5:40 am starts and More Join

So, the 5:40am starts continue, as it is 35 degrees here by 8:00am at the moment and way to hot to ride after work. 

24^th Jan, up at 5:40 and on the road at 6:00 again, starting to get easier each day to get up so early but I’m sure it will get more difficult once the warmer weather moves on. Out the HWY we head for 20 mins. My gears start slipping as I apply more pressure during the slight uphill sections d become really annoying, going to have to book my bike in for a service and sort out before I start much more distance.

Booked Bike into “Penny Farthing “ bike shop in Alice Springs for a Service this coming weekend as soon as I got to work .

26^th Jan, another 5:40 start....6:00am on the bike and out the HWY, gears still slitting, can’t wait to get this sorted in Alice.

Bike dropped off and serviced on Saturday 28^th Jan. When I went to pick it up I had Ben Pratt with me who had an interest in the ride and in buying a new bike.2 hours after we entered the shop to pick up my bike, we walked out with Ben on a new Avanti 29er, bike shorts, gloves, shoes, drink bottles, cleats and a bell...all ready to join the Rock Riders and our mission.

30^th Jan, Its official...Rock Riders have been registered with the Conquer Cancer ride in Perth and have committed to raise a minimum of $10,000 and complete the 200Km ride with Ben signing up straight away......now for more to join Roger, Mandy, Ben and myself and increase the $10,000 to a lot more!

It’s a nice ride out here in the morning with the sun rising and being alone in the desert........

The Beginning and Why

Ok, why write a blog and why commit to a 200km (could be 250km) bike ride? Well, it started like this…

15^th Jan 2012, Mandy (my wife and fellow Rock Rider) and Hanna, my Daughter, checked into the Mercure hotel on George Street in Sydney. We, like normal, picked up brochures of interesting things to do while staying in the Hotel. While going through I realised I had picked up a Fund raising bike ride in October to raise money for Cancer research. We read the brochure and talked about how much fun it could be and a good way to support a great cause, we were wondering if all monies raised went to the charity or only a portion, how much it costs to enter, how much do you need to raise etc etc.

16^th Jan 2012, Back in Yulara I read again the charity bike ride brochure and sent off an email requesting more information.

We all know friends or family who have been touched by cancer in one way or another and in our case we have some friends fighting the fight and one who recently lost her fight. So, being reasonably fit and thinking I’m a little “bulletproof” at times was enough to make the decision to commit to the ride a pretty easy one; This ride is for us and training would commence immediately…well the next morning…..Fund raising, how we will raise the $2500 required each we will deal with later

17^th Jan 2012, First ride for the 2012 year and first ride for the Conquer Cancer charity ride. 5:40 up and ready to ride, 6:00 on the bike and out the driveway.  Plan was to start slow and build up, 20 mins out the HWY and back would be enough for day one…..20 mins later I stopped and marked a line in the dirt beside the HWY, 8kms completed, turned around and rode back home. Day 1 complete, 40 mins ride, 16kms complete.

19^th Jan 2012, Second ride, alarm at 5:40, 6:00 on the bike & out the HWY. we reached the 8Km mark on the side of the road, turned around and rode back home…38mins flat, 2mins quicker than the previous ride……..I had either worked hard and completed the distance quicker (an improvement yes) or I had cheated myself as I didn’t ride the 40mins as I had planed and the ultimate goal is to ride 200km not how fast I ride it, distance not speed……from now on the 20 mins or more each way will be the minimum…..

22^rd Jan 2012, Sunday morning, a Mountain bike ride is in order….5:40 alarm, in the car and off to the rock (Uluru) at 6:00. After arriving at the Cultural centre and unloading the bikes Mandy and I set a gentle pace across the Liru walk to the base of the Rock Climb. The only decision required to be made when we reached the base of the climb was Clock wise or counter clockwise?........ Clockwise it was and off we went dodging a few tourists walking the track around the base. About 4 Kms around the rock we ran into some other Cyclists who we have spoken to abut joining us on our ride, let’s see if they commit. Back to the car inn 44mins, 15 Kms complete time for a coffee and breakfast at Ininti Cafe.

One week down and we are commited to doing this. We will provide pictues of us and our rides around Uluru, Kata Tjuta, the Lasseter HWY etc and hopefully none of them will be our bikes on top of us on the side of the road......

Stay Tuned for more