"*    Born in Sydney and lived on the north side all my life.

*    Started playing trumpet at age 8, carried right through until finished Uni, but soon decided it was time to "get a real job"!  Although loved making lots of loud noise at weddings, funerals, ANZAC Day marches and the odd jazz jamming, "Justine The Trumpeter" just wasn't going to cut it as a career, and more importantly pay my bills!  Have performed in jazz bands, concert bands, marching bands (harder than it looks), orchestras, brass bands and even joined the Tokyo City Community Band while living there for a year. 

*    Recently started playing again and hope my neighbours in the adjoining flats do not complain about the noise. If they do, it could "come back and bight me on the bum" as my complaints about "Mr. Bongo The Drum Player" upstairs prompted residents to require "Mr. Bongo" to wear socks on his hands whenever he wants to sound out a beat with those dam bongos.

*    Has been working in finance for the last 10 years.  However, in true Gen Y fashion, contemplating a "sea change", having recently completed two sessions of a corsage course.  My first session left me feeling ungamely and bamboozled, "I thought I had two left hands".  But I didn't seem such a klutz during my second "attempt" lesson to arrange ornamental flowers in a bouquet, so there might be some hidden artistic talent passed down thru the genes from a long-gone grandmother.  Alas, I don't think "flower arranging" will pay the bills.

*    Started mountain biking about 2 years ago and moved to road riding 9 months ago in the hope of avoiding the injuries sustained purely due to "user error" and an incredible ability to fall into every hole on the track, no matter how visible and easily avoidable it might be."
 

Alas no scuttlebutt in the above sterile, sanitised notes. If we jag any risqué "Goss" on Trumpeter it will appear here first.  If Justine wants to litigate for deformation, then she will just have to stand in line, 'cause there are a few ahead on the queue such as Publican and Probationer who couldn't see the humor in Scribe's profiles.

A few at the rear of this pic are looking a tad tired after climbing up McCarrs Creek Rd - Jan 2009

Above two pics were taken about 10 secs apart on a delightful November morn' about 6:40am heading due East out of Hornsby when the rising sun was still "peakin' over the horizon".  Sounds romantic, but when you are pedaling due East on Junction Rd directly into it, it ain't fun, 'cause in the back of ya noggin you are cogitating, "Can the approaching car behind me who is also contending with this blistering sunrise, see dear old me."
Justine aka Trumpeter  at Yarramalong Manor  from the front and behind at Yarramalong Manor  - Dec 2009

Justine finally cracked some credibility by cycling to the most awe-inspiring train station in NSW, probably the whole of Australia - Dec '09

Below two pics 'en route' to Wisemans Ferry on a glorious mid-Winter's morn' - Aug '10

 

March 2010 saw Justine cycle 339kms over the 3 days from Parramatta to Canberra. The first day to Bowral was the hardest, mainly because it was so long - 125km. They rode hard and didn't stop as often as we do on mugs rides. The second day was relatively easy, quite flat and 107km. The third day and final day was another tough one mainly due to all the climbs, especially the big 5 or so hills right at the end when you were already pooped - 109km.
 I'd still be up for it again though I didn't like the accommodation on the hard wood floors of the local churches. Cold, hard and noisy. Caravan parks would have been much better.

   

Two pics from RNSH

On 28 April 2010 around 7am Trumpeter was cycling to work on the Epping Rd cyclepath which she had ridden many times previously.  Justine recalls taking a tumble on a downhill section, which busted her collarbone and incurred about $400 damages to her bike.  Fortunately several other cyclists came to her aid.  Upon subsequent inspection of her treadley the front tyre was flat which may have caused he to over-correct on an angled down hill path section, or perhaps the tyre went flat as a result of her tumble.  Justine was released from RNSH the following day.  One could hardly have any sympathy for her what with that dorky expression whilst waiting to be collected in the carpark.  Doesn't look in too much pain to me.

 

Paul aka Pilot  and Justine aka Trumpeter on the Sorrento Ferry at approx half way through the 210km Around the Bay in a Day
Justine has a new man in her life.  Trumpeter is a "cradle snatcher"