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!