Back on Track - Big Bike Ride

Friday 23rd January, 2009.

2009-01-24T00:00:00.003+11:00

Hi Everyone, it's me Julie again. I know I said I had finished doing the blogs, but I thought I would just do a bit of an update on our day today.
Mike, Lachlan & I all went for a drive into Perth today. We are staying at Mandurah which is about an hour from Perth. We took the long route in so Lachlan & I could see a bit more of Perth. We drove through Freemantle, Cottesloe & other places. What a beautiful state W.A. is. It is such a weird thing to see so much green grass. That is a luxury that we no longer have in Victoria. We had lunch at Kings Park in the cafe there. I still can not get over the magnificent views. After that we went for a ride on the large Ferris wheel (well Lachie & I did, Mike stayed with his feet firmly on the ground), so we just waved to him from up above. We had to share the carriage with a lovely young couple (Natalie & Anthony) who just so happened to be from Melbourne. We got talking (not unusual for me) & I told them why we were in Perth. A short time after, when we were wandering around with Mike on the ground, they found us. I think they had been looking for us as they had some money ready in their hand to give us a donation. They have both been touched by cancer themselves (not sure in what capacity- I should have asked) & wanted to give something. It is these moments that are very touching. I hope you both enjoy the rest of your weekend in Perth Natalie & Anthony, you both have your heart in the right place. You are away on probably a well deserved holiday, but still wanted to take the time to do something for others.
After our day in the city, we headed back to Mandurah. I have a cousin who lives in Perth who I have only seen once in the last 23 years & that was in Adelaide 3 years ago. Naturally I wanted to catch up with Susie again. I have never met her partner & she has never met Mike or Lachlan. By sheer coincidence, they are staying in Mandurah for the long weekend. How incredible is that! Susie & I made plans for us to call into the holiday villa where they are staying along with good friends of theirs. It took a little while to get from the city back to Mandurah due to a few hold ups. Apart from the fact we were driving at peak hour, we also got caught in the holiday traffic & to top it off a car had caught on fire which also sparked a small bush fire! We had to pull off to the side to allow the fire department through, the police & ambulance where already there. It is easy to see just how quickly a fire can get away and could easily get out of control. I assume it is all under control as we have not heard anymore about it tonight. Anyway, getting back on track, we arrived at where Susie and Alan are staying & we met their friends. It is a funny thing with family. Like I said before, Susie & I have not seen each other for 3 years & that was after a 20 year gap, but you just feel like it has hardly been any time at all. I know when we both went to Adelaide for my cousin Jennys birthday 3 years ago, Susie & I had to share a room & it was like we were 2 kids again. We stayed awake just chatting for the whole night. They took us for a ride in their boat, well Lachlan & me. Mike stayed behind with their good friend Jock. Jocks partner Tina came in the boat with us. It was just beautiful cruising around the cannals. You can imagine how stunning all the homes are that back onto the water with private jettys. The weather was also absolutely perfect for this kind of activity. It was lovely to catch up with Susie again & to meet her other half & their good friends. Alan (Susies partner) was showing Lachlan how to catch crabs with a net. Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you want to look at it) they were all under size, so he had to throw them back in the water. Anyway, it was a great day & we all had a few good laughs. We are back at Margaret & Daves house now & feeling very tired after all the sight seeing & frivolity. I certainly hope it is not another 20 years before we get together again.

Day 34. Tuesday, 20th January 2009.

2009-01-20T21:03:00.003+11:00

What a grand finale! We were at the Perth Town Hall along with Simone Burns & all the rest of the team from the W.A. Cancer Council & also Lisa Scaffidi who is the Lord Mayoress. Mike's sister Margaret & her husband Dave where also there. They actually met up with me & Lachlan outside of Perth to help me through the city & also to find the Town Hall. Margaret hopped in our car & we followed Dave. That was an interesting experience. Maybe if Margaret & I were not yacking so much & paid more attention Dave would not have gotten away from us so quickly. Anyway, we found him again & we all got there safe & sound.
It was a very emotional moment when he finally rode in. We all stood along the edge of the road & cheered & clapped as Mike peddled in. I felt so very proud to be Mikes wife. Then Mike & I shed a couple of tears. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, it was a great moment. For me, it is such a relief that it is all over. I have enjoyed the whole experience, but I am now looking forward to getting back to a normal life. Then on the other hand, being married to Mike, maybe a normal life wont last for long. We will just have to wait & see what new projects he will take on!!!! We have come back to Dave & Margarets house to stay for a few days which we have all been looking forward to. Some of their children, grandchildren & a couple of friends all came over this afternoon. It was a very busy & happy time. They are such a lovely family. Some I already knew & others I met for the first time.
We have so many people to thank I don't know where to begin. I have to thank my parents because without their support & help I may not have been able to come, all our friends for their good wishes, support & prayers. Also all the people who have made donations, provided us with accommodation, provided us with assistance when things break down etc. Sealys bikes back in Mornington also deserve a huge thank you. Peninsula Curtains where we work have been fantastic & we look forward to seeing you all again soon. Everyone at Peninsula Christian Church in Rosebud have been a fantastic support, we can't wait to see you all again. We also can't wait to see all our friends and families, especially all the kids Bradly, Ashlea, Kristy, Kelsey, Riley & Asha (I didn't mention Lachie as he is with us). Also a big thank you to the Cancer Councils in Vic., W.A. & S.A. I also owe Lachlan a huge thank you. He has been such great company along the way & helps with all the IT stuff & packing up the car each day. Ashley Owen who created this web site & helps out with the site from his end.
We will keep this web site going till 28th February, 2009 so if anyone wishes they can still make an online donation. At this point of time we do not have a total of what we have raised so far, as we are not at home to check the post office box and we also have some collection tins to collect & count. I will post a blog at the end to let you all know what the final total raised is when the final count is done. Thank you so much for all your support. It will be a strange feeling tomorrow night when I do not have any more reports on Mikey on the Bikey to "blog".
Goodnight & Bless all of you.

Signing off for the last time,

Julie McKenzie.

Day 33. Monday 19th January, 2009.

2009-01-19T23:29:00.003+11:00

What a day it was today. Mike had a short ride today of only 58km's from Cunderdin to Northam. He had to ride through a thunder & lightening storm to get there though! Fortunately his sister Lois & her husband Dusty live half way between. Lachlan & I dropped in first & told them they better put the kettle on for her soggy brother. It was a nice way to break up the morning, so Mike rode in & we all stayed till the storm passed. Mike hopped on his bike & left first, then Lachie & I headed off after making arrangements to meet in Northam for dinner.
We arrived at the Northam Caravan Park where Beverly had very kindly supplied us with a really nice cabin. From the moment we arrived, we had a really good "feel" about this place. It is very bushy which we like & also very pet (& people) friendly. We don't have any of our pets with us and so we have had fun playing with everyone else's. There is even a pet lamb that follows Bev & her labrador around everywhere. They have a number of permanent people who live there & they all seem to have a pet of some kind. I have enjoyed wandering around the park & talking to some of the residents there. Everyone has an interesting tale to tell. This is a great place to stay.
Later in the evening we met up with Dusty & Lois again at the Northam Tavern in Fitzgerald Street, Northam. Everyone there was also very friendly, by this I mean the staff & also a couple of the regulars who we met. The place is run by Trevor & Sandy Allsop who generously supplied us with a delicious meal. It was really good, but only Mike could finish his as the servings where huge! We have had such a great couple of days catching up with Lois & Dusty. It was actually the first time Lachlan & I have met them, but I feel like I have known them for a long time. They have been so supportive of this cause & just wanting to help in any way they can.
I feel we have so many people to thank today. A huge thank you to Bev & Ian of Northam Caravan Park (08)9622 1620, another big thank you to Trevor & Sandy of Northam Tavern (08)9622 1041 & of course Lois & Dusty.
In between all this family socialising, bike riding & chatting to people in the park, Mike, Lachie & I also managed to fit in a drive to York. What a pretty little country town this was. We had devonshire tea, had a look around & then came back. Well it's off to bed now. Huge day tomorrow. This will be the last day of riding!!! I can't believe it is about to be over, the planning, training & actual trip have been a part of our lives for 14 months. I am feeling a little emotional tonight about the whole thing. I am just so proud of Mike in all that he has done. I never doubted for a minute that he couldn't do it, but I will be glad when it is over as it certainly has taken it's toll on him physically. Mentally he is as strong as ever. Tomorrow one of Mike's other sister's (Margaret) who I have met will meet me just out of Perth to help navigate me to the Perth Town Hall where the Cancer Council team of Perth & also Lisa Scaffidi the Lord Mayoress will meet us. I am looking forward to seeing Margaret again.
So goodnight for now everyone. I guess I will have a big report tomorrow night.

Cheers,

Julie.

Day 32. Sunday 18th January, 2009.

2009-01-18T22:44:00.003+11:00

A much cooler day for Mikey on his bikey today. He rode 104km's to Cunderdin & even though it was cooler, he still really felt it. Thank you to the Cunderdin Caravan Park for putting us up for the night, we really appreciate it. We love your caretakers little dog Sandy!
After lunch we went to visit Mike's sister Lois & her hubby Dusty. We had a fun afternoon with them and all their animals. Managed to get out without Lachlan slipping one of those cute kittens in his pocket!
We went and had dinner in the Ettamogah pub. I did not know there was one in Cunderdin. Actually there are a lot of things about this great country of ours that I don't know, but boy have we had a wonderful time finding out more about it. We went & visited the major earthquake centre in Meckering (thats where Lois & Dusty live) & stood in the ruins of what looked to be a beautiful homestead before the big quake in 1968.
Thank you to those who have made donations today. Your support helps to keep Mike focused on what this ride is all about.
Almost there, only 2 more sleeps to go!!!!!

Julie.

Day 31. Saturday 17th January, 2009.

2009-01-17T19:31:00.005+11:00

Another scorcher today. Mike rode 110km's in the heat & it is now taking it's toll on him. He is just about worn out & I am so glad that it will be all over in 3 days!!!! I can't believe that a month has passed already.
The support crew arrived at the Merredin Caravan Park & Av-A-Rest Village to be greeted by Sue. They say on their card that they are the best & cleanest in the West. I reckon they are to. This place is immaculate, the laundry literally sparkles. Thank you so much Sue for providing us with a very comfy (& spotless) cabin. This is an absolutely beautiful park with a very nice pool & lots of shady tree's. So it is like a little haven on a hot day. Sue is also a wildlife carer, so we have had fun patting the kangaroo's that just roam around & a very cheeky cocky that just seems to hang around. The place is actually up for sale & Mike & I were saying how nice it would be to buy something like this & live in such beautiful surroundings. After chatting to Sue for a while when we first arrived, Lachie & I went back to give Mike some more cold drinks to keep him going before he expired from the heat. He takes plenty of water, but it goes hot in such a short time. This afternoon we went for a little drive around (it was too hot to get out of the car & walk around). Merredin is a nice little country town.
I would just like to mention at this point of time, that without the support from all these people like Sue who have provided us with accommodation, that we probably would not have been able to do this fundraising event to raise money for cancer research. You have all made such a big contribution which is very much appreciated.
Bye for now,

Julie. X

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Day 30. Friday 16th January, 2009.

2009-01-16T22:33:00.004+11:00

I have one word to describe today. HOT! It got to 41 degree's, remember it is always hotter on the road, so poor Mike. It still wasn't as bad as that day he rode to Norseman though. That was a shocker (44 degrees with hot north wind).
It took Mike just under 4 hours to ride 100 kms to Southern Cross. It is 8.30pm now & it doesn't feel like it has got much cooler at all, but we are staying at a place with airconditioning so we are ok. Mike has very sore wrists (amongst other things) tonight. Lachlan is carrying on about a loose tooth, so he is trying his hardest to pull it out, and me, my only whinge is that I ate too much at dinner & now feel like I need to ride the bike tomorrow to burn off some fat. Mike said he doesn't mind swapping places! I would probably be lucky to last 1 km.
I will sign off for now as we are all really tired & ready for bed. I know that you are probably wondering why I am tired, we all know why Mike is, but I woke at about 4am this morning & couldn't get back to sleep. I then decide to get Lachlan up super early so we could all head off before it got too hot, so he looks like he can hardly stay awake much longer.
Goodnight all. Thank you everyone for all your calls & txt messages today. We feel very blessed to have so many people who care.
Julie. X

Day 29. Thursday 15th January, 2009.

2009-01-15T21:38:00.002+11:00

Mike rode 130kms today somewhere in the bush half way between Kalgoolie & Southern Cross. So, that means we only have 460kms to go! At this point of time we are a fair bit in front & plan to arrive in Perth next Tuesday 20th January. We should be at the Town Hall around midday to be greeted by the Lord Mayor & the W.A. cancer team. Mike will be on Perth radio 6pr with Howard Sattler that evening around 5.30pm.
Great to hear from our family in Sweden, we miss you guys. Give Charlie & Gabrielle a big hug from us.
Ok, I will let you all know why we are in front. Mike could tell I didn't like the camping bit (I didn't complain - he just could tell) so he pushed himself to go further each day & skipped a day of rest. Part of me feels a bit guilty about it & the other part is just soooo grateful. I am also glad because it means we will get home a little sooner, hopefully in time for the start of the new school year.
Now we are on the last leg, only 5 days left, so if you have been thinking of making a donation, now will be a good time. Mike has worked so hard and has pushed himself & suffered a great deal of discomfort & a fair bit of pain, it would be great if he acheived his goal of raising $10,000 to help raise money for cancer research. Every dollar helps. Your good wishes & words of encouregment also help to keep him going, so thank you to everyone who has posted a message on this web site & sent text messages.

Cheers for now,

Julie.

Day 28. Wednesday 14th January, 2009.

2009-01-14T22:22:00.005+11:00

Day of rest today in Kalgoolie. However it wasn't exactly a day of rest, we did a lot of walking. We have to go at a slightly slower pace for Mike these days, especially going down the stairs. Hey Kevin & Vicki, do you remember how we all left Mike behind after his Fresh Start ride, well he isn't that bad but it has brought back memories! We went to the super pit mine - what an amazing place that is to watch. After that we went to the Mining Hall of Fame. We even went down an old mine which was very interesting. The tour guide had a lot of interesting tales to tell as he used to be a miner in his younger years. Listening to the conditions they had to work in & seeing what it was like, I have decided they are a tough breed. I could never have done it. We also managed to squeeze in a walk to this look out place where all the water comes in from Perth. That was a rather spectacular view.

Thanks everyone for all your prayers & good wishes, I am sure this helps to keep Mike going.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTY PEG.

Good night folks. Julie.

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Day 27. Tuesday 13th january, 2009.

2009-01-13T22:57:00.004+11:00

Another long day of riding for Mike, but conditions a lot kinder! Mike rode 190km's in 8 hours today. The support crew met up with the rider at Kambalda today & all had a cuppa & something to eat together. It was actually a beautiful day - got a bit hot in the afternoon, but heaps better than yesterday. Top temperature was 29 degrees. The drive was the most interesting that we have had in a long time. Lots of bush & all the turn offs to the mines & not to mention more salt lakes. We also saw a batch of wild goats grazing on the side of the road, I slowed right down in case one of them wandered onto the road. We arrived at Kalgoorlie around lunch time. What an interesting place this is. Thank you to Michelle & Georgina for providing us with a very nice chalet at the Kalgoorlie Accommodation Village. It is a really lovely caravan park here which is a good thing as we have decided to have a day off here & stay an extra night. That will give Mike a chance to recover a bit & I am looking forward to doing the tourist thing tomorrow. We did a little bit of it today & so far I like what I have seen. I could live here. It's a funny thing doing this sort of trip. It opens your eyes to all sorts of possibilities, especially for our children. What an incredible experience it would be if any of them decided to get a few friends together & travel around Australia. I think poor Lachlan is sick of me suggesting he do this when he is old enough. I better lay off now! I can also see what great working potential any of them could have here, or anywhere for that matter. I think when we live in one place we just get into a rut & it is good to move out of the comfort zone for a while. I just love chatting to different people that you meet along the way & seeing & experiencing things that you would not normally come across at home. I still love home though. Lachlan & I went & took a couple of photo's in Norseman before we left this morning, so I will publish them with today's post. The town Norseman was named after a horse. Apparently Norseman the horse was pawing & stomping at the ground & when his owner looked down there was gold there! I bet that horse was well looked after for the rest of his life. Mike actually passed another bike rider today going in the opposite direction. He was going from Kambalda to Norseman. He had just got a job in one of the mines there - see what that horse has done for people years after he has gone.

Bye for now, Julie.

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Day 26. Monday, 12th January. 2009.

2009-01-12T23:25:00.003+11:00

This would have to be the toughest day so far for Mike. He rode for an amazing 165km's in the blistering heat with a strong head wind. It was 44 degrees today, which means that it was probably over 50 on the hot road which also had some big hills. I gave him some fresh cold water about half way & before long it was so hot (water) that you could have made a cup of tea out of it. Mike actually was meant to ride a further 26km's but I went back & picked him up. He would have ended up in hospital if he went any further. This is the first day where I can honestly say that the heat was unbearable. Mike rode this far to avoid another night camping. The wind was so strong & the heat so hot that trying to erect a tent & set up camp would have finished us off for today. There was no relief even in the shade today. So, we really thank the Gateway Caravan Park in Norseman for giving us a cabin for the night. Yes, it did have an airconditioner. It struggled to keep us cool in this weather, but it was a luxury that we were very grateful for. It is after 10pm at the moment & a cool change has come thru, what a relief. It is also the first town we have been in for days. That is why I can finally update this web site. All the other places we have stayed in are just literally a roadhouse in the middle of no where, so there has been no mobile or internet connections. Lachlan & I went into town to the local IGA supermarket to buy food to cook for dinner, while Mike had a shower & a rest. We would probably liked to have had a bit more of a look around, but it was so hot we just wanted to unpack the shopping back at the cabin & try & keep cool. We did not take the camera to take photo's of the town either, so if we have time in the morning we will go & take some pics to post them tomorrow.

That's all for tonight everyone. I will report in again tomorrow night.
Cheers, Julie.

Day 25. Sunday, 11th January, 2009.

2009-01-12T23:25:00.002+11:00

Yipee. We arrive in Balladonia which is 112km's from where ever we were. Thank you to Anita at the Hotel Motel Caravan Park for supplying us with a motel room. You don't know how much we (especially me) appreciated it. The room was extremely comfortable & the swimming pool was luxury. All the staff were just delightful. Very friendly service from everyone. Yes, Lachlan did not mind leaving the camp site for this place. The food was good as well. It was a great spot for Mike to ride into and recover. We are actually 2 days in front now. Mike is pushing himself even harder to try & skip some camping nights. I am concerned that he is pushing too hard, but it is starting to get too hot to do all the setting up camp bit for just one night at a time. We met some very nice people hanging around in the pool! Lynda turned out to be a fellow cyclist so it was good chatting with her in the pool. Hope you and your family enjoy the rest of your trip to Geelong. I was also talking to a family from Penong. I asked them why they had a pink lake! It turns out it is just a salt lake & for some reason one side is pink & the other blue. Simple as that. I liked this place & did not want to leave, but time to move on.

Bye for now, Julie.

Day 24. Saturday 10th January, 2009.

2009-01-12T22:45:00.003+11:00

132km's from Cocklebiddy to the bush somewhere in the middle of no where. Yes, it was another camping night. The novelty of camping (it was only our 2nd night camping) has now worn off with me. Lachlan loves it. It was fairly hot during the day so we just sat around in the shade till the heat of the day was over. I have to admit that the nights are beautiful. Once again we went to sleep as soon as it was dark & we all got up at 5am. The mornings are also beautiful - it's just the days that I don't like. It is so hot when you are trying to set up camp & there is nowhere to have a shower or plug in a fan etc. Thank goodness there were tree's. We just kept picking up our folding chairs (or in my case, banana lounge) & followed the shade around. I am fast learning to appreciate all the comforts that electricity, plumbing etc brings us. I think things were really catching up with Mike by now as well. He was feeling very unwell by this stage. I think the exhaustion was making him ill. He has such an amazing mind set though, he just keeps on pushing forward. I lot of other people by this stage may have thrown in the towel. Mike's faith & strong will, will help him achieve his goal. In the meantime, Lachlan was in his element. He just loves the whole camping bit, which goes to show that he can get by without all his electronic stuff!

Cheers, Julie.

Day 23. Friday 9th January, 2009.

2009-01-12T20:20:00.001+11:00

Not such a long day today. Mike only rode a mere 92km's to a place called Cocklebiddy. Shona from the Hotel Motel Caravan Park provided us with a very comfortable motel room. Thanks Shona. Very comfy bed. Mike arrived late morning, so in the afternoon we decided to do a bit of sight seeing. We went off road, down some red dirt tracks to some caves. Our poor Tarago probably thought it was a four wheel drive for the day. Hey Glen, our friend and car detailer, have we got a job for you when we get back!!!! It seemed to take forever to get to one particular cave but was well worth it (apart from the fact there was nothing else to do). You can't imagine how big these caves are until you see them. The Cocklebiddy cave was spectacular.

That's all for today, Julie.

Day 22. Thursday 8th January.

2009-01-12T19:37:00.003+11:00

Hi everyone. Sorry for the delay in updates, but we have not been anywhere that has mobile phone or Internet connection! It's good to be back in civilisation. Now I will back track to day 22 & fill you in on each day. Mike road 180kms to Madura Pass Hotel Motel Caravan Park. This was like a little oasis (in fact I think that is what they call it). Louise & Neil put us up in one of their very nice motel rooms which was really appreciated. The place was just beautiful & everyone there was just lovely. We had a very nice dinner in their dining room that evening. What I loved about the place is that it was very bushy, which was a change to what we had been driving thru. I loved all the different sounds of the bush as well. We also enjoyed a dip in the pool. On the way we saw our first wild emu. It was the scraggliest (is that a real word) looking emu I have ever seen, he was just picking at food on the side of the road. On the way there we saw all these weird tree's that people have put shoes on. Other trees had pots or other things. Of course I had to stop & put a shoe on one of the "shoe tree's".

Cheers, Julie.
P.S. We love your comments, please keep them coming.

Day 21. Wed 7th Jan. 2009

2009-01-07T22:50:00.005+11:00

Well Mike rode an amazing 201kms today, starting at the Nullarbor Road House to Eucla. By the time he arrived, he was absolutely physically worn out & he was also fairly emotional. What an incredible achievement! I think going over the border into W.A. was a real milestone for him & and it was a first for me. It was a good drive / ride over. Even though the ride for Mike was tough, it also went well weather wise & someone stopped him & gave a donation along the way. The drive for Lachlan & I was good. We had to pull over to the side of the road at one stage for the largest truck I have ever seen in my life. It was carrying some sort of equipment & the width of it took up both sides of the entire road. Not only did it have an escort vehicle in front of it, but also 2 police cars. I did not know they could make trucks that big. Thank you to Naomi who caught up with us at the border / fruit fly check & gave a donation. She had passed Mike on the road & then pulled up beside Lachlan & I at the border, noticed the sign on our car door (thanks to Progress Signs in Mornington) & gave us a donation. Moments like these keep us keen to keep going. The people at the Eucla Hotel Motel Caravan Park have kindly put us up for the night. If it wasn't for all these places putting us up, we wouldn't have been able to keep doing what we are doing. Thanks a lot guys, you have a great set up here. Believe it or not, Mike was up to a bit of sight seeing this arvo! Maybe he was delirious? We went & looked at the old telegraph ruins which are now half filled with sand. After that Mike went on for a further walk to dip his feet in the sea. Like I said, I don't know what keeps him going as that was a long walk. I stayed at the ruins as there was a tree with lots of shade. I just can not stay out in the sun with it belting down on me for that long. I love walking, but not in the hot sun without shade. I started off on the walk & got half way, then I went back to the tree. I don't know how all these explorers explored our harsh land. I have thought about that a lot on this trip. I have a new appreciation for our beautiful country. I could just keep rambling on forever, but it is late & I need some sleep! Hello to all our work mates at Peninsula Curtains, hope you are all well rested up after the Xmas break. Keep up the messages Cathy, we love them.

Good night everyone,
Julie.

MORE IMAGES COURTESY GOOGLE MAPS

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Day 20. Tuesday 6th January, 2009.

2009-01-06T21:03:00.002+11:00

After a night in the bush, I was very happy to arrive at the Nullarbor Hotel Motel with a soft bed & an en suite bathroom. Lachlan & I had our first encounter with wild dingo's! At one stage Lachlan walked out of our motel room & came face to face with a dingo. I am not sure who got the biggest fright. Lachlan or the dingo! After a long hard ride (big hills today) Mike finally arrived. When he showered & recovered we went for a drive to the Head of the Bight. There are no whales at this time of the year, but the views are spectacular. Thank you to the kind lady who stopped & gave Mike a large bottle of Margaret River water & a donation whilst he was riding along on his push bike.
Cheers for now, Julie.

Now on to the important bit after Julie's blog , she thinks that the webpage is called
www.Juliesbikeride.blogspot.com but it is not. Mike rode 120 KM. He has reached the Nullarbor. There are no trees on it. It is just a very very very big desert right near the GREAT AUSTRALIAN BITE. so Mike is going to be riding right near the bite for a little while. That is all for today so bye.
from Lachlan.

Day 19. 5th January, 2009.

2009-01-06T20:22:00.004+11:00

Well, we survived a night of camping. Boy, setting up tents & a camp site sure is a lot of work for one night. Then you wake up early & have to pack it all up again. Hey Judi, we didn't pack the blow up mattress. It must still be in the garage at home! Sleeping on the hard ground with sunburn is lots of fun. Not. We stayed at a beautiful place in Yalata. It was just breathtaking & I have to say was worth all the hard work. Mike rode 115kms from Penong to the bush in Yalata. He made very good time so we spent the day under the tree's keeping cool. Lachlan has been a great help & a real little trooper (the other half of support team). Lachlan has discovered that he loves camping. What we did love was watching all the different lizards. Well, Mike's not a real fan of reptiles, but Lachlan & I love them. We made friends with a funny old blue tongue. He just kept hanging around us & then Mike gave him a bit of left over tomato. He hoed into that & then he was on his way. Because their was no electricity, no tv, no computer or any other electronic devices, we were all in bed by nightfall. It was lovely going to sleep in the bush (apart from the hard ground bit). I still prefer a proper bedroom & en suite though.

Bye for now,

Julie.

Day 18 Jan 4 2009

2009-01-04T21:16:00.004+11:00

Mike rode 72kms from Ceduna to Penong today in just under 3 hours. It was perfect riding weather early this morning. Just as well he rode early as the afternoon was pretty hot. We all went to the beach this afternoon, long drive down a dirt road to get there & had to drive through a salt lake on one side of us & on the other side was what I think was some sort of mineral lake which was pink. It looked like a giant strawberry milkshake. Very pretty. I will have to investigate to find out what it actually is. Maybe someone reading this knows what it is? We have to thank Jill from the Penong caravan park for putting us up in a very comfortable cabin for the night. We would highly recommend the place to anyone travelling through. I have never been across this part of Australia before & I have to say, I am really enjoying looking around & seeing what is probably more of the real Australia. Tomorrow will be a test though - we have no where to stay (well there isn't anywhere) so we will be camping out!!! For those who know me, they won't believe it. This could be a real growth experience for me. It also means that I won't be able to update this web site for a couple of days, & yes, I know - sometimes I don't update for a couple of days anyway.

Signing off for tonight, will update when we can get internet connection again.

Cheers everyone,

Julie.
Photo's by Lachlan Earl.

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day 17. 3rd January.

2009-01-04T18:08:00.003+11:00

Very exciing day, Lachlan & I (support crew) finally caugh up with Mike. I can't tell you how good it was to see him again. We arrived at the Big 4 caravan park in Ceduna to be greeted by Mike standing there waving madly away so we wouldn't miss it and drive past. Thanks very much to Kathy for putting us all up for the night. I also would like to thank Shannon in at the Sportspower shop for putting the tyre back on Mikes bike. It was very much appreciated. Mike was saying how nice & helpfull Shannon was. It was a day off from riding for Mike, so we just did the tourist thing. We went for a walk down to the beach & picked up a few supplys from the local supermarket. Later in the evening we had dinner at the Ceduna foreshore hotel. It was the worlds largest meal & very nice as well.

Bye for now,

Julie.

Day 16. 2nd January, 2009.

2009-01-02T21:58:00.003+11:00

Mike rode an incredible 225kms today & arrived in Ceduna a day ahead of schedule. Not because he wanted to, but because he had no choice. There was no accomodation anywhere before hand. He had a wrecked tyre when he arrived & was just to exhausted to fix it himself so he took it to a local bike shop where they did it for him. The support crew have been having fun in Port Augusta today & will catch up with Mike tomorrow. Yahooo.
Bye for now,
Julie McKenzie.

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day 15. 1st January, 2009.

2009-01-02T21:46:00.001+11:00

The support crew are on their way! Mike rode 103kms to Wudinna in 6 hours, very hilly ride. Stayed in the bus at Gawler Ranges Motel, courtesy of Lyle & Sandy. Thanks guys for putting Mike up for the night.

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Day 14. 31st December, 2008.

2008-12-31T21:17:00.002+11:00

It took Mike approx 6 to 7 hours to get to Kimba today. Thanks to the Kimba Motel Caravan Park for putting Mike up for the night, it is very much appreciated. One of the good things you encounter when travelling along are the people you meet during your journey. Today Mike met a lovely family on the road somewhere who had pulled over for a break. Keith & Roslyn & their 3 children invited Mike to join them for breakfast. They fed him, made him a cup of tea & had a nice chat, that is what you call good ol' fashion hospitality. Not only did they feed him & offer him a bit of company, but Keith is also a chiropractor & did a bit of work on his shoulders which I am sure are in dire need of a bit of attention! Well, only a few hours now till Lachlan & I head off to join Mike. Thanks to Fay Henton for her prayers & making one of her super dooper fruit cakes for Mike. You are a treasure. He finished her last one a few days ago & is looking forward to me arriving with the next one. Two people who deserve a giant size thank you are my parents Jan & Lee. They have always done more than their fair share of parenting, grandparenting, pet minding, house sitting & whatever else crops up. It makes going away a lit tle easier knowing they are there. Thanks guys, I love you. Another big thank you goes to my good friend Judi Boyce. I never would have got that car packed without you today! Let's just hope that missing blow up bed is underneath all the stuff in the back of the car!!! Thanks also to my cousin Steve for all your help (especially 4 helping out with our Xmas morning drama!)
Happy New Year everyone.

Julie McKenzie.

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Day 13. 30th December.

2008-12-30T21:30:00.003+11:00

It took Mike 5 hours to ride 72kms to Iron Knob today. He did have a head wind, but was in the right frame of mind to cope with it. After yesterday's experience, I think he will be on a high for a while. Brian & Michelle from the pub in Iron Knob have kindly put him up tonight. Another lovely couple who are very helpful. He is actually sleeping in an old school room that is over 100 years old & has been converted into very comfy accomodation. I am having trouble trying to type this blog up tonight, as our big dopey Golden Retriever insists on rolling around in all the cords that I have connected from our laptop to our our other computer. I am sure there must be an easier way to do this. Just as well she is a very cute dog is all I have to say. The dog was Mike's idea of a surprise birthday present for me earlier this year. She is the most spoilt member of our family & she thinks she is the bee's kness.

Anyway, that's all for tonight folks. Cheers, from Julie McKenzie. P.S. I am very excited now as Lachlan (other half of support crew) & I head off to join up with Mike in one more day. My big task for tomorrow is to get everything thats in the garage into our car!

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Day 12. 29th December.

2008-12-30T20:53:00.004+11:00

Well, what a day this was. It began with Mike waking up a little later than normal & feeling like he really did not want to ride today. He was tired & sore & fed up with being on his own. The thought of riding 95km's to Port Augusta was almost too much to bear. However, he did manage to drag himself out of bed. Then he looked at himself in the mirror & gave himself a good talking to. Still he did not feel like riding, so then he went and prayed about it & asked God for strength & help to keep going. Next thing he knew, he was back on that bike & the mother of all tail winds whipped up & pushed him all the way & he rode 95km's in just under 3 hours!!!! How exciting is that. He was greeted at the Big 4 Caravan Park in Port Augusta by Hugh & Pauline Robinson. They were very nice & their park is beautiful, so thank you Hugh & Pauline for putting Mike up for the night.

Till next time,
Julie McKenzie.

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Day 11. 28th December, 2008.

2008-12-28T21:20:00.004+11:00

It took Mike 8 hours to ride 130km's to Port Pirie today. Most of the day was good riding conditions with cross winds (that's apparantly a good thing), till he turned a corner for the turn off and the last 6kms was a full on head wind (that's a bad thing). He stopped at a place called Red Hill (in S.A) and rested under a tree in the shade. Whilst he was sitting there a family from Melbourne who had seen him on T.V. came and introduced themselves. Their names were Norm, Fay & Erin. They kindly made a donation, so thanks guys. Then another family from Alice Springs approached Mike & enquired what he was doing as they read the back of his shirt (which says Riding for Cancer Research) & they also made a donation. I think Mike should forget riding & just keep sitting under that tree! These little gestures of friendlyness all help to keep Mike going. His muscles are all sore now, he is feeling tired in his body, but strong in his faith & his will to keep going. What will keep him going is to know that the funds he raises will keep coming in. Remember the aim of this ride is to raise money for cancer research. This cause can sometimes feel like a bottomless pit as I once heard it described as, but we can't give up. One day a cure will be found. Look at how many advances have come about in the last few years. We have to keep going forward, so if you have thought about donating, please act on your instincts.

Regards, Julie McKenzie.

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Day 10. 27th December.

2008-12-27T23:03:00.003+11:00

Mike was up early again today to pedal off to Port Wakefield. It only took him 5 hours to ride 105km's. Perfect riding conditions, warm day with a slight tail wind. His only complaint for today was that he swallowed a lot of bugs. When he arrived at Port Wakefield, not only had he injested a number of bugs along the way, but he had them in his beard, in his hair, stuck all over his face & clothes & just everywhere. He said it was really "yuck". He felt a bit swore after having a couple of days off. Fortunately he had a very nice cabin to stay in at the local caravan park who kindly put him up. Mike said it was really nice there & was enjoying his afternoon just resting & having a little stroll around the park.

Signing off for now,
Julie McKenzie.

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Day 9. 26th December

2008-12-27T22:53:00.002+11:00

Boxing Day - day of rest for Mike. Just watched the cricket & snoozed on the couch all day.

Day 8. 25th December, 2008.

2008-12-25T19:10:00.002+11:00

Merry Christmas to everybody. Hope you have all had a special day with your loved ones. No riding today for Mike, he has been busy having Christmas lunch with all the gang in Adelaide. Sounds like there was lots of frivolity and a bit of a feast going on over there. Thank you to Barbara Daw from the Flower House in Highgate (08)8272 3458 for your donation. Also from the same family, thanks to Sam & Victoria Daw of Lavina Estate Wines for your donation of 2 bottles of wine to be auctioned off at a later date, with proceeds to go towards the total of funds we raise. Not to be drunk by the rider! Christmas here in Mornington was very nice at my parents place, good to have our cousins there. We must have all eaten way too much as nobody wants any dinner tonight. Well Sam & I have decided to try and have something. I am really missing Mike today (probably because it's Christmas) and looking forward to joining up with him soon.

Cheers everyone,

Julie McKenzie.

day 7. 24th December, 2008.

2008-12-25T18:22:00.003+11:00

An interesting Christmas eve. It took Mike 9 hours to ride 75km's. His trailer broke down,and as you can imagine, it's pretty hard to ride towing a trailer thats dragging on the ground. He managed to limp it in to an engineering works in Aldgate where a very kind & talented guy named Brett was there working away. Brett was extremely helpful & worked some magic on the broken down trailer & got it back on the road a short while later. We can not thank you enough Brett for what you did & on top of that, you gave a donation! What a blessing you turned out to be. Thank you also to the kind people who pulled their car over to stop Mike so they could give him a donation. We are so moved by the kindness & genorosity that people have shown towards this cause. Finally, a very tired & emotional Mike arrives at Auntie Peg's house to be greeted by cousin Lyn & auntie Peg. It's reassuring to know that I have such good family looking after my tired & weary husband whilst I can not be there. I know he is strong & capable of doing anything, but even the strongest need a little looking after at times.

Greetings everyone, from Julie McKenzie.

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Day 6. 23rd December, 2008.

2008-12-23T22:50:00.005+11:00

Today has been a good day for Mike. He rode 115km's to Murray Bridge with a tail wind behind him. It was also a fair bit cooler today which is a good thing when out riding. Our thanks to Colin and Beth Sinclair who are the pastors at The Living Waters Community Church for putting Mike up for the night. They not only have put him up in their home, but they have taken him out for a bowl of pasta (good energy food) & shown him the sights of Murray Bridge. Along the way, Mike stopped and had a rest by the Murray River in Tailem Bend (I have never heard of Tailem Bend till today). Tomorrow he arrives at my Aunty Pegs house in Adelaide, a day ahead of schedule. I am really missing Mike now (had to come home for a few days which was pre arranged) & looking forward to joining up with him again soon. Thanks everyone for your prayers and good wishes.

Signing off for tonight,
Julie McKenzie (Mike's wife and half of the support crew).

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Day Five

2008-12-22T15:59:00.006+11:00

Today was a tough one for Mike. It was hot with a very strong head wind & to make things worse, the accommodation that was promised to him did not come to fruition. It's funny how things work out though. Had he stayed at the planned point of destination, then he would not have anywhere to sleep tomorrow night. As it turned out, he decided to leave that town & rode on to the next town (a further 35kms) and came across the Tintinara Motel & Caravan Park. This turned out to a blessing. The people who run this park were very accommodating. This has put him ahead of his schedule, so now he can arrive in Murray Bridge a day earlier (where he does have somewhere to stay) and now have an extra day off on Christmas day in Adelaide. I guess I better ring my Auntie in Adelaide & let her know she has her house guest arriving a day earlier and therefore staying an extra night! Thank goodness for family.
That's all for tonight folks, thank you to Ashley, Damien & Sue who have all made online donations. Thanks also to the people who have approached Mike today and enquired as to how to make donations. We will be updating the running total tomorrow.

Regards, Julie McKenzie.

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Day 4 Sunday 21st December, 2008.

2008-12-21T23:45:00.004+11:00

A much warmer day today so I guess Mike will have to get used to it, as I am sure it will just keep getting hotter & hotter from now on. On his travels today, he came across 3 very sunburnt Swedish guys who are as crazy as him. They were riding their bikes from Perth to Sydney. They stopped & chatted for a while, compared stories then went their seperate ways. I guess there is a bit of comradeship between all these riders.
Mike continued to peddle on to his next destination (120 kms) which was a place called Kaniva. He rode to the address of his pre arranged accomodation to find it was a patch of grass! Obviously there was a communication breakdown there somewhere. Never mind, Mike is a fairly resourceful guy and rode around till he found a motel. No one was there, but there was a sign on the door that if you want a room, help yourself to a key. So he did.

By Julie McKenzie.

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Day3

2008-12-20T21:49:00.002+11:00

After a good nights sleep (thanks to Acacia Caravan & Tourist Park for putting Mike & the support crew up for the night), Mike headed off to Horsham. Conditions were on his side. Mild temperatures & best of all, a tail wind! Mike stopped at the Big Koala in Dadswell Bridge for a cup of tea & a short break. He arrived in Horsham by late morning, still feeling reasonably fit. To his pleasant surprise, the kind owners of Wimmora Lake Resort had upgraded his accommodation from an old bus to a very nice motel room. Mike was extremely grateful for this kind gesture. We have been touched by peoples kindness and generosity and the trip has only just begun. To all the people who have approached Mike along the way so far with your good wishes and words of encouragement, thank you. This is what will help him to keep going when he will have days that he feels so fatigued that I am sure he will be asking himself if he could have thought of an easier way of raising these much needed funds!

By Julie McKenzie.

http://www.acaciatouristpark.com/

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Day 2

2008-12-19T18:38:00.002+11:00

In Ballarat we made a friend. A little black cat named Sooty. He followed as back to our cabin and he did'nt leave. when he left at night we all went to bed. In the morning sooty came back.

we travelled 92 KM
There was a cross wind all the way to Ararat. On the way to Ararat there were wind farms, there were 2 Avenues of honour, great scenery. Also there was a town with 2 shops. Thanks to a nice lady who was in the bakery who gave some money and Ararat Acacia family caravan parks for putting us up.

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Day 1

2008-12-13T14:47:00.006+11:00

Thursday 18th December

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Cancer Council Australia - Details

2008-12-05T21:20:00.000+11:00

About us

As Australia's peak national non-government cancer control* organisation, Cancer Council Australia advises the Australian Government and other bodies on practices and policies to help prevent, detect and treat cancer. We also advocate for the rights of cancer patients for best treatment and supportive care.

Our vision

Minimise the threat of cancer to Australians, through successful prevention, best treatment and support.

Our mission

Lead a cohesive approach to reduce the impact of cancer.

Cancer Council Australia works with its members the eight state and territory cancer organisations to:

undertake and fund cancer research
prevent and control cancer
provide information and support for people affected by cancer.

Cancer Council Australia was formerly called the Australian Cancer Society.

*Cancer control refers to actions to reduce the impact of cancer on people including: reducing cancer risk and incidence; improving early detection and treatment; and improving care and support for people affected by cancer.

More information can be found on the Cancer Council Website - HERE

Back on Track - Big Bike Ride

2008-12-05T19:51:00.000+11:00

Riding for Cancer Research.

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