jonowee's generblog

#TAS2012 Trip Blips 7, 30 May 2012 Finally kicked myself out of...

crankedandbaked — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:26:41 +0800

#TAS2012 Trip Blips 7, 30 May 2012

Finally kicked myself out of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, after three hours in there and still there was more to see.

Before leaving, this somewhat creepy locked down merry-go-round popped up.

Trip Blips Did I say seven days? Being this high up, still got...

crankedandbaked — Wed, 30 May 2012 11:57:15 +0800

Trip Blips

Did I say seven days? Being this high up, still got 3G signal, sooooo enjoy.

Ehh… Snow. No way, yes way. Just kept climbing and climbing, then it a was level with me. It’s quite mild up here, I think the snow will melt away before noon.

Edit 30 May 2012: Turns out that when you’re hiking with a 20kg plus on your back, you’re so physically strained that you put out enough heat for me to get away with one wool thermal and a poly-cotton overshirt and still feel cosy stomping over snow at 0°C air temperature at Kitchen Hut.

#TAS2012 Trip Blips 6, 30 May 2012 The Japanese Garden at the...

crankedandbaked — Wed, 30 May 2012 11:49:48 +0800

#TAS2012 Trip Blips 6, 30 May 2012

The Japanese Garden at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens; yes, yes, a garden inside another garden.

Too bad Queen’s Domain is surrounded so closely by major road, cargo rail and maritime traffic. Think Welshpool truck and train rumbling while walking through Queen’s Park in Perth.

When I do entirely stop taking photos at the botanical gardens, I’ll be jumping over the hill again to have a look at Sweet Envy in North Hobart for late morning tea in the late afternoon.

#TAS2012 Trip Blips 5, 30 May 2012 Walking to the Royal...

crankedandbaked — Wed, 30 May 2012 11:14:05 +0800

#TAS2012 Trip Blips 5, 30 May 2012

Walking to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens on Queen’s Domain just outside the Hobart CBD by the hard way across and over the hill from Zum Bakery.

#TAS2012 Trip Blips 4: 28 May 2012. I’m alive! Also did...

crankedandbaked — Mon, 28 May 2012 19:28:21 +0800

#TAS2012 Trip Blips 4: 28 May 2012.

I’m alive!

Also did I really say seven days? Well I’m out of the wilderness tonight five days later; well semi-out, I’m staying overnight at the Lake St Clair Lodge with intermittent mobile coverage from Derwent Bridge.

The last three says have been packed with epic treks of their own unique terrain. So today is Day 5; in summary on Day 3 was always going to be a tough 16.5km scramble through mud and root hell at 1-2km/h; Day 4 was a 19km sprint over two high level gaps between mountains, to escape the root hell of the Pelion region; today was a 27km charge through the limits. I ran out of food, snacks, and water before dragging my arching body for another hour through the dark. Even with three meals today, instead of the one or two usually, I could feel my body just starting to hit the wall.

So I’m here sitting in a foil blanket since this room doesn’t have linen beyond a bed sheet and a pillow, with an oil radiator heater that is barely working with wet gear clusterfucked around it, no food or even a vending machine to stuff my face with simple carbohydrates.

Two days recovered, to add to exploring Hobart instead of what would have been an overnight pass through.

It seems tumblr lost my post from above Marion’s Lookout.

See you’all in seven days.

crankedandbaked — Thu, 24 May 2012 07:35:31 +0800

See you’all in seven days.

The last day before I start the Overland Track, and fall...

crankedandbaked — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:01:25 +0800

The last day before I start the Overland Track, and fall incommunicado for seven days.

The weather has been wet, wet, wet; but thankfully it’ll stay ‘mostly’ dry when I’m out field, tomorrow there may be snow when I’m above 1200 metres above sea level on the Cradle plateau. The temperature here is quite nice actually, but that’s before we factor in wet clothing, wind chill and increased altitude. At least the average temperature mean it don’t have to put too much effort keeping fresh food chilled.

Tomorrow will be late start at 0900 instead of the usual 0730 pre dawn start, to catch the Cradle Mountain Shuttle bus to save in 7.5 kilometres extra walking on asphalt, in addition to the 10.5 kilometres already needed to cover on day 1 on the Overland Track.

Photo: Cramping in a big lunch at Discovery Holiday Parks, Cradle Mountain; before a light dinner, and rationing out field. Mash potato, sauteed mushroom, minestrone in the packet, Maltesers, and diahoerria prevention tablets.

Trip Blips #TAS2012 1: Day 1 - 4, 19-22 May Photo: The...

crankedandbaked — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:51:49 +0800

Trip Blips #TAS2012 1: Day 1 - 4, 19-22 May

Photo: The intricate water fountain at Prince’s Square, Launceston. Unfortunately I got too ambitious with the phone’s camera capabilities in low light, I’ll get this post updated with camera-camera photos at Launceston library or a Melbourne public library. And those long exposure camera-camera photos look awesome, you’ll just have to wait to get a peek.

It has been a wet start in Tasmania but with temperatures not as bad as Canberra, the wet weather forecast is looking like it will ease up when I start in the Cradle Mountain region on Thursday 24 May.
The forecast for the Cradle Valley looks to average with a minimum of 0°C and a maximum of 7°C with heavier precipitation periods falling as snow above 1000-1200 metres above sea level.

Since I also dumped my gaiters during panic-packing, I bought hair bands from the supermarket to use as trouser blousing keep snow, water, and mud from entering my boots.

TAS2012 updates 4 days until lift off! All flights have been...

crankedandbaked — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:09:42 +0800

TAS2012 updates

4 days until lift off!

All flights have been booked and paid for.Tasmanian accommodation all sorted, but Victoria and New South Wales needs to get finalised.Instead of the initial idea of plucking two days in Sydney to add to Tasmania, and now has been added to Victoria.A three day trip to Lorne, Victoria is in the works now depending on my ability to finalise accommodation to this little coastal town. I may not be the biggest fan of beach holidays, but why not.

Well that doesn’t matter really does it, considering I’m already on said holiday. This draft started saying “Ten days to lift off”, now that I’m on my forth day into the said break.

After coming home from working extrasat 5 PM, worked through the night and morning panic packing and preparing rations for the nine days out field on the Overland Track. This included the last hour or two before leaving for the flight, panic throwing out the canvas swag in exchange for the nylon/polyester dome tent which I had only thirty minutes more set up and pack down experience with and with less bulk. Having to choose between food, ease of use but bulkiness of the swag, or compactness and mattressless dome tent was absolutely heartbreaking. Also threw out one waterproof fleece jacket, which I regretted that I could have stuffed in the bedroll where I had stuffed the Gore Tex shell jacket for the trip. Left behind the pump action water filter, which I eventually would have space for as I had time in Launceston to effectively halve my ration bulk, now I’ll either have to boil my water, suck it through a Life Straw, or wait two hours for the water purifying tablets to take full affect.

There was no neatness or glamour to panic-packing, no folding, no grouping; just near blind grabbing fistfuls of material and jamming in every available void.

If the post looks a tad funky, it just means the the html tags do not translate too will over tumblr mobile.
The picture at the to of the post is of my planning spreadsheets where I attempt to turn all the red unbooked boxes, green.

Even though Day 3 (Windermere Hut to Pelion Hut) is regarded as...

crankedandbaked — Thu, 03 May 2012 22:14:00 +0800

Even though Day 3 (Windermere Hut to Pelion Hut) is regarded as the toughest day on the Overland Track, the first day has 560 metres of climbing and 410 metres of descending over 11 kilometres. On an average slope of +8.8% and -7.3%, with a maximum of a dizzying +46.1% and -20.6%; oh sexy, 46.1% upslope with full haul of rations and water. To add to that is 9.8 kilometres to get from my accommodation to Ronny Creek where the Overland Track starts.

Learning to make the most of the Google Earth KMZ from the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Sevice. Instead of trying to pull data from simplified maps and gradient profiles, now I can seek and plan accurate GPS coordinates for the huts, and more importantly the waypoints to keep me on the right path even if the Overland Track is well marked, signed and defined.

Original post: 03MAY2012, 2214. Edited: 03MAY2012, 2227.

Expanded view of the Microsoft Excel itinerary. More...

crankedandbaked — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:26:00 +0800

Agh! Day 3 slog.

Expanded view of the Microsoft Excel itinerary.

More planning.

Reading through my opening #TAS2012 post, besides the multiple spelling mistakes, missing words, and poor choice of words; I seem to be missing some facts.

Small updates

As of now I will be travelling alone, with no plans for a travelling partner. Yes , risky; yes, dangerous to trek the Overland Track solo. Maybe I am being too hopeful to meet fellow hikers even in the off-peak season at the hut shelter stops.
I have decided to drop the two days in Canberra as the main point of the trip there besides flipping the bird at the Canberra parliamentary press gallery (even Bernard Keane who I like), was to collect my new passport since I consider passports scared official documents considering the abuse by the likes of intelligence agencies or just plain hit squads (*cough* Mossad). At least that saves me routing transport arrangements for 48 hours in Canberra.
I may be trying to push the start of the trip to mid May for the safer weather if I can get this planning done. The current itinerary has dates pencilled in to reflect the plans.
I may be substituting some days from Sydney to add to Tasmania, as the Overland Track will take up just over a week of the originally planned two weeks in Tasmania. That will give me more time to explore the Tasmanian east cost with its milder weather, and not feel rushed. I also may not sure of what to do in Sydney besides Zumbo, Bourke Street Bakery, pre dawn Sydney Seafood Market.
Currently pre-trip equipment expenditure are near double that of the on-trip’s transport and accommodation costs excluding food and souvenirs.
Carbo-loading and fitness exercise build up will have to start now, today even if I leave for the trip at a later June start date.

Trip ideas, need more.

Tasmania: After the Overland Track, I have 7 days to explore Tasmania’s east coast. But I’m not sure how long to stay put at each towns and cities, what kind of day trips around and how many, and how to get to and stay at the Freycinet Peninsula.
Melbourne: Current plans are to visit le Petit Gateau, Burch and Purchese Sweet Studio, Chef’s Hat kitchenware paradise; the multiple Vue de Monde franchises like the cafes and the bistro, if I get access to ‘smart casual-business’ attire then maybe I can visit the Vue de Monde restaurant that moved from Little Collins Street to Rialto Towers a couple of hundred metres away.
Sydney: Still very short of ideas for Sydneytown beyond the Zumbo kitchen in Rozelle, and Bourke Street Bakery.
I’m still looking for a Euro Chef retailer like Ecotel-L’Hotelier in Adelaide, but in Melbourne or Sydney to find those elusive items like the eye bulgingly priced sugar pump.

Overland Track analysis

Weather for May-June will be sub-10°C to -5°C over, with rain being the most fatiguing element of the weather for the wilderness on the Overland Track. Dry ‘testing’ in the work walk-in freezer show that will the one fleece lined waterproof jacket with the hood on is quite nice at -15°C, I will be still bringing full length thermal base layers, two fleece jackets, a waterproof shell jacket; and a fleece beanie, neck gaiter, and gloves.
Day 1 and 3 and going to the long hard slogs due to the Cradle Mountain gradients and the long stretches without shelter between huts. Thankfully these days are flanked with short but sharp days to take a slow walk to recover.
Day 1, Ronny Creek to Waterfall Valley are 10.5km with about 600 metres of elevation rise and fall on each side of the Cradle Mountain plateau, a six hour day with need to get from accommodation at the Cradle Mountain entrance to the Ronny Creek carpark which marks the start of the Overland Track.
Day 3, Windermere Hut to Pelion Hut is going to 16.5 kilometres with roughly 600 to 700 metres of painful elevation changes.
Day 4, Pelion Hut to Kia Ora Hut is a particularly short and sharp day; 400 metres gradient changes in roughly 6 kilometres.
From day 6 at Bert Nichols hut down to Lake St. Clair is a nice flat finish to escape from the mountain.
Due to there only having buses from Lake St. Clair and Derwent Bridge only being available on Tuesday and Thursday for the former location, Friday night from the latter which is 5.5km to that stop.
I am still on the option of taking the Ida Clair Ferry which is Australia’s highest altitude ferry service across Lake St. Clair which cuts out 15.8km of the complete Overland Track from Narcissus Hut to Cynthia bay. Both options if I stay on schedule on the Overland Track to Narcissus Hut north of Lake St. Clair, gives one day to cross the lake and a needed overnight stay at Cynthia bay south of the lake to meet the bus timetable to get to Hobart.

From ColorNote, to paper, then back to ColorNote, now onto...

crankedandbaked — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:23:00 +0800

Cos that's how Jono rolls.

Meat lights at Footscray Markets.

Beacon Vista, Port Melbourne

Beacon Vista, Port Melbourne

From ColorNote, to paper, then back to ColorNote, now onto Microsoft Excel.

Along with some photos from the April 2007 trip, I got very limited amounts of half decent photos.

Burning annual leave: Tasmania 2012 trip planning post 1

crankedandbaked — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:18:00 +0800

Planning a trip to my favourite place on Earth, Tasmania some time in June 2012 to burn off at least four weeks of the five weeks annual leave I have amassed. The first, last, and only time I when to Tasmania was on a month long road trip with my parents in April 2007 from Perth, through Kalgoorlie Adelaide and Melbourne to Tasmania, then to Esperance and Albany to Perth. It was a far too rushed a road trip considering you effectively lose a week crossing the Nullarbor two way. I wish I could geotag my photos from back then to remember where and when I been.

As it stands today the timeline will be some like:

2 weeks in Tasmania.
1 week in Melbourne.
1 week in Sydney.
2 days in Canberra.
2 days rest and recovery back home in Perth.

As of today I am researching kilojoule consumption to plan my rations for the two weeks interweaving the wilderness, and towns and cities. Which I am planning to carry seven days ‘fresh’ rations, plus two plus two extra days of ‘sterile’ factory rations packs as back up in two separate backpacks for when I am out of reach of restaurants, food shops, supermarkets, and farms; this will be adjusted as needed depending on the route I am planning on taking. Also on the meals front; currently I’m leaning towards sous vide cooking fourteen days of meals home in Perth for the whole, carrying one week of the fresh rations to Tasmania, then getting the second week posted to me halfway through the trip in Tasmania. There is the option of dry food which would save a lot of journey-starting weight, but I have to be confident I can find and carry enough potable water and more importantly stove fuel to rehydrate and cook.
On the final days in Tasmania I can eat up all my rations to free up space for buying civilian clothing for mainland cities touring and souvenirs like raiding in South Melbourne.

Trying to limit myself to a 26 litre Osprey Helios 26 and 21 litre Camelbak Ventoux to carry all my clothing which is looking very limited because of the bulk and the colder weather allowing fewer changes, food and water; and the many ‘kits’ that cover first aid, water purification, modern day electronic whizz bang toys such as a camera and mobile phones along with a solar PV panel.

Expensive investments for the trip are:

Biker’s swag tent instead of drowning in a basha or dying from wind chill at night. >$200, usually over $300.
Four days sterile ration packs, $140.
Possible a shit load of lithum batteries for my Canon S95 when out of town if I can’t get a reliable 12V car socket input charger to feel off the solar panel for my existing two batteries. $7, $12, or $21 each for third party batteries which have slightly suckier battery life; or $50 each for original Canon batteries.
Camping cooker, because the parks prohibit starting camp fires almost everywhere. $175 for a JetBoil Flash, or $345 for a MSR Reactor. EN417 gas canisters will have to bought after I fly over to Tasmania.
Water purifying pump, >$160.

This why I’m going back…

Had to crop and straighten too many photos than I usually prefer not to; but I had an unhealthy addiction to the telephoto zoom to crop out the car’s windscreen and avoid reflections from holding the camera up to the glass, and either the old Canon A540’s lens or sensor that a speck sitting in the top left that spoiled many photos.

Photo

crankedandbaked — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:00:09 +0800

A foggy Easter Monday morning.

crankedandbaked — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:00:16 +0800

Shenton's Mill

City Square and Bankwest Tower

Poking through the fog.

A foggy Easter Monday morning.

Four years irregular service stretched a tad too far, finally...

crankedandbaked — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:45:05 +0800

Four years irregular service stretched a tad too far, finally having been replaced. At least the wear patterns shows I don’t drag my heels.

Video

crankedandbaked — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:29:00 +0800

The penguins follow your cursor oh god.

crankedandbaked — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 22:39:27 +0800

weplay-youmove:

http://-coveritup.tumblr.com

Be warned, this does contain an Allan Nairn monologue…...

crankedandbaked — Sun, 08 May 2011 16:48:23 +0800

Be warned, this does contain an Allan Nairn monologue… full of pwnage.

Shared by Austin G Mackell.

crankedandbaked — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:45:07 +0800

Shared by Austin G Mackell.