Australian Thanksgiving

[Hugh Januss]

I send a carton of Foster's your way TFF.

I have it on good authority that TFF does not touch alcohol, not even the minor amount available in Fosters.
I believe the official report was "instant a**hole, just add alcohol"

 

[fatandfast]

I opened this thread wondering what in the world Australians had to be thankful for; after reading the posts, I see the answer is nothing. Crisis averted.

One thing they have to be thankful for is fishing,some of the best I have done all over the world. Another reason to give thanks is the ability to ride motorcycles all over the f'ing place as fast as you want. City riding is like everywhere else, but out in the country allows a holes like myself to ride at unsafe speeds and try and wheelie for a personal record all with seeing a minimum of cars or endangering anybody else. Good beef also...and yes after a great buzz you can enjoy your final few brews of the day play slot machines, aussies f'ing love slot machines! You should probably go over and visit and find love with a girl from the bush,wild style,one of the native girl will redefine Outback.

 

[elapid]

I opened this thread wondering what in the world Australians had to be thankful for; after reading the posts, I see the answer is nothing. Crisis averted.

Weather, riding, food, riding, travel, beers and pubs, riding, scuba diving, sailing, riding, fishing, beaches, surfing, riding, sport (Aussie Rules Football, rugby union, cricket), wines, riding. I am sure I have missed a few things!

 

[Tugboat]

The only snake I have seen on a ride in Australia was a Brown Tree Snake - mildly venomous, but nothing compared to the others we have. Plenty of snakes on the farm and during camping holidays, lots of funnel web spiders at my Dad's home in Sydney, and crocs and box jelly fish at my grandparent's home in Cairns. But the closest I've been to getting bitten while exercising was a trail run in Fort Collins when I almost ran over two mating rattlesnakes. Coitus interruptus = two very mad rattlesnakes!

I came across a brown snake (deadly version) squished on the road out the back of Stirling way in the Adelaide Hills a couple of years ago when out for a ride. Pretty decent sized sucker too.

Adelaide and snakes gives me the s**ts too. There are bike paths in places around the city where there are signs warning to keep to the path because of snakes. Last year when I was over there for the TDU I remember reading in the paper about someone being airlifted to hospital after being bitten at the Waterfall Gully reserve on the edge of the city... 3rd week of the year and it was already the 6th snake bite victim they'd had!!

 

[Greg Johnson]

I would think you guys would celebrate making it through the year without being killed by one of the many forms of deadly wildlife.

Ha! You'd have to go seriously out of your way to come across those various issues in a day. But yes, we've got one or two.

Cheers
Greg Johnson

 

[BroDeal]

Weather, riding, food, riding, travel, beers and pubs, riding, scuba diving, sailing, riding, fishing, beaches, surfing, riding, sport (Aussie Rules Football, rugby union, cricket), wines, riding. I am sure I have missed a few things!

You forgot the magpies.

 

[elapid]

You forgot the magpies.

You are so right. Maggies are probably the scariest every day wildlife Australians face. Snakes avoid contact if possible, funnel web spiders are localized and can be avoided by taking precautions, as can crocs and box jellyfish, and sharks are rare, but magpies are everywhere and they are not pleasant during breeding season when they are very protective of their nests and young.

 

[Hugh Januss]

You are so right. Maggies are probably the scariest every day wildlife Australians face. Snakes avoid contact if possible, funnel web spiders are localized and can be avoided by taking precautions, as can crocs and box jellyfish, and sharks are rare, but magpies are everywhere and they are not pleasant during breeding season when they are very protective of their nests and young.

Australia seems like it is one giant "When Wild Animals Attack" show.

 

[elapid]

Australia seems like it is one giant "When Wild Animals Attack" show.

My Dad and I used to catch snakes (well, my Dad really) and I have many fond memories of camping, looking for snakes, being sent up trees to get bird eggs, etc. I also had an affinity for the water and wanted to be a shark hunter until I was 14 yo (now there is no way that I would want any shark to be hunted). Anyway, here are some photos of Australia lifted from the net and my own photos of the good, bad and ugly of Australia.

Inland Taipan, the most venomous snake in the world. Average bite = 44mg venom; lethal dose at which 50% of mice are killed (LD50) = 0.010mg/kg; and 218,000 mice killed at LD50 with average venom yield/bite.

Taipan, the most dangerous snake in the world. Average bite = 120mg venom (and typically strikes 5 times per second); LD50 = 0.064mg/kg; and 95,000 mice killed at LD50 with average venom yield/bite. Grows up to 12 feet in length.

The Eastern Brown Snake, which is dangerous because it is the most common venomous snake in suburban environments and tends to be aggressive. Average bite = 2mg venom; LD50 = 0.040mg/kg; and 2,500 mice killed at LD50 with average venom yield/bite.

And finally the Tiger Snake, which is the first venomous snake my Dad and I learned how to catch. Average bite = 35mg venom; LD50 = 0.118mg/kg; and 15,000 mice killed at LD50 with average venom yield/bite.

 

[craig1985]

Didn't Paul Keating (our ex-PM and is great for off the handle rants) say Australia is the "a**e end of the world"?

 

[usedtobefast]

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

 

[Barracuda]

We celebrate Thanksgivings 365 days a year, eat some potato chips with tomato sauce, drink beer that doesn't taste like diluted urine and thank F%&* we're not Americans...

Agree with the man from Willunga, And why do people associate Australia with Fosters ??? The stuff does taste like crap and thats the reason we export it !! To get rid of the S#@T. Coopers Pale Ale from good old South Australia is the way to go!!

Poisonous snakes in the back yard, Red back spiders in the house, 365 days of good food, wine, surf beaches and great riding ... whats not to celebrate ... just dont call it by another nations name.

By the way .... brown snakes arent real sociable when you get in their way. The suckers are pretty keen to have a crack if and when need be! I would take my chances with a Magpie any day. Ive experienced both and the black and white bird gets my vote.

 

[elapid]

The Funnel Web Spider is scary. The fangs are over 1cm long, females grow to 7cm in length, they are aggressive and will attack, you have to check your shoes in the morning to make sure there are none hiding in there, and an antivenom was only discovered in the last 20 years. Before the antivenom, a child was reported to have died within 15 minutes of a Funnel Web Spider bite.

Aquatic nasties include salt water crocodiles, Great White Sharks and Box Jellyfish. Salties are protected in Australia, can grow to over 18 feet and weigh 1,000kg. For some reason, tourism from Germany to Australia increases after a crocodile attack!

Great White Sharks need no introduction, but lethal shark attacks are relatively rare in Australia (less than 1/year on average). Most shark attacks are exploratory bites because humans look like turtles or seals when on a surfboard.

And finally the Box Jellyfish or sea wasp. These are actually one of the most venomous creatures in the world. They are transparent and their tentacles can be longer than 20m. Swimming is not recommended on northern beaches during summer months and vinegar bottles are stationed regularly along the beaches because the acetic acid in vinegar disables the nematocysts from expelling more venom into the skin.

 

[elapid]

And finally the beautiful. Need I say more:

 

[elapid]

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

Yes, I like snakes! Well done on cracking my username.

 

[elapid]

And finally some photos of rides (from my trip back home in April). The Dandenongs (5-8% for 7-10km) near Melbourne:

Around the Kinglake West area about two months after the devastating Black Saturday bushfires:

And the road from Cairns to Port Douglas in tropical Queensland:

 

[auscyclefan94]

We celebrate Thanksgivings 365 days a year, eat some potato chips with tomato sauce, drink beer that doesn't taste like diluted urine and thank F%&* we're not Americans...

Amen. WE are not americans and don't need thanksgiving.

 

[BroDeal]

The Funnel Web Spider is scary. The fangs are over 1cm long, females grow to 7cm in length, they are aggressive and will attack, you have to check your shoes in the morning to make sure there are none hiding in there...

There goes the thoughts of visiting Australia. Spiders with 1cm fangs are a dealbreaker.

 

[BroDeal]

I may need to rethink my last post.

 

[auscyclefan94]

There goes the thoughts of visiting Australia. Spiders with 1cm fangs are a dealbreaker.

Where were you planning or would like to go to in OZ? (melbourne, it's the best)
if you come to melbourne and want to do some riding i suggest beach rd. their are some serious cyclists out there and tonnes of them.

Melbourne was voted the sporting capital of the world. it also has the worlds best food, music and arts. A lot of tourist atractions here and friendly people. melbourne was voted a few years a go the best city in the world. Us melbourninas already knew that but now it's official.

p.s. don't go to sydney. it's overated and only has an opera house and a bridge

 

[craig1985]

There goes the thoughts of visiting Australia. Spiders with 1cm fangs are a dealbreaker.

Honestly, unless you go looking for the dangerous spiders or snakes, you won't have a problem. In urban areas at least. I can count the amount of times on one hand that I have seen a red back spider in nearly 11 years.

 

[elapid]

There goes the thoughts of visiting Australia. Spiders with 1cm fangs are a dealbreaker.

I'm just trying to scare ya! Craig1985 is right - you really have to go out of your way to find some of these critters. Most are more scared of you than you are of them. They will defend if cornered, but escape if possible. Don't let these deter you from visiting Australia - it's a beautiful country with magnificent beaches, outback, food, wine and beer, and of course women!

 

[Hugh Januss]

I'm just trying to scare ya! Craig1985 is right - you really have to go out of your way to find some of these critters. Most are more scared of you than you are of them. They will defend if cornered, but escape if possible. Don't let these deter you from visiting Australia - it's a beautiful country with magnificent beaches, outback, food, wine and beer, and of course women!

Of course "cornering" one of them doesn't have to consist of anything more than accidentally sitting down too close to them.

 

[usedtobefast]

Yes, I like snakes! Well done on cracking my username.

i did that a while back. now we know why you use it. those snakes are badssa.
still a beautiful country.

 

[craig1985]

You should move here IMO.