November ... and a snake photo

November started off with a weekend swim meet. Fortunately It finished quite early on the Sunday and I not only got home at a reasonable hour I also managed to get in a 6km walk from Cooleman Court home around the base of Mt Arawang.

To add to my lizard photo collection I came across a blue tongue lizard racing across the track. By the time I got the camera out he was disappearing over the edge but then he stopped and I managed to get some photos.

I also managed to capture sunset which was pretty spectacular.

On Sunday 9 Trevor and I had breakfast in Civic before I headed off on a longish walk home. My route took me across Civic, through ANU (the Australian National University), into the National Botanical Gardens, up Black Mountain, down the southern side of Black Mountain, then along the shore of Lake Burley Griffin before picking up the track that leads to Weston Creek (and Cooleman Court) and finally home. All  up I walked 22.78km with 500m of climb.

A lizard in the Botanical Gardens

The gardens were awash with colour

Another lizard. This one was on the track going up Black Mountain. He played the "If I don't move you can't see me" game. I still saw him!

View from the side of Black Mountain looking over Lake Burley Griffin

On Saturday 15 November my niece Kerri-Lee, daughter of my younger brother Peter, was getting married and Trevor and I headed off to Victoria for the wedding on the Friday and we stayed at my sister Sue's. From Sue's house there is easy access to the rail trail that runs from Bairnsdale through to Orbost. I have previously walked the first section of the trail (see my post from 30 June East Gippsland RailTrail part 1) and walked bits from Sue's out towards, and sometimes to, Nicholson. With plenty of time before my appointment with the hairdresser I headed out along the rail trail. Sue had headed off on her bike about the same time and I did see her and a riding companion beetling along the highway as I headed towards Nicholson.

I turned around after 6kms and headed home.

The rabbits are still very much in evidence and birds kept tempting me to stop and try to get a photo of them but I was disciplined and kept walking.


I had almost reached my trail exit point when something caught my eye. I had actually passed something in the grass on the edge of the track. I stopped and went back to check. This was no lizard.

The yellow things are flowers. The black thing was not a discarded bike tire but a snake.

After a quick shower it was off to get my hair done.

After lunch we piled in to Sue's car and headed for Maffra where we were staying the night. Older sister Jen was picking us up and taking us out to the winery where the wedding was being held so that we did not have to be concerned about driving.

Sue, Jen and Lorraine

The weather was threatening and held off until we got back to our motel.

The groom (Chris King), celebrant and groomsmen ready and waiting

Peter escorting Kerri-Lee "up the aisle"

Exchanging vowels

Signing the register

The bridal party

Peter and Jenny with daughter Kerri-Lee and husband Chris

Cutting the cake

It was a bit nippy while we waited for the bridal party to arrive for the reception and the heaters and blankets provided by the venue were welcome.

Kerri-Lee and Chris, I wish you both the very best for whatever lies ahead.

Jen duly dropped us off at the motel but not before hairing right around the roundabout at the entrance to Maffra ... and she was sober!

The next morning Trevor and I headed out to Nambrok and niece Helen's converted church. Jen was staying with Helen and I had hiking boots and clothes for Jen to try on.

Next was a catch up with sister Liz in Sale.

(l-r) Liz, Sue, Peter, Jen, Lorraine. [Missing: John]

Trevor and I returned home on the Monday having had a very pleasant weekend with family activities.

During November there were quite a few good sunsets and interesting light effects.

And now for the November stats:

Distance: 327kms (daily average: 40.92km)
Elevation gain: 4070m (daily average: 136m) ... oops even less than October!
Steps: 658117 (daily average: 21937)

October wanders

Our local floral festival, Floriade, was coming to an end and Astrid had been promised a visit by Nic so we all trouped off to Floriade on the final Saturday (4th). The flowers had stood up remarkably well. There was a heap of entertainment for the little ones, too.

Antony with Astrid and Soren at the back of the giant snail

Astrid on the giant snail

Morning tea break

Astrid in front of one of the beds of Tulips

Some of the lovely flowers

After leaving Floriade Trevor and I lunched at the National Library and then I headed off home on foot.

Of course, October is Soren's birthday. We went out for breakfast on the actual day and then the party was on the following weekend. There were lots of youngsters in attendance. 

The month had been a busy one with swimming activities, too, but I did manage to squeeze in some walking, at least.

The last weekend of the month was spent in Wodonga delivering training in Meet Manager and Team Manager. After I finished the training I set out to check out one of the many rail trails that radiate out from the city. The trails I followed were well marked and generally well maintained. Which is more than I can say for the local bird population. I was swooped and struck by a magpie which appeared to have stunned itself as it flopped onto the track a little way in front of me and just sat there while I passed.

October statistics:

Distance: 333km (daily average: 10.77km)

Elevation gain: 4314m (daily average: 139m)

Steps: 577764 (daily average: 18638)

 

The elevation gain was a very meager effort

September ... home again

The first half of September was spent in Canada. Once again I have written up most of the Canadian activities on Return of the 2 Ws.

It was good to be home. To celebrate I did the 6km walk from home to the top of Mt Arawang and back.

On Wednesday 17 I did not have PT so ended up doing an early morning Mt Taylor circuit and climb. There was an abundance of plants in bloom throughout the reserve.

Over the next couple of days I managed to get in a number of other walks including a walk from Duffy home along Cooleman Ridge.

On Saturday Nic suggested that we all go out for a walk around Lake Tuggeranong with a picnic. We met near the library at the town centre and headed off with Soren in his stroller and Astrid on foot.

Picnic beside Lake Tuggeranong (l to r) Trevor, Astrid and Nic with Soren

Astrid managed the walk quite well however she did get carried for the last km or so.

After farewelling the Duffy crowd I walked home.

The next day (Sunday 21) I had a hairdressers appointment at Woden and once again enjoyed walking through the Taylor reserve with its gorgeous array of plants in bloom.

Tuesdays continue to be Astrid's regular day to visit us. We quite often walk to the Village to get supplies for lunch, dinner or baking. The 23rd was no exception. Off we went and were confronted by a fence blocking our path so had to skirt around the ovals rather than walk along the path between two of them. Why a fence? If there had been notifications of work on the ovals they had to have been posted while we were away. There were no notices to be seen. Astrid and I tracked down some of the people putting up the fence and were told that that it was for work on the ovals. We did eventually establish that the irrigation systems were being upgraded. [The fence is still up on two of the ovals at the end of December]

Along with my regular routes (between home and the Tuggeranong Town Centre, Woden and Cooleman Court as well as Mt Arawang and Mt Taylor climbs and my night favorite of Marconi Crescent) there are loads of walks within Kambah. I took advantage of this to do a longish evening walk on Thursday 25 after I got home from my session at the Family History Centre.

On Saturday 27 Trevor and I lunched at the National Library. I then walked home via Woden with a climb to the top of Mt Taylor included. Total distance: 19.35km. Below is a selection of the sculptures that I passed on this walk.

Outside the Treasury Building

The Prime Minister walking to Parliament House

Not sure of the location of these rocks

Sculpture in the Town Square at Woden

Sunday 28 with Michael's birthday and we had breakfast at A Bite to Eat in Chifley before returning to Duffy. After the celebrations I headed off to walk along Cooleman Ridge. Taking advantage of the pleasant day I climbed up to the Cooleman Ridge trig point and discovered my first lizard of the season sunning himself on one of the rocks.

There had been a fair bit of rain while we were away and the countryside was a lovely green.

September Statistics:

Walking: 295km at an average of 9.84km per day
Elevation gain: 5237m (daily average: 175m)
Steps: 559432 (daily average: 18648)

What happened to August?

Any regular reader of my walks blog must be wondering what happened to me. No, I did not drop off the face of the earth. I was busy doing a whole heap of things.

On 12 August Trevor and I flew to Boston. We returned home on 16 September. Our exploits in the US and Canada have been documented on Return of 2 Ws blog. We had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the time we were away. I did manage to get in some decent walks and also climbed a number of mountains.

So what happened in the first part of August?

I managed to cram in quite a bit of walking before heading off to the US.

On Friday 1 I had an extra PT session so this allowed me to clock up just over 12km by walking to the gym and home. We went to A Bite to Eat at Chifley for lunch and I walked home via the top of Mt Taylor. Doesn't everyone climb the mountain when presented with the opportunity?

The ACT Winter Short Course Championships fell on 2 & 3 August. The meet was huge and I spent the weekend out at the AIS pool. By the time I got home it was already dark and I had a heap of followup processing to do so no walking.

Late Monday afternoon (august 4) I headed off and did one of my Mt Taylor climbs. The down section and return home was done in the gloom/dark. All up the walk tallied 11.35km with a good climb thrown in.

On Tuesday we had Astrid over for the day. The only walking I managed was a slow walk to the Village and back.

Wednesday (August 6) was a fine sunny day after a cool night. Once again I walked to the gym and back with my PT session in the middle. At lunch time we went out to check out what was available at Torrens, a small shopping centre on the other side of Mt Taylor to us. They did have a take away food outlet but I doubt if we will bother going there again. After lunch I returned home over Mt Taylor.

Thursdays always limit my walking. By the time I do my session at the family history centre and get home the day is pretty much over. I did squeeze in a 4km walk by driving to Mt Taylor. This circuit starts at the informal carpark on Sulwood Drive above Mannheim Street. I walk anti clockwise around the base of Taylor, up the Richmond Fellowship track and then to the carpark on the Mannheim track.

Friday I walked to the gym and back with another PT session thrown in.

On Saturday (August 9) I headed off to Cooleman Court in the early afternoon as I had a couple of things I needed for the trip. On the walk home I climbed up to the Mt Arawang trig point. I was surprised to see a mirror like area to my north west and realised that it was light reflecting off the surface of the Cotter Dam. I certainly had not noticed it before. Perhaps it was just fuller or the higher dam wall changed the perspective. Now I see it whenever I am up on the top of Arawang.

Light reflecting off the surface of the Cotter dam

On Sunday we lunched at Brothers Oven and I walked home from Tuggeranong. Later I did my long Mt Taylor circuit - the one starting from home to Mt Taylor, around to the Richmond Track, up to the summit and home.

Wattle in bloom beside the track at the edge of the Mt Taylor reserve

Some of the wattle species were out and providing a great display.

On Monday (August 11) I did a 6km walk up to the Mt Arawang summit.

On the 12th we were off to the US and Canada.

August statistics:
Distance walked: 252km with a daily average of a mere 8.15km
Elevation gain: 6561m which was a good daily average of 212m ... those mountain climbs in the US helped!
Steps: 678555 with an average of 21889 per day.