How to Get There by Michael Leunig

Keep going towards the horizon
Jenny and Joanne - somewhere between Charlotte Pass and Perisher Valley (Mon 24 Jun 2002)
How to Get There
By Michael Leunig

Go to the end of the path until you get to the gate.
Go through the gate and head straight out
Towards the horizon
Keep going towards the horizon
Sit down and have a rest every now and again
But keep on going.
Just keep with it.
Keep on going as far as you can
That's how you get there.

Go to the end of the path until you get to the gate.
Jenny and Joanne - Charlotte Pass / Snowy Mountains (Mon 24 Jun 2002)
Sit down and have a rest every now and again
Jenny and Joanne - somewhere between Charlotte Pass and Perisher Valley (Mon 24 Jun 2002)
Keep on going as far as you can
Jenny and Joanne - somewhere between Charlotte Pass and Perisher Valley (Mon 24 Jun 2002)
That's how you get there.
Looking towards Charlotte Pass (Mon 24 Jun 2002)

you've just got to keep going for it - Catherine Skinner / Daniel Cherny (Tue 09 Aug 2016)

colourful - University of Sydney (Tue 09 Aug 2016)

Catherine Skinner on Keep Going:

you've just got to keep going for it because it's not uncommon for people to fall to pieces at the end

via Australian Catherine Skinner wins shooting gold by Daniel Cherny.

Avoiding Stall Outs in an Outrigger Canoe (OC1)

An OC1 Tip by dmehling from Surfing Technique at http://www.ocpaddler.com/forum/

Another major thing I learned was to steer around stall outs. By this, I mean that you need to anticipate when your canoe is in a situation where if you keep going, you are going to stall out (i.e. burry your nose into the wave in front of you, not have enough umph to carry you over that next bump, or when you are going to miss a wave and have it pass underneath you). Whenever I feel my boat is about to stall out, I steer around that stall out (usually right to keep the ama down-wave) and keep as much momentum as I can.

By steering around stall outs, you can change the angle of your canoe relative to the waves and prevent being completely perpendicular to the wave. When you “see-saw” (i.e. your boat is perpendicular to the wave as the wave rolls under you), you lose all your speed as the tail will not release until the nose starts to point down again, lifting the tail. By the time that happens, you have lost all your speed and missed a wave. If you don’t do something different, you’ll likely miss the next wave too.

Instead, try to steer right or left so that your canoe is at an angle to the wave. By doing this, your tail won’t get sucked down as your nose goes up. Your tail will release sooner and you’ll maintain more speed, allowing you to catch that next runner instead of missing another bump.

In short, steer around situations where your nose is going to be pointed up instead of down. Avoid going “nose up” any way you can; you’ll surf faster and link more rides.

Whosus (picasa) - Balmoral Saturday Open Water Session (more here) - Sat 04 Apr 09 (PD's Photo Album)
Whosus (picasa) - Balmoral Saturday Open Water Session (more here) - Sat 04 Apr 09 (PD's Photo Album)

On How to Get There - Yesterday's Suffering, Today's Inspiration, Tomorrow's Strength

God Still Loves You!!! I Love You, Also - Valletta / Malta (Sat 20 Sep 2014)

How to Get There
By Michael Leunig

Go to the end of the path until you get to the gate.
Go through the gate and head straight out
Towards the horizon
Keep going towards the horizon
Sit down and have a rest every now and again
But keep on going.
Just keep with it.
Keep on going as far as you can
That's how you get there.

.. And that is pretty much what I have done these last 5 years ..

These words have implicitly (I knew of them and their meaning before I even read them for the first time) and explicitly guided me when I was completely lost, and without Purpose and Hope .. "Just keep with it" I would say. And it's a pretty good approach to Life, I would think, given the Situation I found myself ..

At some point along the way you do get "There" - it's not overly obvious that you have arrived, but somehow you know .. just like when you were made aware of how far you had fallen without even noticing.

Now ..

You are strong enough to stand on your own two feet and embrace the world again. You are brave enough to start "letting go", to know there is more to "let go", and more importantly to know that is what Jenny would want of me. To know you have another chance. That what forced you to go "through the gate and head straight out" and where you have been to get "There", has made you a better person - and to know that I should not feel guilty about that. That you have been all over and its been all over you. That you are not a Hopeless case. That you are Awesome. That you are still here for a reason. That you know you still have so much to give. That it was not the End, like you thought, but just the chance for another Beginning.

A chance to show you are resilent. A chance to show you can change, adapt and reinvent yourself. A chance to demonstrate you can think of yourself as a survivor and not a victim of circumstance and Life. A chance to consider that you have been lucky to have shared loved. And through that love, empowered to live life to the full along the path you were destined to walk.

Thank you to everyone that have helped me to get "There" these last 5 years. It has been a remarkable Journey and a few Lessons in Life have been learnt!!! I can’t really believe where I have been. I could write a book about it but at least there is a blog - eljeiffel.blogspot.com.au

This is Life (my Life actually) and I have learnt we need to Live and appreciate it while we can. Jenny showed and gave me this. It was her gift to me ..

Why do I write this now? I write this for me and my timeline. And while it might appear a little self-indulgent, I have no regrets - it is who I have become along the way to "There".

More importantly I write it for others who are or will walk "out through the gate" and search for their "There". It's a choice you make and I know you can do it if you set your heart to it.

I know there is further to go but my outlook is different now.

“There” is always Hope - I am another shining example of this!!

Thanks again.

Yesterday's Suffering, Today's Inspiration, Tomorrow's Strength
Geoff (Wed 25 Feb 2015)

A Journey, A Home - My Legacy to the World - Alexandria (Sun 22 Feb 2015)

The Climb by Miley Cryus

The Climb by Miley Cryus
The Climb Lyrics ..

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody's gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb, yeah!

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It's all about, it's all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa

The Catch - Johnny Puakea and Danny Ching OC Clinic (16 May 2008)

The Catch - Johnny Puakea and Danny Ching Paddling Clinic OC Clinic - at blip.tv (16 May 2008)
John: What I look for is a forward angle on the catch. 99% of people are going to reach and look exactly like this (Danny on ERG in perfect setup) before they take a stroke. But what they are going to do is come 8, 9 or 10 inches before they hit the water. And another 2 or 3 inches before they sink the blade.

So the idea is to set that blade we you reach it.

I hear all the time that "I hit the front iako" in the canoe. Well if you are hitting the front iako, but your putting in the paddle a foot back. So why not just put the paddle in there?

The idea is to reach the paddle to the point you are going to put in. If you can only put the full blade in at this point. Then start there. Don't reach out here and then come back 5, 6 or 7 inches before you set the blade. It's a wasted motion. If you can get in here at this angle, then eventually over time as you get more comfortable then you start moving a half inch further forward, and then move another half inch farther forward.

So forward angle on the catch is the first thing I look for.

I look for a triangle. The bottom of the blade is here is one point. Your top hand is the second point and the back of your hip is your third.

So if you body has this triangle motion and you set the blade there and then you start to use your larger efficient muscles (???).

I will let Danny do some talking as he is good at this.

Danny: As Johny said, the biggest thing is to get your blade to set in the water. It doesn't count if the tip just touches the water and it does not count if it is up in the air. The entire blade has to be set.

Johnny actually showed me a drill that is really hard to do but is surprisingly sounds really easy. You literally just set up, set you blade in the water at forward angle, don't pull and then take it out. Amazing how many people setup in the air start back to pull and it surprisingly simple. All you do is set up the blade and you just set blade in the water, take it out, set it again. This kind of gets you use to knowing where your catch is.

Some people have really long arms that are great for putting the paddle up here. Some people have little short arms. It's kind whatever you can reach comfortably because if you get this point (over extended). You can't pull from here, You can't be really efficient from here. You need to find that extension where you have a forward angle and you setting the whole blade in the under water (at a positive angle).

99% of paddlers get here, start there stroke and it is buried here and this is where the stroke starts (short).

You have a great picture of you and the paddle in the air and this great reach and everything is perfect. But you are not starting your stroke until here. (short)

Johnny: That's why every likes pictures of them paddling in the air, because it looks great. And you get a six man team and everyone looks awesome and then a lot of times with the video you go stroke by stroke.

If you can get someone to take a video of you and you think about that forward angle on the catch and where you are setting your catch. If you go frame by frame, you see each frame as go come back farther and farther until the blade gets in the water.

A lot of times, by the time you set that blade in, a lot of people have this angle (negative) on the shaft.

You have lost your whole load at the front. The reason you are paddling up front is that you are using leverage instead of muscle and that is how I kind of look at it.

[By example] If you are reaching out really far and setting it in, you are using lats, legs, stomach and core muscles. You know if you are in here and bending your arm, and this is where it feels heavy (during the pull). A lot people think I am doing a lot of work, I am really strong and this is working out. Well that's not it. The reason is that it feels heavy is that you no longer have leverage. Out here feels (extended) easy because you ahve leverage. It should feel like you are out in front and you have set the blade and you literally grab onto mud or concrete.

OK I always say, that if a door is closed shut and it is nailed closed. What you are going to do is put your foot one the wall and you ging to have your arm out and you are going to pull on it this way (at 4:25 sec mark - effectively shows leg drive also).

It's the same thing when you are paddling. You are never going to go up to that door and go half way up to it, and give it good yank, because there is no leverage.

Any questions? That is just the first part.

Danny: You will know when you get out and set the blade on forward angle, because it feels heavier and it is actually harder. Once you get going, that's going to help you out just to keep your speed. (???)

When you get out here. Once you set the blade, it feels a lot heavier, then if you are going to pull back and set here (short).

Johnny: That's where the one man technique comes in so handy in canoe paddling. A lot people just paddle 6 mans and not one mans (??). If you have your own boat, you can get out there and see where you are putting the paddle in. No timing to keep up with, nobody is racing you, you are not in the competiiton mode. You just sit there relax and go. OK:

• can I put that paddle in up front?


• Did I have a forward angle?


• Did I set the whole blade?

If you can get that blade set at a forward angle at the front, then half you battle is over.

Some Quotes

Geoff, Jenny and Joanne - St George Private Hospital - Chemotherapy Ward - 1520hrs Thu 19 Mar 2009
Just found these little quotes that had I saved (would just cut and paste into an email and send it to myself) in the period between Jenny's diagnosis of multiple liver tumors on Wed 11 Mar 2009, and her diagnosis of a 4cm brain tumor on Thu 11 Jun 2009 and resulting neurosurgery on Wed 17 Jun 2009. Interesting to see what resonated with my thoughts and feelings during that time. Here they are:

"Don't think of yourself as a statistic; think of yourself as an individual," - Tue 26 May 2009

"You can't let statistics get in the way of your recovery and progress." - Tue 26 May 2009

"it's not who you are, it's what you do" - Thu 28 May 2009

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you are happy then you will be successful" - Wed 03 Jun 2009

"You're constantly making choices, and your choices determine your experience" - Wed 03 Jun 2009

And a few months later ..

"Everybody has to die, You don't know how you're going to die. You don't know when you're going to die. It's strange to have that knowledge that this will do it. You don't get angry at it. You just live with it and keep going." - Thu 8 Oct 2009

Two days after the above photo was taken (during her first treatment on a new round of chemotherapy), Jenny would race in the DBNSW 2009 State Titles at Penrith where she stroked the Pacific Dragons Mixed B Boat. Some photos from that day are here.

The following week we would enjoy a lovely holiday in Cairns where we would celebrate Jenny and Joanne's Birtday.

Manual for Climbing Mountains

As we had hoped (see A Familiar Path - "A Walk to Remember" - 28 Nov 2009), Joanne, David and myself did the 22km Main Range Walk on 1 Jan 2010. I recently read the following in a Paulo Coelho Book. I liked the story (as it can be applied to all aspects of life, not just "mountains") and I thought it would be a nice way to remember this first walk without Jenny. I have annotated the words with some of my photos from the walk. Here it is .. Geoff Mount Kosciuszko (2,228m) - Fri 1 Jan 2010 Manual for Climbing Mountains by Paulo Coelho (Photos by Geoff):

1. Choose the mountain you want to climb: don’t pay attention to what other people say, such as “that one’s more beautiful” or “this one’s easier”. You’ll be spending lots of energy and enthusiasm to reach your objective, so you’re the only one responsible and you should be sure of what you’re doing.
Mount Kosciuszko - Fri 1 Jan 2010
2. Know how to get close to it: mountains are often seen from far off – beautiful, interesting, full of challenges. But what happens when we try to draw closer? Roads run all around them, flowers grow between you and your objective, what seemed so clear on the map is tough in real life. So try all the paths and all the tracks until eventually one day you’re standing in front of the top that you yearn to reach.
Jo crossing the Snowy River at Charlotte Pass - Fri 1 Jan 2010
3. Learn from someone who has already been up there: no matter how unique you feel, there is always someone who has had the same dream before you and ended up leaving marks that can make your journey easier; places to hang the rope, trails, broken branches to make the walking easier. The climb is yours, so is the responsibility, but don’t forget that the experience of others can help a lot.
Blue Lake - Fri 1 Jan 2010
4. When seen up close, dangers are controllable: when you begin to climb the mountain of your dreams, pay attention to the surroundings. There are cliffs, of course. There are almost imperceptible cracks in the mountain rock. There are stones so polished by storms that they have become as slippery as ice. But if you know where you are placing each footstep, you will notice the traps and how to get around them.
Rock Abstract - Fri 1 Jan 2010 "Green" - Fri 1 Jan 2010
5. The landscape changes, so enjoy it: of course, you have to have an objective in mind – to reach the top. But as you are going up, more things can be seen, and it’s no bother to stop now and again and enjoy the panorama around you. At every meter conquered, you can see a little further, so use this to discover things that you still had not noticed.
"Bush Fires" - Fri 1 Jan 2010 Jo and David - Fri 1 Jan 2010 "Snow" - Fri 1 Jan 2010
6. Respect your body: you can only climb a mountain if you give your body the attention it deserves. You have all the time that life grants you, as long as you walk without demanding what can’t be granted. If you go too fast you will grow tired and give up half way there. If you go too slow, night will fall and you will be lost. Enjoy the scenery, take delight in the cool spring water and the fruit that nature generously offers you, but keep on walking.
Main Range Path - Keep on Walking - Fri 1 Jan 2010
7. Respect your soul: don’t keep repeating “I’m going to make it”. Your soul already knows that, what it needs is to use the long journey to be able to grow, stretch along the horizon, touch the sky. An obsession does not help you at all to reach your objective, and even ends up taking the pleasure out of the climb. But pay attention: also, don’t keep saying “it’s harder than I thought”, because that will make you lose your inner strength.
Lake Albina - Fri 1 Jan 2010
8. Be prepared to climb one kilometer more: the way up to the top of the mountain is always longer than you think. Don’t fool yourself, the moment will arrive when what seemed so near is still very far. But since you were prepared to go beyond, this is not really a problem.
The final km ? - Fri 1 Jan 2010
9. Be happy when you reach the top: cry, clap your hands, shout to the four winds that you did it, let the wind – the wind is always blowing up there – purify your mind, refresh your tired and sweaty feet, open your eyes, clean the dust from your heart. It feels so good, what was just a dream before, a distant vision, is now part of your life, you did it!
Jo - Mount Kosciuszko Summit - Fri 1 Jan 2010 Geoff - Mount Kosciuszko Summit - Fri 1 Jan 2010 Jo and Geoff - Mount Kosciuszko Summit - Fri 1 Jan 2010
10. Make a promise: now that you have discovered a force that you were not even aware of, tell yourself that from now on you will use this force for the rest of your days. Preferably, also promise to discover another mountain, and set off on another adventure.
Mount Kosciuszko Summit - Fri 1 Jan 2010 Jenny - Mount Kosciuszko Summit - Nov 1994
11. Tell your story: yes, tell your story! Give your example. Tell everyone that it’s possible, and other people will then have the courage to face their own mountains.
Seamans Hut - Fri 1 Jan 2010 Our entry - Seamans Hut Diary - Fri 1 Jan 2010

Copyright by Paulo Coelho Welcome to Share with Friends – Free Texts for a Free Internet Jenny and Jo - Main Range Walk - 06 Jan 2002 "Keep on Walking" - Jo - Main Range Walk - Fri 1 Jan 2010

Manual for Climbing Mountains by Paulo Coelho

A repost of a relevant post in order for it to come up on the Tampa 2011 Label. Here it is .. Geoff (23 May 2011).


As we had hoped (see A Familiar Path - "A Walk to Remember" - 28 Nov 2009), Joanne, David and myself did the 22km Main Range Walk on 1 Jan 2010. I recently read the following in a Paulo Coelho Book. I liked the story (as it can be applied to all aspects of life, not just "mountains") and I thought it would be a nice way to remember this first walk without Jenny. I have annotated the words with some of my photos from the walk. Here it is .. Geoff (20 Jan 2010)

Mount Kosciuszko (2,228m) - Fri 1 Jan 2010

Manual for Climbing Mountains by Paulo Coelho (Photos by Geoff):

1. Choose the mountain you want to climb: don’t pay attention to what other people say, such as “that one’s more beautiful” or “this one’s easier”. You’ll be spending lots of energy and enthusiasm to reach your objective, so you’re the only one responsible and you should be sure of what you’re doing.


Mount Kosciuszko - Fri 1 Jan 2010

2. Know how to get close to it: mountains are often seen from far off – beautiful, interesting, full of challenges. But what happens when we try to draw closer? Roads run all around them, flowers grow between you and your objective, what seemed so clear on the map is tough in real life. So try all the paths and all the tracks until eventually one day you’re standing in front of the top that you yearn to reach.


Jo crossing the Snowy River at Charlotte Pass - Fri 1 Jan 2010

3. Learn from someone who has already been up there: no matter how unique you feel, there is always someone who has had the same dream before you and ended up leaving marks that can make your journey easier; places to hang the rope, trails, broken branches to make the walking easier. The climb is yours, so is the responsibility, but don’t forget that the experience of others can help a lot.


Blue Lake - Fri 1 Jan 2010

4. When seen up close, dangers are controllable: when you begin to climb the mountain of your dreams, pay attention to the surroundings. There are cliffs, of course. There are almost imperceptible cracks in the mountain rock. There are stones so polished by storms that they have become as slippery as ice. But if you know where you are placing each footstep, you will notice the traps and how to get around them.


Rock Abstract - Fri 1 Jan 2010
"Green" - Fri 1 Jan 2010

5. The landscape changes, so enjoy it: of course, you have to have an objective in mind – to reach the top. But as you are going up, more things can be seen, and it’s no bother to stop now and again and enjoy the panorama around you. At every meter conquered, you can see a little further, so use this to discover things that you still had not noticed.


"Bush Fires" - Fri 1 Jan 2010
Jo and David - Fri 1 Jan 2010
"Snow" - Fri 1 Jan 2010

6. Respect your body: you can only climb a mountain if you give your body the attention it deserves. You have all the time that life grants you, as long as you walk without demanding what can’t be granted. If you go too fast you will grow tired and give up half way there. If you go too slow, night will fall and you will be lost. Enjoy the scenery, take delight in the cool spring water and the fruit that nature generously offers you, but keep on walking.


Main Range Path - Keep on Walking - Fri 1 Jan 2010

7. Respect your soul: don’t keep repeating “I’m going to make it”. Your soul already knows that, what it needs is to use the long journey to be able to grow, stretch along the horizon, touch the sky. An obsession does not help you at all to reach your objective, and even ends up taking the pleasure out of the climb. But pay attention: also, don’t keep saying “it’s harder than I thought”, because that will make you lose your inner strength.


Lake Albina - Fri 1 Jan 2010

8. Be prepared to climb one kilometer more: the way up to the top of the mountain is always longer than you think. Don’t fool yourself, the moment will arrive when what seemed so near is still very far. But since you were prepared to go beyond, this is not really a problem.


The final km ? - Fri 1 Jan 2010

9. Be happy when you reach the top: cry, clap your hands, shout to the four winds that you did it, let the wind – the wind is always blowing up there – purify your mind, refresh your tired and sweaty feet, open your eyes, clean the dust from your heart. It feels so good, what was just a dream before, a distant vision, is now part of your life, you did it!


Jo - Mount Kosciuszko Summit - Fri 1 Jan 2010

Geoff - Mount Kosciuszko Summit - Fri 1 Jan 2010
Jo and Geoff - Mount Kosciuszko Summit - Fri 1 Jan 2010

10. Make a promise: now that you have discovered a force that you were not even aware of, tell yourself that from now on you will use this force for the rest of your days. Preferably, also promise to discover another mountain, and set off on another adventure.


Mount Kosciuszko Summit - Fri 1 Jan 2010
Jenny - Mount Kosciuszko Summit - Nov 1994

11. Tell your story: yes, tell your story! Give your example. Tell everyone that it’s possible, and other people will then have the courage to face their own mountains.


Seamans Hut - Fri 1 Jan 2010
Our entry - Seamans Hut Diary - Fri 1 Jan 2010

Copyright by Paulo Coelho

Welcome to Share with Friends – Free Texts for a Free Internet

Jenny and Jo - Main Range Walk - 06 Jan 2002

"Keep on Walking" - Jo - Main Range Walk - Fri 1 Jan 2010