“Farewell Charlton” hello Wedderburn….27th June 2010
I am in Wedderburn tonight (60kms from Bendigo). I had a great ride from Charlton down the Calder Highway, sun was shining all day, coolish but no cold wind, and blessed be no rain! I had such a good time staying with the McLeans in Charlton (which is where Hannah used to live). 
There’s plenty of traffic, the road not that wide, with only about four metres each side of the road but I was okay. About two kms from night camp I spotted an emu in a paddock on the right hand side of the road running with a horse! I turned Megs head to the left and sidepassed along the road so neither Meg or Billy could see it! Last thing I needed was the horses reacting with another emu on the busy Calder Highway! The horses went really well and when I let them go tonight at the place I’m staying they were bucking around the paddock, not bad after 34kms! I pulled up for a cuppa today in a random spot (mainly coz it was thick with wild oats and I just had to let Meg and Billy have a good pick!) As I was sitting there I noticed a sign for the road to the side and it was to the Charlton Feedlot where Hannah used to work
Awesome….I have felt such a strong presence of Hannah with me and never more so than here in the Charlton district. This is the place she wanted to live, work and study and I can see why. The community here in Charlton are incredible, they have opened their hearts to ride4acure and supporting the Hannah Rose Melanoma Research Fund with very generous donations from both the trotting club and Charlton Rotary. Well done Charlton.
I met a young fella yesterday who has walked all the way from Perth almost to Melbourne, Leigh Mathews. he’s walking simply for the experience of doing it, amazing. He’s pushing a cart with over 150kgs of gear in it. Was great to have a yarn with him one trekker to another.
