I've just been out on a short expedition into the flood waters with my camera. All these photos are taken within 5km of my Home at Norong which is approximately 15km west of Rutherglen 

This week whilst in my favourite Local Bike Shop, West End Bike Hub discussing the fact with Wes that I had actually ridden my mountain bike. (I don't have a close relationship with my mountain bike,after a nasty and embarrassing accident a couple of years ago). Now when Wes let fly with a line from Mulga Bill's Bicycle I was very impressed. First,that he actually new some poetry, and secondly with myself for being able to recite a few lines too. Now I haven't been able to get the poem out of my head all week so I thought it only reasonable "Mulga Bill" grace the pages of the blog this weekend.
Some information about the poem can be found here on Wikipedia. 

I have also ben wondering if there are any other poems related to cycling? If anyone knows of some then post the title in the comments section.

Mulga Bill's bicycle
‘Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze;
He turned away the good old horse that served him many days;
He dressed himself in cycling clothes, resplendent to be seen;
He hurried off to town and bought a shining new machine;
And as he wheeled it through the door, with air of lordly pride,
The grinning shop assistant said, “Excuse me, can you ride?”

“See here, young man,” said Mulga Bill, “from Walgett to the sea,
From Conroy’s Gap to Castlereagh, there’s none can ride like me,
I’m good all round at everything as everybody knows,
Although I’m not the one to talk – I hate a man that blows.
But riding is my special gift, my chiefest, sole delight;
Just ask a wild duck can it swim, a wildcat can it fight.
There’s nothing clothed in hair or hide, or built of flesh or steel,
There’s nothing walks or jumps, or runs, on axle, hoof, or wheel,
But what I’ll sit, while hide will hold and girths and straps are tight:
I’ll ride this here two-wheeled concern right straight away at sight.”

‘Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that sought his own abode,
That perched above Dead Man’s Creek, beside the mountain road.
He turned the cycle down the hill and mounted for the fray,
But ‘ere he’d gone a dozen yards it bolted clean away.
It left the track, and through the trees, just like a silver streak,
It whistled down the awful slope towards the Dead Man’s Creek.

It shaved a stump by half an inch, it dodged a big white-box:
The very wallaroos in fright went scrambling up the rocks,
The wombats hiding in their caves dug deeper underground,
As Mulga Bill, as white as chalk, sat tight to every bound.
It struck a stone and gave a spring that cleared a fallen tree,
It raced beside a precipice as close as close could be;
And then as Mulga Bill let out one last despairing shriek
It made a leap of twenty feet into the Dead Man’s Creek.

‘Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that slowly swam ashore:
He said, “I’ve had some narrer shaves and lively rides before;
I’ve rode a wild bull round a yard to win a five-pound bet,
But this was the most awful ride that I’ve encountered yet.
I’ll give that two-wheeled outlaw best; it’s shaken all my nerve
To feel it whistle through the air and plunge and buck and swerve.
It’s safe at rest in Dead Man’s Creek, we’ll leave it lying still;
A horse’s back is good enough henceforth for Mulga Bill.”

by "Banjo" Paterson

Back at the Rutherglen Wine Bottle tonight, some nice light and a rainbow. The bottom one is 9 photos stitched together but the small space here makes the bottle look tiny.

I'm not sure how easy this will be to read as some of the paint is coming of the sign but here is the plaque on the Wine Bottle with a little of the history. 

I have been trying to get a decent shot of the iconic Rutherglen Wine Bottle for some time. This is taken from the Rutherglen Pound. The Bottle is under threat from being pulled down due to maintenance costs and the community is trying to save it. Fox is spearheading the push to save it so I have had a little fun with one of the images in photoshop and dedicated it to him. I am currently attending a photoshop course at Wodonga Tafe so it is a good chance to practice some of what we are being taught.