It’s surprising how good I slept last night in our bat cave (3×3 room carved into rock)

the Bat Cave

to wake to only a few bikes this morning as CH9 were doing broadcasts from where we were staying. Martin the manager has got fire pits going all over the grounds for us as it’s a bit brrrrrr. Hundreds of people are about, truly amazing.

A friend sets me quests for each ride trip so here is the first of hopefully 4 Quest photos I’m to achieve…..an Emu

Quest photo – an Emu

Bikes are revved up eager to get on the road and hopefully not have the winds we’ve been plagued with. The sights out here are unbelieveable, mind fields and mountains ranges for as far as the eye can see.

Mine fields out of Coober

The roads are long and the surface is not….not like home with that bumpy crap. The vastness and isolation is soon apparent and I try to look at things from the perspective of my friend. Trying to get how her head or she was feeling. The landscape is what I used to feel how alone (even though she wasn’t) she must’ve been feeling….it’s pretty daunting. I shed a tear for her.

I stop for a splash and dash in Kulgera and then it’s onto Erldunda for lunch and more fuel. Open roads and the throttle……what a beautiful feeling and Angel, well, she just loves it…he he he. My new best friends and the rest of the crowd have to pull in at the border for the manditory shot (as you do). Northern Terrotiry we have arrived YAY!!!! The heat is starting to set in, much different to the heat at home and more layers are coming off….where are you Karl!!

We made it to NT

I’d been a bad mother and had forgotten to feed Winston along the way (but to be honest with you I think he has been feeding off my emotions). So I gave him a muesli bar…YUM thanks Kimmie.

Winston at the Border. He was a bit hungry by then…..bad me forgot to feed him along the way…

The Stuart Highway what a piece of road. Stretches for miles and miles and is like it will never end. We pass the camel farm on the left and then the Memorial to the Cannon Ball Run. I don’t know much about this, but had to stop anyway. I will find out more when I get home.

Memorial of the Cannon Ball run – Stuart Hway

Heaps of dead wildlife on the roadside and the wedgetail eagles are lovin’ it. I could count how many I saw on this stretch (well it’s the only stretch we have actually seen them) but we have been pretty lucky with animals thus far….keep ya fingers crossed.

Alice Spring, what a sight for sore dust blown eyes that sign was. Pull off onto more dirt roads (not afraid of gravel or dirt anymore, I’ve done enough of it this trip to last a while). The obligatory photo for prosperity and get me to my digs I need a shower.

Covered in RED dust we all finally made it to Alice…WOO HOO

I swear, there was red dust where you’d think with all this gear on it couldn’t get….but no. Laundry time before a shower (I had nothing clean left to put on) and twaddling back from the laundry I came across this little guy….aint he cute!! They are everywhere.

Some of the wildlife roaming around the Heavitree Resort where we are staying

Feeling human, Anny, Phil, Kim, Ghosty & I head upto Dreaming for our dinner and light entertainment. They had this guy named Tommy Crow, he’s a didgeridoo player and story telling. Anyways he said some lovely words and played that didgi like he was born with it in his mouth. Another lady from the local tribe welcomed us to Alice (her home) and read this beautiful poem (hopefully I can get a copy of it).

We stay for a bit then head to the tavern. I have dessert and a decent cuppa tea before heading back for bed and hopefully a dead to the world sleep.

Please bear with me, the blogging is a little harder than I thought. But the time we have at the end of the day and reception aint the best. So I’m doing my best for now and will update things a bit better later. I have a feeling I need a bloopers page for all the things I remember later (I think of all the really cool stuff while I’m riding).

xxxxx

Well shit happens,  wrote this great blog and accidentally hit the delete key before it saved, AAARRRGGGHHHHHHH

I did take pics today but the loader still is having problems, so they’ll have to wait.

What a great sleep but was woken at 5:00am by the rumble of eager engines wanting to get their mugs on telly this morning….they fooled them too!!  lol

8:00am and we are on the road. Weather looks great, not windy and we are doing our own thing today. Cruising, stops when WE want and pics. I wish you could see the world where I am through my eyes, it is beautiful, words again just couldn’t do it justice.

We spot 3 emu’s just off the road, dumb creatures they are but dangerous. We stop to get a pic and the damn things run for the hills…..like they think we’re scarey lol. Our beautiful windless day soon turned to rubbish and again we are battling the head & cross winds.

I decide today to hang the camera round my neck and get some shots while I’m riding. Well not as easy as I thought it would be. Gloves & little buttons just don’t go together but eventually I turn it on and click away (some of the shots didn’t come out too bad).

Scenery shot while riding…not bad

My version of an action shot, Phil, the ST1300 , sorry missed Kimmo sitting on the back.

The wind is really riding us today and it’s hard to keep the bike on the road. By the time we get to Woomera, I think everybody is happy to get off and walk around. Imagine being blasted with a fire hose full pelt from the side and try to stay upright, well that’s kinda what it’s like – hard work.

Isn’t Woomera an interesting place. Karl would’ve loved it being the aero fella he is. Instead I just took pics for him and went “oooo” look at that…lol.

Welcome to Woomera

a rocket engine

Kimmie & Kimmo….looking georgous in wind blown Woomera

A very basic lifestyle the folk here live. Anyways, morning tea (well a muesli bar) and my ride buddies open there tajmahal of trailers for their cake & tea.

Time to fill up at Spuds Road house and the local Army blokes with their big tank thingy are there…..photo op naturally. Now we’ve stopped and you can feel the heat of the day setting the tone, so peel of a layer and on we go to Glendambo.

Army blokes and me

Now ;ve tried and tried to get this picture to rotate and it just won’t work, so tip your computer on it’s side and check it out…LOL

Again the winds are sooooo strong, it’s tiring work, especially when you are overtaking road trains….my lord. With the wind and the heat, I am consuming so much water (very essential or you fatigue quickly). Into Glendambo and the red dirt is flying everywhere and is in everything….yuk! Toasted samich for lunch and red dirt…yum, fill the camel bak again and let’s get to Coober Pedy.

Now which way to go…..

we’ve come along way but still got just over 1000 kays to Alice

The winds are pushing us to the wrongs side of the road now it’s so strong and it’s a constant battle to keep the girl upright, but we are strong and determined and push on .

Just over 50 kays down the road and passed the last loo rest stop and yep you guessed it…… It’s ok, I’ll get the next one. Well NO loo…..nooooo. Don’t panic, I say to Phil & Kim pull in at the next one, she’ll be right. The next one came and went too, no loo again bugger and no I’m getting desperate. Phil starts to slow down to below the speed limit…WHAT, I’m busting mate get a move on. I think he’s gone to sleep so out I go and off trying to get to Coober as quick as I can. Angel’s dialled in even with the wind and I’m a woman on a mission. Into Coober & the first servo……PHEW!!!! I apologise to the attendents and then fuel up and head back to get my FarChallenge pic of the truck on a pole. Relax now.

FarChallenge pic

Find our digs, unpack, shower, socialise and off for dinner and the only place in town that must be open. Took over 1 hour just to get a pizza, nevermind, afterall there are 300 extra people in town tonight.

Big day tomorrow just shy of 700 kays, so it’s off to bed now.

Hope you are enjoying the trip so far and I promise I’ll put the pics up as soon as I can.

Dark o’clock, even earlier than a sparrows fart is what CH9 asked for so we can be on the Today Show with Steve Jacobs (my new friend). Anny & I had some confusion with the whole time difference, anyway set the alarm waaaaaay to early needless to say we were the first on site at the Pig & Whistle for braodcasting.

Front & centre Kim & I are with our new friend Steve for a live broadcast of the 9 weather. So I hope you saw my mug on the telly (I’d like copies if anyway recorded it). Our final shot was the group ride out then we had the first of many waits for the day.

Stevie Jacobs & Mwa

9:00am and it’s time to roll. Phil, Kim, Anny & I roll out of town together. The scene for the day is wind and more wind, cross winds and stuff in your helmet. There aren’t many pics today cos it was too damn windy to stop. It was hard enough just keeping the bike upright (well a leaning upright). Your body tenses and you tire easily fighting every metre you ride, so Phil, Kim, Brian (another new friend) & I pull up for a 10min break at Olray and Anny waves at us as she rides on by, all good. The wind is so strong it feel like your hair is gonna blow off your head (not nice).

Here’s a pic of pretty much the entire days road view. Sorry the pics aren’t loading very well, so I’ll post them later.

Road view

Scenery

Peterborough for lunch and we meet with all the other states except for NT & WA. What a massive turnout, the town was chockas. Lions again by the Lions and more sausage sandwiches (over them let me tell you) but they do a wonderful job again and we are thankful that they have come on board to help us with all our meals.

I feel like the leaning tower of Kimmie today cos when you get off the bike, you feel like you have to straighten yourself up after being sideways for so long…..lol.

On call for CH9 again, and they ask can we stop in Orroroo so they can get ahead of us for some footage. Nice little town with some metal workmanship on display.

Orroroo workmanship

It’s still windy and we wait, wait, waiting can we go yet some nearly an hour later (so much for getting into PA early). Again we are asked to regroup at Wilmington for CH9 to get a shot of us coming through Horrocks Pass. Horrocks Pass is a nice stretch of winding road the last of bends we’ll be seeing for a while. I need to grab a pic for the FarChallenge of the Cairn, so say to my ride buddies “if I disappear don’t worry, I’ll catch you up.

FarChallenge pic – Cairn, Horrocks Pass

Well pic taken & I’m ready to head out and bugger, I’m too late. All these bikes come roaring over the hill & I’m stuck. To much traffic to enjoy the last section of the pass and CH9, where the hell is CH9 for this photo. I’ll tell you nowehere in sight, not happy Jan.

Into Port Augusta and following directions from the ride coordinator and we are lost. Lucky the support vehicle spots us and we follow them to our meet point at the West Augusta Footy Club. I meet Steve Andrews (the founder of the Black Dog Ride) and chat away with him and others.

Animal cruelty I tell you – look at this poor Winston.

Poor Winston 🙁

He had a bit of an accident off Ghosty’s bike, so Ghosties now in the dog house…lol.

Catch up with some FarRiders, unpack and off to dinner by the Lions again. Have I mentioned how these guys do a fabulous job.

Early night and no CH9 duties tomorrow…I quit.

Todays map, well when I can get the pics to load up.

Day 4 Map

Sorry for missing yesterday but we had time constraints.

Nyngan, how damn cold does it get, well I’ll give you the guff, man it was -2 deg (and people live there….). I shared a cabin with another lady and took pity on this poor bloke (Steve, one of many Steve’s) who was camping but we had an extra bed so gave it to him.

Waiting to get going, this fella comes over and says “do you know Jeff who works in……”  I say “yeah”, he says “he told me to keep an eye out for you since I was comin on this ride too”……small world. Seems I can’t go anywhere these days without some coming up to me as saying “gooday Kimmie” and I look at some of ’em and think “do I know you”….usually I don’t but they all know see my bike and know exactly who I am somehow. Anyways, making lotsa new friends.

morning meet

First stop today is Cobar for morning tea and of course the must have photo op

While in town I grab a FarChallenge pic

Grand Hotel Cobar

Then onto Emmdale for lunch & fuel. The long and winding road…..like a charcoal ribbon that goes on and on, and on……you get the idea. What I couldn’t get over though was the amount of goats out there. They are everywhere, thought I was going to get whiplash looking at them all…lol. My riding buddies Phil & Kim are great to travel with and funny as. We are cruising along and I’m scanning the roadside (as you do) when all of a sudden, this Emu sticks it’s head up – glup, glup. Holy bejesus batman (or words to that effect) don’t you get up – phew he stayed put. They camoflage into their surroundings and you can’t see the buggers.

Heading for Emmdale for lunch and we are overtaken by this group of riding (from the ride). It’s not the first time they overtook us and then stop and do it all again, well not this time. I pulls out waves to Phil & Kim (they get the message) and with a bit of GST it’s game on boys. Not so clever me though was having a little too much fun and overshot the lunch stop..oops, quick u-ey and all is good.

Emmdale to Broken Hill 300 kays of flat and it’s getting a bit cool. You gotta admire the landscape out here, it’s something spectacular and words I’m afraid just can’t do it justice. It’s peaceful and scenere.

Time for a quick stop or afternoon tea break. So we are having a slight windy break when Simon Bouda & Graham pull in. Chats and laughs and of course the photo op

Simon, me & Kim

CH9 news boys had stopped in and asked us could we give them some footage a bit up the road, well hell yeah. So they plonked themselves in the middle of the road and we flanked then as requested (I saw the footage today and it’s pretty good).

Anyhoos, we arrive in Broken Hill late. I nick up to the Block 10 Lookout for a FarChallenge pic and head for my digs – the caravan park. Am rushing to get ready for the bus to take us to dinner at the Army Barracks but needent have. Anny has arrived as I walk up to the bus (she was playing catchup so was glad she made it). Dinner was great and a massive merger of NSW & QLD riders all with stories to tell.

A fellow long distance rider Ghosty, kindly volunteered me to be the official Lions raffle chocolate wheel girl (my new calling). Became a bit of a celeb that night lots of folks wanting to have a chat.

Tired as and head back to our cabin, hit they hay for an early start for CH9’s weather with Stevie Jacobs in the morning.

I woke this morning at 5:36 to the sound of birds tweeting and the bloke in the tent behind my cabin snoring…LOL

It was a hard morning for me. I’d packed up and was ready to go and wham, the flood gates of emotions took hold. The memory of my best friend on the 1 year to the day that she lost her fight with the Black Dog bit hard. So I was delayed a little….so what.

Off to get fuel and opposite the servo is this beautiful church. I’m not religious but spared a moment, to park out the front of it and said a small prayer. I love you Darani and I know you are travelling with me today.

Tamworth Church

Down to the Bicentennial Park for the Lions breakky meet point and wait and wait. Now being as shy as I am, I’ve managed to meet some new friends and we will travel together today…awesome. We get away ahead of the bunch so we can have morning tea in Coonabarabran.

Phil, Kim, me, Shauna & Peter

Shauna & Peter headed back home today so I am riding with Phil & Kim.

In Coona, Kim spotted this lovely park so that’s where we had morning tea. Chatting away about life and the Black Dog Ride and again I am overwhelmed when I explain why this ride in particluar today is so important to me. I’d never met Kim until yesterday but she came round and gave me the biggest hug and let me grieve – thank you.

view from the park in Coonabarabran

On the road again, just can’t wait to…….sorry a bit side tracked. Ah yeah that’s right we’re heading to Gilgandra for lunch by the wonderful Lions Club. The weather gods have turned on a beautiful day, suns out, NO wind (phew) and the breeze is fresh….noice.

What a cruisey day and the scenery is georgeous. Canola fields & wattle trees are the flavour of the day. Wide open spaces, livestock, road trains (must’ve been more than 20 in 150 kays), cotton fields and locals waving at us as we pass through various towns.

Right on 4:00 we roll into Nyngan and are welcomed “to the great outback”

Phil & Kim are camping so they head to get the best pick of sites and I head for my cabin. Now I had a bit of trouble parking the bike on argh gravel….so went and asked for some help. Instead was asked by Simon Bouda to park my bike in place on the grass ready for the news broadcast we was doing. So keep watching CH9 you might see Angel.

Showered and time to socialise now. Quick cuppa with more new friends Noel, Audrey, Colleen & …..oh damn I’ve forgotten her hubbies name, then off to the BBQ for dinner.

Now during the day the “fun police” have been out fining people for various things. And yep, you guessed it, I’ve been fined. Bet ya can’t guess what for though….thinking, thinking….oh ok I’ll tell you…….I was fined $2 for being too organised LOL. I just don’t know what they’re going on about, can you imagine that.

Dinner done, more pics taken of & with new friends and something Dad asked me to get……an autogragh from Angry Anderson. Speeches from the ride co-ordinator and the Mayor of Nyngan along with a generous donation from the town and I’m ready to settle in for the night.

Nyngan digs

So here I am in bed, with the memory of a loved one for who I am dedicating this ride to.

Todays map

Karl I wish you were here.

You couldn’t have asked for a better morning, the sun out, the skies clear and all is good. A deep breathe and I roll out the drive for our meet point in Castle Hill.

The street is blocked off and so many bikes already there when I arrive. I saw sense and parked close to where I thought we would head out (turned out to be a good choice). Many more soon pull in and I think we totalled 120ish bikes.

Dave, Anny (lady I’ll be riding home with) then Karl arrive and the hype in Castle Hill is in full swing, people everywhere, the Lions Club doing a cracker job with breakfast and 2GB provided the entertainment. My extended family arrive and it’s then that the boiling pot of emotions starts to hit and it’s real, the reason I am doing this ride. Tears are flowing and I can’t describe how I felt…..I just cried.

My extended family

The signals given to get ready. I say my “see you laters” to everyone and extra long hugs for Karl (who I am going to miss terribly). The countdown is on as we wait for the checkered flag and Channel 9 so we can head off. Final waves and thumbs up and we’re off.

Once the pack breaks up and we hit the Putty Rd and the wind picks up. It’s so windy that branches have broken and are scattered on the road as we ride through. We stop for morning tea at The Grey Gums and people are already complaining how cold it is…..not me, I’ve got all the right gear on..phew!

Grey Gums Cafe

Next stop Muswellbrook, where the Lions Club have once again provided a lunch for us. The wind just hasn’t given us a break and think this is just gonna be how the whole day will be. Anyways, fuel then food, a bit of a chat to some people I’ve today and we are off again bound for Tamworth.

I’ve found a couple of bikes that I like sitting with and we cruise our way through the back towns of Quirindi & Werris Crk…I even overtook the Channel 9 crew at one point and sat with Simon Bouda. He was a little to slow for me and off I go.

Just outside of Tamworth we regroup again, Simon does his thing, the Lions Club are there with “hot” tea & coffee and it’s damn freezing. I tell ya it was warmer riding in the wind than standing around in it. Anyways CH9 need footage for the news of us in mass heading into Tamworth. So on mass we give them…..have now idea if I made the telly, hopefully someone can tell me.

Finally check in at my digs for the night and then it’s off to the Bowlo for dinner by….guess who….well that was easy – The Lions Club.  Pretty awesome meal but I’m tired as are most and it’s an early wind blown night.

My digs

And so you know where, I’ve been here’s todays map

Thank you everyone for your “wonderful phrase”, “best wishes” and “good lucks”, they are all much appreciated.

Sleep now……tomorrow is a big one (emotionally)

xx

The emotions are a pot just burbling away at the moment, just waiting to escape. I know they will catch up with me & boil over it’s just a matter of when.

I’m already to go & have received today & tonight so many well wishes that I am truly greatfull for.

Thank you again to everyone that has donated to this cause& to everyone for you support…I couldn’t do this without you all.

So goodnight for now.
Catch up again tomorrow from on the road.

…….and I’m off for 14 days on an adventure I’ll never forget.

 
But the ride isn’t about me, it’s about raising awareness and FUNDS for the Black Dog Institute. The funds go towards educational programmes, community initiatives, health seminars and outreach programs for rural communities and they are very much needed.
To everyone that has donated to this cause thus far THANK YOU your efforts will make a big difference in someone’s life.

 
The individual funds raising rankings are below:

1. Simon Bouda – $11,840.00 AUD

2. Ian Thomsen – $8,300.00 AUD

3. Peter Simmonds – $6,878.65 AUD

4. Steve Mckenzie – $4,868.80 AUD

5. Kim Rodger – $4,700.00 AUD

 
So come on everyone, stop thinking about it. My target is $5000, I’m nearly there. The donation you make, not matter how small WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE in someone’s life. It could be someone you know, a relative, loved one, friend……

 
Pull out your wallet click on this link http://www.everydayhero.com.au/kim_rodger and donate to the Black Dog Institute. They need your help!!
THANK YOU!!

……and I head out of Sydney with a hoard of others bound for Alice Springs for the Black Dog Institute, raising awareness for Depression and mental illness and hopefully much needed funds.

THANK YOU to all that have donated so far. With your generous support I have now increased my limit to $5000 and am now sitting at $4420……..so come on, if you’ve been thinking you should contribute but haven’t yet click here http://www.everydayhero.com.au/kim_rodger . A small donation of $2, less than the cost of a cuppa coffee is the start to making a difference in someone’s life.

So, I’ve been busy updating my ride plan (to & from Alice), booked all my accommodation and I even have a ride buddy to travel home with (yes, I can see your smiles and understood your concerns of me travelling home on my own).

Packing in advance, Karl says pift but me I’ve gotta do it…..everything has it’s place. What I’ve learnt this weekend is that I had my packing well a little squewiff. Have re-jigged the distribution now and fingers crossed all is good. Karl has also stiffened the pre-load to help with the extra weight, just need to test it out now.

To find out about the Black Dog Institute you can read more here http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/index.cfm

Thanks for reading.

WOW, hasn’t the time flown!!

This time in 5 weeks the NSW contingent of the Black Dog Ride will be pulling into Tamworth for the end of day 1 in our journey to The Red Centre.

I can only continue to thank everyone who has donated to date. With your help my fund raising tally is sitting at $4030 (which has me sitting at the 3rd highest individual fund raiser), excellent work everyone and even better for the The Black Dog Institute.

If you’ve thinking, I should’ve done this already and haven’t you can click here http://www.everydayhero.com.au/kim_rodger

To help spread the word and get behind the Black Dog Institute and all the people like me making this journey there is a flyer available. If you’d like a copy of this to put up, go to the “contact me” tab at the top of the page and drop me a line.

Flyer

Thanks 🙂