14th February 2010, New Norfolk

I was talking to an old dog lying just outside the entrance to the motel I was staying in. This cat came running as though it was waiting to see how the dog was treated before making it’s move. It had the feel of a scam

The scam became evident when the cat took advantage of my entrance to get inside. Then it waited by my door - how it knew which door was mine I don’t know. Maybe most new guests are given the same room?

It made itself at home on my bed and went to sleep.

Popularity: 6% [?]

14th February 2010, Tynwald Park New Norfolk

Also known as The Rodents.

I met these guys in New Norfolk. Fonzie (the one with the tongue) is a ball dog; he bugs his owner to throw the ball, or in this case, the stick. Leanne (the owner) was absent mindedly throwing the stick while talking on the phone.

Fergus doesn’t get the ball game. He was more interested in grabbing hold of Fonzie’s tail while Fonzie was preoccupied with the stick.

Popularity: 8% [?]

14th February 2010, Jeffrys track

I’m in heaven. Even with a swollen ankle.

I’d heard about Jeffrys track, that it went all the way to New Norfolk. It is actually about 6km short of New Norfolk. The people I questioned about it all had horror stories, so I was apprehensive. Especially riding alone.

It is a great ride. A nice challenge, interesting varying terrain, and 70km! Although about 15km of that is on road.

From where I live, I only have to go a few kms till I’m on tracks. Then to Bermuda track, Whites track, Jeffrys track.

My ankle? That was closer to home. One of those hills that you can’t see over the hump in the middle of it, like a steep ski slope. Too much front brake and I was sliding head first down the hill with my bike on top of my foot, with the thought in my head “my ankle is broken”. It isn’t

I hope you all have someone to celebrate St Valentine’s day with.

Popularity: 8% [?]

18th October 2009, between Adamsons and Creekton falls.

This is the only time and place that I’ve seen pink mushrooms. There was one more within 100 metres of this one.

Popularity: 19% [?]

23rd October 2009, Glenorchy

Another  hapless fowl sentenced to the Hobart Show for the duration

I have a bump on my noggin and a sore hip from ice skating. If I go again I’m wearing a helmet and one of those suits that attack dog trainers wear.

No, that isn’t me. If it was I’d have a helmet on too.

Popularity: 18% [?]

23rd October 2009, Glenorchy

A dodgy looking character incarcerated at the Hobart Show.

Popularity: 17% [?]

23rd October 2009, Glenorchy

You can see Woody a few cells down poking her head out. She might be claustrophobic? Or just wants to get out and shovel around for snails and play in the mud

Popularity: 16% [?]

25th October 2009, Adamsons Falls

This photo only shows the bottom third of the falls - they look to be about 150m (3 olympic size swimming pools).

I’ve crossed the foot of these falls a few times now, on my way to exploring other tracks. Today I followed an old track to Creekton Falls. It was amazing - probably the hardest one to follow yet. It is a challenge to figure out where it is going. A lot of the track was less than 50cm high; crawling under the canopies of fallen trees and huge horizontal branches growing down the side of the mountain (Adamsons Peak).

And, I could hear lyre birds screeching; something I haven’t heard much of since leaving Gippsland.

And everything was wet.

Adamsons Peak was covered in snow.

Popularity: 17% [?]

23rd October, Glenorchy

Another picture from the Hobart show. This Duck was making a racket, and poking her head out when there was no one around. I felt a kindred spirit.

I took this at full zoom (200mm) and at iso 800 which is why it is so grainy, but I like the shot.

Note: Woody is short for Wood Duck.

Popularity: 16% [?]

23rd October 2009, Glenorchy

This morning I had a test ride on a Can Am Spyder - see below. It is a three wheeler 990cc rotax engined flappy paddle type auto gearbox. Two wheels at the front.

I booked in for the test ride, just to have a ride on something exotic. It was a beautiful day to have a ride and I enjoyed it, but the bike was a huge dissappointment. I really thougtht the front wheels would lean over into the corner, but they don’t, they stay upright. This makes for a very boring, stilted, two dimensional ride. I can’t imagine many motorcyclists would enjoy these - you just can’t get into corners like you can on a motorbike.

Also, my single cylinder  650 would have left these for dead; they just didn’t move. I was expecting a lot more.

The rest of the day I spent at the Hobart Show. I mostly enjoyed looking at the animals and photographing them. I felt for them though, caged up for three days with all sorts of people in their faces. Well, I was in their faces too but able to put them at ease. They really all looked as though they just wanted to get out into the open.

There were also some great photographs in the photographic exhibition. You could tell that none of them were taken with a compact digital - the quality was superb.

The Can Am Spyder - I pilfered this photo from http://www.tuvie.com/can-am-spyder-roadster-three-wheels-vehicle/

Popularity: 18% [?]