WEAKGAZZABLADDER STOP

The account of this ride would not be complete without the enclosed picture! Many times a day, every day, this scene has been repeated, sometimes a little more privately and sometimes even less privately! When nature calls, aided by the copious amounts of water consumed by the riders, there has to be a time to obey, and when there are no trees, it still has to be obeyed!

DAYS 33 AND 34 (AT THE EASTERN SHORE)

It is a bit of a struggle to finish the story because I am home in Sydney and this all seems to be history! Day 33 took the team from GOULBURN TO PICTON and day 34 saw the team ride from PICTON TO CRONULLA, one of the Sydney beaches fronting the Pacific Ocean. The team was up at 6am and on the road soon after 6.45am. Most of the road surface was bike friendly but there was more than enough traffic at times. There was some concern about one of the hills on the final day's ride but it was managed well enough. Morning tea on the final day's ride was at Sublime Point, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Wollongong beaches.

The riders pedalled through busy Sydney traffic and arrived at Elloura Beach (Cronulla) a little before midday. They were met there by several Bible Society staff and many photographs were taken, some for publication and some to be kept in albums and the like as a record of the event. For the most part, the team was wearing the blue Jesus All About Life tee shirt rather than the Bike for Bibles riding shirt for the photographs. I personally was disappointed by this.

The team then pedalled to the Cronulla Uniting Church for the finishing ceremony and the presentation of certificates and medals. This was followed by a light meal and a great deal of talk and saying of goodbye's. Folk then began collecting their possessions and getting themselves ready to head for home. The friendships formed on this ride have been deep and I suspect there will be future occasions when these people will ride in the same team under the Bike for Bibles banner.

WEST TO EASTERN SHORE

West to Eastern Shore
(to the tune of ‘Stir the Wallaby Stew’)



We thought we’d do a worthwhile thing for eternity
We’d raise a heap of money for the Bible Society
Bike-4-Bibles was the go, Jim Blaxland knew the score
So we rode our bicycles from west to eastern shore.

So, “On ya bikes”, says Jim, “Surprises are in store
We’re going to ride our bicycles from west to eastern shore”.

The scenery along the way, truly it was great!
The condition of the roads changed from state to state
But the most intriguing thing was not the land or view
No! it’s personal anecdotes surrounding each of you

Now Mister-never-snore-no-flats, who ever could that be,
The king pin of the big chain ring: Kevin certainly
And Mrs I-hate-snorers, keep them far and yon
Could be no one other than grandmother Yvonne

There’s another pair of grannies here, not your average ockers
Recumbent Rodge and Edna on their Jason Recliner Rockers
They’re followed closely often time by camera, beard moustache
It’s Richard! Now where’s Richard and his thousand photographs?

Another steady rider here, who could forget
Franki Bicycletti and his morning tea spaghet
And there’s Luke who eats spaghet straight out of the tin
Luke who jumped us all one day and was the mountain king

Now Trevor Laurence got so ill, he nearly died, they said
But now he’s flying up those hills, risen from the dead
And Big Al, the way he rides, his personality shines
It has to ‘cos he’s dropped his radio 3 dozen times

Now Alec joined us half way through and has to leave, that’s sad.
Another grandpa, for his age, his riding ain’t real bad
And Nicholas, with stripy tan, fancies he is quick
But he’s really quicker as a magnet for the chicks

The peleton it rolls along, without spits or spats
Stopping here and there it seems, just to fix up flats
And now .. … Another stop! .. What for? .. … What’s the matter?
Ah … the answer’s obvious! Weak Bladder Gazza!

Another man from Queensland side joined our riding throng
“It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts.” was his daily song
He was referring to his butt, so big, so sore, no less
Trevor was his real name, but Butticus fits best.

Now Lucky Jim, he’s made the plans for all our nightly stops
But something happens to his brain when on the bike he hops
It takes away his power of speech and leaves him all bereft
Of any words at all, it seems, except for . . . L E F T ! ! ! !

We can not let the roadies off without a special note
The riders would be nowhere fast without these special folk
There’s Eric and there’s Richard on the CB to the trucks
To tell them that us cyc-a-lists are not just sitting ducks!

Then there’s ‘Triple R’ & M who get the food prepared
For Robert, pyrotechnics is his special flare
Rebecca, Robyn, Margaret make food to make us faster
And gave us all a brand new game - “Guess what’s in the pasta?”

Magella, Emmet, Caitlyn now finalise the list
And for the adults present they provide a certain bliss
When we arrive at end of day with our aching niggles
You take our focus off our pain with your smiles and giggles.

Though there’s been fun these 30 days, the purpose was intense
To get the Word of God to folk to make a difference.
Nothing would have happened though, except for one great bloke
Big THANKS to Lucky Jim, I say, from me and all these folks.

DAYS 31 AND 32

Time has been flying and I have to confess there has been no time available for keeping the blog up to date. We have journeyed safely from YOUNG to YASS and from YASS to GOULBURN in near to perfect weather conditions although with very little wind assistance. There was a minor fall on the ride out of Yass brought about by confusion over where the riders were meant to be going but no significant damage was done to the two riders or their trusty steeds! Both days have involved riding through beautiful country, generally on minor roads, but sometimes on major highways.

I woke early this morning and decided to get up and do something worthwhile! Hence, I am writing to you! Last night, here in Goulburn, we went out for dinner (normal) but before that, three wives arrived to put a smile on to the faces of three lonely husbands! Much catching up was done and it was lovely for us to be able to share a meal together. Also, it was Alex and Marg H’s last meal with us as they need to leave us a Picton or before so as to be home in time to attend a family function. They have contributed significantly to the team in their time with us and thir departure will leave a hole in the last day in particular.

Following devotions, the team had a – well, one couldn’t call it a concert, but some of the more extraverted of the group performed in various ways – period of laughter! It was good and all manner of truths and untruths were told! Mark had obviously been composing his for some time and if possible, I will present it for you in due course. The title of Mark's composition is WEST TO EASTERN SHORE.

Before bed time last night the rains came! It bucketed down for some time and then eased off to a sprinkle for some time. Most of the night was dry but we have awoken this morning to a heavily clouded sky and some light rain. Tonight, we will be sleeping in the assembly hall at the Picton High School, and tomorrow, some of us will be home and many more of the team will be even further from their home s and loved ones than they are right now. It is wonderful that many of the team who have been separated from their spouses for the duration of the ride will be reunited with them for the finish at Cronulla in Sydney.

TEMORA TO YOUNG – DAY 30

Today, 15th September has been a pleasant day for the team. We actually were praying last night that we would wake to the sound of rain, heavy rain even, for the sake of the farming community in the Temora area. Crops are generally rather stunted and not looking nearly as healthy as they should. Sadly for the farmers, there was no rain and we had a beautiful day, or should I say morning, on the road. Just to keep the hill climbers happy, there were hills occasionally, but most of the terrain was pretty flat and perfect for riding.

I told you about Mark having bee stung by a bee. He is fine again now although his ear is still slightly swollen. His rash has gone completely and he is feeling fine. He was telling me this morning that his brother is also allergic to bee stings. Trevor L who was so sick for many days early in the ride is fully recovered but not to the same level of fitness as he would have expected if he had not been off the bike for all those days. Kevin seems to be more or less over his cold but he has passed it on to various others, namely Frank K and Edna K (they are not related!)

We are staying tonight at the Young Anglican Church. The folk here are so caring – we arrived here to find sandwiches, cake, fruit and other goodies on the tables ready for our lunch. In the kitchen is all that we will need for breakfast tomorrow morning, and folk have been arriving from time to time this afternoon with goodies for our dinner tonight. I understand the food is being provided by people from the combined churches of Young. We of course thank them for their generosity.

Tomorrow, we move on to Yass and will be overnighting in the Anglican Church. These dear folk have been supporting Bike for Bibles riders for years and years. They have arranged to collect everyone from the church and take them to homes for showers and dinner. They will then return the team members to the church hall for our team meeting and sleep.

LEETON TO TEMORA – DAY 29

Today, 14th September, was a shorter day than yesterday and much kinder on the riders. There were more uppish bits today but uppish bits usually mean there are downish bits and they mean the rider can let gravity do some of the work for them.

We are staying tonight in the Anglican Church hall at Temora. I was clearly built in a day when it was the done thing to attend church because it is one of the biggest church halls we have been into. That said, the team has managed to spread itself widely throughout the hall and the snorers will have a lesser effect upon their nearest neighbours!

There has been time today for a bit more socialising over coffee than there sometimes is. The afternoon has also been used for catching up on a bit of washing and computing – several of us are keeping people at home upi to speed via a blog – and an early finish time helps in this regard. It has also been used to program satellite positing devices which help to make the escort roadie’s job easier and less stressful.

These recent blog entries have been produced in more of a rush than the earlier ones and photographs have seemingly disappeared! If you can see a pic in the recent entries, you might need to have your eyesight checked! I will endeavour to include something soon but I have been trying hard to get photos sorted for inclusion on a DVD for the team and it is all but impossible to get the files reduced enough to fit. When your rider gets back to your part of the world, ask to see some of the photos which have been taken of the ride and of things we have seen along the way.

HAY TO LEETON– DAY 28

Today, 13th September has been a long day with 175km passing under our wheels. The wind was generally favourable throughout the day although there was a 25km stretch where the riders were more or less straight into the wind. For the uninitiated, that means it is very hard work on a bike. There is one other thing which makes life more difficult on a bike and that is the road surface – and it was pretty rough for much of the day. The size of the gravel used for surfacing and the amount of shoulder all contribute to the ease or difficulty of the day on a bike.

The most unfortunate thing about the day was that Mark P was stung on the ear by a bee while riding his bike. The pain of the sting was bad enough in itself but he had a reaction to the sting and ended up having to be rushed to Leeton Hospital. He was through the worst of it in a couple of hours and was able to rejoin the team at the overnight venue, Leeton Presbyterian Church. The church folk put on a barbecue dinner for the team and made everyone feel very welcome and wanted. We thank them for their generous hospitality and their reflection of Christ in all they said and did while we were with them.

Tomorrow, we are off to Temora, a 132km ride through what we are told is beautiful country. We are to stay overnight at the Anglican Church hall and, I believe, eat at the RSL Club.

REST DAY IN HAY – DAY 27

Today, 12th September, has been a very windy day, just like yesterday. It was nearly a case of putting a return address on your items of washing before pegging them onto the clothesline! I suspect almost everyone had surfaced for the day before 7.30am and the kitchen and dining room was filled with the aroma of bacon and eggs for some time. The riders who became the cooks for the morning seemed to appreciate the chance to do something different for a change!

The washing machines – 3 of them – worked overtime for a couple of hours and the clothes line was filled with blue and yellow and many other colours besides. Because this place was once a hostel for school children, it is well set up for groups such as ourselves. It is such a shame that the place is currently unused and up for sale. In its heyday, it was home for up to 60 children and young adults.

I have spent the greater part of the day trying to set up suitably sized photo files to be copied onto DVD for all the riders and roadies. There are so many people these days with high megapixil cameras and who take a million photos and save them onto large capacity picture cards, that it has become very difficult to cull the files sufficiently to fit onto one DVD. I confess I am struggling with the difficulty of it these days as compared with 5 or 6 years ago when it was easy.

Tomorrow we head off to Leeton, a town in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA). We are seeking to take the back roads as much as possible in order to get away from some of the traffic, especially the big trucks. We will need to be on the road quite early because it is the best part of 170km.

BALRANALD TO HAY – DAY 26

Today, 11th September was a hard hard day for most of the team. The wind didn’t quite qualify as being gale-force but it was strong enough to almost blow a quarter full Milo tin off the lunch table and only stopped by the hand of a person standing nearby. The riders arrived in Hay, tired out by the hard slog and pleased that tomorrow is a rest day.

Some of the riders are talking about servicing their bikes tomorrow and catching up with the washing. I know the food roadies are planning a buying trip for tomorrow morning. Some of the riders have been shopping too and have come back with bacon and eggs and other goodies with a view to having a special breakfast tomorrow.

MILDURA TO BALRANALD – DAY 25

Today, 10th September, has been a good but tiring day for many of the team. The distance for the day turned out to be 164km and there was very little wind assistance for the riders. The shoulders of the road were generally rough and jarring for the riders and they have more aches and pains because of it. In some places, the shoulder disappeared altogether and the riders were forced to cycle on the main roadway. There were plenty of cars, caravans and trucks throughout the day, sometimes crossing each other at or near to the cyclists. That is tolerable when the trucks or other road users are going slowly, but when they do it at 100km/ph or some such, it is downright scary.

I am typing this under a light in the grounds of Balranald Central School. The afternoon was pretty messy today and the bus needed to be refuelled in addition to all the other activities. It has come from Port Augusta to here on what the bus holds in its own fuel tanks – I suspect it is the most economical of any of the vehicles we are using on this ride. We had our dinner at the local RSL Club and then came back here to set up beds and have our devotions – but the hall where the team is sleeping was in use and we were unable to set up until about 8.30pm. Jim B seems to think that is about bed time! Anyway, the hall lights are out and the occupants are probably complaining about the amount of light which is shining in from the security lighting which is all around the school. I don’t mind the light – it is helping me to type this blog entry! As you might have already worked out, I sleep in the bus!

Tomorrow, we are to be up at 6.30am. The team will pedal to Hay tomorrow and is to have a rest day there. The Hay Show is happening this weekend so we might have some interesting things to look at. We will be staying at a facility which used to be used for accommodating school students – it has real beds and bedrooms and a kitchen and a real dining room – things which we have not seen for some time!

One more thing – we have had some of the team unwell on occasions throughout the ride and I have told you of these folk from time to time. Everyone is on the bikes full time now, although there are still a couple of the guys who are suffering somewhat with colds.

PARINGA (RENMARK) TO MILDURA – DAY 24

Today, 9th September has been a good day for the team. We pedalled out of Paringa (Renmark) at 7am local time in still air. As the day progressed we had more and more of a breeze, finishing up as being a direct tail wind. We arrived in at Mildura before 2pm and set ourselves up in the Church of Christ hall. Most of the team headed down to the leisure centre for showers and then to the shops for a spot of retail therapy!

Tomorrow, we are off to Balranald, a little hop of 159km as compared to140km today. The terrain, like today, is basically flat flat flat so it will be all pedalling for the riders and no coasting down hills!

We stopped at the Dunlop Tyre that spans the roadway not too many k’s out of Renmark and took photos, and then did the same again at the border between South Australia and Victoria. Only the riders are beautiful enough to appear in these photos!

WAIKERIE TO PARINGA (RENMARK) - DAY 23

Today, 8th September has not been a wonderful day for either the riders or the escort roadies. There has been a large amount of traffic in the form of cars, light trucks and heavy trucks such as semi trailers and B doubles on roads which have barely any shoulder for the bikes to travel on. It is difficult enough when there are big trucks and bad roads, but it is worse when the big trucks and tourist coaches overtake the riders in places where it is unsafe, not only for the riders but for other road users also. When oncoming vehicles are forced partly off the bitumen because a truck or a bus driver who is overtaking the riders is too impatient to wait a moment or two longer until the way is safe, we are all endangered. We covert your prayers for our continued safety and witness as we travel.

We left Waikerie this morning at about 8am and arrived at Paringa (Renmark) by about mid-day. The weather was kind enough throughout the day although the air temperature was cold. No complaints! Tomorrow we are to be up at 6am local time and will head out for Mildura. We will lose 30 minutes somewhere out along the road when we cross into Victoria, but we are not complaining about that either because it means we are back to Eastern Standard Time and that means we are closer to home (for some of us at least!). I might or might not have told you that we have people from every state in Australia – except Northern Territory and Tasmania – on this ride, so for the “Western Staters” and the South Aussies, they are getting further and further from their homes and families.

Most of the team spent their afternoon wandering the streets and shops of Renmark. Coffee shops seemed to have a special attraction! The food roadies spent time in the supermarket and lightened the purse by more than a couple of hundred dollars. I guess we need to eat, but it is one expensive business!

BURRA TO WAIKERIE – DAY 22

Today, 7th September has been a pretty good day for the team. The riders had tail winds or thereabouts for much of the ride. There were a couple of incidents worthy of comment – Kevin B’s handlebars decided to break, and Roger K blew a tyre! Roger’s problem was easily fixed with a new tyre and tube but Kevin’s broken handlebars is a different story. I had a suitable piece of bent steel in the bus which we used along with a heap of black plastic tape as an emergency repair so that Kevin could keep riding. Jim B has examined it closely since we arrived into Waikerie and has found the seam line in the aluminium tube has split. He has put the piece of bent steel back in position and taped it up strongly. If Kevin wants to ride, he will have to make do with the temporary repair until Renmark (tomorrow). If there were any big hills he would have a problem, but as the roads are pretty flat, he should be able to make do.

We woke this morning to the sound of rain on the roof – how unusual! I suspect we have had rain on 50% of the days of this ride. I have suggested we could us this as a new marketing tool for Bike for Bibles – invite to ride through your town and it is bound to rain! The farmers all want rain just now although they won’t in a couple of month’s time. Amazingly, the riders have managed to ride through the day without getting wet! We have encountered wet roads but not the rain itself!

We are staying tonight in the Lutheran manse at Waikerie. There are numerous rooms all with carpet on the floor and they are all well and truly occupied! There is hot water and a washing machine and dryer! Mod cons!

In keeping with staying in Waikerie, we have had a case of oranges delivered to us! I thought we might be a touch early in the season, but no, there are oranges everywhere. If they are anything like the ones we were given in 2006, they will be better than beautiful!

We are to eat tonight at the local hotel, and tomorrow, move on to Renmark. It is only an 81km day so we will be into town before lunch if nothing goes too terribly wrong.

REST DAY – DAY 21

Today, Sunday 6th September has been a rest day for the team. There has been far less activity than on the previous rest day at Streaky Bay. Being Sunday and because we are staying at the Burra Uniting Church, we went to the 11am service (the only one for the day). Mark and Luke (good Scriptural names!) spoke about what we are doing and why, and then Allan led in prayer. The message was a story pulled from the internet, a story about a taxi driver and an old lady – a nice story, but hardly an exposition of Scripture.

Some of the riders are doing a bit of maintenance on their bikes as I write and others I suspect are sleeping or walking around town. Most of the clothes washing got done yesterday and the property has been decorated with all the colours of the rainbow ever since.

Tonight we are meant to be eating at the Burra Hotel. The sign outside it says something to the effect that it has “no pokies – everyone wins”. Good on the pub! Tomorrow we are off to Waikerie, a town on the Murray River. It is in the midst of one of the main fruit growing areas of the country but we are unlikely to be the recipients of any this time around because we are here a bit too early in the season I think. We went through Waikerie in 2006 on the Bike for Bibles Ride Across Australia and were given a case of oranges that were among the best we had ever eaten. Jim’s itinerary tells me the ride tomorrow is to be 123km.

PORT PIRIE TO BURRA – DAY 20

Today, 5th August has been a good day on the road for the team. The winds were light and basically onto the backs of the riders. This helped them manage the hills without too much difficulty and got them to Burra happy and not too tired. We are staying tonight and tomorrow night at the Uniting Church in Burra. I am given to understand that Burra was a mining town in years gone bye and I hope to know a little more about it by the end of tomorrow.

Trevor L has been back on the bike for part of yesterday and today. Yesterday, it was for only a brief period, I guess around 10km, but today, he made it all the way to morning tea which was something like 60km. He is certainly getting back to his normal healthy state and this is good to see. I had told you that Jim B spent a few days in the bus with a bung knee – he has ridden all of each of the days since Streaky Bay, but is till wearing a knee brace. Trevor H had about an hour in the bus a few days back but is managing to keep going. Eric M, quite understandably, came down with a cold. He transported Trevor L to the medicos on two occasions and roomed with him across the Nullarbor when rooms needed to be shared. He had a few miserable days but has been able to keep driving the lead escort car, and is pretty much clear of the cold now. It is still doing the rounds – Kevin B has it!

The church folk provided us with an adequate meal tonight and are to provide lunch for the team tomorrow. They are typical country folk who are more than prepared to go the second mile for their guests. Roger and Edna are to be involved in a service at a church some distance from here tomorrow and Mark and Luke are to speak and Allan is to pray at the service here. Richard J led devotions for the team here tonight.

PORT AUGUSTA TO PORT PIRIE – DAY 19

Today, 4th September was an easy one for the cyclists. The distance for the day was only 90km and the wind turned out to be light and generally across the direction of travel. We had feared the winds would be strong and a total headwind – our fears were unjustified! There was plenty of traffic but, again, not as bad as we had anticipated. Thank you Lord.

Having arrived into Port Pirie before lunch today, there was ample time for showers and then a bit of sightseeing. I took a busload of riders and roadies into town and we wandered the streets for an hour or so. I suspect some of the coffee shops made a profit at our expense! Port Pirie is a nice tidy town with lots of old buildings which are in excellent condition.

We are staying at the Lighthouse Church (Uniting) which appears to be alive and having a ministry in the district. We thank the people for their hospitality and for the use of their facilities.

Tomorrow we head for Burra, a small town located in the Flinders Ranges to the east of here. We will ride/drive through small towns such as Crystal Brook and Spalding en route to Burra. It will be a very rural ride compared to the what we have done today. Some of us are looking forward to it!

KIMBA TO PORT AUGUSTA – DAY 18

Today, 3rd September, has been a top day for the team. The riders had a tailwind from the beginning to the end of the ride and the 158km passed in record time. We left Kimba at 7am and were here in Port Augusta before 2pm. We had stops for morning tea and lunch plus the usual in-between breaks for drinks, rest of tired body parts and replenishment of sugary sweets to increase energy. There was an expected amount of traffic for most of the ride but when we were joined by the highway from Whyalla and Port Lincoln, the number of trucks and cars increased dramatically. In spite of the increased traffic, we arrived in town safely and in very good spirits.

And then it was off to the bike shop for some of the riders! There has not been a bike shop for the last 2500km and some if the trusty steeds were in need of some specialised TLC. Some riders purchased some items as spares for the remaining km’s of the ride. I had mentioned Dorothee from almost the other side of the Nullarbor. She got to Port Augusta before us – but she did not have a rest day and a diversion from the straightest line as we did. It is to her credit that she has made her journey so quickly, especially bearing in mind the weight of her bike plus the weight of all the gear she is carrying on it – her tent, sleeping gear, water, food, kitchen sink, etc!

We are sleeping tonight at the Anglican church hall in Port Augusta West. The church folk are providing some of the food and we are supplementing with pizzas. Normally we would have had showers before dinner, but tonight we will be showering after dinner. Then it will be time for a brief team meeting and bed so as to be able to do it all again tomorrow! It will be an easier run tomorrow – just 90km, taking us to Port Pirie. It will be a busy road unfortunately. We then head more in an easterly direction, through the hills to Burra and on to Renmark via a couple of other centres.

WUDINNA TO KIMBA – DAY 17

Today, 2nd September, has been one of those difficult days for everybody. The distance was only 101km but the degree of difficulty due to the wind was the greatest of any day so far. The wind was very strong for much of the night and by the time we were getting on the road, it was actually blowing small branches off some of the trees. For much of the day the riders had a crosswind but occasionally it was something like a tailwind. The day finished with about 10km’s of strong headwind. The bus spent a considerable period of time in 3rd gear, 2nd gear even, and 4th gear. I guess I got into top gear (5th) for only 15 minutes in the whole day. Never was the team so glad to come to the end of the day’s riding!

But, on a brighter side, it was Robyn M’s 50th birthday today! She started the day with something of a bang, in fact, many bangs! Loving husband, Allan and son, Luke, filled the food trailer with inflated balloons last night before going to bed. Robyn was conned into opening the trailer to put some food into it – and alas, balloons went everywhere! Robyn said afterwards that she had wondered why so many people had cameras with them! I was laughing so much that I couldn’t hold the camera still – the result, a blurred picture – but it was all worth it! The celebrations are not completed yet I suspect!

Alex and Marg H joined us today. They met us about 25k’s out of town and Alex rode in with us. He has been a rider in two previous Bike for Bibles rides and Marg is an experienced member of the foodie team. They are welcome additions to the team.

STREAKY BAY TO WUDINNA – DAY 16

Today, 1st September, has been a pleasant day on the bike and in the bus. There has probably been a bit more traffic that we might have hoped for, but all but one of the drivers have been well mannered and we arrived at our destination without being too stressed! Thick fog filled the air at 6.15am and remained for around two hours. At times, we were struggling as roadies, to tell each other if the road ahead was safe or unsafe for cars to overtake the cyclists. But, as fog generally does, it lifted and a brilliant day followed. The air was still initially, but as the hours passed, there arose a gentle breeze which was at the backs of the riders – and there were smiles on their faces that stretched from ear to ear! The average speed for the day was 26.9km/hr.

We arrived into Wudinna early enough to be able to have showers and head to the shops for a coffee. It made a pleasant day of it by comparison to crossing the Nullarbor where all the days were long days (because they had to be) and there was little time for socialising. Tomorrow we will be riding to Kimba and this will be an even shorter day than today. Unfortunately, there are conflicts with our accommodation – other people normally use the venue at the same time as we want to use it – and we need to leave it super early on Thursday morning because still more people are already booked to use it!

We had dinner provided for us tonight by the Lutheran and Uniting Churches of Wudinna. It was a case of we ate everything the ladies put on the table and they did not get anything at all to eat. I guess they just didn’t realise the amount of food cyclists can put away. We of course thanked them for their effort and kindness and left them with a nice thankyou plaque and some literature describing what we are seeking to do and why we are doing it. Nobody has complained of being hungry so the needs of the inner man and woman must have been met.

Trevor L still has at least a couple of days before can get back onto the bike – and even when he does ride again, it will be for part days only. The medical people at both Eucla and Ceduna have warned him of permanent heart damage that can come from too much exercise/exertion too soon after Swine ’Flu. He is intending to heed the warning. Jim B was back on the bike today and rode as normal. Trevor H had a brief spell off his bike due to knee pain. He has had similar pain previously and has learned to heed the warning his body is giving him.

REST DAY AT STREAKY BAY - DAY 15

Today, 31st August has been a 'rest day' for the team and most of them have done anything but rest! As you can see from the pictures in this post, cyclists have cleaned and ajusted their machines, food roadies have done their stoctaking and buying, almost everyone has done their washing and the place has generally been a hive of industry. Dinner tonight was at the local hotel/motel and was a very nice meal and well presented.

Tomorrow, we head to Wudinna (pronounced wood-ner) which Edna tells me is 131km from here. Everyone is looking forward to getting on the bike and riding there like a hole in the head! The day off was just what everyone needed to realise that another day off would be just wonderful!

In our devotions tonight, led by Mark, our thoughts were taken along a similar path to last night but with a greater emphasis upon God seeking to put His finger upon those things in our lives that He would like to chip away at to make us more and more like Jesus. He concluded what he had to say to us (and himself too) with a piece of prose he had written. I will seek his permission to present it for you tomorrow night. I will present it as an addition to this post.

People rubbing shoulders
Like jagged ragged boulders
Rubbing edges off each other
Down the corridors of time
For His amazing blessing to you
Is to bring forth Jesus in you
As we pedal on together

Across this country wide

CEDUNA TO STREAKY BAY - DAY 14

Today, 30th August, was a much easier day for the riders than was expected. The fear was that there would be strong headwinds for most of the way. Instead, we ended up having gentle crosswinds for most of the way and a not too strong headwind for the last part of the ride. We had morning tea and morning tea without the tea part along the road, and lunch after arrival here. There is a general spirit of relief as not having to ride tomorrow because it is a designated rest day. That means the rides don’t have to ride, the foodies don’t have to food, the drivers don’t have to drive – in other words, a do-as-you-like day. Almost without doubt, everyone will wake early because we have been programmed to do so and will get into each others hair all day!
Some people were asking about Edna, the lady who had the fall on day 3 of the ride. Edna, a grandmother several times over, is made of tough stuff and she did not have any time off the bike at all. She did need to be patched up a bit and had some abrasions which oozed for a day or two – and after that she had a magnificent bruise which will not be included in the pictures on this blog! She has ridden her recumbent bicycle every bit of the way from Perth to here, a total of 2111km. She is quick to give God the glory for what He has done.

Trevor L is still far from well but a comment was made at dinner tonight that he had eaten far more (tonight) than he ate last night. Occasionally though, he does look very ‘distant’ and dejected. Please keep Trevor in your prayers.

Tonight, in our devotional time, we were reminded of the fact that we are a team which is made up of many parts and that all those parts must work together in harmony like the parts of a well oiled bicycle. Scripture was read and the passage was unpacked a sufficiently to bring home to us the importance of working together. This was accompanied by a couple of songs and by prayer. There was also a short time given to the highs and lows of the day.

NUNDROO TO CEDUNA – DAY 13

Today, 29th August, has been a mixed bag on the road – the cyclists have had tail winds, cross winds and headwinds! On the whole, it has been a good day, but the wind strength has increased as the day has progressed and the strongest winds were the headwinds. We are all thankful for the assistance given us by the wind today. We pulled out of Nundroo roadhouse this morning at about 7.15am and were here at Ceduna before 3.00pm this afternoon. The distance was 151km according to the paperwork and a touch more than that according to the bus odometer.

We are staying tonight at Ceduna Anglican Church hall and will be back to our standard cereal, toast, tea or coffee breakfast as of tomorrow – no more of this cooked breakfast thing – and a good thing too if you ask me! We are scheduled to eat tonight at the Ceduna Sailing Club. Tomorrow night and the following night, we are to stay at the Catholic Church in Streaky Bay.

It has not been possible to have a team meeting throughout the time we have been overnighting at roadhouses because there has not been a suitable room available for such a meeting. Here in Ceduna tonight we have been able to meet together around the Word of God and to share some of its truths together. We have also talked about the good things and the not so good things which have taken place over the last week or so. It was good to be able to share with the rector and his wife and to hear of some of the things the Ceduna churches are seeking to do in the name of Christ. Recent years have been hard for the farming community and this year is shaping up to be a good year in terms of rainfall and a positive outlook on how things are progressing.

Again we thank God for His safekeeping of our entire team on and off the roads. We have witnessed some scary things at times brought about by tired and impatient drivers, but none of these things have had any negative effect on ourselves or others.

NULLARBOR TO NUNDROO – DAY 12

Today, 28th August, has been another hard day for the cyclists, but a shorter day and in that way, more bearable. There has been no wind to speak of from any direction and the road has been quite undulating with a significant amount of uphill. It began to rain in the early hours of the morning and continued until around 11am. It made the foodies task of preparing morning tea difficult and it made the riders wet and miserable.

Nundroo roadhouse is pretty primitive. It is the only roadhouse that does not have desalinated water running through its plumbing system. That means that if you turn on a tap to get a drink of water, what you actually get is salty water. The motel rooms are substandard but I guess they will meet our requirements. I have had to run a power lead across a driveway because there is no power in the caravan park. When you are coming this way, avoid Nundroo (although the fuel is an all-right price but of doubtful quality). I have seen diesel and petrol up to $177.9 cpl since we left Norseman. Having said that, the evening meal they served to the team was good and the atmosphere of their dining room was pleasant – but the price – Ned Kelly was a gentleman by comparison! I guess their costs are very high out here in the sticks, but they pass those costs on to the customer.

Two people to mention – Trevor L is still too unwell to get back onto the bike. He is slowly improving and would value your prayers. I am not aware of anyone else on the team succumbing to his sickness and would value your prayers that none of will become sick. Also, Jim B is hurting with a knee that is tired of riding. He has been in the bus for the last day and a half and is hoping to be back on the bike tomorrow. His fellow riders have been giving him heaps for deserting them on the bike through much of two difficult days! He would value your prayers for relief from knee pain.

Tomorrow, we move on to Ceduna. We will be saying in the Anglican Church hall and the foodies holiday will be over. They have been able to have a break because dinners and breakfasts have been catered by the roadhouses – but from Ceduna onwards, the catering is history. It was nice while it lasted, but the cost of roadhouse meals is unaffordable in the long term.

BORDER VILLAGE TO NULLARBOR - DAY 11

Today, 27th August, has been another hard day for the cyclists. The 184km ride featured cross winds and head winds but nothing that could really be called a tail wind. It is not really the done thing but the riders were draughted by the bus for the last 50km or so of the ride today because the daylight was threatening to close in before the riders could reach Nullarbor Roadhouse, and because it was considered safe to do so due to very little traffic.

It is worth making comment about food because we would not be here without it! As mentioned previously, our foodies have done a magnificent job of providing for the needs of the department of the interior. But eastwards from Norseman, our evening meals and breakfasts have been provided by the roadhouses where we have been staying and they have presented us with some excellent meals. Tonight was no exception with beautiful soup, a choice of several main dishes plus a lovely desert. Border Village presented good food but the service was poor. Caiguna was quite satisfactory but Balladonia was the best in terms of atmosphere and their food was equal to our meal here tonight. It is amazing what places like this area able to present when they are so far away from anywhere.

I put fuel into the bus this afternoon for the first time since Norseman. I have done about 950km on that tank and methinks that is pretty good bearing in mind that I do a lot of driving in 4th gear and even 3rd gear on some of the hills. Remember, I am travelling at bicycle speed and when they slow down because of a hill, so do I. The last 50km this afternoon was all in 4th gear as it provided a more stable speed for the cyclist being draughted. The bus is a great vehicle and very suitable as a rider support vehicle.

We get to sleep in a little tomorrow morning as we have only 148km to travel. As a result, I am catching up on what did not get done this afternoon due to our late arrival. I will try yet again to see if there is data connection here. There was support for voice at Border Village but not for data. Until next time, good night and God bless.

Before I forget, Trevor is feeling better each day but still has a way to go before he gets back onto the bike and seeks to ride for a day. He reduced his medication last night and woke up feeling pretty rotten this morning. Riding across the Nullarbor is out for him but there is still plenty of riding left before the journey is over – that is Trevor’s way of looking at it and I think it is a commendable attitude.

Just one thing – I have internet connection at Nullarbor Roadhouse and I am posting what I have been putting together for each of the days since Norseman. I will edit these at Ceduna or Streaky Bay and add some pix to fill them out a little.

MADURA TO BORDER VILLAGE – DAY 10

Today, Wednesday 26th August has been a hard day for the cyclists and almost everyone is dog tired and ready for bed. We set off from Madura this morning at 7.00am and arrived here at Border Village at 5.15pm. The bus odometer tells me that I drove 197km and the cyclists pedalled every bit of that. We had a little bit of assistance from the wind on occasions but mostly the wind was across our direction of travel and at one stage there was even a bit of a headwind. The Eucla Pass was a hill that nobody really wanted at the end of the day! Everyone made it up the hill but some did it quite slowly!

Breakfast tomorrow will be at 6.00am in the roadhouse and we will then be on our bikes. Jim B tells us that we lose 45 minutes just down the road when we change to South Australian time so we could be late arriving at Nullarbor Roadhouse tomorrow if the wind is unkind to us.

I told you yesterday about Trevor H having been diagnosed with Swine ’Flu. He has been more like his normal self today, but still not on the bike. It is good to see him looking somewhat better but he has a way to go yet.

It is interesting that one of the team with a Telstra NextG phone has been able to call his wife using that phone from here, but my NextG modem will not work. I guess there is a service for voice but not for data, and updating of the blog will just have to wait for a few more days. It was a nice thought!

CAIGUNA TO MADURA – DAY 9

Today, Tuesday 25th August has been a successful day for the riders. There were a few spots of rain but only enough for about one stroke of the wipers! The winds were not as friendly today, with crosswinds of one sort or another for much of the day. I think I am correct in saying that there were no headwinds at all. The average speed was a long way down on yesterday, but still very acceptable. It is probably a dangerous thing to say, but there has not been even one puncture on any bike in the last four days of riding.

Trevor L has been unwell for several days now. He has been unable to ride for the last three days and today, Eric M drove him to Eucla where there is medical assistance. Trevor had picked up some medications, I think in Norseman, but these were not helping much. He has come back from Eucla with a positive on Swine ’Flu which is not very encouraging for the rest of us, especially for those who have been sharing a room or car space with him. I gather he will not be on the bike for a few days yet. Please uphold Trevor and the rest of the team in prayer re this.

Tomorrow night we should be in Border Village, South Australia, a mere 192km from here. Vehicles travelling west have to stop at an Agriculture Checkpoint there but we get to go straight through that one but will get stopped at Ceduna and any fresh fruit or vegetables we might happen to have will be taken from us. I don’t think they are likely to be taking much from this hungry lot!

BALLADONIA TO CAIGUNA – DAY 8

Today, 24th August, has been another one of those wonderful days on a bicycle. The wind has been at the backs of the riders for the whole day and personal bests have been achieved in terms of distance ridden verses time on the bike. The day could be said to be a little boring because we travelled along Australia’s longest straight road – 146.6km without a bend! The average speed for the whole day was 33km/hr. The Lord certainly answered the prayers of the cyclists! It has been a good day for the road team too with the bus in top gear for the whole 182km and no antagonistic motorists or truckies! The team has made itself comfortable in the motel units here at Caiguna, all showered and ready to do it all again tomorrow.

We met up with a lone cyclist, on holiday in Australia from Germany. She has to be a very fit lady to be pedalling and mountain bike loaded with all her gear – heavy heavy heavy. Her name is Dorothee. She declined our invitation to have morning tea with us but did join us for lunch. Kevin took it on himself to ride the last 40km into Caiguna with her – just the two of us! It was suggested we should give Kevin a nickname from this point onwards in the ride – “Toto” – (Dorothy’s dog in The Wizard of Oz)!

There has been no rain today, not even a spot on the windscreen. I was told by a very reliable source that the weather for Perth is on the improve and that should mean it is on the improve for us too. We need fine weather with strong westerly winds!

At that point I was interrupted and asked if I could replace two broken spokes in the rear wheel of Dorothee’s bike. It was an easier job that I would have expected as it has a geared hub. When it was done, I told the assembled tribe that it was the first time I had replaced spokes and trued a wheel with a dial indicator for ten years. I guess it is nice to know I have not forgotten how to do such a thing!

NORSEMAN TO BALLADONIA - DAY 7

Today, Sunday 23rd August began at 5.30am for the team. High cloud filled the sky and one could easily imagine a drop of rain from time to time. The usual morning activities - packing up, moving of gear to trailers and bikes out of the building, breakfast, washing up, and lastly, riding out.

The wind had blown all night and was still blowing – from the RIGHT direction! This gave the riders a tailwind and put a smile on their faces! We had ridden out at 6.45am and the first 40+km was done by 8.30am. The riders had not been on the road long after morning tea when the heavens opened and the wind howled. Wet weather gear was quickly donned and the team pedalled on regardless. The wet spell didn’t last all that long but it turned the roadside drains into flowing torrents and the evaporation/absorption drains into lakes. I was not prepared to take the bus off the bitumen until we reached a place where the rain had not fallen.

The food roadies looked after us in their usual wonderful way (even with a fire to warm our bodies and dry our clothes) and the Lord kept the wind blowing! With food in our stomachs and the wind at our backs, we travelled the 192km in record time, arriving at Balladonia a touch before 3.00pm. Considering we had scheduled breaks for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, plus several other breaks to obey nature and to fill water bottles and the like, the team is very pleased with itself!

Jim has told us that there is service for Telstra Next G here but one of the riders has already told me that it doesn’t work for him. If it works for me this will be on the blog in a few minutes – if not, it’s anybody’s guess as to when you will see it.

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.

REST DAY AT NORSEMAN - DAY 6

Today, Saturday 22nd August has been a ‘rest day’, but for many of the team, it has been a day of getting ready for the week to follow. Every day will be a big day on the bike and distances will be close to 200km on each day. Most of the riders have done a service on their bicycles, especially chains, sprockets and wheels. The rain and road grime of the last few days have changed the well oiled machines into growling beasts!

The food team have been working hard as well. There were many items stored in the bus and these have been sorted and added to the items in the food trailer where necessary – and some that were in the food trailer have gone to the bus! We have filled all our water containers – something like 180 litres worth – and most of this is aboard the bus. The riders will be able to fill their water bottles with desalinated water at the roadhouses where we are staying the night but otherwise, we need to make our water last the distance. The first place we will be able to replenish our stocks will be at Ceduna.

Vehicles have been refuelled and are hopefully ready are for the week ahead. Petrol and diesel fuels are very expensive on the Nullarbor crossing and some vehicles are more expensive to run at slow speeds because they need to run in lower gears. The bus is very good in this situation because it can tolerate running in top gear at 28 + km/ph on flat roadway. I do not anticipate needing to buy more fuel until Ceduna or beyond as I am carrying a 200 litre drum of fuel additional to the bus tanks. This fuel was purchased at Perth prices, not inflated country prices.

Almost everyone has done their washing. Clothes lines have been strung up and bicycle clothing and all manner of other clothing has been through the wash and hung out to dry.

This will probably be the last blog entry until the 29th August (Ceduna) as I do not anticipate being able to get internet access until then. I know there is internet access at Border Village (the WA/SA border ‘town’) but it is via an internet café type situation and I don’t know if I can make that do what I want it to do! Maybe! I do intend to keep producing an account of each day’s events so it will be available in due course – you will just have to be patient!

COOLGARDIE TO NORSEMAN, DAY 5

Today, Friday 21st August got off to a miserable start. Light rain fell for much of the night and continued until lunch time. The windscreen wipers on the bus ran on intermittent for the whole morning and the cyclists went splash splash splash! Added to the drizzle was the temperature – only 9 degrees or a touch above until morning tea. The pace for much of the morning was slow but picked up when the sun came out. Jim rated the morning as only a 5 but the afternoon rated a 10!

Our roadie food team are spoiling us! The riders are arriving to a wide assortment of foods, some hot, some cold, a fire burning, even chairs to sit on (if the sitting part is not too sore for sitting!), a roof over our heads if it is raining and more. What more could we ask for? Thank you food roadies.

I hear that Perth is still having rain and bad weather and that means we might have it with us for days to come. We would appreciate your continued prayer for our safety, especially as we begin the desert crossing on Sunday. We will be in the land of road trains and semi trailers until September 3 when we reach Port Augusta. The Lord has kept us safe thus far and w thank Him for that. It is a worry when one hears a truckie heading in the opposite direction to us alert a truckie who is behind us of our being on the road, and the response “how many points do you get for a cyclist”. Ninety nine percent of the truckies have been great but it only takes one like we heard today to encourage people to pray.

SOUTHERN CROSS TO COOLGARDIE - DAY 4

Today, 20th August and Day 4 of the ride is our longest day to date at 186km. We were roused from our sleep at 5.45am and lost no time in packing up the hall and having our breakfast in readiness to get on the bikes. We set out under an almost cloudless sky but that changed as the morning progressed and by lunch time it was threatening to rain. In spite of the threats, we arrived in Coolgardie dry and considering the distance we had travelled, in remarkably good heart and physical condition. The wind had been kind to the riders for most of the day, blowing them along or from the back and side at the same time. This helped in gaining the 28km/hr average speed with speeds up to almost 50km/hr on basically flat roads. There is not much that can be called a hill in this part of the world!

We were passed by a wide load this afternoon. There are many overlength and overwidth vehicles that travel the country roads of WA, and this one was exceptional in our experience.
Tomorrow we will be travelling to Norseman, distance of something like 160km. The team is looking forward to a rest day, although a rest day in Norseman is not too exciting and anything to write home about! From Norseman, one can travel north to Coolgardie/Kalgoorlie/Boulder or south to Esperance. The town in the middle does not have all that much to offer. The ABC series “A River Somewhere” talks in one of its episodes, of towns that refer to themselves as being a “gateway” to somewhere – they have very little to offer of themselves – Norseman is one of those!

"WALK WITH ME MADAAM"

Last night, in Southern Cross, we had dinner at the Palace Hotel. The meal itself was very nice and well presented. Dessert was a little long in coming during which time the hotel proprietor approached the table at which the team was sitting and offered to show us his coin collection. He used tactics to basically get his own way, in spite of our need to get back to our lodgings and to bed in preparation for the long day on the road to Coolgardie. The story is far too long and boring to relate here (not to mention the inaccuracies contained in so much of what he told us) and, through the laughter of Robyn and the words of Allan, we eventually escaped and headed home. His name is S___ D. If you happen to be in Southern Cross W.A., and if you happen to dine in hotel, DON’T be conned!

MERREDIN TO SOUTHERN CROSS - DAY 3

Today, Wednesday 19th August has been a somewhat short day on the road with only 109km travelled. The air has been almost completely still but there have been times of light drizzle and even a little fog. A significant amount of rain fell overnight, such as would have made the farmers happy. The hall where the riders were staying was quite noisy in places with the rain flooding from one section of the roof to another.

Before we left our overnight venue Jim told us of variable road conditions and very little or no shoulder in some places. In places, there turned out to be quite a good shoulder due to recent roadwork. But, recent roadwork often means loose gravel, and it was some of this gravel, more than 5cm deep in places, that brought Edna K down in a heap and bent the handlebars of her bike a little. Edna herself lost a bit of skin but the damage could have been far worse.

We have had more than our fair share of punctures today. The wet roads and the debris that comes from motor vehicles and their passengers have punctured a few tyres today. One of the riders was commenting how long it has taken us to travel our 109km today – not a good average speed at all – too many stops and no wind assistance.

We are at Southern Cross tonight and Coolgardie tomorrow night. The sun is now shining through the spaces between the clouds and there is reason to hope for a better day tomorrow. Many of the team have had their shower and some have gone looking for the Laundromat and a coffee shop. Some are cleaning and oiling their bikes after the ride in the rain and the mess this morning. Dinner tonight will be at the Palace Hotel.

Again we are thankful to the Lord for His safe keeping of every member of the team throughout today in less than wonderful weather conditions. He is faithful and to be praised.

NORTHAM TO MERREDIN - DAY 2

Today has been another good day on the road. The bus odometer tells me we have travelled 164km – what it doesn’t tell me that much of that distance has been with a tailwind or not too much of a crosswind. The terrain has been much less hilly than yesterday and the riders have appreciated that.

There have been a couple of flat tyres - that means the air came out of the tyre and made it unsuitable to ride on! Two of the flat tyres (remember they are flat tyres, not punctures) were sustained by Kevin B – but Kevin insists they were not punctures! The effect of a puncture and a flat tyre is the same – everyone has to stop while the offending wheel is dealt with – but according to Kevin, a flat tyre is not a puncture! That makes Kevin feel better! If you are getting the idea that we have been giving Kevin a hard time over what a flat tyre is and what a puncture is, you are right!

We left Northam a touch before 7.30 this morning and arrived in at Merredin High School just at the end of the school day. The team is sleeping the night in the drama room which is in the same complex as the gymnasium. The drama room is carpeted and this may help to absorb some of the effect of the snorers who held the floor last night! The ‘snoratorium’ of last night failed to silence the offender reportedly only seemed to enhance the effect.

Tomorrow’s ride is a mere 109km, finishing at Southern Cross, the last of the towns considered to be a part of the central wheat belt. Probably the team will be allowed to sleep in until 6.30am. Dinner tonight is at the Merredin Church of Christ which is within walking distance of the high school. Many of the team will be looking forward to bed tonight!

LEAVING PERTH - DAY 1

Monday 17th August, DAY 1 of the ride turned out to be a great first day. Only a couple of hours before the ride began, the rain was coming down by the bucketful and our spirits were dampened somewhat. Before we left our accommodation photos were taken by a press photographer.

On the road at last and there were just a few spots of rain before we even got to Greenmount, Perth’s excuse for a hill! From that time onwards it was dry dry dry! The clouds of Perth about disappeared and became light fluffy things in the sky instead of dark threatening things that at times hung low over us. There were many other road users, especially in Perth itself, but we didn’t cause too many people any grief. Greenmount was not a challenge to many of the riders and it was soon behind us. The hills to the east of Greenmount did not prove to be any hassle at all and 52km later we were at morning tea! The remainder of the ride into Northam was quick and easy and we arrived just in time for lunch!! Cyclists live to eat and I guess eat to live. As I write this, some of the team are showering in preparation for going to the COFFEE SHOP!!!

We are staying at the Northam Anglican Church tonight and the ladies are, as I write, preparing afternoon tea for us, and after that, dinner, and after that, breakfast. Many country people such as these are most generous and often give out of the little that they have. We want to thank them most sincerely for their hospitality and love.

We also want to thank the Lord for answered prayer in relation to the weather and for our safety on the road. It can be scary sometimes when we realise that we are sharing that strip of bitumen with all those cars, trucks, B doubles, semi trailers and road trains. We value your prayer as a reader of this blog for our continued safety.

SUNDAY 16TH AUGUST

We have been to the Lesmurdie Baptist Church this morning. Allan and Edna shared something of why they are a part of Bike for Bibles and the entire team we called up onto the platform where we were commended to the Lord in prayer. The service was lively and significant use was made of sound and light. The message focussed on the parable of the sower – the good seed which falls on several types of ground and the result of the bitumen road, the gravel, the weeds and the good prepared soil on growth.

We travelled through some quite heavy rain on the way back to Ascot where we are staying and as a result, it has been decided to travel to Cottesloe Beach by the Banner bus and to avoid getting wet before the ride actually begins. Those who are really dedicated might remove their shoes and dip a toe or two into the Indian Ocean!

And it was so! The team had a good sightseeing tour of the Swan River area of Perth and some made it into the water up to ankle deep! There was enough rain to make us very wet if we had gone to Cottesloe by bicycle. Photographs of the team as a whole and town or state groups were taken and we made our way to Ascot.

Then it was a matter of refuelling vehicles, fitting of beacon lights and CB radios to the vehicles to make them ready for a 7.30 departure tomorrow morning. Dinner had to be prepared and washing up had to be done. A full day and a good day. The whole team is now here and we wilL soon be having a team meeting to tell people what is in store for tomorrow, day one of the ride itself.

RIDE PREPARATIONS

Here at the Ascot Kayak Club facility, Saturday has been busy with a great deal of purchasing of foodstuffs and other necessities for the ride. We then finding homes for all the items determined by whether they were for fairly immediate use, or for use or consumption on the Nullarbor crossing. The more immediate use goods went into the foodie trailer and others went into the bus. For the first day or so, Robert is to be our chief foodie, capably assisted by Robyn. Eric has been drafted to assist and guide on day one as he has been on more rides.

Some members of the team have still to join us but several have arrived today and one more is arriving as I type this report. Tomorrow we will be having a small part in one of the morning services at Lesmurdie Baptist Church. This will give us an opportunity to present what we are seeking to do in the name of Jesus Christ to the people there and maybe to be an encouragement and a challenge to them.

The weather is still very unstable with wind and rain squalls and even some hail! The weather is meant be on the improve so we are hoping for better things (but still tail winds) for Monday and beyond.

THE OTHER MAN'S CAMPERVAN

Observed in the caravan park at Merredin, WA.

PERTH TOMORROW

Today, Thursday 13th August has brought us one day closer to Perth. It started off quietly enough weatherwise but the wind got up strongly as the day progressed. It reminded me a little of one time we tried to erect a tent in the camping area at Kalgoorlie – we drove the tent pegs in and the miners drove them up again! Really it was the strong wind that was the problem in association with the sandy soil – but why let the truth get in the way of a good story!!

We are now in the caravan park at Merredin. We have been able to make contact with Roger and Edna who are travelling in convoy with Jim B – they are booked into some accommodation at Merredin (the town where we are) so we should see them before it gets dark tonight and will be able to travel into Perth with them tomorrow.

We have a booking for the whole team as from tomorrow night at Ascot in Perth. Saturday will be a day of preparation for the trip back towards Sydney and will include buying and packing of foods and water etc. Sunday will include a church service and a ride to Cottesloe Beach for those who want to ride from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

Why are we doing all this - look back at the first post in this blog for the details - but in a few words, because we want other people to know the Lord and to grow, day by day, to be more like Jesus. We praise Him for his faithfulness to us on this long drive and in our lives as a whole.

NEARLY THERE

We have now completed five days of our trip to Perth. The first two days were kind to us in terms of weather with cold nights and beautiful clear sunny days with very little wind. Monday August 10, was showery and rather windy with the wind against us! When I asked the shop assistant at Kimba in South Australia how long the headwind was likely to blow she said she didn’t know and suggested driving in reverse! The bus is going really well and it good to have Eric to share the driving.

On Tuesday we were able to stop off at Head of Bight which is a few k’s east of Nullarbor Roadhouse. The waters at Head of Bight must be more attractive to whales than other waters because there are meant to be around 60 of them there, including mothers with their calves. It was not easy to get good photos of them because they did not necessarily pose for the camera and there was no sun at the time we were there and the waters looked murky and grey as a result. Tuesday weather was also showery at times and with strong head and cross winds for much of the day.

Our overnight stops so far have been Hay (NSW), Crystal Brook (SA), and Ceduna (SA): then Madura Pass (WA) and tonight, Norseman (WA). I was planning to update this blog page last night because I understood from the Telstra website that they had a NextG tower there – but such was not the case!
Eric was speaking on the phone with Edna a couple of nights ago. The Kauffman’s are travelling in convoy with Jim B and they all slept at Mildura on Monday night and planned to be at Ceduna the following night. Somewhere along the way they will catch up to us and probably leave us behind! We all plan to be at our Perth destination on Friday.

THREE MORE SLEEPS

The vehicles are near to being ready for the trip to Perth. Some of the 'goodies' have already gone to Canberra as ballast for one of the trailers and those items will be joining up with the bus on Saturday when Eric meets me at McDonalds at Yass. The bus has had its service and is deemed to be ready for the 4000km journey across Australia. A 200 litre drum of diesel fuel has taken its place inside the bus and will be pumped into the fuel tanks at times when the pump price of fuel is unacceptably high.

Three more sleeps and Eric and I will be on the road. Jim and those travelling with him and in convoy with him, plan to leave a day or so later and will be diverting off the main drag to finalise accommodation and meals at venues which fall near to the end of the ride. Jim will also be doing final checks with the roadhouses between Norseman and Ceduna to ensure the bookings made months ago for dinner, bed and breakfast for the team will be honoured.

A tremendous amount of planning goes into a ride such as this and Jim B is to be commended for the manner in which he goes about carrying out his responsibilities. All of this comes at a cost, much of that being borne by his wife and family in the separation from loved ones which a ministry like his results in. It is the same for most of us who are taking part in this ride and I for one want to thank my wife for being so supportive of me in this practical ministry.

SCHEDULES

The intention is to depart Sydney for Perth on August 8. We estimate it will take five or six days to get there. Once we arrive in Perth we must prepare for the trip back to Sydney with the cyclists – food and water to buy and load, vehicle to service, beacon lights and CB radios to install or check, signage to put into position, etc. The riders will have bikes to assemble and/or service etc.

We depart Perth on Monday August 17. Working to the planned schedule will be important because bookings have been made for food and accommodation at roadhouses eastwards from Norseman (the desert crossing) and we cannot arrive a day early or a day late without causing major hassles and additional cost.

The accompanying photograph was taken on the 2006 team crossing. Roadside stops are times to refuel and rest the tired and aching bodies! The less training – the more tired and the more aches!