Where to start?????
I suppose it should be how this idea just popped in to my head.
It was New years eve – and as you do on New Years eve you start thinking about New Years resolutions and goals for the forthcoming year.
I had no goals or not then. Murray (husband) suggested that I should go to WA with him this year for a visit and then we could go on holiday afterwards together as we didn’t have a holiday in 2012.
“Where would we go?”
“Well it has been 10 years since last visit to Simon (good friend and groomsman at our wedding) for his 50th birthday in 2003 in Adelaide. Why not get a campervan and drive from WA across to Adelaide and see Simon and celebrate his 60th with him.”
Now that got the rusty old cogs of my brain thinking and before I realised what I was about to say I suggested that I would bike across.
How far is that? Could it be done?
It then took a couple of weeks to decide that yes it could be done;
the time frame would be right – June will be a comfortable temperature for travelling across the Nullabor.
the guys at Crank it said they would show me how to pull my bike to bits and reassemble it at the other end.
“All trails” do the route from Perth to Adelaide as 2 stages along a similar route except for the start and the end. Stage 9
need to figure out more details around places to stay and support required.
need to figure out who would come with me to ride it.
Unfortunately there were no takers when I offered the opportunity to several people to come and ride with me.
Most of the people I told about my plans said I was mad. The kids, Monique, William, Sean and Davy all call me Lady Lala.
The only person who thought it was a great idea was Megan Blatchford who was helping me with my training for Masters Games.
So then I had to try and think of how I would get from Perth out to Bruce Rock to where Murray would be. I really wanted to bike from Perth to Bruce Rock but I also needed a campervan from Perth – no rental places in Bruce Rock.
I sent an email to Maree (sister) asking if she was up for an adventure, no word of what the adventure was as I was scared I would put her off.
Her reply started to get me excited – she said she would think about it if I told her what I was thinking of doing.
Maree had the normal response that I was getting used to hearing “You’re mad – but yes I’ll come”
So the next day I hurriedly checked flights and booked our flights.
And over the next few weeks I poured over maps, campervans and reading as much as I could about endurance events.
It isn’t really an endurance event – it is just riding my bike for hours each day for 2 and a bit weeks. Distance hopefully around 2550km according to map my ride.
I aim to write each day what I have achieved whilst on my adventure. However I don’t know what the internet capabilities are “way over there in WA”. I do know that they have limited cellphone coverage. The normal coverage is only about 5km or so around reasonable sized towns, but even Shackleton has cellphone coverage. I am not so sure about Balladonia though. That might be the start of several days of no contact with the great outside world.
One thing I have done is put a lot of music on to my phone so I can listen to it and I now have a new ring tone. I have been a Queen fan for as long as I can remember. So my new ringtone is quite appropriate Queen video
My training to date has just been figuring out what the best ride nutrition is for me and what I need to wear. I never realised that I had so many different pairs of bike shorts and that each pair has a different feel at the end of a longer ride.
I now know what I need to do at the end of a day/ride. Off bike, stretch ( thanks to Kim Findlay for giving me some great help in this area ) protein shake, shower and compression pants. I would really like to have had Lenka come with me so I could have a massage every day but!!!!
I have had great support and encouragement from the lovely velo girls that I ride with regularly. The week before I was due to depart Christine arranged drinkies and gift bag full of goodies from the girls. It was great fun delving into it. Some items will be put to good use – hopefully I will not need some of the items.
Ritchie from Crank It had taught me well how to pull my bike to bits and safely pack it away. Funnily enough I could even pull it out of the box and reassemble it.
Some of my milestones during my training have encouraged me. Manfeild 6 hour challenge – I was able to stay on my bike for the whole 6 hours completing 70 laps. And although the track is measured at 3km a lap I only measured it as 2.9km. Even so it was a good distance to cover. I did realise whilst riding for 6 hours how important it was to eat before I got hungry.
Not long to go now. Then I will be on my way. Can’t wait to get it over and done with. Then my life can get back to normal. Or should that be can’t wait to think up another stupid idea.
Map My Ride (Perth to WA/SA border)
Check back here if you want to follow my trip.
To all that have supported and encouraged me in any way THANKS it is really appreciated.