Another hit and miss weekend, and it all boils down to whether you believe it or not. Unless you get out there, you’ll have no idea of what you may be missing. With a positive attitude I stepped out of the house. The sky above was clear and speckled with stars, with who knows what else may be lurking amongst them. My little Olympus tough does not do justice compared to the sight above me, but it’s not too bad and you probably get the picture. Then on the drive down I spied a creature seemingly from out of space, and no I haven’t lost it:
And no I did not get an image. But it was in exactly the same location that Josh and I spotted it last weekend. Neither of us can recall seeing it before, so on my next early morning trip down this way, and if it is out again, I’ll have to take a picture just to prove I’m not going off the rails. That was not what I intended about believing or not. Those thoughts were far more down to earth, and related to what conditions I might encounter. While the sky above was clear, the road had stripes of dry and wet tarmac giving it the appearance of a zebra:
The moisture from the overnight rain was lifting, forming an eerie misty sight. I was however trying to keep my focus on the roadside verges. Looking out for signs of movement, wanting to avoid any kangaroos. I have been even more conscious of this risk over the last few weeks. So much so that I have slowed down a tad, especially during my early morning drives that include when I head to the office. My sense of security as I drive has been lessened, proving that the Car Cushion Hypothesis is a real thing. At least for me after changing cars:
No longer am I seated in an elevated position surrounded by a larger mass of metal. And no longer do I have the added protection of a dirty great roo bar. It is interesting how a simple switch can make you feel more vulnerable, although it is more truthful to say that driving a bigger car provides a false sense of security. I can recall decades back how in the UK Volvo drivers had a reputation that aligned with the Car Cushion Hypothesis. It was common to hear that they thought they were driving a tank, relative to other cars on the road at the time:
Then in 2020 the results of a poll of some 2,000 people in the UK indicated Volvo owners were the most law-abiding drivers across the country. That said, this doesn’t mean they were the safest or most considerate. Um it feels like I have drifted off the road a little and will get back on course. The only person who showed a hint of availability to get out today was Rod. If that was to happen we would have gone to Welly Dam, which had a better forecast. However, it is a two 2hr drive for him. So he opted out as it was a bit far for a day when we may get wet:
A more than reasonable thought but this left me pondering. Having hit the quarry walls a bit of late, I was keen on a coastal crag for my solo mission. While the forecast was certainly less favourable, I felt it wouldn’t be too bad. Drizzling as I walked in, the first daylight image shows what awaited me. Puddles and wet rock but out to sea patches of cloudless skies could be seen. Opting for the highest wall of Wilyabrup. Thinking that it would catch any wind and dry that bit quicker. It did for the most part, as the clear patches above turned to blue skies:
As the brightness drifted over the coastline, pushed along by the merest of a gentle wind, behind it came a stunningly bright rainbow. Accompanied by a secondary rainbow with the colours in reverse order. They are separated by what is called Alexander’s band. This darker bit of sky was first described in around 200 AD, by a Greek philosopher known as Alexander of Aphrodisias. So beautiful I had to stop and watch it inch towards me and as it did the clouds dropped all the rain they could resulting in the rainbow fading well before it made landfall:
A darker brooding mass was lining up next, and as the meteorological events continued to play out around me I kept rapping down and climbing back up. The rain started to fall on my last lap on the open and exposed wall. But I was not done and dropped the roped down an epic corner on a considerably harder line. Some may considered this a counterintuitive move, but with looming overlaps it did afford me a bit more protection. Wet as I may have got it was great being out, so I was happy to have been a believer today even if I got it a bit wrong:
Sandbagged 