Big Things Tour

18/02/2024

Help. We need a cure. Your $$$ can make all the difference.

14/02/2024

Today’s vinyl album cover by Emma Hannah.

Emma is suggesting that her listeners should Be a Lady in the Daytime.

Hopefully her next album advises us what to do during the nightime.

04/02/2024

I’ve seen at least 150. How many have you seen?

04/02/2024

How many have you seen? Big Lap Legends Tees with the TOP 100 Big Things in Australia List on the back…. Now available from our store … THIS IS BIG

05/01/2024

Life is like a box of chocolates………or is it motorbikes?

I am on my favourite motorbike. It is very powerful. I can overtake everything in a split second. No effort required. Just a peek around the side, a twist of the wrist. Boom. I’m there. I might even press my indicator. I’ve been told that’s the right thing to do. Alert the world that I’m making my move. By the time the blinker blinks, I’m already there.

Behind big trucks there is the rooster tail of wind. It is like the wake left behind a boat. There is a position up very close to the truck, where you are protected from the wind flowing down both sides of the trailer. There is less wind buffeting right there. Up very close everything is quieter. The truck is doing the hard work. It can seem like a motorcyclists place of rest. Protection from the wind and that pesky rain that seems to have no positive outcome for a motorcyclist. You can ride there all day long. It is your choice. You’ll burn less fuel. Its physically more economical for you as well. It’s comfortable back here but the view never changes. You are in the shadow of the truck and people never get to see you coming.

If you position yourself a little further back again then you risk sitting in that place where the two sides of the rooster tail merge into 1 and buffett you from side to side. From your head down to your waist you are jostled from side to side and you physically can’t resist the movement. I've never felt like my head is going to leave my body in this position, but you feel like one of those giant inflatable men announcing a car sale is happening this weekend.

Just a little further back again and the single stream of wind is like a wall forcing you to tuck into your most streamlined shape to arrow through the air and reduce resistance.

If you decide that it is time to overtake to move out of this position from the protection of the truck then timing is obviously critical. The moment presents itself and you take the risk. You believe its your time to take the lead, then everything changes. The instant that you pull out and begin to pass you are blasted head on with the full force of wind and weather conditions on offer. Once you’ve made that commitment though, you need to follow through. It would be more dangerous to change your mind now. The decision is made and the future is bright. You pass the truck and tuck into your new position.

You can now see the roadkill in varying degrees of decomposition and flatness. Will I scoot left, right or grab on tight and go straight over the top? Now I know to hold my breath as I pass the kangaroo carcass, 3 days old lying in the hot, harsh, outback Australian summer sun. Once they are dead they then blow up very big. Just after that state is the smell you want to avoid when on a bike. POW.

Every vehicle of choice offers varying degrees of likely outcomes in the adventure of life. Cars are safer. They are. Sorry fellow biker’s/bikies (there is a difference btw). I am not one of those leather vested die hards, sporting my brand of motorbike tattoo on my upper right shoulder that is blinded by some brotherhood agreement that we now don’t like anything about cars because they are more comfortable and safe.

I have hit a Kangaroo (roo for Ozzie spectators) on a 1600cc cruiser with my wife as pillion just under 100k’s an hour and not dismounted.

As a family with cars, we have also run over most of the animals that disembarked with Noah after the big flood. When I say we have run over all these animals, it is mostly my wife. She thinks the speedo and tacho are like strobe lights on a disco floor. They move backward and forwards for atmospheric effect and are not for looking at directly. Animals are not safe on the road when she is behind a steering wheel.

Kylie saves the use of most of her senses for other occasions in life. She uses just two of them when driving. Touch and sound. The only dash instrument that she occasionally glances at is the clock which alerts her as to how much pressure she needs to apply to her accelerator. She was taught these methods by learning to drive on a farm and from her mother delivering the children to the out of town bus stop at speeds of just under 200km/h. I am not lying and I’m not even exaggerating. You ask the local cops.

I equate our choice of vehicle and decisions regarding how to use them with life choices.

My placement in my lane.

The high road or the low road type scenario. You take the high road and I’ll take the low road.

Sealed verses the unsealed and the likely outcomes.

Risk and reward.

What risks are we prepared to take in life to pursue what we perceive to be a desired outcome?

Will I invest in my own home and position myself long term in a city or a town?

Can comfort turn to discomfort? If so, how do I process that?

Wages are sensible. Small business is fraught with complexities often unknown until you’ve pulled out into the buffeting wind.

Should I be sensible/conservative in my approach and play the long game on the road to success?

What is success and how do I measure it?

Does it have a risk verse reward equation?

How do I make these complex decisions anyway?

When people I know are frail or suffering, or have even just died, I question all sorts of thoughts that I have regarding my life choices and how I am travelling through the many roads on offer.

Do you?

118 likes, 19 comments. “How would you react? Whats your travel meltdown moment? Here we are … of couses we are here where else would we be. Big Aventures are not always easy. we stop to asscess the damage.. this is BIG. Big Things Tour team.”

29/09/2023

Anything BIG!!!

Until recently, Big Things have been dismissed as ‘kitschy’ or ’tacky’, and not ’serious’ art. UniSC historian and expert on Australia's Big Things Dr Amy Clarke explains.

04/09/2023

The Big Banana 🍌

🍌🍌🍌Hot off the press 🍌🍌🍌
We have been very busy with an exciting project with The Royal Australian Mint and Australia Post!! Celebrating the weird and wonderful Big Things found across Australia with this latest coin collection.
Collect 10 different coins, each celebrating one of our Aussie Big Things. There's Western Australia's Giant Ram, while South Australia boasts The Big Lobster and Northern Territory's The Big Jumping Crocodile. Heading east Queensland's The Big Pineapple and 🍌🍌🍌The Big Banana🍌🍌🍌 of New South Wales make a tasty fruit salad, then travelling south, there's The Big Blue Heeler of New South Wales, Canberra's Big Swoop, Victoria's Giant Koala and Giant Murray Cod, and The Big Tasmanian Devil on our island state of Tasmania.
Purchase the Coin Collection Folder with 10-Coin Tube Set for a chance of receiving a special coloured ‘Giant Murray Cod’ Coin
Learn more here: bit.ly/AussieBigThings
Available now through the following channels:
- Australia Post online shop
- Participating Post Offices
- Royal Australian Mint Call Centre
- Royal Australian Mint Coin Shop

04/09/2023

A BIG Magpie!!!

Just 18 months after swooping into Canberra, a giant magpie is being recognised as one of the nation's top 'big things' on new $1 coins from the Royal Australian Mint.

04/08/2023

See it… the splash 🐳

30/07/2023

A very cool part of the world… Redcliff. Anyone been there?

27/06/2023

Ever wanted to Walk the NSW South Coast?

River Crossings, Stunning Beaches, Camping under the Stars. National Parks, sunshine and wet weather these Two Happy Gypsies walk from Eden on the NSW South ...

18/06/2023

This was our latest BIG Adventure… 1000km round trip for some incredible gatherings on our 38 year old Honda 250cc .. the Pillion seat is NOT BIG hahahaha so our butts were feeling it. Amazing adventure that began with ‘this is what we have so let’s GO ANYWAY’ … and was filled with crazy amazing roads, scenery and lots of potholes … top speed 70kmh yep it took us lots of days… Get Out There!!! This is BIG!!

18/06/2023

Whale watching with the BIG Crew… we saw lots of the top of whales, one breech and no captures… sometimes putting the camera away and breathing in the moment is what it’s all about… bliss. 🐳 🐋 🐳 🐋

18/06/2023

This is a seriously BIG BOOT! 🥾 it’s always a hoot with the The Big Things Crew.

23/03/2023

Like the most beautiful waterfall…. Wow!!

https://www.instagram.com/phil_torres/How many butterflies does it take to make a noise in the woods? A few million. Watch (and listen!) as these monarchs pu...

06/02/2023

What vehicle should we do this trip in?

Love to know your suggestions.
This road runs from Cape Town (South Africa) to Magadan (Russia). No need for planes or boats, there are bridges. It's a 22,387 kilometers (13911 miles) and it takes 4,492 hours to travel.

If we walked It would take approximately 187 days nonstop, or 561 days walking 8 hours a day. Along the route, you pass through 17 countries, six time zones and all seasons of the year.

04/02/2023

These are BIG Lemons … sounds like it’s time for a trip to Capri

The Giant Lemons of CAPRI, ITALY ♥️

04/02/2023

From Little things Big Things grow ….

https://m.facebook.com/coffslocalhistory/photos/a.554913751340860/731215733710660/?type=3&mibextid=qC1gEa

The Big Banana, photo taken in 1965. Note the visitors welcome garden! Photo kindly shared by Peter Lockyer.
Addit: There were two couples who built and owned the BIG Banana in 1965, John and Stella Enevoldson (Stella has Greek heritage) and John and Betty Landi. (John Landi was Amercian). Note the Greek and American flags flying in this picture. Additional information from Helene Enevoldson with thanks.

04/01/2023

Now this is a BIG tree…. Found behind the Grafton Regional Gallery in the beautiful Clarence Valley

20/09/2022

Getting decked out before we ride straight into the rain. Plastic bags over our socks and gloves also proves to be a winner.