Didn't get to set off today til close to 830am due to heavy fog lingering on the roads. Mick and Catriona Newell and Rebecca Mahy all came to Miriam Vale to help ride and guide me into Gin Gin.  Before we took off Rebecca had received a call from work to see why she wasn't in doing overtime that she had put her hand up for - ooops, she had forgotten and of course going on a charity bike ride is way more fun than work on a day off I would expect.

Today was a daunting day that I wasn't looking forward to with all the hill climbs and what was a head of me. I woke up feeling not so bad today, I guess if I was home I would have opted not to go for a ride as I was feeling a little flat energy wise, but was keen on the other hand to still get in the saddle and ride with Mick, Catriona and Rebecca.

Started off with a leisurely stroll and as soon as we got onto the road way with the bikes the hills started rolling. Catriona and Mick rode with me first and at the 35k mark swapped over with Catriona and Rebecca, then later in the ride Catriona jumped back on the bike again.

Mick's average race speed is 42k's per hour and Catriona and Rebecca's are about 33k's - so todays ride at 23 k's was a ride in the park for these guys but a hell of a push for me. Catriona commented at one point that you are allowed to back off and you don't need to ride at the pace that we normally do, obviously my stubbornness kicked in and I was off and the rest was history.

Mick has a GPS device on his bike that he uses for training and this is quite advance compared to my trip odometer below is the graph showing the hills and terrain that we rode on this leg, and when looking at it no wonder I was stuffed at the end of it - I knew I had ridden all those damn hills. I felt as though I learnt heaps from the 3 of them with riding with them, from changing gears, when to ride hard and when to roll - wish I knew some of this a few days ago, there is still so much for me to learn, but thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and the briefing guys.

There wasn't much road kill today but poor Catriona seemed to think there was with riding behind me and copping all my stinky farts, it is either all the wind from Bowen finally coming out or too many apricot bars.

We rode 99.9 ks, travelled in 4 hrs and 10 minutes. Average speed was 23.72k max speed was 65k.

I have now ridden 1347k's on bike and had 61 hrs and 49minutes in saddle. Getting closer to the 1900 k's now.

Got to catch up with Junior Bullocks (aka John Bulowski from Hume doors) - JB was camping at 1770 for the weekend I got to catch up with him about 50k's out of Miriam Vale. It was a nice surprise to see him and I think I surprised him too with still being able to walk and he was quick to ask how my butt was - I do know that he has always been interested in that part of my body, today just gave him an excuse to ask out loud in front of people

In some parts today I was following close to Mick down hill and I felt I was going really well until another hill came again and I found it a little hard to go up hill and concentrate on breathing too, on one hill I think I was only travelling at about 6k and found it hard to keep the bike balanced and moving at that stage. My muscles were burning today and I think I felt every pedal rotation. I am wishing that I had a rest day now in Gin Gin but I am off to Bundaberg tomorrow and I will be taking Catriona's advice on taking things easy tomorrow with the ride into Bundy.

After the ride I feed up on steak burger and chips and feel asleep out front of the coffee shop that we were eating at and as usual Megs seemed to capture this with photos.

Farewell and big thanks to my support riders, THANKS so much for riding with me and giving me the tow rope to help along the way - I am now alone for riding until Maryborough. Thanks Mick, Catriona, Rebecca and Graham for riding, helping, supporting and the encouragement before during and after the rides, you have made this part of the journey so much easier and I think I would still be riding it now if you weren't there along side & in front of me!!! A Huge thank you.

Pics from the day......

Rebecca and Mick getting bikes and gear organised.


Everybody chatting whilst waiting for the fog to drop a bit.


Me now getting my bike and gear ready.


Mick Newell, Me and Catriona Newell - the serious pic (Rebecca was the car driver at this point)


The more casual and relaxed pic.


Saying some good-byes, Aunty Chris whispering in my ear that she will see me on the bike today


Walking out of the showgrounds out to the roadway.


In the midst of packing up Mother Rob falls in the car with the kids.



The sign midway through the hills - should be outlining more than 7k's.. cos the whole 99k's were hills!!


Just one of the many hills.










Coming into Gin Gin




Just after getting off the bike - It was a bloody big ride - felt every hill.






After hills pic - Rebecca, Mick, Me & Catriona.


This is the graph from Mick's GPS from his bike - just a few hills.


Resting up whilst waiting for a bit of food to be cooked - ready for a good feed.


mmmmmm - energy refuel.





Snoozing after the feed - yep fell asleep outside the cafe.