It’s time to celebrate!

No, I haven’t arrived in Sydney yet. If all goes smoothly, that’ll be in five days time. But it’s certainly time to pop an early champagne because yesterday we reached our fundraising target of $20,000. And already, incredibly, with donations that have gone directly to Parkinson’s NSW, we are now over $21,000. And it is because of everyone’s wonderful thoughtful generosity and belief in this cause, that we have been able to reach this massive goal.

Thank you thank you to everyone, family, friends and strangers. 

People say how hard it must be, day in day out to get back on the bike and keep going, and yes, while there have been days that I have felt just about every push of the pedal, watching the donations come in and to read everyone’s comments makes me never question what I’ve set out to do. I wake up in the morning, eat a mountain of muesli and get back on Surly. I’ve had the fabulous support of family and friends roadside, helping me get through the day. Seeing this country from the saddle has been superb. And now, to think that after literally hundreds of donations we have raised this incredible amount that will go towards Parkinson’s disease research is absolutely brilliant. Thank you!

But the thing is, the donations are still coming in and I’m still on the road. So let’s keep going. Let’s see what we can achieve over the next week or so while I pedal towards the Blue Mountains, over them (gulp) and down (yaay) into Sydney.

It’s actually been a bit of Girls on Tour over the past couple of days. Sister Kate, Pippa, Zoe and me. On the road. Again, what a treat! We’ve travelled from Euston, through Balranald, Hay and Goolgowi, and now here we are in West Wylong about to make the final push into Sydney. The girls are loving it. They are in the routine and up for the adventure. Each morning Pippa asks whether we’re going to another cabin that night. They keep themselves totally amused at rest stops (chasing eachother round the car has become a particular favourite) while Kate seems to seamlessly heat up soup, make me coffee and pass the chocolate. I’m not quite sure how she pulls it off, what, with looking after the girls while supporting me but she does with total flair and enthusiasm. 

The riding has been great, bar one day of total head wind for 110k on an open plain with no wind break for the entire day (yeah actually that was pretty bad). But it’s amazing how things change after a rest day. The winds had turned to come from behind and on a similar flat open plain and over the same distance, I did the fastest day of the trip so far. The landscape has now become more undulating, it’s green, the fields and bush are beautiful and the sun has been out. And there are Kate, Pippa and Zoe greeting me with smiles and clap ins at every rest stop.