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Crossing the Ditch: [Closed] Crossed the Ditch :: James and Justin - Trans Tasman Kayakers

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  1.  
    Berry thanks for checking on Bern....i was wondering myself what was going on with him.... glad to know its only the 'puter and not Nan or Bern
    Miss your smiles Bern

    :) "Life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes!"

    Have a good on ya'll!!!!
    pat
    • CommentAuthorcathieb
    • CommentTimeJun 14th 2009
     
    Echoing all the Forum comments....Congratulations, James and Hugh, on showing the fine qualities that make you both so special. Your presence on that mountain has already saved 3 lives...you are true heroes...We love and admire you both!!!

    Cheers to all from CathieB
    • CommentAuthorsally
    • CommentTimeJun 15th 2009
     
    Hey James and Hugh,

    Congratulations are in order. Well done guys, you have achieved in more ways then you could have possibly imagine. What fine young men you both are in the rescue of those three men, putting your lives on the line in true form and taking stock on what must have been a difficult time, and in going with your gut feeling, instinct, in making the right decision to turn and come back down.
    As for Hugh, nothing that a band-aid carn't fix,that's what you call Jack Frost (Frost Bit)(Snag)oooops sorry.
    You are true blue heroes.

    Thank you Justin for your help in keeping the boys sane.

    Aunty Sal
  4.  
    Glad to see some humor coming off the mountain.... thanks so much James for that bit of infomation..
    Hope you all have a great day, it is terribly hot here close to 100 F. And they say summer doesn't start til June 21st. HA HA
    pat
  5.  
    The latest blog shows them to be in good spirits.

    James and Hugh should be well down the mountain and be now flying out from Base Camp.

    The lower part is technically easy and many climbers ski down the lower slopes.

    They will be looking forward to hot showers and a big feed of moose steaks or caribou stew and a beer or two back in Talkeetna.

    The town of Cicely, in the TV series of the 1990’s Northern Exposure,which I enjoyed, is widely thought to be patterned on Talkeetna. Population 775 and rising, Talkeetna is said to be a fun mix of fantastically quirky local people, tourists, mountain climbers, and bush pilots.

    While James and Hugh deserve medals for the rescue they made on the way up the mountain, Hugh deserves another medal for assisting James at the higher altitudes of the mountain.

    Good to see so many old forumites back on board.

    Barry
  6.  
    Of all of the dangers I could imagine planning for on an expedition like Denali, the constant lurking danger of zipper-damage was never one I considered! Not sure I really needed that detail while sipping my morning coffee though....
    • CommentAuthorwhitneypam
    • CommentTimeJun 15th 2009
     
    I presume all the males are saying 'ouch' but it does add a bit humour as Pat stated.
    I can't imagine being that cold. I find it hard to cope with a winter's day when the temp rarely drops below double figures centigrade.
    Give me hot weather any day - the hotter the better.

    Hurry back Bern. We miss your 'smiles'

    Pam
    • CommentAuthorJan Tully
    • CommentTimeJun 15th 2009
     
    Barbie, welcome back from your adventures too! Sounds like a wonderful time. Still feeling very happy that the right decision was made about coming back down the mountain. It will be so good to have them back in Oz .... and we all know that feeling after the Ditch adventure!
    Love to all, Jan
  9.  
    HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS, I MADE A COPY AND HUNG IT ON THE WALL BY COMPUTER SO I CAN SEE IT EVERY DAY... pat
    (Written by Regina Brett, 90-years-old, of "The Plain Dealer," Cleveland, Ohio.)

    To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me... It's the most-requested column I've ever written.

    My odometer rolled-over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

    1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
    2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
    3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
    4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
    5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
    6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
    7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
    8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
    9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
    10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
    11. Make peace with your past, so it won't screw up the present.
    12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
    13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
    14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
    15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
    16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
    17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
    18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
    19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood... But the second one is up to you and no one else.
    20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
    21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. (amen to that, pat)
    22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
    23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
    24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
    25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you...
    26. Frame every so-called disaster with the words 'In five years, will this matter?'
    27. Always choose life.
    28. Forgive every one everything.
    29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
    30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
    31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
    32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
    33. Believe in miracles.
    34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
    35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
    36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
    37. Your children get only one childhood.
    38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved...
    39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
    40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
    41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
    42. The best is yet to come.
    43. No matter how you feel, get-up, dress-up and show-up.
    44. Yield.
    45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
    • CommentAuthorbspad
    • CommentTimeJun 15th 2009
     
    Thanks Jan for the welcome back .. nice to see you on the forum too!

    It was a good trip,
    however everyone should be aware of overbooking on flights which is now happening all the time.

    When we got to Frankfurt to fly to Scotland we were told we were on standby .. we had confirmed the flight 3 days before and had been told everything was ok. However, we didn't know that most of the passengers had booked in via the internet and that left us high and dry. We'd had no access to a computer on our travels. Lufthansa announced for volunteers to come forward to go on the night flight at a reward of Euros 250 - which, by the way, is twice the fare. They had overbooked 14 people, so they were virtually giving away 28 seats.

    It seemed like a sick joke to be on standby when we knew our friend would have already left his home to get to the airport to pick us up so there was no way we could change the flight.
    We did manage to get onto the flight and I was seated right down the back, and Karl right up the front.

    I presume this is happening because of the financial crisis and many airlines are cancelling flights to try to fly full planes .... if you are going on a flight, remember this can happen to you. We also had this problem on the flight from London to here.

    Apart from that it was a lovely trip

    I hope James and Hugh don't have the same problem. .... it sounds as if James is alright, with his cheeky report.

    Barby
    • CommentAuthorsally
    • CommentTimeJun 16th 2009
     
    Hey Barby,

    Welcome Home Barby i'ts lovely to have you back. I didn't check up above before i started writing, so i didn't mean to snob you.

    Aunty Sal
    • CommentAuthorsally
    • CommentTimeJun 16th 2009
     
    Hi Justin,

    Thank you thank you thank you Justin.Thank god they made it.
    Thank goodness.

    Aunty Sal
  13.  
    Barby

    Welcome back home to you and Karl, after a wonderful holiday.

    At last James and Hugh have a chance to relax in the warmth and comforts available at Talkeetna.

    Another wonderful photo of the massive Denali (Mt McKinley) on a rare clear day.

    http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/mount-mckinley-peak-7362-pictures.htm

    Mount McKinley has a larger bulk and rise than Mount Everest, although the summit of Everest is higher measured from sea level 29,028 feet (8,800 m). Everest's base sits on the Tibetan Plateau at about 17,000 feet (5,200 m), giving it a real vertical rise of a little more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m). The base of Mount McKinley is roughly a 2,000-foot (610 meter) plateau, giving it an actual rise of 18,000 feet (5,500 m).

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denali

    Barry
  14.  
    Thanks from here too, James.... I am sure the beer tasted great, and the bed was absolutely the best!!!!
    Barry, have you heard from Bern? Now I am concerned about him with no computer..... hope to hear from him soon....
    pat
    have a great day ya'll,,,,,,,,
    • CommentAuthorsally
    • CommentTimeJun 16th 2009
     
    Hi All,

    Thanks Justin for the input, their mind and bodies deserve a well earned rest.
    Hope your ok Bern and Nan!

    Aunty Sal
  16.  
    Barry, the picture of Mt. McKinley was great (Alaska in pictures) I put it on my desktop and wow, it takes my breath away every time I see it... knowing James and Hugh were that far up, just incredible!!! Thanks,
    pat
  17.  
    Pat

    I haven’t heard from Bern since I phoned him a couple of days ago.While he has no computer at the moment, he has Nan to look after him.

    So far this season 699 people have completed their climb on Denali 370 summited. That is 53% of attempts. 277 climbers are now on the mountain. While James and Hugh were climbing, at times there were over 400 other climbers on the mountain.

    From the net I found that 4 climbers have died on the mountain this year. There could have been 3 more if James and Hugh were not at the right place at the right time. The worst year was 1992 when, due to extremely bad weather, 11 climbers died.

    Last year a Canadian climber fell 2,000 ft and survived. Read about it at:
    http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/jun/04/climber-rescued-after-falling-2000-feet-mount-mcki

    Barry
    • CommentAuthorwhitneypam
    • CommentTimeJun 18th 2009
     
    I checked in this morning.
    No posts since yesterday.
    Had to rush off so didn't leave a message.
    Came back home - still nothing!
    HELLO where is everyone????
    Any more rain here and I will have to swim to go anywhere.
    I just hope that the rain is reaching the country areas.
    Oh well until tomorrow

    Bye
    Pam
    • CommentAuthorsally
    • CommentTimeJun 18th 2009
     
    Hi all,

    Still no Bern.
    Has anyone heard from Bern at all?

    Aunty Sal
  20.  
    Hello ALL!

    The lads must be busy travelling home and Bern is waiting to get his computer back.


    SMILE

    The accountant was visiting the Museum of Natural History and said to the person standing next to him, "That dinosaur is two billion years and ten months old." "How did you get such exact information?" "I was here ten months ago and the guide said the dinosaur was two billion years old."

    Barry
  21.  
    I see that the CROSSING THE DITCH book can now be bought through the website:

    http://www.crossingtheditch.com.au/

    Barry
    • CommentAuthorcutterbuddy
    • CommentTimeJun 18th 2009 edited
     
    Will the book be available to those of us who live in the usa?
  23.  
    ps... Pam, if you could bottle rain I would have you send me some..... the price of water is going to high here and we don't water our grass like we use to, so any rain we can get is more than welcome.We have some tomatoes and bell peppers in among a few flowers and planted some small shrubs that are supose to grow to about 5 to 6 feet tall in a few years. So we use the water on those and the trees and not so much on the grass. We talked about putting in a patio, but I guess that will wait til next year as we had to put $1500.00 into getting our car repaired. ( It was either fix and have no car payment or get a new car and have a big car payment...we fixed it...)
    Well, it looks like your day is just starting, mine is starting to slow down ( 3pm). So hope you all have a great Friday, I think that is correct,,, last work day of the week... I do volunteer work on Friday mornings. So have a good one...
    pat
    • CommentAuthorwhitneypam
    • CommentTimeJun 18th 2009
     
    Pat, you might want to edit your message above to Justin(e).
    Yes, my day is just beginning but on Fridays I tell my Boss it's POETS day (Pi.. Off Early Tomorrows Saturday)
    It is not raining at the moment but it is very overcast.
    I will give Bern a call today to catch up with him and see what's happening.

    Oh well if I want to knock off early I had best be away and do some work.

    Pam
    • CommentAuthorbspad
    • CommentTimeJun 18th 2009
     
    Am just getting back to our Aussie time zone, still having trouble sleeping in the right times. We both woke up at 3am, had a cuppa, went back to sleep at 5am and awoke at 11.30am... must still be on Austrian time! Just as well I don't have a job to go to at the moment or the boss would really be put out! Pat, maybe we are on POETS day too.

    Thanks to all for the welcome back, nice to think you all are there.

    Hope James and Hugh get back soon and give us some more stories.

    How's the computer Bern?

    Barby
    • CommentAuthorsally
    • CommentTimeJun 19th 2009
     
    Hi Everyone,
    Where are you Bern?

    Carn't wait to hear from Justin James and Hugh.


    Subject: FW: old charlie boy

    Prince Charles decided to take up jogging.

    Every day, he'd jog past a hooker standing on the same street corner.

    He learned to brace himself as he approached her for what was almost certain to follow.

    'One hundred and fifty pounds!' she'd shout from the curb.

    'No! Five pounds!' He would fire back, just to shut her up.

    This ritual between him and the hooker became a daily occurrence. He'd run by and she'd yell, 'One hundred and Fifty pounds!'

    He'd yell back, 'Five pounds!'

    One day, Camilla decided that she wanted to accompany her husband on his jog.

    As the jogging couple neared the working woman's street corner, Prince Charles realised she'd bark her £150 offer

    And Camilla would wonder what he'd really been doing on all his past outings. He figured he'd better have a good explanation for his Wife.

    As they jogged into the turn that would take them past the corner, he became even more apprehensive than usual.

    Sure enough, there was the hooker. He tried to avoid the prostitute's eyes as she watched the pair jog past.

    Then, from her corner, the hooker yelled:

    'See what you get for five pounds, you tight bastard?!

    Aunty Sal
    • CommentAuthorlil9934
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2009
     
    GOOD AFTERNOON FORUMITES I have just put my foot in the door, what a bugger it is hanging around ,tryingt o keep
    out of Nans , very hard to do in a 2 man tent, and the RAIN 7 inches Tuesday to Saturday morn, no computer ,I say ,no computerGGRRRRR
    Thanks Barry for checking on me, Ihave not got to read the forum post as yet ,I think my last was on page 69 , now on 71.
    Barry was saying the Rats run into a bit of troubles at 17,000 or18,000ft and have to back peddle/
    my first job when I finish this ,is to read

    with a SMILE

    This woman rushed to see her doctor, looking very much worried and all strung out. She rattles off: “Doctor, take a look at me. When I woke up this morning, I looked at myself in the mirror and saw my hair all wiry and frazzled up, my skin was all wrinkled and pasty, my eyes were bloodshot and bugging out, and I had this corpse-like look on my face! What's WRONG with me, Doctor!?”
    The doctor looks her over for a couple of minutes, then calmly says: “Well, I can tell you that there ain't nothing wrong with your eyesight....”

    bern
  28.  
    Bern

    Good to see you back. You can now catch up on the story of the Denali climb by James and Hugh and the CROSSING THE DITCH book sale at: http://www.crossingtheditch.com.au/

    Barry
  29.  
    Hey Bern glad to see your computer is back in working order! We all missed you....
    It is finally raining here!!! Nice slow rain, soaking into the ground... will last thru today and be hot tomorrow... but we needed the slow rain. The cotton farmers really like to see the slow rain.... lovely.
    Have a great Sunday. Tomorrow is Fathers Day, so our son is coming over to do some cooking outside.. glad it rained today and not tomorrow. Do you celebrate Fathers Day, (in June here) and Mothers Day (In May)?? It will be Monday in OZ so have a great work week.
    pat
    • CommentAuthorlil9934
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2009
     
    MORNING FORUMITES , G/Pat, good to see old names popping up
    Thanks to the Rats ,
    the computer is still not right I had been 1 finger typeing for 1/2 hour when it just frose, only way out was to shut down , and bingo lost the lot,
    Pat Mothers Day 2nd sunday in May, Fathers Day [NAN says every day} 2nd Sunday in September
    Welcome home Barby , did Karl sell his post holes??
    James and Hugh , I hope you 2 have recovered buy now , you both done a mighty job up on the Mount
    God Bless you both
    Hi ,Justin

    smile
    The agent of a beautiful actress discovered one day that the actress had been selling her body for 100 dollars a night. The agent, who had long lusted after her, hadn't dreamed that she had been so easily obtainable. He approached her, told her how much she turned him on, and how much he wanted to make it with her.

    She agreed to spend the night with him but said that he would have to pay her the same 100 dollars that the other customers did.

    He scratched his head, considered it, and then asked, "Don't I even get my agent's 10% as a deduction?"

    "No, siree," she said. "If you want it, you're going to have to pay full price for it just like the other Johns."

    The agent didn't like that at all, but he agreed.

    That night, she came to his apartment after her performance at a local nightclub. The agent made love at midnight, after turning out all the lights.

    At 1 a.m., she was awakened again. And again, she was vigorously made love. In a little while, she was awakened again, and again she was made love to again. The actress was impressed with her lover's vitality.

    "My goodness," she whispered in the dark, "you are so virile. I never realized how lucky I was to have you for my agent."

    "I'm not your agent, lady," a strange voice answered. "He's at the door selling tickets."

    bern
    • CommentAuthorbspad
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2009
     
    Good to see you back Bern, one-finger typing or not, it's good to hear you and Nan are ok.

    Hey cutterbuddy, your message about Mum's and Dad's Day reminded me ...
    Our Mum's Day in was in May and was a good for me .. while we were in Austria all my kids and grandkids rang or texted me as we were on 'global roaming' - see how up to date we are now with modern technology

    The Rats aren't the only ones who can be tracked around the world.

    I hope they are all back safe and sound, in good spirits, warm tootsies etc. Any more news of them Aunty Sal?

    Barby
    • CommentAuthorbspad
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2009
     
    Bern
    The post holes took up a lot of room in the luggage so had to dispose of them on the way.
    Looks like we are in for another El Nino and more drought according to The Weekly Times, maybe I should have kept the holes, just in case... maybe not, just like if you keep an umbrella handy it usually doesn't rain.
    • CommentAuthorsally
    • CommentTimeJun 20th 2009
     
    Hi everyone,

    Glad your back bern, missed you.

    Yes Barby, James and Hugh are flying back home this week-end, so Mr and Mrs C will be thrilled to have their James back toes and all.
    How are you Justin? thank you for keeping us informed about the boys.

    Aunty Sal
  34.  
    Bern

    Does your computer regularly become infected with Swine Flu?

    Sally

    Good to see that James and Hugh will be back into the clutches of their families and loved ones.

    Barby

    We could do with a bit of an El Nino here in Sydney now. The regular showers are becoming tiresome. Our water supply dams are up to 61% while I see that Melbourne has only 26%

    There is talk of slackening water restrictions here by allowing hand held garden hoses any day. Actually the rain gods have been doing a good job of watering our gardens recently.

    Our desalination plant at Botany Bay is about to come on line. It has been raining ever since they started building it at the end of the drought.

    No rain here just now, but the weather radar shows some falling in our water catchments as well as in the east of Queensland and eastern NSW but it stops at the Vic. Border.

    We could give Melbourne the runnoff from Sydney streets and the overflow from swimming pools, if you could find a way to transport it.

    Barry
  35.  
    ATTENTION FORUMITES.

    Please move this conversation thread across to the link below
    http://www.rushlabs.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=32

    You will find this 'Discussion' listed under Friends of Crossing the Ditch.

    This specific link will be closed for further comments on 1 July 2009. It will always remain open for you to read.

    Thanks

    Patrick
    Managing Director
    Rush Labs
    • CommentAuthorcathieb
    • CommentTimeJun 21st 2009
     
    I've copied this message to the new site and will put it here as well, as I'm not sure where we live now...

    Hmmm...Have we moved house???? Are we now "Friends of Crossing the Ditch"? ....And please, what does "Sticky" denote? Oh, and what does the "whisper" bit mean????? Hello everyone......
    XXCathieb
    • CommentAuthorsally
    • CommentTimeJun 21st 2009
     
    Hello anyone out there?
    I'm the same as you cathieb, i'm lost at sea and sinking fast.
    Anyone out there? come in!
    Aunty Sal
  38.  
    The new home for Crossing the Ditch forum is at the following link

    http://www.rushlabs.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=32

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