193804
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By Firelight. | By Firelight. | ||
- | The stork has been flying around again, | + | The stork has been flying around again, |
- | a visit from him, and he left!: them a on Olar, rrc,sortc;d family at the | + | By the way, the attendance at this year's Reunion set a new record. Amongst the 129 adults at the camp fire, we were glad to see four past members - Bill Chambers, Doreen Smeaton (a foundation member), and Charlie and Vera Kilpatrick, who, of course, were our first Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer. We sincerely hope they will all come again next year. |
- | Reunion, and took home with him -Ci2s good_ ElsJs 71f: niary old. fy ldso | + | Of course, Wal. and Phil. Roots were there, but they had left the Imps at home in Brisbane in the care of their grannies. Six hundred and ninety-nine miles the Roots' had driven to attend the Annual Meeting and the Reunions |
- | By the way, the attendance at this year!s Reunion set a new record. Amongst the 129 adults at the camp fire, we were glad to see four past members - Bill Chambers, Doreen Smeaton (a foundation member), and Charlie and Vera Kilpatrick, who, of course, were our first Bon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer, We sincerely hope they will all come again next year. | + | Some of the bushwalker babies did not seem to enjoy the campfire as much as usual this year, even though Rene Browne had very kindly supplied a tent nearby, in which they were parked. Or were the babies just trying to do their share of the entertaining? |
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- | Of course, Wal. and Phil. Roots were there, but they had left the Inps at home in Brisbane in the care of their grannies, Six hundred and ninety-nine miles the Roots' had driven to attend the Annual Meeting and the Reunions | + | |
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- | Some of the bushwalker babies did not seem to enjoy the campfire as much as | + | |
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- | usual this year, even though Rene Browne had very kindly supplied a tent nearby, in which they were parked. Or were the babies just trying to do their share of the | + | |
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- | entertaining? | + | |
We have not seen Jim Cranitch for a while, but we understand he was married recently and his wife is not a member of the walking fraternity. Long life and happiness to the Cranitches! | We have not seen Jim Cranitch for a while, but we understand he was married recently and his wife is not a member of the walking fraternity. Long life and happiness to the Cranitches! | ||
- | Talking about absentees. Where was everyone on Swimming Carnival day this year? The total attendance was only about 45 although the weather was good. Anyway, the standard of performance was high, and those present enjoyed some splendid racing. Yes, of course, this is a walking club --- as we have been reminded before. | + | Talking about absentees. Where was everyone on Swimming Carnival day this year? The total attendance was only about 45 although the weather was good. Anyway, the standard of performance was high, and those present enjoyed some splendid racing. Yes, of course, this __is__ |
- | If Topsy Ankerson has her way, it will be two walking clubs. She is looking for | + | If Topsy Ankerson has her way, it will be two walking clubs. She is looking for supporters for a Junior Club, so those of you who would like to help her take out youngsters and train them in bushcraft and bushwalking ideals, get in touch with Topsy. If she gets the support of a dozen or so of you her idea will become a reality, and a lot of youngsters will have a new joy in life. An inaugural meeting will be held at Berowra on April 10th. the train being the 9:30. |
- | supporters for a Junior Club, so those of yea wIlo would like to help her take out youngsters | + | ===== An Explanatory Discourse on the Gentle Arts of Hitch-Hiking |
- | Topsy. If she gets the support of a dozen or so of you her idea will become a | + | By Frazer Ratcliffe. |
- | reality, and a lot of youngsters will have a new joy in life. An inaugural meeting will be held at Berovra on April 10th. the train being the 9:30. | + | __Part 1__ |
- | An Explanatory Discourse on the Gentle Arts of | + | |Editor' |
- | Hitch-Hiking | + | Everything has its raison d' |
- | By Frazer Ratcliffe, PART 1 | + | For some time I had wondered how jumping the rattler was done. All professed not to know. Finally I met Roy Carlton while I was cycling through Howard, north of Maryborough, |
- | Editor' | + | And this is the treasured information he gave me regarding jumping. |
- | Everything has its raison deetre. Even unto the lowly orders of " | + | "Make enquiries as to when a train is going your way, how long it stops at the station or siding and if the station masters ahead are sympathetic or otherwise. If otherwise it is better |
- | For some time I had wondered haw jumping | + | Those with bicycles generally make two s hooks of stout wire, place a hook either end of bike, lift up till the tops of hooks are over the truck side, and leave bike suspended there, climb up and pull in bike and all's well." It was this latter part of the information I wanted. Eventually I bade him farewell. |
- | not to know. Finally I met Roy Carlton Ar1-4.i1s;I was cycling through Howard, nor Li of Maryborough, one dusty hot fly 3e day Ho was sitting | + | It was many weeks later. We had left Rockhampton some hundreds of miles behind. Roads were shocking, miles of pushing through loose, hot sand, over corrugations and pot holes. Temperature over the 100° for days. At times for many miles on end the road was just a sandy track winding |
- | of the hotel fence, waiting for a car to pa:. ; 6outh so that ho m_Lght hitch alc):6irith | + | Villages were 50 or 60 or 70 miles apart, up to 40 miles between farms. First two hours in the early morn I was cool, thereafter I rode or walked along in a continual bath of perspiration. Water tanks and holes were miles apart, good water was unobtainable. If you didn't notice the stale taste of the tepod (( [sic] tepid)) tank water you drank you certainly noticed the H< |
- | it. One passed, he saw it too late, "Oh wull" he said "there'll be another cTo r; | + | So when we reached Yabula (( [sic] ? Yabulu, QLD )) the crew was ripe for mutiny. And mutiny came. For enquiries revealed that the road for the next forty miles lay over a mountain range. It wasn't just one of the ordinary bad ones we had been on for the past weeks. It was a really bad one. Any motor car which went over (very few did - only some half dozen a year) was guaranteed a broken spring or axle (or both). Any motorist who knew of this section __always__ avoided |
- | And this is the treasured information he za,ve me regarding jumping. The adjectives and expletives are not for quotation. | + | So enquiries were made at the Station. "Yes, there might be a train in the morning." |
- | "Make enquiries as to when a train is going your way, how long it stops at the | + | Morning came and with it uncertainty for my first attempt at "jumping the rattler." |
- | station or siding | + | A lone train came in and waited. Thought I, I'll ask the driver |
- | otherwise it is better to go on past their station and then jump on. For if they are ' | + | A. few minutes later a crowded jigger |
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- | Those with bicycles generally make two s hooks of stout wire, place a hook | + | |
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- | either end of bike, lift up till the tops of hooks are over the truck side, and leave bike auspended there, climb up and pull in bike and all's well." It was this latter part of the information I wanted. Eventually I bade him farewell. | + | |
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- | It was many weeks latgr. We had left Rockhampton some hundreds of miles behind. Roads were shocking, miles of pushing through loose, hot sand, over corrugations and pot holes. Temperature over the 100 for days. At times for many miles on end the road was just a sandy track winding in and out of the ever present gum forests. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | t) Villages were 50 or 60 or 70 miles apart, up to 40 miles between farms. First | + | |
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- | two hours in the early morn I was cool, thereaftor I rode or walked along in a continual bath of perspiration. Water tanks and holes were miles apart, good water was unobtainable. If you didn't notice the stale taste of the tepod tank water you drank you certainly noticed the He's fl avour mad mo34, or the soda effect of the | + | |
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- | warm bore water. That is, when you reached water. And in between water you simply put up with your thirat and thoughts of the fools who say that the Western and Northern lands can support several more millions. Like hell! And when you cycle (and walk) through that country with the flaming sun and no water you do look it as hell. No green grass, the trees are barely green, everything has that dead, shrivelled up, brownish appearanoe the earth everywhere has large cracks cause6 17 the torture of the burning heavens and rainless skies. The heat doesn' | + | |
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- | So when we reached Yabula the crew was ripe for mutiny. And mutiny came. For enquiries revealed that the road for the next forty miles lay over a mountain rangIt wasn't just one of the ordinary bad ones we had been on for the past weeks. It | + | |
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- | was a really bad one. Any motor car which went over (very few did only some half dozen a year) was guaranteed a broken spring or axle (or both). Any motorist who knew of this section always avoided it by taking another road many miles back. The road over MA just a rugged track full of holes, where it wasn't holey it was cov,eced by boulders. There was no water the entire distance. And when I thought of the s-at as well, no Sir, not for us. It would take about Lwv days walking and pushing that stretch. | + | |
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- | So enquiries were made at the Staticln. 'fess there might be a train in the morning." | + | |
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- | Morning came and with it uncertaintT for my first attempt at " | + | |
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- | A lone train came in and waited. Thought I, I'll ask the driver if he goes my way and if he can take ny pack, that would be a help in case I can't " | + | |
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- | A. few minutes later a crowded jigger came in, one man jumping off. Thinking that he belonged to the jigger crew I asked if he could take my pack for no provided he were going very far. | + | |
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Anxious not to miss I waited but a few seconds before doing the deed. The driver looked the other way as the fireman placed it in the cab. Down jumped the fireman. Said he, "Why not jump aboard yourself, we leave in half an hour with these trucks and some from an incoming train." | Anxious not to miss I waited but a few seconds before doing the deed. The driver looked the other way as the fireman placed it in the cab. Down jumped the fireman. Said he, "Why not jump aboard yourself, we leave in half an hour with these trucks and some from an incoming train." | ||
- | I thanked him for the suggestion, saying that I mould trylalthough | + | I thanked him for the suggestion, saying that I would try although |
I looked at the line of empties and decided upon the back one. I placed my sleeping bag in and began with the bike when along came the fireman. | I looked at the line of empties and decided upon the back one. I placed my sleeping bag in and began with the bike when along came the fireman. | ||
- | Swears he, "What the hell are you getting in that bloody thing for? These don't go only the first bloody three: You had better wait till we shunt the three on to the main line when the other bugger arrives. Don't forget don't be obvious about it." | + | Swears he, "What the hell are you getting in that bloody thing for? These don't go - only the first bloody three! You had better wait till we shunt the three on to the main line when the other bugger arrives. Don't forget don't be obvious about it." |
I " | I " | ||
- | Eventually the "other bugger" | + | Eventually the "other bugger" |
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- | Over I rushed, trying to make it seem that a stranger running across a railway yard with a clattering bicycle towards a truck was quite a natural thing. In went the parcel, up went the bike, down fell the hooks. Once more the bike went up, the hooks gripped. I let goo the front hook came un-put and the front wheel brushed rny cheek, while the handle knocked me on the head. The back hook did likewise, and tIle pedal ripped my shirt as the bike fell. So we began again with quickly repaired hooks. This time the handles and the projecting collapsible back carrier (which came undone and wouldn' | + | |
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- | wriggled the hook and bike, they caught. I let go, dawn fell the bike against moo in its wake my shirt received a wonderful example of an oily chain design. Ny aria; were not quite free from oil either. | + | |
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- | In desperation I discarded the hooks and grasping each wheel lifted the bike | + | |
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- | till rested on the corner of the truck, !;hon. jumplad up and placed it in the truolr4. | + | |
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- | Room to hide bike and self therenr-Jz6, | + | |
- | truck sideo Against this ;slope thc bike rcd. f,:r all the In(J!.:ci to see and in | + | Over I rushed, trying to make it seem that a stranger running across a railway yard with a clattering bicycle towards a truck was quite a natural thing. In went the parcel, up went the bike, down fell the hooks. Once more the bike went up, the hooks gripped. I let go, the front hook came un-put and the front wheel brushed my cheek, while the handle knocked me on the head. The back hook did likewise, and the pedal ripped my shirt as the bike fell. So we began again with quickly repaired hooks. This time the handles and the projecting collapsible back carrier |
- | that twelve inch space I lay on blg beautiful 7.umps | + | In desperation |
- | Soon we were in the ranges where from time to time I caught glimpses of the road. Each time I saw it, its state made ms shudder. I willingly put up with the coal. We passed several groups working on the line. Each time I hid and each time I received kindly enquiries rnarding my health. About 90 minutes later we arrived at Eulo my journey was over. Fortunately the Station Master was in his office, he has one of the notherwisers." | + | Room to hide bike and self there was none. The coal was piled high above the truck level, leaving only a twelve inch space between |
- | The fireman dropped my pack and all was wells | + | Soon we were in the ranges where from time to time I caught glimpses of the road. Each time I saw it, its state made me shudder. I willingly put up with the coal. We passed several groups working on the line. Each time I hid and each time I received kindly enquiries regarding my health. About 90 minutes later we arrived at Eulo my journey was over. Fortunately the Station Master |
- | ,(TO BE CONTINUED IN OUR NEXT) | + | The fireman dropped my pack and all was well. |
- | - 5 | + | (To Be Continued In Our Next) |
FEDERATION NEWS. Shacks at Garawarra | FEDERATION NEWS. Shacks at Garawarra |
193804.txt · Last modified: 2015/11/17 11:32 by elddawt