Author: Rob

Shortly after writing the last update last night I got hit by wind and rain. Suddenly, like tgat Not very wet, but enough to put out the deflectors but keep the windows barely cracked so water wouldn’t blow in. It was fabulous.

Had a good sleep but woke before 3 AM and been awake since. Had to move on anyway vut with rain and wind this morning was concerned a branch could fall on the can. Now at Kings Park snuggled up with a coffee, tired but enjoying it. It’ll be tough later.

Another rainy stormy sunrise coming later. Perfectly legal too, if a ranger asks

But sniffly. Of all nughts slept last night in a T shirt again.

6.15 AM

Enjoying some effects through the window as it lightens up.

xx

12 22 PM

Showered at civic then to Coles at tge Canberra Centre which pathetically and disturbingly plays a shoplifting warning nonstop. I’ll try to avoid it. Bad faith idea.

Then up to Mt Ainslie the long way because I missed a turn. Very long way.

Wind howling and rain squalls. Interesting light on old parliament house and the triangle.

Got a cold for sure, and feeling unwell.

Some boring prick on the lookout loudly droning on no break, so I left. Three antique cars behind mine. I’m just about to tip out some tuna and the boring prick turns up. Owns a car. Someone asked him a question and he’s been droning on nonstop outside the window for 15 minutes and will go for another 30. Time to drive away.

4AM waking after 10PM and 1AM also, now down by the lake so the Mawson locals don’t get upset. The fugitive on the run.

Shots taken through foggy, crusty, dirty van windows are sensational. JMW big time.

2nd Worst Shower

At Stromlo Leisure Centre. Stupid thing doesn’t have a tap. It has a sensor button. I touched the button and freezing cold water gushed out. I couldn’t turn it off. I waited and waited. It didn’t heat up. I was getting sore legs from tge cold. Paid for it, couldn’t have a freezing one.

Same thing next booth. Couldn’t turn it off either.

Third shower didn’t gush, got warm, then froze quickly. Meanwhile the previous two were still gushing. This one gushed with them when I dried off and walked out ripped off and disgusted with the stupid design and the waste.

Then called in and drove through the scouts campground which I knew so well as a kid. Hot met by two gestapo types. I wouldn’t join cubs or scouts and would steer well clear of the organisation because of them. Terrible, unnecessary attitude. Fuck you.

Then to the Cotter. Enjoyed it, but it was full of yobbos drinking, music, generator people, and school holidays.

A day spent in the car wasting petrol and life, trying to see the lower ACT sections of the Murrumbidgee and the Molonglo.

I really only saw the latest outer suburbs, in hot, dry treeless barren sun.

Tge mountains that I could see were magnificent.

4.36 PM

At the rough concrete paved spot by the lake where I stayed one night and in the morning in the dark had a big Huntsman crawl across the windscreen in front of me.

Cooking dinner on the paving. No one here at 4PM when I arrived but three cars now. Maybe some gathering over the road. Just my luck. Might have to move.

Too hungry and tired.

Dumbarsed tired. Woke at 3.30AM feeling certain I couldn’t get back to sleep. One coffee then removed my troubling presence from morning commuting locals. To Kings Park and the toilet early open thankfully.

Now above the lake at the Peninsula, dead tired and foggy and scared to drive. Commenting at NYT.

No idea what to do.

3.55 PM

Ended up showering very late at civic, then to a park in Garran for a while then out to Mawson where I am now, but at the far southern end O didn’t know existed.

Cooking dinner here so not to freak out the locals. It’s good to find this place. Mot a stayover spot I don’t think but good to day rest and to paint.

Terrible day of doing nothing.

At the far other end is Mawson shops and the main carpark.

I have to think about going to the coast soon for the bank card in the mail. Don’t feel like it, though. No idea what I feel like.

Might have a touch of the flu or a cold. Colder weather coming here soon, too.

Hopefully the Iran war ceasefire today makes a positive difference.

4.50 PM

The bood boof is ruining the lake region again. I wondered about that. Sure enough, it happened. Definitely have to move. Don’t know where. Probably Mawson. Bit late to move and too early to arrive there after 3 or 4 in a row.

4.57 PM

Cars turning up. Dinner cooked. Time to move.

1.35 PM. It’s back on the roof now. Speaking of backs, mine hurts.

Okay sleeps, since waking after midnight for a long while. Slow to get going; hung around Mawson like a bad smell. Chatted, rather, got earbashed, by a local. Homeless people in Mawson up in the bushes on the close-by hill he walks up.

Shower at Tuggeranong aquatic.

Then ummed about getting out the kayak, sitting in the van at Pine Island for a long time, low sugars so not good to go, and finally just said fuck it, do it.

Took forever to blow up, stupid but expensive pump, and used the hand pump in the end.

My back was gone before it inflated. Agony, working on the ground.

Good on the water though. Better than last time re lumbar and legs. Didn’t go far up or down the river but got used to the boat and didva lot of looking at the same thing, but this time on the river.

On the Murrumbidgee!! I couldn’t leave Canberra without doing it, after the expense and years of mystique.

A 40 minute paddle, probably.

Pine Island Beach launch. All wrapped up for another day. I’m glad now I got it.

The wind determines where the kayak goes over the current. Kept blowing me upstream.