It appears there is a shift happening in the way we ride.
A need to get off the beaten track, to find the road less travelled….
Has it always been this way? It feels as though with more and more people coming into the sport, and roads becoming more congested, now more than ever before, we long to get away. To discover new terrain, untested hills and the joy of riding on long, quiet roads.
It’s no longer enough to keep riding the same loop day in day out.
So, what is it we’re looking for? For me, it’s the new scenery and interesting conversations with friends and strangers alike that make the journey.
It’s time to find new challenges.
A long charity ride. Mountains in Europe.
An iconic Gran Fondo
It’s time to explore.
I’m currently on an adventure in the outback, riding from Longreach in Western Queensland to Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.
Riding 1335 km’s across 8 days, we’re hitting Winton, The Blue Heeler Pub, Mount Isa, Camooweal and spending a couple of nights in swags under the stars at two different cattle stations.
Prior to leaving, I had been keeping track of the tempertures and with past experinece, I was expecting very cold mornings and high teens during the day. However, much to my delight, the last 5 days have been amazing with mild starts in the morning and getting up to high twenties. This is perfection. Summer riding in Winter. My dream has just come true.
The riding has been amazing. Beautiful landscapes as far as the eye can see, not a building in sight. You know life is good when you’re rolling along and you find that you’re smiling to yourself. Warm weather, straight, flat roads and a tail wind ……. for 180ks. Every day so far.
This is part of a charity ride, RideWest, which is raising money for the mental health program that the Royal Flying Doctors run in Outback. It’s quite incredible how we as people who live in the city are not aware of what is happening in the country. Particularly country areas that are the source of so much of Australia’s produce, feeding us day in and day out, yet under severe threat and affecting the lives of many. Longreach is the driest part of the country at present and hasn’t had rain for three years. We have a a few guys from Longreach on the ride and it’s been very sobering to hear some of their stories from the area and the stories of why these guys are on this ride.
When the people of the towns we go through hear what we are doing and why we are doing it, the response and generosity is incredible. Russell and Trish at Bull Creek were kind enough to allow us to stay on their property, giving us a tour of the Station and then hosted us all for dinner. We sampled their organic grass feed beef and had a night under the stars in our swags. It was magic.
Even our support cars are being given donations from grey nomads who hear what we are doing over the radio. Their generosity is incredible.
It’s refreshing to the soul to be out here in the middle of our great country, doing something I love, with good people for a good cause.
Our adventures continue…
