Ride2Rescue http://ride2rescue.org Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:05:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 JOIN US ON THE ROAD! http://ride2rescue.org/join-us-on-the-road http://ride2rescue.org/join-us-on-the-road#comments Thu, 07 Mar 2013 21:38:14 +0000 John Clark http://ride2rescue.org/?p=3161 Have you ever wanted to make a difference? Are you up for the challenge?

We want you to join us on the road from Hanoi, Vietnam to Phom Penh, Cambodia, a trip of over 2500km to raise funds for Child Wise.

Child Wise is Australia’s leading international child protection charity committed to the prevention and reduction of sexual abuse and exploitation of children around the world. Child Wise’s primary focus is to prevent abuse before it happens. Our programs are child-focused, award-winning and informed by a fundamental belief that children have a right to physical and psychological safety. Child sexual abuse is a global problem that knows no borders. Child Wise works in Australia, Asia and the Pacific delivering programs to prevent such abuses against children.

The trip will take place in three sections and you can join for either one, two or three legs. We will pass through some incredible towns and on two wheels you’ll have plenty of opportunity to soak up the colourful cultures and meet some fantastic locals.

We take off from Hanoi on November 10th 2013 and will roll into Phnom Penh on December 9th 2013. Please remember though you can participate in one of three sections or take on the whole ride. See the link below for details!

The trip has been planned inconjunction with World Expeditions who have organised everything to insure you’ll have a fun, safe and comfortable (bum may get sore) journey. World Expeditions have sorted the bikes, accommodation, tour guides, support vehicles, city tours and more!!

For a detailed itinerary please contact Scott or Jake at World Expeditions in Melbourne on 03 8613 3300, or by email scott@worldexpeditions.com.au OR jake@worldexpeditions.com.au

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD BOOKING FORM!

To secure a place on this unique challenge contact Scott or Jake at World Expeditions in Melbourne on 03 8613 3300, or by email scott@worldexpeditions.com.au OR jake@worldexpeditions.com.au
You will need to complete a booking form and pay a non refundable deposit of AUD$400 per person. First in secures a place.

Danny and John in South East Asia

]]> http://ride2rescue.org/join-us-on-the-road/feed 2 Danny and John – Guest Speakers http://ride2rescue.org/danny-and-john-guest-speakers http://ride2rescue.org/danny-and-john-guest-speakers#comments Fri, 13 Jul 2012 04:20:41 +0000 John Clark http://ride2rescue.org/?p=3003 Danny & John – Available as Guest Speakers!

Danny and John

DANNY and JOHN

Danny and John recently completed a fourteen month journey on bicycles as part of Ride2Rescue, travelling 24,000km from London to Melbourne!

The ride saw the pair cross through three continents, ten timezones, twenty seven countries, hundreds of towns, a variety of cultures and they are now available as guest speakers for Primary Schools, High Schools/Secondary Colleges, Clubs, Companies and Organisations.

Throughout their epic ride they encountered all sorts of challenges, cultures and incredible experiences. Danny and John sweated through the scorching hot temperatures of Iran, ridden in pain while suffering with haemorrhoids in India, been stopped at gun point in Pakistan, camped at service stations in Turkey and were provided five star accommodation in South East Asia… the list really does go on.

Danny and John have appeared on television in Pakistan, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia sharing their stories and now you can have hire them as guest speakers at your Primary School, HighSchool/Secondary College, Club, Company or Organisation.

Take a look at their website:

DannyandJohn.com

]]> http://ride2rescue.org/danny-and-john-guest-speakers/feed 0 Albury to Melbourne http://ride2rescue.org/albury-to-melbourne http://ride2rescue.org/albury-to-melbourne#comments Mon, 02 Jul 2012 05:08:37 +0000 John Clark http://ride2rescue.org/?p=2931 John Clark’s Albury to Melbourne Review
We have finally made it home to Melbourne, from London, on bicycles!! The trip took just under fourteen months to complete; we clocked up hundreds of Uno games, lots of punctures and an impressive 23,970km.
I’ve enjoyed reviewing our trip stage by stage and thank Aaron, Daniel, our guest riders and especially Tim for providing me with entertaining stories to share; I understand some were quite embarrassing.
The scenery and landscapes of the twenty seven countries we passed through depleted me of descriptive superlatives and constantly left me gazing off the saddle in a daydream. Moving at an average pace of 23km/h allowed the four of us to study each town, city and country leaving all of us with a long list of destinations we’d love to re-visit.
Making our final week really special was the inclusion of several guest riders; Spook, Steve, Roland, Hutchie, Vinnie who joined us from Albury, along with Noel who drove the support vehicle and was once again a great one man support crew. Later in the week saw Diane, Barb, Anne, Lynn, Ridley and my Dad Per join us on the road, my Mum also joined and drove along with the peloton with El who was busy capturing all the action through her lens. All of their company on and off the bike during the final week was terrific and I couldn’t have imagined a better last week than the one we had. This is how it all unfolded…

At Federation Square! We've finished!!

Day 413 Albury, Australia to Beechworth, Australia – 61km
Our group of nine gathered at the hostel. We were all worse for wear after a big night out in Albury, I’m pretty sure I remember looking at my phone and seeing 4:30am when Daniel and I finally made it to bed. Still, we couldn’t stand up our new guest riders, they had travelled up to Albury to spend the whole week cycling with us into Melbourne however one of our typical hangover induced days off was very tempting; we spent an extra two weeks in Delhi almost for that reason!
Once on the road we looked pretty sharp, sticking in a tight group chatting away. Then after just 4km we split up through an intersection; half the group went left the other half continued straight. These guest riders probably thought we’d be a well-oiled and organised team but it took just 4km to experience a Ride2Rescue trait!
The group that turned left was correct however and beat my group to a franchised version of the Beechworth Bakery where we had breakfast. Strong coffee was a popular order along with several pies and pasties but the whole group knew we’d have a better bakery experience once we reached the town of Beechworth and visited the actual Beechworth Bakery.
From breakfast the nine of us rode across the Murray River into Victoria, our home state, our final border crossing. Disappointingly there was no ‘Welcome to Victoria’ sign so we just kept on cycling.
Spook was setting a cracking pace at the lead of the pack however was brought to a halt with a puncture after just 15km. The group separated here as we set into the long gradual climb. My hands were freezing; I stupidly didn’t put my gloves on and didn’t want to stop to do so. My head, along with others I’m sure, was pounding after the night out and lack of sleep that I just had to keep going, if I had stopped I’m not sure if I would have continued!
In the chasing group Daniel’s tyre completely blew out. It was so worn that the black tread had been worn off and the blue Teflon inner layer was visible. He chucked his bike on the support vehicles trailer exchanging it for the spare bike Noel had brought up, a women’s mountain bike.

The team arrive in Beechworth!!

Bill from the Beechworth Rotary Club met us 8km from town and warned us of the final hill into Beechworth. The warning had merit; it was tough and took us into the clouds. We all rugged up as we waited for the chasing group to arrive at the Beechworth sign, the temperature was much colder than Albury at around 2 degrees.
Once the whole group was back together we rolled into town and straight to the famous Beechworth Bakery. The bakery in conjunction with the Rotary club shouted us each a free pie and coffee. Afterwards we checked into our motel, Beechworth on Bridge which was luxury after the cold, tough day on the bike.
Most of the group had a sleep in the afternoon before we had Chinese for dinner in town with the Beechworth Rotary Club. While eating a local member suggested Daniel should apply for the job as Ned Kelly which was currently being advertised.
Day 414 Beechworth, Australia to Benalla, Australia – 83km
The owner and manager of Beechworth on Bridge, Brenda, kindly cooked up bacon and eggs for our whole group and it was just what we needed to fuel us through our longest day of Tour De Ride2Rescue, the name we had given to our last week.
Before we began cycling several media commitments had to be fulfilled, as we had hoped attention from media has increased considerably. Tim was interviewed on ABC radio and then a reporter from the border mail met with us and took some photos. Later in the day Aaron arranged an interview with 3AW, a popular AM radio station and through a family contact had managed to get The Age newspaper interested in running a story.

The team with Ned Kelly!!

Once the media frenzy subsided it was time to put our legs to work however we all knew the high altitude of Beechworth would lead to a favourable day as we drop down to the low lying Benalla. For a change of scenery we took the Rail Trail route which runs from Beechworth to Wangaratta. It literally runs along the old rail route, passing lush fields and through deep rocky passes that ensure the tracks gradual decline in altitude. For fun we tooted loudly as we passed through old stations that now house simple toilet blocks for passing cyclists. We also yelled out in our best conductor voices ‘mind the gap’ and ‘this train is the Ride2Rescue express to Benalla’ and so on.
The trail ran into Wangaratta, in no time we had competed half the day’s kilometres. We stopped here for a while and enjoyed a snack and coffee. We also met with a local reporter before cycling the next 15km to Glenrowan, the town which became famous when bushranger Ned Kelly made his last stand in 1880. We stopped only briefly to have a photo with the large Ned Kelly statue and to take a look through a small gift shop. Hutchie who yesterday had completed his longer ever day on a bike was battling at this point complaining of a sore bum. Still he carried on and completed the final 25km to Benalla, he even attempted a break away at one point.
Once in Benalla several celebratory beers were cracked by all in the motel car park. Roland and Tim accompanied their brew with a cigarette as a reporter from the local rag met us and was obviously impressed with the sheer elite athleticism of the group. Although she was quick to mention she’d be doing the same if she managed to cycle 80km.
With each of us still recovering from Albury, tonight was very quiet. Daniel and I opted for fish and chips in bed and a few movies.
Day 415 Benalla, Australia to Mansfield, Australia – 67km
Today was close to my favourite of the last week. It began with a visit to Benalla Primary School. This was arranged by Steve Plummer, a close family friend of the Seehusens and also someone I have known for years now.

Speaking at Benalla PS

The visit was quite impromptu but went down really well. We were once again pleased by the questions asked. I always find it interesting how children think and also what they find so important that they have to ask a certain question. The best thing is that our story of travelling on bicycle through so many countries really captivates a child’s young adventurous mind. It’s not often that you see children sit, listen and ask questions for over an hour at an age of seven to twelve. It’s quite special how interested they are.
We hit the road at different times. The large group has naturally split into faster and slower groups although it’s still very casual which I like. We made our first stop in Swanpool where the slower group had already reached. Hutchie had me chuckling with his choice of snack; Dim Sims and an icy pole. It reminded me of Aaron early on in the trip when he was often so desperate for food and would eat anything to remain fuelled up. While in Swanpool a photographer from The Age met with us and took some great photos.
After only another 20km we took a break in Barjarg. Roland had arrived earlier and was asked by some older travellers if he was Tim Holman. They had tuned into the ABC and had heard Tim’s interview. When Aaron, Daniel, Tim and I arrived we went into the restaurant and spoke to the 35 strong group of oldies. We gave a little spiel about the ride and cause. They then passed around a hat to collect donations. Additionally they donated their left over hot chips which we devoured.
In one large group we finished off the final 20km to Mansfield. I had lived in the area during my first year of University and it was really nice to return. It was just how I remembered it, except for a café that I had been talking up to the others which looked to have recently closed down! We rode straight to Steve Plummer’s new boutique guesthouse, Rosedale House. It is Steve’s new business and was extremely comfortable. I’m sure it will quickly become a popular accommodation choice for people visiting the Mt Buller snowfields. In the afternoon we had the return of the Mums Army. It was almost the four that met us in Thailand with just one change. This time Barb joined Diane, Anne and Lynn with Karen unable to make it. They were all nervous about their riding debut but excited to be a part of the ride’s final stages. Also joining us was Steve and Lynn’s son Ridley. During the ride he has arranged two fundraising functions at the Scarlet Lounge for Ride2Rescue, he’s also a friend of ours so was great to have in the team, he will also ride the rest of the week with us.
In the evening Aaron, Daniel, Ridley and I went down to Mansfield Eagles Football Club and took part in their Tuesday night training. I played for the eagles in 2005 so it was great to return to the club and see some of the lads that were still playing.
Day 416 Day off in Mansfield, Australia
This was our sole day off during Tour De Ride2Rescue and we were kept very busy.
It started with a visit to Mansfield Secondary College where we spoke to both the junior and senior school. The school had donated $500 the day earlier so it was fantastic to have the opportunity to thank them. It was also the first time we had spoken at a secondary college and was a lot of fun answering their questions which were quite different to those we have experienced at primary schools. I was really impressed with the leadership of the school captains and behaviour of the senior students who gave us their full attention during our presentation. All of our guest riders sat in on the presentation too and it was nice to hear their positive feedback on the session.
Afterwards we drove straight to the Mansfield Golf Club where the Ride2Rescue Green Jacket was up for grabs. We split the group into teams of two, playing two ball best ball rules. There were some other funny rules too with Daniel having to wear a dress and wig for the whole nine holes after his shortest drive off the first tee. Later Hutchie won the closest to the pin competition but it was controversially the only team of three; Diane, Ridley and Daniel who took out the title. In the clubrooms the course president, who coincidentally I played footy with in 2005, shouted us some jugs of beer.
Back at Rosedale House we sat in front of the fire, escaping the minus 3 degree temperature as Aaron ran a Ride2Rescue themed trivia night. Steve provided us all with pizza and fish and chips from his other business in town. We also consumed a few beers which led to the interesting fundraising idea of: ‘For every $100 donated between now and 10am one member of Ride2Rescue will jump off Bonnie Doon bridge into the freezing cold Lake Eildon’! We posted this on our Facebook page and then quite quickly donations started flowing in!!
Day 417 Mansfield, Australia to Yea, Australia – 82km
By the morning an incredible $450 had been donated so Aaron, Tim, Daniel and I would have to man up and jump off the Bonnie Doon Bridge, and drop about 8 metres into the freezing Lake Eildon! This was a very nervous thought as it so cold today. It was also raining, a true winter’s day in the Victorian high country.
Today we followed another rail trail. This one runs from Mansfield to Tallarook and once again is very scenic as it travels away from the main road through farms and amongst the trees. The mums had headed off before us but just as we approached Bonnie Doon after about 20kms we had caught them. They carried on as we stopped to inspect the bridge and the water that seemed further than 8 metres below it.
We decided to head to the general store to weigh up our options and to also warm up a little. We were all drenched and each of us complained of freezing toes and fingers. Over coffee and toasted sandwiches we thawed out as we decided we wouldn’t do the jump just yet, instead we would finish the ride and drive back in the van. This way after jumping in we can retreat to the van to warm up.
From Bonnie Doon we chose to ride on the road. The path is fantastic but its surface wasn’t suitable for our bicycles, especially with all the rain that made the gravel path soft and sticky. We were making really good time on the road although after just 10km we were ordered back onto the rail trail by a traffic cop who thought due to the weather conditions and volume of traffic on the highway it was too dangerous. I found it a little funny, as I compared these roads with those of Bangladesh or India, but it was a sensible suggestion and we of course obliged.
After a rough and muddy session on the trail we arrived in Yarck, during the section of rail trail we spotted kangaroos hoping amongst the trees. By Yarck we were all freezing and competition was fierce in the Yarck Hotel for a position in front of the open fire. I was reluctant to get going again so volunteered to mend Roland’s puncture for him in the warmth of the pub. Once that was fixed it was time to face the cold and despite the warnings from the police officer Aaron, Steve, Roland and I opted for the highway route into Yea.
We passed the others who stuck to the rail trail and arrived at the motel well before them. I jumped straight into the hot shower and slowly feeling came back into my ghostly white toes. The others arrived about 30 minutes later. I was really impressed by the Mums army. Not only had they covered over 80kms on a bicycle, they had completed it on a slow and muddy surface, in horrible conditions.
In the evening my parents arrived. They had flown over from the UK for two big occasions; to join Tour De Ride2Rescue and also for the arrival of their first grandchild that was due any day now (not mine). It was great to see them and catch up over a cup of tea in our small but comfortable motel room. Dad had borrowed Willo’s road bike as to ride the final few days into Melbourne and Mum would drive along with El as Noel returned to Melbourne for a couple of days of work.
In the evening we visited the Country Club Hotel for dinner and I was impressed with Mums army’s stamina as they celebrated their day of riding with a few champagnes.
Day 418 Yea, Australia to Kilmore, Australia – 71km
At 7am the four of us dragged ourselves out of bed and drove back to Bonnie Doon Bridge to fulfil our promise and to uphold our end of the deal. We stripped to shorts and stood on the bridge’s edge shivering. Then on Daniel’s very loud countdown all jumped, dropping 8 metres into the very cold Lake Eildon. It was so cold that we all struggled to maintain our normal rate of breathing. We all quickly swam to the water’s edge and scrambled up the bank and into some dry, warm clothes and into the heated van.
On the way back to Yea I felt fresh, awake and ready for the day’s ride. The whole peloton met at the bakery for breakfast for bacon rolls and then we were on our way.
It was my Dad’s second stint on the road with us; the other was the first day out of London. It was special to ride with him then and was again today.

Dad (yellow jacket) joins the crew in Yea.

The weather wasn’t ideal with drizzling showers that left us dripping wet. However it was slightly warmer than yesterday so we all felt comfortable enough. The Mums army was now down to only Diane as the other ladies returned to work. Diane chose the rail trail and again was met with a slow track. Daniel and Ridley rode with her.
After 30km we stopped for our third puncture of the day; Dad, Spook and Steve the victims. While waiting I returned a missed call from my brother Ceri. He delivered the exciting news that I had just become an uncle; his wife Lisa had just given birth to a gorgeous and healthy baby girl, Isabel Joy Clark. What made the moment more amazing was that I was on speaker phone and saw Dad’s face light up as he learned he’d just become a grandfather. Mum arrived shortly after in the car after already speaking to Ceri and was equally ecstatic.
From this forced stopped we pressed onto Broadford. We arrived wet and cold to Aaron’s Auntie’s house. His Auntie, Pauline, had prepared a massive spread of pies, quiches, soup, cakes and biscuits. It was delicious and we all over ate whilst enjoying the warmth protruding from the fire. By the time we left the spread still looked as so we hadn’t touched it; I now know where Aaron gets his habit of over catering from!
From Broadford we casually completed the final 15km to Kilmore. I consciously took my time up a steep climb as to ensure I kept my massive lunch down. We checked into the Kilmore Motel. Aaron kindly took our wet clothes to a Laundromat and chucked them in the dryer for half an hour.
I then drove into Melbourne with Mum and Dad to see Ceri and Lisa and to meet the new edition to the family, Isabel. It was a strange feeling driving through the city. It had been the goal destination for so long now and I felt lucky to get a sneak peek. After the exciting hospital visit we had dinner with Ceri in Malvern before driving back to Kilmore.
After saying good night to the folks I found myself locked out of my room. I called Aaron and all I could hear was loud music and him slurring ‘Red pub, Red pub…’
I made my way down the road and went inside the only red pub I could find. Inside was the rest of the crew having a big night out. I joined in the fun, learning some great dance moves off Spook and enjoying the tunes Ridley and Aaron belted out from the jukebox. We all eventually arrived back home very late.
Day 419 Kilmore, Australia to Yuroke, Australia – 43km
People woke up in different beds this morning after Hutchie had locked his roommates out and had fallen into a deep sleep.
We made our way to a café for breakfast. The manager provided a small discount for everyone which was a kind gesture. With a short day ahead and as we had to arrive in Yuroke after 1pm we were in no rush to leave.
When we did it was at a slow pace. We headed south on the Northern Hwy and then eventually onto the Hume Hwy. There was only one major hill climb today which at its peak you could see Melbourne’s city skyline. From the top it was all basically downhill as promised by Aaron who knew the area well.
The whole team reconvened about 1km from Aaron’s other Auntie’s house in Yuroke. Here we popped a couple bottles of Champagne and tried to recreate a Tour De France style finish by riding and drinking. This didn’t work too well as the road’s bumpy surface led to most the champagne spilling from our plastic cups.
With only 200 metres left to ride into the property we could see loads of people waiting to greet us with balloons and streamers. Aaron’s family is massive and it’s also very supportive; it’s clear they are all incredibly proud of him. Tim and Daniel both had their families there too. I had the smallest contingency of fans as all my family lives abroad but I still loved the moment and enjoyed meeting everyone else’s extended family.
Once again Aaron’s family put on an amazing spread of food. They had even sacrificed a lamb and put it on the spit for the occasion! We met his Turkish connections too, the couple that had put us in touch with Onder in Sinop, Turkey and they invited us all over to learn how to make our favourite Turkish food, borek.
The afternoon was spent eating and mingling. With only 30km to ride into the city it felt as if we’d finished already. It was a great afternoon and by the evening we were all exhausted and fighting over the comfortable recliners.
Day 420 Yuroke, Australia to Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia – 38km

Me riding with Ridley on the last day.

Hutchie prepared bacon and eggs on the barbeque for the troops. Excitement was super high amongst everyone. Today was our final leg, final kilometres.
More people arrived to join in the last day of riding, there were friends, football teammates, family, work colleagues and just cycling enthusiasts that had heard about the ride and had decided to join in. By the time we left Craigieburn Shopping Centre we were about forty cyclists strong!
We decided to follow the bicycle path into the city which was a good move with such a large group of people. It was much safer and also allowed all of us to mingle safely as we rode. Once the path reached Sydney Road we switched from bike path to tarmac and attracted loads of attention, everyone wearing white Ride2Rescue t-shirts. At the top of Swanston Street we all grouped up for the final section. Two fire trucks met us here also and provided an eye catching escort into Federation Square.
There were approximately 200 people waiting to greet us. Loads of friends I hadn’t seen for such a long time were there cheering us on. Vinnie was the master of ceremony and did a great job introducing us onto the stage. Playing on the big screen above the stage was our film clip that Ben Wylson made for us at the beginning of the ride. We also received a special video message from Sting and Trudie Styler. Minister Ryan Smith attended and shared some very nice words, as too did a representative from World Vision. A special thank you must be made to Craig Abbot of Heavey Haulers who sponsored the day, a truly generous donation.

The four us sit on the stage at Federation Square!

After our arrival we posed for photos for The Age and Herald Sun, kissed, hugged and caught up with so many people that had been following our journey. I was taken aback by who had turned up to welcome us in. After some time had passed we made our way into Transport Bar for a few beers and a meal before cycling to Richmond for the real party at the Bridge Hotel.
It was a wonderful way to cap off what has been such an incredible journey. A memory I will have forever and a journey I will be forever talking about. How will we settle back into normal life has been tough to answer, none of us really know. What I do know now though is that anything really is possible, we’ve just cycled from London to Melbourne. It’s a feat many people wouldn’t even contemplate; many people we’ve met can’t even grasp the concept. I hope to share the journey with others; I have enjoyed talking at schools and writing these reviews and hope that can continue for at least a little while. I’m definitely not sick of riding a bicycle though, as surprising as they may sound, and the idea of another ride is certainly tempting, so stay tuned…
To stay up to date with Ride2Rescue post ride, follow our facebook at facebook.com/ride2rescue
]]> http://ride2rescue.org/albury-to-melbourne/feed 2 L’Équipment. http://ride2rescue.org/lequipment http://ride2rescue.org/lequipment#comments Thu, 28 Jun 2012 05:54:24 +0000 daniel http://ride2rescue.org/?p=2870 L’Équipment. by D.K.Seehusen

Personal
We left London complete amateurs in the world of touring cycling. Our bikes weighed somewhere between 45-50kg. When leaving from ‘The Estate’- Aaron and John’s dwelling in Tufnell Park- it required two of us to take a bike down the stairs from the third level. I put the excessive weight down to unnecessary clothing and footwear. Experienced touring cyclists would have looked at us the same way a husband does to his wife when she takes two oversized suitcases away for a weekend break. Though we were to be travelling for over a year! After a month or so we had a better idea of what we actually needed and a cull lightened the personal items pannier by at least 5kg. You don’t need two pairs of jeans, three pairs of shoes, a t-shirt for every day of the week, a couple of pairs of shorts, numerous sets of socks and underwear- we stopped using underwear later on. Tim’s load lightened significantly throughout the trip as he was forever losing items. Over the course of the trip he lost his passport, wallet, 18 sets of sunglasses, four t shirts, two jumpers, a pair of shoes and a whole load of washing.

Camping
The three man tents were the perfect choice to sleep two men comfortably. When you are sharing a tent with Aaron it’s important to have a buffer in place, I would strategically place my backpack between us and stack some clothes on top so I couldn’t see him. The tents weren’t top of the range and they didn’t need to be. For the majority of trip we had great weather, for most of the time it was warm or even too hot. It was only in Belgium and then again in Southern Australia where you could say it was cold. This is when your sleeping bag would really come into play. If you were desperate you could take down the buffer and spoon Aaron Turner!

Bicycle
Before the trip Aaron, Tim and I had little to no bike maintenance skills. After 14 months of travelling on the Kona Sutras, we still have no bike maintenance skills. I would recommend the Kona Sutra to any aspiring touring cyclist. It has travelled 24,000km and received very little maintenance and done a sterling job. I will continue to use this as a commuter bike. John Clark has been the resident mechanic from the start and in turn carried all the tools with him. The tool kit consisted of spare chains, brake pads, shifter, a spoke tool, oil, cables and cable ties. We all carried our own puncture repair kit and a pump. Fixing punctures was the second biggest nuisance for the whole trip, followed closely by Aaron Turner. Between London and Delhi I received 45 punctures. I put this down to being heavier than the other boys. In Delhi we all purchased a new pair of tyres, the much hyped about schwalbe. This tyre turned out to be a godsend. From Delhi to Melbourne I only had 15 punctures. To put this into perspective Aaron only had 8 punctures for London to Melbourne.

Cooking
In Europe, Turkey and Australia we would cook our own food. It wasn’t necessary from Iran to Indonesia as you could get a main meal for around $2. We would take turns cooking each night and if you cook you clean. Early on we carried our own crockery and cutlery; it was up to you to clean your own dish. The little trangia did the job but it could be a little unstable at times. Once Johnny Clark was cooking some spuds and a gust of wind came through between his leg and the pot tipped over. The grass did add some extra taste but the potatoes were still medium rare. Cooking ourselves was great fun and added a bit more to the trip but we were all pretty happy when we reached Asia and we could afford to ditch the equipment and again lighten our load.

Camera Equipment
From London to Darwin we didn’t have the support car. We took turns of being Creative Director and carrying the camera. The camera case made this piece of equipment fairly sizable. It was also very expensive so we had to be careful to leave the bikes in a secure locations. After only a month of having the job of carrying the camera I received a massive scare. We had a massive night out in Luang Prabang, Laos. The responsible members of the group took tuk-tuks to the night club and I decided to ride. When I woke the next morning at the hostel I realised only three of the bikes were in the shed. Suffering from a severe hangover and loss of memory I had no idea where the bike, and the camera, with it had ended up. Everyone was very worried because all the memory cards for the entire trip were with the camera and we hadn’t back up any footage. If the bike was lost or stolen there would be no documentary! I retraced my steps that day, a la ‘The Hangover’. Eventually I took a very long tuk-tuk ride out to an isolated nightclub to find my bike and all panniers intact leaning up against the pole in the middle of the dance floor!

]]> http://ride2rescue.org/lequipment/feed 0 Canberra to Albury http://ride2rescue.org/canberra-to-albury http://ride2rescue.org/canberra-to-albury#comments Tue, 26 Jun 2012 11:38:02 +0000 John Clark http://ride2rescue.org/?p=2863 John Clark’s Canberra to Albury Review

The team with Matt, Daniel's brother.

Day 408 Canberra, Australia to Yass, Australia – 58km
With Willo gone we had no driver and were succumbed to sharing the driving until Albury. Aaron and I took turns today and with only a 60km trip to Yass an easy day was ahead. Aaron rode first and his weary old body struggled again early, those reoccurring cramps in his thighs and hamstrings forcing him to stop several times to stretch. Eventually he reached the 30km mark though and we swapped places.
Matt and Daniel had left ahead of Aaron and I. They had smashed the 60km out in one hit and at a cracking pace.
I found riding Aaron’s bike really uncomfortable. His handlebars tilt forward and the smaller frame left me feeling quite cramped, I didn’t mind too much though as I only had 30km to cover. On the way into Yass, Aaron and I flashed our ‘Asses’ at the camera while I covered the Y of Yass with my helmet! A little something I had thought up on the bike.
Once in town we met up with Tim, Matt and Daniel. Tim had arrived the day earlier and made most of the day off by finalising plans for our big arrival into Federation Square. We now have a sponsor for the day, Heavey Haulers, along with a band and an escort by fire trucks. Matt and Daniel looked relaxed and had been in town a while already after their fast 60km.
I had arranged accommodation with the Good Hope Resort and drove down there to empty the car. I returned to collect the others, apart from Tim who was too comfortable in his Hotel accommodation in town after staying in a pig sty in Canberra. I think if I had stayed where Tim had in Canberra I would have done the same. We left our bikes with the Royal Hotel who kindly stored them for us.
At the lakeside resort where we were provided with a cosy cabin Matt debuted in Uno. Unfortunately he lost and as consequence had to cook the barbeque. After the feast we drove back into town to watch the Socceroos draw with Japan. We had the pub to ourselves as the people of Yass didn’t come out in droves to support the team.
Day 409 Yass, Australia to Gundagai, Australia – 100km
We all met up in town and got on the way. Albury was our next milestone but we had plenty of time to get there. Today ended up being Aaron and my final 100km day.
Daniel took the first stint of driving and watched on as the four of us made our way to the Hume Hwy. Thanks to a slight tailwind and long gradual descents we were flying along the wide, smooth shoulder.
Aaron found the pace too much and dropped off after 30km. His legs were still troubling him plus his bike was now down to only three or four operational gears. However it was a big challenge to keep up with Matt who was on board a very quick, lightweight road bike.
We took a much needed break after 50km. It was a beautiful spot to rest, looking across the endless lush rolling hills of Southern NSW. Still it must not have been scenic enough for Aaron who arrived, grabbed two cookies and continued riding.
From lunch Tim took over driving which left Matt, Daniel and I to chase down Aaron who had a good fifteen minute head start. It took us 25km but was rewarding to catch him! Matt took the lead shortly after and Daniel and I used all of our energy to keep up with him. I was incredibly relieved when we reached the Gundagai turnoff.
Once in town we checked into the Sovereign Inn Motel who had kindly provided a family room free of charge. I took a walk around town which didn’t take too long however was impressed by the old wooden bridges that spanned hundreds of metres across the Murrumbidgie River.
Day 410 Gundagai, Australia to Holbrook, Australia – 115km
Leftover meat ball subs for breakfast was a wholesome meal to get all the troops set for our final 100km plus day for the trip. Aaron and I of course were sharing the driving so we knew our hard work was done.
The ride this morning was very enjoyable. For the second day in a row a tailwind helped us maintain a great pace. The road offered beautiful views across more rolling hills although our eyes were forced to fixate on the tarmac as we screamed down several steep descents.
After 60km we stopped for lunch. Aaron jumped on my bike and I left with El in the car for a very long drive back to Canberra to collect the Ride2Rescue t-shirts. It ended up being a seven hour round trip but was necessary to collect the new merchandise.
We arrived in Holbrook, home of the HMAS Otway submarine around 7pm. I rested, exhausted after the long day while Aaron cooked chicken wraps for dinner and Daniel chatted with teachers on a school trip who ended up making a donation.
It was also a momentous night where we would use our tents for the final time! We all went to bed rugged up in preparation for a cold night.
Day 411 Holbrook, Australia to Albury, Australia – 57km
The whole team was really excited this morning. Not only were we packing the tents up for the last time but today we would reach Albury, a town that sits on the Murray River, the border between Victoria and NSW.
We also only had a short ride to reach our destination so took our time getting on the road, except for Aaron who was in his normal rush to get on the road. The rest of us enjoyed a hot chocolate at a local bakery and then began the journey to Albury.
I rode with Matt most of the day, we had a good chat while cruising over easy riding terrain that was quickly dropping in altitude towards the low laying border town.
We exited from the Hume Hwy and met up with the others in town. Tim and Daniel had managed to secure a great deal at a classy motel so we checked in and made ourselves comfortable in the warmth just as the weather turned and a big downpour soaked the streets.
Day 412 Day off in Albury, Australia
With one day off before our final week of riding began I made the most of the time to post another review and also to apply for jobs!! It was the strangest feeling sending off resumes; in fact it’s just strange to be thinking about life after the ride!
We also moved from the motel to the YHA Hostel in North Albury and then the Tour De Ride2Rescue crew arrived. Joining the peloton was; Hutchie, Noel, Roland, Spook and Smiley. We all got to know each other that night over dinner at Noel’s favourite Albury establishment, The Astor Hotel. Following dinner the team had a big night out; all of us over excited about the weekend perhaps?
We only have one week left to cycle, only 400km left to cover. We’ve been saying we’re on the home straight since Thailand but now we can finally say it and mean it!
]]> http://ride2rescue.org/canberra-to-albury/feed 5 Sydney to Canberra http://ride2rescue.org/sydney-to-canberra http://ride2rescue.org/sydney-to-canberra#comments Tue, 26 Jun 2012 03:26:56 +0000 John Clark http://ride2rescue.org/?p=2853 John Clark’s Sydney to Canberra Review
Day 402 Sydney, Australia to Wollongong, Australia – 72km
Aaron and I took off together today leaving Daniel and Tim in Sydney. Daniel stayed to spend a final night with Karina who was flying back to Denmark tomorrow. Aaron and I said our farewell to her. Karina has been a fantastic guest rider on three occasions. Knocking up stints from Cambodia to Singapore, Darwin to Threeways and finally Brisbane to Sydney. She’s a terrific athlete and is so modest about that unless she’s just beaten you in a race or some sort of contest. The three of us hope to see her in the future whether that’s in Australia or in Denmark.
Aaron’s bike was still unrideable due to his bent derailleur so we visited MC Cycles as I didn’t have all the tools I required to fix it. The guys at the shop were fantastic. They all asked loads of questions about our ride and then told us to grab a coffee and come back and they’ll have our bikes running nicely. When we returned they had horror looks on their faces as they couldn’t believe how worn most parts on our bikes were! They pulled my gear shifter apart and showed me the metal washers that had literally eroded due to sweat! We left the shop with still worn and ragged bikes but at least now I was able to change smoothly between five gears, I was stoked.
The manager provided me with instructions and a map as to exit Sydney and despite it being a ‘bike friendly’ route it was so dangerous, up there with the most hectic cycling we’ve come across. At one stage the bike lane took us into the centre lane of a three lane motorway! Thankfully we made it out of the city okay. Although it was already 3pm and we still had a fair trip to travel before dark.
What hampered our efforts further was a puncture. Just as we had made it through the mayhem of Sydney Aaron got a puncture in Cronulla. From here Aaron and I took turns into the strong and constant breeze, heading south along the Pacific Hwy. Sure enough the sun began dropping behind the hills to our right leaving us cycling in the dark during the final kilometres prior to the Wollongong turnoff.
Willo had a friend, Sarah, in Wollongong and had driven ahead to her house. He had arrived a while earlier and had begun baking muffins when I called! Great support! We had him drive to meet us so he could follow us in the car; neither Aaron nor I had lights and we were about to ride down the extremely steep and poorly lit Bulli Pass Road.
On the way down the hill to the coast I was flying along, absolutely loving it! Aaron was far more cautious so I slipstream another vehicle and used its lights to see what was ahead. On one corner though I almost crashed hard! I approached the bend at about 70km/h and was keen to take the corner fast. The road surface was perfect and the corner not too sharp. What got me though was a massive gust of wind just as I was passing the apex of the turn. The breeze caught my panniers and jolted me violently upright, I felt as if I’d been bumped by a steam train. I slammed on my brakes and came to a wobbly halt very close to the steel guide rail that, if I lost my balance and had come off, would have been the full stop to my trip.
Luckily though I could carry on and made it to the bottom unscathed. Willo guided Aaron and I to the house and upon entering I could smell the chocolate muffins he had baked. He had even written RIDE2RESCUE on them!
Day 403 Day off in Wollongong, Australia
Tim and Daniel arrived in the morning, both exhausted after having to ride into very strong headwinds. These winds were bringing in a massive storm that saw the whole NSW coast, including Sydney, put under major storm warnings. Just as they arrived the rain began to pour.
Unfortunately for them they had no time to rest as we drove straight to Hayes Park Primary School in Dapto to give a presentation. Tim’s cousin attends school here and we were invited to chat to the kids about our ride. Again the kids seemed to love the ride and asked many great questions. We left Tim in Dapto where he stayed the night with his Uncle and Auntie.
The rest of us returned to Sarah’s house where she cooked up a delicious dinner even with the handicap of a black out. By now the weather had really turned sour with high winds and heavy showers. A friend of Aaron and Daniel also joined us in the candle lit house. Most of the evening was spent trying to convince Willo to stay on with us until Canberra. He was due to fly out in the morning and said he would sleep on it.
Day 404 Wollongong, Australia to Moss Vale, Australia – 86km
We woke to more crazy weather; wild winds and heavy showers, but with a schedule to keep we opted against the very tempting day off and prepared ourselves to hit the road. Willo had decided to stay on until Canberra. We were all really happy with this. Not only can he bake better than my grandma he’s great fun to have around and with him driving none of us have to miss kilometres by taking turns driving the car!
The extremity of the weather really hit home as we made our way onto the coastal road where we witnessed tremendously choppy seas and massive waves pounding the beach. When we arrived two days earlier there was barely a ripple in the water.
Our ride today had it all; rain, wind, cold temperatures and bikes on their last legs after covering over 23,000km. It was also the day we turned off the east coast and had to tackle some serious hills towards our nation’s capital, Canberra.
Before the hills began we bumped into Tim. The three of us were already drenched, cold and quite exhausted after the first 20km to Dapto; Tim looked pretty fresh and little bit like Cat Woman in his full length black lycra suit. After a further 25km we took a break at the base of the day’s climb. Willo had scouted ahead and warned us of a solid and steep 10km climb. After snacking on only tuna as we’d forgotten to buy bread the climbing began. We literally climbed from sea level to an altitude of 750m thanks to the 10km stretch of steep wending road. All of us were freezing, the official temperature was zero but the breeze on our exposed skin felt much colder. My body was fairly warm but my nose, toes and hands were completely numb and beginning to ache as I neared the top of the ascent.
The four of us had all split up during the climb, eventually meeting up at Subway in Moss Vale. The others were envious of me as I had remembered a pair of gloves that had been packed deep in my pannier since London; this was the first time they had been called into action. The gloves made the final 20km far more bearable.
The local bicycle shop allowed us to stow our bikes for the evening as we drove down to the picturesque Kangaroo Valley where the tourist park kindly provided our group with two cabins for the evening. We each enjoyed hot showers and a quiet evening watching movies in the very well heated lounge rooms.
Day 405 Moss Vale, Australia to Goulburn, Australia – 74km
Our day began with a nice scenic drive back to Moss Vale to collect our bikes. While in town we got talking to the owners of Cycliste bicycle shop. They combined their bike shop with a café and kindly shouted us coffee. We were having such a good chat that we didn’t get on the road until 11.30am!!
From Moss Vale we worked our way back to the Hume Hwy on a beautiful wending road through lush Southern NSW farmland. Thousands of healthy looking cows watched us ride past enjoying the warm sunshine which was a complete contrast to yesterday’s cold and wet conditions.
Once on the Hume Hwy we were stopped by a pair of work colleagues, Christine and Duncan, who wanted to chat with us about our ride. Before they took off they donated $50. While stopped a good friend of Willo, Daniel and I, Harvey, stopped to say hello. He had specially driven down from Sydney to catch up with us for the night. It was great to see him; I hadn’t seen him for over three years so we had a lot to catch up on. We decided we’d stop at the next set of services so we could chat properly.
Only 5km later our team had a very near miss. I heard a loud screeching of tyres and quickly looked over my shoulder to see a white work ute skidding on the shoulder towards us, completely out of control and with a trailer in tow. Daniel who was behind me noticed the panicked look on my face and instinctively followed me as I sped up past Aaron who was leading and then off the shoulder onto the grass. Fortunately the driver managed to skilfully control his vehicle well enough to avoid hitting us and also not causing injury to himself. Although he did end up snagged in a small tree. The police quickly arrived and asked lots of questions but in the end nobody was hurt or breaking the law and we could all continue on our way. Before we did leave we took a group photo with the driver who was still shaking and very pale from the shock of the accident. Looking back on this it could have been much worse; if the driver had reacted only a second later we would have been hit and seriously injured.
We stopped at Hungry Jacks moments later and all relived the crash in our own words. It was also great to chat with Harvey. Chatting with him made me realise how good it will once I’m back in Melbourne and have the opportunity to catch up with other friends too.
From this stop we rode all the way into Goulburn but before checking into our motel I had arranged for us to meet with the local paper, the Goulburn Post. We stayed at the Bakehouse Motel who had kindly provided us with accommodation in their massive family room.
Day 406 Goulburn, Australia to Canberra, Australia – 79km
The delicious and complimentary cooked breakfast at the Bakehouse was a perfect way to begin our day. Afterwards we had a photo in front of the iconic Big Marino, said goodbye to Harvey and returned to the Hume Hwy to begin the ride into Canberra.
It was funny saying goodbye to Harvey as it was the first time I could say ‘see ya in two weeks’!
The morning was fresh and very brisk. Tim and I both wore gloves to protect our hands from becoming numb in the fresh, cool air. We followed the Hume until the turn off to Canberra on the Federal Hwy. This highway ran along the base of a low lying mountain range and next to Lake George. The natural landscape sculpted a delightful ride and the flawless weather conditions managed to increase the sceneries charm as we quickly approached the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
To celebrate crossing into the ACT we posed Full Monty style which dramatically decreased the scenery’s charm for passing motorists. We quickly posted a photo of us standing nude, with only our helmets covering, well, our helmets, while standing on the ACT sign and posted it to our Facebook page which created quite a stir and a confidence building ninety ‘likes’. After our striptease we made our way to the suburb of Hackett to one of Daniel’s ex-football team mate’s house. The sleeping arrangements weren’t all too flash for all of us however we all dropped our gear off and had a quick shower before heading into town. Later I arranged for Willo, Aaron and I to stay with, Ash, a friend of mine. We ended up having a very comfortable two bedroom apartment to ourselves in the suburb of Hawker, right next to a great bakery.
Day 407 – Day 409 Days off in Canberra, Australia
We timed our stop in Canberra with the Queens’s birthday long weekend. This was good as there was plenty happening in town although made it very hard for us to gain interest in our ride from Media.
The four of us did well with sightseeing by visiting the Australian War Memorial and the Dundrune army base. We also walked around the city and explored several great bars in the evening.
Matt, Daniel’s brother, arrived from Melbourne. It had been quite a long time since I had seen him and in that time he has become a cycling enthusiast and was eager to join us on the road. He was also familiar with Canberra as its home to his girlfriend’s family who coincidentally owned the Hawker Bakery. On a visit there with Matt we were shouted pies and scrolls. The family also invited us all over for dinner which was delicious.
Tim left Canberra a day earlier. He had thought Daniel had left Canberra for Yass so hit the road only to find out after he had cycled 30km that Daniel was actually with Matt in Hawker.
The evening before we hit the road Daniel and I spoke on 1wayFM, sadly the only media exposure we had in the capital.
We said good bye to Willo, despite pleads for him to stay on to Albury. He has been a great one man support team for all of us both on and off the road. Without his help we all would have had to take turns driving from Sydney so the effort he made to fly up from Melbourne and then prolong his trip to Canberra is very much appreciated.
Now we have only four days of riding until we arrive in Albury, the town on the NSW side of the Victorian/NSW border. There we’ll be met by a crew of guest riders who will join us on the road to Melbourne.

Arriving into the ACT Full Monty style...

]]> http://ride2rescue.org/sydney-to-canberra/feed 0 Welcome the team into Melbourne! http://ride2rescue.org/welcome-the-team-into-melbourne http://ride2rescue.org/welcome-the-team-into-melbourne#comments Sat, 23 Jun 2012 00:58:35 +0000 John Clark http://ride2rescue.org/?p=2845 Welcome Ride2Rescue into Melbourne!!

After cycling over 24,000km, through 27 countries from London to Melbourne the Ride2Rescue team; Aaron, Daniel, John and Tim will be arriving into Melbourne at
Federation Square on June 24th 2012.

The team would love to have your support on the day, plus there’ll be lots going including live music. A great way to spend your Sunday!

Details!

What: Ride2Rescue’s arrival in Melbourne
When: June 24th 2012, 11.30am
Where: Federation Square, Melbourne

]]> http://ride2rescue.org/welcome-the-team-into-melbourne/feed 1 Coffs Harbour to Sydney http://ride2rescue.org/coffs-harbour-to-sydney http://ride2rescue.org/coffs-harbour-to-sydney#comments Sat, 16 Jun 2012 02:28:04 +0000 John Clark http://ride2rescue.org/?p=2806 John Clark’s Coffs Harbour to Sydney Review

Tim, Aaron, Me and Daniel hold Karina at the Sydney Hard Rock.

Day 390 Coffs Harbour, Australia to Stuarts Point, Australia – 86km

The six of us said our goodbyes to the YHA staff; they had made our short visit very memorable and it was very generous not to charge for the two nights. Daniel allowed Leigh to have another stint on the bike so while Daniel finished packing the car the rest of us made our way back to the Pacific Hwy continuing south.

Our ride out of Coffs Harbour was great fun. After appearing on PRIME and WIN, plus two newspapers, loads of passing cars gave us the thumbs up or a honk of the horn as they past. Perhaps due to the encouragement our pace was solid and when we stopped to rest after 42km, Leigh was exhausted.

Riding along the Pacific Hwy was scenic once again; the several river crossings were the highlight. Each waterway looked so clean and still, its mirror like surface portrayed a perfect image of the surrounding trees and mountains.

We turned off the highway just after passing over the Nambucca River and through Macksville onto a coastal, tourist route. The road’s surface was shocking although the surrounding Yarrahapinni State Forest was very peaceful and the enforced slow pace suited the beauty of the surroundings.

The coastal route took us past Scotts Head and Grassy Head before leading us to the small coastal town of Stuarts Point. We were given a camp spot on the river inlet and I enjoyed reading while hearing the waves crash on the beach which was hidden by the far bank of the inlet. Occasionally large, well-fed pelicans would glide past in front of me just millimetres above the still water leaving an ever so gentle wake.

Karina and I later spotted dolphins splashing around in the ocean while relaxing on the clean sandy beach. It was a tremendous spot and best of all so quiet. The six of us had the place to ourselves.

In the evening we all said good bye to Leigh who was unable to stay with us until Sydney due to work. He had breathed fresh air into the team by creating lots of fun both on and off the road. If it wasn’t for his dodgy knee I’m sure he would have been on this ride since London and I’m certain he would have been a fantastic inclusion.

After Leigh had headed off, Daniel and I walked up to the pub and watched the State of Origin. While there we met the Tourist Park’s manager, Sue. She was disappointed we hadn’t called ahead and begged us to meet her in the morning for a photo.

Day 391 Stuarts Point, Australia to Port Macquarie, Australia – 94km

Once we had packed up the four of us met Sue for a photo. She wished us all the best as we took off towards the highway.

Sue had warmed us of some tough climbs before the highway. As usual we blew the warnings off, although she couldn’t have been more accurate; it was tough! Once we hit the highway though the terrain levelled out slightly and our average speed increased.

We had to contend with more road works. They have been a common theme, not only lately but throughout our entire trip. Perhaps if we were to ride back to London in a year’s time the roads would be immaculate.

Still we pushed on and had completed 50km by the time we stopped in Frederickton, at Freddo’s Pies. This pie shop had over fifty varieties! I chose Crocodile Pie for the novelty. From Frederickton we made our way to Kempsey where we crossed the wide Macleay River and while making our way back out of the valley Daniel’s chain snapped! After a very fiddley fix his hands were caked in grease so in true Daniel fashion he drew some war paint on his face; this along with his beard left an evil looking man!

The turn off to Port Macquarie was spirit lifting and we quickly made our way through town and to Ozzie Pozzie Backpackers who had offered us a great offer of $10 each per night, including all you can eat pizza and all you can drink wine!

Before we stuffed our faces and cracked the boxes of goon open we walked up to Flagstaff Hill and watched the in-coming storm stir the violent ocean. It was the first storm we had seen in Australia and the strong winds were bringing the dark grey skies towards us quickly.

Day 392 Day off in Port Macquarie, Australia

Aaron and I took the rainy day by the scruff of the neck and headed to the local library to get stuck into some admin work! Aaron is busy arranging the final week; Tour De Ride2Rescue. I focused on gaining some media interest for the ride along with applying for more complimentary accommodation.

Today I received a lovely email from a couple in Taree, New South Wales, Alan and Helen. They had heard about our journey and decided to invite our whole team to stay with them in Taree. I responded immediately. I was excited as it was the first time this had happened and I looked forward to a home cooked meal and warm bed!

Afterwards we decided to take the coastal walk as the rain had subsided. We found a great spot where we spotted dolphins having a swim while the sun slowly set. While there we brainstormed other ride ideas, I’d love to do another trip like this again.

In the evening we enjoyed Karina’s cheesecake while watching some movies.

Day 393 Port Macquarie, Australia to Taree, Australia – 81km

We said a massive thank you to Richard, owner of Ozzie Pozzie, for the discounted rate. He also gave us some clear directions to Port Macquarie’s new ‘Big Doughnut’ where we met Nashy from the Port Macquarie Independent.

Nashy is a sports photographer and gave us plenty of instruction that led to some awesome photos. From the doughnut I led the way, consciously making an effort to maintain a strong speed as I had arranged to meet with Alan and Helen at 1.30pm.

I managed an average of around 30km/h thanks to a great road surface and flowing terrain. After 50kms we had made such good time we could afford to stop in Moorlands for 30 minutes where we sampled the ‘best scones on the coast’. We all agreed with the café’s slogan; they were delicious.

Then, only an hour later we rolled into Taree and met our new friends Alan and Helen at McDonalds. Alan, a keen cyclist himself led the four of us through town at a cracking pace. We all struggled to keep up with him. En-route to their house we stopped off at a shopping centre where we posed for a photo for the Manning River Times, Helen had arranged this for us, along with individual bags of nuts with dried fruit!

All six of us loved their property. It felt hours away from town as it was nestled nicely in the lush rolling green hills that surround Taree but only took five minutes to reach! They kept their land well maintained and the collections of animals definitely kept them both busy, they included; loads of chickens, seven alpacas, Bert the horse, two dogs, fifteen fish, mice, birds and about two hundred teddy bears!!

For dinner Helen cooked roast chicken with vegetables. We were joined by their neighbours, Peter and Barb, who housed Karina and El for the night. Barb added to Helen’s desert and we all stuffed our bellies with apple crumble and sticky date pudding; what a day!!

Day 394 Taree, Australia to Bulahdelah, Australia – 99km

In the morning Alan proved his worth in the kitchen by knocking up his famous porridge for each of us. He then joined us on the road once again, this time riding the 30km to Forster.

In Forster we all relaxed in John Holland Park looking across the waterway towards Tuncurry. Helen had prepared some food for us but didn’t want to fill our bellies too much as she had arranged for us to visit Camp Elim for lunch.

Camp Elim was a 10km ride from Forster and when we arrived we were greeted by ladies taking part in a scrap book convention. There were about forty ladies participating in the creative weekend away and they kindly chipped in to donate about $150 to Ride2Rescue. The ladies were all very interested in the ride, asking lots of questions before providing us all with a tour of their scrap books. We all helped pack up their tables which they appreciated and then we continued on!

Tim was driving today and while parked got talking with a bus driver of a tour bus. The driver ended up inviting Tim on the bus to talk about the ride, the tourists then donated in cash, Ride2Resceue collected $260! When we arrived I went on board and said thanks. I was tempted to stay in there as it was so warm; today had turned borderline freezing due to light rain and a chilly breeze.

The rest of the day was spent cycling through the cold and hilly Booti Booti National Park. The road often hugged a massive lake which almost suited the eerie cloudy weather. Eventually we re-joined the Pacific Hwy which we rode on in the dark for 5km into Bulahdelah (I was pronouncing it Bu-la-de-dah). We checked into a motel that Helen had arranged for us. It was comfortable and warm and best of all the managers cooked up hearty beef stew followed by chocolate cheesecake!

Day 395 Bulahdelah, Australia to Newcastle, Australia – 89km

The motel provided us all with a very comfortable night sleep and it was located right on the highway so it took no time to get on our way towards Newcastle.

Daniel drove today, allowing Karina to ride. For the first time in weeks there weren’t any road works and the highway’s wide shoulder was in great condition. What did slow us down though was a forceful headwind that made a stop after just 30km too tempting to shun. The stop was made in Tea Garden at a tourist attraction called ‘The Big Rock’ which I can confirm is Australia’s tackiest tourist attraction.

Still, our break was enjoyable. We ate Subway and enjoyed a hot coffee. I also received a call from a community radio station, Rheema FM, in Newcastle and took part in an impromptu live interview. The DJ invited us into the studio once we arrive in Newcastle.

From Tea Garden we followed another coastal route which took us through the town of Williamtown which is home to a RAAF base. It was incredible watching fighter jets scream past us at a low altitude.

Despite having to work very hard into the headwind we made good time, arriving at the Stockton Caravan Park around 3pm. The park was in a gorgeous spot but the cold, windy and rain imminent weather reduced our desire to explore.

Instead we headed into town and Aaron and I went into Rheema FM for another interview. We also collected some meat and had a BBQ with the others once we returned to the caravan park.

Day 395 Newcastle, Australia to Shelley Beach, Australia – 87km

The rain finally fell overnight and continued into the morning making packing up frustrating and cold. Still we all managed okay and were on our way by 9am.

The day’s ride began with us crossing a massive bridge and then a trip through Newcastle’s town centre. Immediately we were all covered in filthy spray off the road; a mix of coal dust and rain.

From Newcastle we followed signs to Charlestown and then back to the Pacific Hwy which took us into the nice looking town of Swansea where we took a break from the cold, wet day in a nice, warm café.

As we were all reluctant to return to the road we played two games of Uno before continuing south. To our dismay the rain increased in intensity as we crossed the long bridge into The Entrance. I was disappointed the rain chose today to fall as we were obviously deprived the privilege of enjoying this town’s natural beauty.

Not long after passing through The Entrance we arrived at the Blue Lagoon Tourist Park where Karina (driving) had already negotiated a free night of camping. The ‘lagoon’ was heated and the boys went for a swim, I went straight for the hot showers as I was freezing and the warmth of the water was heaven on my cold, numbed extremities.

In the afternoon we all ate scones before firing up another BBQ. In the evening Aaron and El went to the movies together while the rest of us stayed at the park playing Uno. Karina also took to sorting Tim and Daniel’s backpacks that had become very messy. It was quite funny seeing the things she pulled out, some of which reminded us all of different times on the trip.

Day 397 Shelley Beach, Australia to Lane Cove, Australia – 65km

Today was great fun. It began with a gentle 30km to Ettalong Beach. The weather was much nicer too and we enjoyed the views of the area that is home to one of Australia’s favourite TV shows, Home and Away.

In Ettalong we met Karina and El at a ferry terminal. They had driven via a bakery and we all enjoyed a pie while waiting for our ferry to arrive. This was our first of a few ferries today and it took us into Palm Beach. On the journey into the Palm Beach terminal the captain pointed out several dolphins and slowed the ferry to allow me to film them.

From Palm Beach we rode the 30km down to Manly. Daniel and I were kept entertained by Tim who was struggling to brake, instead slowing himself by dragging his feet on the tarmac or running into gutters to stop! Once he safely reached Manly he had laugh about it too. From Manly we boarded the famous Manly to Circular Quay ferry.

Its great being a tourist in your own country, especially for us, Sydney felt like a huge milestone and something we have talked about reaching for months. Passing the Harbour Bridge and Opera House was exciting as was pulling into Circular Quay. As we disembarked the ferry we incredibly ran into Timmy, a mate Aaron, Daniel and I played football with in London. After having a brief chat we had a celebratory beer at a bar in front of Customs House and then headed back to the ferry terminal.

This time we took the Circular Quay to Greenwich ferry and rode the final 5km of the day to Daniel’s good family friends, the Wenborns. On the way there we had a pile up on a hill climb. Daniel’s chain slipped, causing me to brake, then Aaron had to brake even harder and then Tim ran into the back of Aaron’s bike severely bending his rear derailleur. Although, Aaron didn’t realised his derailleur was snap so went to take off and as the chain couldn’t pass through it snapped! Aaron walked and rolled the rest of the journey.

Once at the house we all met the family; Geoff, Ivonne, Georgia, Clark and Shorty. We all quickly showered and went to a Spanish restaurant for dinner. The food was delicious and the owner kindly donated a ‘Dinner for two’ voucher for the raffle at the Ride2Rescue fundraising event Geoff and Ivonne have organised for Sunday. It was a fantastic evening; the sangria was flowing and we all shared stories of the ride.

Day 398 Day off in Lane Cove, Australia

The sangria got the better of most of us, plus we were exhausted from the past few days of riding. The six of us watched movies all day and enjoyed eating the amazing array of food Ivonne left for us.

In the evening, once our condition had improved, Aaron, Daniel and I drove down to Pennant Hills Football Club where we took part in their Thursday night training. We were asked to play for their reserves but declined as each of us wanted to make the most of Sydney.

Day 399 Lane Cove, Australia to Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia – 16km

Our official arrival into Sydney took part today with the Hard Rock Café kindly welcoming us into Darling Harbour. Waiting at the café for us were two friends we made in Malaysia, Amethyst and May, and also Tim’s parents, Jane and Noel, who had flown up to Sydney to surprise him! It was fantastic to see all four of them. Marian, the General Manager at Hard Rock, shouted us all a free meal and a few beers each which was, as usual, very generous by Hard Rock. We left the café donning bright white Hard Rock Sydney t-shirts.

While in town we met a man called Daniel, he was a media specialist and loved the sound of our ride and was really keen to help us spread the word. We exchanged emails and later he invited us to join him for a beer to discuss strategies. Daniel and I took up the offer and what sounded like a productive meeting turned into a great chat over beers. He’s a top guy and has since sent out a media alert to hundreds of media outlets, fingers crossed we reap some rewards!

After those beers we rode up to Ryan’s Bar and met with Geoff and Aaron. They were sat with Mike from the Fukers, the band playing at the fundraising event. Afterwards Daniel, Aaron and I rode down to the Park Royal Hotel in Darling Harbour to store our bikes. We then kicked on and had a great night in the Surrey Hills area, catching up with a friend we made while living in London.

Day 400 Day off in Lane Cove, Australia

Willo arrived this morning for another stint with Ride2Rescue. He originally drove the support vehicle to Darwin from Melbourne and is this time planning on driving for us until Wollongong although may stay longer if we persuade him!

The weather was grotty so our plans on checking out the Manly food and wine festival were shunted and instead we relaxed in the Wenborns incredibly comfortable home.

Day 401 Day off in Sydney, Australia

Today was all about the function at the Lane Cove Country club however before we headed there we moved all of our luggage to the Park Royal Hotel in Darling harbour who were providing the team with one night complimentary accommodation!

The function was great fun. The eight piece Fukers kept the atmosphere lively and the crowd entertained. Willo, Aaron and I manned the door and each person that entered made a generous donation. The four of us then made a speech and like usual answered loads of questions. The band then made us take part in their final number; afterwards it was clear we should just stick to cycling. It was lucky nobody asked for their donation back! Due to the hard work of Geoff and Ivonne the day was a great success and over $1500 was raised for Ride2Rescue.

Afterwards Clark and Georgia joined us on a night out which brought an end to our Sydney activities.

Looking ahead we have one final milestone, Canberra, before we reach the Victorian border at Albury where we’ll be met by some friends who will ride the last week with us. Our final kilometres of the east coast are coming up and then it’s inland all the way home!

]]> http://ride2rescue.org/coffs-harbour-to-sydney/feed 2 Byron Bay to Coffs Harbour http://ride2rescue.org/byrontocoff http://ride2rescue.org/byrontocoff#comments Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:12:35 +0000 John Clark http://ride2rescue.org/?p=2802 John Clark’s Byron Bay to Coffs Harbour Review

Leigh, Aaron, Daniel and I enjoying the view over Lennox Head.

Day 384 Byron Bay, Australia to Evans Head, Australia – 72km

Aaron, Leigh and I enjoyed a swim in the morning before stocking up the car with groceries for our next few days on the road.

Tim was enjoying himself too much in Byron Bay so decided to stay on another day as the rest of us continued south. Karina decided to drive today which allowed Leigh to jump on a bike for the day’s ride down the coast.

We followed the coastal route out of Byron to Ballina. I love this stretch of road. It runs along cliff tops and then drops down to run along beaches. The views out across the ocean as we passed through Lennox Head and into Ballina were breathtaking and it upset me slightly that we were just passing through both towns; both worthy of a week break!

After Ballina we returned to the Pacific Hwy until the turn off to Evans Head. The 10km of minor road was good fun, it wend through the Broadwater National Park. The road was corralled by tall sandy hills, fertile enough only for Australian gums.

We set up camp next a river inlet and decided to walk out to a point to watch the sunset. This walked proved disastrous as El fell into the water with the camera in hand. The tide was out when we made our way out to the point but then once the sun had set the tide had come in and swept El off her feet as she negotiated the slippery rocks on the way back to the mainland! Thankfully though she was fine, but was freaking out about her camera.

In the evening we played Uno and enjoyed hot chocolate. The temperature in the evening is very cool now and we all sat rugged up before retiring to the tents that were already wet with dew.

Day 385 Evans Head, Australia to Yamba, Australia – 71km

The cold, damp air left all of our clothes drenched as we had hung them out to ‘dry’. I exited the tent just as the sun rose from behind the far bank of the river inlet, its bright rays shined through the mist that covered the water, it was spectacular.

The warm sun quickly dried our wet clothes and thawed our cold bodies and we were ready to continue south along the New South Wales coastline. I’ve found the riding through the scenic New South Wales to be incredible and today was a continuation to the trend. My favourite part was crossing the Clarence River although there were many river crossings today and each one saw our speed drop as we slowed to take the scenery in. While we crossed the Clarence Aaron agreed with me that Australia has had the best scenery of the trip.

Leigh rode half the day on Daniel’s bike and looked exhausted after pushing through 39kms on a fully loaded bike.

We turned off the highway and completed the final 14km into Yamba on a minor road that was as smooth as a basketball court and weaved through sugar cane, a plantation we hadn’t seen in a few days, I enjoyed the return of the sweet smell. The road eventually hit the coast and rolled into the magnificent town of Yamba.

We scored a discounted camping spot and decided it was a town worthy of a day off so our whole team settled in and wasted no time exploring the beach and town!

Day 386 Day off in Yamba, Australia

We all made the most of Yamba’s beaches today. A lot of Frisbee was played.

We had some beers at the YHA and they kindly gave us a key to the building so we could come early tomorrow morning and watch the Champions League Final. They also gave me some contact details for Coffs Harbour YHA who I called and was able to arrange complimentary accommodation with.

Day 387 Yamba, Australia to Halfway Creek, Australia – 89km

Leigh, Aaron and I were up at 4am to watch the Champions League Final at the YHA. After the thrilling game we visited the bakery for breakfast and then got on the bike! The three of us were tired all day!!

After riding the 14km back to the Pacific Hwy we turned south and made our first stop in Tocadia after 50km.

Leigh, who was back in the car today, kept us entertained by setting up finish lines with toilet paper for some sprint finishes. He then jumped out of the bushes in his underpants and ran along beside us holding the Ride2Rescue.org banner as a cape! Very hilarious.

I then had a nasty crash. Tim was leading and I was sitting in fifth position. Somehow Tim didn’t notice a massive chunk of timber lying across the shoulder and swerved late without any warning to the rest of us. Aaron went left, Karina right and Daniel left, it all happened so quickly and I couldn’t see what was going on. I followed Daniel but didn’t go left enough and smashed into the large piece of wood, which Tim somehow didn’t see, and crashed hard, to my right with my knee taking the impact. I rolled into the lane of the highway but luckily there wasn’t any traffic. My bike was okay too, only with my pannier hanging off due one bolt snapping. I was pretty annoyed but somehow kept my cool enough not to blow up at Tim. What annoyed me more was how he didn’t apologise.

This happened only 5km short of Halfway Creek where we stopped for the night. We set up camp at a Shell service station. The manager gave us free hot chips with gravy and several hot chocolates which we enjoyed while we played some Uno.

Day 388 Halfway Creek, Australia to Coffs Harbour, Australia – 53km

It was a very cold morning in Halfway Creek as the warmth of the sun was blocked by the surrounding tall gum trees. Tim and I were up earlier than the others and as we enjoyed a coffee a kangaroo hopped past us, only about three metres away.

The Pacific Hwy frustrated us today as there were a lot of road works. We had specially strapped on our on-bike camera hoping to capture ocean views but instead filmed big trucks, crappy roads and men in fluorescent vests.

We had more sprint finishes, one was up a hill which left all of us exhausted. Before hitting central Coffs Harbour we reached the Big Banana and stopped for a photo before riding the final 5km to the Coffs Harbour YHA.

In the afternoon I arranged for us to meet with two journalists from local papers. We also hiked to the top of Mutton Bird Island, there we savoured 360 degree views and I loved looking back inland over the marina and harbour.

While in the marina Leigh asked staff for a tour of the fishery which was actually quite interesting. We held enormous crabs that were about to be shipped to Sydney. Afterwards we went to the pier and had fun jumping off into the water that was six metres below.

In the evening we took part in the quiz night at the YHA which Aaron and I won, Aaron answered most of the questions…

Day 389 Day off in Coffs Harbour, Australia

In the morning we met with PRIME and WIN news. This was great for us, two TV networks in one day!!

Afterwards we drove back to the Big Banana to go tobogganing. We timed our runs and Daniel and Leigh were the quickest however I put it down purely to weight! While at the tourist attraction we enjoyed chocolate coated bananas and banana milkshakes before returning to town.

Tim and I were both busy in the evening. Tim is currently planning our final day into Federation Square in Melbourne while I was arranging our arrival into Sydney with the Hard Rock café. Our two major milestones left to tick off are Sydney and Canberra. We’re getting so close to home, the excitement is certainly building amongst all of us.

]]> http://ride2rescue.org/byrontocoff/feed 0 Brisbane to Byron Bay http://ride2rescue.org/brisbane-to-byron-bay http://ride2rescue.org/brisbane-to-byron-bay#comments Mon, 11 Jun 2012 05:06:21 +0000 John Clark http://ride2rescue.org/?p=2795 John Clark’s Brisbane to Byron Bay Review

This leg of the trip is quite disjointed with a few extra days off than normal! Also, I was fairly slack with keeping my journal due to several big nights out in some very fun towns!! Anyway, hope you enjoy the update…

Day 378 Brisbane, Australia to Ormeau, Australia – 51km

Tim decided to stay in Brisbane a little longer and Aaron had already left alone to the Gold Coast so Daniel and I rode together today.

We only had a short trip ahead of us and as the bike path we were following ran right past Brisbane’s manmade lagoon we decided to stop for a quick swim before continuing on. The bike path made a nice change from cycling on busy roads and despite not being able to maintain such a fast average speed due to road crossings and the winding path we both enjoyed the chosen route. The only downside to the path was when we reached several newly built intersections and there weren’t any signs. We would literally lose the bike path and end up spending fifteen minutes finding it again!

One wrong turn we took was really disastrous as we turned onto a newly concreted footpath. The workers began yelling at us. I could feel their pain, it was 4.30pm on a Friday and two blokes had just spoilt their day’s work! Still, we yelled back as it was stupid by them not to have cordoned off the path.

After leaving our mark there we finished off the kilometres to Daniel’s Auntie and Uncle’s house in Ormeau just as night was setting in. Leigh, Karina and El drove down and the five of us settled in.

Trevor and Linda were great hosts and Linda cooked up a fantastic dinner. Their three children were excited to have some guests especially our two super nannies; Daniel and Leigh.

Day 379 Day off Ormeau/Brisbane

Despite having two nannies in our ranks we were all kept busy in the morning playing with the kids. It was arts and crafts time and we all made masks together! It was actually really fun although I was criticised for making mine look too scary.

After lunch of homemade sausage rolls we drove back to Brisbane for the night. Leigh and I decided to go to the football at the Gabba. Afterwards we had a night out in the West End at a great bar called Archive.

Day 380 Ormeau, Australia to Southport, Australia – 40km

Before we took off Trevor and the three kids, TJ, Jess and Kev, joined us for a ride around the street for ten minutes.

Karina was back on the bike today, joining Daniel and I on another bike path, this time to the Gold Coast. The path was much the same as the one out of Brisbane and again due to bad signage we rode the wrong direction for 2km and also ended up on a bicycle prohibited freeway!

Karina became very frustrated at one point due to punctures. While she was fixing them I rode into Dreamworld and watched the rollercoasters go by for a while. When I returned she was still repairing the puncture and Daniel was having a nap next to her.

Eventually we were back on track, hitting the coast at Broadwater beach and then followed the beach path until we arrived in Southport. Thanks to Aaron’s Uncle the Southport Surf Lifesaving Club had allowed us to crash in their multi-purpose room. The location couldn’t have been any better with the beach on our doorstep.

We utilised the beach immediately and then had dinner at the club’s bistro.

Day 380 Day off Southport, Australia

Karina, Daniel and Tim decided they would prefer to ride again today and then have two days off in Byron bay.

Aaron and I decided we’d prefer one day off in Southport and then one day off in Bryon. Staying with us was Leigh and El.

It was quite a lazy day however we got some important things done. I finally paid for ambulance membership; something I should had sorted a while ago, and also registered for my medicare number! While sorting this out Aaron got a haircut and left the hairdressers with a mullet. Leigh and I found this hilarious. Aaron was furious and cheered himself up with a soft serve cone from Hungry Jacks.

Day 381 Southport, Australia to Byron Bay, Australia – 94km

With the group separated it was Aaron and I cycling together today. It was a fantastic ride as we followed a coastal road all morning that travelled through Surfer’s Paradise, Broadbeach and eventually ended up in Coolangatta.

We crossed the border from Queensland to New South Wales and then stopped in Tweeds head for lunch.

Leigh and El followed us in the car with El busy taking lots of shots, making the most of the scenery. Unfortunately from Tweeds Head we were back slightly inland on the highway. Aaron and I took turns leading as the wind made the day challenging.

After 50kms of highway riding we reached the turn off for Byron Bay and quickly made our way into town, checking in at Nomads Backpackers who had kindly offered our whole team complimentary accommodation.

We met up with the others and made the most of the afternoon; visiting the bakery, having a swim and then got stuck into the free wine and cheese at Nomads Backpackers!!

Day 383 Day off in Byron Bay, Australia

Well, that wine got the better of me! I was struggling all day so kept to myself!

I did manage a walk up to the light house for sunset which was fantastic. I sat and watched the sun drop from Australia’s most eastern point while dolphins played in the clean water below.

I also thought to myself what was ahead. Only 2000km left to cycle to Melbourne, only over one month of the trip to go. I thought about the cold weather we’ll be tackling as we approach Canberra, the steep climbs away from the coast after Wollongong. There isn’t far to go but some challenging times are ahead.

The four of us together on the Pacific Highway. Pic: Darrell Nash

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