1000m Climb

My fascination with chess was maintained during our journey.

From KanangraBoyd

On Sunday, we set started early on our climb.

From KanangraBoyd

Like Jenny, we were all in high spirits as we conquered Cambage Spire, the steepest section we would cover on Sunday.

From KanangraBoyd

Marko reigns over Kanangra-Boyd National Park later in the day.

From KanangraBoyd

Thanks Marko and Jen for making this the best hike all year!

From KanangraBoyd

Down to the Kowmung River

In early November, Jen and Marko and I commenced a hike from the Kanangra walls.

From KanangraBoyd

Our hike started from an altitude of 1000m and from within the clouds.

From KanangraBoyd

Just a little south of the stone caravan, we made our campsite and made fire.

From KanangraBoyd

After a very steep descent, we arrived at the Kowmung River. The water was crystal clear and almost entirely trout-free. We shared campsite overlapped with the territory of a very large wombat. As well, we found a red-bellied black snake sunning itself on the rocks near our fishing spot.

From KanangraBoyd

Here, I relax with a mug of whisky by a handsome campfire and think positively about the gruelling climb ahead of us the following day.

From KanangraBoyd

On the Lachlan

Jen performed admirably as my caddy while I joined the other Pinkerton men and Jan for a lap around the course at Cowra on Sunday. Les was the victor and Marko came a close second.

From River

In the afternoon, we paddled from Second Sands to the low-level bridge. The railway bridge is shown in the distance here.

From River

Marko starts a figure-eight of the pylons...

From River

...And capsized after trying to effect an impossible-sharp turn.

From River

Final talk

A few weeks back, I gave my final presentation of my uni work.

From bowlinoldies

Later, Jen joined me for Chimay and chess.

From bowlinoldies

Great!

From bowlinoldies

CHS 1999 reunion

On Saturday-before-last, Jenny and I visited the Town House in Cowra for the class of 1999 school reunion.

From Reunion09

Stu travelled all of the way from Goulburn.

From Reunion09

Here, Jen poses with one of my high-school friends.

From Reunion09

Prebirthday-girl Aly in Dickson

After Kingsland, Trinity hosted our party and we celebrated Aly's impending birthday.

From Alybday

Paula and Bree selected cocktails and did their best to avoid the exaggerated dance-moves of nearby revellers.

From bowlinoldies

Jenny joined us for a few beers too.

From Alybday

Aly scratched a few out before we called it a night.

From Alybday

Bare-foot bowls at O'Connor

Roberts and I joined Jen and her soccer buddies at the O'Connor bowls club on the Saturday-before-last for a game of bowls.

From bowlinoldies

Despite years of experience, Roberts showed us exactly what not to do on the pitch.

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Another curve-ball:

From bowlinoldies

Jen and Pippa won this round.

From bowlinoldies

The speedy team return fire.

From bowlinoldies

Jenny's thesis-submitting day

Jenny presented her thesis, a culmination of the last few years of work, at the Pauline Griffin building today. Subsequently, we celebrated on the edge of Sullivan's Creek. (This is the first of a number of celebrations.) Congratulations, Jen!

From JSubM

As an aside, did you know that Chuck Norris didn't submit his thesis? He couldn't; Chuck Norris never submits!

Inflation of Robbo

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Fried canary

The blokes and I (and Dr Cool on a canary) made a return trip to Crookwell on Saturday. The doctor had too much electricity on the return journey, but a remedy has since been applied.

From singing phoenix

Pump up the jam

Sorry to every neighbour, in a 2km radius, that was home last Friday night but we were overdue for a Singstar blast.

From singing phoenix

Phoenix

Jen and the doctors enjoy the eclectic ambiance of The Phoenix.

From singing phoenix

Meanwhile, Roberts scares them all away on the dancefloor.

From singing phoenix

Bye Mix

Mixy followed a time-honoured (Sydney Uni) recipe while concocting punch to serve at his farewell party on Saturday.

From ByeMix

Scace decorated his apartment with various fancy-dress head-gear. Ash is less Warwick Capper and more a rough cavewoman.

From ByeMix

Trace rocked in to join Jen in wishing Mixy all the best in Sydney from next month.

From ByeMix

Here's to you, Scace! I hope that you're not struggling too much today. Great party. There's a tribute pad that I had people sign still at your apartment, by the way.

From ByeMix

Gunning for a ride

Jenny and I rode return to Gunning last Sunday in an effort to intercept Steve and Rims on their return from Taralga.

From Gunning

We posed at the top of a road-cutting just north of Gundaroo.

From Gunning

Ground-handling day

Ash practised some ground-handling techniques with his glider on the Lyneham High ovals.

Despite some strong gusts, a fan would have helped to get the pilot air-borne.

From Gunning

Jen conducsts a closer inspection of the inflating cells.

From Gunning

Rowan hosts a bogan-themed party

Rowan, in bogan attire, is in the home-fabricated nerve-centre of the party. I didn't appreciate how appropriate skulls were as decoration until their link to the suburb was pointed out to me. Pretty relevant to drinking too, I guess. Oh - look out for what happens when you pull the white cord (in the upper-right of this photograph), and ring the attached bell!

From RowanP

Ah! A wood-elf at a bogan-party! I chose to rug up and inadvertently concealed my southern cross tattoo. (My "mark of the bogan" took days to remove!)

From RowanP

Amy is #1 in numbers

The first round of toasts to Amy's accession to "number 1 in numbers" took place at O'Neill's in Dickson.

From RowanP

Later, it was on to the Kremlin.

From RowanP

Steve and Jen joined me in toasting to Amy's successes again.

From RowanP

Phill has a birthday

On Thursday a couple of weeks ago, Phill celebrated his 27th birthday at O'Neill's. Jenny and I second Phil-the-mechanic's thumb-up sentiment.

From RowanP

Phill and Elise were enjoying the ambiance of the cigar-box.

From RowanP