ride4acure

To live in the Macleay Valley is such a gift. The country here is truly awesome with people to match.

Yesterday from 6.30 am my neighbour of 15 years Sharon McIvor and I headed over the Great Dividing Range checking out the route I’ll be riding and to meet people who have generously offered me accommodation, meals, paddocks etc along the way. A few less nights where I’m not eating lentils and sleeping in my little tent in the bush with the yowies! I’ve got all my camping gear in the pack saddle weighing in at around 5kgs. Every gram matters in the pack saddle. So every item that’s coming has to be ‘really’ needed. To assist this I’ve just purchased an iphone to reduce the amount of gadgets i’m taking. spent the first couple of days unable to answer calls and totally incapable of sending or reading any text messages that came in (sorry guys I will get back to you! LOL). Am a little more advanced now but still working on it! Have given a few people a good laugh as they’ve watched me ‘mastering’ my new phone!

First night on the road am staying with an old friend from Moparrabah Ian Flood at Bellbrook, he and Trudy Swindell own RiverRun Cafe and with the Bellbrook Pub are putting on a fundraiser bbq when we ride into Bellbrook on the afternoon of 18th for lunch.

The next day am riding to Smiths Flat and staying with the Flatleys who I know through Willawarrin pony club.

Next day off to Neil and Sandy Booth’s from Georges Creek I’ll be staying with them on the 20th & 21st April, in a fantastic farmstay cottage they’ve built right on the Georges Ck. Will be having having a rest day there as I’ll be three days on the road by then. Might need Neil to crack the whip on the 22nd as the cottage is totally amazing and very inviting, could easy kick back for a while in a joint like that! On 22nd will be staying at Jeogla with Charlie and LInda Frizell. Hannah was very good mates of both Penni and Robbie and spent many a night camping for a party with the Frizell’s.

When I leave Frizells am heading into Chandler School at Woolomombi, where I met the principle Lee yesterday and she of course turns out to be a campdrafter who spent a fortune on ride4acure raffle tickets at the last Long Flat Campdraft and is really keen to support ride4acure fundraising through her school. I’ll be riding the horses right to the school and they’re putting on lunch for us. Lee’s sister works in Kempsey and has been commissioned to go into Silver Dollar Saddlery and purchase one of the new ride4acure Brigalow shirts that are now on sale. $75 adults-$55 kids. Available in hot pink and cobalt blue (shown), also a couple of coffee coloured ones in mens.That night I’ll be staying at Hillgrove for a couple of days with good friends Andy and Kelly Divall on a farm off Stockton Road. Then on Sunday  the push into Armidale.

To see the full itinerary you can check out the horse trek draft itenerary on the tabs on the right of the home page.

ride4acure horse trek shirt 2010

A few days before I leave Willawarrin on the 18th April I’m riding from home in Moparrabah to Willawarrin on Friday 16th which is about a 5 hour ride. We have a big night at the Willawarrin Hotel on 17th with a band, Willawarrin Idol comp, auction, raffle and much more. We are still looking for donations of items to auction or raffle on the night! contact me through the website for details/info.

When we reached Armidale met up with my sister for lunch. Yoni is organising a fundraiser  BBQ at the University New England (UNE) where Hannah was a student for two years studying Livestock Science. Amy Cosby Hannah’s good friend is also ‘at work’ planning things. At lunch ‘just happened’ to meet Rosemary Mort who is the PA of the local NSW State MP who is also going to get behind ride4acure networking etc.

Last night got back to Sharon’s at 7pm then had to head home and feed up etc. So a very productive and full day was had with many new connecitons and possibilites arising from it.

Today I am off to visit Willawarrin Public School at 9am , then straight  over to Port Macquarie (70 odd km’s from Willa to Port) to St Joseph’s Primary School to present “Mela-What?” Spreading the word and putting ‘Melanoma on the Map’ is an equal goal for me as raising $150 000 for Hannah Rose Melanoma Research Fund.  After I visit the schools today I will have presented “Mela-What?” to over 7000 students in NSW & VIC.  That’s 7 000 kids that now know that skin cancer is their business and will have learnt what they can do to prevent it occuring in their life 90% of the time.

It’s now gone 6am so better crack on with my day! Every thing I do each day brings me closer achieving ride4acure’s goals of supporting research and raising awareness through telling the melanoma story that has knocked on my door. Equally spreading the word through the website and facebook group- tell a friend today guys. The more we all tell the ‘melanoma story’ and it’s tragic effect on young people in our country the more research dollars  and resources will be aimed at it.

ride4acure "Mela-What?" presentation at Crescent Head P/S.