Had a nice little 19k cycle ride from Sydney out to Watson’s Bay. Was wonderful to see all the neighborhoods on that side of the harbour for a change! But I ran out of daylight so decided to just take the ferry back. I’m very glad that bicycles are welcome on NSW ferries!</p>

Went 26.7 km on Sunday (16.6 miles) and could have done more but for the downpour that drenched me…sopping wet! I had rain in my eyes, water coming off the front tire in my face, and water coming up off the rear wheel and soaking my rear end. Coulda stopped, but figured what the heck I’ll just ride it out. That’s less than half what I’ll be doing in about 3 weeks, but nice to know endurance wasn’t an issue today. And for the organized ride, the course will go a lot quicker for me because the roads will be blocked off with no card, and the route will be all laid out so I won’t have to stop to check where I am or take a wrong turn. My goal is to get on the bike more often this week…weather permitting!

Here’s an iPhone image from my new favorite bike route that is less than 3 kilometers from where we live.  This is from one of the two “harbor heads” that connect open ocean to Sydney harbor.   So that’s ocean on the left, the other harbor head directly opposite, and Sydney harbor to the right.  It’s wonderfully peaceful and uncrowded up here, and once you endure the steady hill out of Manly to get here it’s flat, nicely paved road surface.  The authorities decided to keep this as a park area instead of allowing it to be developed…but wouldn’t a house with this view be nice?

North Head Sanctuary, Just Outside Manly

Wow, after all these years we finally were treated to a concert by The Boss himself. I can remember back in my undergraduate days at Ohio U when “Born to Run” was popular, and that was back in the mid-70s. How this guy in his 60s can put on a 3- hour nonstop rock and roll party I’ll never know. The energy he has is amazing! Next time I feel like I should be retiring or slowing down all I need to do is remember last night and the energy he displayed. And he does this night after night? Incredible!

Ahhh!  Nothing like starting a summer weekend morning with a 12-mile ride.  Decided to ride the hills over to “The Spit”, which is really an inland waterway with a drawbridge .  This time I mounted the GoPro camera on the bike, so I don’t have to stop and take pictures with my mobile phone or camera.  It’s not the best quality, and because it’s a bit of a fisheye lens, the trees and light poles sometimes seem to be leaning or slanted.  Still, it’s fun to be able to take a quick snap during my ride just for fun!

Testing! Testing!

Looking Down at The Spit

Nice bike path, away from cars

Manly Lagoon

By the seaside in Manly

December 1, 2013 marks two full years since the Smiths landed on Australian soil, and I am astounded at how fast 2 years have flown by. We’ve seen so much and done amazing things, and even now we’re preparing to depart in 2 days time for a 2-week cruise to New Zealand. Thanks to friends and family that have shared our highs and lows over the last 2 years. The adventure, of course, continues…

Cracks me up tonight. Wearing basic business attire for an American, which sometimes is black slacks and a white shirt…short sleeves today because I thought it’d stay warm (I was wrong). I also commute with a wheeled backpack that MBW gave me to avoid back pain. And I was in the drug store (called “Chemists” here) getting something for MBD and completely unaware that one of the clerks had decided that in that outfit, with the wheelie in tow, I must be an airline pilot or some sort of travel professional! But I had NO CLUE of this until half an hour later when it hit me walking down the street.

Clerk with big eyed smile: SO, where are you off to tonight?
Me: Um, what do you mean?
Clerk: Where will you be traveling to?
Me: Well, home….
Clerk looking a bit disappointed: Oh…
Me: But next week I’ll be on a cruise ship
Clerk with even bigger eyes: Oh! How wonderful! And where will you be going?
Still clueless me: We’re off to New Zealand. We’ll be sailing down the entire eastern coast of that country.
Clerk with huge eyes, smile and wonderment: What an amazing adventure! Have a good trip!

Even then I was so focused on getting home that I didn’t realise that she had mistaken me first for an airline pilot, then a cruise ship captain! Maybe it’s my grey hair that fooled her?

We broke the news to MBD tonight.  Tears all around but good memories as well.  Thanks to friends and family that held back while MBD got through her final exams this month.  I have restored my original post from 7-Nov-2013.

Rest easy, old girl. Your impact on our family and my parents cannot possibly be measured. Passionate loyalty, good manners, sincere empathy, laughable goofiness, and the gift of taking pleasure in the simple things. Things like a romp in the snow, a car ride to the drive-up pharmacy where they give out dog treats, or chasing the wildlife in Pennsylvania with my dad. Where would our daughter have been without Emma sleeping by her bed every night, protecting her for all those years in Knoxville? I’ll remember all those times you hung out with me in my home office, lying under the desk at my feet while I worked. There is a hole in the universe today, caused by your departure to the inevitable after 11 good years. We have no choice but to move onward, but the world seems a bit empty today with you gone.