Theaussiechallenge Post # 33 Katherine

Day 35 135 days to go. Distance: today 111km total 2535km. It’s 8pm Friday 10/8/12 Katherine. Welcome to the home of Cadel Evans or so the sign says as you come into Katherine. Rube and I arrived this arv bout 2.30pm and straight to the coffee club for the biggest real coffee on the menu yayayayayaya. We checked our emails over the next 2 hours as there were 78 OMG but sooo delish hearing from the family and new and old friends. I do apologize for the lack of detail in my replies and please don’t take this as lack of interest so quite the contrary big time. I love hearing from everyone and it gives me such a hit and fix of connection with the people I love. I sound like a love junkie and so be it….My name is Maree and I am a ‘love my family and friends junkie… 🙂 It was awesome to get so many comments from folk we have met and bonded with in our travels. It amazes me how brief meetings can leave me feeling so bonded to folk. And it shows with my response to your comments. I think the coffee club workers were very entertained by my constant outbursts of giggles and ‘how cool’s that!!!’

Ive been able to chat with my partner to plan ahead my days remaining to Darwin. I still have 6 full days and so have decided to go to Darwin via Jabiru and kakadu National Park. I’m sooo excited about this route and have had a quick look and squeal at how well it works. Rube’s reading up on our lonely planet and also very excited. I love unplanned side events very cool indeedy.

Before heading this morning we met Audrey and her hubby from Palm woods Sunshine Coast. Audrey’s involved with the local Zonta and very familiar with White Ribbon. She has invited me to be a speaker for Zonta down the track which I would love love love. We exchanged details and look forward to that opportunity when the time comes. I also met Del from Kununarra. She’s driving her 1977 Mercedes Benz called Mango Madness across Cairns for charity. She’s attached to a fundraising club who take vintage cars on road trips to raise dollars but I can’t remember the name of the group or charity. Sorry have to get back to you on that one as I have Del’s contact details. Anyway what an amazing woman who just continued to inspire as we chatted on into the morning. She’s mid sixties and looks amazing the trick being ‘no husband, children and a hassle free happy existence.’ This woman however has devoted her years to helping others and clearly it’s her purpose and passion. She has three other vintage cars but decided to take Mango as she hasn’t ventured out much. She has a relationship with her cars much like Rube and I and it was nice to meet a like minded lunatic 🙂 Del also drives a school bus, does security work and foot therapy and RN work still on the side. A bundle of mischief and goodness wrapped up in a beautiful soul. What a treat to meet her. Unfortunately Del’s not back in Kununarra until the end of Sept but we exchanged details and will definitely be in touch again.

The ride was pretty good going into Katherine. We stopped a couple of times along the way for some cool pickies with the termite nests and to have a chat with an Irish lass doing traffic control at roadworks. She was all smiles and great accent and in 2nd year of her working Aussie visa. Her and her partner base themselves out of Darwin which they love and want to live here permanently if they can figure it out over the next months how that can work.

We didn’t get any donations today but Les and Helen let us stay at the Boab Caravan Park as a freebie.
So generous of them considering unpowered sites are usually $25. The support for our accomodation is such a wonderful bonus and I look forward to ensuring all the generous free stays are thanked by way of a certificate from White Ribbon for their generous support. Ive kept business cards for each and will sort that one when we’re back home. I’ll finish up tonight with a few quotes from emails I got from friends and family today which made me smile and is special for me to share now with you. Talk soon x

Ree, just love the “photo gallery”, so much fun, so many flashbacks to the postings over the last three weeks, great reliving them again with you, so many wonderful, crazy, generous people!!! Hey girl…you look good in the outback, suncream and all! Have to pass on…”Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened”, we can thank the Dalai Lama for that one! Oh yeah and that amazing, prehistoric looking lizard is called a Shingleback. It’s a skink and if it gets frightened it’ll show you just how big his mouth can get….and then it’ll scare the hell out of you by flopping out it’s blue tongue and hiss!!!! Keep that smile on your face and …………….ride on Ruby!

Hi Maree. I am thoroughly enjoying your posts. Your comments about the landscapes, birdlife, sunsets and heart-warming outback people bring your experiences to such life and bring back wonderful memories of my travels out west. Thank you! Stay safe gorgeous. Megs xxxxx

Marathon effort, Schwessie with some great shots .It`s fun putting faces to all the folks in your stories!!! Love the sunset billabong shot XO and of course Ruby strutting her stuff parked outside McDonalds

Comment: Hi Marie , Judith who you met at McDonald’s in mt isa. When you get to the border to WA you can,t take fruit and veg over,but if you camp there people give you the food that is otherwise thrown out. Hope to see you I warrnambool , take care.

Hope all is still going well for you Maree. I got in to Kununurra yesterday afternoon in time to greet the kids coming home from school.
I am so glad I stopped and met you at that rest stop, as I am always amazed at reading about people who follow their dreams, and are so positive at what they are doing, as you are, and it was such a thrill to talk with you. Hope I can catch up again with you in kununurra and follow your trip
Regards
Bruce

Comment: Hi Maree its Rob (the coffee money guy)met you outside Isa.Hope all is going well,staying upright and on the right side of the road!!I guess you should be in darwin soon, see if I can arrange a brass band or something,probably finish up with me and a didge !!, to welcome you, kind regards….Rob

Comment: HI Maree
It was great to meet you on the Stuart Highway, just north of Three Ways. Surely I’m not the first cyclist you’ve met on your long challenge ride. What an adventure you have set for yourself. I look forward to following the rest of your journey… and maybe meeting you again somewhere.
Best wishes
Rosalie

Comment: Hi Maree, love reading your really interesting and well written posts and following your trip. On your page with the details of your cause under the map of Australia I notice that the spelling for pedal is incorrect and shown as peddle (just a little thing!) Keep up the good effort, from the breakfast lady of scrambled eggs & bacon. I am also glad you have a flag on your bike. Cheers Jenny