My response to Lillian’s d’verse challenge to write a poem in a modern form called the Puente. The first and third stanza must have an equal number of lines and be connected by a second stanza bridging line demarked by the tilde. https://dversepoets.com
We dreamed of a bridge to adulthood When we bought a house looking good We’d settle as a family My wild days behind me Having scrimped and saved all we could
~the bridging finance broke us~
The deposit we mustered and paid The lender suspiciously delayed We were soon out of pocket Bridging costs on the docket Lost the house and felt quite betrayed
Download from the link at the end to view route photos.
Route Name / Address:
Nagambie – Murchison Loop
Start / Finish locations:
Nagambie Railway Station Prentice St., Nagambie 3608
Mode:
Road bike (or any other mode you prefer)
GPS 36.785292° S 145.160579° E
Difficulty:
Easy – as long as the distance is OK for you
Distance:
50km
Elevation:
211 – 145m
Topography:
Flat
Surfaces:
Sealed bitumen. Narrow around Kirwans Bridge and Goulburn Weir. Firm dirt shoulders. Murchison East has quite a bit of through traffic, but broad sealed shoulders. Morningside Rd has quite a bit of patching. It is the roughest section, not too bad.
If you wish to join the Rail Trail to Rushworth at Murchison (another 7 – 10km one way dependent on where you start), you will require a bike able to manage a gravel surface.
Description and Features:
Nagambie is well serviced, Murchison less so, but can offer accommodation, food and drink. This is flat river plains country. The route parallels the Goulburn River, Weir and major irrigation canals most of the way. There are various scenic sites, such as the aged Kirwans Bridge, broad vistas across prime grazing and cropping land, quality horse studs and wineries.
Riding conditions:
Generally, fairly low traffic during the week with more tourists about on the weekends. Some long straight stretches. There is little shelter from the elements on the road.
Hub & Spoke Cycling Route
Route Name:
Boho Foothills Loop
Start / Finish locations:
Violet Town Railway Station Corner Primrose and Cowslip St., Violet Town 3669
Mode:
eBike, road, hybrid, MTB
Map:
GPS 145.7164 -36.63884
Difficulty:
Intermediate: modest rises
Distance:
23km
Elevation:
179 – 252m
Topography:
Undulating terrain
Surfaces:
Good condition bitumen
Description and Features:
A pleasant loop that follows the line between the base of the Strathbogie Tableland and the plains surrounding Violet Town. Broad vistas, attractive landscapes, pleasant foothills and roadsides of aged River Red Gums.
Riding conditions:
Largely exposed to the elements
Anticlockwise Cues:
Start Violet Town Station
Head south east along Cowslip St
Straight Urmston St
Cross Hume Fwy
Straight Harrys Creek Rd
Left Hayes Rd
Right Boho Rd
Left Boho Church Rd
Left Smiths Rd
Left Boho Rd
Right Hayes Rd
Right Harrys Creek Rd
Straight Urmston St
Straight Cowslip ST
Finish Violet Town Station
Amenities (Violet Town):
Car parking
BBQ
Fuel
Shops
Seating
Parkland
Waterway
Playground
Picnic tables
Public toilets
Potable water
Walking tracks
Accommodation
Historic features
Sports Reserves
Swimming Pool
Railway station
Directional signs
Information signs
Off leash dog play
Flora and fauna habitat
Cautions:
Limbs may fall
Uneven ground
No potable water
Subject to flooding
Road surfaces vary
Snakes may be active
Beware of vehicle traffic
Mobile reception may be unreliable
Carry food, water, First Aid, be SunSmart
Be equipped for self-reliant riding
Restrictions:
Take rubbish with you
Historic relics are protected
Native flora and fauna are protected
Riders must use formed roads only
This morning’s interview with presenter Matt Dowling regarding my work on tracks and trails promotion in the Strathbogie region. Commences at 43.30minutes.
When the last butterfly flutters by
your seat on the grass
When the sun moves overhead
in one more timeless pass
When the creek’s empty water
flows by and on
When the creatures of the bush
all around you have gone
Will you sit and reflect
on what could have been
When you knew it was coming
it had been foreseen
Will you ask why you didn’t
when there was time and you could
While you sat on the grass
thinking I must then I should
Ruffy Store start and finish (check opening hours). Good condition gravel, broad vistas, bit of a climb back up.Map: Ruffy – Red Gate lane Loop
Hub & Spoke
Route Name:
Ruffy - Red Gate Lane Loop
Mode:
Gravel Grinder
Start / Finish locations:
Corner of Longwood – Ruffy Rd & Nolans Rd., Ruffy 3666
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Distance:
14.5km
Elevation:
394 – 547m
Topography:
Undulating with some steep inclines
Surfaces:
Longwood – Ruffy Rd is sealed
Nolans and Red Gate Lane are gravel
Description and Features:
Depart the Ruffy main street for rolling green hills of pasture, sweeping views and treed roadsides
Rocky outcrops
Riding conditions:
Little traffic, road conditions are generally good, can be very hot in summer and cold in winter
Options:
Clockwise or anti clockwise
Amenities (Ruffy):
Ruffy Store open intermittent hours or by booking
Car parking
Seating
Parkland
Playground
Accommodation
Historic features
Sports Reserves
Directional road signs
Information signs
Cautions:
Steep climbs
Soft shoulders
Uneven ground
No potable water
Slippery surfaces
Subject to flooding
Road surfaces vary
Snakes may be active
Beware of vehicle traffic
Mobile reception may be unreliable
Be mindful to keep within the Reserve
Carry food, water, First Aid, be SunSmart
Be equipped for self-reliant riding
Anticlockwise Cues:
Start corner of Longwood – Ruffy & Nolans Rd
Straight Nolans Rd (west)
Right Red Gate Lane
Right Longwood – Ruffy Rd
Finish corner of Longwood – Ruffy & Nolans Rd
A summary of Karl Jaspers’ writing, “Sunk in the noise of nationalism and technology, people become intellectually and emotionally stifled, stuck. The crowd rules. Slogans and rhetoric pass for meaningful conversations”. Marietta McCarthy, How philosophy can save your life. Penguin Australia 2009.
What have we learnt? A German survivor of the first and second world wars, Jaspers was an early 20th century philosopher. He still speaks to us with relevance, as if alive today. Nationalism is destructive. Those who seek advantage through manipulating others naive enough to follow blindly, to adopt the slogans of ill considered electronic media and rally to the flags of puppet masters – will be perpetrators of great harm.
However, Jaspers was not without hope. “Amidst discussion, a silence is possible in which people may listen together and hear the truth.”
Are we still able to effectively hear the truth, to discover and explore the scant remaining silence? Or have we sunk so deep into the swamp of nationalism and the noise of technology to be beyond positive, constructive, truth seeking communication?
It has been too long without you There has been too much time Worlds lie between us As I pay for my crime
My cell is my world of four hard walls
Spartan and bare
My memory is my cell forever I keep seeing you there
As each long long day passes .....
My sentence every minute
Gives way to darkness My loss lies within it
When I look through my barred window I expect in some light To see you running towards me Again my mind at flight
I pace I groan squat in the corners
Of this tiny space
Close and open my eyes And still see your face
I see you on the day as lovers we were wed I see you in the night on the matrimonial bed I see us on every outing all the things we did I see us laughing and loving as besotted kids I see your auburn fringe and wavy locks I see your long legs above bobby socks I see your bright blue eyes black long lashes I see your olive skin the smile that flashes I feel you in my arms in the softest embrace I remember all your charms I feel my disgrace
Where is your world now my love And is he there with you No I am not proud my love If I could bring you back I’d kiss you
Every corner, anticipation. Every crest, a new horizon.
It was the idea I loved. But, first came the words. The words were, “A winding track.” The words became the idea. The idea developed.
The idea of a two wheel dirt track ahead. It winds up a wooded hillside in the golden hour of late afternoon. This romantic winding track, no destination in sight, no point of origin, beckons. It’s mystery entices.
So, I now find myself travelling this track. I’m leaving things behind and I am excited by the unknown destination ahead. I am savouring the journey.
Savouring, now there’s a word! A word to savour. A word begets an idea, begets a reality.
Ah, here is the real joy, the savouring. The pleasure in the journey, the exciting anticipation of getting there. Wherever there may be.
My recently acquired touring ebike. Battery assist range 150km. It includes an auto power selection mode. Pedal pushing is always required, but you can choose how much effort to put in. You will keep fit!
Sub title: Central Victoria, the Centre for eBikes.
As I have aged (now approaching my mid 60s), I have progressed from road bikes to mountain bikes to hybrids and now, ebikes.
My message to everyone out there who rides or is contemplating riding is “Get on your bike!” If you are fit and able enough to provide your own power, find the bike that best suits your journeying and ride. If you think you are past it, reconsider. From 8 to 80 years old, anyone with balance who can get astride a bike frame now has bicycle touring at their feet!
With the advent of ebikes for all modes of cycling, the Central Victoria region is perfect for you and your bike. There are many kilometres of un-trafficked rural roads and tracks traversing diversely beautiful landscapes. You will be amazed at where an ebike can take you, from sealed flat stretches across the plains, amongst rustic rolling foothills, to tall treed dirt tracks through mountain forests.
Many people have asked me about the different modes of cycling I refer to in the cycling route descriptors I publish. Most often, about Gravel Grinders. Gravel Grinders as a specialty appeared somewhere in amongst my cycling experience. I missed their rise until alerted by a mad keen cycling cousin.
This alert coincided with the commencement of my mapping and publishing of walks and cycling routes in and around the beautiful Strathbogie region. A good port of call for those interested is the Gravel Grinders Melbourne fb page. The article linked below may be American, but is brief and indicative of gravel bike features for the uninitiated, as well as being fodder for dreamers. It is worth noting that one of the bikes listed is an ebike.
Small Flies and Other Wings by Christine Ay Tjoe (Oil on canvas) 2013
Art in the pink, the hope that it brings
Wings painted from, the smallest of things
The joy of the colour, the mess of it all
A pleasure to view, this artist's call
Not quite abstract, the painting surreal
Based in fact, then allowed to congeal
Into pastel riot, of colour and lines
Into a many makes whole, artwork refined
What underlies, there's tissue paper petals
The subject mixed up, then left to settle
What was the intent, forethought soft light
To please the eye, or just to feel right
So busy so active, yet here is still life
Outlines overshot, not cut like a knife
In the blur there is movement, on a canvas full
But the subject is lifeless, the message - killed
When you look deeper, what do you see
Something different to me, most certainly
I see part of you, I see part of me
I see a gift, a sadness, in humanity
Did this idea form, in the artist's mind
Develop and grow, the mind to bind
An irresistible force, the desire to create
A bane and pleasure, that will never wait
This being human is brutal Where survival remains primal Where savagery can be ruthless Where being human is animal
This being human is joyful Where sharing is a pleasure Where smiles reflect happiness Where being human rises above
This being human is indulgent Where affluence is wasted Where consumption is recreational Where being human is an economic unit
This being human is religious Where unknowns engender hope Where faith equates with confidence Where being human could be spiritual
This being human is political Where a few choices matter Where many choices don’t Where being human is good and evil
This being human is being creative Where knowledge grows exponentially Where caution is thrown to the wind Where being human is a contradiction
This being human is arrogant Where entitlement reigns Where extinctions surprise no one Where being human is collective stupidity
This being human is ridiculous Where universes are vast Where consciousness is nebulous Where being human is being alone
This being human is scary Where thoughts beget actions Where actions beget unanticipated consequences Where being human is in itself an existential risk
To add another dimension to your experience of poetry, I recommend you also engage with the international community of fellow poets at d’verse virtual pub poetry challenges
I sit
on my green cane chair
The best chair for thinking
It is outside
It has the advantage
of being
in a good place
A verandah from which
there is much to see
Even if the weather is cold
it is in the right position
because the wind slides past
laterally
In this chair
you can avoid
confronting winds of change
You can sit here for
a long time
confident
you won’t have to move
or make way
for someone or something
You can watch
all sorts of things
unfold from this chair
Insects birds animals people
the day the night
the light
Seasons pass you by
I unfold from this chair
This is a sitting for thinking chair
It gives access
to great scope for thought
A matching cane table
stands
by this chair
It is for
all the paraphernalia
I choose to utilise
for observation and thinking
for research recording and writing
Endless cups of tea
Vegemite and salad rolls
Fruit nuts
stacks of books
Pens paper
Camera iPad and phone
Background noises
surrounding this chair
are soothing
Creek water
tumbling over rocks
An irregular breeze
wafting at leaves
Morning song birdsong evensong
Another nice sound
I often hear from this chair
is children playing
Always happy to be outside
In cooler months
running along the bush track
In summer
swimming in the waterhole by the bridge
or excitedly calling to each other
as they splash
about amongst the cascades
You need to wear
a brimmed hat
sitting in this chair
regardless of the season
This is to shade your eyes
from the northerly and westering sun
To balance the glare
against the shadows
on the surface
you are working on
This chair has soft cushions
for the seat and for the back
They rest against its structure of
bent cane
It is a very good fit
You can sit for a long time
before needing to move
However, the arms of this chair are narrow
They may confine you
to a limited range of positions
This has the advantage
of forcing movement
This state of affairs
is conducive
to constructive
thinking by prompting
physical activity
around the house
along the verandah
in the garden
along the creek
Such activity can be necessary
to continue to be
effective
A mental activity reset
New approaches
come with a reset
Quite often they are so
new
you get a pleasant surprise
This is because
you didn’t know
they were there
within you
beforehand
Another way to reset is
change the scene
move this chair
to the edge of the verandah
or reorientate
A different outlook
New space
New thinking
You have to remember
to take the cushions
in
every evening
to stop them
getting damp
They get tired and worn
They are due for
a new skin
Just like me
This chair is exposed to the elements
One day it won’t be there
I wonder will another chair
be so generous?
I am so fortunate to have been with my partner for a wonderful 40 years. Sometimes I slip into self congratulation because I feel we have been in a loving sweet spot for so long it makes me very happy to think about it. I try not to take this for granted at any time. However, I do forget periodically and find myself thinking we have everything sorted. I am sure no one does. You both have to keep paying attention
Paying attention requires the ongoing element of mindfulness. To remind myself to be mindful, every now and then I read or listen to stories that may shed light on how relationships work and fail. I think it is a good practice. I continue to learn. From the article I am sharing below I better understood a particular destructive relationship dynamic, invalidation of a partner’s perspective. This understanding can be applied to seemingly trivial concerns. These apparently small things can accumulate to have dramatic outcomes. Are you receptive, perceptive and empathetic enough to see both sides? I think it is worth a read.
Difficulty:
Easy
Distance:
29km
Elevation:
136 – 179m
Topography:
Flat terrain plains country
Surfaces:
Bitumen, some ridging from tree roots in places
Description and Features:
The township is well worth exploring before or after. The wide un-trafficked streets lend themselves to pleasant cruising around. This route takes you into sheep grazing country, occasional swampy areas, past a few creeks, along wooded roadsides and through open pasture
Þ Roadside and patches of Grey Box and Casuarina woodland
Þ Bridged creek crossings
Þ Return alongside Pranjip Creek
Options:
Clockwise or anti clockwise
Amenities (Longwood):
Car parking
Shop and Hotel
Seating
Parkland
Playground
Picnic tables
Public toilets
Accommodation
Historic features
Sports Reserves
Cautions:
Soft shoulders
Limbs may fall
No potable water
Road surfaces vary
Snakes may be active
Be mindful of vehicle traffic
Roads may be subject to flooding
Mobile reception may be unreliable
Carry food, water, First Aid, be SunSmart
Be equipped for self-reliant riding Anticlockwise Cues:
Start: car park opposite White Hart Hotel
North Longwood-Pranjip Rd
Left Pranjip Rd
Left Longwood-Shepparton Rd
Left Grimwade Rd
Right Longwood-Pranjip Rd
Finish White Hart Hotel
Breathe with the moment Focus the eye Tune the ear when poems are nigh Be transported To experience afar Adventure and romance Illumination of stars
Poems are companions For very good reason For poets are adventurers Beyond bounds of the seasons Beyond bounds of the earth No measure of their worth Can keep words from welling Can restrain the work of telling
They convey feelings through the art of painting with words Not read before not seen or heard Beautiful weavings that awaken our hearts To the emotions of others who cannot impart
Anonymous poems from times immemorial Modern poems with layers to peel Poetry is the magic carpet Flying to places unknown Ride on the carpet and know you have grown
