shecyclesolo

Day 41 129 days to go. Distance: today 125km total 3137km. It’s 8pm Thursday 16/8/12 Lee Point Village Resort, Darwin.

“Everything we achieve was once just a dream” What a beautiful quote Mum and Dad not sure who the author is but they nailed it didn’t they and a cool way to start tonight’s post. By the way……..DARWIN DARWIN DARWIN DARWIN !!!!! Phew that feels better 🙂 It’s a big tick milestone for Rube and I to be here and we’re chuffed and smiling and squeaky clean with all washing done. I’ll find somewhere for the girl to be pampered tomorrow but otherwise it’s all easy R&R now for a few days so nice nice!! We ended up finding a campground at Lee Point just 7km from the airport which works well for tomorrow. I asked for a freebie but the lady at reception said she didn’t have the authority and the manager had finished for the day. Oh well $25 a bit ouchy on the purse but not as tough as the first place we tried which wanted $45 so we’re happy enough and in a good possie. I kinda forgot that Darwin’s a big city and hadn’t thought much about getting here and finding our way around. It wasn’t until I got to a motorway junction bout 20km out that it dawned on me mmmmmmm sometimes not the sharpest tool and a bit slow out of the starting blocks but hey all heart and good intent I say 🙂 Anyway the sign said ‘Stuart Highway’ one way and Darwin another so Rube and I were scratching our heads. Then this council man stopped ahead of us perfect!!! His name was Wayne and he was such help. He pointed us the way where we needed to be to get to Darwin airport tomorrow. He googled campgrounds and gave us a mud map how to get to our camping options all nearby. Thanks Wayne!!!! So after finding our way here I did my washing and scrubbed myself to a state of respectability and now feeling like a fluffed and pruned tweet tweet bird ready for the next days yays.

We have reception and have been enjoying catching up on emails from friends and family thank you. Xxxxx thought I’d share a couple of comments from my friend Jo which are totally interesting……’Loving your adventures and glad to hear you haven’t encounter any sleeping crocs. What a beautiful part of our country is NT, I hope mining never makes its way there and they band cats. We were watching national geographic doco the other day on the state of the native wildlife and the effects of the domestic now ferrels cats in Kakadu and the Kimberley’s. My god, every ferrel cat is killing 7 marsupials per day and they estimate there are over 1,000,000 ferrel cats.’ AND…..
‘Talk soon and enjoy your travels, the stories are great makes us want to pack our bags and travel around AUS. As one person once said to me, i asked him does he enjoying being retired and his reply ” its great to stop competing and starting opening the world of appreciation”. I probably didn’t think too much of this before but listening to the people you have meet and their stories and kindness I get his point.’ thank you Jo and fam xxxx hope the flu has exited your gorgeous clan stage right and your USA plans sound just awesome xxxx

Also got an email from my big sister kittie who said….. ‘Could be the black cockatoo is your personal totem with you feeling such an affinity with them and their presence as you`re riding the wide open spaces (nice thought don`t you think??????)
We`ve been having fun with our “Bavarian challenge” J cycling and soaking up a bit of the alps the last couple of weeks. Was smiling reading one of your latest Blogs where you listed the kms done for the day and it was more than what we`d chalked up in 4 days!!!!!!!:-) (and that wasn`t due to the hills believe me ;-)’ love you!!!!!

About 50km into the ride today a car pulled over ahead of us and out popped Brett the national Parks fella who did the guided talks at Ubirr. He was with 3 of his friends, Zsuzza (originally from Hungary but all Australian nowadays), and Laura and Elizabeth two Irish girls. They all work in Jabiru and have three days off spending them in Darwin. Brett wants to swim in the ocean and the Irish girls want to party at the local Irish pub called Shanaghans. They were young and clearly excited about the prospect of partying up for a few days. They invited me to join them for the night market tonight but it doesn’t work for me to be in that part of the city my loss today but gain tomorrow. They did however donate $100 between them can you believe it how incredibly generous. They were all so excited and supportive of our fundraising challenge and said it was the least they could do to support our efforts for such a great cause. Thanks Guys it was fun talking to you by the roadside today and having our pickies together. Live it up in Darwin and love the salt water on the skin Brett. I complimented Brett on his ability to present such an interesting and respectful slice of Country and Aboriginal culture. He said he’s spent 25 years emersed in the culture and has learnt through story with elders about some of their ways. He said it’s quite controlled through policy what he can and can’t say and he hopes his style still respects these constraints but captures some of the heart of the land and it’s traditional owners. And it does. I told him that whatever recipe he’s using keep doing it cause it works a treat. The group of folk who followed him around for his three presentations up to sunset hung off his every word including myself and I reckon that’s a gift for him and us.

Cash donations from Brissie to Darwin are $1164.35 and I think that’s pretty awesome for two girls finding their peddles both with cycling and encouraging donations. It’s a somewhat tricky. My first priority is to talk to folk freely and not present with an agenda. i therefore don’t ask for donations but share our aussiechallenge itinerary and cause. It seems then that donations are made if people feel so inclined and this is a comfortable place for me so that works. Anyway good dollars for early days yay!!!! I’ll be posting next from Katherine to have a full break of it over the next days so stay tuned for then with a gallery to be attached. I’ll finish tonight with a part of an email from my sister Janny who shared a comment from their little man, Evan. It still makes me smile big thank you Loves and enjoy your holiday in Cres. Talk soon x

“Evan said a beauty last night after dinner, during a cuddle on the terrace: ‘my heart’s so full mummy, that’s why I’ve got such a big tummy!’ “

Day 40 130 days to go. Distance: today 148km total 3012km. It’s 8.10pm Wednesday 15/8/12 The Bark Hut Inn and Campground, Annabunna. We’re about 120km out of Darwin and that’s us for tomorrow’s ride. We should get in mid afternoon and have a few options for where to stay so I’ll see how the day unfolds. Tonight we’ve had a chance to do some logistics stuff organizing gear etc and I want to do my washing and a few have-tos so to have the next 3 days as free as possible. I’ll look out tomorrow for a bike shop for my girl so she can get her bits and bobs checked and pampered. We’re both in need of a bit of pampering so a few days R&R sound pretty dam perfect. Darwin sounds cool and we’ve timed it for the Sat markets which is great and on the to-do list. Otherwise I hope to check out Litchfield NP, Edith Falls and Katherine Gorge awesome!!!! Today we said goodbye and thankyou to Kakadu. No guessing how cool I think this area is and have some insight now as to why it’s one of the countries treasures and Heritage Listed. The most spectacular spot was Ubirr but each of the days had it’s own highlights and amazing memories. The photo gallery is awesome and I’ll get that uploaded most likely when I’m back in Katherine as it all takes time that I don’t want to spend during ourbreak. I’ll be back in kakadu given the chance to explore some of the more backcountry spots. It must be such a playground for the locals much like our NPs are back home. I certainly never tire of the Glasshouse Mountains and there’s so many corners in the North and South Coast Hinterland and in each of the States that still need hiking. That’s one of the cool things about NPs for nature lovers, there’s always something to do differently or new to discover regardless if your thing is hiking, running, Mt biking etc. There’s so many beautiful places on Earth and Australia is chock a block with it’s unique wod of them. I be thinking we’re pretty dam lucky indeedy. During the cycle today I was thinking over the days and places and cultural information. I missed a couple of things in this early morning’s post. One in particular was that during the wet season the escarpment at Ubirr draws some wicked storms across the floodplains and it’s not unusual for over 20 000 lightning strikes to hit in one storm because of the huge iron content in the rock. It’s suppose to be one amazing spectacular and there’s post cards capturing the dramatic purple hues and light show over the Nadab floodplain and lookout. Mother Nature at her wickedly wild best. Another thing that the ranger fella shared was the significance of the Rainbow Serpent in originating the basic laws for the people. There’s only handful but what has kept the ancient social structure regenerative and healthy for 40 000 years. For example one law is ‘skin’ meaning there are certain clans that can only marry to ensure the bloodlines stay healthy. This was particularly important as there were only a handful of clans and small in numbers so keeping healthy bloodlines was critical. All very interesting stuff and a micro cellular shaving on the volume of information that must be held by the elders and kept alive through story. It would be such an interesting and special thing to know more about.

We spotted another croc today crossing the South Alligator Region and River. The river system was huge and it was a great spot to stop and check out. It was a classic looking river for the area with silted water and river banks and I was telling Rube how much it looked like croc country when yayayaya big squeal and photo perfect.

The ride was hard work after the late finish last night and a bit short of sleep. I was also hoping for a tail wind that didn’t happen so we had to earn the kms covered. Certainly no winge factor quite the contrary and it was cool to ride out in the company of the black cockatoos for the most part of the day. It seems the red and yellow tails may be male and female as there were heaps paired up today. There’s also another scruffy looking bread who’s not as impressive as those with colored underwings but they seem cheekier and full of mischief hanging out in gangs and always having something to say loud and proud. I never miss telling them how handsome they are and every bit so true to form. We were both pretty happy to see ‘The Bark Inn’ appear this arv and scored a freebie campsite yay. There was enough daylight hours to sort through the gear which is great and it’s nice to be squeeky clean and posting you fine folk. I got an email from Rob the fella I met at WW2 Rest Area who donated his coffee money. He’s in Darwin and keen to catch up tomorrow if it works which will be really nice and he seemed a good guy and full of fun. I’ll text him when we get in and see if he’s about. We had two different couples stop while driving past today and donate $5 and $10. Thanks Mr and Mrs Marcell and Cade xxx. Cash donations on our last leg into Darwin are now $1064.35. I’ll pull up stumps there as it’s time for dinner and beddy bye. talk soon x

Day 39 131 days to go. Distance: today 116km total 2864km. It’s 1am Wednesday 15/8/12 Ubirr (Kakadu NP).

‘The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams,’ (Oprah Winfrey).

Thanks for sharing this quote Scotty my friend and what a perfect way to capture today. Ubirr oh my the place where dreamtime and dreams are born. The rainbow serpent travelled through this area in human form and painted her image on a rock here to remind people of her presence. Traditional people camped under Ubirr’s cool rock shelters and lived off the rich resources from the nearby east Alligator Creek. The main gallery of rock paintings are from the freshwater period within the let 1500years. They show the abundant food available in the surrounding floodplains. This rock formation is elevated up an escarpment that looks out over the plains of Arnhem land. It’s a 360 degree view from the top also looking out to the red rock escapement that stretches for as long as Belgium. The lands magnificent!!!!!! it’s preserved now for its equally rich culture and for our learning. The main gallery shelter also has interesting examples of ‘contact art.’ A white fella shown wearing a shirt , boots, and with his hands in his trousers pockets, was probably an early buffalo hunter painted in he 1880s. Close to the main gallery is a painting of a tassie tiger believed to become extinct on Aussie mainland 2000-3000 years ago. The artwork is layered over time as its the stories that are preserved not the artwork. The act of painting not the painting itself is what counts. The effect over thousands of years is really something with the red ochre and blood paintwork and stylized depictions of life and laws and customs and stories. The Gallery as they call it is in its natural and beautiful surroundings to be appreciated as it was created over time. There were free ranges talks at each main location ending at the ‘nadab’ lookout before sunset. The sunset colors exploited the natural beauty of the red rock escarpment and lush floodplains. I sponged the time up there knowing I was seeing something pretty special. And it truly was!!!! And worth the 50km ride there and back by head torch to Jabiru where I’m camped tonight. Hence no post until now. I got back late o’clock, sent my spot messenger, ate dinner, showered and passed out a couple of hours until waking for snack-time. While enjoying my chockie wafers I thought I’d check reception and yayayaya. So I’m laying here now cosy in bed and posting by headtorch yay.

I cycled the 30km to Jabiru this morning. Just outside I ran into another cyclist from Perth who was also heading to Ubirr but was camping there overnight. We met up again at the lookout for sunset and he seems a pretty cool guy indeedy. I can’t remember your name sorry mate it’s fallen out of my weary head. Probably too much star gazing and bugs in the eyes on the cycle back tonight. Thanks for riding the first 5 km with me back to your camp and I hope you enjoy another awesome day at Ubirr.

I was treated again to a free camp at Kakadu Campgrounds thanks to Peter the manager. After setting up camp Rube and I could detach the trailer and with a light load peddle our butts to Ubirr. It’s a 50km cycle there and back. The lookout is renowned for appreciating at sunset and I’m so glad I did this as its my highlight wow for Kakadu. I even scored a $20 donation from Mr and Mrs Cass. They overheard me Talking about our cycling fundraising challenge and approached me at the carpark to make a donation yay.

Before going to the rock art site I went in search for crocs alongside the east alligator creek. There’s this awesome walk that takes you by the riverside for a couple of kms. There’s heaps of posses where you can just sit and try spotting a log that looks like a croc or preferable a croc that looks like a log. Big squeal factor I spotted two crocs one crossing the river then beached himself up on the bank. Te other was lengthways sprawled on the bank smiling at me. How thoughtful of him for the photos and he was a big fella too. I’d guess his size but my spacial relations are quite crapolla. Mmmmmm maybe 4 meters???? And the other 2-3 metres. Anyway I’m so chuffed I spotted them doing as crocs do in the riverbank sun. They’re awesome to see in their natural habitat as opposed to a zoo. So that’s been us today and simply fanbloodytastic!!!! However big cycle tomorrow to cover some serious kms to Darwin do better get back to zzzzzz’s cash donations $1049.35 talk soon x

Day 38 132 days to go. Distance: today 102km yesterday 116km total 2748km. It’s 6.30pm Monday 13/8/12 Burdulba (Kakadu NP). It’s not too often I’m stuck for words but I must admit I’m having a pregnant pause moment now stuck in the amazement of the last 2 days. Cycling Kakadu…..what a treat for the senses which are in a state of smiling overload tonight bursting at the seams with pure bliss. As taken from the visitor’s guide, ‘Kakadu is a living cultural landscape. Generations of Bininj/Mungguy have lived on and cared for this country for tens of thousands of years. Their spiritual connection with the land is globally recognized in Kakadu’s World Heritage listing which honors one of the oldest living societies on Earth.’ At the Aboriginal Cultural Centre today a clan member wrote on a welcome note ‘we hope you take the time to look listen and feel the country to experience the true essence of the land.’ Rube and I may not be able to reach some of it’s treasures but we’re so open to having a sensory experience of what we can connect to. I feel every bit honored to have this opportunity and we’ll make the most of what’s to come. The rainbow serpent is a powerful ancestor known by many Aboriginal groups and played an important role in the ‘conception of Kakadu and their cultural obligations to care for country.’ The act of painting including rock art puts the artist in touch with their creation and ancestors therefore the act of painting is more important than the artwork itself. Kakadu is one of the few place heritage listed for both its cultural and natural values. It provides habitat for a significant proportion of Australia’s mammals, birds, retiles, frogs, fish plants and insects. There are 6 main landforms: Savanah woodlands, monsoon forests, southern hills and ridges, stone country, tidal flats and coast, floodplains and billabongs. The aboriginal people have always burnt their country using a traditional patch burning technique in the cooler weather to prevent wildfires, to repair country, and to encourage biodiversity to recover. There are 7 regions: the wetlands and floodplains of the south alligator region near Mamukala, the services centre of Jabiru, the east alligator region in the shadow of Arnhem land with its rainforest, stone country, rock art, flood plains and east alligator river, Nourlangie region with it rock art, billabongs, woodlands and fresh pools, the yellow water region with its world famous wetlands, the Jim Jim and twin falls Gorge region, and the Mary River region with its bush walks, waterfalls and waterholes.

Yesterday we travelled the 65km from Pine Creek to the park entrance at the Mary River Roadhouse. There we spoke to ‘Allison’ the Aboriginal park ranger who helped us out with a $25 pass and an itinerary to enjoy what the park can offer us in four days of cycling/walking. She was fabulous and I told her so. She also pointed us to a handful of campsites that work in well with the days. We watered up at the roadhouse as the campsites for the first 2 nights don’t have any. Then we were straight into it. The landscape was initially stone country with huge boulders covering the undulating hills. A real feature is the patch burning where most of the land has been burnt during the dry cooler months. The essence of ‘cleaning’ and ‘regrowth’ is so apparent with the new shooting natives a sight for warm smiles. Rube and I stopped today and sat amongst it for ages. It felt so full of life and regenerative and was just beautiful to savor being part of.

Our first stop yesterday was the Rock Hole. Allison said that if no one was around I would experience the abundance of butterflies. It was a 1km walk in and we had the good fortune of being the only ones there. So as we walked into the leafy waterhole area we disturbed hundreds of black and white butterflies that showered around us before disappearing into the woodlands. I stood there speechless with a drop jaw look of ‘did that just happen?’ The rock pool had greeny blue crystal waters busy with little fish. two small estuaries meandered away from the main pool which had sheer red rock sides and a 10 metre waterfall. The waterhole is spring fed and therefore runs in all seasons and is safe for swimming not having any creeks or rivers linked in. It was alive with small bird varieties that I hadn’t seen before an needed our bird book and binoculars from home. I lizard it on the rocks for yonks and took in what was our intro to Kakadu nice!!! The ride is stunning crossing rivers and creeks all with crocodile warnings not to venture near the banks or swim. It’s so photogenic and I can’t wait to load this wod as a gallery to share with you yay. Our next stop was at ‘Bukbukluk’ which was an elevated escarpment with views out over the a sheer cliff face showing off it’s red hues in the afternoon sun. Again we had the place to ourselves then this couple came up and it was Tiss and Gary the folk who have the ‘Hi Maree’ sign on their caravan rear window. How cool!!!! That’s out 4th time meeting which qualified for a big hug hello. They were glowing with Kakadu stories which I loved hearing as the places are away from our reach but sound amazing with big time ‘wow’ factor as Tiss put it 🙂 They wondered off all happiness and I enjoyed the last of the views for a wee while longer. When I got back to Rube Tiss had left a Booster chockie bar on her seat for inspiration for the 25km ride to our camp ground. Thank you guys and enjoy your hop over to Indonesia xx

Our first sleep was at a spot called ‘Gungurul.’ It had a few other campers there and it was on dusk when we arrived. I was so tired and Rube was snoring by the time I had set up the super tent. It was pretty much dinner and bed last night and I slept in my own ‘dreamtime.’ So much so this morning I was soooo doughey and morning coffee o’clock hit the spot to start what’s been another awesome day.

It’s now an amazing evening of stars and campfire and there’s a choir of curlews serenading the river life. We’re camped at Burdulba which is alongside a river system. The campgrounds are of course at a safe distance from the water which is a comfort because today I saw my first croc!!!!!!!! We cycled the 60 odd kms to Yellow Water and hung out by the estuary spotting birdlife mostly white cranes, blue kingfishers, and shags. There was a boardwalk that meandered around the water’s edge and the area is the launch spot for river cruises booked in Cooinda. It was all pretty quiet which was awesome and only a handful of folk about doing the same thing. A ranger came up to me called Dave and asked if I had spotted the crocodile. Not as yet and my eyes must have shone like a child at Christmas. He lead me out to his boat and pointed back to the grasses on the boardwalk edge. There was a 2 metre female croc tail out in the water and I squealed my best chick effort it made him laugh. He left me to my oooo’s and aaaa’s and pickies. He said that females aren’t territorial this is left to the fellas who like their own patch. Apparently I’ll see allot more tomorrow but I’m no longer a croc virgin. On the way out I shared this with Dave and thanked him for making my day indeedy.

At Yellow Waters I also met this family from east of Melbourne also traveling around Australia with their two children. They were very cool and were telling me about their trip to Ubirr which is tomorrow and very very excited. We’ll cycle the 20km to Jabiru early in the morn and check into the campsite there. That way I can detach the trailer and Rube and I can enjoy the 36km ride in/out without the added weight. It’s apparently one of the highlight spots in the National Park and I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow night. Their picks of places around Australia so far has been the peninsular to Exmouth WA which is on the ‘must do’ list down the track. I met the family later on in the day along the ride here and they gave me a can of Coke Zero which I devoured when I got arrived about 3.30pm. This camp is totally exquisite with only one other couple camped in the other corner way off yay. I watered up at the Aboriginal Cultural Centre which was very interesting and personable. It shared cultural aspects through personal stories written by local Bininj clan. One very moving story was a written by a brother a sister separated from their family and each other when they were put into missions as children to cleanse them of their Aboriginality. Our white Australian history towards the Indigenous is an abomination. It needs to be known, remembered and respected for the lives and spirit it broke. Are the Aboriginals in recovery? I don’t know. What I do know is that Kakadu is healthy, the land, the spirit, the people. It’s an extremely positive experience and I hope indicative of cultural health and generative life for Country’s indigenous.

I thought about this allot today stopping at so many beautiful river crossings and spots all the while in company with black cockatoos. I think they’re my favorites but in very fine company. I followed a walking track here along the river and the estuary life was beyond words. Being back from the water’s edge the birdlife seemed quite unawares of my presence and there were no other folk about. It was my first ‘wow’ moment and I wondered for a couple of hours breathing it all in. I snapped some great photos of a Jabiru mooching in the wallows and taking off in flight. I also spotted two blue kingfishers poised in a branch top awaiting their next tasty treat in the grasses below. I’m constantly pinching myself that such places exist and we have the privilege of experiencing it in living motion.

On that note it’s time for dinner and an early night to be all up and early for tomorrow. There’s a gentle chill bill in the air perfect to join Rube for a good cosey night of zzzzz’s. Talk soon x

Day 36 134 days to go. Distance: today 95km total 2630km. It’s 8pm Saturday 11/8/12 Pine Creek. It was so great today to get the photos downloaded from Mt Isa through to Katherine so I hope you enjoy them before the next gallery fix. I found the internet access at the rear of an Aboriginal Art cultural centre for $2 per 30min so not bad for $12 from 10am to 1pm with time then to cycle to Pine Creek nice. While I was downloading a friend of a friend walked pass outside and saw Rube parked. She had offered a place for us to stay while in Katherine but it worked to stay at Boab’s thanks to their generosity. Khamla is a local and a high school buddy of a mutual friend Ame. She found me at one of the computer terminals and crazy small world. It was so lovely to chat and giggle as women do best and was wonderful company while the photos downloaded. Aside from being good fun, Khamla made sure we had everything and offered to help us out anyway. She’s as caring as you are Ame and I can see so many shared characteristics between you both. Clearly good buddies for a long time with goodness rubbing off between you both!! Thanks Khamla for keeping me company and for the coffee hit. Before heading she donated $50 wow so generous thank you girl you’re a jet and I wish you the best with your fundraising stuff we spoke about!!!!

The ride here was tail windy helping up over the undulating landscape for the most part. The terrain changed with lots of rocky boulders and beautiful river crossings. There have been fires through the area some time ago and now new growth was pushing through the black ashes like a beautiful phoenix. There was a seasonal tree lining the roadside without leaves but covered in bright yellow flowers that were glowing in the late afternoon sun and just gorgeous. I took some pickies but it didn’t really capture the light effect which kept me fixated and entertained. Black cockatoos were abundant with the red under their wings and Rube and I would startle them as we rode past. The effect of their burnt red-orange under-color against the blue sky and tree line was completely stunning and one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen so far on the ride. They are magnificent and intriguing birds. The bug and fly factor turned up today to the point I put on the face netting for the first time. It works a treat thank you Moppy for the loan. Great idea and I’m thinking it’ll be regular feature of the riding attire for the time being.

We rode into Pine Creek at about 5.30pm and got a free campsite at the campgrounds behind the BP. It’s a quiet and lovely spot to camp. I met Dennis who was telling me about two female cyclists he met crossing the Savanah Way from Cairns to Boorooloo. Very intriguing prospect for a future ride. He was really interesting telling me about the awesome campsites along the way. Dennis enjoys the off road challenges abundant in outback Oz and I loved hearing about his epic drive diagonally from Cairns to Perth. He invited me to join him for dinner at the hotel across the road but I opted out preferring a shower and my post/dinner routine to enjoy the starry evening and an early night for tomorrow’s ride into Kakadu.

Fundraising totals with Khamla’s $50 has reached the four figure sum of $1029.35 with 34 oaths in 36days. I got an email today from Graham and Thea yay and they shared some info about Jabiru and Brolgas which I’ll finish off tonight’s post with. Thank you fine folk and it was so great to hear from you!!!! Talk soon x

“G’day Maree, have been catching up with your blog which is most enjoyable to read, (haven’t got all the way through yet) and just had to clarify the brolga/jabaru question for you. Jabaru are a big black & white stork-like bird with long red legs while the brolga are grey and much more refined looking – butch jabru, chick brolga (hows that for an analysis?) Would love to be out there with you but not on a bike. Stay safe, cheers, Graham & Thea”

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

Day 34 136 days to go. Distance: today 85km total 2424km. It’s 7.00pm Thursday 9/8/12 Matarinka. I’m sitting at the campgrounds yet another freebie, and enjoying the distant live country music coming from the restaurant attached. I can do country music in the right place and this is one of them. Nice background tunes to do up our post for the day. How are you all? I am squeaky clean again but not from showering but floating in the Bitter Thermal Springs. After setting up this arv Rube and I cycled the two k’s there and slid into the warm water creek that runs through reeds and flowering lilies. Yep!!!!!! I let out this sigh of ecstasy and the lady beside me laughed saying, ‘is that good?’And it was……. Families were there floating down the creek on ‘noodles.’ Rube of course wanted to get in on the act. She wanted me to give her goggles and a snorkel so she could float upside down using her tyres as noodles. ‘But darling you don’t have a mouth.’ SEE I TOLD YOU I NEEDED A MOUTH!!!!!’ One of our very few points of contention 😉 The body feels great tonight and on the right side of sleepy. I have been talking to the two families camped next to us and they have donated $50 each with Dean and Lawry each making an oath. The conversation was very interesting about relationship dynamics and healthy conflict management stuff. The lads openly shared their thoughts and personal experiences and it was a very cool conversation to be part of. Thanks lads for your honesty and donations and oaths xx

We started this morning sharing a cuppa with a couple of fellas attached to the Hotel, ‘Wingnut’ and ‘Dave.’ They were so the genuine Aussie male valuing stuff like ‘Do right by your mates,’ ‘Love your country and family and ‘know ones heritage.’ Dave works as a welder both locally and on oil rigs and Wingnut is the caretaker for the hotel. I got a really great photo with them before we headed. We had a water break at the rest stop 40km down the road and gotto talking with Ross and Robyn from Toowoomba traveling also to Darwin. They donated $5 thank you fine folk and may see you again up the road. Rube and I crossed a river of reeds and water fowl and the perfect place for a cuppa and some pickies. Full of beans again we were on our last leg to Mataranka when a van pulled up ahead of us and we crossed paths again with Bev and Bruce who we met at Winton. They have been following our blogg and were so happy to see us. They have since been up and back from Kakadu National Park and loved loved loved it. Bruce said he was genuinely sad to be leaving and we agreed it must have been something something special for them. Bev and I were talking phones and she reckons that it’s only the later models that will pick up Telstra’s 3G+ reception that operates in the smaller dot towns. Very interesting and I’m going to make some more inquiries in Darwin. It was really great to see them again and to know they have been inspired to follow our travels yay that counts to me big.

Matiranka is a bigger dot town than I had imagined and we have phone reception tonight which is great to catch up on phone messages. We were also able to stock up on supplies to get us through to Darwin. On our way out we were approached by a family very interested in our story and who donated $5 thank you Olivia and clan xxxx. We saw them again at the springs and one of the kids called out ‘hey mum there’s the bike lady!!’ Very funny. My craving for this shop was fruitcake and yum yum yum burp yum. Outside the food grocer shop were a bunch of local indigenous fellas. I loved chatting with the lads but really struggled understanding the slang so I have to work on that because they were cool and cheeky and very supportive of our challenge. I got a photo with Daniel and he said we must come back to Matiranka again one day, ‘take care and come back see me again hey!!!’ I’ll definitely look out for ya Daniel if I’m back through this way.

I’m sitting in the camp kitchen area and some folk have arrived cooking their steak and sausages and the smell is making my stomoch want to leave home and go hang out with them. OK already!!! Apparently it’s time for dinner fine fine folk. Hey no sign of Igor today bugga but he won’t be too far away. I’ll have to ask vanners tomorrow if and where they have seen him.

Fundraising totals with today’s $110 and 2 oaths are $979.35 with 34 oaths in 34days. A good day indeedy. Talk soon x

Day 33 137 days to go. Distance: yesterday 121km today 100km total 2339km. It’s 7.30pm Wednesday 8/8/12 Larimah. The last couple of days have simply been awesome!!!! As we were heading from Newcastle waters we met Helen traveling with her husband and both in their early 90’s. Sadly it’s their last trip as Helen’s hubby suffers from alzheimer’s and not traveling well anymore with Helen having to do all the driving. She was a real character and cracked herself up saying, ‘I could just drive between our two favourite rest areas and he’d think we’re somewhere new each day.’ The strength in a sense of humor 101 hey?’ I will remember Helen.

Down the road a bit was a monument erected in memory of Sir Charles Todd who lead the construction of the epic ‘Overland Telegraph Line’ completed in 1892 linking Darwin to Adelaide. There was an original telegraph pole still standing there. While Rube and I stopped for a cuppa two lads pulled up from Slovenia. They had hired a campervan for 1500 euros for 5 weeks sharing the costs. Later that morning I met two cyclists about 20km apart. Jonas is from Switzerland and is cycling clockwise from Melbourne. He’s beelining it back now before his visa runs out but when completed will have coverd over 18000km wow!!!! He was all blonde hair and beard, so skinny and stinky and a peddling smile promising to be back to do it all over again he’s loved it so much. The next lad was from Japan cycling from Darwin to Sydney and learning how to tour as he goes. He called himself an ‘amateur’ unlike Jonas ahead of him who was clearly his hero. I got cool photos with the lads. At the 82km mark I stopped in at Dunmarra Roadhouse and met the coolest gorgeous young man from Czech Republic. Igor is 32 years old and has been in Australia for 11 years based in Sydney. He’s been working a handful of different jobs the last with an adult education company offering alternative medicine qualifications. He’s on a quest to figure out how life may look bringing together his passion for self sustaining, community based living, meditation and facilitating life long learning skills. His family are across Australia and back home and he wants to share his time across the two countries. Igor will become an Australian citizen in the near future and he can’t think of a better way to express his love for Australia than by cycling around it. He hopes to be back in Sydeney by early October and is raising money for ‘Bikes for Humanity.’ This organisation rebuilds second hand bikes and sends them to Africa and teaches the local communities bike repairs to build local skills and industry. Him and I will be traveling the same way now through to then and although we’re traveling a bit differently I hope to see more of him along the way. He said he loves both Australia’s wide open spaces and Czech’s pebble lane ways. Igor headed back on the road while I got to talking to some other lads at the roadhouse. I met Rick from Tenant Creek who’s traveling with the Moscow Circus as an electrician. His van has a buffalo skull on the front bumper which has been painted by an indigenous artist called ‘Boulders’ based at the Thirsty Lizard Hotel at Pine Creek. Rick said make sure I go in and introduce myself as Boulders is one interesting, talented man and he knows him well. I gotta picky with him to show Boulders. It’ll be very cool if this works out !!! A group of roadwork lads stopped for a chat and offered us a lift to the Daley Waters Pub where they were staying. We resisted the tempting offer and got back on the road. About 5km outside of Daley Waters Igor came running out of the bush where he had found a bush camp for the night. He invited Rube and I to join him. He was soooo sweet showing us into his camp like it was his home and he was having guests. He then cooked us a dinner of vegy canned meat, garlic, onions, tomato in a miso soup as a stock and mixed with two minute noodles. Yuuuuuuummmmmyyy!!! We talked and talked and talked and soon felt like old friends discussing the coolest of stuff around shared interests, philosophies and directions in life. I like this lad bigtime big. He is very unique and passionate particulalrly about self sustaining concepts. He hopes to study more about Cuba who are apparently regarded as world leaders in these oncepts being forced into managing their own industries when they were cut off from the rest of the world. Interesting interesting stuff and man. I loved sharing the bush camp experience with him and the camp was alive with stars and critters and good company. Big special fun. We picked up talking this morning where we finished last night making it a later start. Igor usually starts before dawn and stops during the heat of the day then does 40km or so over sunset. He reckons it’s such a beuaitful time to cycle and it must be. We headed off together this morning and were soon stopped by a couple who passed me before Mt Isa and wanted to make a donation. Thank you Ian your $20 for stopping and for your $20 generosity. At Daley Waters we met heaps of lovely folk all so friendly and interested in what we were doing. We watered and lollied up and headed off again for the day’s ride. We travel different speeds so I was soon peddling again enjoying the ride with Rube. Black cockatoo’s are a new addition to the birdlife and in huge numbers flashing yellow and red under their wings when we disturb them. Usually they mean rain is coming but there’s no sign or forecast of our skies being anything but beautifully blue for the time being.

I try to wave at every van, truck and car that passes except if I’m adjusting my backside then Rube does the honors. We have a wave for each type and I love making the effort as there’s so many folk we see again who comment about getting a wave from us. It’s good karma!!!! It was a shorter day today pulling into the Pink Panther Hotel and Campgrounds at Larimah around 4.00pm ish. There was still plenty of sun to do our washing and have a good scrub squeeky clean again. Bob the manager let us stay as a freebie and we got donations from Julie ($30) and Dave ($10) visiting the pub. Julie’s the posty at Port Lincoln South Australia, and said we can contact her for any help when we’re down that that way. Have I told you how much I’m in love with the kindness of people. It takes so little and goes so far and is a two way spiral up of good stuff that counts big.

At Larimah we also met two Japanese cyclists who stopped on their way through and Igor who needed a beer to cool down before his evening ride to find a bush camp. We hope to meet up a Mataranka tomorrow to enjoy the Bitter Springs which are suppose to be very spesh yaya. Time for dinner now and a reasonaly early night. Fundraising totals today are $869.35 with 32 oaths in 33days. Talk soon x

Day 31 139 days to go. Distance: today 181km total 2118km. It’s 8.15pm Monday 6/8/12 Newcastle Waters rest area. It’s such a beautiful night. Cool breeze and a clear sky full of stars like I haven’t seen before. This lifestyle is a treasure and agrees with Rube and I 01 bigtime big!! We’re both pretty weary tonight but with smiles as big as the sky happy happy girls. I’ve just got back from talking with Julie and Rick who I met in Renner Springs roadhouse today during our first break. Julie came over and introduced herself totally fascinated in what we’re doing or more to the point why? She returned with a $20 dollar donation and we discussed options where to end up tonight. They are small town folk from a place about 30km outside of Euchuca population 400. It’s their first trip as ‘grey nomads’ which is the term used amongst vanners for those retired and enjoying the good life. They are travelling a circuit up through the centre then across to Cairns and down the east coast back home in time for their daughters wedding. Then they head to Tasmania December for their next open ended trip. Julie and Rick are like so many enjoying the retired lifestyle of traveling on the road. It’s really exciting to see so many doing a similar thing and enjoying our beautiful country. Renner Springs was only 65km into the day and too early to stop and the next place was Elliot. I had heard from a handful of different folk not to stay there as it’s a tired community with nothing too much. When I went through there this arv I kinda agreed and was happy to peddle the extra 25km to this rest area which is beautiful. It’s quite elevated and the views out over the landscape and the sunset was really something. It was right on sunset when we arrived being a long haul today but the rides been beautiful and spoiling with a generous tail wind for most part of the day yay. That helped big with the undulating hills and we managed to get through the most kms we’ve done to date. The girl’s are pretty chuffed with ourselves. Rube’s snoring already poor darling. She’s traveling so well and will enjoy some well deserved zzzzz’s tonight. After packing up camp this morning, I enjoyed my cuppa in the sun with Terry and a couple of folk from the campsite. It was Terry’s birthday today, happy birthday mate 29 again apparently 🙂 You and Robin are truly jets and the bestest of folk to boot. I received two more donations while sitting there, $15 from Neil and Robert and $5 from Jan. Thank you xxx that topped off a very very special and lucrative stay at Banka Banka. With meeting so many folk there, our first couple of hours on the road was a constant ‘beep beep’ by the vanners back on the road northwards. Heaps of waving and big smiles and a cool way to pass the morning ks. It kinda set the scene for the brain’s entertainment thinking back over the last month at all the places we’ve been and wonderful folk we’ve met. What’s come to practice in my day to day is what Anne shared with us back in the rest area outside of Camooweal. Im in training and hope to default one day to: make someone else’s day, have fun doing it, and give my full attention to those I meet along the way. It’s made me think back to the Asian countries when language was a barrier and we relied 100% on non-verbals and how much I loved that experience. Relying totally on non-verbals meant giving others my full attention and eye contact was everything. We had to have fun in the challenge not to frighten folk off and to cope with the challenges. And it was instinctive to ensure they knew how much I appreciated their effort and time and kindness. One of the lads said this morning how ‘people are people no matter where we are’ and I’m reckoning how much truth is in those simple words. We’re all the same in our own unique ways and each have something to share and contribute and learn from. Respecting this in others is a lesson well learnt for me nowadays. Shhhhhhh can you hear that? I’m growing yayayayayayayay

I’ve enjoyed another slideshow of the photos tonight and it’s been a wonderful first month of adventure, falling in love with our country, bonding with Rube and cool time spent with even cooler folk along the way. Not a bad start hey? As far as fundraising our cash donations are siting at $809.35 with 32 oaths in 31 days. I must now eat like a happy piglet in it’s trough and pass out in bliss 🙂 Talk soon x

We write this verse to you my friends
A way to say thank you
For all your gifts and kind regard
to help Theaussiechallenge

You gathered cash to help our cause
And sung our campfire song
You organized a free tent site
At Banka Banka campgrounds

A gentle giant full of hope
A woman so endearing
A mini foxi with his mum
A play bone and a blanky

So Rube and I we raise our tea
And toast our favorite trio.
May you travel safe and sound
And treasure every day.