Our day off today, well after the official ride through Alice’s Todd Mall anyway.
What a great nights sleep, but I think I’m just used to waking early that I can’t sleep past 6:15am grrrr. Had been teed up to meet with Phil, Kimmo, Noel & Audrey for breaky down at the Tavern. My first real breaky since I left home, bacon with scrambled eggs, toast and a cuppa tea…..beautiful.
I wander up to see the wallabies and look what I find
Mama Wallaby with her Joey….cute
It’s a relaxed morning chatting to all my new friends. I’m asked to move my bike next to Steve Andrews (the founder) ready for the group photo, prior to heading out under police escort for the Black Dog Ride procession through the Todd Mall.
Angel standing proudly in line for her big moment..
Why is it that organised things seem to take forever….waiting, waiting. So I go to get air in Angels shoes and “what” no air hose at the servo. Lucky John (another new friend) pulled up and kindly got out his compressor and pumped them up for me…..champion John.
Police escort ride, what a blast and thrill. Bikes are two abreast the entire way from our digs, I feel like a celebrity…..waving to people as we ride through, what an absolute feeling of surrealism. Over to the special area where everyone is gathered for some words from the Mayor , Steve and Will Bonney. All of a sudden in the middle of Steve’s speech it hits a chord in me. I’m standing alone in a group of people and start crying, totalling overwhelming. I didn’t know who it was at the time but Betty from Tassie (whom I’d never met before) came and gave me a big hug, followed by Kimmo & Anny. Later that night Brian said to me “he didn’t think he knew me well enough to give me a hug”. I told him “5 days on the road with you for a bloody good cause gives you every entitlement to give me a hug”.
These are only a few of the bikes that participated in the procession, there are many many more.
So, tears dried Anny decides we need retail therapy…..what else. We say to Phil, Kimmo, Noel & Audrey we’ll meet them at Anzac Hill between 3-3:30pm…plan. No particular plan with shopping, saw some great stuff (and some expensive stuff which stayed in the shop this time). But I am searching for clear safety glasses. My eyes are so windblown and my skin so dry that I can’t handle it anymore. Ask a local (as ya do) and we head back to the bikes, but not before stopping to look at canvas art which a couple of local Aboriginal ladies had painted. It is beautiful and Anny & I just had to buy a piece each.
Now I’m on a mission to snag another “Quest” photo, this time of a camel. Where do you ask will I find a camel….where else but at the camel ride place, done.
Quest pic – one camel….his name is Cecil by the way.
Anzac hill here we come to rendezvous with the gang for the scenic views and pic. Totally awesome view and I’m so glad I spent the extra and bought this little camera, the photo’s it takes are spectacular.
Panoramic shot of the MacDonnell Ranges and Alice
This one is for Darani….he favourite native flower and what is the best place to have this shot taken other than the war memorial on Anzac Hill.
Back to digs for a chillax and try to catch up on some blogging. First though, alcohol, well cider and I set up on the table out in the sun (the only place I could get some reception) and away I go. Oh crap, look at the time!! Quick shower and get dollied up for the formal dinner and presentation. Firstly though, the wildlife in the resort I mention previously, well there are wallabies too. They are so friendly and one even had a joey…ahhhh cute you can sit on the logs and they will just come straight up to you and let you pat them, unbelievable.
they are so soft to touch
Dinner is a three course meal tonight, real food….yum, and it was yum. I reckon about 250 people attended for what was going to be an evening to remember. Lots of speeches and thanks were given and then the raffles were drawn. Now blown me down if I didn’t win something, a universal vista cruise control. Then the auctions started. All sorts of people had donated art, grog, vouchers to the Black Dog institute to be auctioned off, the generosity of people for this cause if remarkable. Anyway, it was all a bit x-ey for me but those who won their auction piece, well all that money went to the Institute. I think Steve said the total raised was $4500.00 for the evening. Not a bad effort for a bunch of yobbo bike riders….lol
Now since Angry Anderson has been on the ride with us from Tamworth, he couldn’t very well not do a gig. So Angry let rip and the house rocked!!! CH9 was there again with cameras running and Kimmo and I at first were the only ones rockin’ on, so who knows we could be “the next big thing” in the dance world (in our own lunch boxes anyway…lol).
Everything is starting to catch up with me and decide to head to bed, it’s the latest night I’ve had so far (11:30pm). For the first time since I left home I actually got my book out but only successfully read 2 pages before I couldn’t keep my eyes open…night night.
Karl I am missing you so much xxx
