My Cefiro #24: Water & winding roads

My Cefiro #1: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-cefiro-1-carsales-ad.html 
My Cefiro #2: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-cefiro-2-inspection-and-test-drive.html 
My Cefiro #3: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-cefiro-3-buying-it-and-bringing-it.html 
My Cefiro #4: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-cefiro-4-starting-modifications.html
My Cefiro #5: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-cefiro-5-first-drive-and-photos.html

My Cefiro #6: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-cefiro-6-exhaust.html

My Cefiro #7: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-cefiro-7-wash-and-photos.html

My Cefiro #8: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-cefiro-8-hills-run.html

My Cefiro #9: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-cefiro-9-respray.html

My Cefiro #10: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-cefiro-10-gathering-cobwebs-in.html

My Cefiro #11: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-cefiro-11-bringing-it-back-to-life.html 

My Cefiro #12: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-cefiro-12-on-road-again.html

My Cefiro #13: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-cefiro-13-second-round-of.html

My Cefiro #14: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-cefiro-14-boostworx.html

My Cefiro #15: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-cefiro-15-daily-driving.html 

My Cefiro #16: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-cefiro-16-bonnet-swap.html

My Cefiro #17: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-cefiro-17-hahndorf-hills-run.html 

My Cefiro #18: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-cefiro-18-respray-quote-and-drop-off.html

My Cefiro #19: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-cefiro-19-painting-in-progress.html

My Cefiro #20: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-cefiro-20-respray-pickup.html

My Cefiro #21: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-cefiro-21-hills-run.html

My Cefiro #22: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-cefiro-22-suburbia.html

My Cefiro #23: http://carscameraschronicillness.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-cefiro-23-hahndorf-car-spotting.html

 Another effort-free carwash was in order after some of the driving around, while Sally and I bought a few things at the shops.

  

Then I decided to have a crack at sailing my radio controlled warship, which had been sitting in the backseat for a while, so we stopped at the Delfin Island duckpond a few minutes down the road.

It was good fun for about 30 seconds, until I made the discovery that the duck pond was not the best place for propeller driven watercraft. It got caught up in some reeds and refused to budge, despite mashing the controls in every direction in a vain effort to free it. Short of venturing into waist deep water that would probably give you typhoid, the only option was to wait for the gentle and very, very slow current to carry it to the other side of the pond. 

I was particularly clever in choosing a large and open body of water for the maiden voyage.

So we sat down and talked for a while, and I took photos every now and then as the ship inched its way across, looking a little out of place amongst the bird life.

After waiting nearly an hour, it was finally close enough for Sally to fish it out of the water with a stick.

So that's why it isn't moving...

After removing the aquatic vegetation wrapped around the propellers, we rinsed it off with fresh water so as not to stink out the car.

This may come as a shock, but as the next afternoon was quite warm, and I was feeling srt of ok, it was up into the hills again. While the car was clean I took a couple of photos near some cool looking graffiti near home.

I'm sure I've mentioned this in previous posts, but after months of being trapped in hospital and home too sick and weak to sit up, simply having the freedom to go for a quick blat in the hills with Sally was awesome. At the same time last year, I wasn't sure if it would be something I could even do again.

With the jejunostomy stoma site located just where the lap part of the seatbelt rests, it can make driving a bit uncomfortable sometimes. But due to the Bride bucket seat, with plenty of side support, I don't really move at all while taking corners in the hills. Driving a normal car would certainly make things more painful. The tube wound site is more sensitive on some days than others. Sometimes I won't really notice it much, but on bad days I can't really walk very far without it hurting, and sneezing really hurts, as you involuntary tense those muscles.

Just as the sun was bathing the windings roads and trees in nice golden light, I pulled over on a side road to take some photos. I think this was off Gorge Road, but I'm not quite sure.

The rays of sunlight made for some nice back-lighting.

Once the sun had dipped below the hills, I took some more photos in the even dusk light, with Sally helping out by posing and taking photos of me.

After syringing a fair bit of water through my jejunostomy tube before we left, I needed to make a 'comfort stop', and pulled up on a dirt side road.

Sally took a photo of me while I was taking a photo of her.

I usually keep both eyes open when shooting for safety reasons, but I seem to look a bit creepy when I do it judging by this photo.

After having some fun on the cliff-lined Gorge Road twisties, we stopped in at the Cudlee Creek restaurant so Sally could have something to eat. Food is so irrelevant to me by now I don't usually think about it that much, it's something other people do.

Gorge Road is a very popular bit of tarmac for motorbikes. They probably account for half the restaurant's business, and there are plenty of bike posters and old pictures plastered all over the walls.

In case riders missed the road too much while they were eating, there was a Manx TT Superbike arcade game in one of the corners.

If you don't know what the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy race is, it's probably best described as one of the most suicidally dangerous motorbike events in the world.

Held on the small island in the UK since 1907, and taking place on closed public roads, fast riders can *average* speeds of over 200km/h on the 60 kilometre circuit. The current outright lap record is held by John McGuinness, who averaged a speed of 211 km/h on his Honda CBR1000RR in 2009.

 A staggering number of deaths have occurred since the event began in the very early 1900s. Between 1907 and 2009, 237 riders lost their lives on the course while competing or practicing. The incredibly high speeds, combined with a road course lined with trees, rock walls and buildings, leave little room for error.

You can read more about it on wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Man_TT

There was a sinister looking rocking horse on the other side of the room.

After Sally had finished, we went back out to the car.

The temperature had dropped a bit since we went in, but being Gorge Road, having the windows open to maximise the induction and exhaust noise between cliff walls is always worth cold ears. For me anyway; I'm not sure Sally gets as much enjoyment out of it as I do. 

Coming up in Post #25; browsing parts and rims at Japanese Import Spares.