SMILING FOR SMIDDY -
ALICE SPRINGS CHALLENGE
DAY 1 Alice Springs
to Ti Tree
Stats for the day by
Ray Ray & Ron Ron
Distance: 195 kms
Ride Time: 6hrs 20min
Ave Speed: 30.8 km/h
Max Speed: 42.2 km/h
Climbing: 308 metres
Min Temp: minus .04
degrees
Max Temp: 24 degrees
Blog by Mark Sharky
Smoothy
Blog Dedication
It would be remiss of
me not to dedicate this first blog to my Auntie Marie. My beautiful Aunt lost
her life last year to cancer. Marie was not only my all-time favourite person
in the entire world, along with my Wife and Daughter, my parents and family,
but she was a Smiddy volunteer. Two Challenge events and last year's Adelaide
to Uluru. Her love and warmth, her songs and her stories brightened any persons
day that she came into contact with. We were extremely fortunate to share three
amazing years with this beautiful lady through Smiddy events.
Welcome to the first
blog I have written since the Challenge event back in September 2016. After the
successful ride last year from Adelaide to Uluru in June of 2016 this event is
the continuation of the Smiddy 'Up The Guts' journey. Ahead of the riders is a
massive undertaking of over 1500 kilometres of riding, that depending on the
conditions, may be just stupid hard, or insanely-why-the-hell-are-we-doing-this
hard!
Seven Crazies
The day prior to the
official start of this year's event, seven of the ten returning riders from
last year's ride to Uluru decided to fill in the dots. Meaning they got a lift
out to Erldunda and rode the 200 kilometres back to Alice Springs. Mark Sturt,
as part of his fundraising venture, had 'Up The Guts' t-shirts made, which
featured a map of all the stops from Adelaide to Darwin. The six lads and one
lady successfully completed the ride and were often heard, telling anyone that
they forcibly held down, about the minus four degree start temperature and the
100 kilometres of headwinds. Well done to these crazies, but now please let me
introduce you to the other amazing riders and road crew undertaking this
amazing and epic Smiddy adventure.
Volunteer
Acknowledgement
As you know you know,
our events are only able to proceed because of our incredible volunteers. These
people give up two weeks of their annual leave to look after the extremely
grateful rider peloton. Wayne Smith, Mick and Cath McDonald, Ben Roper, Brad
Barnett, Kevin and Mia Stemm, Kevin Enchelmaier, Rob Chatfield, Yvette Farry,
Andrea Thorley, Deborah Eccles and Michelle Meredith-Herlaar. A huge thank you
to all and please know how much we appreciate your sacrifices.
Smiddy and Mater
Crew
Without staff working
behind the scenes there would be no Smiddy events to write about. To Christian
Killeen, Krista Page, Brooke Rose, Wendy Muir and Brooke Falvey, an extremely
heartfelt thank you for all your hard work to get this monster logistical nightmare
juggernaut up and running.
The Rider Peloton
I wish I had the time
to write a piece on each and every rider that has signed up for this journey.
But time is not on my side, as this blog must be finished in time to read out
very soon as I sit here tapping away on the keyboard after a successful day one
finish into Ti Tree, 195 kilometres from Alice Springs. But here are the riders
names and please know they have all trained their butts off, fundraised
intensely to reach their $5000 minimum requirement and sent off with much love
and support from their family and friends. So to the 12 returning Smiddy riders
from past and various Smiddy events, Ron Steel, Ray Smith, Tony Ganter, Mark
Sturt, Karen Short, Jennifer Penfold, Aram Drake! Lesa Beasley, Tony Smythe,
Samuel Cooke, Krista Page and Christian Killeen, thank you for continuing to
support Smiddy events.
And to the virgin 21
first time Smiddy riders in Ian Brandon, Justin Brooks, Georgina Dudley, Mathew
English, Shaun Gamble, David Gillies, Reno Holmes, Anthony Johns, David
Lawrence, Hannah Dalby-Lewis, Lorenzo Marabini, Janet McAfee, Paul Moore,
Felicity Cox, Geoff Ney, Steve Roe, Isht Singh, James Donnelly, Micheal
Donnelly, Greg Harmer and Norman Ridge, a huge thank you for giving us a chance
to show you the spirit, adventure and camaraderie of a smiddy ride.
Thinking of you Bill
Wearn and Michael Henley
Commiserations to Bill
and Michael, who were meant to ride this event, but due to injuries were forced
to pull out at the latest hour. I know they are both gutted not to be here and
our thoughts are with you lads. We hope we get the pleasure of your company in
another Smiddy event in the not too distant future.
A Big Shout Out To
Helen And Russell Page
I finally had the
pleasure of meeting Krista's beautiful parents in Russell and Helen. While they
are no longer travelling with us, but will be at the finish to see us in at
Darwin, I would like to acknowledge their role in helping to get the Smiddy
truck, along with Wayne 'The Force' Smith, with all the gear we require to run
this event, from Brisbane to Alice Springs. A drive of four days. Russell and
Helen will then spend a week getting the truck home for us from Darwin.
Unbelievable support and very much appreciated.
Roll Out And Our
First Distinguished Cow Bell Ringer
This honour went to an
incredible gentleman that lives in Alice Springs and bent over backwards to
help the Smiddy crew out with any preparations that we required. Thank you to
John Herlaar. John is Herman Herlaar's Brother and Herman was a Smiddy
volunteer for us back in 2008 and lost his life to Melanoma a few years later.
John, along with his Daughter Carlie and her partner Andrew joined us last
night for the pre-ride celebrations at The Bottlemart tavern called The Gap
Hotel and we're presented with a certificate of appreciation for amazing
services rendered.
Roll Out And A Balmy
Three Degrees
Okay it was cold, but
let's quickly regress back to this time last year and day one rolling out from
Adelaide. The rain began in earnest two hours into that day and decided not to
stop for the remainder of the day. Of course everyone was caught out without
any of their wet weather gear and bone-drenching cold became the norm for the
next eight hours. As you can imagine, those same crazy seven riders from
yesterday's join-the-dots ride, once again, filled hours of conversation to all
the newbies, which mainly fell on deaf ears!
Two hours into the ride
and the sun was up and the temperature was a pleasant double digits and a
happier Peloton could not be found anywhere in the world!
Adelaide to Uluru
Riders -Thinking Of You
Now I am secretly
hoping that the 50 Adelaide to Uluru riders, that chose not to return this year
to complete the leg up to Darwin, are reading this. You see conditions today
were pretty good, actually really bloody good, I mean exceptionally perfect! A
nearly 31km/h average, compared to our 22km/h average last year, should give
you an indication of what you have missed! Anyway I am not rubbing salt into
the wound, I am just thinking out loud how much you are missed and that these
conditions would not have suited such hard-arsed riders as yourselves. You
would have hated it. We were warm, happy, laughing, telling jokes, occasionally
having to pedal our bikes and had not a care in the world.
Mr Smiddy Not Here -
Or Is He?
Mr Smiddy delivered the
news that his presence would not be possible at this event due to a hip
replacement operation. But reports have been coming in since yesterday of
surprise Smiddy sightings. It could be a stunt double? You be the judge and
check out the Smiddy Facebook page... Oh and if Mr Smiddy is reading this thank
you my friend for your incredibly beautiful message delivered to me via Ray Ray
Smith's phone.
Final Wrap Of An
Incredible First Smiddy Day on the Road
It was incredible
really; here we were on day one of the Smiddy ride, completing a 200 kilometre
day, that included 100 kilometres of tailwind. With the last hundred into a
light on-the-right-side-of-the nose crosswind and the group had already gelled
like it was day four. We left right on Smiddy time at 6:15a.m. for our
allocated 6a.m. roll out and we're tucking into our first celebration chocolate
milk by 2:20p.m. in Ti Tree. It was a cracker of a day, spirits were high and
we would not be disappointed to receive the same treatment tomorrow or for the
next seven days!
The first honour of the
huddle went to road crew members in Michelle Merideth-Herlaar and Deborah
Eccles. About ten of the riders today completed their longest ever ride, and it
was pointed out that tomorrow they would break that record again! The road crew
efforts on day one were acknowledged and thanked and the riders efforts
applauded.
Tonight we had a
barbecue under the stars and the usual Smiddy traditions of guest speaker in
Jennifer Penfold telling her personal reasons for why she rides Smiddy
events special Jersey presentations to
the three Sydney girls in Hannah, Georgina and Felicity.
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