Plans or just ideas?

Tasmanian boxer Daniel Geale
defends his middleweight title
in Hobart on 31 August.
(web image)

Back at Jeanneret Beach and planning to learn how to snorkel and dive. Diving requires about $400 worth of gear including wetsuit, mask, snorkel and flippers. Even in summer you'd need a very good wetsuit to swim in Tasmanian waters. Ben mentioned Tuyet visiting sometime in August, and a trip to Hobart to see a boxing match. He also mentioned the possibility of travelling on the mainland and riding up to Queensland. It seems there are lots of plans, or maybe they're just ideas. I'm left wondering where he'll be on the 18th December for his 21st birthday. The ENT specialist in Launceston cauterised both nostrils and that's the end of the visits for now because there's been a significant improvement.

One year ago - Bridge Road Richmond.

Epworth Hospital Richmond
(web image)

Left another specialist appointment

with more than a few worries.
Prescriptions and medications
to deal with symptoms.
While real causes
remain a mystery still.
Groups of shoppers
saunter along Bridge Road.
Happily discussing their
shoes, accessories and clothes.
Lined up side-by-side
they stop without warning.
Blocking the narrow pavement
with, it seems, scant regard for others.
Resisting the urge to complain
we mutter and push through.
Must reach the car
before the limit expires.

That was just one year ago.

Seafood and stews.

Ben's back at the Bay of Fires and eating GOOD food. Back in Melbourne, some new motorcycle gear has been purchased: boots, a bag and waterproof liner. Finally, Uncle Peter and I had lunch in one of Ben's favourite restaurants. Ben was there too.

Late evening update: Camped at Diana's Basin tonight and heading to Launceston tomorrow for another ENT appointment. Spent the past few days visiting a long-term camper at Jeanneret Beach. Dented the fortnightly budget with the purchase of a "telescopic" fishing rod. It's much easier to transport than the old single-piece rod which had to be tied to the bike like a lance.

Ben and the art of motorcycle maintenance.

It pays to look after a bike, especially if you're touring in remote places. Not so long ago, all the workings of a motorcycle were a complete mystery but, over time, some of the art has been learned if not mastered. Oil and filter changes; brake pad changes; bleeding the clutch and brake lines; replacing indicators; cleaning, oiling and adjusting the chain; as well as skills like controlling the bike on gravel, riding with a flat tyre, dealing with a flooded engine (a flooded Ducati sounds like a gun when it backfires) and trying to maintain speed with a dodgy throttle. One of the difficulties is that you often need gadgets and tools. Improvisation is possible, as shown in the pics. This is one way to lift the rear wheel when cleaning and oiling the chain. I wouldn't use it to safely hold the bike when the rear wheel is removed, you'd need two boxes for that. No need to lift the bike manually either; just angle the box under the trailing arm and pull the bike backwards till the box is vertical. Placing the stand on a length of board allows the stand to slide back with the bike. Of course there are some tasks where it's necessary or advisable to go to a mechanic. Changing tyres is one and replacing timing belts is another, although the belts can be replaced DIY. Last time Ben was in Launceston, he quietly browsed through the wholesale price lists while the mechanic worked on the bike. The retail markup and, of course, labour can make motorcycle maintenance expensive at times.

Jazz goes to Chelsea beach.

Ben's in Derby today and the weather is magnificent. Ben's dog, Jazz, who still lives at home in Melbourne, drove down to Chelsea for her first visit to the beach since she was a young pup. She loved the beach and soon discovered the water wasn't good to drink. Two years ago, Ben would regularly swim at Chelsea, even in winter. Jazz would like to visit Tasmania some time. Although, she'd need a nice big yard to stay in because it's not an entirely "dog friendly" place and dogs are banned in many areas.

Spiral Creations.

(web image)

Spiral Creations is the name of a jewellery store in St Helens. Ben's been talking with the owner about producing jewellery incorporating some of the gemstones that have been collected and cut. Their website shows examples of the items on sale and they do look impressive. Of the three topaz sent to Hobart only one was cut; the other two stones were faulty in some way. However, the one that was cut has turned out really well and looks like a large glittery diamond. It's cold and miserable in Tasmania today. The gloves are wet and that makes riding the bike uncomfortable. He's abandoned a planned trip to St Helens and, instead, will buy a hot lunch at the Holy Cow Cafe in Pyengana.


4pm update: According to the "tracking device", he did go to St Helens after all. The current device readout shows a balance of under $50.00; having to replace a worn front motorbike tyre sure dented this week's budget.

Loupe.

Loupe

This is a loupe (pronounced loop). It looks like a hand-held weapon but actually it's a magnifier that's used by jewellers and experienced fossickers to examine gemstones. This one has 10X and 20X magnification with 10X being the standard used by jewellers. If there's no flaw at 10X magnification, the gem is "flawless". Ben's getting one of these in the mail in a day or two. He's also teamed up with a jewellery maker in St Helens who will manufacture a pair of sapphire ear rings. I received this SMS yesterday: "This is an automated message. Your order has been placed. Hamilton Sapphire Co."  I'll admit to placing the order but I'm not going to wear the ear rings! Who is? Watch this space.

Even God’s forgotten where it is!

Looking at real estate again, rental properties this time. Found the online ad easily enough but the agent's having difficulty finding the exact location of the house. They mentioned that even the Almighty couldn't remember where it is! This old two-bedroom farmhouse is somewhere near Pyengana, in the mountains. Looking at the photos, it definitely needs a tidy up and the agent's willing to remove all the old carpet and furniture. Price is relatively cheap (and could possibly be negotiated down a little). Yes, it's nothing flash and way too remote to live in by yourself. You'd at least need a dog and maybe a relative or friend for company. It's one of those not sure, just thinking ideas.

update 22 Sept 2011: This house is now listed with another agent and they don't know where it is either.

Feeling better.

Mike Monroe, "Bubble Man"
Northern Exposure

Venturing outside.

Mike Monroe, a character in the TV series Northern Exposure, moved to the fictional town of Cicely Alaska to find clean air. Even there, he lived in a climate controlled dome and could only be coaxed outside with the aid of a used NASA-issue space suit. Over time, his sensitivities diminished to the point where he was finally able to venture out without the suit. Of course Mike's case was fictional and "any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental", as the disclaimer usually goes. But there's always some fact behind the fiction and, as we know, many people are very sensitive to air quality and their environment.

Ben rang from the Bay of Fires on Friday. He'd been fishing and waves could be heard crashing onto nearby rocks. One of the highlights of the past few days was a ride on a Triumph 1200 touring bike. Its owner wanted to ride the Ducati and it was only fair to reciprocate. Another highlight was meeting a German stonemason who lived in a van at Jeanneret beach and baked his own bread in a home-made bush oven. He was an impressive character by all accounts. The final highlight (for me) was Ben saying that he's feeling better lately.

How to keep warm without a heater.

14 July, 8AM, temperature in Derby, minus 3°C!

The night before last, the temperature was minus three and last night an even colder minus five. To keep warm, house dwellers heat their houses by putting more wood on the fire or turning up the central heating; burning more fossil fuels and spending money in the process. Tent dwellers, on the other hand, have to retain their own body heat. Thermal under-clothing, several layers of clothes, beanie or balaclava, hooded jacket, thick socks and gloves are the basic essentials. For sleeping, you need a good sleeping bag but even the 'snow rated' bags don't always make the grade so two sleeping bags are best. The ground is freezing and insulating yourself from below is most important. Ben has a couple of thin blow-up mattresses that do the job very well. With those basics you can be very warm (even hot) on the coldest of nights. There are some drawbacks. It's difficult to read a book and stay warm at the same time because your arms have to be at least partly outside the sleeping bag. Having to get up for a pee in the middle of a freezing cold night would have to be the greatest drawback of tent-dwelling. Another reason for using two sleeping bags, one inside the other, is that your body heat gradually warms through the bags and, when it's really cold, moisture condenses on the outer covering. By morning, the inner sleeping bag is lovely and warm while the outside of the outer one is cold and damp. Getting out of bed isn't easy but, once you're up, a warm bowl of porridge is a great way to start the day.

Full moon at the beach.

Ben took this photo one month ago near Four Mile Creek, south of Scamander. We'd been up to St Mary's for lunch at the Purple Possum cafe and were heading back 'home'. It was a chilly evening on a windswept beach. There were a few surf fisherman trying their luck and, further south, in the distance, we saw a solitary house on a promontory. We thought it would be an interesting place to live; in a pale yellow house on an isolated piece of land jutting out into the sea. Then again, a cosy timber cabin in the mountains would be nice too. (We already have one of those, but it's far from Tasmania.) Place doesn't matter as much as how you feel when you're there. Full moon rises over a windy beach, Stand just there. No to the right, near the bike. That's it, you're in the right place!

Hour of power.

Winnaleah Magpies
emblem.

It was a busy social weekend at the Weldborough Hotel with a visit by a small group of Winnaleah locals. The "hour of power" is, I'm told, a drinking game that involves downing a large number of rounds of beer within an hour and the end result is somewhat predictable. The hotel owners joined in the activities which included dancing as well as drinking. Ben's been asked to teach one of the locals to dance so he can enter a dance competition next weekend. Also there's been an invitation to play in a social game with the local footy team, the Winnaleah Magpies. I've already warned that even a social game could be a little rough.

On the waterfront.

Ben's rides a motorbike and is thinking about boats. Marlon rode a bike and spent time on the waterfront. Even those Motorcycle Diaries guys floated from place to place.

Ben thinking about boats.

Marlon on the waterfront.
(web image)

Che and Alberto floating.
(web image)

Warm and sunny in St Helens.

The captain.

While we in Melbourne suffer a freezing cold and damp day, it's a warm and sunny 12°C in St Helens. Ben's at the waterfront talking with "the captain" (the captain of the cray fishing boat that Ben helped crew a few months back). The current interest is in learning how to sail so he's investigating certificates required and courses available.

The gem scales arrived and are exactly what he needed. There are gems being cut in Hobart, a few in Beaconsfield and a large number on their way to Lambert Holdings in Thailand. Price is based on the final weight in carats and some of the stones may be costly.

Finally, Ben may head up to St Mary's today to have a look at the shed mentioned in an earlier post. There has been lots of email correspondence about it recently. What's the plan? I don't really know for sure.

Evening update: Didn't get to see inside the shed because the tenant, whose occupation is "roo culler", had the only key and was away. Did have time to look around though and it was then that a neighbour wandered over for a chat. He mentioned that the land was bought not all that long ago for much less than the current price. Also mentioned that it may be contaminated with diesel oil, since heavy trucks used to park there. It seems that there's more to it than meets the eye. People sometimes tell you things you need to know.

Where's the plug?

It was only a few weeks ago that we rode and drove along one of the rough narrow roads to the north of Weldborough. The road started near a town called Moorina, crossed the Frome River and headed ever upwards into the mountains. It wasn't all that reassuring to see a tractor towing a 4WD back towards the highway but we pressed on at a sedate 20kph, carefully avoiding the ruts and washouts. Tasmania is often surprising and the first surprise was a large timber house sited just beside the road. The occupants, if there were any, had certainly found a remote location in which to live. The second surprise appeared as a clearing in the forest and turned out to be the Frome Reservoir. A narrow track lead downwards to the left, too narrow and steep for the car but easy for the bike. The reservoir was empty, someone had pulled the plug. Ben demonstrated his balancing skills while I went searching for the plug.

Freezing cold!

Back in the mountains it's 2°C in Derby at 8PM. Tomorrow will be colder. Some items should arrive in the post either tomorrow or the next day. Ben's old and scratched black iPod with a new charger and ear phones has been packaged up and posted over. It's been loaded with a selection of music including, by request, Stevie Wonder's Superstition. Also, a small electronic scale for weighing gemstones has been ordered from http://AussieSapphire.com.au with Main Rd, Weldborough as the delivery address. Everyone likes receiving presents in the mail.

11:30PM update: 0°C in Derby, milder in St Helens but only just 3°C! No wind at all and wood fires will be burning. Can't help but wonder if winter would be better spent some place warmer.

What about a yacht?

After a night camped in the back yard, the house at Bicheno has been ruled out. There are "smokey" houses nearby and we're not keen on the treated pine that has been used in and around the building. Also, looking closely at the photos, the new smaller trees and what appears to be blackened taller trees suggest that it could also be in a high fire-risk location. News reports from December 2006 confirm the suspicion. Plans change as plans often do and this shed in St Mary's has potential. It could be used as a base for Ben and be rented out as storage to generate income. According to the agent, there is a demand for storage in St Mary's and the negotiable price is very reasonable. Ben does however have bigger ideas, he'd like a yacht.

Although... a yacht may not be the best place to be over the next few days. According to the ABC news website:
Tasmanians are being warned to brace for some wet and wild weather in coming days... A series of cold fronts will cross the state bringing snow to low levels as well as thunderstorms, strong wind gusts and significant rain to the north and west... The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a gale wind warning for the far north-west, the central north coast, the upper east coast and central west coast...

Cooking for one.

This little gas cooker boils 600ml of water in about a minute and is perfect when cooking for one. The possibilities are endless, you can make tea, boil eggs, cook noodles, heat porridge, boil eggs and so on and so forth. It all packs down into a compact package that's easy to carry on the bike. The Jetboil cooker, a one-person tent, a sleeping mat and two sleeping bags are now basic touring items that Ben carries on longer-distance trips.

Camped at Fortesque Bay near Port Arthur last night. National park fees and an unpowered campsite amount to $40, way too much for someone on a limited income. This is one time when it's an advantage to pitch your tent right next to someone else. Ben didn't get to Cambridge and contacted the gem cutter by phone. Rain is on the way so the plan is to head back north today. The real estate agent in Bicheno decided that some flexibility could be to his advantage, if there's the prospect of a sale on the horizon. The house will be available for a few nights for the price of a $40 cleaning fee and therefore the money saved at Fortesque Bay can be spent at Bicheno.

That's just the way it is.

Always on the lookout for possibilities, is this a low-allergy house? It looks reasonable with polished timber floors and timber lining; any sign of carpet and we're not interested. It's sited on 5 acres of land, has two bedrooms and is rented out as a holiday house earning over $850 a week, according to the agent. Presently the house isn't earning anything because it's unoccupied and for sale. Ben would like to try living in it for a while but the agent insists on full rent, even in low season. "That's just the way it is," says the agent who sounds rather inflexible.


Ben's heading further south for a few days. He plans to catch up with friends at Cambridge and visit Boyd Sweeney, the gem cutter, in Hobart.

Happiness is an unblocked nose.

Yesterday Ben went to see Dr Ashok Saha, an ENT specialist based in Launceston. Unlike a certain Melbourne ENT specialist, Dr Saha checked carefully, did not request any expensive tests and then fixed the nasal congestion problem (which Ben has endured for years) by 'cauterising' the nasal passages; a procedure that, apparently, many less-experienced doctors no longer favour. It's true to say that Ben was a very happy camper as he lay in his one-person tent in the Bicheno campground last night and busied himself using up his quota of free SMS's. He was most literary in his first message, less so in the second. (Language warning for the second message!)