International Year of

I am excited to learn that 2029 will be the International Year of Asteroid Awareness.

 Here's my working list for future IYs.

• Clouds
• Adhesives
• Zircon
• White Goods
• Puppetry
• Spreads & Preserves
• Ears & Noses
• Oats
• Soil
• Flotsam
• Toggles, Buttons & Zips
• Chutneys & Tapenades
• Primates
• Accordions
• Snacks
• Trumpets
• Traffic Calming Measures
• Bone & Cartilage
• Natural Fabrics
• Synthetic Fabrics

Point to Pinnacle 2025

On Sunday Michael, Robbie and I walked 21km uphill, in the Point to Pinnacle Race. We are not racers, we just enjoy the annual chance to walk up the cordoned-off road. Last year Rob and I planned to do it together but he was double booked so we gave his ticket to Michael; and this year all three of us did it.

However; this is the only pic you'll see of all three of us as Michael put the foot down after about 5km and did the rest at his natural 21yo pace; getting to the top in 3hrs 31 minutes. He placed 231 of 1186. Last year we stayed together and just squeaked in under four hours.

Here's some of the official photos documenting his casual style; about 9km in and then in the final stretch to the finish.

Robbie and I went at a pace more reasonable for people who can remember the Whitlam dismissal.

In the photo above we (on the right) are just going past the Derwent Scottish Pipe Band (out of sight to the left). They are magnificent, and brought a tear to the eye. Here's a pic from their website.

At The Springs the taiko drummers also gave everyone a lot of energy and positivity.

As we ascended Robbie and I worked through the full agenda we'd prepared; covering recent events, historical events, the best West Indian cricketers, ideal ingredients for sandwiches, prospects for solving perpetual motion, diseases of the horse, Tasmania's greatest opposition leaders, Futurism v Scuola Metafisica and the eternal debate: Cortina v Torana.

There was no view this year. We were in a tight little room of fog for the last 6km or so. It tended to flatten out the walk because although that stretch rises steadily; at any time the stretch you actually could see appeared fairly level. On the other hand it's always nice to see the target and orient yourself as the road winds about; and we couldn't do that.

Michael finished fresh as a daisy, and went off to work mere hours later. 

Robbie had sore hamstrings and a possible blister developing; my left hip had started to creak a bit. But we lunged for the finish line all the same. We finished in 4 hours 19 minutes. Training for 2026 starts now!

Beach

Note to self. Don't forget how the first mouthful of fresh water tastes when you've just come out of the sea. And warming up your cold feet on the cement footpath before driving home.

Goal diary for 26 October

I love to score but I also love to play just the right pass, or use a bit of skill to buy some space and time in a tight spot in defence. All of these give me material for my mental highlight reel, which I use whenever I need to go to sleep or just take my mind off something.

I don't score a lot of goals, but I netted three in the first half of Sunday kickabout soccer, and another after the drinks break.

1. I was put clean through with a vertical pass, good touch to control, one touch to wrong-foot Scott in goals then slotted it to his left. I might have been offside if we played offside.
2. I similarly lurking up front, got a good pass with young Kevin (wears an Arsenal shirt) close behind me. I had it ready to shoot on my right as he closed me down, so I chopped it back through his legs onto my left then just tapped it back to my right to put it past Scott. He got a lot on it, but it bobbled up over him and stayed under the bar. Messi was mentioned. Kevin said I ought to buy a lottery ticket.
3. Brogi chased a lost cause over in the left corner; beat two men and managed to get in a cross as I arrived in front of goal. I was pleased with my first time toe-prod finish which caught the defence cold as it often will. I got the angles just right. I looked to Brogi to share the success but he was wrapped up in his own celebration which is his way.
4. Brogi and I were 2 on 2 with a defender and keeper. I slid it through for him to shoot on his left; he sent it back to me. I sent it back to him; he indignantly sent it back to me. By then we'd run out of room and I had a bit to do, but got it in past Dean.

Andy suffered a sudden calf injury which ended his game. It was the type old players call "shot by a sniper". In the group chat after the game I observed that the ground where we play does in fact have a grassy knoll.

Teams: Me, Brogi, Ratar, Lochie, Andy Bowie  v Dean, Scott, Kevin, Raf, Lochie

Running up steps

My usual run around the soccer ground is on hiatus because I have physio exercises for my right shoulder that occupy the morning.

I am giving myself a week off since my Theraband snapped. And I'm back running up the stone steps.

About two years ago the council installed beautiful stone steps to replace a goat track. They are right behind out house, and a good running alternative in wet weather or when time is short.

I have just run up 28x16=448 steps.