Margaret and the map from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Ken laments the passing of Chinese communal pit toilets. And gets a map from a lady called Margaret. In the Information Centre. Kempsey. Northern New South Wales.
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Margaret and the map
June 23rd, 2011Pelican brief
June 23rd, 2011
Looks like a pelican. It’s a beak thing. But I might be hopelessly wrong. Again.
Secret squirrels
June 22nd, 2011
Campsite laundries. Warm and dry. Often home to a small library. Romantic novels. Celebrity tittle-tattle. Even the odd men’s periodical. Railway Modeller. That sort of thing. Women’s magazines. More learned publications. The Monthly. Advertisement for the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. Reminds me of the sort of thing you’d find in the back pages of the Economist. For the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service. Copy cats. Suppose that’s espionage for you.
Spousal exchange
June 22nd, 2011Spousal exchange from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Slightly tongue-in-cheek perspective on the coastal town of Nambucca Heads, northern New South Wales.
No parking
June 22nd, 2011
Riding the Pacific
June 21st, 2011Riding the Pacific from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Ken describes some of his experiences on the Pacific Highway. On Australia’s east coast. New South Wales.
Threat or suggestion?
June 21st, 2011
Hmmm. Threat? Or suggestion?
Favourite pitch
June 21st, 2011Favourite pitch from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.
Ken describes his favourite pitch in Australia. So far at least. Lorikeet Tourist Park. Northern New South Wales. Close to Coffs Harbour. Visit them at www.thelorikeet.com.au.
Halfway Creek
June 20th, 2011Halfway Creek. Midway between Grafton and the northern New South Wales coast. Closed. The expected cafe shut. Lease available. Grounds now a rose garden. Fortunately a servo a few kilometres further on. Brief coffee. Then onwards before losing the light. Days getting shorter. Need to stop around four. Finding a site just off the Pacific Highway a little north of Woolgoolga. Greeted by Debbie. And a towel. Flannel. Shampoo. Conditioner. Bar of soap.
Different breeds
June 20th, 2011Different breeds. The long-haul touring cyclist. The road rider. Former often alone. But rarely solitary. Invariably relying on their sociability. Their ability to get on with those they encounter as essential a skill as fixing a puncture. Always stopping to greet fellow brethren. No matter where. Or when.
Contrast the typical road rider. Head down. Focused. At best a brief nod of acknowledgement as you pass in the other direction. Sometimes found in packs – pelletons. Statistics often more important than enjoying the scenery.
A niche popular with MAMIL’s – Middle Aged Men in Lycra. Spending huge sums to shave a few grammes off the weight of their bikes. When a few less pies might be the cheaper option. And finding drafting – that’s tail-gating another rider – irresistible. Risking serious injury if it all goes wrong.
Of course, there are exceptions. Those who ride sensibly on the roads. Or enjoy both road and touring disciplines. Niall. Paul. Quite a few others. But that still leaves a lot who do fit the stereotype. Right, time to pop on the shorts. Lycra. Says Ken. Aged forty something.
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