The cycling is going well I have now been cycling the long way to work for one week and am getting quite used to the extra distance. It's time to step it up a bit but the difficult thing will be to find somewhere interesting to ride. I am occasionally passed by other cyclists who are more serious about peddling and seem to wizzz past me as I trudge along admiring thunder heads and rainbows in the morning sky or the lush green foliage surrounding the road.
Road riders sometimes pass me twice as they ride the Lee Point loop; speeding easily down the hill through the carpark at the end of the road and muscles pumping as they force themselves to maintain the same speed back up to the caravan park for one more circuit. I turn left and head for the trees, preferring to grind through the mud and slosh, surrounded by the dark canopy of the monsoon vine thicket.
Dumped car (I thought it was just my unfocused morning eyes that made it look a bit blurry!)
Yesterday I took a track through an area of bushland that is being developed into a housing estate, although there were some old dumped cars in there the country was in rather good condition. The lush growth at this time of year makes everything look so much healthier. Up here in Darwin we have grasses that can reach well over 7 ft high but this all depends on the other vegetation in the area. Where I rode yesterday there were only short grasses and shrubs in amongst the Turkey bush and sand palms. Although the dreaded Gamba grass lines Lee Point road it hasn't yet made much progress into the scrub on the coast side of the road.
There has finally been some rain so my ride was a bit gritty but the track was still quite firm.
About half way along the monsoon vine forest track a tree had fallen and there was a gaping hole in the canopy. It was nice to stop and listen to all the birds.
When I got to the mangroves I noticed that I'd picked up a hitch-hiker. A rather large Orb weaver spider complete with web was clinging to the front of my bike like a hood ornament!
Orb weaver spider (same colours as the car)
The tidal creek was flowing with fresh water, hopefully this will continue for the rest of the wet season. It's been another unusually dry one this year.
It's late again so I'd better get on my bike and ride ride ride. But before I go I'll post this link to a 'Ministry of Sound' video I saw this morning.
http://www.ministryofsound.com.au/ecard/prydz/A-Global-Warning.html
1 comment:
Incredible photos. Looks like another planet.
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