Martin Parker

Its July 21 2009. Its hard to believe that today is the last day of our journey across Australia. We've come over 5600 ks and its just a short 95 k tap home. So it's a boisterous breakfast, one spent thanking our marvelous support team, Helen, Annettte, Maurie, Paulette and Julie. Unless you experienced the ride you can't comprehend how much they are part of our completion. Food, hydration and simple love and understanding were critical to our surviving and they delivered on all counts.

Then the ride team is back on the road, just spinning our way along the highway, chatting, laughing and sharing our last day together. I had a good chat with Dennise and the smile on her face made the whole ride worthwhile. Pretty soon we are in Raymond Terrace for coffee and morning tea, then on to Active Cycles for a photo. They have been great supporters of the ride supplying all the spares we needed, thanks guys.

Then a short push through Newcastle and another stop at a sponsors place, this time Crosbie Warren Sinclair. Again they are great supporters and a photo with them is the least we can do to thank them.

The welcome at the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is a a wram one, lots of friends and family as well as the Helicopter mob and HMRI.

For the record the day was 95 ks, Average 25, 3 hours 30, Max 53. Numbers have been important to us up to now but we might forget about them for a while.

Its been one special adventure and bieng back home feels good. Everyone is fit and healthy (Dave seems to have survived his fall OK). We've pedalled together for 5620 ks and enjoyed some crazy stuff both on the bikes and in camp, the sort of stuff that we will remember for a long time.

For me this was a special trip. There were some tough days but overall as long as you got your head right it was a comfortable ride and the very best way to see Australia. The ride teams achievment was way above any individuals. To complete together despite the hardships, the injuries and the dislocation from home was the real milestone. We left Broome together and we rode into Newcastle, still together and still helping eachother if it was needed. Events like this where you test yourself physically and mentally can see some personalities unravel, but not this mob. The ride spirit lived on and will live on.

6.30 start again and we are rugged up against the cold, smilling as we glide out of town. The cold soon abates and the sun makes us toasty warm. We cruise into Kew after 66 ks and enjoy another great spread for morning tea. This will be our last on the road supplied by the Angels. They excell with a soup that sticks with you through the next stage. The road onwards is kind and there is no wind, just sunshine as we chat away into lunch. Another last, ham salad sangers, tea and chocolate cake, superb. These girls know what we need.

Back out for a memorable stage, lots of easy climbing. Not enough for some, Craig, Rossco and the Chinaman go over O'Sullivans Gap on the old highway just for fun. Phil takes the mountain stage, just to nark Tony. The rest of us cruise into the Buladelah Pub, tonight we party. Rossco had a shower, cleaned his teeth and bought a bottle of port.

The day of 175 ks took 7.09 hours, average speed 25.5, Max 61, Road Time 9 hours, just a great day.

Dennise has been quite sick for a few days so completing 206 and 175 over the last two days shows real grit.

Quite a few friends and family join us for dinner, its all good. Helen and the Angels have been busy on tour getting ready for tonight. They put together a presentation for each of us, a special gift or two that reflects our personalities and behaviors. They have picked us all and Helens presentation as Mother Superior is hilarious and appreciated. We dine, we party and go to bed. One more ride

One day closer to home, another star filled sky as we ride out of another camp. THe Gateway at Grafton is one of only five, five star cabin camping grounds in Australia and we leave it impressed.

At 6.30 AM we geat stuck into what might be our last 200 k day of the tour. They are not daunting, just a day out. Pretty soon we are on the highway and headed for Woollgoolga for morning tea. Our visitor, Brian has arranged a cooked breakfast and coffees for us all and it goes down well. It does take a bit longer than we expected and we are behind time as we leave. But itall goes well and as we leave Coffs we pick up a bit of new fast road that takes us all the way to Urunga. Lunch at Nambucca on the river is another classic stop. Again we have visitors, Pete MClung and his kids join us and Daves mate Ross Jones is ther as well.

Back on we pull towards Kempsey, again enjoing the sun and scenery. As we pull into Kempsey, Daves tyre goes down a road crack and he falls heavily on his hip. It doesnt look good, he and his bike are on the bus. The little delays all day see us in just on dark.

Toadys numbers were good, 206 ks, Max 66, Average 27.1, Ride Time 7.34, Road Time 10 45.

We are camped in a big house, girkls in one room, the men in two other bed rooms. Dinner in the kitchen, its like bieng at home with 15 visitors. Sausages and beer for dinner, its all good.

Tomorrow is about 190 ks so we are all relaxed about a short day.

So we are back on the bikes, happy again to be heading home. The route vis Lennox Head is picturesque on a perfect morning> The sun is out and there is no wind as we roll into Ballina. As we creep through the traffic its a bit sureal, you really dont use your legs, just spinning along eating kilometers. A few have a cold today, something the Dog picked up in Toowoomba. Today he has shared it with Dennise, Tony and Phil, but they soldier on.

Maurie calls an alternative route, via MaClean meandering along the river. Its a great change from the highway and the farms, the ferry and the river that takes us to Lawrence for lunch are all appreciated. There were some monster figs hanging over the road on the way to Grafton, seen up close thay are grand. There were lots of rose coloured glasses today, even Moyley had them on. Dennise was talking it up and Ian was all smiles.

We lost Tony and the Chinaman late in the day, Tony busted a spoke and his rear derailier. The Cinaman has done an adult education programme on bike maintenance so he saved the day again. When they got into camp the rear cluster fell off when the wheel came off, Rossco to the rescue.

So 162 ks at 26 KPH, Max 55, completed in 6 hours 10. On the road for 8 hrs 10. Just another graet day on the bikes.

We had a guest rider today, Brian Witcher a mate of Rossco. In camp we had John and Michelle KIng for dinner and Tony Keogh called in to drink our beer. Yesterday Col Pursche spent the day with us. At Tweed the Scottmans and Horedons had dinner with us. As we get closer to home more friends are calling in, its good to see, they are enjoying our achievement.

The girls excell again with risoles and vegies, we drink and laugh and go to bed.

Jack snored outside again, Ian called it the Jack on the Verandah festival.

I dont much like Byron, its too busy. But for a rest day on a ride its OK. Its a bonus that the day is warm and sunny. As usual, everyone is hanging around camp, washing, chatting, talking crap. A visit to town, coffee, a surf, go to the pub, its all real casual. We get together for a BBQ for dinner, a few visitors, Denise, Judith and Janice join in. Jjust relax and enjoy, tomorrow we ride again.

Almost a rest day, just relax and cruise down the coast. We treat ourselves to pies cakes and coffee witrh our great support crew at the Humble Pie Company at Billynudgel. Then a spin to Byron. We are fillally at the most easterly point in Australia. Some remember Allan talking about this ride way back in a pub at Peterborough in South Australia in 2006. "Yeah süre""we said when he suggested it, but Allan is hard to put off, he got this ride together and we all thank him for that, congratulations.  And the support crew have kept us alive, thanks heaps Helen Annette Maurie and Paulette. They have worked so hard and must be looking forward to home.

So we just cafe, shop, browse, relax. Dinner at the pub and retire

The numbers were simple, 74 ks, Max 56, Average 25, Ride Time 2.49, Road Time 4 hours.

In contrast to yesterday its fine and mild with just a light frost. We dine in a cafe at 6.00, bacon and eggs. As we roll out of Boonah we all remember a friendly little place we had not expected to visit. The pub was a low joint but it fullfilled its purpose, we are closer to home and today shoudl finish at a reasonable time.

We are on the coastal strip, a long way from the vast interior. We encounter some genuine climbs again, and  eat them up on the way to Beaudesert. Then the trip through Cunungra and over to Nerang delivers a few beauties, some at 12 %. Cracks appear but nobody breaks, we are all toughened to pain. Strong legs take us to the coast. Its intersting ahiving at Broadbeack and traversing over to Tweed Heads. We have ridden across Western Australia, Northern Territory and now Queensland, we just need to ride home. Its a bit sureal and we know whats been achievede, its good.

Denise has flown in to spend a few days with me. I love my ride buddies but they wont see much of me for a few days.

Ian, the Big Easer, has been impressive. Hes so much stronger than last tour. You ride up behind him and whisper, "go big feller"'on a hill and he really digs in. Holding him is the issue, not carrying him.

The numbers today were 140 ks, Max 58, Average 25.3, Ride Time 5.38, Road time 8.30

The plans for our transit to Tweed heads have changed. Instead of 80 to Warwick and 210 to Tweed, we will go 140 to Boonah and 140 to Boonah. This will be a lot safer as we approach civilisation and we all appreciate the good sense shown in the decision.

We have our first rain on tour overnight and delay the start hoping that it clears. It doesnt so at 7.30 we ride, rugged up against the cold. The shoulder of rooad is crap and the rain makes it dangerous, we ride on, thats what youve got to do to get home. Up till now we have not had a single drop of rain so nobody complains (well almost nobody)

When the turn onto the Cunningham Highway emerges at 70 ks the rain lifts and the scenery becomes worthwhile, chocolate soils, trees, horse studs and farms. Its getting a bit more familiar.The mountain backdrop is a change but it also looms as a challenge ahead. We all enjoy the bumpy country, each climb developing a bit more resistance on the legs. When Cunninghams Gap finnally appears it proves no obstacle, we knock it over easily. At the top we eat, freeze and change wet clothing for more warm layers.

Then the descent, one big drop for 12 ks. Top speed 72 on a winding wet road is corragous, Rossco only touched his breaks once to pass a semi trailer. My breaks are splattered all up the back of my bike, proof of cowardice..

We hit the valley floor in sunshine, peel off thermals and ride into Boonah in short sleeves, what a contrasting day. It was one of those days where its hard to find a rythme but everyone enjoys conqoring the Great Dividing Range yet again. The coastal strip feels familiar, the trees are familiar, bird noises are recognised, you can smell lantana and timber. We pull into the Australia Hotel, Boonah a quant little town, very clean, busy and friendly.

The pub is a delapidated nightmare, we are the crowd but we are happy with each others company. Most do the usual, chat, dine and retire. Jack tries to put the publican to bed and gives up at 12 30, a better man than me.

The numbers were 140 ks, Max 72, Average 27, Ride Time 5.25, Road Time 8 hours.

Perhaps our most appreciated rest day, everyone skulks in their beds for as long as possible, around 7 AM. We're off to the Coffee Club for breakfast, read the paper, find a bike shop,, a pharmacy and bus back to camp.

Rossco is straight into it, checking, servicing, fixing bikes. He tickles them, adjusts breaks and derailiers, tweaks bits, cleans chains. Its time to replace or rotate tyres. But generally all of these thorough bred machines are in good shape, no worse for wearfor 4600 ks so far. They are ready to take us home.

I am rooming with Bryan, a great bloke. All tour we have offered him the double bed if there was one in the cabin. But he wastes it, he sleeps in a 14 inch wide line and doesnt move a muscle all night. He gets in at night and in the morning you wonder whether he is still alive, he hasnt moved an inch. But he yawns and says good morning and his rroomies breath a'sigh of relief. Today we ban him, he can have a single. And he can eat, he is best on tour at the table, he has seconds every sitting and thirds if they are on offer. He chews on the bike, at each stop and maybe in his sleep.

So a relaxing rest day passes and we will ride again tomorrow.

Its strange how your brain works, today is viewed as a short day because yesterday was 232. But its on again and we mount or bikes at 6 AM in the dark, knowing that we will sit on them all day.

But its another beautiful morning, we have layered gear on to be just comfy. If you could order a day to ride out here you would go for warm and sunny, flat country, fast road, and a tail wind. That what we got. We were finnally rewarded for all our effort so it was smiles and pace, rolling through little villages towards days end. The run to 70 ks was perhaps our best. But for a bit of bad shoulder and some traffic the lunch run was also superb. I had talked of one day finding a place with the birds singing, a waterfall bubbling and the sun on our backs, Al and Craig and Denise had laughed at me "get real". Today we got it all in a beautiful park at Dalby. Craigs mum, Audrey called in with a few of his other relatives and delivered cakes to go with our ham salad sangers, lunch was great.

Then back out there, fast road and a few genuine climbs, al taken with style.

The numbers ewre good, 215 ks, 7 hours 54 on the bike, average 27 kph, max 55. Thats a good day compared to some of the torture we endured earlier in the trip.

The singnificance of today was clear as we shook hads at the end of the day. This 5 day stretck with and average of 216 to be completed every day was in the back of everyones mind all tour. It loomed as a make or break stretch that nobody spoke about. So today instead of recovery drinks, juive and Up N Go we all head for the esky, grab a cold beer and smile, knowing we had all achieved a lot.

Even better5 Mick and Paulette are back with us and this little surprise goes down well.

Looking around as we laughed and had a beer you could see tanned bodies, big wide smiles, everyone has a sping in their step. Earlier on tour a day like this would finish with stooped shoulders, sunken eyes and pale, gaunt faces. Not today, today we party. Shower and on the bus to The Spotted Cow where they serve 52 different beers and great food. The mood is good, we laugh some more and go to bed knowing that tomorrow is a rest day.