Jurassic Way 7 - Braybrooke to Cottingham

Braybrooke Church seen behind the site of the castle

The path leads under the mainline railway

The Jurassic Way goes behind a plant nursery, and through paddocks

then leads uphill through a wheat field

This bridge is rotting, but there may be a gate nearby.

The woodland is on our right. Over to the left we can see Brampton Ash Church

We had to walk through a corner of Stoke Wood

In Stoke Albany

Manor House

Remains of moat

Saint Botolph's church, Stoke Albany

Wilbarston Church

Winter Starts without the Car

Sometime in December, the car which I don't myself drive but share with the Co-Habitant, announced to us that it needs some work. It's not a big problem, but it's quirky. Unable to agree on how to go about getting it resolved, our solution was to put off the decision until we have more time and can think clearly. In the meanwhile, we have been automobile-free for about three weeks - just in time for the snow!



As far as everyday necessities go, we have felt no adverse effects so far from the lack of car. The Co-Habitant typically cycles to work anyhow, and I always cycle to my meetings and errands. We can (though normally don't always) go grocery shopping by bike. And other crucial destinations - post office, bank, hardware store, art supply store, etc. - are within manageable distance as well. When the streets were un-cyclable during the blizzard, we worked from home andwalked to the grocery store. If anything, not having a car feels liberating in this respect.



The problematic aspects surface when it comes to long-distance trips. For instance, our photo studio is 14 miles away. It is accessible via the subway system, but the T stop is a considerable walk from our house. That is okay, except that sometimes we transport huge and fragile objects to and from the studio - and that cannot really be done properly other than in our car. We also travel to remote places for photoshoots - and those trips will be suspended until the car is available again. There are other things, like not being able to go to specific supply stores that are in bicycle-unfriendly locations, as well as trips that involve large and heavy cargo. So far we have dealt with these things by either finding alternative (but not ideal) solutions, or postponing them. And while so far that's been fine, I wonder how we will feel about it after several more weeks pass.



At the heart of my transportation preferences is a need to feel independent, and most of the time cycling fulfills this need for me better than other options. But sometimes the car is the appropriate tool for the job, and I have nothing but respect for the automobile in that context. I am hoping this carless period will clarify for us, what it is that we actually need from the car given our current lifestyle.

Rock Bear

Every time I see this rock out in this meadow I think it looks like a large bear standing on it's hind legs scratching its back against the other rocks. You can see the ear at the highest point, then the head and nose, from legs with paws dangling, belly and back legs. Or is it just my excessive imaganation?

Caladium Plant

I haven't had a caladium plant in many years and this spring when I saw some bulbs, (actually corms, I think) I got a mixed bunch but all have come out this color. Has huge leaves, as much as 12 inches across and longer in length. I did go back yesterday and got another bag of bulbs that are to be the greenand white leaves. Will bea while before I can get a photo of them. They are grown a lot outside in warm climates like Florida but are houseplants here and in cold areas.

Bison Country

Here is a shot from Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. After spending almost 3 days in Nebraska photographing the Sandhill Crane migration in unusually hot temperatures for spring (each day the temp almost hit 90 degrees!), it was nice to drive up to the Black Hills and have the weather change along the way. On this day the temp never got above 45 and in the higher elevations of the hills it was about 36 degrees and sleet was falling from the sky.





































This photo was taken along the "Wildlife Loop Road" in Custer State Park. This state park is a great one for wildlife. I saw lots of other critters as well, but the Bison stole the show. I saw probably close to 200 Bison. While I enjoy a good close-up shot of an animal, I also like to compose shots that show them and their surrounding environment. I think (in most cases) that photos such as this tell more of a story than a close-up does. At any rate, I hope you like it!

Technicolor Fields

Technicolor Fields, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Multicolored carpets at Shell Creek Road...the species you see here include goldfields and owl's clover.

Birthday Boy

Remember the Straw Brothers? Eric the elder just got older.There's no particular story here, just the very photogenic Eric did some climbing and I took some snaps.







I don't always go with the fall shot, but this one I think retains all the energy and body tensionof the move.I reckon if you hold that exact pose, but get a bit closer to the rock, you should be able to pull that move off.



Everyone deserves a Lei on their birthday.

The statistics on strangulation rates of tropical island belayers is higher than you might expect.

All the gang gobbled up this lush cake in his honour.

How to Entertain a Kitten

One of the best forms of entertain for your new kitten is you, yourself. It doesn't take long for the kitten to lean that you are a good substitute for a tree. Make sure you don't realize the kitten is near by, let him climb you, especially with shorts or a dress on and then watch it's expression as you dance around the room with it on your shoulder. They love it. (But you might not).

One of my cats favorites is for me to go to bed. They wait until are I am asleep then attack if I slightly move my fingers or toes as I am sleeping. It is delightful for them when I wake up screaming and kicking.

Beds are good for other things, too. Cats love to help you make the bed, especially if you are changing the sheets. They can be so much help as they hide under the covers and keep you from pulling the sheets tight.

Dripping sinks can keep a kitten entertained for a few minutes but it can be difficult for you to wash your hands or do the dishes.

When you are taking a long soak in bubble-bath and hubby or a child opens the door to talk to you, kittens delight in making a headlong dash across the bathroom and into your bath to catch the bubbles in the water. Of course they arn't as fond of the full bath as they are of the sink dripping, and then they dislike the blood that gets in the water after they scratch you getting out of the water. (you might not, either)

A dog or older cats waving tail is a constant source of amusement for a kitten. Until the dog or older cat protects it's self from the kitten. But two cats rolling around the house as they fight can be great entertainment for the dog who will try to help his/her kitty friends.

And of course your friends may be greatly impressed by the way your cats and dogs have redecorated for you. Plants are very high off the floor if you still have them at all. Breakable nic nacs have all either been packed away or disposed of when broken. Any thing wood has deep scratches in it. Cloth and leather upholstery is in tatters. The dishes are all plastic, And everything is covered with cat hair.

The kitten will do a delightful dance around your feet, purring and meowing, and finally climbing up your body when you have a meal which can only be eaten while holding the plate over your head to keep the kitten out of it as long as possible. Kittens always prefer what ever you are eating to the yucky cat food in it's bowl.

Cats do tend to make a good deterrent against the unwanted guest.

Grivel? ...What is happening there?

A few friends have climbed on these and everyone seemed to like them dry tooling. My buddy Jack Roberts was pretty excited switching from a Petzl sponsorship to Grivel this winter. I know from our recent conversations that he liked climbing on the new tools as well.



I see Will Simms is now on the Grivel line up. His buddy Jon Griffith off Petzl and on BDs.



"Never the arrow always the Indian."



Anyone climbing on any of theGrivel versions of this onehere in North America?









"Grivel has for nearly 200 years led the development of Ice Climbing equipment, but to move ahead in this rapidly changing “fast &furious” new age of technology and materials, we decided to make a radical improvement in our approach to development. This is the reason we decided to create a new dept. a real Laboratory for Development, a place where we can explore the possible and beyond. With all these recent changes in materials and design we chose to invest in this bright future, brought about by mixed climbing, competition and rising standards. To head this new department we have brought in a new face, Stefano Azzali a man devoted to climbing and climbing equipment, no stranger to high tech radical materials. Stefano’s work in this field of new technologies and avantgarde design qualifies him to lead “Grivel’s Racing Development”. (Grivel Reparto Corse) It’s almost second nature to a man coming from Modena, the home of design, engineering and above all “Speed”. We look forward to the future as we are proud of our past."

Convolvulus tricolor

Convolvulus tricolor in my garden.

Pinched Moon

I was leaving work today when I noticed the full moon rising over the Pigeon River. The moon was so big and clear that I had to take a picture of it. This Birch tree is right behind our visitor center at work and I noticed that the moon was lining up with the tree and it looked like two fingers "pinching" the moon. Pretty cool :-)

"Urban" Girls.

Fourhigh poweredgirls from Urban Climbtake on the weekendhigh traffic area of"Has it got a Chevy Motor?" 24 at Coolum Cave.



















On any Sunday, "Chevy Motorists" arebumper to bumpercruising their way slowly up,

and taking the fast lane down,Coolum's Route No. "1"

More punters have run out of fuel, pulled over for a break,or just crashed and burned on this popular tourist drive than anywhere up and down this sunny coast.

jjobrienclimbing was there to get the traffic report.



Danger - steep grade ahead-45 degrees.









Flaming redhead Bochere Rand stops the weekend traffic in layered pea green and fuchsia.







Searching for the road ahead.





 Bo wasn't always an Urban Girl.

Here's the dirt:

Self confessed Country music tragic and equestrian, her home town of Bellingin NSW is equally famous for dairy and hippies.







History note: The jjobrienclimbing Kombi (not real name) could often be found parked by the Bellingin River in the early eighties,

and not for the dairy.











Tara puts her foot down andlays some rubberfor the sloper. This sloper has sent more people flying than ...





Ontarian Tara Davidson fesses up tohaving a shoe thing. Me too. Is it Volleys for you too?

She'sbackand energised from a tour of Rocklands Sth. Africa. Fav Oz crag: Frog.

Drum and Bass and Jazz, hey lets compare notes. I'm still loving Thomas Marriott















Huong Nguyen is famous fora high voltagesmile that could power an electric car.





There's the smile.













Quietly ferociousHigh torque - high traction.

Trina Lat: Drum and Bass follower,cook, chocolate lover. Sounds familiar, me, me, me again.Look out for the Trina Lat - Physiotherapist shingle coming soon.Senior beat consultants from jjobrienclimbing recommend KongkastHong Kong's Drum and Bass Podcast to all climbers who like their beats hard and complex.



Climbers, this is why I never let Trina climb on my rope.Teeth alert.

Started climbing in the Philippines, I must go someday, now her fav crags are Brooyar and Coolum Cave.









Weekend Chevy Motorists.

jj