2010 Whats in store for this year

Hello all,

I would like to wish you all a happy new year and hope you are all rejuvenated for the year 2010. I would like to apologise for the limited activity on our blog in recent months, with our journey being caught midway through, but I promise to endeavour to finish the recollection of how the ride unfolded soon.

We now have an official 'rough cut' version of our documentary produced and filmed by our incredible Ling Ang from which we will be viewing within the next few days. This will give a little insight to our own journey in conducting the ride, but more importantly we will then add a little bit of a professionals footage of the East Timor story that will hopefully create real awareness of our closest neighbour and also raise funds. We are looking to hold screenings at a later date to be announced so fingers crossed.

Furthermore, I aim to take our bikeride further and approach the Wangaratta Council to adopt it as they have a different project, where schoolies elect to travel to a Timorese community and volunteer their efforts. I hope it could be used as a team building event as it certainly impacted upon ours, also a fundraising effort whether it go directly to the community or the school leavers to assist their program. In addition I just hope that it can get some major backing and therefore make a bigger impact in informing and bringing the situation to us Australians as we had trouble being a very small fish.

In other news I would like to bring to attention the efforts of the Oaktree Foundation in particpating in such events as Stand Up for Change in contacting Parlimentarians, the creation of a national tour from the South African Zulu Choir, the staging of a trivia night in Melbourne Town hall and currently about to embark on a Road Trip in the fight to erradicate Extreme Poverty. I encourage you all to look into the Oaktree Foundation to get involved or just general awareness of current challenges we as the world community face.

So thankyou for reading our blog whether it be once or frequently and I hope this can be effectively used as a tool of communication of what just a few people of vast amounts are doing to try and make that smallest of difference in the world.

Cheers Nick Porter

D'day Part 3: Wind, Hills and Cramp

Not as bad as we thought, the prediction of tumultuous winds of 100kmph had not eventuated. It was still hard going with a strong north westerly providing a headwind in sections making that flat road cycling that little bit harder. I thought of trying to pull some Tour de France style moves, ones that Lance told me personally and broke away real early....

Pfft as if, we tried to alternate on front providing the shelter for a buckled relay bike. tried being the operative word but we soon resorted back to an uncoordinated scatter. Getting out Ling's 007 helmet cam, it will be interesting to see how the film took in the quaint outskirts of such places as Wollert, Donnybrook and of course Woodstock. The boys had to get out the guitar and pose in front of that sign, with Hendrix playing on the dashboard 'boom box', a battery ipod dock secured by gaffer tape and the mad max van in the background. The scenery was indeed quaint with green meadows (paddocks) and british style rock walls lining the surrounding properties.

Little did I know this was the beginning of the end of the smooth sailing as the climb over the Great Dividing Range was about to become a reality on our way to Wandong. At this stage the girls went off yonder in search of sponsorship in what someone may subjectively deem major places. We had begun climbing through some hills with it requiring all those nights through Waverly on route to work, or the Dandenongs ride or really the lack of hill-climbing I do. The first hills were managed well with the single speed a deceptively good climbing gear, guess it was designed to be the all rounder. It wasn't until the mighty hill came that I realised I must get some power up it, with limited run up due to such a high gear the bike hit with minimal climb speed. With my gluteas maximus sitting upon cow hide and sheep skin, the suspension in the forms of springs were being utilised.

Halfway up the hill, I had to keep going, climbing out of the saddle I cranked those pedals. Until... something grabbed my leg, despite the water and nutrient water drunk, the big porridge for brekkie cramp had beset in. But I was determined to climb this hill, struggling to stretch out, it was adrenaline that propelled me up. Upon the hill while waiting for the crew, I bushbashed up the embankment to absorb the view, very nice. It was then a scramble where I didn't end up on my backside remarkably and a cruise down the hill.

Upon getting to the car I knew I would be in trouble if I didn't fuel up. Thanks to Bakers Delight we had an assortment of breads, stuff the gluten intolerance as I feasted upon a whole pull apart. The water combined with slamming down the Dragonfruit Nutrient water and some anxious stretching I was already cracking and it was merely 40km out. How come this didn't come up in the training rides, how could I have let myself down and the most important one how was I going to make it?

Ben took a break from piloting the Van and joined us on the relay bike, something the man hadn't done in years and got into the spirit of things. My legs has eased up and I was back into a rhythm with some steady pedalling until crunching. The sickening sound of metal on metal had turned from a mere whine to a screech...

D'day Part 2: Negating the Urban Sprawl

The realisation had hit as we rode off from the museum, three of us in total, unsure of what was to come. We were to take the side streets and bike path of St Georges Road till the bike track ran out and from then well yeah... Tas was our local knowledge though and in good spirits, with jokes aplenty, we made good pace and got through to St Georges with relative ease.

Feeling very good at smashing the first 20km with ease, we were in the flow, lone figures going against the wave of cyclists going into the city. Thoughts came to my head that this was the symboligy the ride was set on to reverse such a trend in Timor. For me it was easy to do I chose to come to the city in the first place, it was not something I had to do to survive in life and for this I feel so privelidged. In raising money to go towards helping people our age not have to use all their energy just to create the slightest of chances of employment and to help them give oppotunity towards reversing this trend of their peers, it is affective at creating determination to make our event work.

We were getting on at this stage before the bike track ran out, we ended up detouring before asking a friendly italian gentleman for the directions and we were now 20 odd km out, on the outskirts. Stopping for pitstop, we eventually were met by the sweet Calais of Tess, the immitating filming Jeep of Ling and the mad max-like van of Ben. I do not deem that dubbing of mad-max like in anyway. After getting supplies from the battle wagon we had unloaded the relay bike which was delayed earlier. Now there were five of us and after passing under the eastern ring road, we were now starting to come onto those wide country roads.

D'day Part 1: the briefing

6:30 Words cannot describe the surreal feeling inside me as I wait amongst the rat race on the dark platform. Actually tired... As I await the train to take me into the city donned out in my tights, cycling shirt, timberland casual shoes and brandishing the Great Timorian Bike Ride Shirt, an iron on emblem on a white short cut shirt (such a stylish picture), I survey the sky for that weather that will potentially wreck havoc on our endevour. So far so good, but its early as soon as it hits day break the wind will spring up and the fun will begin.
Approx 7:30 Rocking up at Melbourne Central, I see my mate Olly at QV beforehand to tie something up before I go, he has always worked as a goodluck charm. It is then off to the Mueseum the vast concrete space before the entrance and dramatically fashioned roofing housing the waiting Vic, Tas, Ling, Yue, Tess and Daniel.
Approx 7:38 The meeting last night meant for something in that these people who had successfully come to the right place. Status report mentioned that Ben and Laurie are en route, as with Veronica, Lizzie was running behind and well Tracey... She was lost not in Bayswater this time but at another Mueseum somewhere StKilda. Tracey is very adventurous to say the least.

8:05 So after another breifing, some coordination and direction we were in the huddle ready to do this. Maybe not ready but you know what we mean... Enough time had been spent in waiting it was indeed the time for action.

This trip we were about to embark on was not for our own development, our own experience, our own growth, these were just positives associated with it. For the main purpose and efforts to make a difference, no matter how big nor small. This is what was going to give substance to the highs and drive us through the lows and it was important not to lose focus of this.

How much we raise with the help of you?

With the donations that you have given us for The Great Timor'ian Bike Ride, we are able to raise to a total of:

$ 2,280.40!

The last coffee

This is it... The excitement has finally kicked in, after many weeks of planning and doing our little bits we are actually going to do this. After so many ups and downs we are going to do this. Have I mentioned that we are going to do this? Even the man, in the form of a certain traffic authority who were threatening to shut us down without our individual public liability insurance of $10mill, would not get us down. Seriously what is the world coming to when we are but 4 bikes on the road riding single file and we still need 10mill PB insurance. But then again it could be plausible that John Farnham when on his 'last' tour of Broadford could be crossing the road get hit and effectively losing 10mill of future earnings. Lets face it, both are plausible.
Public Liability or not we were doing this. The previous week was looking optimistic weather but then come the cold snap and boy did it come. We were faced with the prospect of not only hail and storms, but massive north westerly winds up to 100kmph. Could this even be possible to stay on the ride with such a head cross wind (Nicks made up weather term) and such imposing weather. It was going to be the challenge to endure many hours of that weather in itself. Pfft no way it will surely fine up and 100km winds yeah right, if not two words... toughen up. Luckily we had secured a shelter over our heads in conjunction with Rotary and the Girl Guides hall of Seymour and we had many supplies in sponsorship through Nutrient Water, Bakers Delight Mornington and Yue's folks place. After loading the cars, giving the briefing and much in-depth discussion with one of the 'locals' at Gloria Jeans Caulfield, all we had to do was ride (keeping one eye out for the man Wayne Kerr to shut us down and one eye on the road). Or so it seemed...

At least I wasnt stabbed

This is not our day... I thought trying to arrange the team to regroup at my relative's house in Bayswater, after our ride out from Burwood. It had all happened already, had lost the support car, people were sick, weather crappy, aware of the imposition of unexpectedness to my relatives, a limping rider home after severe cramps from the Burwood Hills and finally the incident that saw me spat on. But hey I wasnt stabbed...

Yes spat on. After a few ago we received a severely angry email saying how we were clowns, would do no good whatsoever to Timor and basically threw in a few kicks O'Alphin style, we were physically abused. Granted some of us are clowns, but the other blows stirred some nasty feelings of why do we are trying? Limited interest was shown from a lot of people after so much effort in fact more interest in the words we used in our website, during exams, and now physically training we were being spat on. It was a random attack and possibly because I was riding the old Speedwell (girls bike by the way) but still felt a bit despondent and agitated.

But after recomposing, I came to realise this is all part of it; that you will cop a lot of flak no matter what the scale of how different to the norm it is and this is pretty small scale. Greater people have received worse everyday in their lives and they do not go back into their shells and let things happen, they go out and continue to strive to change things. Some manage that great change, others affected a little and others nothing really tangible at all. But despite results, every little bit from the person who appeared to do nothing helped the one who affected a little change. Likewise, the one who managed great change was able to do that through the little change already managed.

So what we do will hopefully launch something bigger and bigger... With this thought in mind we continue to press on.

Anyway off from my tangent, we set off up mountain highway to nothing but hill. With the road fairly narrow we would feel the wind of the cars as they charge past us, but over to the left we see the ferny undergrowth of the pillars of trees standing sentry and superb views of the surrounding suburbs. After turning enough corners behold we saw the matchsticks of those towering scrapers with the weather ominous where we were but seemingly lighter over the city. This was the stage of cramps and fatigue for all riders, which took its toll in seeing Tas at a stop where he would have to go ahead otherwise succumb to it, but for Vic to stop and walk to give them leniancy. My old girl did well in the hills, they are not impossible to ride at all after I complain at how much I want a carbon fibre bike.

We managed to arrive at the cuckoo restraurant however not further and enjoyed the sense of achievement and relief, well for me anyway, there was no blood shed. After some amusing antics we flew down the hill which is such a thoroughly enjoyable feeling and once completely down the realisation of the hope of no one dying was also a pleasant feeling. We were only faced with another hero who wound down his window and blew an airhorn in our face on our way to Bayswater station. Bring on the country hospitality...