County fair...dinkum

990 km drive for a day at the fair.


True! We drove down to Tennant Creek just to go to the Show.
Sounds a bit extreme doesn't it? But it seemed like a good idea at the time. 2 weeks into a 4 week school holidays, 2 kids ratty with cabin fever and high likelihood of  a domestic dispute. Why not throw the whole circus into the car and head south?

When we first discussed the idea of going to TC I had thought this could be a chance to catch up with some of the people fighting against the nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station... Turned out that campaign had been won just a week or so before we left Darwin! No complaints about that. There was a victory celebration but it happened before we arrived. Congratulations to all those involved in the campaign and particularly the Warlmanpa people.

Once again I'm not much in the mood for writing but thought I'd post a few photos from the trip.

We left Darwin at about 4am and made Katherine by 7:30am, had some breaky and drove on to Dunmarra roadhouse and more fuel.

Mataranka big fig... headed south

Land raper at Dunmara Roadhouse... I wonder what they're going trash with that? (Frackers?)

Made TC with plenty of daylight to spare.


Next day Friday the Tennant Creek Show. After a very cold 8 degree night we spend the morning hugging our coffee mugs and once the chill had worn off checked out the view from the lookout. We hit the show some time after 1pm. The Tennant Creek show only runs for one day and I swear if we hadn't done our research we could have spent the week there and not had any idea it was even on. There appeared to be no advertising around the town at all. The (white) locals we spoke to seemed to think there was no point holding the show since the miners had left town but judging by the amount of soft toys and show bags I saw leaving the place I doubt the rest of the mostly Aboriginal population would agree. There seemed to be enough people around to fill the showgrounds and sideshow alley was pretty lively, there were kids everywhere and the place had the feel of a fair dinkum carnival. It was quite a fun day. I'd recommend TC show to any southerners traveling north to get a sense of an Australia that exists in many of the towns they pass through but rarely allow to touch them as they pass.

At the Tennant Creek Show.

We broke camp by 9am Saturday morning and headed up to Mataranka and the Bitter Springs for three nights camping by our favorite swimming hole. The nights were mild, water clear and warm. Caught a good whip cracking show at the Homestead, swam our hearts out and generally chilled for two full days.

Big moon at Mataranka

The caravan park experience is weird. 1,000s of retired grey nomads trucking along in their new 4x4 luxury vehicles towing immaculate caravans with all the best gear. Every rig is meticulously washed once they set up camp. You don't see them at the local shops (or at the Show) they  travel from camp to camp, inspect each other's outfits then settle down for sundowners and gossip, bravado and comparing road notes. Basically which caravan park they'll stop at next, what towns they'll glide through and glance at from behind the tinted windows of their motorized isolation tanks. Hoarding their food till the next big town where supermarket rewards cards can be used, their hard earned money will never see the till of the empty stores in desolate towns they pass through...  Their sleek  aerodynamic designed rigs slip passed dusky drinkers waiting for the early openers raising silent plumes of dust from desolate gutter of towns they'll tick off on the great road trip of 2014!

I bite my tongue after trying to stop Sam from spending money in the local store... "We need our money for fuel!" Shit! Damn... Did I say that? Am I just like them? This drive will take us months to pay off but 1,000s of people pass through this town cashed up enough to leave their homes and travel around at their leisure in brand new trucks and vans but not a cent to spare for the local businesses! Hell spend up babe.
What the hell are we doing here anyway?

Home by Tuesday afternoon. 2,400 km under our belts and about 3 months worth of fuel burned! Yes it's great to get away but bothers me the amount of fuel we used. All along the road we saw road trains carrying fuel to supply the hungry tourist muticas traveling up and down that highway.


The whole time I was humming to myself County Fair by Bruce Springsteen. 4 of us in the car. Me my wife and 2 kids... In 2,400 km they only let me choose one song! I chose this one and they kicked up so much fuss I had to turn it off out of respect for the Boss! What is wrong with these people!? They wouldn't let me listen to it in the car but they can't stop me posting it here!

Over...

As always there have been too many things to write about and I haven't had the time, access to my computer, or the inclination to write about it. The past month has been full of trauma, sadness and struggle.

Mourning
At the beginning of June while most of us were enjoying the first cool days of the dry season, our community was struck by a terrible tragedy. Our friend Jenny and her two children Lenny and Tighe were found dead on the grounds of the property where they lived. I don't know what we do with the grief from such a thing. There have been vigils and memorials and people have cried and lit candles, we've thrown flowers into the river and visited their favorite places but nothing makes right what has happened. Now one month has passed and many things have happened in that short time but our grief for this family will take a long time to pass.  I am sure most of us have unresolved feelings about the circumstances of their deaths. I have had immense feelings of compassion and care for all my friends who are alone and struggling, especially to care for their children. How do we care for each other and be there for each other when we are needed? 

A vigil was held at the mouth of Rapid Creek, many people came. It was a powerful and emotional time, and there was a huge sense of togetherness combined with bewilderment... how could this have happened?

The next morning before dawn I went and sat on the sand on the river bank where the candles were still burning. I thanked God for the dawn and cried for Jenny and her innocent beautiful children.

Candles at Rapid Creek the morning after vigil

Looking back at the footbridge, morning after the vigil

Carnage on the road:
One week later, while sitting in my office which happens to face the Stuart Highway I heard a terrible heavy crunch which sent vibrations up through my seat! I looked at the other workers and thought it may have been a heavy truck hitting a pothole. It wasn't. We looked out the window to see smoke and dust rising from the corner and the remains of a vehicle turned on its roof on the other side of the road. Two of us ran out of the building and across the road to find a 3 car pile up. Two cars were overturned and crushed, another sitting smashed up in the middle of a traffic island. Fuel was leaking out of one of the vehicles and the driver was turning the key trying to start the engine! It was an horrific scene. Others had already arrived and were assisting people out of the vehicles. We assisted where we could but thankfully professionals were on the scene. Three people were injured two seriously, but there was still a body in one of the cars, I sensed something terrible there and actually couldn't bring myself to look, it turned out that one man had died in the crash. When we were sure there was nothing more we could do to help we went back to the office, shaken by the scene. Out of respect for the people involved and their families I took no photos. But one week later I marveled at the irony of the Super car parade passing through that same intersection with support trucks displaying alcohol promotional logos!

The V8 Super cars are in town.

Refugee Day:
The 14th June was World Refugee Day. Every year here in Darwin we hold a kind of carnival on Refugee Day where people who have come to Australia as refugees show their appreciation for the opportunities they have been given, share their food and culture with us and all the refugee and asylum seeker support agencies and community groups set up stalls and share information. It seems weird to say we are celebrating Refugee Day... after all what is there to celebrate about people being displaced from their homelands? However there is a real festive feeling in the air at refugee day. It is a celebration of life, opportunities and what people can do if given a second chance! This year we were at the Soccer field in Marrarra, so on top of the music and dance there were soccer games all day.

(On the way there I took a wrong turn and ended up outside a football ground where I was summarily abused for being a "bicycle freak!" Oh what a world we live in) 

Amid all this celebration of life is the overlying fact that the Australian Government is now taking deliberate action to prevent refugees from entering Australia. Our asylum seeker policies breach international treaties and Government agencies routinely commit human rights abuses. This week the Minister for Immigration was responsible for the Australian Navy delivering a boatload of Tamil Asylum seekers back into the hands of the Srilankan regime who they were fleeing. Refugee Day was a chance to just spend time with people who have at least had the opportunity for a second chance in our country and for those who fight for the rights of asylum seekers, to put the struggle aside for one day and just enjoy the company of our friends.

 

Kites fly free at Word Refugee Day

Work:
Many low moments in my work this past week. We've just had our AGM (where I work it is called Synod). I raised an issue which started a fire and pretty much consumed the whole 4 day meeting... that's a story for another time.
On Monday night we had a big celebration for the Graduation of Theology students. Two of my yapas received their certificates in theology. Congratulations to all!

2014 Certificate 3 Theology Graduants

At the end of a week long marathon of work, 15 hour or more per day, on Tuesday I took a morning off picked up a mate and we went for a canoe trip in the harbor. Not far just out across to a beach near East Point where we could sit and watch the sun rise. It was the coldest morning so far 16 degrees, there was a bit of wind around but the water was flat enough not to sink us. We paddled among the mangroves for a while, saw a sea eagle and collected a bit of rubbish off the beach before heading back. Nothing much that has happened this month makes much sense to me but paddling on the water some how relegates it all to just 'other stuff'. This is real. ;)

Trev steps ashore

(Written from my computer at home... I've got a shocking cold and keep falling asleep. Think I have exhaustion or something....)

Careful with that mutika

I am not sure how to approach this subject since it arouses quite a bit if anger within me and I feel the subject is terribly misunderstood by the general public and more specifically the Dominant Anglo Mutika (motor car) obsessed culture!

(Telltale markings on the road)

I have to write something but once again I doubt I will do it justice! Maybe this can be the preliminary for some more substantial writing about the issue of road safety and the basic human rights of pedestrians.

Once again on my way to work I came across the remains of a grisly scene. Spray painted marks on the road indicating the various points of impact and final landing place of various objects after having been impacted by a motor vehicle. As I rode down Bagot Road toward the city I noticed the markings one by one until reaching the unmistakable outline of a person!

Another body has been smashed on the road! As I ride to work it is not uncommon to ride across blood stains and fur from countless, bandicoots, rats, cats and sometimes dogs. Occasionally but far too often there is evidence that a person has been hit. Thursday was one of those days!

I am talking about Bagot Road which links Darwin city with it's Northern Suburbs. It is three lanes wide and carries what I would expect most cities would consider a moderate amount of traffic. The road divides the residential suburbs of Ludmilla and Coconut Grove from the patch of land containing the RAAF base and Airport. Along the outbound side of the road there are retail outlets, MacDonalds, Red Rooster, two Primary Schools, blocks of flats and the Bagot Aboriginal Community. The majority of the in bound side has only a strip of grass and trees seperating the road from a high cyclone wire fence behind which is the RAAF, there is no footpath and very little space to stand, the ground is sloping towards the road. There are several bus stops along the road with about 4 or 5 on the side which has no footpath and very little space for people to sit.

Here I think are some of the factors which I believe have contributed to far too many people being hit on this road.

1. Speed limit - 70 - 80 kmh

2. Lack of appropriate pedestrian crossings

3. Lack of appropriate lighting at key sites where people cross the road

4. Higher than usual number of pedestrians/ Public transport users

5. Higher than usual likelihood of people who are not familiar with road conditions (a lot of people who stay at Bagot actually come from Aboriginal communities where there aren't any busy roads)

6. Pedestrian Intoxication

7. Driver negligence 
8. Insufficient space to stand at side of the road, sloping surface

I do not have any details about the facts involved in this recent accident and I would prefer not to speculate or try to draw any conclusions as to what happened on this occasion. However I would like to reflect on the attitudes that I come across when discussing the situation with people generally. I find their comments quite revealing and believe that it is popular Car Culture attitudes which have allowed this situation to continue without any 'meaningful' attempt to improve safety for pedestrians. (I use the word meaningful because there have actually been some attempts made to improve bus stops and crossing but they do not really address the real problems.)

These statements are a generalization and are not related to any empirical data, they are based only on general themes I have picked up on in discussion with people who are not experts... and were not present at the accidents. It is possible they may read a little too much of the local Tabloid or watch news on TV.

Q. What caused the accident

A. The the pedestrian was drunk and black

Q. Who was at fault

A. The pedestrian

Q. How could this have been prevented

A. He/She should stay off the road

Q. What about road conditions?

A. Not a problem.

Generally the answer I get  is that The pedestrian was hit because they were drunk and stepped onto the road at night, weren't seen and an innocent driver hit them.

Those hit aren't always black or drunk but there seems to be a general sense that this is the reason why people are hit by cars on Bagot Road. When the situation varies though people often seem just as willing to blame the victim of the incident rather than consider that there might be some other serious causes for the incident. For instance when a cyclist was hit a couple of years ago I remember the major point of discussion was whether or not he was wearing a helmet! It seems the blame for the accident could be shifted from the driver to the cyclist simply because he didn't have a helmet on when the car hit him!

Personally I find this situation quite intolerable and because it will result in more people being killed or maimed unnecessarily. I don't want to be one of them.

I will try to post on this subject in more detail when I have time to compose a constructive argument. But I would like to ask a few questions which I have asked several people I know and received somewhat negative feedback.

1. What if the speed limit was reduced to 60km. (how much time would actually be lost?

2. Would pedestrian crossings or lights make it safer for people to cross the road going to or from the buss stop?

3. Would improved lighting crossing the road near a buss stop increase visibility of pedestrians?

4. Would drivers pay attention to signs alerting drivers to the presence of pedestrians make them more cautious?

I am not blaming drivers for this situation. I still don't know any of the facts that contributed to this latest  incident and would hate to attribute guilt to anyone involved, it's not my place to do that. I have been in the situation more than once when an intoxicated pedestrian has stepped onto the road at night and it is a frightening situation. I have learned that there are times and places when this is more likely and I slow right down, regardless of what the other traffic is doing! Really I would just like to take a look at the whole situation and challenge some of the popular thinking on this subject in the hope that a solution might present itself.

Surely we must be capable of putting our fundamental responsibility for the care of human life before our perceived rights as drivers of motor vehicles?

Broken

This is a week of broken things...

1,000s of Trees around Darwin

Broken

Our old car (crashed last night)

Broken

Front sliding door...(came off it's tracks tonight)

Broken

The tap I fixed last month... (leaking again)

 Broken

Washing machine (Blew up with a bang in a cloud of smoke today, causing power outage)

 Broken (Domestic staff currently on strike!)

Snap Deck on my Xtracycle

Broken! (and a little bit soggy after the recent rain)


Not sure what it all means but I'm waiting for a sign!

The down side to travel

Oh boy! Yes there is a down side to travel! For one thing, when travelling by plane you should make sure you keep all your exess hand luggage to a minimum! Like if you've got your own hand luggage and both your kid's wardrobes squeezed into pint size cases to avoid paying for checked luggage and a sleeping child to get on and off the plane... You'd better get that book you're reading stashed back in your own bag long before the plane lands!
I can't believe I lost a library book on the plane!
It was a Quarterly essay I'd specifically asked the library to purchase, I was the first borrower and I left it on the plane! I realized as soon as I reached the gate but it was too late, by the time the hostess managed to check my seat it was gone!

That was the first thing.... There's more

These days I hardly ever drive, I've become quite comfortable riding my bike and would have gladly caught trains during the holiday but was talked into hiring a car!!! (Well not talked into it really but that other thing that happens to some married when the man has an idea and the woman has kind of a different idea and they really should discuss all the pros and cons of both ideas, but something happens between having the idea in the first place and that moment when the man finaly give up and does what he's told!)

So we're getting around pretty easily in our 4 door Toyota hatch-back, doing 101 things in the ample 15 hours of daylight that Vicoria provides at this time of year, and I'm trying to squeeze in a few extra curricular activities like visiting relatives who happen to live along the way. So I drop half the clan off in St Leonards to get an Ice Cream and zoom back to a cousins house to introduce them to my 2 year old, and wham! An unmarked Police Motorcycle gets me doing way too much speed in a stretch of road I was sure used to have a very different speed limit!
He asked me if I'd like to see the reading but I just grunted... "Nope... I believe you... You got me!"
What a bummer!

Then today when I'd barely recovered from the fact that I am broke and I owe the library a book + processing fees and trying to figure out if I'm pissed that I got a huge speeding fine or grateful that I didn't loose my drivers licence, I get a call from home....

She "Hey do you remember when we sold the car?"
Me "Ohh I dunno... why" (It's my usual response and usually correct... I rarely know or remember specific details like obscure dates or what day it is!)
She "Well something arrived in the mail today..."
Me (naively) "Derrr, ummm... What is it?" (half hoping it was some kind of award for being a nice guy or that Trek bike I've been waiting to win from Ride-to-Work day.... It wasn't)
She "A speeding fine!"
Me "Humphfffffffff.... fck, aow..... (Long pause for silent humiliation as sense of complete defeat and uselessness sets in....) hmf.... "

The 'offence' was committed back in September! We tried to recall when we'd sold the car, hoping that it was all a mistake and that I could gleefuly pass on the bad news to the new owners. Of course it was definitely me... again! I was really busy at work doing a spate of really long days, running people all over town in the little red buble with no airconditioning... So I was rushing and they got me! Damnit!
Why did they send this fine so long after the fact? Do fines get lonely and need to travel in pairs? Were they hanging on to it until it could do the most damage to my self esteme and my wallet? Was this some kind of punnishment for doing bad things in another state? (Victoria I mean) Why the hell are they sending me this now? It's cruel and wrong! Ohhh the shame... Ohhhh the annoyance! Ohhh the waste... Oh the money!

It's already been really difficult to go back to work, I've been wondering all sorts of crazy stuff like could I survive without going back at all? I've dragged my ungrateful ass through each day of this week and now this just had to happen to top it off. (Sorry work guys... it's nothing personal I'm just in a bit of a funk at the moment.)

I'd even put off buying some much needed mud guards that I'd been covetting for the past couple of months! I didn't buy them before we left because I had no extra money and we came back to the residual weather of a Tropical Low. I've been riding to work in torrential rain every day this week! (Actualy I really like it but could use a decent set of mud guards...) So thinks I, I shall part with the cash and get me a shiny new set of lovely Mudguards! I go to the only shop int town that stocks them and wouldn't you know it, they were closed for the week.
Now I find that I couldn't have afforded them anyway because I've effectively blown 4 months savings on speeding fines! I can't believe it! I usually drive so slow (the speed limit actually) that I have cars tailgating me all over Darwin yet in the 3 months that I've spent the least time behind the wheel I get busted for speeding twice!

"Waaaa Waaa!" Somebody call the Waaambulence!
RESOLUTION: Don't drive any more...

One less Car

I've got about 5 minutes to post this before I have to go and punch the dough... (Baking Bread again!)

So here it is! When I first started seeing my Sam she'd just bought a second hand Ford Festiva. It was her first newish car and she was very happy to own it. It then became our shared car and we have had many an adventure in the little 1.3 liter Coupe. A couple of trips through the centre of Australia the East Coast and a trip across to Broome proved that you don't need a large car to travel long distances.



(Our little Festiva... but not for long)

After a couple of years of marriage we had our first child and managed pretty well with the three of us in the car. As the old girl got older we have had to spend more money to keep her going and alas we lost the airconditioning and that was the final straw for me. I declared that I would not pay to have that fixed (It uses heaps of fuel) and after about 11 years of service we decided to get a new car.
About a year and a half ago we had the opportunity to get a small station wagon at a reasonable price and so we became a two car family... (Not really in line with my low impact beliefs)

As you may know I am quite concerned about environmental issues and attempt to ride my bicycle as much as possible, however we have family visit from interstate fairly regularly and the second car has been handy.

Anyway it's crunch time and I've finally decide to be true to my ideal of reducing our impact on the planet and would dearly like to wear my One Less Car T-shirt without feeling like a complete fraud! So we've decided to give the car away to a friend! Yes we are giving it away! Basically they need it... we rather try living without it so it works out just fine.

Farewell little MOJO Mobile (The car's name). Thank you for 11 years of wonderful service and great millage.

I will now rely on my bicycle for all (Most) personal trips and endeavor only to use the automobile for family travel and emergencies.

(Primary Transportation Unit .1)