Theaussiechallenge Post # 5 Gin Gin

Day 5 165 days to go. Distance: today 65km total 460km. It’s 5pm Wednesday 11/7/2012 Gin Gin. Hello from downcountrytown Gin Gin. Apparently the rain is ‘unseasonable.’ Oh well whatever the reason its wet or has been today but its a beautiful evening and Im cosey dry at a rest stop just north of town. Rest stops are so awesome and freebies yay. Ive spent the afternoon chatting to folk. There’s such a mix of people to meet and all very interesting and friendly. They love Rube and generally think we’re nuts but nothing news there 🙂 I have met a lovely young fella Ian who’s traveling by himself in a van much like Urvy (my old and now retired Nissan Urvan). He’s got the basics on board including a solar charger which keeps his essentials going like the x-box 🙂 He’s got a tattoo of the Transformers logo and is pretty much a big kid and good company. Ians done allot of fundraising walking events and he was really excited about what we’re doing. He’s planning to drive around Australia and I wish you all the best mate and thanks for the chats and $10 donationI also met a husband and wife Barry and Hannah from Redcliffe. They have been on the road since the 70s and what a colorful cool couple. They are members of the Aussie camper van association and were telling me about their fundraising and programs over the years. They were really involved in putting together the Camp6 bible and have given me tips particularly on good places from Commonweal to Darwin. They first travelled the road to Darwin in the 70s just after cyclone Tracey when the roads were pretty rough and tough. There’s some great rest stops along the way and all have been put into the itinerary which I finished through to Darwin this arv. I had another look at the distances and have kept each day around the 100km mark to take the edge off. It was pretty hard going today in the rain and after a long day yesterday it was more hard work than I want to keep the smile on. There’s a long way to go and the fun factor is pretty essential. Re-doing the distances has been a comfort as Ive realized Im quite on track to be in Darwin with the km/day a bit more social. This is very cool particularly so for my butt butt. Rube got up me today for wiggling about to try and find a better spot which is a bit tricky during these early days 🙂 Mentally 100km is so much easier – its amazing what difference that extra 20-30km makes at least for now. So all better sorted and happier tonight not feeling like Im flogging a sore ar$se horse. Barry was also happy to do an oath and they donated $5 which was muchly appreciated. This morning I was chatting to Greg the hotel manager. He said I was welcome to stay another night if I wanted to avoid the rain which was relentless this morn. By the time we finished chatting and I did some shopping at the IGA it had eased up and Rube and I were on our way. He was so lovely and gave us a bag of local mandy’s and nanas. Im going to ask ruth to see if white ribbon will send him a letter of appreciation. The good thing about the amount of rain is that the countryside is beautiful and green. The sugarcane fields are thriving so it should be a good season for the farmers by all accounts. Everyone I talk to ask me about how Im finding the trucks on the road. They generally give us a wide berth if there’s room or a toot to let us know they’re coming and we need to move off the road shoulder. Mick the truckee I met the other night said that its ‘too much paperwork if we hit one of you blokes.’ How funny’s that!!! Whatever works it works for us thats for sure. There’s a truck pulled in at the rest stop and its carrying a huuuge pipe about 25-30m long. It made me think of the road trains that we’ll come across in the outback proper. Derek and Cathy were saying that its really important to have the face well protected as they throw up stones that can cause a weeee injury. I got a text from them today as they were going to ask friends at Stanton west of Rocky, if I can stay with them. They gave the thumbs up and their mobile for when I get closer so that’s cool. Apparently their property is beautiful and will be a great camp. It’ll be fabulous to meet some local folk. I got an email from my middle sister Janny who said, ‘I can’t stop picturing you and Ruby cycling up and over our “One-tree-hill”. That must have been so cool…..it was my favourite part of the drive to Bundy as a kid.’ I had the exact thought yesterday cycling into Childers and took a picky thinking of all our trips in the Kingswood to Gran and Pappas in Bundy. There’s a few more trees nowadays on the other side of the road but our one tree’s still there. Mmmmm those hills spitooey. Theyre making the early days a bit tough but hey like Katie said, ‘we knew what we were getting ourselves in for.’ 🙂 Janny was also saying that their little man Evan can’t stop talking about Australia…. when he found out Aunty Katie and family are here at Christmas…. ‘he had a little cry…..oh dear!!! I could have a little cry too…….but next year is another year and it’s always fun to start planning the next visit! Tonight we’ve enjoyed dinner on the terrace and spotting “whatevers” in the clouds……..our little boy is growing up. I love every second and hope we help him to find his way. Thinking of our family all over the place and how connected we all are….’ Hey Janny let Evan know Im on a ‘spotting falling stars’ mission just for him at at least when mother nature shows off her night sky again. Hopefully the talley will start soon !!!!

There’s allot of roadwork’s along the way with traffic being held up when the road becomes a single lane. The ‘stop-slow’ sign workers are sooooo friendly always giving us a cheer and words of support aussie style ‘well done love.’ Twice today they held the traffic to allow us to get through the being allot slower than the cars. But noone seems to mind and we’ve been met with huge smiles, winks and waves on the other side. One truckie called out with a cheeky grin, ‘common love you should be going fasted than that…Smart ar$se truckies gota love ’em. It’s becoming a regular event with passer byers hanging out the car window with a ‘keep going’ or well done’ Cheer. I love it and best of all we haven’t had any road ragers after Caboolture. I got an email from my cousins, Ruth and Ben with an update that Lila has discovered the art of rolling and sneezzing her oatmeal. Lol!!! Apparently she on the move and is rolling towards all her fav toys and Harley their pooch. Ben asked how he can take the oath and has got online at http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/myoath to make the commitment to all the cool woman in his life. Nice mate. From one 5th of September to another…You rock!!! Thats a tally of $82.50 donations and 11 oaths in 5 days big yays. I have attached a copy of the new itinerary below to Darwin as a guide to where we’ll be when. Highly likely this will change a bit but it gives you a rough idea and we’re very open to any suggestions you may have so flick them our way please!!!!. I have a growing number of photos and still have to work out how to attach them as there’s no Internet cafes mmmmmm maybe schools dunno also very open to ideas you may have re this one. The posts aren’t the same without the pickies. Talk soon x

Days to Darwin 41 days (40 full days)

Sun 8/7 Pomona 135km
Mon 9/7 Gunalda 73km
Tues 10/7 Childers 125km
Wed 11/7 gin gin 65km
Thurs 12/7 Miriam vale 96km
Fri 13/7 Ambrose 90km
Sat 14/7 stanwell 110km (house)
Sun 15/7 dingo 120km
Mon 16/7 Blackwater 85km
Tues 17/7 Emerald 75km
Wed 18/8 bogantungan 96km before Drummond range
Thur 19/7 Jericho 125km
Fri 20/7 Balcadine 83km (rest stop or show grounds near highway)
Sat 21/7 Longreech 108km (go through town old highway to Thompson river rest stop)
Sun 22/7 Chorregon 106km
Mon 23/7 Winton 67km
Tues 24/7 rest stop before wyreema 110km
Wed 25/7 Kynuna 84km
Thurs 26/7 McKinley 80km
Fri 27/7 Cloncurry 105km
Sat 28/7 My Isa 122km
Sun 29/7 Yelvertoft 90km
Mon 30/7 Camooweal 98km NT BORDER

(18 days remaining)

Tues 31/7 Avon downs 69km
Wed 1/8 wunara 98km
Thur 2/8 Barkley homestead 100km
Fri 3/8 41 mile bore 117km
Sat 4/8 3 ways roadhouse 70km
Sun 5/8 Banka banka 100
Mon 6/8 Newcastle waters 115km? TBC
Tues 7/8 Dunmarra 77km
Wed 8/8 Daley waters pub 80km
Thurs 9/8 Larrimah 100 TBC
Fri 10/8 Mataranka 75km
11/8 Katherine 93km
12/8 Pine creek 91km
13/8 Adelaide river 112km
14/8 Darwin 114km

+2 or 3 days including morning of 17/8