ride4acure

riding the big hill.

The tablelands have welcomed us ride4acure Trekkers. Last night at about 5pm after a very wet afternoon of riding down Waterfall Way, I rode into Justin Blanches Racing Training Centre on the edge of Armidale, out of the rain and into a big roomy dry barn. Meg had never gone inside a barn before but she was happy to get out of the rain. Justin has a great complex, and Meg, Wrangler and Billy have a big roomy dry sandy covered area with a great grassy paddock, plus plenty of hay and feed. They’ve done such a great job to get this far, and I reckon coming across the Great Divide was some of the most demanding riding we’ll do. Got the toughest out of the way first I reckon.  The Armidale to Kempsey road has some of the most stunning country I’ve ever seen. Massive gorge country, majestic Macleay River, Georges Creek, cliffs etc, truly incredible and wild.

Goat Track Day 3

I have had the privelege of staying with such fantastic people. Ian Flood (old friendand neighbour from Moparrabah)  in Bellbrook and Ross Foster provided me with a good little paddock. Then 2nd night atMaryanne and Peter Simpson at Smiths Flat with a delicious roast lamb dinner and a cold XXXX Gold to wash it down!

Leaving Smiths Flat Day 3

Next night saw me reach Georges Ck at Neil and Sandy Booths amazing  “Top Hut’ right on Georges Ck. Had a great little paddock right at the hut for the horses and every time I’d move the horses would be looking through the window for me! The biggest challenge there was leaving, I could easily have stayed, it’s such beautiful country and such a cosy hut to camp in with solar power and the best open fire I’ve ever seen! Can fit a strainer post in there! I lit her up and had to sit 5 metres back as it was so hot! Neil and Sandy offer their cabins for hire and can reached on 0265 678 230. I’d highly recommend their Georges Creek Huts if your looking for an authentic holiday destination.  There’s also top notch bass fishing on your doorstep.

Top Hut at Georges Ck horses with nosebags on.

Myself, Emma and Sharon on our way to Jeogla. Held up with road works on Big Hill.

I left Booths on Thursday morning and had Neil and Sandy’s daughter Emma Rossiter and Sharon McIver ride with me to Jeogla where I stayed the night with Charlie and Linda Frizell. Hannah was a great mate of the Frizzel family and we’d met up with them on and off over the years at Junior Rodeos and Campdrafts. I left Charlie and Linda’s at 8am on Friday and Sharon joined me for the ride to Chandler Public School  (Woolomombi) about 12kms away where I was greeted by the whole school (about 20 kids) and gave the “Mela-What?” presentation to an enthusiastic group with 3 Mums also present. Lee Rose the acting Principal and Kate made us a deliscious lunch and the horses enjoyed many carrots the kids had bought to school for them. The students raised $51 with an out of uniform day and made a donation to ride4acure. Yesterday on Anzac day I left the Divall family farm on Stockton Rd and with Andy and the boys we rode horses into Hillgrove to the 8am Anzac service. 

Hillgrove Anzac ceremony with Divall familyHillgrove with Divall family Anzac Day

 It was a significant start to the day. Andy, Kelly and I then rode down to Chinamans Gully (a shortcut) had a morning tea break, then I rode on for another 5 hours to Armidale.

My horses are having a well deserved break until Thursday at Justin Blanches. I’m down with them in the morning to feed and rug, then have functions at schools, University of New England, Rotary Dinner tomorrow night and also the local MP Richard Torbay. Doing a radio interview in the morning at 7.30am.

The challenges with the horse trek is packing up, keeping things as light as possible, and packed well. It’s a big job getting the load right. Getting it wrong can have catastrophic results for my horses. My horses health and well being is so important as healthy horses will get me to Melbourne on time. I take it one day at a time and don’t think to  far ahead. Having said that I’m about to jump in a car and head off for a drive along the Tamworth Road. ride4acure has raised approximately $6 500 since the trek kicked off which is brilliant. Also received half a dozen cattle donations along the way! I am constantly humbled by peoples generosity. yesterday a lady made a $50 donation on the roadside and shared her story of an early stage melanoma being removed from her face. Everyday I meet people who are ‘dancing’ with melanoma and living with the uncertainty that comes with that.

Billy, Wrangler and Meg are having a well earned rest day today at Neil and Sandy Booths property at Georges Creek. I’m staying in a fantastic Hut right on the Creek and it is awesome. I have some great photo’s I will put up soon.  I have been out of phone range since I left home and will be until next Sunday! Go Telstra.  My horses  have  been working hard since last Saturday when we left home and rode the 30kms into Willawarrin to start off on the trek on Sunday. The night at Willawarrin was fantastic and a huge crowd were there to support ride4acure. Overall $5 500 was made over the weekend for the Hannah Rose Melanoma Research Fund.  A massive thank you to Aimee and Todd Wilson for hosting the ride4acure fundraiser at the Willawarrin Hotel and to all the fantastic generous businesses who donated goods for both the auction and also the BBQ at Bellbrook. Kempsey Stock and Lands Laurie Argue did another fantastic job with the auction, buying the ‘sell’ of the night for himself the Carlton Party Pack! 

Sunday morning kicked off with a donation of $1500 from the Sussman Foundation (collective of three local Rotary Clubs) to ride4acure, and also Father Peter Richards gave a moving Blessing of the Horses to start the trek. While we were gathered, 30 horse riders in a ‘horseshoe’ out the front of the Willawarrin Hotel, Coggie Wilshusen gave us a ‘on the spec’ poem that was brilliant.  As we rode along Armidale Road many motorists gave donations and we were also ‘seranaded’ by an enthusiastic local playing a beautiful peice on his piano accordian for us as all the riders processed past his farm gate. Lots of people came out to say Hi and give us a wave.

Sunday night  Joe and I stayed in Bellbrook with an old friend Ian Flood (ex Moparrabah) and Ross and Joan Foster from Bellbrook kindly let me put my horses in their paddock. Monday night Joe and I rode 30 kms to Smith’s Flat and stayed with friends from pony club Maryanne and Peter Flately.  We rode in in the rain (it rained the first three day! on and off) got the horses bedded down for the night and then had a beautful lamb roast for dinner, baths and into bed!

I have collected another $50 in donations yesterday just riding along  as I rode over the “Goat Track” aka Armidale Road. Also a donation of livestock for our ride4acure cattle sale on August 21st in Kempsey.

I have walked a couple of kms and went barefoot through three mountain creeks to get to Neil& Sandy Booth’s house this morning to get on their computer to update the blog! Now that’s dedication guys! And guess what here I am finally online and I’ve come without my computer cord to download photo’s for you! Next time. I am staying in the most fantastic hut on the creek that is available as a holiday cabin. Will post photo’s of it soon.

If your keen you can go to facebook and Esther has downloaded photo’s from the first day onto our facebook ride4acure group. There’s also a link there for ABC interview and photo’s.  The Mid North Coasts ABC Rural Reporter Kim Honan, rode with us the first day 23 kms from Willawarrin to Bellbrook and did an awesome job. I do think her muscles may’ve been a little sore the next day or two though!

Tomorrow I head off and am riding to Jeogla to stay with good friends of Hannah’s the Frizzel family and then into Hillgrove on Friday visiting the Chandler School on the way.  Sharon McIver and Emma Rossiter are riding with me for a couple of days as far as Chandler School.  Sunday I will ride into Armidale.

I find the most challenging part of the day the packing up of a morning. Saddling three horses and balancing all the packs is a big job.  And knowing that if I don’t get things right it could cause Billy to get a sore back which is to be avoiced at all costs. The horses and myself,  remaing sound is my top priority.  Lifting the packs all weighing over 20kgs each up to my shoulder height, Billy is 15.2hh so I’ve gotta lift it up to my shoulder to get it on the hooks. Then to top it off the big blue pack goes even higher up with all my camping gear in it above the green packs! Lucky that bike ride last year gave me muscles in my ear lobes!

The ride through the upper Macleay has been magnificent, stunning gorge and river country, windy narrow mountain passes, very single lane! Two more days and I’m over the Great Divide and onto the Western side of the ranges.

Joe rode with me up til yesterday on Gruggie, who was Hannah’s very first horse! Gruggie was very happy to have three great days riding and was happy as anything, I swear he was smiling! Said to Joe I think he’d like to go all the way to Melbourne!

Joe’s home with his Dad and gone in today to Kempsey Show, then back at school from tomorrow. Joe will be joining me for different legs of the trek, next time I’ll see him is June 2nd at Narranderra, then again  June 29th the last week of the trek. He’s such a great kid, and is totally dedicated to  ride4acure.

ride4acure’s first meeting for the day was in Kempsey with State MP Andrew Stoner.

Andrew Stoner MP and Maura Luxford Kempsey 9 April 2010

Andrew is very supportive of ride4acure and is keen to help where he can and intends to mention ride4acure and the issue of adolescent melanoma in parliament. Andrew has always been involved in the local community and over the years as I’ve taken my kids to compete at horse events I have seen him at many of our local rodeo’s, campdrafts and shows.

118 days of training can fly that’s what I’ve discovered. with only 10 days left to ‘play’ with organising, planning, phoning, mailing, emailing, writing letters by hand (yes I do that too when needed!), lobbying sponsors, seeking donations for auction etc.  and of course doing the miles in between all the above with my horses. We’re off on  a 30km training ride this morning (6 hours of riding) then back to the computer. Riding is my relaxation, when I’m in the saddle everything else falls away, slows down and comes into focus. I have loads of time to ponder things and plan! Some of my best ideas come while I have my bum in the saddle!

Last night had a snapshot of ride4acure on Prime News filmed at Willawarrin at the Rodeo grounds and the main street. Hannah was a member of Willawarrin Pony club for ten years, and also rode each year in May at Willawarrin Campdraft. This year on 2nd May the Hannah Rose Memorial Encouragement Campdraft (Trophy kindly donated by Coggie and Linda Wilshusen) will be held as part of the weekend of the Annual Willawarrin Campdraft on 1 & 2 May, incidentaly the 2nd May is Hannah’s 22nd Birthday. http://portmacquarie.iprime.com.au/index.php/news/prime-news/saddle-up-for-charity-video,344841

Am meeting with our local MP Mr Andrew Stoner tomorrow to brief on ride4acure and doing the rounds of business who have pledged donations for the auction at Willawarrin Hotel next Saturday (17th April) night to pick up items. There are some fantastic things on the auction  list guys. Two stallion services, two shirts sent out from USA by Pete Farley (Pro Bull Rider),  farmstay, sculptures, Carlton Party Pack, meal vouchers and much more. If you have items you’d like to donate please contact me or drop at Willawarrin Hotel or Silver Dollar Saddlery in Smith St (next to Subway) Kempsey.

This weekend am doing a 60km round trip campout with my 11 year old son Joe. We’re riding into Willawarrin on Saturday from Moparrabah for Joe to ride at ponyclub on Sunday. Joe will be joining me for the first few days of the trek over the ‘goat track’, aka….Armidale Rd with the stunning and amazing views of the Macleay River.

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.

A humungous THANK YOU to all the people who have made ride4acure possible in 2009. Without your support and generous donations of either resources or money this ride wouldn’t have been possible. I have to thank especially Ken and Dane Watson from Watson’s Caravan’s in Port Macquarie, their generosity made our living over the last two months so much more comfortable and organised, Lloyd Newell from Gordon Street Cycles in Port Macquarie for his generosity in getting me set up with my Scott bike, it has been absolutely fantastic, Suzan Stanley from Dell computers for her absolute generosity and efficiency in setting me up with the computer equipment to keep people up to date and connected while I did the ride! Woolworths for their generosity in donating a voucher which we used for fuel and food en route. Kempsey Signs for their donation of sign writing, Laurie & Ian Argue and Team from Kempsey Stock and Land for their incredible support with the cattle sale, and both dinner dance auctions. Curves for their increbible love and support while I was training and the awesome fundraising that’s come from the Kempsey Girls! Shellie Brenna from the Macleay Argus for the editorial support, Anika Brenton from Bliss Events and Kim Honan from ABC Radio our very own mid north coast Rural Reporter and most importantly all of the crew that helped me with all the fundraising before I left town and have kept it up while I have been on the road. Without you all I couldn’t have done it! Thank you all from the bottem of my heart.

I felt triumphant as I rode my bike down St Andrew’s Place in Melbourne to arrive to a lot of fanfare from friends and family and media at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre at 11am on 26th November 2009. PeterMac arrival 26.11.09 The date of my arrival is significant as it is exactly two years to the day since Hannah’s original diagnosis of melanoma. Associate Professor Grant McArthur (Hannah’s Doctor), was there to welcome me and it was very moving to see him. Also a crew of Hannah’s girlfriends made the trek to Melbourne to be there at the welcome and that was incredible to see their beautiful faces and for a few moments made Hannah’s presence there incredibly real. I felt so joyous to see the girls! We moved off the street into the boardroom for a wonderful morning tea lovingly prepared by my PeterMac mentor Margie Woods. I have to give Margie a special mention as she’s been a tremendous support to me along the way, keeping me focused and on task. At the morning tea we made a wonderful presentation of our ‘big cheque’ to Associate Professor Grant McArthur of $40 309 which is incredible. And again a huge thank you to everyone who donated to make that possible. I have a few ventures on the go for 2010.

And of course last but not least a huge thank you to my family especially Esther and Joe and all my drivers over the last few months, Yoni, Amanda, Sam, Veronica I couldn’t have done it without you all.

THANK YOU ALL, THANK YOU ALL, THANK YOU ALL:-))

Please note I have closed off the Everyday Hero Peter Mac Event/donation site howevver donations can still be made by following the link on the donation tab and using either direct deposit or sending a cheque.

2010 events

I have booked the Kempsey Showground Hall for Saturday 25th September 2010 for the ride4acure Dinner Dance and Auction.

SPRING 2010 – ride4acure cattle sale – date to be confirmed.

ride4acure epic long distance event! Am doing some research now and I will put information up by mid January when I get things in place …. so watch this space guys!

I set out from Gisborne in the pouring rain just after 6am. I had waited for half an hour in hope that the rain would ease however it increased in intensity. So I ‘bit the bullet’ and mounted up and rode out. I absolutely flew down the Calder Freeway averaging 23.8 kms per hour in the pouring rain. I felt like a ‘cycling machine’ as my kids keep telling me. the rain was phenomenal, with great waves of water each time a truck went past! I felt invincible though…..and  I didn’t care about being wet, low visibility, traffic etc….in poor visibility I have three red flashing lights on my helmet, coat and back of bike!

I felt incredible when I arrived in the actual city it really hit home what I’ve done physically riding 1500 kms but also all of the speaking functions I’ve completed en route…..and the amazing final tally for this first ‘tally’ of the fundraising. Yesterday we were able to present a cheque for $40 309 to Assoc. Professor Grant MacCarthur who heads melanoma research at PeterMac. (Aleady overnight we have received almost another $1 000 in donations!)  It was really moving to be back at PeterMac and to see many of the people who so lovingly looked after both Hannah and us as Hannah underwent treatment there.  there were many many people waiting for me to arrive, including both channel 7 and SBS TV, plus Herald Sun newspaper. the scariest moment was when the TV guys asked me to remove my bike helmet! And I complained of ‘hat hair’!

When I pulled up at PeterMac amongst the crowd I saw the beautiful faces of a group of Hannah’s close girlfriends mostly from St Pauls Kempsey and UNE at Armidale…I was overcome with emotion when I saw them and cried with Joy at seeing their beautiful faces.  They had kept it a complete secret, even though I’d been talking to some of them only the week before!  Esther and Joe knew and had been able to keep it secret too!

We (20 of my family and the girls from Kempsey) went out to a great pizza and pasta restaurant last night to celebrate ride4acure’s arrival in Melbourne. The young fella’s went on to dance the night away to all hours at the Casino whilst I went back to my sisters and ‘crashed’ with Joe for the night.

Thanks everyone for the amazingly supportive emails and texts….I really appreciate you efforts to connect with me and the crew.

Good Morning Gang…this is the last morning of this ride and I’ve quit trying to stay in bed and I’ve just hopped up made myself a huge pot of tea and cranked this faithful little computer up yet again to put a few more thoughts together.

I woke up at 3.45 thinking about LOVE. For it’s LOVE that is the true motivator for ride4acure. Love of my daughter Hannah Rose, love of my family, friends, community, country. Love for people with passion to make a difference…I think here in particular of the medical staff both in the wards and in the science labs researching, working tirelessly to make a difference in peoples lives. When ‘melanoma’ knocked at our door it is then I truely have deeply appreciated the passion, dedication and expertise of the medical crews. They are the real ‘heroes’.

It is now steadily raining, which will mean a later start for me due to visibility, however I can pray right now for it to be a ‘pre dawn rinse cycle in the great washing machine cycle of life’  that will be over in a short while…..or not!

I took the ‘crew’ Esther and Joe out for an Italian dinner last night in Gisborne to celebrate the ride. We all rolled out of the resaurant very full, after a delicious meal, glad I’ll be getting on the bike today to burn a few calories! We have a morning tea at Peter Mac after I arrive and then tonight at my sister Kate’s a dinner to celebrate all together. When Ez, Joe and I got home from dinner about 8.30pm Joe and I were going to clean my bike and he discovered I had a flat back tyre. So quick tube change, discovered a vertical ‘staple’ through the tyre into the tube that had caused the problem! So glad he discovered it last night and not me this morning at 5.30 as i go to ride away.  Something so small can pull everything up! I had an interview with 3AW last night just after 9pm and managed to get tyre changed, bike chains and sprockets washed, and a cup of  tea made ready for the interview! so this morning when it’s light I can get away. The rain has eased….birds not singing yet….but it’s only 4.40 now so let’s see.

A huge thank you to all of you who have so generously supported me in words, resources, love, prayer and funds with ride4acure, I couldn’t have done it without you. I might be doing the pedalling but this ride has definately been a community event!

The tally on fundraising this morning is $38 879, just a mere $1 100 short of $40 000! The ‘Cash to Splash’ invite lifted the total by nearly $400…..let’s see what happens in the next few hours. We have the ‘big cheque’ already to do a presentation this morning. Very exciting! If anyone reading this is motivated to donate please simply follow the links online. Blessings Maura

2nd last day setting out....

This is the last day before this ride is complete…well I should clarify the bike riding side of things, as the fundraising continues.We are camped at Gisborne-Hannah’s resting place, a stark reminder that I’m only doing this ride because I and Esther and Joe and the rest of my family, no longer have the beautiful Hannah physically in our lives. This is a tragedy, but from that incredible loss me and my family have lived through this awesome positive ride4acure has emerged and is doing great things to raise awareness and funds to research melanoma. Hannah would be proud.

Woo hoo Gisborne sign is awesome to see afte 1500 kms!

 This morning Joe and I went to Staughton College at Melton (where my sister Kate is the Cookery teacher) and gave the final “Mela-What?” presentation to nearly 200 Year 7 students in their gym for 2009. I have every intention of continuing fundraising in 2010 with another ‘adventure’ – so watch this space!

Today the tally for fundraising has reached $38 579 a mere $1 421 dollars short of $40 000! So if there is anyone out there with “Cash to Splash!” please consider a donation (simply follow the link to donate on this website www.ride4acure.com.au) no matter how small to ride4acure to bring the tally up to a neat $40 000! Maybe a miracle will happen over night eh!  I will be doing a presentation of funds raised to Associate Professor Grant MacCarthur tomorrow as part of the reception at Peter MacCallum.  Grant was Hannahs doctor and is also the ‘chief’ of melanoma research at Peter Mac (largest cancer research facility in the Southern Hemisphere!)  I am so satisfied with the fundraising and am humbled by the generosity of so many people, many known,many unknown but touched by both the disease melanoma personally or simply moved by Hannah’s story, which I might say you would have to have rocks in your heart not to be! A huge thank you to everyone I’ve met and those I haven’t met who have contributed to ride4acure. I’ve been able to both prepare and do this ride because I stand on the shoulders of many who have given me a generous  hand…..so thank you…..Blessings to all.

Joe (looking totally spunky!), me, Ez and Issa at Kilmore Children's First Farm.

We left the Children’s First Foundation (Moira Kelly’s) farm at about 8.15 am and I have to say I felt a little sad leaving. I absolutely loved being there and meeting the incredible crew that live there. Joe had a ball playing witih two other young kids there Issa and Asha from Africa, the three of them teamed up and did laps around the farmhouse on the verandah about a gazillion times! Joe enjoyed being with young people after 6 weeks of adults! I left the farm feeling like I’d known everyone for much longer than a mere 48 hours!

The three muskateers; Joe, Issa and Asha on their bikes!

Friends….:-))

Esther and Asha “New Best Friends”

Issa and Asha went off to bed earlish and we had a delightful evening playing around with facebook stuff with the older young people, swapping ‘friends’ with each other.  Ahmed ( finishing year 10),who is hoping to train for 2012 paralympics in swimming, and with his truckload of determination and focus we can definately see him fulfiling his dream. Maria is also just finishing Year 10 this week and we all felt like we’d known her for ever. Slipped very easily into enjoying each others company. There were two other young men Christian who has a wicked sense of humour and a love of music and Joynta who we didn’t see so much of. The Gaurdians Sally and Pat were fantastic and a constant stream of volunteers who help keep things ticking over. We the bike crew feel blessed to have been so welcomed and well fed over the couple of days….

Have arrived in Gisborne….am staying at a small farm on the edge of town with friends of my sisters.  The caravan is nestled amongst some beautiful roses and trees. Am just about to go get some Chinese for dinner, then Margie Wood from Peter Mac is calling in for a yarn and catch up then into bed for a well earned sleep after pedalling across the Macedon Ranges today. Hill after hill rolled out before me, and it seem like all I did was climb most of the way, averaged a little over 14kms per hour! Felt like my tyres were full of cement-pressure was good, road surface pretty ordinary, but all grist for the mill eh! . No shoulder practically on the road and plenty of very fast, speeding traffic. I much prefer to ride on the highways with a good shoulder than narrow country roads.