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CoffeeWaffle
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Saturday, 30 September 2006
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"Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use "
Charles M. Schulz
8:38:55 AM 
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Friday, 29 September 2006
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Wednesday, 27 September 2006
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Sunday, 24 September 2006
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Saturday, 23 September 2006
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I went to Rabbit Island this afternoon to meet up with friends Mark and Pamela, and hopfully do some kite buggying. The wind did not eventuate however, so we amused ourselves throwing boomerangs, collecting shellfish (just had cockles and chips for tea) and some last minute bird photography. This handsome little bird was swooping around the bridge at the entrance to Rabbit Island. I had to do a search when I got home to identify but I think it is a Welcome Swallow. Nice name.  This Pied Shag was nearby, drying his wings, while another was diving for fish.
(click for 1024x768 or 1280x1024 desktop wallpaper)
7:49:00 PM
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Tuesday, 19 September 2006
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It's been a strange old day.
Got up late, got to work late. Nelson Kite Club committee meeting was on this evening so rather than make two trips into town (one for work and another in the evening) I 'glide' my working hours so I can go from work, to the meeting, then home.
Got rained on as I left work. That's fine... I had my rain gear so no big deal. It cleared just before sunset which made for some dramatic skies. 
I rode into town, picking up a neat Geocache on the way. Here's the view from the cache site. 
I then rolled down the hill into town and picked up a kebab for dinner with some turkish delight for desert. This I ate in the Queen's Gardens with a brave and hungry Thrush for company. With 20 minutes to spare I set off to the Kite Club meeting only to find that I must have picked up a puncture just before stopping as my front tyre was now flat. First time I've got a flat on the commute. Never fear, I had my puncture repair kit with me and by the failing light I fixed it, using the duck pond water to locate the leak in the tube. It took me about 15 minutes which isn't bad considering it was in semi darkness. Made it to the meeting 10 minutes late. After the meeting the Xtracycle was quite the attraction amongst the other club committee members. Lots of the usual questions to answer about it. These things sell themselves. I set off into the darkness for the final leg home. The sky had cleared but there was no moon. I actually really like riding at night. If it wasn't for the other traffic I could turn my lights of and ride by starlight. Coming up the only hill on the trip, the Gentle Annie, I got another puncture. Back wheel this time. What are the chances. Months of riding with no flats, then two in one trip. I was at the top of the hill, it was very dark and there was no water handy to test the tube for leaks anyway. I should carry a spare tube for situations where repair is too difficult; I will from now on. I walked the last 4 or 5km home. There was hardly any traffic so most of the way it was just me and the stars. I should have been hacked off and grumpy after such rotten luck, but I wasn't and I don't know why. Something to do with the silence...
I've just finished pactching the tube and just need to check it for leaks, pop the tire back on, and pump it up. Its 11.25, and I'll be up and back in the saddle at 6. I shall sleep well.
11:25:08 PM
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Sunday, 17 September 2006
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The Maitai Valley this afternoon.
Devon looooves his xtracycle (a little to much).
10:55:26 PM
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Friday, 15 September 2006
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(click for 1024x768 or 1280x1024 desktop wallpaper)
This evenings sunset over Boulder Bank Drive.
Waiting outside the Hira Store for my fish and chips to be cooked, just 5 minutes from home. The Xtracycle is loaded with a weeks worth of groceries which I have just hauled the 15km from the supermarket in town.
9:20:59 PM
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Thursday, 14 September 2006
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Now there's a great rolling advertisement for Xtracycles. Devon's bike all stripped down exposing the bones of the Xtracycle frame extentsion, and mine all loaded up. I noticed a few rubber-neckers as we rode around Nelson this afternoon. 
After reading this today, it ocoured to me, as I rode home with my load, that in some places I would be taken for a bike-bomber. Here in sleepy little Nelson though the assumption is more like, just another hippy 'trucking' his gardening supplies home. http://www.bikeforall.net/news.php?articleshow=253
8:33:39 PM
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Sunday, 10 September 2006
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Finally, after a loooong relatively windless winter we got a steady northery wind all afternoon on a Nelson Kite Club meet. Rabbit Island Beach is the place to be in a northerly and this afternoon low tide was around 5.30pm. A least seven club members, including myself made appearances, with a couple of buggys, three landboards, and a stunt kite or two. I finally got to really test out my 8.0m2 Rebble foil. It's the big yellow one in the pictures below. What a great kite! Bags of power, great wind range and almost inpossible to luff. It even kept flying when the 8.5m2 C-quads (previously my prefered light wind buggy kite) were falling out of the sky as the wind dropped at days end. Between speed runs down the beach I stopped to take a few shots of the others... 
Tim having a ball.
Tim and Caleb.
Ted trying out the 8.0m2 Rebble
The rear view of the 8.0m2 Rebble, my new favourite kite.
8:18:29 PM
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Saturday, 9 September 2006
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Kaycee and I went for a bike ride up to the top of the valley this cool Saturday morning. Got to the top in just 39 minutes (just thought I'd mention that especailly for Briggsy). There are some old cattle yards, that haven't been used in years, near the start of the ride. Every spring they are full of dafidols.  Although she prefers to run up the hill, Kaycee doesn't mind the ride down in the freeloader saddlebag. Here she waits patiently while I stop take photos of flowers.
2:39:50 PM
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Friday, 8 September 2006
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9:27:32 PM
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© Copyright
2006
Murray Neill
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Last update:
11/10/2006; 9:50:07 p.m.
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