Coming Out (* sort of clickbait)

So, I haven’t done much with this blog for a while. I’m not sure what to write, what to post about – life seems to kind of be the same over and over – most of the photos I have are of me walking the dog or the house looking pretty in the sun/rain/mist.

I had a very low point at the start of the year when lockdowns and not being able to travel to England to see my family really hit hard. This is still an ongoing issue and one that doesn’t look like it’ll be resolved soon, thanks to the Australian governments ultra conservative stance on international travel, but I’m coming back to a point of simmerage rage rather than despair, so that’s nice.

Anyways, the last, 9 months or so since my last proper post haven’t been a complete disaster.

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Fog and Mist and updates

So it’s been very wet here recently. Deluges of biblical proportions kind of wet.

It’s good, the dams need it – although very wet winters do create bushfire fuel problems for the summer.

Anyways, it was very foggy/misty here after a very wet week and I decided to get off my fat arse and go take some pictures up by the local dam. Read More

Out and About

I’ve been keeping busy since I did the epic half marathon run, carrying on exercising but nothing quite so long or exhausting, plus my ankles are not feeling that happy with running (again..)

I even got up at 5am on a Saturday morning to hike to the top of a local ‘mountain’ to watch the sunrise.  More on that below!

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Half Marathon Run

I should qualify this.

It wasn’t a race

But it was half marathon distance and I did run it – so my goal for (admittedly last year) is now achieved. And slightly unexpectedly.  I didn’t set out knowing how far I was going to go.

But I’ll take it, half marathon is in the bank, accidental or not.   Read More

Bits and Bobs

Merry Christmas, dear readers!

So – I’m taking some time out chilling after a lovely morning and lunch with the family on this perfect Perth Christmas summer day.

Being born in the northern hemisphere, Christmas in summer will always feel wrong, despite it being an almost perfect day – clear blue skies, 30 degrees and light breeze.

That said – I did get up early and go for a run to take full advantage of what we have here.  Read More

Ticket to crashville – admit one.

2 weeks ago I was out on the bike, minding my own business, having a great day in the hills, as one does.

Sundays are meant for this and the dirt roads of the Perth hills are generally peaceful and riding is good for the soul.

Well, that’s how it was supposed to be, anyway… Read More

Cheeky ride out on the DR650

Rewind a month:  (I know, I’m a bit behind – sue me 😉 )

Was a beautiful day, not much wind, not too warm – perfect for getting out on the bike.  I love the variation between the coast and the hills – there’s not too many places where you can get from one extreme to the other so easily. Read More

First signs of spring

Seasons are a bit vague here in Perth.

If you judged Perth climate by UK summer – we have summer all year round.
Autumn is a week of changing leaves between 35 degree summer days and the start of rain and a cool change
Winter comes and goes, but only exerts itself hard enough to warrant a jacket for a few weeks. It can be wet though – much wetter than a UK winter.
Which leaves Spring.   Spring is hard to pin down – it can be wet and cold but also hot and dry like summer.  If viewed by the calendar Spring definition, Perth has 2 or 3 seasons during that time.

The Aboriginal Noongar people that inhabited the Perth area before colonisation had defined 6 seasons.  We should use these really, they make a great deal more sense here than the English seasons the settlers brought with them. Read More

Mt Solus (again)

Christmas holidays – gotta love ’em.  I found myself with a totally free day so got up early to beat the heat (it’s starting to crank up here now) and set off to go back to Mt Solus.

You may remember that I went there before with a group of friends – clicky here for the post – but this time I thought (a little unwisely as it urned out – keep reading) I’d go on my own.

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Off road ride to Mt Dale

I’ve been off the bike for serious rides for a bit due to winter being crappy (see radar pic!) and very wet and the fact that I’m a big wuss and also I was back in England (as you may have gathered)

But there was a serendipitous break in the weather, I didn’t have any commitments and my family were all stuck into art or TV shows or other stuff.

So I fired up the mighty DR and went out on another adventure off road. Read More