Skateboard cat

Midnight likes to skateboard. As a 15 year old cat he seems obsessed with it. Here is a short video as a birthday present for fellow blogger Susan from Bricolage. Here Midnight is kicking back, but I have witnessed him on the move too.

The Garden from the window

Life is good. I mean really good. To wake up to this view from my window is very special, sadly it will be gone in a week or two. ( well worth clicking on the photo for a better look)



So.. after having a week to recover from my treatment- Its time to get out and go for a ride before returning and spending some time keep the garden in shape... See you all in Blogging land.

My Garden on the weekend

Spring is here!

training

My first Cannondale in 2000.

I like bikes. I like them for a lot of reasons. I like the exercise, I like the speed, I like the variety of terrain I can get to and I like the technology. I like Cannondales. They are beautifully made in the USA, they are quirky with interesting designs on front forks. They are reliable and a gem to ride.



My Synapse

Last year I let the training slip,but I have now got back into it and I am enjoying it a lot, but i am still having dramas with the Cannondale Prophet. A few weeks ago I had the front brake caliper replaced which prevented the front wheel binding (I had been riding with a partially jammed brake). Sadly, on Wednesday night I noticed the front wheel doing the same thing again. It now appears I have to send the entire front stem (fork), to Queensland for a rebuild. I guess after 5 years of pounding through the national parks its acceptable.



My Prophet

Soooo it's more time on my Cannondale Synapse. This is a very nice bike with a combination of carbon and alloy. The seat stays etc are curved for a more comfortable ride, and I had chosen a more laced front and rear rim ( more spokes). This is to prevent the bike becoming unrideable should I hit a pothole and damage the rims. Whilst less fashionable, its more reliable.



Bad Boy- note the small head shock and a more mountain bike style frame.

I am seriously considering buying another bike- called a Cannondale Bad Boy. This is a cyclo-cross bike. A cross over between a mountain bike and a road bike. With a small front head shock and triple front rings it can be used on mountain trails, (with the correct tyres fitted), or used as a trainer on the road.

Then I will have a bike for all seasons.

I have to confess though, I am tired- after 150km of training, then doing the gardens and then painting the deck I hit the wall! Still better to keep moving than sitting still in my opinion!

Stop Stoning Now!

A woman is about to be stoned in Iran.


Its barbaric.

Please, please go to www.stopstonningnow.com and sign the petition.

flames at dawn

One morning I awoke to witness a dawn as I had never seen. It was as if the entire world had caught on fire. As the mists rolled in and away, we were engulfed in a dramatic scene which only lasted a few moments.




The dawns begins like any other...


Then it just gets "hotter" and "hotter"




Even the trees leaves turn flame coloured.


I cannot even begin to describe the feeling of this. Everything turned flame coloured, even the clouds..

Mountain bike riding along spring time trails

Grass trees line the track.

Well, It's now spring and rather than bore you with the details of the mid week ride I thought I would share some of the wild flowers that are scattered along the track.

Some interesting colours

The bush is now filled with the scent of wattle, gum leaf and honey. Its truly remarkable and makes a ride very pleasant. Also enjoyable is the subtle temperature differences and the trail rises and falls through creek beds, small rain forests to more open areas along the tops of ridges.


More..

The ride itself gets tricky as the sun sets. Lots of sand and small rocks make the trail interesting. Washed out rock ledges require good balance as an example. I did in fact crash on one faster down hill but no damage done.



A few weeks ago I had the bike serviced and a bindng front brake repaired/replaced. What a difference this has made! Better, smoother braking and no friction!! Seems I had been riding with a brake partially on......


The mighty Banksia

At the end- a superb view of the Blue Mountains, which look like the waves of an ocean as the sun sets.



View looking west.