Climbing at Rocky Toms

What a beautiful day to go climbing.... Marty, Helen and myself hiked in to "Rocky Toms" on the Eastern Shore - over looking Risdon


Here's the nasty looking overhang to start some of the middle-grade climbs


Helen


"On belay"


Marty


Me


And a top little sequence... (can you guess who was bored and felt like playing with Photoshop?)

Coles Bay Climbing - White Water Wall

Couple weekends ago, a crew of us headed up the east coast and partook in some climbing, walking and drunken poker. Unfortunately there's no nudie shots from strip poker (as we didn't quite get that far), and haven't got any photies from Ness and Chelle's walk... so it's just climbing shots today.

Bridget staring up the face that is White Water Wall


What a view... out to sea and all that white water (NOT - quite a calm day really!)


Crazy shot of the suns aura


Me, most of the way up the climb - 45m grades 10 and 12. Rather easy climbing, but a great way to learn how to lead climb!! Justin led this one, then I led the second one.


Here's Justin just chilling out


You're a very naughty boy Richard, where is your rope!?!?!

To-kill-a-Ninja

Ever wondered how to kill a ninja....?

Well here's the answer.... kinda

Ohh my god - you have to check out the rest of them as well... this guy is off his nut!!

The Stella Awards '05

5th Place (tie):
Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas, was awarded $80,000. by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The owners of the store were understandably surprised at the verdict, considering the misbehaving little toddler was Ms.Robertson's son.

5th Place (tie):
19-year-old Carl Truman of Los Angeles won $74,000 and medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Mr. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbour's hubcaps.

5th Place (tie):
Terrence Dickson of Bristol, Pennsylvania, was leaving a house he had just finished robbing by way of the garage. He was not able to get the garage door to go up since the automatic door opener was malfunctioning. He couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the house and garage locked when he pulled it shut. The family was on vacation, and Mr.Dickson found himself locked in the garage for eight days. He subsisted on a case of Pepsi he found, and a large bag of dry dog food. He sued the homeowner's insurance claiming the situation caused him undue mental anguish. The jury agreed, to the tune of $500,000.

4th Place:
Jerry Williams of Little Rock, Arkansas, was awarded $14,500. and medical & expenses after being bitten on the buttocks by his next door neighbour's beagle. The beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. The award was less than sought because the jury felt the dog might have been just a little provoked at the time by Mr. Williams who had climbed over the fence into the yard and was shooting it repeatedly with a pellet gun.

3rd Place:
A Philadelphia restaurant was ordered to pay Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, $113,5 00. after she slipped on a soft drink and broke her coccyx (tailbone). The beverage was on the floor because Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument.

2nd Place:
Kara Walton of Claymont, Delaware, successfully sued the owner of a night club in a neighboring city when she fell from the bathroom window to the floor and knocked out her two front teeth. This occurred while Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the window in the ladies room to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge. She was awarded $12,000 and dental expenses.

1st Place:
This year's runaway winner was Mrs. Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Mrs. Grazinski purchased a brand new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, (from an OU football game), having driven onto the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go into the back & make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the RV left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Mrs.Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising her in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually do this. The jury awarded her $1,750,000. plus a new motor home.

The company actually changed their manuals on the basis of this suit, just in case there were any other complete morons around.

That judicial system sure works in a strange way...

Maria Island

Headed over to Maria Island and did some great walks on the weekend. It was really an eye opener as I hadn't been since my grade 7 camp way back in 1993... ohh dear, how quickly the years fly by!!

Caught the ferry from the East Coaster Resort at Louisville (between Orford and Triabunna). The ferry runs 3 times a day, 7 days a week (09:30, 13:30 and 15:15 - returns at 10:00, 14:00 and 16:00) - call 03 6257 1589 for a booking. The ferry was packed full on the saturday morning journey with heaps of people heading over for the long weekend, thankfully the sea was calm and the trip was very smooth.

Walked up Bishop and Clerk straight after setting up the tent on Saturday morning, this walk starts in open paddocks and then moves into sheoaks and gum trees as you move up the mountain side. The views were specular on a such a perfect day.






And as if the cliffs, open scree slope and amazing updraft wasn't intimidating enough - we stumbled on this little guy (well Michelle actually walked straight over him without noticing).


This is the sheer drop from the summit - as you can see totally engulfed in cloud despite the beautiful day.


Ohh yeah - and what a picture of beauty am I?


Stopped just below the summit for lunch, and the clouds started to break open a little revealing the truely amazing view


On the way down this old bird that was giving us some stick on the top rolled her ankle - after some wicked first aid by Bec, and a marathon effort by Simone to catch up to her group that had left her behind, we had the Ranger on his way up the tight walking track in the 4WD to drive her out... gotta be a regualr occurence I am guessing!!

We camped Saturday night at the Darlington campsite - who would believe that we actually got Michelle to sleep in a tent?? Now don't take offence Michelle - coz you know how much respect I have for you!! You are a total hardcore outdoors nutter - especially with those new boots!!

Sunday morning we walked to the Fossil Cliffs - what an amazing array of sealife has been preserved here!!




After the cliffs, we walked back around through Darlington and on to The Painted Cliffs. Along the marvellous white sandy beaches we know and love here in Tasmania.


Yet another stella day - look at the reflection in the glasses for one sexy photographer.


WOW!! These cliffs never get old, no matter how many times you see them!!








Headed back on the 14:00 ferry - unfortunately due to the strong gusty winds the sea was significantly rougher than the virtual milkpond we came over on. Let's just say settled stomachs weren't the order of the day, a number of people got off that ferry looking a tad green behind the gills!!

In summary - Maria rocked - I am certainly looking for a repeat trip. Nexttime with the mountain bikes though, as it'll be a whole lot easier to cover the entire island that way!!

Jack is the new Black

A recent email circular about Jack Bauer really tickled my fancy, so here it is... if you have no idea what is happening here then you need your head read - see my original post

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If Jack Bauer was in a room with Hitler, Stalin, and Nina Meyers, and he had a gun with 2 bullets, he'd shoot Nina twice

Upon hearing that he was played by Kiefer Sutherland, Jack Bauer killed Sutherland. Jack Bauer gets played by no man. If you wake up in the morning, it's because Jack Bauer spared your life.

Jack Bauers calender goes from March 31st to April 2nd, no one fools Jack Bauer.

When Kim Bauer lost her virginity, Jack Bauer found it and put it back.

Superman wears Jack Bauer pajamas.

Jack Bauer once forgot where he put his keys. He then spent the next half-hour torturing himself until he gave up the location of the keys.

If it tastes like chicken, looks like chicken, and feels like chicken, but Jack Bauer says its beef. Then it's fucking beef.

Lets get one thing straight, the only reason you are conscious right now is because Jack Bauer does not feel like carrying you.

Jack Bauer played Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun and won.

1.6 billion Chinese are angry with Jack Bauer. Sounds like a fair fight.

When life gave Jack Bauer lemons, he used them to kill terrorists. Jack Bauer fucking hates lemonade.

Jack Bauer was never addicted to heroin. Heroin was addicted to Jack Bauer.
Osama bin Laden's recent proposal for truce is a direct result of him finding out that Jack Bauer is, in fact, still alive.

Jack Bauer once won a game of Connect 4 in 3 moves.

Jack Bauer is the leading cause of death in Middle Eastern men.

Jack Bauer once double teamed a girl.......by himself.

Jack Bauer doesn't miss. If he didn't hit you it's because he was shooting at another terrorist twelve miles away.

When Jack Bauer was a child, he made his mother finish his vegetables.

There are no such thing as lesbians, just women who never met Jack Bauer.

Jack Bauer killed 93 people in just 4 days time. Wait, that is a real fact.

Killing Jack Bauer doesn't make him dead. It just makes him angry.

The childrens game Simon Says should be renamed to Jack Bauer Says because if Jack Bauer says something then you better fucking do it.

When you open a can of whoop-ass, Jack Bauer jumps out.

Jack Bauer's favorite color is severe terror alert red. His second favorite color is violet, but just because it sounds like violent.

Jack Bauer won the Tour de France on a unicycle to prove to Lance Armstrong it wasn't a big deal. He thinks yellow wristbands are gay.

If Rosa Parks was in Jack Bauer's seat, she'd move to the back of the bus.

Your attraction to Jack Bauer in no way affects your sexual orientation.

You can lead a horse to water. Jack Bauer can make him drink.

When Google can't find something, it asks Jack Bauer for help.

In 96 hours, Jack Bauer has killed 93 people and saved the world 4 times. What the fuck have you done with your life?

Jesus died and rose from the dead in 3 days. It took Jack Bauer less than an hour. And he's done it twice.

When the boogie man goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Jack Bauer.

Jack Bauer got Hellen Keller to talk.

Jack Bauer can get McDonald's breakfast after 10:30.

Guns dont kill people, Jack Bauer kills people.

Every mathematical inequality officially ends with "< Jack Bauer".

In kindergarten, Jack Bauer killed a terrorist for Show and Tell.

Jack Bauer once killed so many terrorists that at one point, the ..5 CIA Most Wanted fugitive was an 18-year-old teenager in Malaysia who downloaded the movie Dodgeball.

Jack Bauer has been to Mars. Thats why theres no life on Mars.

If Jack and MacGyver were locked in a room together, Jack would make a bomb out of MacGyver and get out.

People with amnesia still remember Jack Bauer.

It would only take 1 bullet for Jack Bauer to kill 50 Cent.

If you spell Jack Bauer in a Scrabble game, you win. Forever.

Jack Bauer literally died for his country, and lived to tell about it.

Jack Bauer has shot more men in the face than Elton John.

What color is Jack Bauer's blood? Trick question. Jack Bauer does not bleed.

Superman's only weakness is Kryptonite. Jack Bauer laughs at Superman for having a weakness.

Jack Bauer knows Victoria's secret.

Every time you maturbate Jack Bauer kills a terrorist. Not beacuase you masurbated, but because that is how often he kills terrorists.

Sun Tzu once wrote, "If your enemy is weaker, conquer him. If he is stronger, join him. If he is Jack Bauer, you're fucking dead."

When Jack Bauer pissses into the wind, the wind changes direction.

If O.J. ever met Jack Bauer, he'd confess.

If Jack Bauer was gay, his name would be Chuck Norris.

"Jack Bauer" is Arabic for "I'm fucked".

No man has ever used the phrase, "Jack Bauer is a pussy" in a sentence and lived to tell the tale

Jack Bauer does not sleep. The only rest he needs is what he gets when he's knocked out or temporarily killed.

The bumper sticker on Jesus's car reads, "WWJBD?"

Jack Bauer makes onions cry.

You walk into a bar and Jack Bauer's your wingman, you're probably gonna get laid.

Jack Bauer doesn't speak any foreign languages, but he can make any foreigner speak English in a matter of minutes.

If everyone on "24" followed Jack Bauer's instructions, it would be called "12".

Jack Bauer's house has an alarm system -- not to warn Jack of intruders, but to warn the intruders of Jack.

Tony was once shot in the neck, rushed to the hospital, underwent emergency surgery and was back on the job in just a few hours. Jack Bauer still can't believe that pussy went to the hospital first

Jack Bauer is the 'i' in team.

It's no use crying over spilt milk... Unless that was Jack Bauer's milk. Oh you are so screwed.

When E.T. phoned home, Jack Bauer answered.

Nobody says 'hit me' when Jack Bauer deals Blackjack.

If Jack Bauer misspells a word, your dictionary is wrong.

Jack Bauer removed the "Escape" button from his keyboard. Jack Bauer never needs to escape.

On a high school math test, Jack Bauer put down "Violence" as every one of the answers. He got an A+ on the test because Jack Bauer solves all his problems with Violence.

Men are ok with their wives fantasizing about Jack Bauer during sex; because they are doing the same thing.

If Jack Bauer shot you while quail hunting, it wouldn't be an accident.

If you're holding a gun to Jack Bauer's head, don't count to three before you shoot. Count to 10. That way, you get to live 7 seconds longer.

There is the right way, the wrong way, and the Jack Bauer way. It's basically the right way but faster and more deaths.

Finding Nemo would have been vastly more exciting had Jack Bauer been looking for him.

Brew #2 - Amber Vienna

Well it's officially done and bottled, the second Brew By You beer to enter the House of Youd. We are hence forth brewing under the "Brew By Youd" title... not so catchy, but it was a whole lot easier to steal their name and add a "D", than to think up my own name!!

Tastings will occur over the next several weeks (or however long it take to get rid of about 5 cartons of beer!!)

The next plan is to get a bunch of people together and do a selection of brews... if we get 5 or 6 brews going together they will throw a BBQ and stay open one night so we can do it. If you are keen let me know... and remember to save those empties if you want to brew!!!

The Avian Flu is among us...

OK, so maybe not just yet - but i've been out of action pretty much all week with the shite-est flu I had in quite a while. Headaches, sore joints/throat, a brain of mush and steady flow from the nasal region.. what a picture of pure beauty!!

The good news - I have watched so many movies/TV episodes it's not funny...

Almost better now, just a few niggles such as the inability to equalise my ears (ABOVE WATER... WHAT THE??), but I'd really love that to be gone by tomorrow so I can go diving with Dad. The scallop season is open for business and I am the Great White Underwater Hunter!!!