Post a good thing that happened in your life today

[Mr Standfast]

1 hour ago, Gervais Montacute said:

Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

 

 

Film?

[Phil]

3 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Cool apparatus. I saw a picture in the link & it looks handy. Cheap enough, too. What I’m curious about, would it help to keep the camera on an even plane? My biggest fault in lining up a shot is not having the plane level. It seems I always have the right side more forward than the left, or the other way around. Also the up & down plane. I don’t seem to have that problem with a larger camera.

 

Betty - I use the RX100 or any camera's built-in LCD/viewfinder level to check composition for level. Not sure if that's what you mean by "even plane"?

 

The handle is just a hunk of aluminum. No built-in leveling/stabilizer. 

 

For me holding the RX100 with both hands was kinda wonky due to it's small size.  No doubt the accessory body grip helps.

 

However, for me the handle provides a one-handed firm and stable grip on the camera. The other hand is free to change settings, reposition LCD, mash shutter, etc.

The handle is also easy to grab onto when reaching into a pocket to pull out the camera. 

 

[gvallee]

It's a bit long, sorry, but what a day! Please scroll past if bored.

We have to get to the East Coast from the West Coast, so there's no choice but crossing the Nullarbor again, a vast treeless plain with the longest straight road in Oz, 90kms. It usually takes 2 to 3 days driving to cross it and most people find it boring.

We had other plans. Instead of going on the main highway, we discovered a 4x4 gravel road running through some of the most isolated areas of Australia. A sign at the entrance warns 'no fuel, no food for 1,000 kms'. Basically, you're on your own. The road is parallel to a railway line. We spent a surreal night, with unlit trains rumbling past like ghosts through the Bush in the dark under countless stars.

Up at 4am hoping for a fiery sunrise, then hit the road again. A large group of about 40 wild camels look at us in disbelief and cross the road. A Blue-tongued Skink warming itself on the road, defiantly pulls its blue tongue out as a threat when we stopped to look at him.

Next we spotted some merino sheep being mustered by two station hands on motorbikes. One of them comes for a chat and offers to bring the mob towards me for photos but they hate humans. They're b****s he mumbles. The young lad is from Devon, UK, and is  loving his job.

Upon declaring that we have a long range fuel tank and plenty of water, we soon get permission from the Station Manager to drive through the biggest sheep station in Australia: Rawlinna Station, 2.5 million acres, stocked with 60,000 sheep across 87 paddocks. The tracks are barely defined in places and extremely rough, spiked with nasty very sharp limestone rocks. They are a puzzling maze, spreading in every direction. A real challenge to navigation. A wrong choice would mean running out of fuel. Luckily we have our specialised off-road mapping navigation software. The 140kms are mostly spent in first or second gear and take over 5h.  These tracks must have taken 10,000 kms off our tyres! Every few kms, we have to open the gate to the next paddock to get through. I'm getting some exercise!

Exhausted, we're spending the night by the dingo proof fence, awed at the immensity and freedom of it all. What a day it has been! Who says the Nullarbor is 'Nullarboring' LOL!

 

 

[Allan Bell]

1 hour ago, gvallee said:

It's a bit long, sorry, but what a day! Please scroll past if bored.

We have to get to the East Coast from the West Coast, so there's no choice but crossing the Nullarbor again, a vast treeless plain with the longest straight road in Oz, 90kms. It usually takes 2 to 3 days driving to cross it and most people find it boring.

We had other plans. Instead of going on the main highway, we discovered a 4x4 gravel road running through some of the most isolated areas of Australia. A sign at the entrance warns 'no fuel, no food for 1,000 kms'. Basically, you're on your own. The road is parallel to a railway line. We spent a surreal night, with unlit trains rumbling past like ghosts through the Bush in the dark under countless stars.

Up at 4am hoping for a fiery sunrise, then hit the road again. A large group of about 40 wild camels look at us in disbelief and cross the road. A Blue-tongued Skink warming itself on the road, defiantly pulls its blue tongue out as a threat when we stopped to look at him.

Next we spotted some merino sheep being mustered by two station hands on motorbikes. One of them comes for a chat and offers to bring the mob towards me for photos but they hate humans. They're b****s he mumbles. The young lad is from Devon, UK, and is  loving his job.

Upon declaring that we have a long range fuel tank and plenty of water, we soon get permission from the Station Manager to drive through the biggest sheep station in Australia: Rawlinna Station, 2.5 million acres, stocked with 60,000 sheep across 87 paddocks. The tracks are barely defined in places and extremely rough, spiked with nasty very sharp limestone rocks. They are a puzzling maze, spreading in every direction. A real challenge to navigation. A wrong choice would mean running out of fuel. Luckily we have our specialised off-road mapping navigation software. The 140kms are mostly spent in first or second gear and take over 5h.  These tracks must have taken 10,000 kms off our tyres! Every few kms, we have to open the gate to the next paddock to get through. I'm getting some exercise!

Exhausted, we're spending the night by the dingo proof fence, awed at the immensity and freedom of it all. What a day it has been! Who says the Nullarbor is 'Nullarboring' LOL!

 

 

 

WOW! Exciting but I do not envy you all the bumping about and wilderness.

 

Allan

 

[Michael Ventura]

2 hours ago, gvallee said:

It's a bit long, sorry, but what a day! Please scroll past if bored.

We have to get to the East Coast from the West Coast, so there's no choice but crossing the Nullarbor again, a vast treeless plain with the longest straight road in Oz, 90kms. It usually takes 2 to 3 days driving to cross it and most people find it boring.

We had other plans. Instead of going on the main highway, we discovered a 4x4 gravel road running through some of the most isolated areas of Australia. A sign at the entrance warns 'no fuel, no food for 1,000 kms'. Basically, you're on your own. The road is parallel to a railway line. We spent a surreal night, with unlit trains rumbling past like ghosts through the Bush in the dark under countless stars.

Up at 4am hoping for a fiery sunrise, then hit the road again. A large group of about 40 wild camels look at us in disbelief and cross the road. A Blue-tongued Skink warming itself on the road, defiantly pulls its blue tongue out as a threat when we stopped to look at him.

Next we spotted some merino sheep being mustered by two station hands on motorbikes. One of them comes for a chat and offers to bring the mob towards me for photos but they hate humans. They're b****s he mumbles. The young lad is from Devon, UK, and is  loving his job.

Upon declaring that we have a long range fuel tank and plenty of water, we soon get permission from the Station Manager to drive through the biggest sheep station in Australia: Rawlinna Station, 2.5 million acres, stocked with 60,000 sheep across 87 paddocks. The tracks are barely defined in places and extremely rough, spiked with nasty very sharp limestone rocks. They are a puzzling maze, spreading in every direction. A real challenge to navigation. A wrong choice would mean running out of fuel. Luckily we have our specialised off-road mapping navigation software. The 140kms are mostly spent in first or second gear and take over 5h.  These tracks must have taken 10,000 kms off our tyres! Every few kms, we have to open the gate to the next paddock to get through. I'm getting some exercise!

Exhausted, we're spending the night by the dingo proof fence, awed at the immensity and freedom of it all. What a day it has been! Who says the Nullarbor is 'Nullarboring' LOL!

 

 

 

Very impressive adventure Gen!

[Gervais Montacute]

14 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

 

 

Film?

 

Yes - 'I don't need no stinkin' badges'

 

 

[Betty LaRue]

14 hours ago, Phil said:

 

Betty - I use the RX100 or any camera's built-in LCD/viewfinder level to check composition for level. Not sure if that's what you mean by "even plane"?

 

The handle is just a hunk of aluminum. No built-in leveling/stabilizer. 

 

For me holding the RX100 with both hands was kinda wonky due to it's small size.  No doubt the accessory body grip helps.

 

However, for me the handle provides a one-handed firm and stable grip on the camera. The other hand is free to change settings, reposition LCD, mash shutter, etc.

The handle is also easy to grab onto when reaching into a pocket to pull out the camera. 

 

I googled & hunted forever online on how to turn on the grid on the RX100 M7. It kept saying camera2. Huh? That’s the Movie menu. I finally found a video, & sure enough, to turn on the grid for stills, which should be in the menu for Camera1, is in the Movie menu. I don’t know why Sony makes everything so difficult in their menus. I pretty much spent over an hour just trying to find what I needed.
The video was long but amazing. This camera can do everything, I think maybe even cook my breakfast.

It’s definitely smarter than I.

Curious what program y’all shoot in. Auto, Program, or A, S? How about HDR?

I ordered this and like it because it’s like the red one I have for my M-3.

https://www.amazon.com/Megagear-Cyber-Universal-Camera-MG1497/dp/B07G7ZQBXD/ref=sxin_14_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.3f105dd1-731e-46ec-8a78-5849a8226882%3Aamzn1.sym.3f105dd1-731e-46ec-8a78-5849a8226882&crid=11BCVZ95IGEHO&cv_ct_cx=Rx100+Vll+case&keywords=Rx100+Vll+case&pd_rd_i=B07G7ZQBXD&pd_rd_r=591105a0-1892-404d-b305-9ff560b490a5&pd_rd_w=q1216&pd_rd_wg=1A5c5&pf_rd_p=3f105dd1-731e-46ec-8a78-5849a8226882&pf_rd_r=NAGNQHCF7E12ZNMMVN6S&qid=1705416783&s=electronics&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=rx100+vll+case%2Celectronics%2C155&sr=1-1-364cf978-ce2a-480a-9bb0-bdb96faa0f61-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

Edited January 16 by Betty LaRue

[Phil]

7 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

Curious what program y’all shoot in. Auto, Program, or A, S? How about HDR?

 

Currtently I'm using S - Shutter Priority.  No HDR.  I'm also experimenting with the M7 for shooting 4K video stock which so far appears encouraging.

[Betty LaRue]

6 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

Currtently I'm using S - Shutter Priority.  No HDR.  I'm also experimenting with the M7 for shooting 4K video stock which so far appears encouraging.

The options for video are amazing. Kudos to you if you understand them. The video I watched briefly touched on them.

[Ed Rooney]

18 hours ago, Gervais Montacute said:

Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

 

Yes, and if I might quote the Bard -- In Liverpool, "Now is the winter of our discontent"

 

 

[Allan Bell]

2 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

I pretty much spent over an hour just trying to find what I needed.

 

Next time you are looking for something and do not find it after a few minutes go to google it is all there.

 

Or ask the forum.

 

Allan

 

I have my RX100/7 set on A (aperture priority) with ISO at 100 to 1600 and let the speed set itself. OK for general shooting.

 

If you want to shoot fast moving subjects then change to shutter priority.

 

ITMA

 

Edited January 16 by Allan Bell

[Gervais Montacute]

4 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Yes, and if I might quote the Bard -- In Liverpool, "Now is the winter of our discontent"

 

 

 

That's why Richard III never went there. It's cold up north.

[Ed Rooney]

3 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I have my RX100/7 set on A (aperture priority) with ISO at 100 to 1600 and let the speed set itself. OK for general shooting.

 

 

That's mostly the settings I use too. 

[gvallee]

10 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

WOW! Exciting but I do not envy you all the bumping about and wilderness.

 

Allan

 

 

Our main worry was getting a flat tyre. The jackaroo we met (are they still called 'jackaroo' for sheep?) said those stones really slash your tyres. They carry repair equipment rolled up at the front of their mustering dirt bike. 

 

Changing a wheel on our bus wouldn't be a walk in the park. Our 5.7 ton bus has been converted to 4x4 and lifted. We need special equipment, blocks of timber under the bottle jack, an electric nut cracker, not forgetting that on Coasters, you unscrew in opposite direction depending on which side, so not righty tighty lefty loosey. Finally, each wheel weighs 60kgs. The spare wheel under the back of the bus has to be lowered, then the bus moved forward, as the wheel is generally too heavy to be dragged from underneath. One just has to hope that the flat tyre is not one at the back as there might not be any space for this manoeuvre.

 

So far so good, we're ready to tackle the last 100kms after breakfast. It is expected to take 2 h 1/2. It is so wonderful to wake up with the horizon as far as the eye can see all around us. In this vast landscape, we are just a tiny speck. As we sit with the door open, the wind rocking the vehicle, three chirruping swallows appear to dance around our doorway, then one comes inside,  flies around for a look, then departs. More magic. 

 

And we know where we are! 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 16 by gvallee

[gvallee]

11 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

Very impressive adventure Gen!

 

Lots of shaking around! Amazingly, nothing has broken. I haven't even bubble-wrapped the dishes as usual. Only our coffee maker took a little walk.

 

[NYCat]

Went to see Soledad Barrrio in Noche Flamenca. Wonderful troupe and she is a great dancer. With a stage full of excellent dancers you can't take your eyes off her.

 

Paulette

[Bryan]

6 hours ago, gvallee said:

 

Lots of shaking around! Amazingly, nothing has broken. I haven't even bubble-wrapped the dishes as usual. Only our coffee maker took a little walk.

 

 

I'm envious of your spirit of adventure. We decided that, at our age, our small caravan was too uncomfortable and the roads too busy a couple of years ago, Clearly you are made of much sterner stuff !

 

Long may it continue.

 

Meanwhile here the temperature this morning is -5 deg C, with a predicted maximum of 0 today, although the sun is set to shine. I suspect that you are enjoying rather warmer weather.

[gvallee]

47 minutes ago, Bryan said:

 

I'm envious of your spirit of adventure. We decided that, at our age, our small caravan was too uncomfortable and the roads too busy a couple of years ago, Clearly you are made of much sterner stuff !

 

Long may it continue.

 

Meanwhile here the temperature this morning is -5 deg C, with a predicted maximum of 0 today, although the sun is set to shine. I suspect that you are enjoying rather warmer weather.

 

Barring health issues, I cannot imagine my thirst for adventures to ever diminish. So much to see, so much to do. I have to admit that my level of fitness is not what it used to be. These days, I would not contemplate some trips like I did in Brazil, really roughing it.

 

Thing is our bus is so comfortable, we call it 'glamping'. We have all we need and more, it's like a mini-home. Fridge/freezer same size as at home, filled with icecreams, wine and excellent food. Too hot? Aircon. Too cold? Diesel heater or reverse aircon. 2 showers, one inside one outside, hot water of course, toilets, microwave, cooker. I can have my laptop on the table. Oh and Internet anywhere with Starlink. What more would we need? A little wider would be appreciated but then again, it would restrict access to some off-roads.

 

Weatherwise, it's been in the high 30s or low 40s. We had to shift our bushcamp to a caravan park with a swimming pool. See, we're getting soft...

 

 

[gvallee]

Today's drive was a horror show. My guestimate was 2h30 for 86km. Ha ha ha ha. It took 5h30. When we stopped for lunch after driving all morning, we were horrified to realise that we had only covered 25km. We usually swap the driving after one hour shift, we switched to every 10km!! So much concentration was needed.

I'm only small and we have a stoneguard covering about 1/3 of the lower part of the windscreen. On sealed roads, it's not a problem, my line of vision is just above the stoneguard. But trying to see rocks through it was an entirely different proposition. My neck is now killing me.

Our bus has withstood the barbaric punishment remarkably well. I haven't opened all the cupboards yet but only an open tin of diced tomatoes got knocked over in the fridge. We're getting away with it lightly.

Why is this in the good news thread? Because we're as happy as Larry, ready for the next adventure.

 

[Ed Rooney]

 

Sounds like a posh life in the Outback, Downunder, Gen. Except when you exit the bus or can't find a real road. 

[gvallee]

1 minute ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Sounds like a posh life in the Outback, Downunder, Gen. Except when you exit the bus or can't find a real road. 

 

The remotest the better Edo. Me anti-social? Nah. Love meeting other people with good stories in the Bush around a campfire and a glass of wine or two. 

There are a couple of minus points of course like waiting for mechanical repairs when it's your only home. I've been sipping too many coffees in shopping centres while waiting.

[Ed Rooney]

 

One time in Brazil a capybara told me to go away. I don't really farla Portuguese but I think that's what it said. I don't have a comfy bus in Liverpool but yesterday in the snow I walked all the way up to Castle Street and back and that's about 4 blocks away. I felt proud. 

[gvallee]

6 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

One time in Brazil a capybara told me to go away. I don't really farla Portuguese but I think that's what it said. I don't have a comfy bus in Liverpool but yesterday in the snow I walked all the way up to Castle Street and back and that's about 4 blocks away. I felt proud. 

 

I know eff off in kangaroo. It goes like that: ahaaa ahaaa. Difficult to write a sound 😀 I had observed them doing it. I tried it and it worked! It ran away.

 

You can rightly be proud of yourself. A big problem for me with all this driving is lack of exercise. So now I make sure I walk at least 1/2h a day. Hard to find any snow though.

[Sally Robertson]

17 minutes ago, gvallee said:

 

I know eff off in kangaroo. It goes like that: ahaaa ahaaa. Difficult to write a sound 😀 I had observed them doing it. I tried it and it worked! It ran away.

 

You can rightly be proud of yourself. A big problem for me with all this driving is lack of exercise. So now I make sure I walk at least 1/2h a day. Hard to find any snow though.

 

Really glad you're enjoying the adventure Gen, despite the challenges! I've wondered what it would be like up near the railway line and areas to the north of the main Nullarbor road. I have a sense of it now from your description. I have a cousin who worked at Rawlinna about 3-4 years ago.

 

I've had some interesting encounters with large male kangaroos so I'll practise the eff off in kangaroo if I need it in the future. Only yesterday I saw a massive fella go across the street I live on as I'm in a rural area now and roos are feeding over the road every evening. I was once in an enclosed nature reserve with a fox proof fence around it doing bird photography. The roos in there are routinely culled by wildlife officers when their numbers get high and they can't move beyond the reserve fence, so understandably they are pretty scared of people. I realised the telephoto lens I was carrying may have looked a bit like a rifle. I accidentally disturbed a mob while looking at birds. While the others bounded off the big alpha male turned around, rose to full height (way bigger than me) and raised his bicep like a body builder in a competition. I walked as calmly and quickly as I could in the other direction. I sensed it was just a warning but I got the message.

 

I hope the tyres are holding up! I had all mine replaced in October after taking my car on rough gravel tracks in July and August, but I'm sure not as rough as the sharp limestone you are describing. That makes me think of the limestone caves on the Nullarbor Plain. I hope you might get to see some Hairy-Nosed Wombats out there, preferably not in front of your vehicle though, but it sounds like you are travelling at a pace where they'd have time to get out of the way. Happy travels!

[gvallee]

11 minutes ago, Sally Robertson said:

 

Really glad you're enjoying the adventure Gen, despite the challenges! I've wondered what it would be like up near the railway line and areas to the north of the main Nullarbor road. I have a sense of it now from your description. I have a cousin who worked at Rawlinna about 3-4 years ago.

 

I've had some interesting encounters with large male kangaroos so I'll practise the eff off in kangaroo if I need it in the future. Only yesterday I saw a massive fella go across the street I live on as I'm in a rural area now and roos are feeding over the road every evening. I was once in an enclosed nature reserve with a fox proof fence around it doing bird photography. The roos in there are routinely culled by wildlife officers when their numbers get high and they can't move beyond the reserve fence, so understandably they are pretty scared of people. I realised the telephoto lens I was carrying may have looked a bit like a rifle. I accidentally disturbed a mob while looking at birds. While the others bounded off the big alpha male turned around, rose to full height (way bigger than me) and raised his bicep like a body builder in a competition. I walked as calmly and quickly as I could in the other direction. I sensed it was just a warning but I got the message.

 

I hope the tyres are holding up! I had all mine replaced in October after taking my car on rough gravel tracks in July and August, but I'm sure not as rough as the sharp limestone you are describing. That makes me think of the limestone caves on the Nullarbor Plain. I hope you might get to see some Hairy-Nosed Wombats out there, preferably not in front of your vehicle though, but it sounds like you are travelling at a pace where they'd have time to get out of the way. Happy travels!

 

You're quite right about being wary of them damn cranky roos. We saw plenty in the last two days. They were a different species, quite dark. Being on sheep station land, I have the feeling that they might get shot at because they were the shyest roos I've ever seen, taking off from miles ahead.

 

We're hoping to visit some caves (we're 10km from Cocklebiddy Caves) and will keep a sharp eye for wombats.