Stand by Me sung around the world

These guys are all just playing for change. pretty cool montage.

Motorcycle rental in Gold Coast Australia

After about 3 weeks in Australia I still hadn't gotten out to see "Australia". Sure, we did the Koala Preserve on Phillip island, and saw the Little Penguins March from the sea to shore as they do each night after dusk at the Phillip Island (half-way through Regan asked "Where are the adults?"). We even got to pet the Koala's at David Fleay's Wildlife Park in West Burleigh- which is a way more natural experience than the other tourist attractions right off the Gold Coast highway.. and half the price).

But I felt like I needed to go out and see something on my own and there was no other choice for me but to rent a 2008 Ducati Monster. The place to do it is Scoot and Toot. The owner, Danny Grofski, treated me real well. If you don't have an endorsement you can pick up a scooter -like so many of the "schoolies" do once they sober up. My rental came with clean and "newish" helmet, armored jacket, gloves, backpack and a map... although I forgot the map on the counter.

I hired the bike (Aussie term for rental) for a 24-hour period but there are many different timing options. I did the loop up to Natural Bridge and down through Chillingham into New South Wales and back to Gold Coast, Queensland the first afternoon and then got early the next morning and did it again! It wasn't the desert outback experience that we all think of... for me, it was way better. I saw the rain forest of Southern Queensland in its Spring-blooming glory. It was what I pictured New Zealand to be like- green, lush and the twistiest of twisty motorcycle roads.


I do think it might be one of the best roads for motorcycling that I have yet experienced. I was constantly torn between taking in the scenery and seeing how far I could lean the bike over around the switch-back of blind corners. A huge purple tree in full bloom around one corner gave me no choice but to bring the twin to an idle for a picture. I think Ducati-Red goes perfectly with the backdrop but that's me.


Chillingham was just a dot of a borderline-anti-establishment community and one of the highlights of my stops along the way. I slowed down to a safe speed as I rolled through town, passing the two little "businesses". On my way out of town I saw my first Aussie roadsign that let me know there was no speed limit! I opened up the throttle through the first turn and then knowing that I wasn't probably going to stop again with no speed limit my heart told me to head back into town and see what I was about to miss.


I stopped at the "fruit, etc" stand for a cup of coffee and browse the baskets of fresh fruit grown behind the lean-to. I got a chuckle when I told the lady I had to come back because "I didn't read all of her signs my first time through". I bought some candy for my girls called "Chillingham Dog-Droppings" which were black licorice rings covered in chocolate- nicely twist-tied in a baggie with a home-printed name-tag inside. They were a hit when I got back home.


I also asked her for some advice on what to put on a bite that I recieved while swimming with the girls. I showed her the inflated wound and she handed me a small bottle of "Neem Seed Oil" for $4AU. I don't know if it worked but it smelled like sesame seed oil and helped the itching nonetheless.

As I left Chillingham for the "drive according to conditions" limitless rainforest road ahead I only stopped one other time. I was waved down by a girl in her twenties or so. Her brother, as I am told, was returning the neighbors cow that got loose on the highway around the next bend. They heard the bike screaming up the valley floor and so she ran down to stop me. It was the first time I was glad to see a girl in sweats and milking boots, however weird the situation was. I asked her to snap a pic before I roared out of there and headed back to Surfers Paradise.



Among the fleet of nice new scooters, Scoot and Toot had other full-size bikes for hire such as a late model Buell 1200, new Triumph cruiser and "Zed-750" Kawasaki, but the Ducati was pretty much a no-brainer and I could not have been happier. Thanks, Danny- maybe next time you'll let me go over the 250km/24hr odometer limit without a fuss.

Billabong Wedding

Brent and Sarah's wedding in Nagambi... the wine country of Australia. The setting was 480 acres of which about 120 acres were used for Gerry's vineyard. If I were to guess only about 350 acres were for the racehorses of Limerick Lane. That leaves a "small" portion for the house which backed up to an amazing billabong (or pond). Avery and Regan were amazing as the flower girls, the bride was stunning, the first dance was performed perfectly by Zia accompanied by Adam Deneen who isn't even a professional piano player- but definitely could be.

The marriage ceremony was held in the early evening and the party lasted until about 3am and the lighting on the place was phenomenal. Gerry lit up the island snag trees in blue which was soooo cool. The picture does it no justice.

Walking With Dinosaurs - Behind the scenes of the BBC live experience

While we were on our trip to Australia we got to visit the compound that manufactures all of the dinosaurs that are designed and made for the Walking with Dinosaurs live experience brought to you by the BBC. Avery got to drive the T-rex but Regan was a little bit unnerved by getting that close and chose to stay on my shoulders.

Storm in Surfer's Paradise

Here are some video stills I captured at the Ryan's apartment in Gold
Coast. And we needed sunscreen in the day. Not a bad place to hang
out...

I'd pick up trash on the sidewalk like an inmate if I could live in
that town

The 2008 Honda TransAlp

This photo was taken in Melbourne Australia at the Honda dealer
downtown. We cannot get this rig in the states possibly due to
emmissions, or maybe they just dont want it cannibalising sales on
the more profitable lines of bikes.

Waiting on a cow

So I am hauling around the bend overlooking a valley between Chillingham and Mudgereeba on the border of New South Wales and Queensland. I am really ripping it up on this most epic motorcycling road ever gouged from a hillside. Signs read "Drive According to Conditions" which means "There's no speed limit, but please don't add to the Aussie public health care bill by being stupid."

So I come around the corner and this chick in milking boots and sweats waves me down and asks me to stop. It seems her brother is trying to return the neighbors cow that got loose. Nice kid. I woulda hopped on and tried the "Man from Snowy River" move and see how we fared down the cliff. But thats me if I was a bored farm kid (...and I am talking about the cow).

So I asked the Milking boot-Betty to snap a pic with my iPhone.

The book that captured my attention from start to finish

26 hours ago I picked up a book at the Melbourne Airport before heading back to the silicon forest of PNW .

The Four Hour Work Week

I think it is changing my life... or am I enjoying the justification of it?

Here is a snippet I ran across in the first 5 mins on the author's blog Tim Ferris:
The top 5 reasons to be a jack of all trades.


... But there is SOOOOO much more to it. Get some, BMag.

Shameless in Sydney

Almost two weeks in this cool country and I haven't been to the wilderness unless you count the 500 acre race horse farm in Nagambia. But those days were hardly roughing it.

Hamish invited us over for a BBQ so we stuck around Sydney and did the tourist deal. Fruitbats in the botanical garden, sharks in the aquarium, lunch near the operahouse.

So last night I am over at Rossers with my cute family having some lamb and mint suasages when I just decided to get shameless and let my lady take a pic. Avery's smile looks so good I thought I would share and let you all know how well we are doing.

Oh the art on the back wall was for selling a few extra albums of "Highly Evolved" in the UK.

It is sad that the band seems to be coming to an end, but I sampled many of the Hamish beers last night from his home brew and they were perfect. I can never stomach home brew but this stuff was golden- "Skinny Blonde" actually and you can find it in pubs locally already but he can't keep up with demand. Anyway, Nice beats, Hamish. And your brew is highly evolved as well.

Sprague Update from Oz

I've had to concentrate real hard behind the wheel of our rental in
Melbourne since I've been doing all the driving. Everything is
reversed from the side of the driver in the car to the side of the
road I'm supposed to stay on.

While visiting the offices and warehouse where "Walking with
Dinosaurs" is actually made, Avery got to run the remote on the 30
ft T-Rex. How many kids around the world have gotten to do that?

I got to experience "How it's Made" in real time by walking through
Jayco Australias dozen manufacturing buildings with the founder and
CEO, Gerry Ryan. It's a big operation to say the least. Aussies
love their caravans and Jayco has 48% of the market while the other
52% is shared among over 150 other manufacturers.

Watching "Stakes day" of the Melbourne Cup from an owners box suite
is a nice way to experience horse racing. The track is grass not
dirt so you get a sense of the rarity of the race. Especially when
the "riff-raff" having thier picnics on the lawn by the track are
all wearing suits and ties.

Dinner at the Ryan's was not to be outdone. Fig paste with a bit
of blue cheese (not the dressing but blue cheese) and red wine was
one of the finest deserts I have yet to experience.

Avery asked if the "waiters" are always working at their house.

Huge fruit bats moved overhead at dusk as if they were crows while
we sat on thier patio that would have put any sunset magazine
centerfold to shame.

And I was asked the most absurd question in my life... "sir would
you like to taste the worlds best Shiraz from last year". Uhh...
Yeah I think I better try that.


Eliot