The Simplest Things In Life!

In my drafts I have had a blog waiting to be posted, ranting about how frustrated I am at the moment. It's not fun not being able to do the things you want, especially the simple things like ride.

Today the drought broke. After weeks of endless pain, the flu (which is still lurking), carcinomas being removed, and just a plain lack of any motivation at all, I finally got out on the bike.

Yes, it is the simple things in life that are often the best...and I know I have no real right to complain as there are many people worse off than me. But I am not associated with them, I am in my own bubble with my own problems.

I had almost forgotten how freeing it is to be on your bike. It is this feeling that has kept me sane, anchored to the real world. My bike has been my solace, my rock, my escape and my reset. Not being able to ride is like a musician not being able to play, a dancer not being able to dance. The worst thing about it all is that it has been avoidable. I have let my passion sit on the shelf collecting dust.

Whilst I am the first to say that I have had my fair share of excuses, and justified ones at that, I have also not pushed the envelope. I have been complacent in letting myself slide, letting rust replace shine, I have become a silt laden stream that once ran crystal clear.

OK, enough of the downer... Like I said it was exuberant to get get out on the pedal powered mistress once again. I have to say I absolutely fell head over heels in love with my Kona once again today. I had forgotten how soft she was, how responsive and how pleasurable. Ahhh! What a mistress.

It was only a short twenty something kilometer ride, and considering how much I haven't ridden I surprised myself. I suppose it's just like riding a bike...lol.

It was a relatively flat ride out of Bundaberg past the airport and onto the Ring Road. I didn't have any particular plan, just a ride with the cameras recording and having a chat as I was pedaling along.

Once on the Ring Road I headed East and was reminded as to how comfortable the Kona was on a rough surface. It is for this I bought her. The steel frame, the 40 mm tyres and the Brooks B17 all worked together to take away the bumps that the side of this road offer up.

I continued down the Ring Road and once at Barolin St I headed towards town. It was a nice change riding up this section of road now with a bike lane. Normally you would compete with the usual hoards of inconsiderate motorists as there was not much shoulder. What shoulder there was was usually broken up or in disrepair.

I was going to head south down Thabeban Rd but feeling good I continued up to Simms Rd and rode down along it's entire length. Once at the end I headed up Elliott Heads Rd and zig-zagged my way up to Coral Isles' Crit Track.

After a lap for old times sake I headed up to the main street and headed back towards home. The main street was quiet being a Sunday evening. Usually when you rise down it you get a few beeps of a horn. I ride down the middle whether motorists like it or nor. The main street's parking arrangement is nose in parking. That means you have cars reversing out into traffic. They don't look for a cyclist so riding close to either side of the lane is a no no. Down the middle all the way...

The twenty two kilometers were coming to a close. A smile on my face, a druggy with his fix, I was a happy soul.

No to clear off some of that rust and let the shine shine through.

Cheers guys, and as always, ride safe.

Torn Medial Meniscus...Ouch!!!

For the past several months I have been trying to get back onto the bike. It seems that no matter how hard I try something keeps raising it's ugly head to get in the way.

I haven't been blogging much as I haven't been riding much, so it appears the squelching of one thing I love effects another, blogging. I've let that happen, no-one else, me and me alone. Since taking up cycling again several years ago, blogging has become as much a part of that joy as the bike itself.

Anyway, I'm planning to stop that...

I have been diagnosed with some relatively serious knee complaints. The first being the medial meniscus on my right knee. Along with that, I have ligament strain, fluid on the knee and significant arthritic degeneration.

Some months ago I noticed knee pain, and after a day on the ride on mower at work, or even a short drive in the car (which wasn't often) significant pain arose. It made it difficult to walk, but appeared to settle over night.

After some weeks of the on and off nature of the pain I ended up in excruciating pain. I had just started to do some relief work at a new school, and the more time went on, the worse the pain became.

Part of my primary job is only a few kilometers away and although I had been able to manage the short ride, it was difficult to say the least.

I have been wanting to do some more exploring on the bike, just day trips, with the odd weekend away thrown in for good measure. But it hasn't seemed to happen. As the knee has settled and I have had the occasional fifteen or so kilometer ride, I just haven't seemed to get things in motion.

The relief job I was doing has now become permanent and being twenty kilometers from home, and being a reasonably flat course, seemed to be the perfect opportunity to ride, vlog and enjoy my pedal powered beauty once again.

Sounds great doesn't it? Well, woe is me, I've ended up with a bloody bad case of man flu, yes man flu...and we all know how bad that can be. Stay with me, I'm painting the picture for you...

Ah well, it's just the flu, I'll get over it in a couple for days and start from there. This friggin' thing has hung around for nigh on three weeks now. Just after starting the new job, I've had to have nearly two weeks off work. OK, it's a little worse than I first thought, it'll end and I'll start from there.

Right, let's get back to the knee. In all this I had been referred to an Orthopedic Specialist by my G.P. Last Friday I met with him and now in a month I will be on the table and under the knife getting the knee seen to. Even though that is great news, and it is, it now seems that I will be off work for six weeks and on crutches for the first two. Along with this, there will be no riding for this six week period, and possibly longer, pending the recovery process. I am not allowed to drive for this period either, which doesn't trouble me in the slightest, as we all know how much I hate that.

So the plan now...just get over this lurgy first, which will hopefully be by the weekend. I am back at work, but only just. Come Sunday I am hoping to go for a light thirty or so kilometers and start on my long time planned cycling vlog. So keep an eye on my YouTube channel for that.

My weight has increased way too much and too fast. That coupled with my past life as a truck driver has taken it's toll on my body. Once the weight was gone, the symptoms were as well.
I had the left knee done many years ago and have no problems since, so this is good news. Other good news is that the right knee will follow suit. It won't be perfect, but will be better. Hey, if can get me back on my bike, and get doing some hiking again, I'm all for it.

More good news is that I have escaped a full knee replacement. Although it is probably necessary, at 55 years of age the Doc wants to hold of on it for a while. He hopes to clean the area up enough to give me another five years at least. It will be inevitable, but the bullet has been dodged temporarily.

Anyway, that is the update. I've decided that just because the cycling is on restricted access doesn't mean the blogging has to be as well. I have plenty of gear I can review, and other shit I can ramble on about if your interested...

Let's leave it there for this one...

Cheers all, and as always, ride safe.

Kinkuna Bush Camping

Man o man I need to get my head back into blogging mode. I'll get there eventually. I am trying to get back on the bike but unfortunately osteo arthritis of the right need is hindering a lot of things, like bike trips and hiking trips I have planned. It's a chore just getting to work for the day.
Any way, let's get to the better stuff.

Kinkuna Beach Camping Area is a section of the Burrum National Park on Queensland's east coast south east of Bundaberg. I had driven through it a few times (four wheel drive only), but had never camped there. This is something that I should have done long ago. The camping sites are only approximately twenty kilometers from my front door, so close.

My plan was to load up the old mountain bike, Frankenstein, with a tag along kiddies trailer full of gear. Taking a lot of my normal gear, I was going to take a three man tent with me, an esky (cooler) and some fishing gear. The larger tent was for just a little extra room, and the esky was to keep some meats, and of course, beers cold.
This wasn't going to be a bike trip parse, but more just a few days away, fishing and just relaxing.

After several attempts to load the tiny trailer with the mountain of gear I had, I decided to wuss out and get my wife to drive me out. Ok, ok, this was fine, it was just to get away anyway.

With this decision made I opted to ditch the tent and sleeping mat etc, and take one of the new swags I had purchased. The swag was an Adventure Kings Big Daddy Deluxe that I bought from The Four Wheel Drive Super Center some months prior. It is a double swag that had never been used, and had only ever been set up once for purpose of weathering/seasoning. This became the perfect opportunity to check it out.

Well with the swag strapped to the roof racks and the boot full, off I set. Heading South East from Bundaberg it wasn't long before we hit the turn off. Once at the entrance to park the road turned into it's sandy entrance. I didn't worry about airing down the tyres, as the entrance only has sandy patches along it's driveway.

Closer to the camping sites the track becomes sand again. Although soft on top it was still relatively hard packed underneath, so high range was sufficient. I had no intentions of beach driving this time. This section is a popular four wheel drive mecca, but as it was a week day, there was hardly anyone in sight, the perfect place to camp.

It didn't take long to find a suitable spot and get set up, virtually on the beach itself. With the calm Westerly wind the water was like glass. After setting up I drove my wife the five kilometers back to the main entrance. She was a bit nervous about the sandy patches. Walking back to the camp site a young couple picked me up and dropped me back and with the night air setting in, it was time to look at getting a camp fire prepared. One thing I decided to take was my BBQ cook/grill plate that had never been used, a great idea considering my first night's thick and juicy sirloin.

The sun started to set, the fire lit, and the slight westerly breeze changed to a north easterly gust. Cooking my steak was a little difficult as the wind kept blowing any form of heat out from under my plate. I rectified this the following morning after a fish with some old bricks and logs that I found lying around.
It was time to just settle back, eat some dinner and enjoy a cold beer.

The fire nice and amply helped the serenity sink in. The strong gusts eased, a good hot coffee and it was nearly time for bed in the new swag. The great thing about the double swag is that the canvas entrance flaps can be rolled back, exposing the millions of stars that sit above me. Who needs five star accommodation when one can have a million stars. With the sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline it didn't take long to wander off to the land of Nod.
Although it wasn't cold it did cool off through the night, but pulling the sleeping bag up over my ears fixed this.

The sun's rays the following morning wee brutal to say the least. Let me say that I didn't sleep in. With only the midgie mesh of the swag separating me from the outside world, the sun's brightness started stabbing me at first light as it appeared over the horizon.
That was ok though, up early and the fishing rods that had been set the night before were in hand and I was off to the beach. It was a beautifully calm day, no wind at all meant the water was like glass. Ideal for throwing out some some soft plastics in the hope for a tasty morsel...

Ah well, no luck, so it was back up the shallow dune to start breakfast. The fireplace reconstructed, the fire lit, bacon and eggs were on the barbie plate and the coffee was hot and being consumed.

It was now Thursday, the day after Anzac Day, the camping area still relatively deserted the beach was virtually all mine, and mine alone. There's just something that is so ahhh when camping like this. I suppose that's why I like bicycle touring so  much, as well as remote camping...the solitude.

Kinkuna is truly a magnificent place, and I still can't believe that I haven't been camping here before...especially so close to home. The sad thing is because it's a National Park I can't take my four-legged dish licker with  me. Wilson would have loved it, although he is a big sook when it comes to waves, or water in general really.

After breaky I grabbed the new Sony Action Camera, a HDR AS50 to try out as a vlogging camera, and headed north up the beach. The warm, but not hot, sun and a gentle westerly now forming made it perfect. I don't know for how long I walked, I didn't keep track of time, time is irrelevant in situations such as these. By the way, the little Sony preformed well.

I got back to my campsite and sat. The water was way out at low tide and I saw a nice channel forming out along the beach. It was time to try the lighter gear. Down the beach I headed with my old and favourite Shimano combo. A plastic popper on top and calm water was just perfect. But perfect doesn't always help you catch fish. In the end a small flathead was hooked and seeing size matters, it lived too grow a little larger. I really don't care about catching anything. Fishing to me is like cycling, it's just about the getting out there and clearing the mind.

Another day was on the close and the fire was lit again, and a beer was enjoyed. There is something about a fire that soothes the soul and help you forget and knees the mind still and quiet. The sun setting, the stars lighting up the sky one by one, why would you want to be anywhere else?
A slight breeze, the crackling of the fire and the crashing of the waves on the beach was a recipe of beauty, all combining to give life that little extra meaning. Soon it was time for bed.

On the morning of the first day the swag had it's fair share of sand inside that had worked it's way in. Even though I shook it out, there had seem to be another compilation of the stuff this night as well. I went to bed and laid there flicking the grains this way and that to try and get some comfort. Again the swag flaps were rolled up with only the midgie (no-see-um) mesh protecting me from what elements may be.
After a couple of strong gusts of wind I realised what was causing it. It wasn't me walking it in as I first thought. It appears that midgie mesh is midgie (sandfly) proof, but not sand proof. With the leaving of the flaps open, it was apparent that it was left open to blow in the sand.
Up I got, unzipped everything, pulled out sleeping bag and mattress and shook it all of again. After returning everything to it's rightful place I closed the flaps down. You know what? It worked like a charm. With the wind coming from the south-west again I was able to suffice with the rear flap closed. It was a little cooler this night, so no worries about over heating.

The morning seemed to come too quickly after a good night's sleep. This morning wasn't as kind. The wind had moved around the the south-east and had cause a decent chop on the water. I did try a little fishing, but as I was only using light gear it was difficult casting into the wing. I switched gear and wend for my larger rod, and heavier tackle. It didn't help me much, as I always say, "I don't even catch a cold when I go fishing"...lol.

It was a time to kick back and just relax. I went for another walk, ate some, drank some, went for another walk...repeat. It's great when you go like this, no plan, no have to's, no need to's, just you and the moment at hand. I enjoyed the simpleness of my camping kit as well, the swag, minimum gear, a fire pit and a plate to sit over it. No need for massive cleaning up duties, just set and forget.

I met a nice young couple that were doing the rounds. The one thing I had forgotten was a roll of toilet paper, and we all know there's nothing worse than cacky-tacky bum...think about it...
Anyway, back to the nice young couple, they were nice enough to leave me a full roll of toilet paper, and that my friends was badly needed at the time...phew, crisis averted.

After they left the afternoon was setting in. It was Friday by now, so the obvious weekenders were arriving. Whilst the majority were steady paced, quiet and thoughtful of others, the weekend also brought out the morons who don't give a shit. It was sweet justice seeing a couple of utes that were tearing up the track get bogged as soon as they hit the beach...as the tide was rolling in. It was a case, it seemed, of all the gear and no idea.

It settled as dark drew closer, and yet again I had a blazing fire, snags and patties on the plate and was sitting back enjoying a cold ale and the serenity all over again. This was my last night so I stayed up later than usual. It's a tradition of mine. On the last night of every camp I sit up later (although I was out of beer) enjoying a beverage and stoking the fire higher than usual.
Unfortunately, segments of my evening serenity were blind sided by late arrivals and the morons I suffered earlier driving out with driving lights and spot lights blazing, not only to the night, but into my friggin' camp site as well. I went to bed around 11.00 p.m. and even after lights out there were still people arriving and driving about...not happy Jan. I get a little touchy when my serenity is messes with. Although I should have expected this, it's just that I am used to camping in places where this no, or little else is around. I drew ten deep breaths and ended up asleep never to be disturbed again.

The morning came and I awoke, to yet again, the sound of four-wheel-drives arriving and running up the beach. Hey, don't get me wrong, I love four-wheel-drives, I have one. I just don't always like the drivers behind the wheel. Yes, grumpy old bum this morning, I hadn't had my coffee yet.

The morning dragged on, I chatted with a lot more people as I was packing up somewhat. My wife was coming out to pick me up this morning and I wanted to be a little prepared. Although I have to admit, I wasn't in a hurry. Morons and all, I wasn't in a hurry to leave.

My wife arrived just before lunch and the kids hit the beach as quickly as they hit the ground...running. Some bar-b-queable goodies were brought out, so a lunch time barby fire was lit as we packed the rest of my gear.

In the end an inevitable, unavoidable, but reluctant end came to my weekend (or should I say) my mid-week away. It was a remarkable place so close to home, and although it appears to be better mid-week than weekend, I still have to say it'd be a great place to visit again.

I will be back...

Cheers all, and as always, ride safe.