I say ... and you think ... ?
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I went for a bush walk today (the route is shown below):
My dietician wants me to exercise daily. Right now, that's hard to do, so I'm attempting (at least at first) to exercise in a major way every 2nd or 3rd day. The bush walk today was part of that. I drove the electric moped down to Wakefield, chained it up to the fence, and walked about down the vehicle and animal tracks in the area (and finally drove back the way I'd come).
The walk took me about 2 hours. That's at a constant rate of staggering around, down tracks, over creeks, around (and under/over) dead trees, and along power lines. I loved it! I haven't done this "properly" for some time. It makes a difference to me emotionally to do so - when you walk through the bush (even if only down the trails) you can't but notice the incredible variety and variation, the mixture of living and dead fauna and flora, the traces of humanity (it's really hard to go too far without coming across either a burnt out vehicle or coke bottle) and despite (or because of) this, the sheer beauty of it all. SMILE
I felt a little guilty that Pegasus wasn't there with me. When he was more agile he'd love to go through the bush with me, sniffing things out, climbing mountains, and chasing (but never catching) roos and such. But Peggy injured his leg yesterday, and even if I could get him there (in a trailer behind the moped?) he'd have difficulty with it now. I'll walk him tomorrow.
The above panorama shot was taken at the "x" on the map above. Looks desolate, doesn't it? And yet, such power lines make a good part of walks around here. I used to be upset with how their presence affected the landscape, but in truth in terms of geological time, it's nothing, and it's pretty hard to get lost when you can see them (after all, they all come from/go to somewhere)!
Next time I go bush walking I think I'll ride the push bike instead of the scooter. The scooter's more for shopping and getting to and from places independent of local buses. The push bike is more fun, and more exercise. Also, I need better shoes! I know where I might get them too - in an opp shop in Stockton!
I've been experimenting with the EasyRide scooter.
Last Monday saw me with two appointments at Wallsend Hospital. I rode the bike Wallsend Library and then the hospital, and after that to the library at the University. Then I rode it back to the hospital for the 2nd appointment, and and from there to the Bi-Lo in Elenore Vale for some pet food, and then back home (see map below).
I'd been using the "A" battery until it died on the trip back (marked "A" on the map above) and then I switched to the "B" battery - which also died on the trip back (marked as "B" above) when I had to switch back to the "A" again and run off its surface charge. The same thing happened to me after I visited Jenny in Wallsend. What wears out the batteries is struggling up hills, and there are a lot of steep hills between there and back again.
The "B" battery gave me some trouble on the following Wednesday. I was going down to Wetherill Park on an errand for Kevin. Wasn't sure when I'd get back, so I thought I'd drive the EasyRide to Cardiff Station and catch a train from there. Then it'd be there when I returned. Parked the bike in the lower car park, though the "B" battery (which I'd been using on the way there) cut out just as I went up a hill to get there. I locked the bike to a post with a sign that said "LOCK IT OR LOSE IT!" and yes, it was still there when I got back about 6-7 hours later.
Now this is quite significant. One of the problems I had was that before when I had a working car, I could easily drive to a railway station, catch the train to Sydney, come back much later on the same or next day, and then drive home. Otherwise I was limited to the last bus to Barnsley, which (from Cardiff Station) is 6.58pm weekdays, 5.27pm Saturday, and 5.55pm Sunday. Whereas now, I don't have to worry about the last bus, as I can get home on the EasyRide.
More to the point, I can travel into Newcastle and elsewhere as much as Sydney or points south (and via the bus as well). Which means I might have a social life again! There are still a few things to sort out. Wherever I lock up the bike will have to be secure, and reasonably public, so that there's less incentive to steal it. And if I'm away for a couple or more days, it might be better to leave it at home.
But we'll see - I can get to (and more importantly back from) events at night at the uni and elsewhere now. Hmmm.
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zvi and krja
