.3°C outside – can I turn the heater on?

Coffeeneuring 2018 no. 7 — rainy day commute and a coffee

Fri, 23 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

My seventh – and last – ride of the eighth coffeeneuring challenge. The challenge ends on Sunday and there are things I must do on both days of the weekend, so I’d been wondering how I’d fit in the last ride. Earlier this week I’d been intending to go for a lunch ride on Thursday or Friday, similar to the shorter rides I did last year. Well it didn’t happen yesterday, so that left today.

goodreads — “The Scorpion Game”

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

The Slog, 2018, 160km

Sat, 17 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

My sixth time around the loop; 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and now 2018. I’d entered in 2013 but had the flu the week before the ride and that Saturday it poured with rain, so I sensibly stayed home. The official timing reports say that I completed the ride in 7hr 22min 36sec, which puts me 9th last of the 177 riders in the 160 km event, and 3hr 22min behind Eric who was first to finish!

Coffeeneuring 2018 no. 6 — Early home, chores, a coffee

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

My sixth ride of the eighth coffeeneuring challenge; tomorrow I’m off on “an event” which rules out my Saturday ride being counted as part of the challenge, so I snuck in a coffeeneuring coffee as my late lunch, going home early to work from home, and to do some secret chores. Circumstances dictated that I had to collect kid from school, so an early ride home and then work from home was called for.

Coffeeneuring 2018 no. 5 — The other river, yesterday's donut, a hipster coffee

Sat, 10 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

My fifth ride of the eighth coffeeneuring challenge; each one different so far; back in Melbourne after last weekend away and a bit of exploration – urban and riverside – then a coffee on the way home. I’d had a hankering to go west and explore the Maribyrnong for a few weeks – partly after going over it on our Around the Bay ride, and partly after hearing a relation talk of his work on an engineering project out that way – it reminded me I rarely go out there and hadn’t seen much of that side of Melbourne for years.

goodreads — “Tooth & Nail”

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading..

A black cockatoo[1] just flew overhead calling, first one I've seen or heard for months

Sun, 04 Nov 2018 10:34:00 +1100

[1] Yellow-tailed black cockatoo

Coffeeneuring 2018 no. 4 — The Great Ocean Road, the wind, the coffee

Sat, 03 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

My fourth ride of the eighth coffeeneuring challenge; each one different so far; equally good scenery to last week, but much better coffee. We were going away for a four day weekend due to the Melbourne festival of horse whipping, drunkenness and gambling … err, the Melbourne Cup … and taking the bikes with us. It takes up too much of the day if I try and ride the whole 200 km from Melbourne to Lorne so I’d decided to wait until somewhere around Freshwater Creek or Moriac – depending on the route we took – and ride the rest of the way from there.

Amazon frustrations

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 11:00:00 +1100

After a frustrating experience of having Amazon show me an ad with an Australian price and the shipping to Australia, it let me get several steps through the ordering process before telling me that they won’t ship “non-digital products” to Australia.

Coffee shop coincidence

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 12:30:00 +1100

After doing some grocery shopping we sat down in a local café for a coffee and were served by the most inept waiter I’ve met in ages – for his benefit I’ll just assume it was his first day, but judging by the hair pulling and endless teeth grinding of the owner, it may well be his last. The amusing coincidence? The waiter was the idiot that I’ve met several times in the last few weeks who rides against the traffic the wrong way up Dandenong road, the idiot that nearly hit me head-on one morning on the way to work

Coffeeneuring 2018 no. 3 — Mountain ash, tree ferns, bad coffee

Sat, 27 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

My third ride of the eighth coffeeneuring challenge; far better weather than a week ago, but much worse coffee. A six thirty start, first time back on the AWOL after it spent the week at the LBS having the bottom bracket replaced. Last Saturday’s gritty rain ride was the last straw, although it had seemed OK on Sunday when we went out exploring, on Monday morning it was dead – the occasional noise under load was now a constant grinding.

goodreads — “Night Parrot: Australia's Most Elusive Bird”

Sat, 27 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Coffeeneuring 2018 no. 2 — Just like Spring rain…

Sat, 20 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

My second ride of the eighth coffeeneuring challenge; a very different ride to a week ago and a lot fewer people about. I’d woken up around 4 am to the sound of heavy rain on the roof, not a good sign, but by the time I woke a second time at around 6:30 am the rain seemed to have stopped, although everything was very wet. I left under dull grey skies, temperature of 10.

Every day is ride2work day

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Today is the annual event of “Ride2Work day” that Bicycle Network organize to try and get people to try cycle commuting, even if only for the one day a year. Free breakfasts at various places, promotions, you name it. If I’d been going to work on campus I could have helped myself to either of two breakfasts depending on whether I came in the north or the south end of campus, instead it was the first day of the eResearch Australasia conference and I found myself heading towards the city.

Coffeeneuring 2018 no. 1 — Saturday morning bay ride

Sat, 13 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Last year I stumbled on the semi-humorous “coffeeneuring” cycling challenge via the Chasing Mailboxes blog and had lots of fun as a result. The months have rolled around and here it is again, their eighth coffeeneuring challenge, my second time through. Seven rides to seven coffees in seven weeks… how hard can it be? A quick perusal of the rules… hmm, I think rule 9 would have tripped me up last year – one of my coffees was taken during The Slog and wouldn’t qualify this year, I’d better be more careful!

Bits of technology I've owned

Thu, 11 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Something someone said somewhere prompted me to think for a few minutes and come up with a list of the memorable bits of technological hardware I’ve owned. I’m sure there’s something in there that I’ve missed, but here’s what I can remember: Tandy CoCo Amiga 1000 TI99/4a Amiga 4000 Pentium P100 Palm Pilot III Pentium II/III Pentium IV i7 PC ASUS transformer

Natural History Illustration sketching homework

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 13:00:00 +1100

Took my lunch walk around to the lake and tried to sketch the ducks, breeding season and a strong gusty wind had them very skittish and rarely staying still. I should have chosen a more sedentary subject like a shrub – but even the shrubs were whipping around in the wind!

Google Plus or minus

Tue, 09 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Well that was an interesting announcement. Some months ago Facebook announces the Cambridge Analytica security breach and there’s a general wringing of hands, today Google announces a lesser problem and immediately announces their intention to shut the Google Plus platform. Wheels within wheels… I’m sorely tempted to delete my Google Plus profile now but I think I’ll just let it end of life when Google shuts down G+. Unclear what’ll happen after that; I’ve not used Facebook for months due to the toxicity of both the company’s practises and the population on it, I’m teetering on the edge of dropping Instagram due to the Facebookisms – advertising, out-of-order posts, general algorithm-driven-fuckery.

ATBIAD, 50km on the tandem

Sun, 07 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

A long day, truly magnificent weather and a fantastic day out for Cam’s longest ride ever – almost 70 km by the time we added in 9 km getting to the start and home afterwards. Despite my misgivings about logistics and timing, it all went to plan, although as usual my body clock refused to trust the alarm clock, so I woke up pretty much every half hour from 1 am to 4 am, and barely got back to sleep in between.

ATBIAD preliminaries

Thu, 04 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

After over a decade of not riding in the Around the Bay in a Day bike ride, this year Cam and I have entered for the family option on the tandem. It used to be that when you said you’d ridden “Around the Bay in a Day” it meant that you had, in fact, ridden around Port Phillip bay and that you had done so in a day. There are now so many options and distances that you can pay your money, ride 20 km from Albert park down to Elwood and back and say you have “Ridden in Around the Bay in a Day (event)”.

screen to tmux

Thu, 04 Oct 2018 10:00:00 +1000

Bit the bullet and jumped from screen to tmux, a slow jump kindled a few months ago when I was told that only old people use screen, sparking me to do something about it yesterday when I restarted my linux box and started a tmux session rather than a screen one. Now I’ve had to dig into manuals and blog posts to find out how it works

Three decades of Silvio's Pizza

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 20:12:00 +1000

Dinner at an old favorite, Silvio’s Pizza. Jo pointed out that she’d been coming here for 30 years, since physio work in 1988 in Church street. I’ve been coming here at least 20, since 1998 or thereabouts, calling in for pizza after cycling on a Tuesday evening with Mascott cycles. Cam the shortest, and proportionality the longest, since 2008, all 10 years of his life plus an in-utero visit or two.

The owl says farewell

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 19:00:00 +1000

Packing up to leave Lorne in the dark after a three day weekend I can hear an owl somewhere off across the river. “Huh-hoo..” or however you’re meant to transcribe bird calls. I’d heard it calling on Friday night too, closer to the house and further round the hill up behind us. Sadly there’d been no sign of any Black cockatoos again this weekend, I wonder where they’ve all gone for the winter?

Kookaburra at night

Sun, 30 Sep 2018 08:00:00 +1000

Some time in the middle of the night a few kookaburras[1] started calling. Not sure when, i think around 4am, certainly well before it started to get light [1] Laughing kookaburra

an unlikely movie double

Sat, 29 Sep 2018 11:00:00 +1000

Walking past the Lorne cinema I saw the posters for this weekend’s movies, I chuckled and thought of a truly awesome double bill that could be presented: Ladies in Black (2018) and Men in Black (1997) – I think that’d get all audiences off side

enjoyable ride along the GOR

Sat, 29 Sep 2018 10:45:00 +1000

Cam and I rode from Lorne to Wye River and stopped for a coffee or hot chocolate, then met up with Jo on her way back from Skenes creek and rode together back to Lorne. Timed it perfectly to miss bus o’clock – the hour from 10-11am when all the outbound tour buses head down the Great Ocean Road, and even spotted an echidna in the grass on the way back down to St George river

Lorne morning birds

Fri, 28 Sep 2018 08:34:00 +1000

8 o’clock and time to walk down to the supermarket for bread. A male Gang-gang[1] flies creaking out of the trees and across the road. Magpies[2], currawongs[3], wattlebirds[4] and a NH honeyeater on the way down the hill. Wood ducks and black ducks in the river, a solitary kookaburra on the grass. On the way back a pair of king parrots and one crimson rosella, others calling from the trees. Some swallows, lots of blue wrens flitting about, back to the house with sulphur crested cockies[5] circling overhead

bugbear du jour

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 14:44:00 +1000

Mixing percentages and ratios and quantities – “…a quarter of X … and one in five of Y…” – are the reporters and authors deliberately trying to confuse people, or do they just expect that nobody really pays attention to the actual numbers?

A very satisfied raven[1] just strutted past my window, a big fat chip from someone's lunch carried sideways in its beak

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 12:05:00 +1000

[1] Little raven

goodreads — “Home Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow”

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

The flag of Papua New Guinea

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 08:45:00 +1000

There’s a house that I ride past in Huntingdale that has a flag pole in the front garden and usually has a flag flying; often the Australian flag, sometimes the Victorian. Today they were flying the flag of PNG – a striking design, it reminded me of when I was in primary school and interested in stamp collecting – PNG gained independence and Australia Post brought out a stamp commemorating it.

goodreads — “Nature Near London”

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

2018-09-16T14.45 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 14:45:00 +1000

instagram

Fri, 14 Sep 2018 13:05:58 +1000

2018-09-10T15.09 gyrosco.pe/ajft

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 15:09:00 +1000

World of Wonder & icebergs

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0000

From my childhood memories – the big stack of “World of Wonder” magazines that I inherited from some family friends and that then gave me years of fascinating reading. I was reminded of them because of a slashdot story on towing icebergs from Antarctica to the middle east – which was the feature article in one of those magazines from the early 1970s! Now if only I could find a picture of that particular cover image.

instagram

Sun, 09 Sep 2018 20:49:29 +1000

Sunday Skyrail Bikepath Exploration

Sun, 09 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Off for an hour and a half to explore the progress of the bikepath along the railway… south and east along the line from Oakleigh to Dandenong, then turn around retrace my steps. One of the benefits of the Level Crossing Removal Project. They say there’ll be a “Continuous Bike Path” from Caulfield to Dandenong, so off I went to see how far along the construction has progressed. Although they did say that for a while, then the wording changed a bit.

The Big Five

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 19:30:00 +1000

The daily newspaper quiz asks what “The Big Five” in Africa are. I can’t quite remember, number one son asks what the name means, we tell him it was a list of animals hunters would like to kill. He claims that clearly one of them cannot be the giraffe, as there’s no way that you could mount a giraffe head on a wall because the neck would stick out too far… cue ten minutes of politically incorrect giggles at the thought of enormously long giraffe necks mounted in small rooms.

Black, the colour of this bear…

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 18:45:00 +1000

A little music while cooking dinner, Les Miserables turned up to be heard over the fan & microwave. Much laughter as number one son belts out his favourite #mondegreen – “Red, the colour of desire. Black, the colour of this bear…”

Where is the small allen key?

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 08:15:00 +1000

After the Gravel Grind ride last Sunday, or the corrugated parts in particular, one of my bidon cages has worked loose and the bottle has wobbled to and fro on my rides to work. Hunting around for the correct sized allen key this morning I found out just how many of them I have lying around the house… and shed. Unfortunately I think I’ve only got one or two of the 2mm size that these bolts are I was beginning to suspect that I’d carefully put them somewhere safe – so safe that I couldn’t find them.

post-ride aches

Sun, 02 Sep 2018 13:00:00 +1000

I really should give up on this idea of entering moderately hard bike rides and not doing any training. Relying on generaly fitness and my minimal commutes just doesn’t cut it! Today I’m a bundle of aches and pains, moving around the house like an old man and having trouble bending down to pick things up. The back of my neck and trapezius aches, probably from carrying the little backpack for the whole day.

removed a half-eaten blackbird[1] wing from the path by the garage – someone's cat got lucky

Thu, 30 Aug 2018 17:45:00 +1000

[1] Common blackbird

Cold commute home

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Riding home on the coldest day so far this year, on the third last day of what is officially winter. There was a frost this morning and it was cold and still all day, thankfully with a clear blue sky so any time you could get out in the sun you felt warmer. Around 8 °C as I left the building, the sun still above the horizon for another half hour or so.

CRTs on the hardrubbish

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 13:00:00 +1000

Every year as the council #hardrubbish collection week approaches the same question appears in my mind – when will we run out of old CRT TVs, endlessly pulled out of sheds and dumped on the street?

Office birds

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 14:30:00 +1000

My desk in the new office is up against the window, only 2m away from a flowering bottlebrush behind the mirrored glass. Every day I watch the antics as pairs of lorikeets[1] and noisy miners[2] attack the flowers, ravens stalk around hunting through the garden bed below. [1] Rainbow lorikeet [2] Noisy miner

instagram

Sun, 19 Aug 2018 10:00:16 +1000

Coincidence around "The Meg"

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 12:17:00 +1000

A few months ago I saw a short for a movie and thought, hey, that’s the book I started reading last year some time. Sure enough, “The Meg” is a movie now. Sometime last year I was sitting in a coffee shop or pub or mini-golf place – I think – waiting for Jo & Cam and I picked up the only tattered paperback I could see – Steve Alten’s “The Meg” – got a chapter or so into it and had to put it down.

goodreads — “Stranger Things Happen”

Mon, 13 Aug 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Finished reading…

Two days of Black cockatoos

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 00:00:00 +0000

They’re two of my favourite birds; the Yellow-tailed black cockatoo – with their lazy slow wing-beats and creaking call, and the shy Gang-gang cockatoo, creaking and croaking from the trees, often accompanied by a near constant crack-crack-crack as they crack open gumnuts. Neither seem very common in Melbourne, I sometimes see black cockies in the trees along the creek during the winter, but can’t remember seeing any gang-gangs, both are more a bird of the forests.

Avebury

Thu, 09 Aug 2018 20:00:00 +1000

Watching a documentary this evening as Tony Robinson was walking “The Ridgeway” across southern England and passed through Avebury, the village ringed by standing stones. I have vivid memories of a TV series from when I was a child that was set in Avebury, it gave me nightmares for years. Checking up on Avebury in wikipedia and I find the series was Children of the Stones and that: The series is today considered a landmark in quality children’s drama and has been called “the scariest programme ever made for children”

Yellow-tailed black cockatoos[1] on the commute

Wed, 08 Aug 2018 17:00:00 +1000

Crossing over Dandenong road on the ride home and over the traffic noise in the damp and gloom there’s the unmistakable creaking call of a black cockatoo – no idea where it was, but they always bring a smile to my face [1] Yellow-tailed black cockatoo

for sale

Fri, 03 Aug 2018 08:30:00 +1000

The car yard that’s been on the corner of Dandenong and Clayton roads for at least the past twenty years is up for sale. I suspect another big apartment development coming!

cheese?

Thu, 02 Aug 2018 09:30:00 +1000

I read that there’s something called “American White Cheese” and something else called “American Yellow Cheese”, and I am truly afraid

Dancing the Wemo config. dance

Mon, 30 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0000

So a couple of weeks ago I checked the vendor website for my ADSL router and found that there was updated firmware available. Just as I’d done two or three times previously I downloaded the firmware, logged in to the router’s administrative page, uploaded the new firmware and pressed the on-screen button to restart the router. Only one problem, there’s a tick-box to select whether to restart with the current settings or to perform a factory reset.

Panic!

Sat, 28 Jul 2018 14:00:00 +1000

Very strange. I’ve had my wedding ring on my left hand ring finger since around Anzac day 2013, I’ve never removed it since it was resized to fit. At some point this afternoon my right hand felt odd, I glanced down and had a momentary panic attack when I saw no ring on my right hand – thinking I’d lost it!

The birds, the birds!

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 13:00:00 +1000

After two weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia where we saw almost nothing in the towns except sparrows and a few swifts it was sheer bliss to be back at work listening to the lorikeets[1] shrieking outside the window, currawongs[2] calling from further away, and hear a kookaburra[3] on my lunch time walk [1] Rainbow lorikeet [2] Pied currawong [3] Laughing kookaburra

Grasshopper Tours Angkor Wat day ride

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 07:34:00 +0700

English language

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 09:00:00 +1000

“English is like a goblin roaming around the world with a sack, finding words it likes in other languages, bashing them on the head and mangling them a bit and stuffing them in the sack”

Finally through Cambodian passports

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 10:56:00 +1000

So little wildlife in Vietnam

Tue, 10 Jul 2018 15:36:00 +1000

Sparrows, swifts and that’s all. A single pair of kingfishers on the river and one egret in a field yesterday. No pigeons, seagulls or water birds. No ducks, only domestic ducks and chickens

Cam quote

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 07:20:00 +1000

Sometimes when I wake up my brain is confused and I get money and time mixed up and think there’s 60 cents in a dollar

Crazy wind

Wed, 04 Jul 2018 13:52:00 +1000

I stepped out from the shelter of the Menzies bld and a sudden gust hit. My hat made a bid for freedom. 4-5m up & 20m away it came down only just this side of the building site fence

Timing trouble

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 10:30:00 +1000

Such a minor annoyance, receipts & cash registers never seem to have the right time. Stands out when all the phones & online pay systems do

Of course the bike path isn't open yet

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 15:46:00 +1000

2018-06-30T16.36.40_samsung

Sat, 30 Jun 2018 16:36:40 +1000

When 2018-06-30T16:36:40+10:00

Lunch in a cafe, cages hanging from the ceiling

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 13:17:00 +1000

I think the cages need occupants, something whimsical like a stuffed owl, or an animatronic teddy bear. Can i fit one in our study?

A convenient fire drill

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 12:47:00 +1000

Just starting to pack up to go to lunch when barp barp barp the fire alarm starts up. Just a drill says the building warden over the PA. Off we go to lunch

Almost sunny morning

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 08:42:00 +1000

No fog today and only light broken cloud cover. A pair of magpies[1] warbled and chortled at me from a park as a butcherbird[2] called incessantly in the tree overhead. Arrived at work and the lorikeets[3] are still screaming [1] Australian magpie [2] Grey butcherbird [3] Rainbow lorikeet

Another misty grey day

Thu, 28 Jun 2018 16:58:00 +1000

It’s been grey and overcast all day, again with alight mist around. The gum trees are still flowering and the lorikeets[1] are still deafeningly loud, at odds with the overall feel of the weather [1] Rainbow lorikeet

Orgzly to micro publishing

Thu, 28 Jun 2018 10:33:00 +1000

Thinking yesterday of ways to tie together the tools I have and my website workflow. I write in org-mode, then publish via hugo… with a few too many manual steps. Can i work out a more automated way of pushing short notes?

Winter commute

Wed, 27 Jun 2018 18:00:00 +1000

Another cold and misty day, 3.5°C on the ride to work and a low fog bank off to the east filling Dandenong creek valley. A hazy mist in the air all day and a magnificent full moon rising through it on the way home

2018-06-23T08.19.22_samsung

Sat, 23 Jun 2018 08:19:22 +0000

When 2018-06-23 08:19:22

Samsung galaxy S8 camera problem

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 12:25:00 +1000

I’m not sure if it’s due to the Samsung S8’s fingerprint sensor, but almost every time I try to take a photo the camera won’t focus and hunts around until I clean the lenses. Never happened with the S6

morning commute

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 10:44:00 +1000

Chilly ride to school and work, then got here and made the lift break down – I pushed the button, the indicator said it was at 3, 2, 1, G…. Then all the lights on the board went out and I heard it shut down. Waited a few minutes, pressed a few buttons, then gave up, hoiked bike up onto my shoulder and walked up the stairs to the third floor

Where in the world?

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Following a bouncing ball from Aaron Davis’ Read Write Collect to Hacking an Ontario Extend Visited Countries Map I found myself looking at the URL for a map of the world and countries visited. I’ve had the list in my “where” page for ages – although I also just realised that I’d left off Malaysia after our trip to Borneo a couple of years ago. So where next? I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you….

somewhere outside there's a butcher bird[1], calling loudly and telling me to get out of the office and rejoin the world

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 17:15:00 +1000

[1] Grey butcherbird

Cycliq Fly12 Woes

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Yesterday for the first time in ages I took a look at a video from the Cycliq Fly12 – I wanted to see what the grid-locked traffic looked like. As usual, I did it through the USB connection since I’ve found the Android app to be barely usable for connecting to the device, let along trying to view any video. Watching the video I realised it was still set to GMT+11 so the timestamps were an hour out.

goodreads — “The Silent Intelligence”

Thu, 31 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000

The Silent Intelligence: The Internet of Things by Daniel Kellmereit My rating: 3 of 5 stars View all my reviews Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

An Open Tabs sweep

Sun, 27 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Inspired by https://miklb.com/blog/2017/12/22/open-tabs-vol-i/ I thought I’d do a sweep across my open browser tabs – what’s there, and why. I tend to keep the number of open tabs to a minimum, anything banked up “for when I get around to it” is bookmarked in my org-mode notes. Pinned Gmail Google+ joindiaspora Gmail feedly Google Keep Slack Unpinned On The Road: A Spotify playlist from a YHA email that I thought I’d listen through.

APS photo roll 902-122, not 902-112!

Fri, 25 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000

[2001-06-07 Thu] / Panorama from Glastonbury tor (2/5) / Glastonbury, UK I discovered during some re-reading of old posts – A simple task…. – that I’d managed to make typos for years, the APS photo roll 902-122 being mislabelled as 902-112 at times. I think I’ve fixed all the occurrences, and along the way moved away from having those photos as static images in the filesystem and into my openphoto installation.

MathJax and Org mode

Mon, 14 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000

I’d bookmarked this one a few weeks ago, a tutorial on using MathJax to embed equations in pages. Some playing around and I found the correct level of escapes needed to get the MathJax code through the Org mode interpretation into the markdown intermediary, and then fed into hugo. The inline code in the Org mode source needs to be opened by two backslashes and a left brace, and then closed by two backslashes and and a right brace.

Censored!

Thu, 10 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Who doesn’t like “???” being given as the reason for a post being removed from a forum. Last.fm pushed out a feature that basically broke everything for many people – Spotify to Last.fm integration stopped working. After weeks of it still not working, the help forum was still of no help because there was no workaround for the broken beta feature. Comments to that effect got removed by the moderators:

LXRA closes bikepath for a month, two months... four months

Thu, 10 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Following on from my last writeup of the arbitrary bike path closures by the LXRA, on top of this week’s confusion about when “early May” expires so the bike path will re-open, I got some new information about the next closure! Or is it just a continuation of the current closure? [2018-03-02 Fri] surprise closure, no sign The Station trail bike path had only been open for just over a week, after the previous three month closure, today it was closed.

Testing embedded Google Photo

Tue, 08 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Further in my thinking of where I should host my photos and how I should display them, today I decided to look into embedding images from Google Photos. It doesn’t look to be easy by default, the “share” option lets you paste into G+, Facebook and Twitter, and the only other option is a URL that points to the image on Google Photos. Some brief searches and I found a facility – https://ctrlq.

goodreads — “There Will be War”

Sun, 06 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000

There Will Be War by Jerry Pournelle My rating: 3 of 5 stars View all my reviews Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

TIL tbray SoTD WPA

Sat, 05 May 2018 17:55:00 +1000

well there you go; courtesy of Tim Bray’s Song of the Day series I’ve found that Barrett’s Privateers, made famous in my ears by Weddings, Parties, Anything, is from Canadian Stan Rogers

Some more Org mode graphs

Thu, 03 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Following on from the org-workflow posting last year, I’ve kept on generating the same graphs for 2018. Here they are with a small amount of commentary. Bookmarks The pile of unread bookmarks: Stubbornly hovering around 100, there’s a number of items that I must get through some time when I’ve got time and incliniation. RSS feeds The firehose of RSS entries: A little too much FOMO and inability to cull. Too often I find an item via my bookmarks above and then decide to add the site’s RSS feed to the mix.

Our Orb Spider

Tue, 10 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000

One Saturday morning about two weeks ago I began my morning with the usual ritual, out the back door, ride up to the bakery and bring home fresh bread for breakfast. Nothing untoward happened. An hour later I stepped out the back door again and found myself completely wrapped in spider web, some time in the hour a very optimistic spider had built its web across the doorway! While I was untangling myself, Jo looked up and pointed out the culprit – a very large Garden Orb Spider had taken up residence above the door.

Music – The Knack

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 14:30:00 +1000

listening to the entire album “Get the Knack” to relive a little childhood, for years I had – and probably still have – a cassette tape with a live concert and had never realised that it’s probably that album played through, I think I’d only ever heard “My Sharona” on the radio. Very cheesy, no wonder it appealed to my 14yr old self.

PLU Codes

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

A fascinating thing I’ve learned in the last week. Those annoying little plastic stickers on fruit have a globally standardised four digit number on them – the PLU Codes (Price Look Up Codes). I’d taken to peeling them off and sticking them on the wall calendar, it makes it easy to see where in the year I’m up to. Amazing, I never knew that those annoying fruit stickers had globally agreed four digit codes

V/Line purple

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 08:45:00 +1100

I saw an N-class and three coaches in new purple V/Line livery, it looked very shiny and new and smart, and matched the V/Locity sets. The effect was somewhat spoilt by the two dirty old red and grey coaches making up the remainder of the train

goodreads — “A Calculated Life”

Tue, 27 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

A Calculated Life by Anne Charnock My rating: 3 of 5 stars View all my reviews Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Something different

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 13:00:00 +1100

a pleasant break from all the ravens and lorikeets, on my walk today I had a nice closeup view of a Black-faced cuckooshrike[1] on the wires overhead [1] Black-faced cuckooshrike

Somewhere near work we seem to have the world's loudest butcherbird[1], I can't believe the volume that it calls at!

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 09:00:00 +1100

[1] Grey butcherbird

birds on the commute

Tue, 20 Mar 2018 08:30:00 +1100

Damp and grey, the first rainy morning I can remember for months. Riding in the last few streets to work there were currawongs[1] calling, somewhere, evoking winter. Then a butcherbird[2] loudly telling the world it was raining [1] Pied currawong [2] Grey butcherbird

Skyrail progress

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 18:00:00 +1100

Thursday afternoon long ride home, around to Grange road to check out the full length of the Skyrail section. Caulfield end waiting for ramps, the south viaduct is one segment short of Poath road

Finally, a new fence

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

After around five years of procrastination, we now have a new fence. Almost entirely due to the more organised adult of the household, I suspect I’d have been tempted to let the old fence lean further and further over until it fell into the neighbour’s garden. After a few false starts we finally managed to acquire the requisite number of quotes on fence replacement, got in touch with the managing agents for the neighbour’s house, got approval and got it all started.

LXRA Relocation

Fri, 09 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Due to a long weekend of intensive rail works taking place directly adjacent to our house, we took up the LXRA offer of “relocation accommodation,” and this time made sure it was somewhere other than an apartment directly on the Dandenong road/Warrigal road intersection – which had turned out to be drag-racing central at night, and heavy traffic starting around dawn. Over the weekend we alternated between a few hours at home doing the household things we required, and the rest of the time as far away as possible from the pumper truck’s howling pump and assorted digging machinery beeping, clanking and digging.

What about my photos?

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

On again, off again. My interest in OpenPhoto, which morphed into trovebox1 and then seems to have petered out due to lack of interest a couple of years ago. Amusing in a way, given that the entire project came into being due to concern that commercial photo hosting sites, eg flickr, can be ephemeral, and that hosting your photos on one loses some aspects of ownership. So a few years of enthusiasm in building an opensource replacement came and went and at the end of it, the majority of the commerical “free” photo hosting sites are still around.

Haphazard bicycle lanes; good bad or ugly

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

There seem to be two schools of thought around councils and roads authorities providing bike lanes; one is to treat them like precocious toddlers, lavish praise on anything they do no matter how ineffectual or useless, the other is to praise the good and call them out on the bad or just plain dangerous. A few too many people seem to lean too far to the former, sighing and flapping their hands and exclaiming “Well it’s better than nothing.

Evening Skyrail progress

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 20:00:00 +1100

A late evening walk up to Murrumbeena on one side of the railway and back on the other. Surprised to see how close the south viaduct of Skyrail has got – it’s level with the end of Rosella street – and also at how high it is at that point

Mark E. Smith

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 11:55:00 +1100

Oh, I just discovered that Mark E. Smith died back in January, on [2018-01-24 Wed]. It must have been while we were away up at Bright

LXRA vs Cycling

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

The attitudes and actions of the entire Level Crossing removal project seem to firmly entrenched in the 1970s. Cyclists don’t count, pedestrians don’t count, footpaths don’t count. Interruptions to roads need to be managed, signed, detours provided, but anything else can be interrupted at a whim, on zero notice, for however long they like. If you’re lucky there’s a sign saying “Use other footpath”, but there’s never any information on where this mysterious other footpath is.

Idiotic bike path at Huntingdale

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

This afternoon I decided to detour on the ride home, to head south down to Clayton to check out the progress on the Skyrail viaduct, then ride home along the the bike path to get a better look at the newly opened – or is it nearly opened – bike path through Huntingdale now that the redevelopment there is nearly complete. Almost at Huntingdale station the path runs between the car park and the feeder loop from North road around into Huntindale road.

"Read Later" housekeeping

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 10:05:00 +1100

reduced my feedly “Read Later” list from 224 down to 190 items, I wish there was a way to export it and get it directly into my org-mode feeds. Unsurprisingly, many of the old links have vanished due to bitrot. #simplify

LXRA progres

Tue, 27 Feb 2018 11:15:00 +1100

Lovely and sunny, with scattered cherry pickers…lots of scattered cherry pickers. Bike path is open to Huntingdale, but if anyone in SE Melbourne is looking for a cherry picker, I know where they’ve all been stashed. At Huntingdale a bit more of the bike path is open, lovely straight path, goes between the car park and station platform all the way to the bus interchange then vanishes with a “Cyclists dismount” sign.

LXRA vegetation devastation

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 00:00:00 +0000

For five years or more we’ve lived alongside the railway line, the tracks are 10m from our side fence, and just outside our fence at the front is a small thicket of cypress trees, apparently planted by a previous occupant of the house two or three decades ago. In our back garden is a very large bay laurel that overhangs the fence and grows about 3m out over the railway land.

goodreads — “The Scarlet Letter”

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 00:00:00 +0000

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne View all my reviews Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

not quite hoarding

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 20:00:00 +1100

Almost 30 years ago, sometime in 1988 or thereabouts, I had my left ear pierced. I bought a pair of silver earings and have worn one of them in it ever since. Last weekend it started falling open, then snapped. Today I picked up the other one from where I’ve kept it, through up to 10 house moves, and put that one in.

Superb parrots[1]

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 11:30:00 +1100

Signs along Hillview drive near Murrumbatemen warning of Superb parrots feeding on the roadside, I kept my eyes peeled but didn’t see any trace of them. So far the only ones I’ve ever seen were flying over Colin’s old place on Yass river road. [1] Superb parrot

bay tree suckers are almost ankle-high in the lawn, overdue for a mow

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 18:00:00 +1100

saw a large rat running along the back fence, it may be time for some traps

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 08:10:00 +1100

I think they’re attracted by the compost, and it may be rats rather than possums that ate the peaches. Last night we watched a large one trot casually along the fence from bay tree to garage and back

goodreads — “Assegai”

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Assegai by Wilbur Smith View all my reviews Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

released a blackbird[1] that had got in under the netting on the tomatoes

Sun, 07 Jan 2018 20:30:00 +1100

[1] Common blackbird

2018 Rainfall

Fri, 05 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 0.5 2.0 0.5 4.5 2 1.5 14.0 3 0.5 4 13.5 1.0 5 1.5 1.5 0.5 6 1.5 0.5 7 5.0 43.0 8 2.0 2.5 3.5 0.5 9 4.0 0.5 2.5 10 10.0 3.5 11 19.0 10.0 12 12.0 5.5 2.5 7.0 13 2.5 0.5 11.0 14 7.0 7.0 16.5 15 3.5 1.0 12.5 16 16.0 2.

Music Genre confusion spam

Wed, 03 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

I’m not sure whether the author is truly confused, or if this is meant to be just a blatant attempt at grabbing membership numbers for their forums. I won’t dignify them with a name or URL, but here’s a “personal message” I received through the last.fm messaging system with their name elided: You are invited to join ……., a Gothic & Metal online community aimed at making it easier for like minded people to meet and get to know each other.

Last bike ride of 2017 — Jamieson, Curtis & Sharps tracks

Sun, 31 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

The New Year break found us staying at Lorne again, and me trying to get out every day to keep up with my other challenge – ride all 365 days of the year. I managed to make it to 363, two days in September were written off as I lay in bed shaking with the flu. For the past five or ten years I’ve made a conscious effort to have some form of interesting “last ride of the year”, rather than to just realise early in the next year that something boring was the last one.

lorikeets[1] have found the plum tree, much shrieking and destruction of fruit

Mon, 25 Dec 2017 10:00:00 +1100

[1] Rainbow lorikeet

should have mowed the lawn last weekend

Wed, 20 Dec 2017 17:30:00 +1100

left-most snake bean is now a metre up the trellis work

Tue, 19 Dec 2017 08:41:00 +1100

The Fitbit HR hat-trick

Sun, 17 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Over the years the whole lifelogging / quantified-self thing has interested me, although not obsessively, so when the opportunity presented itself in late 2015 to buy a fitbit HR at a discount I jumped at the chance. Order online, quote the discount code provided through work, pay, product arrives. Cue several months of operation, with only one notable annoyance – the very square edges that have a habit of catching on things when I move my arm past them, often leading to it jabbing into my spouse or catching on the bed while I roll over in my sleep.

dream meetings

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 10:00:00 +1100

woke up this morning convinced that one of the things I’d have to deal with is a meeting, stupidly booked for 5-6pm this Friday. Got to work and checked my calendar and there’s no trace of it… I guess I must have dreamt it.

no TV Tuesday

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 22:00:00 +1100

Many evenings recently, especially Tuesdays, have been spent watching a post-dinner documentary. Today there was nothing on free-to-air and rather than find an online one, we had a quiet evening. Just cicadas and birds roosting. I enjoyed it.

found a nest of eggs – I suspect marbled geckos – while weeding yesterday under the plum tree

Sun, 10 Dec 2017 08:25:00 +1100

the wisteria we grew from seed from mum & dad's garden by the front tap hasn't died, lots of leaves

Sat, 09 Dec 2017 09:17:00 +1100

Jo saw a gecko race out of the compost bin, and two skinks on the front deck in the sun yesterday

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 08:20:00 +1100

neighbours finally picked up the rubbish they dumped on their lawn – not quite our garden

Thu, 07 Dec 2017 17:37:00 +1100

The mindset is just foreign to me; they wash and tidy their car every week, but are perfectly happy to just dump bags of unwanted clothes, old toys and rubbish on their front lawn

cicada skin in an unusual place, on a rose bush near the front gate – spotted by Jo on [2017-12-04 Mon]

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 10:58:00 +1100

Cam and I walk around from the side of the house so we couldn’t see it, but Jo walked out the front door and had a different angle. Unlike most of the cicada skins that are on the fence or 2m or so up a tree, this one is on a rose leaf only 1m off the ground.

sandy little ant mounds appearing in lawn as the ants recover from the rain

Tue, 05 Dec 2017 17:45:00 +1100

Cycling 2017

Tue, 05 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

An annual challenge, “ride every day,” and in 2017 I came the closest I’ve come to making it a reality. Some days I only made it around the block, or up to the local bakery, but every day of the year except two I got out on the bike and managed to clock up at least 1.5km. The two exceptions were two days spent in bed with the flu, at a holiday house in the Otways, while my bike languished outside on the roofrack of the car.

snake beans are just tall enough to start touching the trellis

Mon, 04 Dec 2017 17:45:00 +1100

solid rain all last night, 43mm in the gauge this morning

Sun, 03 Dec 2017 09:58:00 +1100

11pm and the branches are scratching and banging on the wall and roof near our bedroom, must trim them

Sat, 02 Dec 2017 23:00:00 +1100

cleaned the gutters, snapped some brittle dead branches off silver birch on south side

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:00:00 +1100

TGIF… omg, not friday at all

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 16:30:00 +1100

I think I just spent two hours thinking it was Frday, looking forward to a beer after work with colleagues, even debated riding in to Mountain Goat, then when I walked into the café I realised today is Thursday.

not quite our garden, unfortunately one of the railway cypress trees is marked, probably for removal

Wed, 29 Nov 2017 18:26:00 +1100

There’s a big red cross sprayed on one of the clump of thick cypress trees that shield us from the railway – I suspect it means that this one, the end one, is marked to be removed.

Perfect timing!

Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:00:00 +1100

Leaving the office I walked across the hall to try and fill my water bottle before riding home in 35°C heat. The light on the door card-access reader was green… until I got a metre from it when there was a loud click and it locked, requiring card access, but only to the staff who work in there. No water for me

hot dry weather is starting, the first dry patch of lawn has appeared

Tue, 28 Nov 2017 18:45:00 +1100

Listening to a podcast and wincing, why do Americans insist on pronouncing "solder" as "sodder"

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 14:15:00 +1100

intended to buy tomato seedlings at Oakleigh Rotary market, but didn't go due to rain

Sun, 26 Nov 2017 14:41:00 +1100

everything wet and green, we really should get some tomato plants

Sat, 25 Nov 2017 18:00:00 +1100

passionfruit flowering on the fence

Fri, 24 Nov 2017 19:00:00 +1100

more rain, snail pellets out around beans and beetroot, about half the beetroot gone

Thu, 23 Nov 2017 19:00:00 +1100

three beans looking healthy, not quite reached the trellis yet, some leaf nibbles

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 17:45:00 +1100

cicadas at night in the trees, an orb spider setting up near the box hedge in the front

Tue, 21 Nov 2017 21:34:00 +1100

The roses are just about finished, lots of dead-heading to be done

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 19:00:00 +1100

Coffeeneuring 2017 no. 7 -- Koonung Creek trail

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

A final ride for the 2017 coffeeneuring challenge and I almost thought I wasn’t going to make it over the weekend and would have to bend the rules. I’d thought I’d be going out for a longer ride alone, as it was we had a shorter one with the family. So over the three weeks, the rides were short short long, short long, short short. Which in Morse code is “U-A-I”.

wet after the rain, half a dozen cicada skins on the Bay tree, silver birch and fence

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 09:03:00 +1100

chives flowering between orange and lime trees

Sat, 18 Nov 2017 09:00:00 +1100

time to purge the lawn of the bindis or burrs I can see…

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 18:00:00 +1100

…while they’re still green, before they dry out and cause foot pain

Coffeeneuring 2017 no. 6 -- refuelling on the corner

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

My efforts for the 2017 coffeeneuring challenge have been split into four small rides during my lunch break from work, and three longer rides. The first two little rides in were, almost coincidentally, to the south and then the east, so I made a conscious effort to go north for the third with the intention of then heading west for the fourth1. Today in the morning I’d attended a lab walk-through for SensiLab at Monash University Caulfield campus, so although today’s coffee destination is west of my normal workplace, I was heading east when I got there.

much needed rain, ants on the move into the house, some meyer lemons finally fall off

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 21:07:00 +1100

rain on the smokers

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 12:30:00 +1100

The rain is playing havoc with the smokers who hide in the building 75 loading dock for a naughty on-campus smoke. Too lazy to walk 50m to the cancer corner at the end of Woodside av, they’re now getting dripped on as well.

Which Indigenous countries, in Victoria?

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Satisfying my own curiousity and not intending to annoy or irritate anyone with this, I took a punt at answering a simple question that may have been asked rhetorically, and certainly wasn’t aimed directly at me – “How many Murri nations have you visited?” The entire continent makes the crowded SE corner map almost invisible, and I spend most of my time at home here in Victoria, so here’s a best guess of where I’ve stayed over the years:

possums have eaten off about a third of the beetroot plants at ground level

Wed, 15 Nov 2017 18:46:00 +1100

Fairly sure its possums and not snails from the way it all looks eaten

first hot summer-like night, spider webs everywhere, crickets calling

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 20:45:00 +1100

another bean seedling half eaten, we suspect possums this time. Two and a half left

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 21:21:00 +1100

hard green plums everywhere, Cam is knocking them out of the tree then throwing them around the garden

Sun, 12 Nov 2017 21:55:00 +1100

Coffeeneuring 2017 no. 5 -- “The Slog” and a coffee

Sat, 11 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Fourteen years ago a church group – the 4Cs – decided to hold a fund-raising bike ride from where they were, in Pakenham on the eastern outskirts of Melbourne, to Sale, on the Gippsland coast. Thus the Slog to Sale was created. For fourteen years the ride has been held, I’m not sure when the name changed to The Slog and the route changed to a loop around the West Gippsland area, but that was what it was when I did my first one in 2012.

three live bean seedling, beetroot all recovered after a solid watering

Fri, 10 Nov 2017 20:50:00 +1100

Coffeeneuring 2017 no. 4 -- nanoadventure to the north

Fri, 10 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Part the fourth of my attempt at the 2017 coffeeneuring challenge, and to keep to the rules, I have to go for a ride and a coffee today. Like the first and the second, this is a lunchtime mini-ride to somewhere – anywhere – preferably somewhere I haven’t previously visited. Since the first was to the south, and the second to the west, clearly now, in the immortal words of Mark E.

a dozen small leaves on the front garden peach, three quarters of the branches look dead

Thu, 09 Nov 2017 11:23:00 +1100

So its not quite dead, but I don’t expect it to survive another year

iceberg roses are covered in blooms along the front fence, inside and outside

Wed, 08 Nov 2017 17:45:00 +1100

Three bean seedlings good, two mediocre, two dead

Tue, 07 Nov 2017 18:00:00 +1100

As far as I can tell the two seedlings against the garage wall have died or been eaten or both, one or two of the ones along the fence are wilting, and three or look strong and are definitely growing more leave

Coffeeneuring 2017 no. 3 -- Lorne to Apollo Bay

Sun, 05 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

With a long weekend at Lorne on the Great Ocean Road there’s a chance for a few long rides, especially if I can force myself to get up early and get out before the tourist buses come through and make the traffic a bit too much of a chore. This morning I was up at dawn and headed out towards Wye River, intending to go through as far as Cape Patton and grab a coffee on the way back, probably at Kennet River.

four days of misty rain, everything green, we're in between flowerings

Fri, 03 Nov 2017 12:26:00 +1100

Nothing much is still flowering except for Jo’s “Just Joey” and the mass of little daisies over the front steps, all the other flowers have finished. There are still giant lemons ripening and a last few limes.

Coffeeneuring 2017 no. 2

Fri, 03 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Right then, yesterday was a good start, down south through the medical precinct for the first coffee of the challenge. Since today is Friday it’s a new week according to the rules, so off I’ll go in a new direction. New rules for myself are that I’ll try my best to go to places that I’ve never been to before, but here in Melbourne we’re surrounded by a bazillion coffee shops, so how to choose?

Lunchy skyrail coffee

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 12:24:59 +1100

A quick trundle down to Clayton on the single-speed – yay, I’ve got a new chain – to check out the Skyrail construction and sip a very chocolate-laden cappucino at one of my favourite cafe’s, Caffe Corso. #coffeeneuring Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

Coffeeneuring 2017 no. 1

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Now here’s a challenge I can aspire to; suitably silly, a name with a pun, involves coffee and cycling, easy enough but it’ll take a bit of paying attention to not let the days slip past. Let’s go coffeeneuring… Somewhere around five weeks ago I stumbled across the blog post at Save the Date: Coffeeneuring Challenge Starts October 13 and decided to give it a go; seven coffees in six weeks didn’t seem too hard.

"Just Joey" rose is flowering, three or four big buds starting to open

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 09:27:00 +1100

bean seedlings against the garage are being eaten, despite the snail pellets

Wed, 01 Nov 2017 17:45:00 +1100

We’re not sure what is eating them though

the wysteria seedlings may have died

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 10:43:00 +1100

We don’t seem to have much success with them, over the years we’ve sprouted a few plants from seeds taken from mum & dad’s garden, but then the plants are either eaten, chopped down, or die over winter

rain overnight and today much needed, but the accompanying wind was not

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 18:13:00 +1100

Stormy winds most of yesterday afternoon and then intermittent overnight. Many of the small green plums have blown off and are on the lawn. Amazingly all the meyer lemons are still on the tree, although I did pick three after the heat of Friday and Saturday finally ripened them enough to be pickable.

the climbing rose closest to the railway on the front fence is dead

Sun, 29 Oct 2017 15:51:00 +1100

It hasn’t looked well for a year or so, it managed to sprout a few small leaves this year but then they’ve all died and I think the whole thing is dead.

native frangipanni[1] is flowering, and well over 2.5m tall

Sat, 28 Oct 2017 18:00:00 +1100

Ours has flowered later than the ones at Monash Uni and in Ann & John’s garden, it could be the age, could be the microclimate. Well on its way to replacing the silver birch, and growing nicely straight up as they seem to. [1] Native frangipani

the lilac between the house and the south fence is flowering, two or three flowers

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 09:23:00 +1100

Jo thinks it’s the first time she’s seen it flower, I suspect I’ve seen it before but can’t remember definitely one way or the other.

the cat dug up one of the bean seedlings to shit in the vege garden again

Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:30:00 +1100

With 17mm of rain overnight, the bean seedlings look well established, most of the beetroot too

Wed, 25 Oct 2017 10:31:00 +1100

a cat dug up the bean garden bed to shit, I've replanted the bean seedlings

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 09:39:00 +1100

One completely dug out and buried, another dislodged.

a punnet of beetroot seedlings and one of snake beans planted out

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:24:00 +1100

Both survived their first night without devastation by possum. Seven snake bean plants, five against the back fence and two against the garage wall – probably too gloomy for them. Dozens of beetroot seedlings, some in the raised garden bed and some between the orange and lime trees.

The "yellow rose of root stock" is about to open

Sun, 22 Oct 2017 08:46:00 +1100

Walking around the suburbs everyone else’s roses are out, we’ve got buds all over ours – some eaten by borers or beetles.

The pink and white rose buds on the front fence are being eaten by borers of some kind

Sat, 21 Oct 2017 14:53:00 +1100

Alpine Classic changes organisers

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 14:15:00 +1100

Interesting. Audax Australia has sold the Audax Alpine Classic to SME360 – the mob who run Amy’s Grand Fondo. Wonder what this will do to pricing?

One "Charles de Gaul" rose in bloom, possums haven't found it this season

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 09:35:00 +1100

curly leaf and two small fruit on the potted peach, near nothing on the other

Thu, 19 Oct 2017 15:09:00 +1100

The peach tree in the front garden looks to be nearly dead with only a few tiny leaf buds, the one in the pot in the back garden is covered in leaves, has two small fruit, but has a fair bit of leaf curl

the meyer lemon is covered with large lemons, some so heavy the branches nearly touch the ground

Wed, 18 Oct 2017 09:32:00 +1100

callistemon in full flower, the snowball plant just turned white yesterday

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 09:15:00 +1100

orange tree covered in blossom, Jo's small flowering bush covered too

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 09:55:00 +1100

I can’t remember what it’s called – planted between the roses in the front garden and finally uncovered from the weeds after a solid few hours’ work by Jo.

dead-headed the grape hyacinths and iris

Sun, 15 Oct 2017 12:00:00 +1100

Decorative powerline warnings

Fri, 13 Oct 2017 18:00:00 +1100

Riding back along the railway works through Clayton, all the overhead powerlines have protective red flags to warn the backhoe drivers. They remind me of Chinese lanterns.

cool, grey and damp on the ride to work, a pair of currawongs[1] flew lazily overhead, calling with their distinctive voices

Thu, 12 Oct 2017 08:45:00 +1100

[1] Pied currawong

a visitor to the garden, a Pied butcherbird[1] flew in and sat on the fence, poking around under the bay tree

Sun, 08 Oct 2017 12:00:00 +1100

[2022-08-18 Thu] – I suspect I was mistaken and that it was a Grey butcherbird[2], but I’d not seen them up close here before [1] Pied butcherbird [2] Grey butcherbird

evening Ballarat walk

Sun, 24 Sep 2017 19:00:00 +1000

We walked through the bush from Silver Creek to Ballarat, light when we started, dark as we got to dinner. Cam chased a rabbit that was hopping around on a lawn, quietly trying to eat.

Hard rubbish this year seems worse than before, or maybe I'm getting less tolerant

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 08:30:00 +1000

So many piles and pieces left uncollected by the council’s contracters.

Oakleigh redevelopment

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 17:00:00 +1000

The corner shop on the corner of Golf Links avenue and Princess street has finally closed, after years of me wondering how it managed to still be there. More apartments coming.

Less than 10°C and with an icy wind – feels like something around 5°C – a very wintery ride to work

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 08:45:00 +1000

Logistical problem – we've run out of bread. A single slice and a crust remained, just enough for Cam's half sandwich

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 07:30:00 +1000

home lighting fettling

Sun, 27 Aug 2017 11:00:00 +1000

A final success after a day of battling crumbling light fittings and small bayonet light bulbs. Somehow I managed to blow the two remaining bulbs in the five-bulb fitting while removing the old bulbs, but with a full set of new bulbs and much fiddling, we now have all five lighting the bedroom.

Messing with Spotify analytics… by accident

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 13:00:00 +1000

Found a great way to mess with an app’s analytics – a friend sent me a playlist last week, I opened it in #spotify and listened for a while, didn’t like it, closed the laptop and went home. Came back on Monday to find it had played on repeat all weekend, so #spotify now thinks I really love all those songs

lost and found

Mon, 21 Aug 2017 09:00:00 +1000

The boy’s lost things; a school jumper, one glove, a snackbox. Found things; a school jumper. One down, two to go.

I guess it rained

Thu, 17 Aug 2017 18:00:00 +1000

Must have been a massive downpour just before I left to ride home. The creek is overflowing, trees are down, huge pools of water everywhere.

A sudden warm spell…

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 17:45:00 +1000

A sudden warm spell and some plants have thought Spring arrived today. The dark purple magnolia on the corner of Euston road had dark buds on the way to school this morning, open blooms on the way home.

Some Org mode workflow and graphs

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Over the years far too many items catch my eye and have gone into the “one day/some day/maybe/perhaps”. Capturing them in Org mode was a major advance, at least then I had a record, but working through them is still a weak point. Some of them predate my use of Org mode, coming from bookmarks accumulated in del.icio.us, feedly, pinboard and manual links from prehistoric times. Particularly problematic is an ever-growing (virtual) pile of PDF files, text files, EPUB books and bookmarked links, together with a fire-hose of RSS feeds.

Our first magnolia blossoms are opening

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 17:30:00 +1000

Migration to hugo

Mon, 31 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Yet another static site generator, this one is written in golang and might do what I want. Is the tool my problem or my inability to get to grips with the tool and make it do what I want? I ran afoul of jekyll, I suspect because I never quite came to grips with how ruby worked and how to set up a reliably environment for it, but I was also floundering when I wanted to write some simple plugins or extensions.

Farewell to my favourite coffee mug — the bug mug

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

In November and December 2000 and then January and February 2001 I spent a total of nine weeks in Johannesburg, South Africa, helping to set up a campus of Monash University. One of the souvenirs I brought home was a coffee mug depicting a variety of the country’s insect life. For sixteen and a half years I’ve drunk many a wonderful coffee from that mug. Then, alas, on Sunday evening I was putting away the washing up, my dislocatable shoulder chose that moment to play up and not lift my arm in a straight line and I managed to bash the mug against the edge of the kitchen bench.

The Gorse thicket has gone

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Reading Spiky stars of summer’s golden gang – about the goldfinches and the gorse – in the Guardian’s Country Diary section reminded me of the gorse thicket along the railway line to the east of Huntingdale station. It even had the occasional small flock of goldfinch that would fly out, calling in alarm, pink pink pink, as I rode past. I’d seen it for years from the bike path, a 2m high near impenetrable thicket, encased on all sides by chainlink fences, but with a broken-down gate and torn fence sections allowing access for the dumping of stolen goods and fly-tipped household rubbish.

Music from bandcamp

Wed, 12 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Stories Under the Sky, CD, $20.00 AUD Digital album releases August 17, 2017 Package ships on or around August 17, 2017 Subtotal: $20.00 Shipping: 3.00 Total: $23.00 AUD bandcamp/ajft

Playing games with zfs on the cheap

Sun, 23 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

OK, I think I broke it. Too much reliance on zfs being the fix for cheap componentry and haphazard procedures. The home PC has an SSD boot drive and a zpool made of three disks – a 2x1TB mirror and 1x3TB, it was supposed to be four disks but the cabling and power supply never let me add the mirror disk to the second vdev. Backup is through the Ubuntu backup program, to an external USB drive.

Music from bandcamp

Sun, 09 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

driftwood smoke, driftwood smoke - CD Album, $25.00 AUD Subtotal: $25.00 Shipping: 5.00 Total: $30.00 AUD bandcamp/ajft

Audax -- Ride Along the Planets

Sat, 04 Mar 2017 00:00:00 +0000

I thought it finally time to get out and go on an Audax Australia ride, even if it was only an introductory 50km event. So last [2017-02-28 Tue] I signed up for Ride along the planets and this morning made my way the half kilometer along the railway to the start at Hughesdale station. Of course I’d managed to get myself confused and was nearly on my way to Murrumbeena station before I spotted Robert standing around near the laundromat, stopped to check the email in my phone then quickly did a lap of the block and came back to join him and wait for the others.

PC power consumption

Sat, 25 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Periodically I wonder whether to spend money on the home PC or to think about paying for permanent ``cloud’’ services, whether that’s a VPS or other hosted services. It’s a microcosm of the corporate “cloud vs on-premises” debate. Lacking any real data I’d failed to make any commitment either way. So I put out the call at work, asking to borrow an inline power meter, and a day or two later came home with two of them!

2017 Rainfall

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 0.5 5.5 2 1.0 2.5 0.5 0.5 21.0 3 2.0 2.5 2.0 43.0 4 4.0 10.0 2.5 2.5 1.5 5 0.5 1.0 1.0 6 43.0 6.0 5.0 3.5 7 3.0 2.0 10.0 2.5 2.0 8 2.5 0.5 2.5 22.0 9 11.0 1.0 3.5 0.5 10 1.0 1.5 11 2.5 12 1.0 21.0 1.5 0.5 10.0 13 0.

Curiouser and curiouser

Fri, 26 Aug 2016 21:00:00 +1000

Reviewing old blog pages as I migrate from jekyll to hugo and I came across the page for 2002-02-29. Nothing unusual, except that there wasn’t a 29th of February that year.

LXRA and Skyrail

Thu, 25 Aug 2016 00:00:00 +0000

I think I’m in favour of the end product, but I know for sure I’m not in favour of the process. Kafka, Stalin, Murphy and the three Stooges seem to be behind the public consultation and information. Along the way I made a public submission to the LXRA – Level Crossing Removal Authority – that of course received no specific reply. I tried asking specific questions in person, via email and via twitter, they all seem to vanish.

Skyrailing about

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

After some initial misgivings I think that my current stance is that I’m in favour of the product, but definitely unimpressed with, and almost completely against, the process. The entire near-farce of all affected residents learning of the project through newspaper articles pretty much sums it up. The “community consultation” sessions that we attended seemed all to be presentations of what’s already been decided, together with a vague and frustrating “not yet known” for any questions raised.

2016 Rainfall

Tue, 05 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 16.0 7.0 3.0 2 0.5 1.0 2.0 19.0 0.5 3 0.5 1.5 11.0 4 7.0 7.5 0.5 2.5 5 3.0 4.0 1.0 6 12.0 1.0 23.0 1.0 7 3.0 11.0 4.5 8 5.0 2.0 1.5 1.0 9 2.0 1.5 13.0 10 0.5 9.5 0.5 10.0 0.5 0.5 11 9.5 3.5 3.0 8.0 1.5 2.0 12 3.5 1.

Last bike ride for 2015

Wed, 30 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The week from Christmas to New Years Eve I spent at Lorne. An added degree of difficulty this year was that due to the fires between Wye River & Apollo Bay the GOR was closed past Lorne, so that put a crimp in the riding options. There was surprisingly little smoke, the only real indication was the constant stream of fire-fighting aircraft (from littlies to a Hercules and a four engine jet).

The not-quite Smart home

Sun, 20 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Perhaps a blog posting of my adventures – or misadventures – with the all encompassing field of “smarthome” and connected technology. It seems to be one of those areas that’s “coming soon” for years, decades even. One of my personal interests while at university was home automation, I’ve got magazine cuttings and project plans dating back to the mid-1980s. A modicum of interest, a few half-hearted attempts and a lot of reading.

Darebin creak to south Meringue

Sun, 15 Nov 2015 09:10:18 +1100

Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

The Slog 2015 -- first half

Sat, 07 Nov 2015 08:06:28 +1100

Garmin | Strava | ridewithgps

2015 Rainfall

Sat, 01 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 1.5 18.0 15.0 1.5 2.5 1.0 2 3.0 4.0 3.0 1.0 3 1.0 1.5 7.5 5.0 4.0 4 4.0 0.5 1.5 5 2.5 6.0 3.0 2.5 11.5 6 4.0 17.5 7 3.5 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 8 5.0 19.0 1.0 5.0 3.0 1.0 9 5.5 0.5 0.5 10 11.0 15.0 1.5 1.0 11 0.5 4.0 0.5 0.

Audax Alpine Classics

Wed, 28 Jan 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Last weekend up at Bright, someone asked how many Audax Alpine Classics I’ve ridden, and what distances they were. Astounding both myself and those around me, last Sunday I completed the 200km 2015 Australian Audax Alpine Classic. A couple of people asked how many I’d done and thinking about it I wasn’t sure, at least two 200km versions, possibly a third, but I couldn’t be sure. Time to check the backlog of paperwork, email, old journal entries and photos.

goodreads — “The Green Road Into The Trees”

Sun, 12 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000

The Green Road Into The Trees: An Exploration of England by Hugh Thomson My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews Had been posted to /en/books, but linkrot took indieweb.xyz away.

Cycling 2014

Tue, 15 Apr 2014 00:00:00 +0000

A challenge to start the year, “ride every day” – I didn’t read about it until [2014-01-02 Thu] and thought I was immediately disqualified, but the person laying down the challenge said it started from [2014-01-04 Sat] so I took him up on it. Made it a whole 15 days before reality intervened in the form of a trip away to visit family. Sunday seems to be my day of rest, the rest is mostly made of my short commute and trips to the shops, with a few more interesting rides thrown in.

Melbourne motorists going that extra mile to be dangerously unpredictable

Thu, 14 Nov 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Thursday, riding alone day, as distinct from Monday to Wednesday which are “riding with the five yr old” days. Thursday’s traffic is more hazardous, but at least it’s more predictable! Riding with a small child in Melbourne it is amazing how much more polite drivers seem to be, they pass safely, they tend to (not always, but tend to) stop at stop signs rather than shoot across our bows after “slowing down a bit… maybe… it’s only a pushbike.

A walking and cycling bucket list

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

I have no idea where I got this from, I can remember copying it from an email, or maybe a forum entry, or someone’s blog. UK centric, with detours to Europe, seems I’ve been to one or two already, maybe I’ll visit a few more one day: Walks and cycle routes The National Trails [0/15] Cleveland Way, England Cotswold Way, England Glyndŵr’s Way, Wales Hadrian’s Wall Path, England North Downs Way, England Offa’s Dyke Path, Wales and England Peddar’s Way and Norfolk Coast Path, England Pembrokeshire Coast Path, Wales Pennine Bridleway, England Pennine Way, England and Scotland The Ridgeway, England South Downs Way, England South West Coast Path, England Thames Path, England Yorkshire Wolds Way, England Other walks and cycle routes [1/7] Camino di Santiago Coast to Coast walk Cumbria Way walk Kennet and Avon Canal cycle (photos) London to Paris cycle The London Loop The Capital Ring Places The UK World Heritage Sites, Location [3/25] Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey, and St Martin’s Church, Canterbury, Kent, England Blaenavon Industrial Landscape, Blaenavon, Wales Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England.

Spam Spam Spam

Thu, 22 Aug 2013 00:00:00 +0000

The email system at work is hosted by Google, with all the usual spam filtering and folders. Up until the start of March 2013 I used to skim through the spam folder two or three times a week and check for false positives, of which they’d be one or two a month, rescue them and then I’d delete everything else. In late February and early March 2013 the amount of spam arriving every day and making it into the spam folder became ridiculous, it was impossible to process it so I’ve taken to ignoring it, but jotting down the number of items in the folder every day.

First rides of a trailgator

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Some fiddling about over Saturday as we assembled the trailgator and got his 16" bike attached successfully to my MTB. A bit of extra fun ensued as the ancient seat post bolt on my bike had seized good and proper, no amount of swearing cursing or straining would shift it, a little extra from the brute squad and a loud snap as the bolt sheared in half. A spare was located in the great box ‘o bits in the shed.

Ride report for December 2012, and 2012 and 2013 totals

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000

2012 cycling wrap up Increased both the target distance and the percentage completed in the last year; up from 5000km to 5200km, and completed 97%, up from 94%. Still plenty of room for improvement though. It would have been worse but I forced myself out for three last gasp rides, one on [2012-12-30 Sun] and then two on [2012-12-31 Mon]. According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for December 2012 and for all of 2012:

Ride report for November 2012

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I set myself the goal of riding 5200km in 2012, that’s 100km a week for anyone who thinks it an unusual number. Most of my rides are recorded on my Garmin Edge 705, apart from when I either forget to turn it on or the firmware has wedged itself and I cannot turn it on. Getting closer to the end, getting closer to the goal, I haven’t yet started working out how likely it’ll be.

Ride report for October 2012

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I set myself the goal of riding 5200km in 2012, that’s 100km a week for anyone who thinks it an unusual number. Most of my rides are recorded on my Garmin Edge 705, apart from when I either forget to turn it on or the firmware has wedged itself and I cannot turn it on. Catastrophically, I dropped the Edge 705 while leaving work on [2012-10-05 Fri] and despite pulling over as quickly as possible, I got to watch as the first three drivers in a row managed to line their wheels up perfectly to run over it, destroying the screen.

Ride report for September 2012

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I set myself the goal of riding 5200km in 2012, that’s 100km a week for anyone who thinks it an unusual number. Most of my rides are recorded on my Garmin Edge 705, although sometimes I forget to turn it on, or the firmware has wedged itself and I cannot turn it on, or more rarely, can’t find it and ride to work without it. Tracked on http://mycyclinglog.com Progress: 66%

Ride report for August 2012

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I set myself the goal of riding 5200km in 2012, that’s 100km a week for anyone who thinks it an unusual number. Most of my rides are recorded on my Garmin Edge 705, although sometimes I forget to turn it on, or more rarely, can’t find it and ride to work without it. I also had the problem this month that the Edge became gradually more unreliable at turning on and finally got into a state where I couldn’t turn it on either through the buttons or by plugging it into the USB cable – some digging around found a way of connecting to USB while pushing the joystick up – then I erased all the history.

Ride report for July 2012

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I set myself the goal of riding 5200km in 2012, that’s 100km a week for anyone who thinks it an unusual number. Most of my rides are recorded on my Garmin Edge 705, although sometimes I forget to turn it on, or more rarely, can’t find it and ride to work without it. Tracked on http://mycyclinglog.com Progress: 50% 2592.27 km at 17.80 km/h A distance of 2607.73 km remains. At current average speed, 146.

Ride report for June 2012

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I set myself the goal of riding 5200km in 2012, that’s 100km a week for anyone who thinks it an unusual number. Most of my rides are recorded on my Garmin Edge 705, although sometimes I forget to turn it on, or more rarely, can’t find it and ride to work without it. Tracked on http://mycyclinglog.com Progress: 43% 2253.73 km at 17.80 km/h A distance of 2946.27 km remains. At current average speed, 165.

A static webfinger

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Some background reading on WebFinger starting at http://code.google.com/p/webfinger/wiki/WebFingerProtocol and then moving on to a few references such as http://hueniverse.com/2009/09/implementing-webfinger/ and I decided to knock up a quick and dirty static version. An apache redirect RewriteRule ^.well-known/host-meta lib/host-meta.xml so that the “well known” location points to a file in here <?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?> <XRD xmlns='http://docs.oasis-open.org/ns/xri/xrd-1.0' xmlns:hm='http://host-meta.net/xrd/1.0'>  <hm:Host>ajft.org</hm:Host>hm:Host> <Link rel='lrdd' type='application/xrd+xml' template='http://ajft.org/webfinger/{uri}' /> </XRD> Then a second rewrite rule and a MIME type declaration:

Ride report for May 2012

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I set myself the goal of riding 5200km in 2012, that’s 100km a week for anyone who thinks it an unusual number. Most of my rides are recorded on my Garmin Edge 705, although sometimes I forget to turn it on, or more rarely, can’t find it and ride to work without it. Tracked on http://mycyclinglog.com Progress: 34% 1783.20 km at 17.57 km/h A distance of 3416.80 km remains. At current average speed, 194.

Ride report for April 2012

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I set myself the goal of riding 5200km in 2012, that’s 100km a week for anyone who thinks it an unusual number. Most of my rides are recorded on my Garmin Edge 705, although sometimes I forget to turn it on, or more rarely, can’t find it and ride to work without it. Tracked on http://mycyclinglog.com Progress: 28% 1471.06 km at 17.72 km/h A distance of 3728.94 km remains. At current average speed, 210.

Music from bandcamp

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Jamestown Soundtrack, by Francisco Cerda, $4.99 USD Total: $4.99 USD bandcamp/ajft

Creating Redirects with Jekyll

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

On the to-do list for a little while has been to read through http://www.marran.com/tech/creating-redirects-with-jekyll/ and implement it here, then once its all working, go back and tidy up some of the ugly messes that have accumulated over the years. You should end up here if you try and access http://ajft.org/redirect-test. See Also /2017/07/31/org-hugo

Ride report for March 2012

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for March 2012: Progress: 21% 1116.62 km at 17.38 km/h A distance of 4083.38 km remains. At current average speed, 235.0 hours of ride time required. An average daily distance of 14.96 km required. You should have completed a distance of 1314.29 km by today. From Garmin for the month: Mar 2012 Count 28 Activities Distance 380.54 km Time 21:23:52 h:m:s Elevation Gain 4,097 m Avg Speed 17.

Ride report for February 2012

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Just in case you – or I – are wondering, I had almost a month’s worth of fun with my ISP and didn’t get my riding logs sorted out until halfway through March, so that’s why this page is late. According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for February 2012: Progress: 16% – 833.30 km at 17.43 km/h A distance of 4366.70 km remains. At current average speed, 250.5 hours of ride time required.

Simply move phone and broadband services to the new house….

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

There it was sitting in the to-do list, “relocate phone” and “relocate ADSL.” Two remarkably simple items in the list, it shouldn’t be a problem I thought … stupidly … since apparently anything to do with phones or broadband anywhere in the world is always a problem, and Australia is no exception. The phone service is with Telstra, the broadband with Internode. Getting the phone relocated shouldn’t be so hard so I thought I’d try the ADSL first.

Just joined

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:01:00 +1100

Found out about iNaturalist yesterday while searching around for info. on flickr about machine tags and metadata. I’ve been interested in wildlife, birds and insects since I was a kid. Joined up and posted some of my old flickr photos that count as “observations,” I’m especially looking forward to identifying some of the unknowns in my photo.s https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/ajft/243-just-joined

Ride report for January 2012

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for January 2012: Progress: 8% 407.41 km at 16.81 km/h A distance of 4792.59 km remains. At current average speed, 285.0 hours of ride time required. An average daily distance of 14.26 km required. You should have completed a distance of 414.29 km by today. Jan 2012 Count 19 Activities Distance 407.41 km Time 24:13:44 h:m:s Elevation Gain 4,171 m Avg Speed 16.

Ride report for December 2011 and for 2011 in total

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Oh well, I didn’t quite make it to my annual goal of 5000km! 94% is good enough for a Distinction academically, but doesn’t cut it when aiming for a riding goal for the year, even a lowly 5000km: According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for December 2011 and for all of 2011: Count 22 Activities 269 Activities Distance 466.26 km 4,618.14 km Time 25:17:13 h:m:s 262:58:34 h:m:s Elevation Gain 4,866 m 48,845 m Avg Speed 18.

Ride report for November 2011

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

My ride report for November 2011: My 5000km for the year is looking a little hard to reach at the moment. I’m still about 250km behind where I should be. As one of the stats analysers says – so far I’ve done 4294.27 km: A distance of 705.73 km remains. At current average speed, 39.8 hours of ride time required. An average daily distance of 26.14 km required. I should have completed a distance of 4643.

Ride report for October 2011

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

My ride report for October 2011: My 5000km for the year is looking a little hard to reach at the moment. As one of the stats analysers says – so far I’ve done 3848.03km at 17.67km/h : A distance of 1151.97 km remains. At current average speed, 65.2 hours of ride time required. An average daily distance of 19.20 km required. I should have completed a distance of 4191.78 km by today.

Google maps

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

A topic dear to my heart, via http://norman.walsh.name//2011/10/18/gpxGoogle and a few quick hacks on the GPX from today’s lunchtime walk: <2017-11-15 Wed> Update – currently broken During migration from Org mode & jekyll to Org mode & hugo. <2018-09-16 Sun> Update – and fixed I finally got a round tuit and spent some time looking at embedding and escaping and have got the embedded javascript to pass from Org mode’s markdown export to hugo and display correctly.

Ride report for September 2011

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

My ride report for September 2011: According to www.mycyclinglog.com Period Time Distance (km) Avg Speed (km/h) Ride Count September 20:32:36 405.72 17.69 24 According to Garmin Or here they are according to my GPS and http://connect.garmin.com for the month and for the year to date1: September 2011 2011 Count 24 Activities 198 Activities Distance 398.27 km 3,393.85 km Time 23:00:15 h:m:s 194:53:21 h:m:s Elevation Gain 4,925 m 36,164 m Avg Speed 17.

The farce is strong with this one…

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Long, long ago I opened a bank account with a building society. Time passed and the building society combined with another building society, and then was bought by Advance Bank. In something resembling a biblical chain of banks begetting banks, Advance Bank became part of St George Bank and lo, it was good. Or as good as any bank ever seems to be when you’re on the customer end. Then the earth shook and the shares crumbled and so it passed that Westpac bought St George Bank, decreeing unto the customers who probably detested “the big four Australia banks1” that St George would continue as a separate entity.

Those funny black and white stripes on the road

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

After a long day out yesterday we came home by train, getting out at the station Jo and Cam went one way to the house while I went to the shops to get some take-away noodles for dinner. A five minute wait and dinner is ready, then back down Station street and two pedestrian crossings to the station. Half way across the road and I leap backwards to the sound of squealing tyres and an acccelerating engine, as per usual one of the local drivers has decided to plant his foot going around the roundabout to race for the crossing to get there before the pedestrian.

Ride report for August 2011

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

My ride report for August 2011: According to www.mycyclinglog.com Period Time Distance (km) Avg Speed (km/h) Ride Count August 04:59:52 289.32 16.73 19 According to Garmin Or here they are according to my GPS and http://connect.garmin.com for the month and for the year to date1: August 2011 2011 Count: 19 Activities 174 Activities Distance 283.22 km 2,995.58 km Time 17:06:31 h:m:s 171:53:06 h:m:s Elevation Gain 3,412 m 31,239 m Avg Speed 16.

Ride report for July 2011

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

My ride report for July 2011: According to www.mycyclinglog.com Period Time Distance (km) Avg Speed (km/h) Ride Count Month of July 17:58:33 305.37 16.99 20 According to Garmin Or here they are according to my GPS and http://connect.garmin.com for the month and for the year to date1: July 2011 2011 Count 20 Activities 155 Activities Distance 298.35 km 2,712.36 km Time 17:58:42 h:m:s 154:46:34 h:m:s Elevation Gain 4,097 m 27,827 m Avg Speed 16.

MySQL on OpenSolaris/OpenIndiana

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Years ago I needed MySQL on my Ubuntu box, I wasn’t interested in MySQL, just in a package that needed it. I didn’t pay any attention to the database, just selected it in the package manager, answered a couple of questions and IT ALL JUST WORKED. Yesterday I started to go through the same process on my newly resuscitated OpenSolaris box, selected “mysql” in the package manager and selected “Install”. It downloaded, it said it was installing, the installer finished and I tried to go on with what I was interested in.

Ride report for June 2011

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

My ride report for June 2011: According to www.mycyclinglog.com Period Time Distance (km) Avg Speed (km/h) Ride Count Month of June 21:58:31 389.10 17.07 24 According to Garmin Or here they are according to my GPS and http://connect.garmin.com for the month and for the year to date1: June 2011 2011 Count 24 Activities 135 Activities Distance 382.03 km 2,414.01 km Time 22:34:08 h:m:s 136:47:52 h:m:s Elevation Gain 4,099 m 23,730 m Avg Speed 16.

GPS Visualisation

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Something I’ve been looking for for ages, a good way of visualising the many GPX tracks I’ve saved over the years. Today I stumbled on Alexander Avtanski’s GPS Track Visualization and here’s the results of my logged lunchtime walks so far for 2011: GPS Visualisation - Lunchtime walks by ajft, on Flickr Minor annoyance so far, although it works fine for me on the GPX tracks I’ve generated on the iPhone in Endomondo and then downloaded from the endomondo website, it barfs on the GPX from generated by the Garmin Edge 305 or 705 and then downloaded from Garmin Connect.

Ride report for May 2011

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

My ride report for May 2011: As its always important to get a second opinion, here’s the numbers from http://www.mycyclinglog.com/profile/ajft: Period Time Distance (km) Avg Speed (km/h) Ride Count Month of May 19:39:33 350.58 17.12 23 Or here they are according to my GPS and http://connect.garmin.com for the month and for the year to date1: May 2011 2011 Count 23 Activities 111 Activities Distance 344.88 km 2,031.98 km Time 20:12:39 h:m:s 114:13:43 h:m:s Elevation Gain 3,603 m 19,631 m Avg Speed 17.

Memolane, embedded

Thu, 19 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Pretty visualisation of blog posts, twitter updates, etc. Update [2017-07-31 Mon]: while transferring to hugo I found that linkrot has claimed http://memolane.com and it is no more.

Ride report for April 2011

Wed, 04 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for April 2011 and the year to date1: April 2011 2011 Count 19 Activities 88 Activities Distance 443.56 km 1,687.10 km Time 25:32:43 h:m:s 94:01:04 h:m:s Elevation Gain 4,365 m 16,028 m Avg Speed 17.4 km/h 17.9 km/h Avg HR 137 bpm 136 bpm Avg Run Cadence – – Avg Bike Cadence – – Calories 16,079 C 67,000 C Definitely on track to make my 5000km target for the year this time!

Oh my, an important tax refund notice...

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Bwahaha, there it is in my spam folder, an Important Tax Refund Notice!, and verbatim: Australia Revenue Service " Tax Refund " St. George Bank :-) $3,520.34 AUD Tax Refund Process From ACT @ April 2011. We received notification from Australia Revenue Service about the TAX refunds of $3,520.34 AUD. We advice you to DOWNLOAD on our Secure server Attachment sent along with this Message and enter all information as requested on the St.

30 Days of Biking

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Wasting time as usual I spotted a reference to http://30daysofbiking.com/ and being a sucker for registering on yet-another site decided to give it a go … well five days a week is easy, that’s just commuting, the hard bit will be finding time, nay, making time, on the weekends and over the Easter break to go out for a ride.. Now how am I going to do this? Probably just twitter updates, and maybe a photo or two into the Flickr group.

Ride report for March 2011

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for March 20111: March 2011 Count 25 Activities Distance 496.75 km Time 26:50:58 h:m:s Elevation Gain 4,936 m Avg Speed 18.5 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 20,903 C The grand total so far for 2011 is: 2011 Count 69 Activities Distance 1,243.54 km Time 68:28:21 h:m:s Elevation Gain 11,663 m Avg Speed 18.2 km/h Avg HR 133 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 50,921 C I might even make my 5000km target for the year this time!

Simply riding home...

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Thursday is detour day, no trailer, no toddler, and my choice of route home. Decided to go off along the bike path and check out @BattleMoose’s favourite bit of bike lane along the way. Minor hazard #1. Under the dual-use freeway/carpark (Monash freeway during peak hour, err, hours) and left onto Scotchman creek bike path, through the bush and back through the pitch black tunnel under the freeway, then up and over the bumpy sandy hill along one of Monash City Council’s less well maintained paths.

Ride report for February 2011

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for February 2011: February 2011 Count 21 Activities Distance 302.94 km Time 18:10:31 h:m:s Elevation Gain 2,875 m Avg Speed 16.7 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 13,429 C The grand total so far for 2011 is: 2011 Count 44 Activities Distance 746.78 km Time 41:37:22 h:m:s Elevation Gain 6,727 m Avg Speed 17.9 km/h Avg HR 133 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 30,019 C Just managed to top 300km for the month, not bad when most of it is just shuttling back and forth the 7km to work.

Ride report for January 2011

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS1, here’s my ride report for January 2011: January 2011 Count 23 Activities Distance 443.85 km Time 23:26:51 h:m:s Elevation Gain 3,851 m Avg Speed 18.9 km/h Avg HR 133 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 16,589 C The grand total so far for 2011 is: …exactly the same as the monthly total. I didn’t quite get to 500 km, although my log on http://mycyclinglog.

A simple change of address….

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Or why websites should not use an email address as an identity. I guess it started somewhere in the middle of last year, our email system at work was migrated to Google mail and we all had our email addresses changed from Firstname.Lastname@faculty.monash.edu.au to Firstname.Lastname@monash.edu due to Google mail’s inability to have hierarchical addresses — or so we were told. Anything addressed to the old location is redirected to the new, but we’ve been asked to make sure all our mailing list subscriptions etc are changed to use the preferred form.

Ride report for December 2010 and for 2010 in total

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS1, here’s my ride report for December 2010: December 2010 Count 23 Activities Distance 401.85 km Time 24:06:55 h:m:s Elevation Gain 4,423 m Avg Speed 16.7 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 14,228 C The — not so — grand total for 2010 is: 2010 Count 259 Activities Distance 3,524.20 km Time 199:13:58 h:m:s Elevation Gain 36,592 m Avg Speed 17.

MBTC tandem weekend — day 3 — Healesville to Lilydale, Blackburn to home

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

… Tony, you couldn’t make it to the weekend, you organised it, we loved it, we were thinking of you. RIP.

MBTC tandem weekend — day 2 — Healesville

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Today we had announced that we were going to go to the zoo, Cam immediately seized on this and for reasons known only to the two and a half year old brain announced that we were going to the zoo to see horses and bees. No amount of questioning or suggestion could shake this confidant prediction. It was with a sense of relief that as we were walking up the road to Healesville Sanctuary that a couple walked past the other way leading their ponies, confirming in Cam’s mind that indeed we were going to see horses!

MBTC tandem weekend — day 1 — Lilydale to Healesville

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Cat Herding, out of bed at 7:00 to be breakfasted, organised, packed with tandem and trailer and out the door for the 09:13 train. Sounds simply in theory and I guess it was in practice, even if we did end up walking across to the station with the trailer only half packed and the rest of the gear just stowed on the seat where Cam would sit. Oakleigh to Richmond, Cam delighting in the names of all the stations as they came over the PA system, then off the train and across to the next platform to wait for the Lilydale train on platform 10.

Ride report for Nov. 2010

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS1, here’s my ride report for November: November 2010 Count 22 Activities Distance 384.44 km Time 20:18:22 h:m:s Elevation Gain 3,851 m Avg Speed 18.9 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 14,441 C The total so far for 2010 is: 2010 Count 236 Activities Distance 3,122.35 km Time 175:07:03 h:m:s Elevation Gain 32,169 m Avg Speed 17.8 km/h Avg HR 144 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 114,874 C I’m getting further and further behind my goal for 2010 of 5000km, but not yet so far behind that the goal is unobtainable.

Frustration — there's a Remedy (tm) for that...

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Teething problems with new software at work.

First roadie commute, two road-ragers in one day

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Bah, Friday, who needs it. Family circumstances altered, toddler sleep requires a no show at Goat. Normal commute home, hopefully avoiding the wind and rain. First ride home on the new road bike. First ride on a road bike for about a year. First ride in Shimano road cleats for about five years. East Oakleigh: approaching little roundabout down a gentle hill, there’s a Falcon coming down the street from my right but he’s way back and I’ll be across the roundabout before he’s even got there.

A letter … to me?

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Today I received a real honest-to-goodness paper letter, a letter in an envelope, a letter posted from faraway France. “How odd,” I thought, who would write to me from France? Aha, it would be “ESQ. Philip ROSSLARE” of “ROSSLARE CHAMBERS LLP,” or so I discovered as I opened the letter and saw the opening lines: Dear Tritschler Firstly I must solicit your confidence in this transaction; this is by virtue of its nature as being utterly confidential and top secret.

Ride report for Oct. 2010

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS1, here’s my ride report for October: October 2010 Count 9 Activities Distance 126.83 km Time 07:26:59 h:m:s Elevation Gain 1,522 m Avg Speed 17.0 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 4,467 C The total so far for 2010 is: 2010 Count 214 Activities Distance 2,737.91 km Time 154:48:40 h:m:s Elevation Gain 28,318 m Avg Speed 17.7 km/h Avg HR 144 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 100,433 C I’m getting further and further behind my goal for 2010 of 5000km, but not yet so far behind that the goal is unobtainable.

Ride report for Sep. 2010

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS1, here’s my ride report for September: September 2010 Count 21 Activities Distance 300.45 km Time 17:12:01 h:m:s Elevation Gain 3,332 m Avg Speed 17.5 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 10,315 C The total so far for 2010 is: 2010 Count 205 Activities Distance 2,611.08 km Time 147:21:41 h:m:s Elevation Gain 26,796 m Avg Speed 17.7 km/h Avg HR 144 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 95,966 C I’m getting further and further behind my goal for 2010 of 5000km, but not yet so far behind that the goal is unobtainable.

tweet weekly

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Ah, there will be a short delay.

Ride report for Aug 2010

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS1, here’s my ride report for August: August 2010 Count 18 Activities Distance 254.74 km Time 15:01:50 h:m:s Elevation Gain 2,840 m Avg Speed 16.9 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 9,646 C The total so far for 2010 is: 2010 Count 184 Activities Distance 2,310.63 km Time 130:09:40 h:m:s Elevation Gain 23,465 m Avg Speed 17.8 km/h Avg HR 144 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 85,652 C Footnotes 1 As usual, two or three times I forgot to restart it for the ride home from work.

tweet weekly

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/08/29

Short-form Fragments

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/08/22

Short-form Fragments

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/08/15

Short-form Fragments

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/08/08

Melbourne's little paper … yet again

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:30:00 +0000

Once more the little paper shows their small minds to the world. Flipping through my RSS feeds I come across a fairly definitive headline and short description of a story: Bomb attempt diverts US flight from Herald Sun | World News AN American Airlines flight from New York to LA has been diverted after a passenger reportedly tried to detonate a bomb mid-flight. Clicking on the link takes you to the far more prosaic story:

Ride report for July 2010

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS1, here’s my ride report for July: July 2010 Count 22 Activities Distance 321.14 km Time 17:35:18 h:m:s Elevation Gain 3,765 m Avg Speed 18.3 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 11,906 C The total so far for 2010 is: 2010 Count 166 Activities Distance 2,055.89 km Time 115:07:49 h:m:s Elevation Gain 20,625 m Avg Speed 17.9 km/h Avg HR 144 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 76,006 C Footnotes 1 As usual, two or three times I forgot to restart it for the ride home from work.

Short-form Fragments

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/08/01

Short-form Fragments

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/07/25

Short-form Fragments

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/07/18

Short-form Fragments

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/07/11

Short-form Fragments

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/07/04

Ride report for June 2010

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS1, here’s my ride report for June: June 2010 Count 19 Activities Distance 212.31 km Time 13:14:24 h:m:s Elevation Gain 2,085 m Avg Speed 16.0 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 8,581 C The total so far for 2010 is: 2010 Count 144 Activities Distance 1,734.75 km Time 97:32:31 h:m:s Elevation Gain 16,859 m Avg Speed 17.8 km/h Avg HR 144 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 64,100 C Footnotes 1 As usual, two or three times I forgot to restart it for the ride home from work.

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Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/06/27

PC support phone scam

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

For the last three days we’ve had mystery phone calls shortly after 6 pm, each day they hang up after I answer the phone — a sure sign of a call-centre, the auto-dialler has dialled, you’ve answered, but all of their operators are busy and nobody is free to piss you off. Until today… All heavily accented, echo-ey and garbled, sounding typically like the Indian call-centres. Around 6.10 pm this evening:

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Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/06/20

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Sun, 13 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/06/13

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Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/06/06

Ride report for May 2010

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS1, here’s my ride report for May: May 2010 Count 21 Activities Distance 243.01 km Time 14:24:51 h:m:s Elevation Gain 2,334 m Avg Speed 16.9 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 8,908 C The total so far for 2010 is: 2010 Count 125 Activities Distance 1,522.44 km Time 84:18:07 h:m:s Elevation Gain 14,774 m Avg Speed 18.1 km/h Avg HR 144 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 55,519 Ca Footnotes 1 Two or three times I forgot to restart it for the ride home from work, and the buttons failed so it wasn’t usable for a day.

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Sun, 30 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/05/30

Senator Alstonism

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Ah Senator Alston, how do we love thee? Performing some much needed file cleanup I found a mystery script, all one line of it, pulling a couple of random words from a text file of so-called naughty words. Trivial, funny in a sad way. Must have written it long ago based on one of the myriad proposed lists of naughty words… especially since the hornorable mini-stir was Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts 1998-2003.

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Sun, 23 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/05/23

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Sun, 16 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/05/16

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Sun, 09 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/05/09

The Quest for IPv6 on OES2

Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

After spending a fascinating afternoon with IPv6 and Novell OES2 and a myriad of manuals, technical notes and endless searches through forums I thought it time to try and separate the reality from the promise and write up what I found out about IPv6. Starting with two IPv6-enabled workstations; one running Ubuntu linux (32bit, 10.04) and the other Windows XPsp3 with the Microsoft IPv6 protocol enabled, how far can I get?

Sneakernet backup bandwidth enhancement

Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

My current backup regime is to use rdup to maintain daily archives on two external USB drives; one attached directly to fafnir at home, one attached to my PC at work. Once I got it all setup, cron takes care of the details and I only have to intervene when things go wrong. Problems come up if I add large amounts of data at once, if rdup is updated and its data-file format changes — necessitating a complete backup rather than an incremental — bandwidth is never enough and it irks me to have to upload data that I know already exists at the other end.

Short-form Fragments

Sun, 02 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/05/02

Ride report for April 2010

Sat, 01 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS1, here’s my ride report for April: April 2010 Count 22 Activities Distance 292.83 km Time 15:19:33 h:m:s Elevation Gain 2,964 m Avg Speed 19.1 km/h Avg HR 142 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 11,087 C The total so far for 2010 is: 2010 Count 104 Activities Distance 1279.42 km Time 69:53:15 h:m:s Elevation Gain 12,441 m Avg Speed 18.3 km/h Avg HR 144 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 46,611 C Footnotes 1 Two or three times I forgot to restart it for the ride home from work, and the buttons failed so it wasn’t usable for a day.

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Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/04/25

Edgeless

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Another wonderful example of built-in obsolescence. My current GPS, a Garmin Edge 705 bought in January 2009 stopped working last Friday. As with most consumer electronics, it came with a 12 month warranty. As with a suspiciously large number of consumer electronics, it failed shortly after the warranty had expired. Product name: Edge® 705 Registration date: Jan 20, 2009 Serial number: ######### Unit Id: ########## The power switch had been getting more and more indeterminate over the last few months — but never enough to make me realise and send it off to Garmin for repair while it still had a warranty.

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Sun, 18 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/04/18

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Sun, 11 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/04/11

Today

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Today I… got my camera back from Canon after only three weeks. saw a Monash City Council contractor cleaning garbage from beside the bike track in Oakleigh for the first time in five years of riding along here. converted my /home partition from ext3 to btrfs on my work PC. discovered that Ubuntu 10.04alpha-whatever locks up at disk mounting time and won’t boot with the 2.6.32-19-generic kernel on my work PC (and only boots some of the time under 2.

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Sun, 04 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/04/04

QOTD

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Bike Lane, noun. An optional strip of poorly maintained tarmac between the highway and the verge suitable for: 1. the storage of debris (especially sand, broken glass and organic matter) 2. overflow parking 3. testing of pothole designs 4. experimentation with unusually rough road surfaces. Definition (C) Copyright VicRoads 1989 - 2010.

Ride report for March 2010

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for March: March 2010 Count 26 Activities Distance 361.81 km Time 20:10:40 h:m:s Elevation Gain 3,211 m Avg Speed 17.9 km/h Avg HR 138 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 12,593 C The total so far for 2010 is: 2010 Count 82 Activities Distance 986.59 km Time 54:33:42 h:m:s Elevation Gain 9,477 m Avg Speed 18.1 km/h Avg HR 145 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 35,524 C

Windows XP offline files weirdness

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

I’m pretty fond of the offline files and folders feature in Windows, can’t say I’m terribly impressed how Microsoft makes such a feature only available in “Professional” versions, when such a huge proportion of home machines are laptops where people have a NAS or external drive that ideally they should be using to hold their precious files. Both at home and at work I’ve configured SAMBA on a Linux desktop machine to export my home directory; at home our Windows 7 laptop has Pictures and Documents libraries on the server in $HOME/Pictures and $HOME/Documents, at work the clapped out Windows XP laptop does the same to the Linux box there.

Fish in a barrel

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

OK, OK, so picking on the little paper is like shooting fish in a barrel… but surely sometime, somewhere, somehow, they could employ a high-school graduate or even a monkey from the zoo to proof-read these stories before they publish them: …It lasted another 5km until the alleged driver and her teenage passengers finally abandoned the car when the tyre came completely away from the rim and made a run for it.

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Sun, 28 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/03/28

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Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/03/21

Canon E18 error strikes again

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Went to turn on the IXUS 700 this evening to take a picture of Cam running around building towers in the kitchen and there was that horrible grinding noise from the plastic gears in the lens, three or four high pitched beeps and the dreaded message on the screen “E18”. Bugger. That’d be the error that seems to plague the IXUS cameras. The error that Canon refuses to acknowledge. The error the Australian staff “had never heard of.

Emacs Org mode on top of Jekyll?

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

One better than just using Jekyll, today I found a document on Using org to Blog with Jekyll, unfortunately it has a few typos which made getting up to speed with it a pain for me (small amount of knowledge of Jekyll, infinitely small amount of knowledge of Org mode). The main problems seem to be: writing #_BEGIN_HTML instead of #+BEGIN_HTML not writing #+END_HTML at all Then I was hit by having an out-of-date copy of Org mode — and consequently it was ignoring the body-only publishing directive in my $HOME/.

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Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/03/14

Tomato festival, day 1

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes.

Jekyll

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve lost track of the number of publishing systems that I’ve tried over the years; from hand-crafted — or is that crufted — HTML and PHP to various XML and docbook derivatives, silkpage, and currently an untidy mix of muse and pyblosxom. Today I stumbled on Jekyll and managed to quickly get it to do most of what I want — then with the addition of Raoul Felix’s Jekyll Extensions most of the rest of what was missing.

Evolution in action

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:30:00 +0000

What happens when you combine stupid people with cars? Here’s a local genius who may have spent too much time watching Hollywood movies and lost track of reality just a wee touch. Courtesy of my favourite fish-wrapper, the Herald Sun: Man in hospital with head injuries after jumping from car at 90km/h A 21-YEAR-OLD man who jumped out of a moving car while he was driving it at nearly 90km/h is in hospital with serious head injuries.

OPML and location

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0000

In the usual roundabout fashion; from reading my RSS feeds through to a Norman Walsh post to a page by Tom Morris to a mention of OPML and then of FireEagle. All stuff I’m interested in, but all by people who are much better at using it, writing about it and hacking it, than I am. ~/pkg/OPML: OPML editor, Windows version that puts an ugly ^M at the end of every line.

Storm, no damage

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:00:00 +0000

After being away from Melbourne for three days we were more than a little apprehensive at what we’d find after the thunderstorms, the TV footage of metre deep floods in the CBD and hailstones the size of1 golf-balls, tennis balls, lemons, etc all looked pretty frightening. How, exactly, would the wobbly old house hold up? According to the newspaper this morning, the centre of the swath of destruction had passed less than a suburb to the north, so it wasn’t too promising.

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Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/03/07

Once, an accident; twice, a coincidence

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:30:00 +0000

Trundling home on the mountain bike towing the trailer and toddler, today I decided to go the slightly longer way via Huntingdale station and the full length of the bottle-strewn bike path to Oakleigh. Making my way carefully through the Huntingdale station car-park in case of idiots I had to suddenly slam on the brakes and stop to avoid an idiot reversing at speed out of a parking space without looking.

Ride report for February 2010

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for February: February 2010 Count 36 Activities Distance 364.36 km Time 20:53:04 h:m:s Elevation Gain 3,442 m Avg Speed 17.4 km/h Avg HR – Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 13,567 C The total so far for 2010 is: 2010 Count 56 Activities Distance 624.78 km Time 34:23:01 h:m:s Elevation Gain 6,266 m Avg Speed 18.2 km/h Avg HR 150 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 22,931 C

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Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/02/28

Customer Services

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:30:00 +0000

Its a Friday, crap customer service from not one, but two different companies. Ascension Records 1, Australia Post nil Three weeks ago I bought a CD boxed set from Ascension Records, two days later the purchase appeared on my credit card and I thought no more about it. Yesterday my VISA bill arrived and I thought the CD was taking a bit long so I called them up, yep, ordered on the 2nd, shipped on the 8th.

More Melbourne Motorists

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Riding home today I think it must be the day of the d@ckhead and that I missed the announcement. Heading towards Clayton road in the Dandenong road service lane a courier car comes out of Clayton primary and goes screaming past me and the trailer the wrong way up the service lane heading for the McDonalds or to a shortcut across Dandenong road to head east. Passing the Oakleigh motel there’s a large tattooed arm hanging out the window of a parked crappy commodore and a hand holding a cigarette… or so I thought.

O-week… They're back!

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:00:00 +0000

For three months of the year, from the end of November to the end of February, the roads around the university are moderately safe. For three months there’s the same number of nuff-nuffs and idiots as pretty much every other part of Melbourne. Then at the end of February the students return — people in their late teens and early twenties are not renown for paying much attention to the road laws — and a whole lot of them are from overseas as well, so they have little to no idea of what the road laws are in the first place!

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Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/02/21

Doin' the broadband shuffle

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:30:00 +0000

The gravy train has pulled in to the station, employer funded broadband will end, financial tightness has them by the goolies. Everyone was very polite about it, but still I was given two and a bit months to find a new ISP. The good news is that it gives me an incentive to finally be rid of BigPond, Australia’s least favourite ISP — or maybe its just the devil you know, you only ever hear bad things about the one you’re with.

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Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/02/14

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Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/02/07

The Mill road open air garbage dump

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Its a toss-up really, of the businesses in Haughton road who back onto our street — Mill road — who dumps the most crap in the street? They all seem to consider the public street to be their private property. According to the council, residents have to keep their bins off the street but apparently the businesses on the other side of the road are above all that, they can just dump crap where ever they want with impunity and leave their bins out blocking the footpath all year long.

Tyneham, Dorset revisited

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Back in June 2001 I cycled through an odd part of Dorset in England, the deserted fields and villages of the army range between East Lulworth and Swanage. Very peaceful and post-appocalyptic and a place I’d love to revisit with a camera to take more photos! Since then I’ve read more about the area and wish I’d taken the time to detour to Tyneham. Why the post? Well this evening an article in the news caught my eye and had me looking back through my journal and the scruffy old A-Z map of the UK that I used when touring.

Ride report for January 2010

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

According to my GPS, here’s my ride report for January: January 2010 Count 20 Activities Distance 260.43 km Time 13:29:56 h:m:s Elevation Gain 2,825 m Avg Speed 19.3 km/h Avg HR 150 bpm Avg Run Cadence – Avg Bike Cadence – Calories 9,365 C

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Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/01/31

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Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/01/24

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Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/01/17

A real life scam!

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Only a week or so since we were at Lorne where I’d read in one of the newspapers an article about the millions and millions of dollars that Australians lose each year to various scams, then today at mum & dad’s house we got to experience one first hand! Not just that, but it was almost word-for-word as laid out in the newspaper. Supposed tradesmen offering goods and services “on the cheap,” as two blokes turn up in a ute with a barrel of tar in the back and a couple of magnetic signs over the doors to hide the rental company name and say “we’ve been doing some work ‘up on the highway’ and the boss has asked us to get rid of the left over tar, we can resurface your driveway for a good price if you like…“

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Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2010/01/03

First ride of the decade

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

After failing to go for my ceremonial last ride of the year yesterday — something I’ve managed to do when I can on December 31 each year — I took myself out on the bike today. First bike ride of the year; an easy 38km ride from Lorne out along the Great Ocean Road to Wye river, on for a couple more headlands, stop and look at the ocean for a while, then turn around and make my way home.

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Sun, 27 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/12/27

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Sun, 20 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/12/20

Last day of work for 2009

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:00:00 +0000

An interesting year at work; I can hardly remember any of January to May — the normal, five day a week part of the year. Instead its been Monday to Wednesday at home looking after Cam, then Thursday and Friday in the office. Wednesday was my nominal “work-at-home” day to bring my hours up to three days a week, but in reality it was two whole days on site and the remaining seven and half hours of work spread out between Friday evening and Thursday morning, as and when a small boy and life allowed.

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Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/12/13

A Christmas function

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:00:00 +0000

“Assemble at 11:50 for the noon bus” we were exhorted, “Be on time!” I had my reservations about catching the bus to the function, being reliant on the corporate transport meant being held hostage if it rained or turned out to be a dud or I simply got bored and wanted to escape…. Will I or won’t I? Around in my head all morning, but finally I decided that yes I’d be the good corporate boy and catch the corporate transport to the corporate Christmas function.

QOTD - Thank you for holding

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Your call is very important to us. So important, in fact, we’ll continue to keep you on hold so that by the time you reach a real person your mood will have become as foul and black as satan’s stool sample. Cribbed from http://theoatmeal.com/comics/customer_service

Shifter woes, part #3

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Continued from part #2. Back from the dead — it lives! After a long, leisurely, walk over to Carnegie this morning with the pram and Jo’s bike we picked up a newly revitalised Norky bike. Dropped her Norco Magnum off for a service and to sort out the gears and picked up the grandfather’s axe that is my Java1. A bit of a comedown in the world, the only replacement 8-speed Shimano shifters left are Altus; LX, XT and XTR are all 9- or 10-speed nowadays.

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Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/12/06

Storage; never enough

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Disk space, ugh. The desktop is full, the laptop is full, the desk is covered in a pile of old hard-disks of various sizes in various states of repair. Two 200G 3.5” IDE drives in fafnir in a RAID mirror A 1T 3.5” SATA drive in the DViCO media box A 100G 2½” SATA drive in the laptop1 40G 1.8” drive in the iPod 20G 2½” IDE drive in the X-Drive II card reader 20G 2½” IDE drive in the old X-Box 8G USB stick Then piled up on my desk, a collection of 3.

MLP — Tweet cloud

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:30:00 +0000

http://statuscloud.icodeforlove.com/ajft/13195: Tweet cloud for ajft

The end of an era

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0000

After a little more than a decade, the time has come to finally part with Mr Damage — for the last four years, maybe even five, I’ve done little more each year than just pay the registration and then get it running for a couple of days in the last weeks each January. The bike owes me nothing, the costs in time and money of cleaning it up and advertising to sell it probably wouldn’t be worth anything like what the recompense would be.

Shifter woes part #2

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Continued from part #1. After a little searching online I decided to have another look at the internals of my rear shifter — albeit a 1996 Shimano XT unit, so I’ve had a decent thirteen year’s use out of it! Undid the three chassis screws, disconnected it from the cable, and brought it inside where I can safely drop tiny pieces on the kitchen table and not lose them in the shed or the garden.

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Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/11/29

Shifter woes, part #1

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Over the last few months my rear derailleur — 1996 eight-speed Shimano XT — has been harder and harder to change; I can change up to a bigger ring, but down is a problem, and I need to change two or three cogs and then back up. Jo has also pointed out that her changer is sticking and she was just about stuck in one gear almost all the way to and from work — not much of a problem around either of our commutes, which is why we haven’t done anything about it.

Banks

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:25:00 +0000

Ho-hum, a letter from the bank… We understand just how tight the finances can get some months. You never know when you might need some additional funds to tide you over. Um, yeah, I guess so… that’d be why there’s never more than about $1000 on my $5000 credit card, but you’re the financial experts so carry on… We’d like to invite you to apply for a credit limit increase on your Starts Low Stays Low credit card, from $5,000 to up to $7,500.

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Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/11/22

The Great Windows 7 Upgrade

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +0000

I took advantage of Microsoft’s It’s Not Cheating offer last Friday and bought myself a $50 Windows 7 upgrade online, paid an extra $141 to get a DVD rather than battle Telstra BigPond and download it all myself. The DVD arrived yesterday, here we go. So it begins… Of course like 99.9% of the people out there with Windows Vista on their laptops we’ve got Windows Vista home premium, and the Windows 7 Upgrade that Microsoft will happily sell us is for Windows 7 Professional, which cannot be used to “upgrade” the system, only to perform a clean install over the top of it!

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Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/11/15

MLP — Windows 7 FAQ

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

http://store.digitalriver.com/store/msshau/ContentTheme/pbPage.Windows_7_FAQs: FAQ for Windows 7 “Its not cheating” offer

Short-form Fragments

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/11/08

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Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/11/01

A bend where no bend should be

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:00:00 +0000

A couple of months ago — January 22, wow I hadn’t realised it was that long ago — I was knocked off the road bike on the ride home by a guy on a MTB who suddenly braked and turned right without looking back or indicating. Big solid guy on a MTB, he took the front wheel clean out from under me. “Sorry mate, I was only listening for cars,” he said as he looked at the damage before riding off on his way.

MLP — Modular houses

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:00:00 +0000

All from Living by Design, Sunday supplement to The Age: http://bachkit.com.au: bachkit, 1300.288.223 http://ecovilla.com.au: Eco-Villa 0401.448.443 http://modscape.com.au/: Modscape 03.9314.7769

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Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/10/25

Words of wisdom

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Cam doesn’t talk yet, not in any recognisable way. Instead we get long involved fragments of fascinating jibber-jabber, it sounds as though it should make sense if only we knew the translation: ma ma ma Ooo ya owa owa owa

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Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/10/18

Eating out

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Eating out with a toddler is an interesting experience. Even with Cam, who eats nearly everything and seems well behaved compared to some, it can be a trying time. Finding places that open early enough that Cam can eat at a reasonable hour for him, finding dishes suitable to feed to a toddler — at least for us that’s an easy one, trying to ensure that a minimum of food is flung, squooged, smeared or anything other than eaten, trying not to be too self-conscious of any looks given by spoil-sports at other tables, all while trying to enjoy your own meal and eating it before it gets cold.

Did not Ride to Work day

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:00:00 +0000

BV’s annual Ride to Work day met work from home day today; together with cold and flu day and drizzly grey rainy day. With the best intentions in the world I’d signed up saying I’d ride in, thinking I could pop Cam in the trailer, trundle over to Clayton for a breakfast and a chat then head home. Reality dawned dreary and coughing and wet and so we stayed home with a large mug of tea watching the rain run down the windows.

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Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/10/11

A long time between gigs

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:45:00 +0000

Its five years this week that we’ve been living in the ‘burbs. Its seventeen months since a little boy appeared and any form of nightlife vanished. Its a long time since I’ve been to a gig! Johnette Napolitano at the Corner hotel. Dinner at Sylvio’s — a large Sylvio’s special, garlic bread and a carafe of wine — quick, hot, tasty. Then back down to Swan street to the Corner Hotel.

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Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/09/20

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Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/09/13

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Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/09/06

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Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/08/30

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Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Week ending Sunday 2009/08/23

Disqus

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:30:00 +0000

I came across my account registration on disqus while searching for account details on another site — please, please, please can we have a few more decent implementations of OpenID so I can cut down on all these lost and forgotten passwords! Reminder to self, here is the code to paste on the end of my templates. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://disqus.com/forums/ajft-org/combination_widget.js \ ?num_items=5 \ &color=blue \ &default_tab=people"> </script>

Hey AGL, stop bugging me!

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Its bad enough this ridiculous business of door-to-door sales-scammers, sorry, salesmen, coming around for whichever company wants to annoy you the most, insisting on seeing your bills for product X and trying to sign you up for some competitors’ offer, presumably one that gives them a commission on every customer converted.

Storytlr

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:45:00 +0000

Yet another aggregator, yet another site that’s tickled my fancy and convinced me to create a login: Revisited [2017-08-29 Tue]: The internet equivalent of #bitrot has occurred and the service has vanished

Marketeers' spam

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:00:00 +0000

When not snowed under by the sheer weight of spam and rubbish mail, its important to take time out to find those little amusements in the day to day junkmail. Here’s one that came in today, personally addressed to a one-off email address that was on my site for a while, asking for a link exchange because clearly I have something to do with shonky weight-loss products. Please use the following details for my link:

Flickr

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Who views my photos, why, how often, what brings them here? Every day or so I check with Flickr to see what is being viewed the most, and what has been viewed the most overall. Oddly, my most viewed image has more than ten times the views of the next most viewed, and to me is a fairly boring bland photo. Linking to it here would only drive the view count up higher, so I won’t!

Mum's family

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:20:00 +0000

I guess being a Tritschler I tend to overlook the other half of my family tree, I know a little about mum’s family, but not a lot of detail. Wonderful to read a little about Grandad Barker from Gina then: Reg and Kitty at the Russell Hotel in London …My father died in 1987, my mother in 1980. So long ago. They were ‘older’ parents and I am the youngest and I envy people who still have their parents - take care of them, one day you will miss them as much as I miss mine.

reg

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A photo of my grandarents on my mother’s side, I acquired it in 2004 … I think, but I can’t remember who from or where, nor any of the details of when it was taken. Referenced: [2009-06-22 Mon]

HDTV DViCO TVIX HD M-6500A alphabet soup

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:30:00 +0000

Being part of a household that watches approximately an hour of television a week, at most, I’ve mostly ignored all the shiny new Australian digital TV channels showing the same old crud with the same overbearing ads and deliberate schedule slippage to render any recordings unusable. In the words of the TV executive, “We’re not in the business of letting people not watch ads.” All of a sudden a deadline emerged, mid-July, the Tour de France, this year SBS will be broadcasting their coverage on SBS2 — their digital channel.

HINI flu!

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Oh dear, oh dear. Can’t tell their h1n1 from their hini. Can someone please get them a clue, or maybe even fix their spell checker.

Maybe a netbook?

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Yes, no, maybe? All the little 10" netbooks are attractive, but it seems that the more I look into it the more my options diverge, rather than converge to a model that I’m happy with. US prices on assorted models seem to be:

QDOS

Thu, 28 May 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Revisited [2017-08-29 Tue]: The internet equivalent of #bitrot has occurred and the service has vanished

All of a sudden, a year passed….

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

It passed like a blur at times, like a glacier at others. From zero to one in twelve months. From a baby to a toddler, albeit a toddler who doesn’t quite toddle… yet. Two more weeks before I manage to make time to myself to even write this up, two weeks since one year since 2008-May-06. New beginnings, a change in work arrangements with both of us working three days a week and me working one of those three at home.

Spammer photomontage

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

So many beautiful lonely Russian ladies writing to me. I’m so sorry girls, I just can’t seem to find the time to get back to you all individually. As a homage, here’s a photomontage of all those pretty pictures you keep sending in the mail:

BigPond strikes again

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:20:00 +0000

Having rebuilt my home PC and started the laborious job of reinstallation and reconfiguration, I thought I’d better check with BigPond to see how many megabytes the patches and updates had cost me. A simple task? Of course not. Nothing is ever simple or easy with BigPond, nothing other than being billed that is. Splat across the homepage of http://my.bigpond.com is the following, in place of the dialog boxes that are supposed to let me login:

Uh oh….

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:00:00 +0000

It went clack, clack, clack, clack, CLACK. Then it stopped. Part way through a very ordinary ubuntu package upgrade the hard disk in fafnir made an horrendous sound and the PC froze. It wouldn’t respond to a soft restart, it wouldn’t respond to a hard reset, it wouldn’t even come back up after powering off and on. The hard disk has had it. A single consumer-grade IDE disk running almost continually in a desktop machine since about June 2004, what can I say, it was bound to fail eventually.

Cleanup Australia Day — Oakleigh style

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I’m helping to clean up, fix up and conserve the environment. Come along to the ‘Operation Oakleigh’ Clean Up Day and help us to make Oakleigh shine. There will be a free BBQ for volunteers and prizes to be won. So says the effusive little introduction from the co-ordinator of the “Cleanup Oakleigh” group of “Cleanup Australia Day.” What, you didn’t know that it was “Cleanup Australia Day” today? That’s funny, neither did I.

Yahoo Ubuntu.

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:30:00 +0000

Yay, finally! After four months of battling “Ubuntu who knows best,” I’ve finally managed to convince it to reinstall a current NVidia driver that works on my PC and gives me back the 1280x1024 resolution that I’d been using for four or five years! For some reason the 8.10 upgrade had removed all traces of the NVidia packages and refused to recognise that I had hardware that could use them.

9 9 9

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:09:00 +0000

http://www.9gridchan.org: Building a decentralized grid with Plan 9 and Inferno http://j.9souldier.org/: If a centipede loses one leg, he can still walk; if he loses a hundred legs, he can still squirm. http://graverobbers.blogspot.com/: This site contains a collection of articles about Plan 9, Inferno and the technology transfer of their technologies to other platforms such as Linux. It will include articles about ongoing development, novel applications, and step-by-step tutorials on using the various technologies.

Save the Net, at least in Australia

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:13:00 +0000

No thank you Senator Conroy, I do not want mandatory internet filtering of all Internet content in Australia, slowing everything, especially when the blacklist that is filtered is a secret from the very people it is “protecting”. Communist China filters the internet to “protect its people,” lets not have that sort of protection from our government.

More idiots parking blocking the path

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Around and around we go; Connex and Monash City Council, Monash City Council and Connex…. Every couple of weeks someone decides to ignore the no parking signs, to ignore the huge white markings on the ground, to ignore the fact that they’re blocking the footpath and bike path, and decides to park illegally at the end of the Oakleigh station car-park. Anyone on foot who is skinny enough can squeeze past, anyone on a bike, with a pram or shopping trolley or who is fatter than average either cannot get past at all, or has to scrape along the side of the idiot’s car.

The Bushfires

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t know what I want to say, how I’m feeling, its all just a bit numbing. Bushfires are a normally just a part of the Australian summer, eucalypts and the bush burn. On this scale though, and with all this warning so many deaths? Two weeks ago Melbourne’s weather set a record for three days in a row over 43 °C, then on Saturday another record with the hottest day ever at 46.

Toys

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Given the enormous number of toys that young Cam has to play with, what do you think would be his favourite things? Is it the stacking cups, the boxes, the wobbly inflatable thing, the mirror or the rings? Of course not. Like kids everywhere he has more fun with the cardboard box than with the toy that it contained. Having stocked the house with far too many baby toys he finds the most fascinating things are; the track pump, a length of aluminium tubing, the cast-iron door-stopper, the door itself and the rattly handles on the coffee-table drawers.

Heat death

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Three days of ridiculously hot weather have ended, three days in a row with a maximum temperature over 43 °C; 43 °C on Wednesday, 44 °C on Thursday, then 45.1 °C on Friday. Records have been broken, together with some of Melbourne’s infrastructure, tempers and a few too many lives. Tawny frogmouth pretending to not be here Walking around Oakleigh and Murrumbeena this afternoon the grass is brown and crisp and covered in leaves, every second tree has shed its leaves to conserve water — some of the eucalypts have shed branches too.

…or hotter

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Following on from yesterday it was uncredibly hot overnight, I slept with the windows open but as it only dropped to an overnight low of 28.7 °C it was just as hot inside as out, a little less stuffy but more light and noise from the street. Third hottest Melbourne night on record with an overnight low of 28.7 °C; 1902-Feb-01 was hottest at 30.5 °C followed by 1997-Jan-21 with 28.

Whether the weather is hot….

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Stupidly hot today, the rest of the family escaped to the coast leaving me to get hot and grumpy by myself, rather than hot and grumpy in the company of others — something that is never pleasant for the others. I’d gone in to work earlier than normal as the temperature was already climbing towards, or maybe even past, 30 °C but its still simpler and quicker to ride in slowly for fifteen minutes than to take walk to the station, catch a train, wait at the station, catch a bus, then walk ten minutes to get to work.

Assume all road users are idiots

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:30:00 +0000

+1 : Successfully avoided all unthinking drivers on the way home -1: Assumed cyclist in front of me was going straight ahead on “preferred cycle route” -2: Assumed cyclist in front of me would indicate if about to turn right, -3: Assumed cyclist in front of me would do head check before turning right just in case there was any traffic behind him. -4: Assumed cyclist in front of me heard me call out “g’day” as I started to come up behind him.

Kafkaesque bureaucracy; EPA & Monash City Council

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Monash City Council rang up today to verify that the rubbish dumping report that I made to the EPA that the EPA then gave to the council was a report that I wished the council to hand to their local laws officers to actually do something about. I have no idea why they make this so hard. The Red-Cross donation bins have a sign on them, the sign says to only place items in the bins and that anything outside the bins is dumped and should be reported to the EPA.

Empty seats

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Thought for the day: If you ride a tandem bicycle with only one person on it you will be subject to endless strange looks and wise-cracking comments from passers-by about the empty seat. Meanwhile, you’ll be surrounded by cars all with four or more seats, mostly empty and containing just one driver….

January commuters

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

In my daily bike commute along North road from Huntingdale Station to Monash University, I decided to keep a count of where the other cyclists I saw were riding:

Ubuntu upgraded itself into a hole

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Back in October I upgraded my Ubuntu system from 8.04 to 8.10 and as seems to happen far too often, once again something went wrong. This time it removed the nvidia support that has been running for years and all of a sudden I can only run X at a resolution of 1152x864 instead of 1280x1024.

Firsts….

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

First post of the year… First work day of the year… First bicycle commute of the year… First puncture of the year. Bugger.

Links from a cousin

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:00:00 +0000

http://abandonedshoe.blogspot.com/: “Haven’t you ever spotted them and thought; where are the owners? Do they not know or notice that they lost a shoe? Did the parent of that baby shoe feel sad at the loss? I recently began taking photographs of the phenomenon. So please do take that photograph next time you spot an abandoned shoe, then email to abandonedshoe@googlemail.com with the date, time and place you found it - and any theory or words you’d like to share with the readers of this blog!

The birds, the birds…

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

http://www.mtrothwell.com.au/: http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/: http://www.ozwildbirds.com/: Some good photos, but I do wish she’d stop splitting words in two; eg Honey Eaters and King Fishers, which everyone else in the world seems to be able to write as Honeyeaters and Kingfishers respectively. http://iffa.org.au/: Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association