Canberra, Australia via SCL - Daniel Boyle

[C-Fan]

Exciting to hear you pushing your fearless, and getting so close to altitude sickness.

Top post painting:



Chuck Close- Big Self Portrait, 1967

Chuck Close is one of my favorite portrait artists. He usually does really close up ones of people faces, almost like mugshots, very raw and unglamorous. He also does them with very interesting pointillist techniques, breaking up a photo into a grid and then painting each cell in the grid individually. I've seen some where it's entirely done with his fingerprints. The final results almost look like photos in some cases (some he does with wild colors), but they're all deeply engrossing to me.

[boyle]

Do they have a dedicated Portrait Gallery anywhere around you? I think the one here was actually the first dedicated National Portrait Gallery, I imagine you would like it a lot.

[boyle]

Hi mates

It's nearing 1am and I'm at work. Fun times....

Maybe not so much, but it's only a few days until we go to Chile and I negotiated to have tomorrow off, so it's no big problem.

Let's talk about fun times instead. I posted this clip on Instagram and on Facebook as well.

[instagram]https://www.instagram.com/p/BM-vo4fB4I7[/instagram]

We stayed the weekend at the beach and had a place that literally backed onto the beach (actually my relatives were staying on this one, we were across the road). I wanted to get a few contacts with the view and managed quite a long run. That was a good feat in itself because right there where I was playing was this little hook in the ground which was a major trip hazard. It's actually just out of shot but luckily you didn't see me flying through the air if I had have hit that bump.

Anyway, there were lots of positive comments on the Facebook post, and some old heads, guys like Brendan Erskine, he was one of the really early players in Australia, he was well overshadowed by Lynton Stephens, but he was quite a good player in the early 2000s when I started getting into things. He said he hadn't played in about 5 years since injuring a hamstring playing footbag golf, I told him he should be recovered by now so should start playing again...

I just had a count, the run was 35 contacts, and I think there were 16 BOPS. I think that (just under 50%) is quite a reasonable percentage.

So I posted something else on Instagram the day before, something which I have been talking about a while. Spinning ducking motion.

[instagram]https://www.instagram.com/p/BM7c-l6hJ8K[/instagram]

I was talking to Caroline afterwards on the phone, seems she has lucked into a beachside house on the Gold Coast, which sounds pretty cool. I saw her mention that Adam Greenwood is going to come out to Australia for a while, that's pretty good too.

Back to that beachside view video, that's something that I would have liked to submit for the Collab video, but at the time I wasn't getting much good on film. The last time we went to Mollymook I actually made a video, I should have just used a clip from that instead of making the whole video, but I thought I would get something better. Obviously I didn't so I didn't submit anything to the video. Next time...

[Tjuggles]

Wow, great run (with a great backdrop) and great trick! Is that alpine sickness? How is your other side looking?

[boyle]

I don't think the other side would work. I'm sure the trick has a real name, I mentioned that it should be called altitude sickness (it's alpine motion sickness). Other side needs a lot of work, I'm just starting to get all of the elements more consistent. It would be a long shot to get something like that.

[h0ag3yb3atZ]

Props on alpine sickness man, thats massive, i can't quite wrap my head around a motion after a duck

[boyle]

I haven't been able to get just a regular ducking motion yet though...will have to get that one soon.

[boyle]

Today is one week since we have been in Chile. It's been very hot here the whole time. Haven't got to play too much, but yesterday I got a few 20 plus contact runs and played a bit in the plaza down the road.

My parents arrived today, they are staying at a hotel with a cool roof, might try and get a short clip there. I brought my gopro over but I haven't touched it as yet. I will definitely make use when we are down in Patagonia.


Killswitch Engage annouced they are going to play the Alive or Just Breathing album on their Aus tour next year, so I got a ticket for that. Can't wait.

[boyle]

I managed another session today. Francisca has gone out with some friends so once Nico was in bed I was able to get in a kick outside not far away.

I gave myself a target of a run of 25+ and managed a 39 and 41. Both had a couple of 5s in the mid 30s which was good.


Came very close to ducking drifter, which I have not hit before. Not so close but within the realms of possibility is pixie ducking motion. That might be a while away. Also played around with outside stall. Stepping outside stall to blender probably the highlight and a little bit of spinning.

The freestyle football world tour was on in Melbourne this weekend. Looked like a cool event, I hope they do it again next year. I am sure there is scope to have footbag involved.

[Tjuggles]

Came very close to ducking drifter, which I have not hit before.

One thing about ducking drifters I like, and I noticed it with morpheus too, is that there is a set trajectory which allows for a smooth, deep duck, a deep drifter dex, and a good delay, all in what feels like an effortless trick. Also, I feel like the trick is such that if done properly, you aren't really waiting for the bag to come around after duck before the dex; the drifter dex sort of naturally begins as you shift your weight after the duck.

Just a little food for thought. Hope it makes sense.

[boyle]

Yeah I had the idea to try it after reading your blog. I hope to get it in the next couple of sessions.

[boyle]

Very pleased with the reception to my Joulu video. Lots of new tricks this week.


Ducking motion
Diving motion
Fairy motion
Flip diving whirl
Gyro symp mirage
Gyro blender
Gyro miraging pickup
Gyro barrage


So that's a good haul from the last couple of days. We have pool here so I have been hitting up the swim shred sessions and that's been good.

[boyle]

There's been quite a haul of new tricks this trip.


Most importantly


Stepping ducking motion
Pixie diving motion
Alpine pixie paradon
Zulu motion


I am a bit disappointed in myself, but it's also very useful, I got internet credit to use here on the phone. I was just using wifi here and there bit it was becoming a problem.


We are off to Patagonia tomorrow. Looking forward to that.

[boyle]

I was thinking of doing a year wrap up post but there's still some more year to come so I might leave that.

We went down to Patagonia and had some great scenery there, very windy though but I hopefully have enough to make a short video.

I went down to where we used to live and filmed a short Instagram clip which went down well. Motion sickness has become a fairly standard trick for me which is kind of cool.

I am now up to 4 x 7 adds, all motion related, so the new goal is one that's not using motion. I came close to alpine food a couple of days ago. The latest 7 was pixie ducking motion, which came while waiting at the Argentina to Chile border.

I haven't added any more to my one 6-6 combo but I have been working on a couple. I hope to hit a beast next year. There is a week left in the year still, so hopefully I can get a few more sessions in.

[boyle]

I am heading to bed shortly after a good Christmas session, I played in front of some Christmas lights and the session went quite well.

Gyro whirl bs, new on flipside
Stepping ducking motion, second time ever
Atomotion, new trick


I have lost count of how many new tricks I have done on this trip. This recent session made me really pleased. Not even a small child crashing his bike straight in to me could ruin the session.

We had a big family lunch today. That all went well, I got a few things for Christmas, couple of hats and a membership to go and watch the Raiders so hopefully my timing with work can play along reasonably with that.

Just under a week left in this year. Intrigued to see where things are at this time next year.

[boyle]

Last day of the year, not sure I will play today. So some thoughts on the year. I feel I have improved a great deal this year.

This last month has seen a whole lot of new tricks, and I have gone from never hitting a seven to having 4 x 7 adds.

Spinning ducking motion, pixie diving motion, stepping ducking motion, pixie ducking motion. So I would like to hit one not motion based.

I hit 5 fearless a few times, which was my target, hopefully I can beat that this year. I worked quite a bit on shred 30 and a 200 plus score does not seem out of reach.

No competition this year. Hopefully we can have a proper Nationals this coming year. I did compete at the nationals for freestyle football, but didn't go so well.

I put out a couple of videos, including participating in the Joulu and Worlds video contest. I also put plenty of videos on Instagram.

What I didn't get to do much of was playing with others. Some sessions woth Caroline, but she was injured a big chunk of the year. Quite a few with Dianne, which were a mix of footbag and freestyle football.

I hope to get in a session with an international player next year, whether that's in Aus or outside. I am not sure about Worlds. I will be finishing my teaching degree shortly beforehand, so going or not will probably be a last minute decision. At the stage not going is the more likely scenario.

That is the big goal for the year, finish the teaching degree and hopefully get a job from there. Something I have done this year is to keep track of various things...slleping, eating, exercise, spending, reading. I hope to do this again for next year.

[boyle]

I got some new shoes around Christmas time. They are Adidas courtvantage. They have a somewhat similar shape to Lavers, probably more like the Stan Smith though I have never worn a Stan Smith.

The clipper is not as deep as a Laver, nor the other blue Adidas shoes I have been using. They are ripped up all over the shop, but I can hit pretty well any trick I can do with Lavers. The dear wife claims I should throw them out but I may just keep them on.

These new shoes probably won't work as shred shoes proper, but they can do a job for the day to day. They are white white white, but that probably won't last long.

I have been at the beach the last couple of days, the top of my feet got a bit sunburnt which is a bit annoying. It hasn't really affected my kicking because I haven't done so much.

I did manage to kick my bag off a cliff, but I was able to retrieve that, which was relieving. I made a big post some days ago with some goals for the year but that didn't work out.

I am not sure on going to Worlds this year. I am probably below 50% chance of going at this stage. The desire for the long long long plane ride is not particularly high.

I would really like to improve above 5 fearless. I wouldn't mind to have a crack at some consecutive kicks stuff, maybe get a good score for 5 minutes.

If I do make it to the US I do have some ideas for some cool mini projects, which I don't think I would try to get off the ground without being there. So let's see

[boyle]

I had my first session proper yesterday. After putting on the magic rod laver shoes, I thought I would go straight into a run of plenty of contacts, and my first run was a grand total of 1 contact.

Things improved eventually, my best was a 43 contact guiltless. Got a 4 fearless, which is obviously my best for the year. Phoenix, ripped warrior, spinning ducking butterfly, spin duck osis. Dropped on pdx blender. Another cool combo was revup into tap, I don't think I have done that before. So in the end a good session, didn't start off great.

We are coming to the end of the time in Chile, we leave in 3 more days. I am ready to go back to the day to day. It doesn't look like I will catch up with any of the freestyle football guys which is a little disappointing.

I hope to meet Adam Greenwood back in Aus, he is living on the Gold Coast for a while and Caroline is up there too. Got some cool concerts coming up, pretty much straight when we get back.

[boyle]

Played again last night. Had a crack at 5 min consecutive kicks, which is something I said I would work on. 499 kicks with two drops. Bit disappointed with the drops but it was right at the start of the session.

I hit spinning ducking motion first try, and a good link of phoenix>diving ps mirage. 26 guiltless was the best run for the session. It is Francisca's birthday today, we will celebrate that in a park nearby to where she grew up. It will be a good way to wrap up the trip as we leave in a couple of days.

[bustinjustin]

I hit spinning ducking motion first try

Nice 7 add! I don't think it has it's own name, which it should. I've been meaning to hit blurry ducking motion. While trying to find if spinning ducking motion has a name I learned blurry ducking motion is called Syberian Express, that's cool.