Riding Down Under - Tropical Cairns Australia

[MacDoc]

Senior meteorologist Sarah Scully said rainfall in some locations had exceeded two metres since the beginning of the weather event.

"For Cairns it's exceeding the 1977 flood event and there's been major flooding over the Barron River and ... the Daintree," she said.

"The Daintree major flood level is at nine metres but at the moment it's currently sitting at 15 metres so it's record breaking flooding throughout the Daintree and Cairns as well."

 

[MacDoc]

Rain stopped ....damage assessment under way for area

Road 'torn in half' as record rainfall in Far North Queensland sees towns cut off and hundreds needing rescue

Hundreds of people were rescued overnight, with several still stranded as heavy rainfall and dangerous flash flooding continues in Far North Queensland.

www.abc.net.au

 

[MacDoc]

Fun wow....gonna a be a lot of time and money to clean up. Cook HWY is the main NS link north of Cairns and the heavy truck route on the Palmerston

CONTINUED AFTERNOON LIVE COVERAGE: Captain Cook Highway likely to be closed until late January - Sgt Meadows​

LIVE DOUGLAS SHIRE FLOOD COVERAGE​

​

Last updated: 19/12/2023 - 13:10 (AEST)

CONTINUED AFTERNOON LIVE COVERAGE: Captain Cook Highway likely to be closed until late January - Sgt Meadows

Cyclone Jasper could wash up crocodiles in streets.

www.newsport.com.au

Might get out for a ride tomorrow as the weather is so nice but not a lot of destinations open. Might try Kuranda. Xmas party at the Bowls Club tonight.

 

[AFJ]

Glad to hear from you. Sounds like you & yours have "Weathered the Storm".
AFJ

 

[MacDoc]

Thanks ...aside from leaks and damp no issues, just starting putting things back in place.
Got out for a decent ride today. Was late for physio at 11.30 but temps around 28 and tried a different drug that I cannot usually get here and it worked well as did the shorter physio 1/2 hour instead of 45 min. No cycling and no balance - just work on leg and shoulder....ride felt good tho lot of traffic on the highway.
Visited old riding buddy who is in a Machan Beach right on the waterfront but he was fine...worst bit was a rain flooded pool. Caught up with him. He can't even drive due to some form of palsy
His neighbors not so fortunate with flooding and there were many many "yard sales" along the Esplanade with soggy mattresses and couches etc out for pickup by the council. Lots of tradies hard at work doing repairs.

Got some of the rust off riding and eager to get out again. Will try again tomorrow a bit better prepped for a longer ride tho temps will be higher :-( The Gillies and the Kuranda range roads are open and that's a nice loop tho long one for my current stamina level and getting home before the heat gets too high.
Would like to have tea and scones at the Volcanic Lakes .....always an enjoyable spot.
Sunday and Monday look okay if I get out early.....famous last words.

 

[MacDoc]

Back to hot and muggy - 27 at 9.30 pm...a/c on. Long sleep and a ride tomorrow are goals since going to bed early.

 

[AFJ]

Minus 4 degrees C here this morning. No snow on the ground or roads. Cloudy. Saw one motorcycle rider on the road yesterday some kind of lightweight trail-type bike. Rider well bundled up.
My old bikes winterized and stored until spring, one project (?) bike (but not quite parts complete) being being sorted and considered for rebuild but needs the rear cylinder camshaft for the J.A. Prestwich 1100cc 60 degree v-twin engine. Hen's teeth are more common.
AFJ

 

[MacDoc]

Ugh -4 ...that's was beyond my tolerance. + 5 was the limit.
Hot or cold ...if I have to choose I'll take the heat as I at least have a riding window early in the morning which I hope to take advantage of today ..muggy 25 just now at 5am - leave at 8am should work.

Not a snowballs chance today - it is brutal already at 8 am ....staying home

My main laptop is dying ...screen is going but works okay hooked to the 4k 50".
Ordered a 14" to try from Apple refurb as I lust for that 1,000 nit screen but will likely look for another 2018/19 13" 4 port used instead.
Prefer to stay on Mojave. Working on my backup 13" 2018 4 port I got for $700 ....will not get that deal again. It is/was pristine as did not go on the bike which was rough on it.
Possible I just buy a 2017 Air and increase the drive to 1 TB. Use that as the riding computer.

 

[MacDoc]

Maybe best I didn't ride that's pretty intense and right where I would have been riding the Kuranda loop.
Be nice if it came down the range and cleared the humidity.....at least until the sun came out again.

 

[MacDoc]

Aftermath....can't imagine in this heat and humidity sleeping in your carport

The Cairns rental crisis means flood victims consider leaving town for Christmas

Some flood victims are living in limbo, facing weeks and months of displacement. The Cairns rental crisis means there are no homes available to accommodate those in unlivable housing, while local leaders urge Airbnb hosts to step up.

www.abc.net.au

Lot of those families I rode by yesterday may similar....Machans is near Holloway Beach.

and

First floods swept away crops. Now the banana industry faces an even greater risk

Queensland growers are on high alert this week with devastating floods increasing the possible spread of Panama TR4 fungal disease — the greatest threat to banana production worldwide.

www.abc.net.au

 

[GreyGhost]

Merry Christmas @MacDoc .

 

[MacDoc]

Thanks - a warm one down under

Merrie Solstice

Noraly mudding it in Cameroon.

 

[MacDoc]

Thick and hot - Tstorm did almost nothing. 27 feels like 34 at 2am - not great sleeping weather.
Will watch the latest Crown and retreat back to the ac.

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST​

12/27
33°Hi
RealFeel® 41°
Humid with a few showers

 

[Evoex]

Australia doesn’t use AC? Interesting.

 

[DownUnder]

Australia doesn’t use AC? Interesting.

Most places use split systems (heat pumps), or window units, since there is no basements. depending where you live you may not need it, though MacDoc is up in the tropics, id be buying one if I were there lol

 

[Evoex]

Most places use split systems (heat pumps), or window units, since there is no basements. depending where you live you may not need it, though MacDoc is up in the tropics, id be buying one if I were there lol

yeah i figured a window unit in the bedroom would be common place.

 

[MacDoc]

We have three units in the bedrooms one of which is down.. these are high wall mounted units....all with outside compressors.

The screen enclosed deck which is the living area and is a large portion of the house is open to the wind so no point.
I'm comfortable at 25-26C ...above that hard to sleep and of course the humidity can be unbearable. It was 28 at 7am this morning with a feels like 35.
I dress accordingling with very light muslin shirts
and there are lots of fans going all the time.
We have one Haiku fan ...stupid expensive but really works.

Residential Fans

Shop modern ceiling fans, smart ceiling fans, bedroom fans, living room ceiling fans or patio ceiling fans in Australia.

bigassfans.com

and lots of smaller ceiling and floor fans.
The house is almost entirely tree sheltered tho not from direct overhead which helps.

What we don't have is any heating unit cept a rarely used electric blanket.

 

[MacDoc]

Enjoy this - have not been back to China since 1982 and the changes are astonishing…that was was part of wanting to watch this aside from the jaw dropping HDR

Was too hot out on the deck even at 9 pm so in the ac room and wallowing in visuals.

Demoing a 14” MacBook Pro with 1,000 nit screen !!!! and HDR

- have it for a couple of weeks …far too much money but the screen is breathtaking, lovely keyboard both look and feel - and superb ports.
Mag Safe, direct HDMi in, headphone port and 3 x USB-c ports. Better feet and and a very solid feel
Since my main 2019 13" MacBook Pro 4 port screen is gone ( I still use it with the 50" Samsung 4k )...I need a backup ( I have a 2018 13" as well that is the main ride just now )

Trying the 14" lets me dip a toe into the latest OS as I'm way back on Mojave and happy as a clam there.....but if I can tolerate Ventura it opens up more used models with a 1 TB drive to consider.

Hefty beast. Stoopid fast - crazy overkill for my needs oh yeah - the sound system is astonishing for a laptop. Got lost in it just now.
I do love nearfield sound and 4k HDR


Happy New Year

 

[MacDoc]

Thinking now I'll spring for a 15" Macbook Air with the forever Applecare+ program.
I'll use it for riding and in the bedroom where the lack of ports is immaterial but the bigger screen very useful.
18 hour battery life, still fits my case for the bike and still 500 nits so fine.

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch review: it's not what you think | Digital Trends

The 15-inch MacBook Air might have a small target demographic, but it's nearly the perfect laptop for them.

www.digitaltrends.com

I do like the black and if I cannot get the screen fixed on my failing 13" at a reasonable cost then $1700 Aus all in is fine for a long term Mac for the MacDoc
Then $99 a year for Applecare+

The 15-inch MacBook Air has a very similar display to the 13-inch model. The size is obviously bigger (2880×1864 pixels), but otherwise the specs are the same, with a Liquid Retina LED, 500 nits of brightness.

Inside you’ll get the same M2 processor 18-hour batter life and 1080p FaceTime camera as the 13-inch model. The sound system is a bit better, with six speakers and force-canceling woofers versus 13-inch MacBook Air’s four speakers. If you don’t hook up external speakers, expect better sound from the 15-inch MacBook Air.

The ports for the new laptop is also the same as the 13-inch model, with MagSafe charging, two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Will run much cooler than my Intel based current machines plus insane battery life.....1/2" thick and no fan.

 

[MacDoc]

Hard core - Alaska to Argentina..by bicycle..camping out

Just what I needed...feel good vlog

And some serious eye candy for the UHD screen