Ethan’s Heart Ride – SS1600
Who is Ethan & Why a “Heart” Ride? Ethan is a young man, who at the age of 11 endured extensive heart surgery for a condition he was born with. He is a FarRider and I am pleased to also call him a friend. He wanted to complete an IBA Ride entry level being a SS1600 (not the sort of “things to do” on most kids wish lists), as a reward for coming through with flying colours. So with his step dad Ed they hatched the “Ethan’s Heart Ride”.
An invitation was opened up to all long distance riders who wanted to accompany Ed & Ethan for the SS1600 or to join in along the way….How could I refuse!!
Photos in this report are courtesy of all those who attend and shared in this ride.
Anyway, witness forms are all signed – thanks Kathleen and our start dockets safely tucked away we assembled for the group photo….a very momentous occasion. 03:26am ODO 16,663km
Ethan’s Convoy
From left to right: Peter “OX-34” Hogan, Ed “Ed535” Brown, John “Gaggs” Gallagher, John “Enterprise” Inkson, ETHAN, me, Michael “Fatman” Morris, Michael “Sarge” Ainsworth, Graham “Hackle” Harris, Ian “Tele” Goodwin, Karl “Skidoo” Pirchmoser, Frans “Frans” Van Der Merwe. Not in the photo but who rode with us from the start and to Dunedoo were Knave & Kiwi Martin.
Our Chariots.
Time ticks down and we are off.
Piloting the Victory is Ed with his eager pillion and reason for this ride Ethan. It’s close to 3:30am
Watching the moon go down and the sun rise up of what seems to be the start to a very long day is a magical moment. Lights are a blaze as we all snake our way through to Mudgee and then Dunedoo for our first fuel stop. It’s brrrr and some us don extra layers. We are ahead of schedule and the servo isn’t open yet, so we have some time to kill. Mad dash to the loos and a muesli bar. Fuelled up, docket 07:21am – ODO 16,968km
My GPS fails in Dunedoo after assuring the guys I’m ok we keep moving. Little do they realise I can get lost in a circle yet they kindly, blindly let me lead. Somewhere along this stretch we come across a grazing herd of cattle, scattered everywhere and watching us with wide eyes…yikes! It’s warming up thankfully to what is going to be a lovely day.
Into Coonamble for fuel, docket, peel of some layers and a bite to eat. The GPS is still not working and Frans was astonished to discover that he followed me (the woman who is known for taking little detours) who had no idea where she was going….LOL 🙂 Quick call to tech support Karl with a “what am I supposed to do”….. After some help from OX and Sarge we decide the best course of action is to ditch my GPS and OX has generously loaned me his spare – thank you!!!!! 09:24am – ODO 17,159
The only selfie on this ride with Ethan.
Enterprise and Hackle
Coonamble Roadhouse
Up through the Pilliga then Wee Waa, well I’ve never in my entire life seen some much animal carnage. Dead roos were everywhere!! It was almost like they lined the whole stretch of road for us…gruesome. Finally turning at the top left of the heart and heading for Narrabri.
Imagine seeing this in the middle of nowhere but of course you have to stop. It’s so dry, if anyone flicked a butt or match…poof it’d all go up in flames in a heartbeat.
Towns come and go and with no music through the GPS, the old mind starts to wonder. You don’t realise how much these little things make to your mindset and help keep you focused but also distracted from the onset of fatigue, the pain you’re experiencing.
Into Narrabri and what a welcome surprise to see Clint and Charleen waiting for us (sneaky buggers you are). Fuel again, docket 11:55am – ODO 17,349km recorded, parked up and time for lunch.
Ethan thinks he’s ready for a ride and decided Frans bike is just for him……and the smile on his face never waned.
There’s excitement, smiles and weariness on faces including mine. The Sarge and I kept checking in with each other (we kinda had our own buddy thing happening). We even took a little nap together in Narrabri….sometimes you just have to give in.
The rest ended so soon and we were back out on our quest to make this little man’s heart whole.
Clint and Charleen went ahead and took pics and video – thanks guys!!
Along this stretch I discovered that I could still get radio through my scala so tuned something, anything in to break the silence.
Into Tamworth to the smiling faces of Rod “Triple Treat” and Rosco who have come out to ride with us to Bellingen. Well and truly tired now and dark clouds are looming. Rod says “you should layer up, it’s gonna get cold heading to Armidale”. Turns out we are regrouping in Armidale anyways. Docket 14:53pm – ODO 17,523 km.
Triple Treat, Clint & Rosco
Sarge, Charleen, Clint “what are you doing love?”, Triple Treat and Gaggs.
Sarge, clearly still has plenty of energy!!!
Tele, OX, Ethan, Hackle & Ed.
You can feel the drop in temperature not long out of Tamworth and the skies mood, well, you could watch it change. I was wishing I’d put the extra layers on before we left cos by the time we got to Armidale I was freezing, my shoulders were crying out and my arse, well, I could’ve sworn it was bruised. But I still had a smile on my face.
Me, Frans and Sarge.
Night descended on us oh so quickly and before long it was all lights blazing. The skies mood also seemed to change as she (I can only assume the sky is a woman) cried many many tears on us, in the dark on the most technical section of road for the entire ride – Waterfall Way. Croc picked us up at Ebor and joined the convoy.
This road is heaven in daylight but at night in the rain…no thanks. I followed Sarge who followed a string of single red lights as we all snaked our way through the twists and turns down to Bellingen. Was a relatively good run with the exception of this dope in a car who thought it would be fun to tailgate us. Thanks Ed for holding him off by butt for a bit. Impatience really didn’t get him that far cos we pulled up behind him just outta town.
Triple Treat and Rosco waved us through and goodbye, good night.
So much concentration is required in the dark, the rain and the pain adds another dimension.
Urunga is the next stop 18:59pm – ODO 17,811 km and we are met by OX’s family – The Hogans. It was lovely to meet you! I remember having conversations with people but I’m really not sure what I said or whether it was coherent.
That bright shining light is Gaggs….LOL 🙂
From here it is the worst stretch of road – the freeway to Port Macquarie. All the road works, the varying speed limits…up, down, up, wait – speed camera….like we were doing anything over it. No radio anymore, I couldn’t get my fingers to work let alone find the tiny buttons on my scala, so it was silence except for the wind noise and the rain.
The service station at Coolongolook couldn’t come along quick enough in my books and I couldn’t get off Dudley quick enough. Fuel, docket 22:06pm – ODO 18,055 km and food, well not real food, a corn jack and hot chocolate was what I decided on. OX and I had a chat about the pain and decided that taking anything now for it was going to be a recipe for disaster and I return his GPS – Thanks You! The round table discussion, on what, I have no idea, I can’t remember…..ha ha ha
I go to the bathroom and when I come out everyone but Ed and Ethan have gone. It’s the last leg, the hardest leg, the longest leg when you feel like there is nothing left in the tank. It’s raining on and off has been all night and doesn’t make it any easier. Ed knows I’m struggling and suggests I follow him, let him set the pace. I’m very grateful! We catch up to Gaggs and Sarge and all travel through together. It seems to take forever and ever and ever but finally we are on the home stretch – The Great Western Highway into Penrith.
Can you believe we got breath tested 1km from the finish….LOL Yeah, bizarre!
Officer: are you all traveling together ma’am? Have you had any alcohol tonight?
Me: Yes love and we’ve had no alcohol (with a slight laugh in my voice).
Officer: big smile on his young face. .can you please say you name & DOB.
Me: answered question
Officer: have a good day.
If he only knew 🙂
Back to the Woolworths servo in Kingswood for the final docket and finish the ride Sunday 24th 01:56 – ODO 18,359 km
Sarge we made it!!!
What a 24hrs! SS1600 Completed. Stats tomorrow or is that today. GPS shat itself at Dunedoo so just have kms on dockets & the Spot tracker. In bed, time for some zzzzzzzz’s. Nighty night world!
Total for the ride by the ODO – 1696km
Finally……………………….
Congrats Ethan on completing your SS1600 and to everyone who joined in on this event.
From one member of Ethan’s Convoy, I was extremely proud to have been a part of this momentous ride (from start to finish). What a courageous little man you are and I am humbled to be among one of your “friends” and road “family”.
Well what can I say, WOW!!! What a Ride!!!
I was very glad to get home this morning at silly o’clock and climb into my bed. My last IBA ride was 6 years ago and I’d forgotten how hard it actually is. The games the mind plays and fatigue and pain your body endures certainly tells you “what you are made of” or “not”. I have a bit of both, learned some more things about my riding and about myself.
Most important though was the support and help from everyone on the ride. Makes the world of difference!!
Huge THANKS to Ed for pulling this all together and riding the perfect plan even though we were ahead of schedule at times, it was good to have the time to STOP and maybe have a little kip (even if it was on the concrete against the ice machine ) sometimes you just need to. Oh and Ed, GREAT planning, convenience of not having to do u-turns is always a bonus in my books (since I’m not that great at them 🙂 ).
What fabulous support from those that joined in along the way to ride with us Thank you.
Clint & Carleen, the pics and video are fabulous thank you! Was such a surprise to see you at Narrabri.
I think we (Sarge and me) both knew it was going to be a little harder for us than some of the others. It did take it’s toll…..and I probably shudda stopped at Coolongolook – that last leg to Kingswood was my nightmare. I think we rode most of the way together, either me behind Sarge for visa versa, just to keep an eye on each other (it could’ve all just been coincidence too, but I’d like to think otherwise).
Mustn’t forget – THANK YOU to Kathleen, Ethans mum. She came out to sign witness forms, provided breakfast before heading off and breakfast or is that dinner and signed more forms when we all arrived back. You are a special lady! and Ed & Ethan are very lucky men.
Extracted from Facebook
Yesterday at 2:07am · Penrith ·
Finishers are all in
3 people started on the way and finished where they started
11 bikes
Angel Rodger was the only girl rider.
Others all men. There were no gender neutrals to my knowledge
Congratulations everyone!!!!
And here is Ethan’s Heart!
