2023 Snow Board Planning

✅ Air tickets
✅ Accommodation
✅ Lift Tickets
       Clothing Hire
       Board Hire

 

 I have an epic pass.  It seems I can gift Jemma Bring a mate that gets 50% off day passes.  The end result is 

LIFT TICKETS
(On line pricing) I found it confusing because it gave a price and then said save.
1 day $218
4 days $713  ==> $178 /day

Epic Pass Bring a mate
Was less ish

THUR	$103
FRI	$141
SAT	$174
SUN	$174
Mountain Pass	$  5
Total	$597
Compare with
4 Day pass	$713

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Ski tube add on is $76/day ouch
Bus per day $21
Bus per week is $135 but using it only for 4 days would be $33.75 / day so we are best off driving and retreating to the bus if the car park is full.

CLOTHING

Thing	Perisher	Rythm
Clothes rent 4 days	113
Helmet	36
Snow Board & Boots	145
Clothes and Board package		175
Total	294	175

One can not get the 20% epic discount on someone elses rental so Rythm is obviously cheaper.
BUT
All of this was for standard hire.  I wonder what is the price for quick release binding.

LIFT TICKET WITH BRING A MATE
Log into epicaustraliapass.com.au
Eventually find a screen

This is what the invite looks like.
Looks like the receiver has to choose which resort.

Looks like one completes the transaction

SUNDAY 30-7-2023

 SUNDAY 30-7-2023

Starting with Saturday and Park Run really took it out of me.  Several naps during the day.

Sunday

Took Magnus on a walk and then jogged with Lucy to the Corinda dog park.  Lucy was suitably disobedient but eventually I captured her.  Jogging back was hard work.  I think I need new shoes with more padding.

Loaded my bike into the car and drove to Tim's place at Graceville.  Pumped up Tim's tires and went for a short ride to Graceville shops for breakfast and then rode back to Tim's place.

Grocery shopping.

Picked up Ant and then drove up to Mt Cootha for BBQ lunch

Back and met Brad at my place as he was collecting an ergo.  It's been a while since I've been under the house and there is a lot of stuff there being stored by others.

Then off to dance lesson at 5pm.

5-6 was ...

6-8 was the general dance bit.  I have learned some basics but still ploddy and I don't go from the name to the dance.  I guess like my disconnect between people and names.  This is certainly the most mentally draining thing.  By 8pm I am exhausted mentally and I leave even though the whole thing continues to 8:30.

Today Nephew Peter joined me for his first ever park run and my third.

Nowhere near as dramatic a run as last week. My pacer was an 80yo lady who'd received a round of applause for being 80 and having run a gazillion times.

Interesting to run in my local area and wearing a rowing tee shirt as a customer from work called out to me and a lady asked who I rowed for.  

I was concerned that I may be exposed for some secret training and after the event, she sought me out and we established that her daughter had coxed my geriatric eight a few years earlier. 

In the end I walked away, in the knowledge that I staggered over the finish line barely in front of a lady 20 years my senior.

Peter of course had finished well before me and had walked back up the course to cheer me on. (and to check that I didn't stop)
This week: Rocks riverside 00:38:20
Last week:Coombs parkrun  Your time was 00:40:44.

 

Barbie Movie

Here's my take....
 The trailer for Barbie hints at a light weight comedy about Barbie turning up life size in the real world  with all the male oogling that would follow. There's humorous references to other movies -  red pill blue pill scene for example.

In my view, it's actually an interesting social commentary on stereotypes and a good discussion starter.

To me the end result was flat. It didn't give hope. My opinion anyway.

I felt that one message was that women can only be successful in a protected environment. I felt the movie started that way and ended up finishing pretty much the same same way. All those various competent Barbies only existed in the fantasy protected world.

Ken lives a life of pointless existence and perpetual rejection. Bit of a raw nerve for me. At one point early in the movie, the narrator says something like: "Every day is a good day for Barbie but for Ken a good day is if Barbie looks at him". He keeps trying to get Barbies attention but she's got no interest. "tonight is girls night.... Every night is girls night..." 

The "real world" is portrayed as even more male than is reality and that keeps with the stereotype theme. The Mattel board is all male (and possibly white? ) Ken "discovers" being a man is about horses and big 4 wheel drives and beer. Which he takes back to barbie land.

Then there's this assertion that the Ken's have somehow brainwashed the Barbies. Thought that was disrespectful to both men and women.  (Like... really??? can men brainwash women and really, are women so weak that they can be brainwashed by men.... really???)

By the end of the movie, it felt like normality, as portrayed by the movie, had been restored. The Barbies were back in charge in barbie land. Ken was irrelevant as always and Barbie moved to the real world. And there's a nice little final comment about gender right at the end. 

 

2023 Tiida Insurance

 Wow what an increase

According to Redbook, a 2010  Tiida is worth between $1600 and $5500 Lets say $5000

So the total for zero accidents is The premium column and the total for one accident in the year is the right hand column

2022 Nissan Tiida				Standard	Add ons Excesses if Jemma has an accident				Total Outlay
Provider	Notes	Premium		Excess	U19	Unlisted Excess	Inexperinced	Total Excesss	Assume 1 x PP prang
RACQ	Full Comprehensive	$ 2,123.00	$850	$ 850.00	$ 650.00	NA		$ 1,500.00	$ 3,623.00
RACQ	3rd Party Property Fire and theft	$ 439.10	$650	$ 650.00	$ 700.00	NA		$ 1,350.00	$ 1,789.10
RACQ	3rd Party Only	$ 374.27	$650	$ 650.00	$ 700.00	NA		$ 1,350.00	$ 1,724.27
RACQ	Frank ONLY	$ 575.72	$750	$ 750.00	$ 650.00	$650.00		$ 2,050.00	$ 2,625.72
RACQ	Frank AND Jemma	$ 1,660.47	$750	$ 750.00	$ 650.00	NA		$ 1,400.00	$ 3,060.47
QBE	Full Comprehensive	$ 3,402.14		$ 900.00	$ 600.00	NA		$ 1,500.00	$ 4,902.14	"Market Value" Today = $
Virgin	Full Comprehensive	$ 1,242.26		$ 800.00	$ 600.00	NA	$ 500.00	$ 1,900.00	$ 3,142.26

Type	Premium	Excess	U19 Excess	Unlisted Excess	Total
Full Comprehensive	$2123	$850	$650	no	3623.00
3rd Party Property Fire and theft	$ 439.1	$650	$700	no	$1789.11
3rd Party Only	$374.27	$650	$700	no	$1724.27
Frank ONLY	$575.72	$750	$650	650	$2625.72
Frank AND Jemma	$1660.47	$750	$650	no	$3060.47

As a comparison, I looked online for Jemma Comprehensive with Allianz and the result is:
$1399 +Basic Excess $850 + Age Excess $600 = $2849

With the Tiida agreed value of $5500

Yes OR No - The Voice

Here's the "don't speak in public topic of the day":

I'm on the fence in regard to the impending vote for the Aboriginal Voice to Parliament. 

It seems to me that
the main message of the YES camp is: "You are a absolute dirt bag F^@&ing Racist if you don't vote yes"
and
The main Message of the NO camp is: "Be afraid of whatever you are afraid of to justify to yourself to vote No"

I started by thinking:  well this is a vote to change the constitution.  "What is the actual proposed change?"  I have heard commentary on the radio that the government have not spelt out exactly how it will run but usually when one votes on something, the exact words are what one votes on so lets start there.  Turns out the exact words are:

Chapter IX Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

1. there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice; 
2. the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
3. the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.

This comes from:
https://voice.gov.au/resources/fact-sheet-referendum-question-and-constitutional-amendment

So for me, what do I see:
Firstly- recognition of Aboriginal and Torres straight peoples as the first peoples. - OK
Secondly - i it's got a name - OK
Thirdly - ii The voice may make recommendations to parliament - OK - It's just a recommendation. 
Fourthly - iii Parliament decides how it will operate - ie power remains with the parliament.  - OK

So I am a lot more relaxed about it.  To me the only thing is the effect of making recommendations.  Will the government somehow get arm twisted into accepting recommendations because it's embarrassed to not accept them but if that's the case well we need people in government with just the right amount of backbone and also at the end of the day it's about democracy and those in government will on the whole accept or reject based on their assessment of how that will affect the next election.

And right at the end, another of my pet peeves is will the FB algorithm stymie debate on this and my free speech by not sharing this post with my political opinion.

Saturday - Park Run

SATURDAY PARK RUN

The day dawned like any other day.... For most people. For me though it came with my impending second ever park run. Henry cheerfully announced the temperature was minus three

Pre race, we stood around sizing each other up. There was a jolly group, mostly in red and green Christmas outfits accompanied by a lady in a torquise ball gown. 

The pre race briefing was drowned by dogs getting to know each other. Some fellow received a hearty round of applause as a first timer. I received a polite round of applause being from out of town.  A young girl about 6 holding mums hand. Innumerable people with dogs or prams. 

I positioned myself toward the back of the pack and we were off.

The pelaton stretched out in front which was handy to show the way.

I decided the first k would be a warm up so just kept to a slow jog.

It wasn't long before I observed my competition. A rather large lady in Christmas attire hampered by a cough. For quite a while I ended up about 20m behind a lady with a limp. One leg shorter than the other and the short leg sporting a foot that angled out to the side.

It was about then that I realised I had probably already reached peak speed. 

As the heart rate increased, I wondered if I should have brought a defib or at least a Garman to tell me distance to death. Slowed to a walk and miss gammy leg limped into the distance followed by miss cough and go.

A couple of runners emerged coming towards me and in about third position was the lady in the ball gown. Figured Henry would be hot on her heels so got jogging again.

Henry passed but I figured I'd better keep going as James was expected. With a huge burst of energy I took miss coughalot and was closing on gammy leg when James came past with a cheerful "Hello".  A few more seconds. Just a few.... and back to a walk.

Felt guilty approaching the turn around doing my best impression of a John Howard power walk as there was an over effervescent young lady cheering everyone on. So I broke into my best Decostella.

Shuffling up the hill. Motivated by miss coughalot and with miss gammy leg still visible ahead, I see in my peripheral vision the shadow of fat guy gaining on me. Finally too much and it's back to the power walk. Luckily the fat dude had sucuumbed  as well.

With the end in sight, I reached deep inside and began to jog. Gradually closing on coughalot and finally taking her. The last k goes past beside the finish line so I had to keep at least appearing to run as James and Henry might be watching. Then to my horror we have to run further to another turn around. As I approach it, I take gammy leg and then observe aforementioned 6 year old on the way back after the turn around dragging mum along.

Another round of encouragement from a Marshall.

Eventually I cross the finish line secure in the knowledge I was beaten by a 6yo dragging her mum, innumerable dogs and prams and a man in a dress but having beaten a lady with the flu and a person with a gammy leg.

Removing a splinter I acquired moving firewood.

 

We added some 600mm panels 

Post race breakfast

Coombs parkrun results for event #226. Your time was 00:40:44.

Congratulations on completing your 2nd parkrun and your 1st at Coombs parkrun today. You finished in 172nd place and were the 91st Male out of a field of 210 parkrunners and you came 4th in your age category VM60-64. Take a look at this week's full set of results on our website. Well done on your first parkrun. We have set this as your PB.

You achieved an age-graded score of 39.36%. For an explanation of age-grading, please see the WAVA age grading overview

Friday - Last Ski

FRIDAY

Last day skiing.

Packed up. Most of the luggage in James's Subaru. James and his kids took Henry's car because it has a national parks sticker. 

Henry and I took James's car and the train. Straight to Blue Cow. Some icy runs at Mt Blue Cow. Huge almost an hour queue at the Ridge quad so we did a couple of runs on the Summet.

Then traversed across and took the double up near blue cow and then down to Guthega. As approaching Guthega we observe they are de-icing the freedom chair. It surprised us that they were doing this so late in the morning. Similar problem at the Ridge quad which opened late and hence the long queues.

With freedom off line, we continued round to the burning log where there was a huge queue for the T bar.

Rode it up. Skied down and across to Guthega. Had a stack on the way down. Psychosomatic?

Took a selfie. Rode the double back up. Took the Tee bar to the top of Guthega peak where we met James et al who had braved the huge queue for the freedom quad.

Made our way across to the Perisher car for kababs.

Terminal

Pleasant

Pretty

Skiied the down hill side of mid station. Then bull wheel run to the top of front valley.

Very nice kababs. Chips but we note only myself and Charlotte l like sauce with chips and hence there was no sauce.

Took the V8 and then traversed to the quad which stopped forever while they messed with the loading area.

Across to Leichhardt. James and Family split off to go to Smiggins. Henry and I continued to mt Perisher.

First off the double chair.

Lots of long good downhill runs in the ayre bowl. Mostly snow very little ice and few people and no queues.

Finally up the Leichhardt followed by a very icy run down. Back up the Leichhardt and across to front valley where we went down the now abandoned race course. This was so good we took the quad back to mid station and did it again.

And it was over.

Trudged over to ski tube terminal forgoing mini doughnuts because the train was on the platform and the monitors indicated 2min to departure.

Thursday Snow

THURSDAY

Today started with Henry and I getting some beautiful down hill runs over on Mt blue cow. No wind. No queues. Groomed snow.

Then over to the freedom lquad at Guthega where we met up with James, Andrew & Charlotte. Not long after, we started getting told lifts going on wind hold.

Lunch at Blue Cow followed by a packed train ride to Perisher.

Queued for the V8 and then over to the interceptor. Not long before it was on wind hold and we made our way ice skating to kiosk at the bottom of the pretty valley chair. Everything is on wind hold so it's going to be drain the bank account on hot chocolates. 

Wednesday snow

The weather was great again. Blue skies. A bit of wind. More than Monday and way less than Thursday.

Hot chocolate at???

They have a brutal set of stairs. Luckily a bench at the top for recovery. 

Dinner at Indian 

Canberra Sat and to the snow Sun

https://youtu.be/56ruSHsmmJM

CANBERRA SATURDAY

Met Henry at park run and a coffee.

Visited the National archives and viewed a exhibit about Gough Witlam and art. Henry is interested in seeing if we can obtain some pictures of the crowd at the dismissal because Henry was there on dads shoulders and I was beside him.

Then onto the national library with a very nice lunch at the Cafe. We then looked at a exhibition on sport. 

A photo I found interesting was Cathy Freeman's victory lap where she had both the Aboriginal and Australian flags. To me this was a kind of unifying statement. If she'd run only with the Aboriginal flag, she'd have alienated a good proportion of the non aboriginal population and if she'd run with just the Australian flag she'd have missed the opportunity to make that statement that I see as unifying. Of course no matter what she did, I'm sure some people would have been unhappy. 

We finished up with quick look at the reading room.

Back at Henry's house for dinner with James and his kids Andrew and Charlotte. We called Lewis and later my son Marcus.

SUNDAY

Henry and I left Canberra first. 

Dropped into Rythm in Cooma to hire everything. For me, a notable feature of these guys is they've always given friendly service. Initially looked at new gear to buy and two young ladies were very helpful but the real standout was Ella in the hire department. She sized me up and came back with clothes that fitted. Measured my feet and the boots fitted. Helmet first time yet again.

Then took the ski tube to Blue Cow for a short warm up ski.

Now sitting sipping a butterscotch schnapps

Canberra with Henry

 I took a taxi from the airport to behind the warmo where Henry was doing park run.

Then we went and had coffee together.

Dropped into the National Archives to see if we could get any pictures of the crowd at the dismissal.  Henry was on Dad's shoulders.  I was apparently in the crowd.  While we were there we looked at a display on art and Gough Whitlam.

Over to the National library for lunch and a display in sport.

To the shops to buy a beenie.

Home to snooze and Henry cooked Yule cakes and I ate too many of them.

Lots of things you cant do

Blue Poles

Labyrinth near parliament house.

Real newspapers - how appropriate for the national library

Rowing

Kathy Freeman carried both the Australian and Aboriginal flags.  I think that was a very unifying thing to do.  If she had just run with the Aboriginal flag she would have alienated white Australians and just running with the Australian flag would not have have highlighted her aboriginal heritage.

The Winfield cup - You'd never be able to have that name today.

National Library reading room

Ski trip BNE->CBR

https://youtu.be/YOQ9cCDLG4Q

3am rise shine & shower. Maybe not shine yet.

3:30 depart.

By 4:45 I've walked past those lowly surfs eating over priced bagels and scrambled eggs to the qantas club. You know that place for those of us from high society.

 Airlines excel in multiple areas: Reinforcing compliance, under delivery and emphasising class differences.

This is where we get reminded of who's in charge. Clustering with the wealthy and famous. None shall enter until the high priest deems its time. Chat to a canberra family on their way home from Warsaw. 

The doors open and boarding passes at the ready we queue again. And here we get another reminder of one's social place. Although I had dutifully linked the access pass kindly gifted by brother Henry to my booking, the establishment wish to ensure i'm well aware of my status as a welfare recipient. When my boarding pass is scanned, the lady tells me to stand with the other welfare recipients and locate a certain confirmation email. Having predicted there would be some issue like this, I had a screen shot showing the entry linked to the booking. The lady proclaimed she could but read my screen because she didn't have her glasses. So I dutifully joined to other welfare recipient and searched for the aforementioned email. Finally located and I offered up the screen of my phone to which she said that's all I needed without even looking at it. I checked "so I can go in now". "yes of course" was her exasperated answer.

In awe of learning how the other half live and full of expectation I walked the magnificent entry atrium? which opened to the expanses of the Qantas club. I'm thinking coffee, bacon and eggs will be the go. Hmmm bloody big queue for the coffee. I amble past the food offerings. A nice selection of cold meats and cheese that would do me well at 5pm and very nicely presented fruit platter. Hmm the best hot food on offer is a DIY toast machine. So it's fruit toast while I wait for the coffee queue to abate. Toast finished. Coffee queued and consumed. I'm kind of thinking scrambled eggs with the plebs would have been more satisfying.

Reminder n+1: " excellence in under delivery" .

The flight is called and I figure a quick wee stop. But alas the toilets are blocked off with cones and cleaning signs. Parents and small kids are queuing for the one disabled toilet so it's on my way to the gate. Toilet stop with the plebs along the way. The gate is a fair way from the club and I find myself identifying as a park runner. Up ahead I see the earlier mentioned family so not too concerned. I feel validation as a person when I hear on the PA "would Mr Thomson and the xyz family please proceed to gate 31" 

At the gate I beg the forgiveness of the lady. Wondering if I should drop to my knees or even prostrate myself on the floor. However she unexpectedly smiles and says "welcome mr Thomson".

On board and of couse we are again reminded of our social status as we proceed past those lovely large comfortable seats with legroom to the economy section.

The on board experience (Allianz air) actually as good as any zoo class experience I've had in the past. Even the Quiche Lorraine in a cardboard box surpassed the offerings of the qantas club. 

Brisbane Qantas Club

Brisbane Airport

Solar farm on way into Canberra

2023 Ski Trip - Times and Costs

 DEPARTURE

14-7-2023 1:25pm  Spoke to Noree on 131313 and asked what time the Brisbane domestic qantas club lounge would be open and she said 1hr before the first flight and then she went and checked the time of the first flight as being 6am and that therefore the club will be open from 5am.  

 

3:30am Depart home
4:00am Arr air park

4:20am on bus
5:00am check in
5:35am Goto Gate
5:40am Boarding
6:00am Scheduled

 

SKI HIRE BOOTS
Size 30.5M  348mm  Brand=Dalbello
These fit really well and were very comfortable and supportive.