9January2010

Quote 38 – Rudyard Kipling

Posted by Mick under: Quotes.

“All things considered there are only two kinds of men in the world – those that stay at home and those that do not.”
Rudyard Kipling – A British author and poet.

NVUB8DVE8ZHE

1January2010

Best wishes for 2010

Posted by Mick under: Misc.

May all of your expeditions in 2010 be interesting and all that you want them to be :)

24December2009

Merry Christmas from ExpeditionOz

Posted by Mick under: Misc.

Have a great Christmas :)

YouTube link

12November2009

Win $2,500 of Vaude adventure gear

Posted by Mick under: Misc; Websites.

The team over at the great outdoor adventure magazine Outer Edge are running a competition where you can win $2,500 worth of Vaude adventure gear.

Oh yeah…i hear that an audio or video entry would be seen as favourable at the moment ;)

And while you are over at the site register for the forum and help grow what could turn out to be a great local resource for discussing adventure activities and products.

3November2009

OziExplorer 3D

Posted by Mick under: Equipment Review; Maps & Compasses.

I recently picked up a copy of the great OziExplorer GPS mapping software, the OziExplorer3D add-on and a selection of maps.

I’ve always liked the capabilities of the OziExplorer software and the price point is pretty good…but the OziExplorer3D software is brilliant for trip planning.

I’ve thrown two screen shots of the Upper Yarra Valley around Warburton showing a section of the standard topo map and a 3D version of the same area.

If you are picking up a copy of OziExplorer i highly recommend that you grab OziExplorer3D as well :)

31October2009

Silva Compass

Posted by Mick under: Maps & Compasses.

About a week ago i picked up a Silva Expedition 4 Compass and i’m looking forward to trying it out on the next walking expedition.

Silva Expedition 4 Compass, a great baseplate compass for experienced navigators from Silva with almost everything you would need from a compass. Magnifier, millimetre and inch scales. Romer scales: 1:63.360 1:50.000 1:25.000. A compass with extra functionality for GPS users.

Features:

• Easy map/compass works with the Silva 1-2-3 System
• Ergonomically shaped baseplate of scratch resistant acrylic
• Three silicone feet prevent the compass from sliding off the map
• Stencil holes in the base plate for exact position markings on the map
• Luminous points for night navigation
• Romer scales for plotting positions on maps
• Patented red/black north/south lines in the capsule for quick and correct course setting
• Accuracy max 1.0° from true course
• Swedish quality steel compass needle
• North indicator on the red end of the compass needle
• Sapphire jewel bearing
• Magnifying lens

It’s been a while since i’ve used a baseplate compass for navigation…but i’m sure it will all come back to me :)

1October2009

Outer Edge Magazine online

Posted by Mick under: Websites.

For those of you that might be fans of one of the better outdoor / adventure magazines produced in Australia, like me, then you might be interested in checking out the website of Outer Edge magazine.

The site contains information on the latest issue of the magazine, news stories, event information, product reviews, podcasts and videos, competitions, links to other outdoor and adventure related sites and a community sections containing a blog and a forum.

29September2009

New Altitude Boots

Posted by Mick under: Boots; Equipment.

Well…after close to six years of wear and tear I finally had to accept the fact that my North Face boots, which I bought at the REI store in Seattle in 2004, had lost all of their tread and were no longer safe to wear on trips out into the big blue room…though they are still perfectly OK for wearing around the property whilst doing the odd job here and there and i will get a few more years out of them.

So a few weeks ago I set out on the great boot hunt…after much oohing and aahing at boots in the $300+ range, early last week I decided on a set of Hi-Tec Altitude IV WP leather boots from my favourite outdoor store, Anaconda for $229 during one of their great sales.

I was also checking out the new Denali mid hike boots and the Gondwana Longford boots, which they didn’t have in my size. I have quite a bit of equipment and clothing from both Denali and Gondwana, which I have been very happy with, but I might wait for them to make a few more boots as I believe that this is their first attempt at supplying a hiking boot.

Anyway…back to the Hi-Tec purchase. The boot spec’s and some images are below and I’ll give them a good work out over the coming months and report on my thoughts.

Hi-Tec Altitude IV WP
Brown Full Grain

Features

• Waterproof seam sealed full grain leather upper
• Soft padded leather collar
• Fully gusseted leather tongue
• Rustproof brass hardware
• Comfort-Tec sockliner
• Board lasted with steel shank for added rigidity
• Lightweight CMEVA midsole
• Durable carbon rubber hiking outsole

20August2009

149 years ago today

Posted by Mick under: Historical Info.

149 years ago today, at around 4pm on August the 20th 1860, the “Victorian Exploring Expedition”, (later to be known as the Burke & Wills Expedition), departed on their ill-fated journey from Royal Park in Melbourne to the sound of cheering from thousands of people.

Burke’s farewell speech from the Burke & Wills Web website …

The Victorian Exploring Expedition left Royal Park, Melbourne on Monday 20th August 1860. Originally intending to leave at 1.00 pm, it was 4.00 pm before the party got away. Dr Eades, Mayor of Melbourne, mounted one of the drays and made a speech.

“Mr Burke, I am fully aware that the grand assemblage, this day, while it has impeded your movements in starting, is at the same time a source of much gratification to you. It assures you of the most sincere sympathy of the citizens. (Hear hear), I will not detain you; but for this great crowd, and on behalf of the colony at large, I say – God speed you ! (Cheers).”
His worship the Mayor then called for three cheers for Burke, then three cheers for Mr Landells and then three cheers for the party as a whole. Mr Eades then said ;

“God speed and bless you !”
…to which Burke replied;

“Mr Mayor, On behalf of myself and the expedition, I beg to return to you my most sincere thanks. No expedition has ever started under such favourable circumstances as this. The people, the Government, the Committee – all have done heartily what they could do. It is now our turn, and we shall never do well until we entirely justify what you have done in showing what we can do (Cheers).”

The band struck up “CHEER BOYS, CHEER” and the party headed northwards in the direction of the Sarah Sands Hotel before turning and traversing the whole length of the Park to the south gate and passing then round the cattle yards, the camels’ manure pile and then past the swamp and out of the South Gate onto Flemington Road then Mount Alexander Road towards Essendon.

While it is without a doubt one of the most famous and talked about expedition’s undertaken on the Australian mainland, it was also possibly one of the most badly organised expedition’s as well.

From the Burke and Wills Expedition Wikipedia entry…

In 1860-61 Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills led an expedition of 19 men with the intention of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, a distance of around 2,800 kilometres (1,750 miles). At that time most of the inland of Australia had not been explored by non-indigenous people and was completely unknown to the European settlers.

The south-north leg was successfully completed (except they were stopped by swampland 5 kilometres (3 miles) from the northern coastline) but owing to poor leadership and bad luck, both of the expedition’s leaders died on the return journey. All together, seven men lost their lives, and only one man, John King, travelled the entire expedition and returned alive to Melbourne.

I’ve posted most of these links before, but since it’s the 149th anniversary of the expedition starting, i thought i would post them again.

Along with the Wikipedia entry, you can find a heap more information, photos, maps, and other things, at the links below.

Burke & Wills Web
Lots of info over at this website, including the Buke & Wills Walk.

The Burke and Wills Historical Society
A group of Burke and Wills enthusiasts who also run the Burke & Wills Conference every two years, with the next one being held at the Dig Tree (near Coopers Creek in Queensland) in 2011.

The Burke & Wills Walk 2008
Dave Phoenix is retracing the route of the Burke & Wills Expedition on foot and departed from Royal Park on the 1st if August 2008. You can track his progress via his blog.

Across Australia with Burke and Wills
A Google Earth Community complete with details Google Earth KML file and Google Maps route as well.

Memorials
A list of Burke and Wills memorials at White Hat.

In the Tracks of Burke and Wills
Follow Mike Wills (fourth cousin, four times removed of William John Wills) and friends as they trace the route of the Burke & Wills Expedition.

I would also recommend reading a book that was published in 2002 and written by Sarah Murgatroyd called, “The Dig Tree”, which is probably one of the better books about the expedition, and is available to buy online at Westprint.

6July2009

Quote 37 – Henry David Thoreau

Posted by Mick under: Quotes.

“A traveller. I love his title. A traveller is to be reverenced as such. His profession is the best symbol of our life. Going from – toward; it is the history of every one of us. It is a great art to saunter.”
Henry David Thoreau – An American author.

29June2009

Quote 36 – Sir Richard Francis Burton

Posted by Mick under: Quotes.

“Of the gladest moments in human life, methinks is the departure upon a distant journey to unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of habit, the leaden weight of Routine, the cloak of many Cares and the Slavery of Home, man feels once more happy. The blood flows with the fast circulation of childhood….afresh dawns the morn of life…”
Sir Richard Francis Burton – A British explorer from the 1800’s.

22June2009

ExpeditionOz becomes ExpeditionOz Services

Posted by Mick under: Expeditionoz Services.

After putting this off for a number years, in early June 2009 I finally transformed “ExpeditionOz” from being a blog into a business called “ExpeditionOz Services“.

Here is the blurb as taken from the “about us” page of the website:

Our heritage in planning trips, and later expeditions, started in the late 1980’s when i took on roles such as tour and production manager for a number of bands and live corporate events around Australia and the Australasian region. These roles included organising transport (ie. personnel buses and vehicles, planes, equipment transport trucks, transport planes, boats, etc) and sourcing equipment, accommodation, food services, communications and a variety of staff.

Travelling around Australia for large periods of time and to a number of remote places gave me a taste for exploring not only our own amazing continent but other areas of the world in further detail. Between 1990 and today I have undertaken many trips, the longest of which have included exploring the Swiss Alps for three weeks and spending five weeks in the Australian outback exploring regions such as the Strzelecki Desert, Lake Eyre, the Woomera region including Lake Gairdner, the Painted and Pedirka Desert, the Petermann Ranges, Palm Valley, the Tanami Desert and the east Kimberley.

So this new found love of spending time in the big blue room resulted in the starting of a blog called “ExpeditionOz” in 2003, which was to highlight the personal trips I was undertaking, along with equipment reviews and news of outdoor equipment and gadgets that we found interesting.

Well…after six years, and thousands of kilometres of travelling, the launching of the fifth version of the website is an important step, as it also is the start of turning my little personal website into an expedition planning business called “ExpeditionOz Services“.

While the head quarters of ExpeditionOz Services is located in the mountains of the Great Dividing Range, about 100km east of Melbourne in the Australian State of Victoria, we provide a variety of services for locations both in and out of Australia, which over the next six months will include the following:

• Expedition Planning & Services
• Online & Offline Mapping
• Hosted Expedition Websites
• Remote Photography & Video Production
• An Equipment Store
• Remote Site Surveying
• ExpeditionOz Expeditions

We can offer most of the above services at the moment, with the intention being to scale our availability as the need arises, and we are more than happy to work with you on planning your personal, business or scientific expedition, no matter how large or small your expedition or budget is.

In addition to planning your own expedition, we will occasionally be offering the opportunity for people to join with us in some of our own expeditions. Our most current and ongoing personal expedition entails climbing the highest peak in each of the Australian States. A number of expeditions are currently in planning for 2010 and 2011 as well.

The blog portion of the website will continue to highlight my personal stories and photos from my various travels, as well as providing a place to find links and information to some of the interesting places, people and equipment that seem to emanate from the outdoor travel, adventure sport and expedition community, particularly from Australia.

Mick Stanic
CEO – Chief Expedition Officer
Monday the 15th of June 2009

Me on top of Mt Kosciuszko, which at 2,228m is the highest mountain on the Australian mainland.

ExpeditionOz Services is a division of Honeysuckle Creek Pty Ltd.

2February2009

Quote 35 – Helen Keller

Posted by Mick under: Quotes.

“Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing.”
Helen Keller – An American author and activist.

29January2009

Tracking your location from a mobile phone

Posted by Mick under: Equipment Review; Maps & Compasses.

You can track my (almost) current location, by checking out the items below, which are provided by two different services that utilise a JAVA MIDP2.0 application loaded onto my ZTE T165i mobile phone along with its internal GPS device.

The first two come from TrackMyJourney, which provides a bundle of GPS related data on your phone as well as linking your location (and recent track) into an image that auto-update’s as well as a standalone still image. While this service doesn’t utilise any of the major online mapping services (Windows Live, Google Maps. etc) on your phone, it does provide a utility allowing you to import any maps you do own after converting them to the TMG format.

Unfortunately, for some reason TrackMyJourney occasionally seems to think that i am located at 0°0′0″N and 0°0′0″E

The next service, from GMap-Track, provides a very simple output showing your last reported location on a map (Windows Live, Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, etc) in your mobile, as well as the ability to embed a Google Map into a web page.

While both applications are good and easy to use, and GMap-Track is great from a web page embedding perspective, TrackMyJourney does provide a lot more info and options, but…it would be nice to see it include the option to utilise map images from Windows Live, Google Maps and others if you required them.

26January2009

Quote 34 – Ernest Giles

Posted by Mick under: Quotes.

“The wild charm and exciting desire that induce an individual to undertake the arduous tasks that lie before an explorer, and the pleasure and delight of visiting new and totally unknown places, are only whetted by his first attempt.”
Ernest Giles – An Australian explorer from the late 1800’s..