Not sure if you’ve seen this one, russian interference in election from the ABC

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-29/uk-election-pro-russian-facebook-pages-coordinating/104038246

We have Olive (oli), an airedale, and Kira, a terrier cross, probably at least half working dog.

I did mine back in the 90’s in genetics/molecular biology. I did it partially to stay a student and because I really enjoyed the field and aimed for a career in research. This was in canberra, australia, not the most exciting city but 1 1/2 hours from the coast, 1 1/2 hours from the ski fields, good cycling etc. Had a ‘difficult’ supervisor but a great bunch of collegues. Make sure you pick a supervisor who has people skills and a good reputation.

it got me overseas for two reasearch contracts (holland and london) which was what I’d really wanted, along with travel to various conferences in cool places. I wasn’t hugely successful in publications and didn’t want to be writing grants or an office job (and had two young kids after meeting the next-door neighbour, we now live in sunny australia) so retrained as a teacher at that point. I definately don’t regret doing my Ph. D. It taught me a lot, got me overseas and I get to go by Doc in the classroom (although I do have to explain I’m not medical and they need to go to first aid).

I’d say go for it, its a great experience especially if you have a grant that will cover your living expenses.

Having slipped on crutches so I stood on my busted heal closing the blinds in the bedroom, Next thing I knew I was lying on the bed (5 feet away) seeing stars and swearing very loudly. It hurt worse than anything else I’ve done and I’ve done a lot of stupid things resulting in broken bones and other injuries.

I got a scott spark from a local shop (I’m in warrandyte, melbourne). Was over your budget as it was high spec complete bike but it is great. Took a while to get used to the lockout and dropper post lever but now is second nature.

specialised power saddles seem to do it for me, the one that came on my new scott spark was rapidly replaced as it was very uncomfortable

light bicycle did well for me, got them build and to me in a few weeks when I needed a set. Friend who owned a bike shop and was fussy about parts and a great mechanic recommended them to me as the only chinese group he’d use.

I use cut up pool noodles over the frame sections, a tip a bike shop owner once gave me.

Forgot to mention the joys of being married to a GP, no sympathy for self-inflicted injuries. Another fall a few years ago, washed out front wheel and gave myself nasty gashes on forearm and broken thumb, rode the half hour home one handed to be told to drive half an hour to after hours clinic as local A&E will be chaos (saturday arvo). She was well unimpressed when she had to drive me an hour to an A&E last year after doing my shoulder 16 km into a 100 km race, she went to the local beach while I sat in A&E in Geelong to be told I hadn’t broken anything, cue relief till I found out the next week I’d torn the rotator cuff so was booked in for surgery, if it had broken would have healed quicker.

We strap ours as the key broke in the lock a number of years ago, couldn’t get it out and the easiest solution was to strap the roofbox closed (we have only used it once or twice since)

Coming down a fire trail of all things, after a hard ride, think I must have launched myself off a drainage ditch and used my head as a brake (not recommended), 3 column break of T11 (broken right through) and occipital condyle (lump where spine attaches to skull), and a broken finger which took then longest to heal. One time I’ve been in an ambo and don’t remember it or the week after in hospital, although apparently I did beat my wife and daughter at scrabble for the only time ever.
All healed OK, had been training for the pioneer in NZ they rolled the entry for us over to the next year.

In outer melbourne (warrandyte). This site has some good reviews of places to ride: https://flowmountainbike.com/

Track me down once you get here, best is email (sgoodall2@googlemail.com), fb (I am in the warrandyte mtb club which is on there also)oe mobile (0429957101) We are around pre-christmas but heading to Wilson Prom boxing day I think, back early Jan.
Cheers

Track me down once you get here, best is email (sgoodall2@googlemail.com) or fb (I am in the warrandyte mtb club which is on there also). We are around pre-christmas but heading to Wilson Prom boxing day I think, back early Jan.
Cheers

need to start carrying the snake-bite bandage also as they are now out, saw a copperhead on one of the local trails yesterday, usually see a few over the summer, mainly browns/tiger snakes, once a red-bellied black also.
There are more sign posted now, think plenty ahs a sign-posted loop, lysterfield definately, lake mountain and buxton (near lake mountain)

Hi

I’m in the warrandyte mountain bike club (NE melbourne), best places in the area in melbourne are plenty gorge (look up their club page), smiths gully or Hans loop (westerfolds on the yarra in templestowe). Not sure about bike hire, might need to check with a shop, lysterfield and red hill are SE melbourne, buxton and lake mountain further south, there is some stuff on Mt dandenong also. I’ve got an older scalpel (large) you could borrow and come out for a ride, most of these are very XC-ish

I teach senior chem at a school here in Aus, 15 students is ideal, I’ve had in the low twenties and as little as 8. Too small a class doesn’t work for some activities and hampers class discussion I find. You need enough so that students can work in groups not involving students they don’t see eye to eye with. I am teaching an academic subject though with students who have chosen to do it and are the more academic students in the school, it might be different in other subbjects.

I really enjoyed it and I’m not one generally for slow movies. Not a relaxing watch though but beautifully shot.

I love the one on my older scalpel when its working well (which is after servicing), but it has more frequent service intervals. The new ones were definately problematic. We did the Pioneer in 2019 in crap weather and every bike with a new lefty had issues by the end,

It is one of the new ones, the race ones are the RC version (120/120 travel, the non RC is 130/120). Luckily I’m in a situation where I can afford it, renovations and chore-play spending every waking moment painting and stuff for the longest time means I’ve got bankers approval.

I’ve also lost a few centimeters. Thing which I think really helped was moving from a lab research job into secondary teaching (which I generally really enjoy), never sitting down now but not heavy labouring.

THe diagnosis isn’t the endo of the world, I’m still very active and ride alot more than I used to. Gave up any type of running though and canoes/kayaks lost their entertainment value. Indoor climbing kept me flexible though

Couldn’t sleep though the night when it was bad (driving any distance also left me in pain).Probably got two fusions, dad had a few (he also had alk spond). Probably haven’t been helped by seriously breaking myself on the mountain bike about 5 years ago (lesson head doesn’t make a good brake), and tearing my rotator cuff this year, mtb again. I’ve hadno issues with the anti-inflams, been lucky. Saw a specialist rhuematolist who got me onto them, and had 5 year follow ups, he was happy with how things were going (about 7 years ago).

I used to get lots of pain in the back/hips, can remember having the kids (when very small) walking un my back in an effort to sort it out, osteos etc were a waste of time. I finally got on presccription anti-inflams (ketoprofen SR) which sorted me out, been on them for about 12 years, anual blood tests to ensure nothing is going pear-shaped. Luckily the symptoms seem to have burnt out in me and if I keep up the anti-inflams have no problems. Do lots of cycling (road and mtb) and despite breaking myself badly don’t seem to have too many problems (although I have shrunk a little and have some verterbrae fusions). I know others have used disease modifying drugs, I’ve been lucky not to need them.

Been on Ketoprofen SR for the last 10 years or so, originally from a rhuematologit, now GP prescription. I have alkalysing spondylitis. It sorts me out, otherwise I can’t sleep (bit better now but still plays up). Chiros just made the pain worse. It has kept me off the disease modifying drugs which can have some nasty side effects. I have an anual blood test for kidney problems from it but have been fine so far, touch wood.
Spinal manip isn’t reccommended for alk spond

Bunny hopped a red-bellied black snake (only saw it at the last minute) and had a tiger snake strike at the back wheel (luckily miss it) in the last few years here in Melbourne, you see a couple most summers

Worth browsing his channel as he does do good videos

barrow, wifes family grew up there. Her and her brothers say the highest point (both culturally and physically) is the top of the slag heaps. They’d moved from southern england, double-barrelled surnames, taller than everyone else and thier mum died within a few years, it was not a good time for them.

Our 4 yo fox terrier got a severe grade mast cell tumor early this year, it was very fast growing. Had to make the horrible decision to have ehr put down a few months ago. We knew it was coming. Once she stopped eating, wouldn’t go for walk and seemed in pain. Forcing more meds down her throat seemed like just punishment for her when it wasn’t treatable. Probably the hardest thing I’ve had to do mentally, holding her while she got the injection but it was the right choice for her.

I’ve ankylosing spondylitis, have know wince my mid 20’s. SR Ketoprofen every night lets me sleep and exercise. Before that I spent a lot of time dealing with back and hip pain (knitting needle in the joint type of pain). cycling and staying fit definitely helps. If I don’t exercise it plays up a lot more.

Road ID is a good app for the phone (although does send the emergency text if you stop for 5 minutes for a chat with someone just met). I don’t go hard downhill when on my own, although in the past have ridden home bleeding with the odd broken finger. Luckily my big accident was out riding with a mate to call the ambulance.

Had two in the last 5 years, first one I slid the bike off the top of a berm and used my face as a brake, was in a race and apparently told the guy behind me I was OK and rode the next lap, remembered were I was half way through but couldn’remember how to get back to transition so followed the course slowly and had a mate drive me home, left me feeling woozy for a few days and time off work. The more major one I think I washed out the front wheel in a drainage ditch coming down a fire road, don’t remember that, the ambulence trip or the week in hospital (also broke vertebrae and occipital condyle). I think that one ahs effected my memory, not helped by watching my dad go through dementia in his mid 70’s. I do worry about it but the best way to keep going is to try to stay healthy and avoid lifestyle choices that lead to increased risk of dementia (diet, excessive boozing, lack of exersise etc)

wheel off trainer is great (but an expensive option) if you want to do zwift or similar (makes indoor training more bearable)

I grew up here, found england a bit dull on the dangerous wildlife front for 10 years, I mean how much damage can a mole do to you and do your magpies attack you repeatedly by diving at you while you ride past (search for a vid on youtube for giggles), dragged the wife and kids back again.

I’ve had to bunny hop a black snake on the yarra trails mtb singletrack, and had a tiger straike at the back wheel, the joys of melbourne, here in warrandyte (outer north east melbourne on the banks of the yarra) we have 4 of the seven most deadly snakes in the world (brown, tiger, red-bellied black and copperhead), only seen a baby tiger or brown in the back yard (went out to see what the dog was barking at, dragged dog back in, snake dissapeared)

To put them into perspective (if you need to), the biggest croc caught THIS YEAR, (recent years have caught bigger) is 4.4 m and 350 kg
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2020-08-31/katherine-rangers-catch-huge-croc-near-tourist-spot/12611968

I love mine but they are high maintenance, and here in Aus they have to be sent off for servicing as shops can’t buy in the specialist tools (or at least couldn’t at one point, I assume still can’t). The new single crown ones have more reliablility issues, we did the pioneer last year, it was wet and muddy. The mechanics said by the end most of the new lefties had died, mates lasted till part way though the last day before locking out.
They are things of beauty though and when working well are incredible. You just have to keep them serviced.

Did the Pioneer last year, fair few new dales, apparently alot of the new lefties died by the end, I had an older scalpel, the old lefty held up well (had other mechanical issues though), mate had a new scalpel, the lefty died on the last day. Was three days of racing/riding in very wet conditions though.

I use a phone app called RoadID, messages a contact if you don’t move for 5 minutes. Contact can then trace you

You can get voice to text I think, not tried it though as I don’t talk while on the trainer, just groan