Day 55.. Rest day in Ceduna. Saturday 25.6
June 25th, 2011
Esther and Titan Laura SA ~ Please no further...

Well actually more than halfway, but it is Exactly half way between east and west!

Hotondo Hugo, Titan and Esther Visit 'The Big Galah'

Esther and Titan Look Mighty Small near that BIG Truck!
As I sit here in my swag at 1pm, I find it hard to believe that I only have another 1640k’s to go until I arrive in Perth! Only another 11days until I cross the Border! and only four more days of Phone/Internet/hot showers! After we leave Ceduna I will ride through some very desolate country. I have 20 days of riding, 1200ks with NO towns! I am not sure if it will be the most Challenging part of the trip or not. I might surprise myself and really enjoy it? Here’s to hoping! Norsman WA is my next ‘town’.
I have ridden 2960k’s ~ this has had its ups and downs obviously. We have a list of things we left behind, funniest moments, Blondest moment’s, worst days, saddest moments, best days, Best horse moments, moments Esther has wanted to tie particular horses to post’s on the side of the road and leave them there, Esther loosing her temper (these were quite frequent in the first weeks of the trek), Self inflicted injures Esther has done to herself, injures Esther’s horses have done to the other crew members, Joe’s funniest moments, stupidest things people have said to Esther.
Things we left Behind ~ Day 1 – Hose connector and Sanity. Day 10 – the feeling this was a good Idea. Day 29 – 3 feed Buckets (that Maura left Behind).
Joe’s Funniest Moments ~ the ride4acure ‘team’ at the Mirool Hotel and Joe states Dramatically while in the company of ten adults ‘(sharp intake of breath) [dramatic look] Esther! I cant be here… {Points to sign states all people under 18 must be in the company of a responsible adult} I have to be under supervision of a responsible adult and I only have you and Mum…’
Blondest moment ~ Esther saying to Waiter at Kimba Pub ‘Terrific, that was Thankyou’
Worst Day ~ Leaving Lofty behind in Gawler
Saddest Moment ~ Emily dying at West Wyalong
Best Day ~ Completing 102k’s in one day and all three horses pulling up terrific!
Best horse moment ~ When Titan came down with Colic in West Wyalong and I was walking the Perimeter of the fence with him. Lofty and Meg left their feeds and walked with us until the vet arrived. It truly made me realise how much of a team we were.
Moment Esther has wanted to Tie particular horses to post’s on the side of the road and leave them there ~ I couldnt decide on only one so I have selected one for each horse. Lofty was nearly tied to a post after spooking at a kangaroo and nearly re-shaping the passenger door of a very little very black car from Gulgong to Wellington Day12. Meg was nearly tied to a post when she took to shying at trucks on day 48 of the trip. Titan was nearly tied to a post when he took off for 5k’s on a machinery track, he truly believed that the road train the over took us had his girlfriend (Meg) on it and there was no way it was going to be let out of his sight (to his credit after the first kilometre I gave up on trying to pull him up, and was relaxed enough to take out my I-Phone and put some good tunes on) This was on day 53. Surprise is yet to be threatened with being tied to a post – But watch this space, I am sure it WILL happen!
Esther Loosing her temper ~ Err… There are too many to mention! But the funniest one would have to be when Esther is standing beside a Horse that shall remain anonymous (Meg don’t worry no names will be mentioned..) and saying how well she has just gone and that her moments about trucks were behind her, and then WHAM truck, horse spins around, hits Esther in the eyebrow with bit (that would be the only eyebrow that HASN’T got a scar on it!) and fly’s backwards. Oh, but before this happened my trusty assistant Joe had gone to fetch me some chocolate. Esther that had been hobbling around with EXTREME knee pain suddenly was able to spring back on the horse and gruffly say F*** the Chocolate F*** the Horse F*** the trip and Canter off down the Side of the Eyre Highway Covering 3k’s in 10minutes (meanwhile, the truck has overtaken her and pulled up down the road) Esther Catches up to truck and sits beside drivers window (I may need to mention that when I am Grumpy I am REALLY! grumpy) Mum Pulls out Mars Bar and grins sheepishly, At that my temper subsided and we were all reduced into fits of laughter…
Self inflicted injures Esther has done ~ I am sad to say there have been a few. It is a rare talent to be able to injure yourself as easily as me! The funniest and most embarrassing self inflicted injury would have taken Place at Kimba. After taking photos and talking to school students, talking to a few people Mum takes Titan and I shuffle off to the loo, Turning around being cheeky to Mum I have managed to trip on my own spur and pull the Muscle that runs down over my bum. When you sit on a horse all day this ends very problematically! Mum warns me daily about tripping down truck steps.
Injures Esther’s horses have done to other crew Members ~ I have to mention a saying ‘there are no problem horses just problem people’ Well, This may be true but sometimes a good horse is just naughty! Titan lurched off truck and did some serious (as in may have broken third metatarsal{somebody medical may correct my lack of knowledge of foot bones!} damage to Mums right foot. Day 16. Titan kneed Joe in the face at Narranderra. Day 23. Meg savaged Joe’s arm, Day 52. Countless time Lofty trod on Joe’s toes ( I am blaming Neither the horse nor Child.)
Funniest Moment ~ Esther running towards mob of Emu’s while cracking stock whip (okay there is reason! The three horses were tied up for lunch and FIVE emu’s appear!) and quickly Yells over shoulder ‘MUM, do emus attack People!!”
Stupidest things people say to Esther ~ ‘Oh, that’d be so fun!’ — Please people get real, this IS NOT FUN.
I might sound a little over things, and I am most days. But, it is not meant to be easy. If it was everybody would have done it. I get asked so often how my bum is. The bum is not the problem ~ The lower back hurts from an injury I got off a racehorse 2days before my 19th Birthday. The Upper back hurts from another racehorse injury from a few years ago. Left Knee hurts from dislocating it weeks before departing for the trip. Right knee hurts from slipping on wet tailgate and Titan whamming into me. Right shoulder aches all the time, no idea why. Left Elbow clunks, nerve in neck grabs when I look over my right shoulder, hips ache and every muscle in my body hurts/aches/catches/is bruised or I don’t know it’s there I am too focused on the sore ones.
With the warts and all of this trip I wouldn’t swap it for the world. Everyday I think of Hannah, about what she went through with her treatments, I think of the Survivors I have met, survivors of all cancers. I have met so many Families who have been touched with cancer. It made me realise that this ride is about the People. The people I have met, will meet, will inspire (I hope!). It is about living everyday that we are given and finding the good in the worst of situations.
Happy Trails. Xx Esther