bloody rain

I've had a few emails from people a bit geographically unaware, asking if I am OK with the floods in Australia having tragically killed a few people last two days and in the current process of flooding an area the size of many countries. Thanks for the concern, appreciated, answered singly but I thought I would post this too.

I am 1700 km away and safe. The weather has arrived down here though, 5 inches (125mm) in a day, emptied the raingauge and it filled another 25mm in the last shower half an hour ago. I am sure plenty of places see this kind of rain, but not round here, usually we are worrying about totally dry forests and raging fires. Now we have flash floods across a continent. Global warming?

Even in rich countries with technology and infrastructure, fires and floods kill the old, unaware, unlucky and the young, that is the horror of it. The deaths came from a combination of factors that created and pushed an 8 meter high wall of water through a valley and smashed into small towns like a tsunami, no warning, just seconds to escape - or not.

Helicopters and rescue boats cannot handle those conditions and most of the army is away busy killing people elsewhere but the wonderful and highly trained Voluntary Emergency Services Australia relies on in fires and floods, and some army reservists, will get in there.

And the run off from those type of events over a couple of days is flooding out Brisbane, a major state capital. Anyway, you will see it on the news. And in a few days if I can get on the m'bike, I will be riding mud again!

We can deploy armies around the world, we can go to the moon but we cannot work out how to live with fire and water. Gonna cost many billions of dollars this one.

Deepest condolences on Austrialia's losses. What a way to break a decade-long drought.

thanks Jeff. tragedy is always real for the familes involved,a nd the homes and business ruined are many, but many of us also feel a deep anger. We know what this country is, but people still die and the economies are ruined while we sell off the assets cheap. And buy them back as chinabikes and cheap electronics, I know. We are all feeling a bit helpless and guilty too. Apart from the looters, there's always a few of those mongrels.

Always a tragedy as we see this unfold on our TVs, you keep safe mate

I'm glad you're safe Jape, this is indeed a major tradgedy.

Members of my family are in Brisbane and are safe, but they have lost a lot. No flood insurance on their business and so far they estimate over 1 million in damages and destroyed inventory :sad:

ChinaV

Blimey Lorne! Sorry to hear that, glad they are Ok though. There's a lot of bullshit spoken about the 'aussie spirit' but strangely in the main it is true for so many people here even if not born in Oz and especially in times of disaster! They'll get through. Maybe we'll see you and the missus over here with a shovel and bucket?

They must be so pissed of that despite 6 million dollar weather computers and modelling software, one fukkin rain storm and all of a sudden they cannot predict or prevent, or even give warning for a major city. This will change everything if we don't let the pollies spin it; fires last year cost a 170 lives but they've done very little. I guess while it is so close to the tragedy we shouldn't spew about it, but everyone is!

I have been sitting quietly this evening, fed up with crap TV. Had six inches of rain as I said before, usually that can take six months! Floods into my State now, local rivers over the banks but slowly and not (fortunately) in my direct area yet. Not a lot of flash flooding except in small areas where we expect it. And a very violent 'storm cell' just flash-flooded through 70 properties just 15 km away but I am above them ...

The creek just 30 metres away is roaring through the block loudly enough that I can hear it in the house, it is up a meter and rising but slowly enough that I think where I live there couldn't be enough water from the slopes around to get it up the 2 meters to me as only a couple of inches more rain due next two days ... I guess a few have been saying that and finding out otherwise. Oh well, maybe my blow-up doll can act as a kayak ...

The strangest thing is hearing 60 foot trees fall over in the bush around me, hell of a thump. Nothing close to the house though, being lazy and worried about bush fires the closest were the first I cut down for firewood! They survive decades of drought and grow for a century, but once the soil is waterlogged they can go over without any wind. I think about the animals too. A few tiger snakes and brown snakes wandering about looking for a dry spot. Will have to keep the doors shut, they like warm beds.

Good news, my ex GF who lives in Warwick, Queensland in an area which is badly flooded out, she was missing for two days but has finally managed to get her mobile phone charged from a neighbour's generator and let us all know she is OK. The creek was a hundred meters from her but only rose 8.2 meters ... I checked on Google Earth and her house was at 8.4 meters! Landlines and power were out so we were concerned.

ChinaV, I just saw on the news that $15,000 grants will be available for affected primary producers and small businesses and $100K low interest loans. All helps.

My sincere condolences to Australia's loss. It's at times like these that we remember what's important for us, at least I hope we do.
On a separate yet somewhat related issue, here's to people who don't believe the green house gas effect is not real.
http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/61_159/248_89/P1050937.jpg
Nice clear blue sky, then look at that gray layer on the horizon. I'm sure this is not only in China. I suppose you have to be an an a certain elevation relative to the mountains you're looking at to see this. Now think of it as a plastic bag wrapped around us.

Just a quick update as I am on battery power. Been without power and internet for 18 hrs. Had another six inches of rain (not forecast as anything like that) and 100 kph winds. Finally clearing and I have been able to get generator and things going. Disappointed in some of the back-up devices, storage batteries and inverters etc. that I relied on being bloody useless, more on that another day, however I am always cautious so have candles and longlife milk and tins of food. Which is good because the freezer and fridge contents are lost, I shall have a big cook up tonight of some stuff that is cold but not frozen so it isn't totally wasted! Having to light the fire for the first time in summer in twenty years, just to dry out the air a bit and give me a water heating source and cooking ability.

Can't get out anywhere, waters still rising in plenty of places and the local village is totally isolated by water. The good thing about it all is the Kinlon took me 40 meters through 2 foot/600mm flooded creek without any problems, however other places were much deeper so I had to return. Dammit, out of cigars!

This gave me a chance to check out emergency gear, as I said disappointed in somethings, but more than anything my new waterproof rucksack, new waterproof tool-bag and so on got soaked and the tools are now drying out before they turn to a mass of rust. I had them oiled up so not too bad. And my expensive new storm gear soake dme from head to foot. Bloody useless waste of money. It isn't too bad being wet in summer, just glad I found out before winter rains.

Bloody hell Jape, i'm actually starting to worry about you. Running out of things to smoke is a massive bummer! I sincerely hope you make it through intact, there are many beers to be had when you get here and many robots to slaughter before that. Soldier on sir. Oh and congrats on the waterproof gear; i still haven't found ANY gear that can match an upside down bin bag for waterproofness.

Slabo, that picture is terrifying. Thank you for reminding us all what we are breathing everyday in china. Thank god there is nowhere near shanghai to take a picture like that, seeing it might make me rethink my life...

Thanks felix, no need to worry about me, gnarly old sod. Being an adventurous fool, I decided to go out and get cigars ...

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/7...lood140111.jpg

- that is one of six water crossings I made in a 140 km round trip today with many diversions that would usually be 20km! Just to get a smoke and a chocolate bar lol. But I was bored, no power, no internet, no 2 stroke mix for the chainsaw to clear the fallen trees. It isn't advisable to travel most of these roads in floods as they can rise very quickly if it rains again. It is best to keep them clear for the emergency vehicles rushing around rescuing people in 4wds that think they can go anywhere and soon find out they cannot as water rises up over their windows. My excuse is that as a local I know the roads very well and with a dirtbike I can take to the bush. And I had no real idea conditions had deteriorated everywhere so badly and so quickly. We really are going to have to rethink everything with global warming.

I know exactly how deep the water is at any point for miles a round but you still have to be wary and not complacent and watch for road markers and fence heights etc. to be sure, and the flood violence can rip the road underneath into deep potholes and ruts, water pushes up through the tarmac and destroys it, it is easier on the gravel roads where you know it is f***ed anyway - as long as you stick to the crown! Just had to decide whether to stand and get feet wet or sit down and fall off!

Very, very pleased with the Kinlon r/t. No problems at all despite getting very wet and quite deep at times. I'm not a very good rider but even with the new gearing it is happy with slow riding through water (so as not to create a bow wave) and has poke when you need it. This is my own track from the house ...

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/6...lood140111.jpg

I don't know what to do about the wet weather gear, purchased as storm proof motorcycle gear. Next time I will wear my fly fishing waders. But it is all fun and what I live for really.

When the power came back on and I checked TV, I saw that while I was having my fun across the ridges and back roads, thousands of people in towns within a hundred km or so were being evacuated and my own local village road was now cut off by a fifty meter wide lake, many meters deep across the main road. And very, very soberingly, although I am being lighthearted about my trip and the floods here, 500 people in Brazil died in the same rain event, a quarter of a million are displaced in Sri Lanka and so on. Don't think I am immune to feelings about that - somehow, 'mucking around' makes it more bearable.

Hang in there Jape, hopefully some better weather is on the way. How much beer do you keep on reserve for emergencies like this?

Slabo, I took a very similar picture at about 2000 meters. :puke:

http://www.contactdi.com/random/DSC3383.jpg

And this one, the flash did a good job of highlighting how much particle matter is floating around.

http://www.contactdi.com/random/IX703003.jpg

It's always depressing when you're on an airplane and you start your descent into China, the brown layer is so obvious. I'm sure it's also in other places, but I never noticed it until I came to here.

Cheers!
ChinaV

:goodtime:Just a bottle of whisky for medicinal purposes mate. Beer in Australia is just gas, and too cold anyway.

I have seen the same brown layer flying into Indonesia. I would not like to breath it as you do. I would wear a low micron mask all the time I think. Would rather breath that than the remnants of Chernobyl. i should stop complaining so much, bad habit, air here in Aus is good and especially so where I am. Just a bit wet at the moment.

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Originally Posted by felix

Slabo, that picture is terrifying. Thank you for reminding us all what we are breathing everyday in china. Thank god there is nowhere near shanghai to take a picture like that, seeing it might make me rethink my life...

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My thoughts exactly. It was just a beatiful autumn day. We were in XingAn, or some near by national park. They didn't want to let me in fearing i would steal some endagered species off the mountain. I saw this when we got to the top. I've read about global warming before, but before that day, I couldn't really put it into perspective.

Sometimes my girlfriend, whom I love very much - I hope she never reads this because I'm not so direct in person- asks me if I want to have kids someday. This scene and similar is all that would comes to my mind then. I'm thirty by the way, and all I do to answer the question is blush and mumble something.

For more depressing such news, the climate and other global issues, head over to http://www.globalresearch.ca/ I've spent almost two years in Shenyang, 9 winter months -25c and 3 hot dirty summer months, I spent most of the time indoors, reading such depressing stuff.

Honestly, nowadays I just want to ride/fly and enjoy what we have now while it lasts.
Coffee to wake up --->> ride to work/play --->> beer to fall asleep... What else could a man want?

I've argued the environmental issue with a Chinese man before. He says, something to the equivalent of: Now is not the time, China must first rise to become the world superpower, the environment can wait. Look how far we have come in 30 years. Anyway, the rich are not really affected by climate change, so nothing will be done. It's business as usual, or actually, better than usual.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ChinaV

...And this one, the flash did a good job of highlighting how much particle matter is floating around...
http://www.contactdi.com/random/IX703003.jpg

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Classical picture shows local wisdom.:mwink: Used RHD Japanese dump truck w/o proper docs is far better than a 100% legal domestic made.

Dear Jape,

Time to batten down the hatches, again???

Quote:

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SYDNEY (AP) - A strong tropical cyclone roared toward
Australia's flood-ravaged northeast on Monday, prompting evacuations
and warnings from officials that the storm could be the worst the
already-swamped region has ever seen.
Cyclone Yasi's winds strengthened to 63 mph (102 kph) Monday. It
was expected to hit the Queensland state coast on Wednesday or
Thursday as a fierce Category 4 storm with wind gusts up to 162 mph
(260 kph). The storm could dump up to three feet (one meter) of rain
on some communities already saturated from months of flooding,
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said.

-0-

CANBERRA, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Australia's flood-stricken state
of Queensland closed major coal ports, evacuated tourists from
vulnerable resorts and warned of heavy rain on Monday ahead of a
massive cyclone due to slam into its coast this week.
Forecasters said Cyclone Yasi could be generating gales of more
than 250 kph when it hits the coast on Wednesday or Thursday, which
would put it on a par with Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New
Orleans in 2005.

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Hi Jeff, poor bloody Queenslanders having a hard time of it again. No-one in the rest of Aus really cares because Qlanders always boast they live in paradise and deserve to catch a bit of shit for hubris!

Sometimes cyclones weaken as they cross the coast, lets hope so! At present I am experiencing a heatwave of 3 to 4 days of 100F weather and a couple of thousand km from that front - but the winds are gusting at 50+ kph here and drying everything out in the bush very fast, so FIRE is my present worry. I could certainly feel the wind gusts on the m' bike this morning blowing me sideways across the tarmac. Hot 100F, 38C winds in black leather, just makes you ride faster.

If it comes hard over land it will of course cause damage and tidal surges and yes, more floods.

The peak of cyclone season is February to May so has just started - with warnings of double the usual number of active cyclones expected and they impact directly from west around north to east from both indian and pacific oceans! There's more than those forecasts stated going on at present, Perth, 4,300 km away on the west is also in line for a few. Although it is a mighty continent and these patterns slow down they still move across inland and southern Aus, hence the floods in my patch a few days after the recent floods in Qland. A lot of places are still under some water from the last round.

Getting biblical eh, as it approaches 2012? I know quite a few people are convinced the end times are upon us, pagan types as well as xtians. I reckon it is a cyclic swing, helped along by global warming. Profiteers are already making money as people suffer, prices are climbing slowly but surely in every commodity and area. Politicians already disputing over the wreckage and the billions of dollars to be spent (and made) fixing it. The normal man in the street is just waiting for Android 3 and increasing his credit cards limit while sitting in air-conditioned comfort. Sold more luxury cars than ever before last year in Aus, especially large 4WD/SUV types.

It is a sick world and I for one wouldn't mind seeing it disappear in flood and fire. Don't fancy the plagues but.

Biblical indeed! Feels like maybe it's time to head for the hills. Dig in and live off the land. Shoot first, ask questions later.

China is just announcing plans to spend 4 trillion RMB over the next 10 years on water conservancy projects, projecting that without aggressive intervention and strict caps on usage, particularly in agriculture but also urban use, demand will exceed supply by 25% or more within a few years. Already there are places in Gansu where public water supplies are available for only 30 minutes a week.

Despite the heat, I'm glad you are getting out and riding daily. Still too cold here, not to mention this slowly healing clavicle of mine.

My feeling is that all of this weather chaos is our own fault. We've been lousy stewards of this earth.

I'm sure you are well prepared for the worst.

cheers

Sorry to hear the bone is so slow in healing. You eating your vitamins?

I've got all the necessary survival tools and skills, but feeling old fast and not sure I can be bothered. Not cut out to be a farmer, more of a hunter/cannibal I think.

I ride the bike a few km at least a couple of days a week around these tracks, usually while it is cool still, early or late. Got chased by the local pigs a couple of days ago but went bush and lost them. They regularly pick on the local youngsters (unlicensed) that all hoon around these roads on their dirt bikes. The locals don't care, we don't pay taxes, registration or licenses any more than we need to and only on vehicles we take into the cities and while the kids on bikes can be a nuisance, hey they are our kids and its better than drugs and booze. Not that they don't do a bit of that as well!

The pigs have 4wd but are are cowards, don't want to scratch their pretty vehicles or go over big bumps. And if the pigs ever got too macho and prideful and went so far as to bring in dirt-bike equipped police against the kids, they would find head-height wire across the tracks ... a bit like the Appalachians up this way!

The biggest idiots are the week-enders and city dwellers that come up on their weekend dirt bikes and go too fast on roads where someone may be riding a horse or walking the dogs. Guess the local chinese would say that about some of us foreigners riding in their quiet back yards and hillsides no?

I like my bike more every day! Looks good with the shiny plastic broken off. Still only a 2000 km bike because my runs are only 20km or so at a time but I do have fun, felt like a teenager being chased by the cops and giving them the finger. Guess they couldn't tell under the leathers I am an old fart and as the out-of-date plate is 'accidentally' covered in a mud and oil mix which sticks .... they won't be calling round here causing me angst any time soon I hope.

Attachment 3012

Well, Jape, at least it's not just Australia. Following from the Weather Channel, regarding the outlook for the eastern and midwestern US. Yikes.

jkp

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Blizzard Could Affect 100 Million

Winter-weary Americans hoping that an unusually snowy January would give way to a mild February are about to be bitterly disappointed. The Weather Channel says a "multi-day, multi-region potentially historic and destructive winter storm" is about to "unleash its fury" on a huge swath of the United States, starting Monday and continuing through Wednesday. "Heavy snow" and "destructive ice" are expected to hit the plains states and the Midwest from Oklahoma City to Chicago, then stretch across the Great Lakes region and New England. Thunderstorms could bring tornadoes and hail to the South, and temperatures will be colder than usual across the country. The Weather Channel estimates that the storm will impact 100 million people, or a third of the U.S. population.
Read original story in The Weather Channel | Monday, Jan. 31, 2011

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This is not something you'll see every day...

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...RM-1-popup.jpg

I think up state New York reported having over 110 inches of snow on the ground last week. The NE coast of the US has been hit pretty hard this winter. In DC, we had 8 inches of wet snow fall in only 6 hours a couple of weeks ago...and right at rush hour. It took some co-workers 9 hours to get home (only about 10 miles). You could literally walk faster. People were running out fo gas and abandoning vehicles. We still got that snow on the ground.

That still nothing like what ol' Jape has to deal with this winter. If it's ain't water, it's fire. Man, them is the hard times!

"See, people talking about these is hard times. I remember hard times. Hard times was waaay back. Hard times was so far back, they didn't even have a year for it - they just called it 'hard times'." - Mudbone (Richard Pryor character)

CC

Nah mate, you lot up in the Northern parts of our disintegrating and troubled world have it far worse. FREEZING COLD is BLOODY COLD. Beats everything.

Floods, cyclones, fire, you can escape them all if you are fast enough and willing to leave a lifetime's worth of possessions behind. The miserable insurance companies will evoke clauses to avoid paying in most cases, that is true, but you can at least settle down in the shade somewhere afterwards and have a cold beer to settle your nerves. Cold beer is no fun in the snow, main reason I moved to Aus decades ago. I do not miss getting snowed in for days and weeks at a time!