Life + Times of Fenton et al.

Motorcycling to Gibraltar Falls

Every once in a blue moon I manage to organise enough time to be able to take the motorbike out on a ride purely for pleasure. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a pretty enjoyable way to get to work but it’s a whole other level of enjoyment to ride through some scenic country. Possibly because there isn’t a day of work waiting for you at the other end.

In any case, as a follow on to enjoying some of the country surrounding Canberra I decided a ride was in order. The decision was made easier after getting to know Nick, who has a 2003 Harley-Davidson Road Glide and a wife that loves being chauffeured around on it. Being the easy-going people they are they left it to me to pick the route and, since it had been a while, a ride out around Tidbinbilla seemed a good pick. After meeting up with Nick and his better half, then fueling up, we headed out to see the scenery as you only really can on a motorcycle.

Getting through the valleys I came across the road to Gibralter Falls. Being in lead I made the ‘executive decision’ to take a detour. After all, we were in no rush and I hadn’t seen them before. Pulling up on the side road, I failed to get my bike’s side stand down in time — an unfortunate combination of thinking about something else and jeans’ leg catching on the stand itself — and so Nick and Co. pulled up just in time to see me land on my butt with the bike coming a close second. Getting the bike upright was not that much trouble. The hassle came when I tried to gently straighten the now bent clutch lever. For the record, cast aluminium only has a few bend corrections in it and I guess they’d already been used up — the bike has definitely been dropped before, once by me, a low impact one, but at least one other, big drop.

So there I am, Saturday afternoon[1] and a number of kilometres from home, with an essentially unrideable motorcycle. Fortunately, not so far that the mobile phone didn’t have some coverage. Calling my ever reliable brother-in-law netted phone numbers for two motorcycle shops. First one was closed and the second one answered, despite having supposedly closed an hour earlier. The proprietor was very helpful; identifying exactly the correct part, double checking the one he had was right, taking my credit card details ($15!) and leaving it in a convenient power meter box on the outside of his shop for me to collect.

Missing clutch levers don’t do anyone any favours. Nick the Ferryman returns to help out.

So, Nick dropped his wife off at the falls themselves (only another 7km down the road) and gave me a lift back to town to collect the replacement lever. We dropped his Harley off and came back in his car, just to give ourselves a bit of back up if the new lever didn’t pan out as planned. I have to say, the ride on the Harley was quite an experience. I’ve ridden a high performance, custom Harley around a parking lot in the US — also an experience! — but getting chauffeured around on the mobile lounge room that is a Road Glide was something else.

In the end, the clutch lever fit was about 30 seconds and I joined them up at the falls a few minutes later. By this time the sun was setting, making for a pleasant twilight experience at the free flowing falls. Not exactly what we had planned but I think it worked out well in the end. Kudos to Nick’s wife for waiting patiently at the falls while we went back to town and double kudos to that ever reliable brother-in-law who also picked up Mara from ballet when it became apparent I would not make it back in time.

Despite the delay, the place and it’s view were worth it.

[1] For those readers in the US who are unfamiliar with typical Australian customs, many shops, barring the biggest of retailers, usually close around lunchtime Saturday. I guess they value their lifestyle over the money I may want to give them.

Will Steffen: The Science of Climate Change

As mentioned previously, being back at a university provides opportunities to listen to some well-informed people on topics beyond my own area. The Director of the Research School organises a series of colloquia throughout the year and earlier this month I listened to Will Steffen, Director of the Climate Change Institute and ANU discuss the science of the changing climate. If you wish to hear and see what he presented, an audio recording synchronised with his slides can be found at the bottom of that last link. I found it an informative colloquium and an unedited copy of the notes I took can be found below.

Namadgi Hike

As the children get older finding time to do this together as a family does seem to become more difficult — independence is overrated right? But we still reserve most public holidays as family time and the recent Canberra Day holiday was no exception. Traditionally we’ve done many picnics — and with Gaynor organising the food this is hardly a poor option — but I wanted something a little more active so we decided on an adventure instead. Of course, with a three year old amongst the mix one’s adventures are a little more subdued than the word might suggest.

Nevertheless, since Canberra is situated among such natural beauty, it seemed a shame not to get more up close and personal. The only down note was that Joshua was unable to join us, being laid up with a head cold.

Responding to the call of the path undiscovered …

Never ones to shy from a cautionary sign (or tale).

At this age, Micah often likes to go it alone.

But sometimes he still needs a bit of motherly help.

Lookout! And so we did.

The rewarding view from our destination.

I suppose we could be grateful he wasn’t trying it head first.

On our way back down.

I also tried out a new GPS app on the iPhone which spits out a map and trail — and a KML file if you want to put it all into context on Google Earth.

Winding Down 2011

Many things are drawing to a close at this time of year. For us, a lot has been happening, in part, simply due to the number in our family but also because of some significant milestones.

Most significantly, Joshua has successfully completed college. For those outside Canberra, this is essentially the final two years of high school. The system here is for high school up to Year 10 and then a separate school, called a college, that very much like half university and half high school. The dress code goes from uniforms to free style, the teachers prefer to go by first names and the hours of attendance are more relaxed. Out of all our children, Joshua and Mara — mostly simply due to their ages — have had the least settled formal education. Joshua has attended six and, by the time she finishes, Mara will have attended eight schools across three countries and educational systems. In any case, after a less than certain start while he readjusted to the Australian educational style, Joshua put in a good effort to finish the year strongly. He mostly enjoys the humanities with Spanish, sociology and history being his stronger subjects. He’s already secured himself a full-time job and plans to work, pending the outcome of university entrance offers.

Joshua gets one last adjustment from his mother on the way to his college graduation.

Mara has concluded one and a half years of Year 10 — half in the US and one here — and is onto college next year. In graduating she received the Kylie Souter Gift which recognises team work and quality commitment in the Performing Arts. Obviously, dance is still a big part of her life.

Elijah, Ariana and Bryna all had good academic years too with Elijah set to graduate from college next year, Ariana getting one B grade and an award for physical education and Bryna just enjoying her studies.

For the past few years, ‘end of year’ for us has also meant ballet productions. This year, Bryna joined Mara on stage in their ballet school’s production based on the Sound of Music. Bryna was in two numbers and Mara performed in six or seven, including one as a queen bee tending to some very cute baby bees. They were both very busy the past couple of months with rehearsals and the performance was superb. A couple of weeks after the performances and ballet was done for the year with a good two months off before resuming.

Bryna poses on the front lawn in her costume from the ‘Favourite Things’ number in a recent ballet school production. And dance and costumes really are a few of her favourite things.

For myself, a deadline at work, plans for the house and car repairs as well as the typical end of year goings on have taken up whatever spare time I had laying about. A couple of weeks off over Christmas, relaxing with family up in Brisbane, seems like just the tonic at the end of a fairly busy year.

End of a Rented Era

Today marks the official end of our years spent renting houses to live in — 10 places and just over 19 years in total. Settlement on the new place was completed late last week and today was the final inspection on the most recently rented property.

I’m also pleased that we’ve never lost a cent in bond/security deposit money. A few were close — mostly due to the distance the landlord/lady/property manager was from Earth — but the many hours spent scrubbing, cleaning and fixing someone else’s house paid off. Of course, this wouldn’t have been the case without our family and many good friends (in three countries) who helped us and were right there beside us scrubbing, cleaning and fixing. We are grateful.

So, now we’ve joined the Masses of the Mortgaged — only 30 years to go baby!

Bryna’s Got Talent

While it’s no surprise to us how talented all our children are, it’s great to see some of the rest of the planet give them a little recognition. Bryna took up ballet while we were still in California and has continued to dance, along with Mara, since we got back. Her primary school (elementary/grundschule) recently ran a competition using the now seemingly ubiquitous ” … Got Talent” and she did well enough in the heats — run on a weeknight at the school — to be invited back to the finals that were held at the school fête a few weeks later. And she won! She performed a self-choreographed dance routine to the first few minutes of Ben Fold’s Still Fightin’ It. There were even prizes — well done Bryna. 🙂

ANZAC Day Dawn Service

Namadgi Hike

Merry Christmas 2011

Winding Down 2011

End of a Rented Era

3D Printing Ahead

Bryna’s Got Talent