Bad Day At Jesus Rock

slightly stressed, blurry photo.
It's a long weekend in the north of the island.

Auckland Anniversary Weekend.

This means that the townies can hurtle south to various playspots, demolishing fences and rolling into ditches along the way.

It kicked off to a fine start when the phone went at some ungodly hour early Sunday morning.

A loaded furniture truck had rolled off the road south of Piopio.

It scattered it's load at a local landmark, "The Jesus Rock"

In the drizzly night it took hours to salvage everything.

There were three in the cab of the truck, unbelievably there was only one briefly hospitalised.

It was late afternoon before the truck was finally hauled away.

This morning a car demolished our letter box.
And ...
They all have to go home yet ...

Where There Is Smoke ...

As I gently trundled south this morning on my weekly rubbish run around the rest areas, I stopped to take a photo of a top dressing plane working inland from Mahoenui.

It made quite a sight from the top of the Mahoenui Hill.

I had already chased some bulls back into a paddock who were causing chaos in a road cutting, but the day then settled into routine.

On the way back north an ambulance screamed past.

The Mokau Fire Station was empty as I went through town

I feared the worst, it is unusual for emergency services to be sent from south of Mokau this far north.

A rescue helicopter went by overhead.

Police cars seemed to be everywhere.

I had visions of a bus crash, or other major disaster.

Maybe the bulls had got out again and a tour bus had hurtled off the road ...

I passed the Mokau engine parked up at the side of the road, and from the body language and cheery waves relaxed somewhat.

Other emergency services passed me heading home.

Very puzzling.

Until I saw this

"A topdressing plane sparked a police and helicopter call-out today after reports a light plane had crashed in Taranaki this morning.


Senior Sergeant Selwyn Wansbrough told NZPA a motorist saw a light plane disappear over a hill near Mahanui, about 70km north-east of Waitara, followed by what they believed to be a cloud of smoke.

Police and an Air Rescue Centre helicopter were deployed but found no sign of a crash.

Mr Wansbrough said it was believed the motorist saw a topdressing plane working in the area but, being unfamiliar with such things, had thought the fertiliser it was dropping was smoke."

Apart from the spelling mistake, and the fact that this area is in the Waikato, it had to be my plane...

Bloody Townies ...

Meanwhile In Scarborough...

click to biggify

Crime Wave Sweeps Somerset

"Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened sometime between 10pm on Friday night and 8.15am on Saturday morning."

Jerry Hines worked with a Houston road crew.

In icy conditions they stopped to help a stranded motorist.

"Two cars pulled to a stop at the worker's direction, but a third car traveling at possibly a high rate of speed driven by an unidentified woman did not"

Jerry was killed.

He was just 25 years old and left a wife and a one month old daughter.

Link

Moving Along...

"Traffic Controllers shall be calm and polite...."

Yesterday while trundling along in a winding stretch of Mahoenui, I came across a car full of tourists stopped on a bend.

There were a few people milling about the car.

I stopped where traffic could see me and went to investigate, expecting a break down.

They were taking photographs.

I calmly and politely, suggested that it would be a good idea to piss off before they ended up being wiped out by a truck and trailer.

There was a burst of what I think was Korean, and "No.... Take photos."

I calmly and politely walked back to my truck, turned on every flashing light I had, and went back to them opening my drivers log book and started writing.

"We Go..."

And they did....

Things I Learned Today (42)

 
It is not a good idea to read the instruction sheet to your new chainsaw sharpening gadget in the bath.

Chickens can climb trees and like plums.

Putting too high a wattage halogen bulb in a bedside lamp creates an art object that smells.

Pictures of walls is an interesting site.

Licorice

We have been sticking Mt Messenger together.

Those licorice straps with icing on, are actually a thin tar strip that comes in a roll.

The theory is that water won't penetrate the cracks and cause the seal to fail.

I am an obvious person to be involved in such a task

If I was a Jelly Bean, I would be a licorice one

I was also a whale in one of my past lives apparently.

I can't fault my personality test result

"You are elegant, withdrawn, and brilliant.
Your mind is a weapon, able to solve any puzzle.
You are also great at poking holes in arguments and common beliefs.

For you, comfort and calm are very important.
You tend to thrive on your own and shrug off most affection.
You prefer to protect your emotions and stay strong."

But I'm not too struck on my ideal career.

Astronaut and private detective I can go along with,
but lawyer ?

How come there isn't one for sticking mountains together with licorice straps?

Someone has to do it ....

Shooting Fart

 
Back in 1986 we had a Halley's Comet party.

I seem to remember we even invented a cocktail for the occasion.

Of course it pissed down with rain and though many celestial bodies were observed, Halley's Comet was not one of them.

I did see it though a few days before.

It was amazing.

I saw the Hale-Bop Comet too though that was a disappointment.

Tonight I saw Comet McNaught.

It is far more spectacular from down here in Southern Skies, Taranaki seems especially favoured.

It truly is magnificent.

I better start getting into star gazing.

The Fart Comet has a certain ring to it ...

Mr Scaredto Fart Esq.

Alas! I've been stricken with some "Summer" bug.

Which is all a bit weird.

I didn't think there was a virus alive that could survive in my intestinal tract.

Was it the pies?

The beer?

The Seafood Basket?

The apricot yoghurt & single malt whisky?

The chocolate steamed pudding with bananas and strawberrys?

It's all very puzzling ...

New Post

 

Shove

If you ride a motorbike, something like this can ruin your day.

In the trade it is known as a "shove".

The road under the seal is being squeezed like toothpaste.

If we fill it with premix that too will only last a few days.

There is yellow clay under there, you can see traces of it.

The only real remedy is to dig this area out and put some decent road metal in.

To buy a little time, I can lower the truck tray and use it like a bulldozer, chop the lump off and then fill the depression.

I don't need any more motor bike parts ...

Rimrock

 
The transition to work after my holiday on the couch is proving somewhat difficult.

I had hoped to ease into it.

There were 4 crashes within a few kilometres of my house over the weekend, with homeward bound holiday traffic and wet roads conspiring to keep us, and our local Towie busy.

Construction crews are moving in to make a passing lane on Rimrock Straight, (above) just north of the Awakino Tunnel.

It will be on the right hand side of this southward looking photo.

The hay barn, an irresistable tagging target will soon go.


It was a handy lunch spot on a rainy day...

Icecream

  
Damn it was hot today.

The air conditioning in my truck is not quite right either.

Normally I survive by copious amounts of peach yoghurt icecream.

The ice cream in NZ is awesome.

Even the ordinary ice cream in a cone from any NZ Dairy is far ahead of anything I've tried in Italy or wherever.

This is no comfort if you are working miles from any purveyor, or pusher, of an ice cream fix.

I finally made it home, and had the good old orange chocolate chip standby.

Goes down well with a cold beer...

Magic Trucks

Bit of a problem here.

A small stream at the foot of the bank is chewing in towards the road.

We have to get rubble down there to make a base for a retaining wall.

The problem is getting it over the bank, across that gap.

No worries though with my magic truck, all hail the sliding deck.

Down below the digger plays catch.

And who needs a jack...

Oh Dear, How Sad, Never Mind ...

Dumped rubbish, Mt Messenger

"An 85-year-old man fell nearly 50m to his death down a cliff in Omanawa in the Western Bay of Plenty last night.

Inspector Turepu Keenan said it was believed the man was throwing rubbish from his ute at the top of the cliff at the time of the accident.

Police have yet to notify the man's relatives about his death." NZH

And in Taranaki

"Conservation workers are going to extreme lengths to identify phantom dumpers who leave household rubbish at local scenic reserves.

DOC workers Nicholas Lemm and Sam Darling were sifting through rubbish yesterday for any sign of an offender.

Every now and then, they struck gold amongst the maggot-infested rubbish � finding a letter, bill or receipt with a name and address.

People ignorant enough to leave such a vital clue can expect a visit from DOC � and possible prosecution.

One such name came to light while a Taranaki Daily News reporter and photographer watched the sorting operation yesterday.

The name was on a job application signed by a New Plymouth woman.

The Taranaki Daily News went door-knocking and left messages, but the woman did not contact us for comment.

DOC's action comes after recent dumping at the Ratapihipihi Scenic Reserve, off Cowling Rd, in Hurdon, and Everett Reserve, near Inglewood.

The bottles, boxes, junk mail and household rubbish at both reserves was enough to fill a medium-sized trailer.

Ian Drewery, who has used the Ratapihipihi Reserve for 30 years, was disgusted by the desecration of his favourite running spot.

"It's just a place I really love and to see all that junk out really saddens me," he said.

"It makes me wonder what the people who do that sort of thing, what they think about the environment.

"They're just lazy arseholes who don't operate any other way," he said.

DOC area manager Steve McGill said the latest dumping was nothing new.

"It's just a shame, because it certainly tarnishes our clean green image and spoils it for the public."

People can be fined up to $5000 for littering in a public place under the Litter Act 1979.

New Plymouth District Council parks manager Mark Bruhn says the problem is not isolated to reserves. People dump rubbish at all parks around the city.

The council has several acts and bylaws to punish people who are not respecting the parks.

Some offenders have been given community service or attended family conferences to address the problem."

(Daily News - probably short term link)

That Stretch Down South Got It ...

Down here in the South Pacific we are at last having a summer.

Things ain't so hot in Kansas.

For some remarkable photo's of an Ice Storm aftermath

check out these...

That Lineman for the County has a bit to do ...

Hat Tip Attu

Long Drop

click pic to biggify
This is one lucky driver.

Somehow he has hit the guardrail at the right of picture and ended up facing the way he came having cleared a concrete culvert opening.

Now this sort of thing happens every day,
but there is a steep drop here...


A long drop in fact ...

Well I bet he needed one !

found on(reddit.com)

Hi Ho etc.

Right well it's back to work then.

Freshly washed fluro jacket, clean boots and all.

First things first though,

I've got a truckload of bottles to haul away....

Envy Of Angels

Ah to blat home in a wee sports car, top down, an iconic NZ band blasting away.

Does you good...


Look over there, you used to say,
The shape of the land beneath the street.
Ridges and valleys and underground streams,
You have to know whats under your feet.
So you can make things strong enough,
To take the weight.
The weight of all the people
That haven't been born.
That's what you said to me,
And it's the envy of angels.

Listen to that, you used to say.
Can you hear someone drawing plans?
Can you hear someone cutting wood?
Can you hear someone walking the land?
And all the time I wanted to be,
Somewhere that wasn't so new,
Where you don't have to dig youself out
A place to stand.
Far away,
From the envy of angels.

Driving to your place after dark,
The light of the town behind those hills,
I'm wanting so much to see you again,
I can almost touch the new tar seal.
In front of my wheels,
They're painting the signs,
Measuring the land,
Marking the lines,
Laying foundations,
Making it strong,
For all of those people,
Who haven't been born.
Just like you said.
And it's the envy of angels.