Zooks Down Under

[Zooks]

I am an ecological restoration specialist. I have training in horticulture and other 'sciences'. We plant trees along freeway embankments, repair erosion in sand dunes, rehabilitate old mining sites, replant forests after logging operations etc.

Basically anywhere that 'man' has a negative impact on nature we are called into to try and restore the balance.

[widebrother1]

Sounds cool.Outside alot. That would be nice. I am an auto parts/motorcycle parts guy. Have been most of my life along with being a mechanic.
Kerry....

[Zooks]

Sounds cool.Outside alot. That would be nice. I am an auto parts/motorcycle parts guy. Have been most of my life along with being a mechanic.
Kerry....

I was originally a panelbeater (you guys call them auto body repairers). I went to college at night, whilst I was working for a body shop, and studied horticulture. I then left and got a job working in a large tree nursery. That was 18 years ago, the rest is history.

I've employed everyone from garbage collectors to doctors. As long as they are keen to learn (and do a course or two) I'll give them a job. A lot of it is learned 'on the job' anyway.

With mechanical skills, you'd get a job in this country tomorrow. We have a 'skills shortage' down here at the moment. Even with the 'recession' there are still places looking for skilled staff. In the next few months we will back to where we were a year ago - importing labour from the Pacific Islands. http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.co...6/0c025ce6.asp

[RobC]

I have always wanted to visit Australia, ticked me off to no end that I never got to go on a west pac tour while I was in the Navy. Look forward to seeing some more shots in the blog.

If mechanics are in short supply, I wonder if my A&P certificate would be recognized down under .

[Zooks]

I'll do my best at getting some more pics in the blog. Unfortunately we've had a few weeks of intermittent rain here lately and I've not had much chance to get out for a ride (I'm getting cabin fever).

Stay tuned.

[RobC]

I've not had much chance to get out for a ride (I'm getting cabin fever).

I can totally understand that, I started my rebuild on my 850 and was only planning to be down 2 months at the most then life decided to start throwing nothing but curve balls. Needless to say the bike just gives me the evil eye when I go in the shop...

[Stefnwolf]

Zooks,

How does one go about posting a comment on your blog?

All choices require me to sign in somewhere I don't belong to.

If you have a google account, that works. Opening a google account is easy and not too intrusive. I never get any spam from them. Just call up google and type "create google account" and pick a link.

[Buffalo Bill]

Roads?

Zooks, it looks like most of the roads are dead strait down in your part, and only the highways are paved. Is that the way it is?
Other than that, you got a decent job for sure: outside, 3 dimensional, returning landscape to OEM spec., far outside city and suburban crap, easy to get behind those concepts.
Have yet another nice day!
Bill

[Zooks]

Zooks, it looks like most of the roads are dead strait down in your part, and only the highways are paved. Is that the way it is?
Other than that, you got a decent job for sure: outside, 3 dimensional, returning landscape to OEM spec., far outside city and suburban crap, easy to get behind those concepts.
Have yet another nice day!
Bill

Yeah I love my job it's great. Although we do city / urban work as well as rural stuff. I've done everything from planting forests and restoring wetlands to planting a 'man made' rainforest on the roof of an apartment complex.

I'm not sure what you're getting at with the road comment. Our roads are like any other. Some are twisty, some are straight, some are good, some are full of potholes. The only difference between us and you guys is less people/traffic (usually) and we drive on the left the same as the rest of the former Brit empire.

[Zooks]

I thought I should let you all know that I haven't forgotten about the blog. It's been a couple of weeks since I posted on it but we've had almost continuous rain here lately. Australia is famed for being the land of extremes. We've gone from drought to flood in the last 6 months. Maybe I should take up waterskiing instead??

Anyway, I'll put another post up soon. I've been avoiding it because I want it to be a bike riding blog, not just general blah, blah.

It's been so long since I went for a ride I may forget how.

I'm going out the back now to build an ark.

[Buffalo Bill]

How about some maps?

Well I may never get there, but if you blokes could post some maps with good bike routs, that would key some interest here, and some debate among yourselves down under, I'll wager.
Bill

[Beaker]

I have a few documented rides including maps on my site, Cruisin Down Under - one even made it into Australian Road Rider magazine!!

Will create a link to Zooks site I think!!

[KiwiGS]

Well I may never get there, but if you blokes could post some maps with good bike routs, that would key some interest here, and some debate among yourselves down under, I'll wager.
Bill

Here you go mate

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Outram,+New+Zealand&daddr=wanaka+to:queenstown+to:palmerston+to:middlemarch+to:outram&hl=en&geocode=FY8-RP0dXIAlCg%3B%3B%3B%3B%3B&mra=ls&sll=-45.41177,169.688635&sspn=1.816409,3.515625&ie=UTF8&ll=-45.413876,169.683838&spn=1.816285,3.515625&t=h&z=8

Cheers

[Steve]

It's been a couple of weeks since I posted on it but we've had almost continuous rain here lately. Australia is famed for being the land of extremes. We've gone from drought to flood in the last 6 months. Maybe I should take up waterskiing instead??

Congratulations are in order.

I see that you have managed to combine your newly acquired skills in water skiing with motorcycling.
I managed to sneak a photo of your practice session.



.

[Zooks]

I've been real busy with work lately and missed all of these recent posts. The weather has fined up recently but I've been too busy to get out and ride.

GRRRRR

I really have to get my act together.