12th July 1999
Well we made Mataranka in good time considering
that the hills were prolonged and the weather being very hot and
humid. We are getting lots of support from people using the route,
they are waving and beeping at us as
they go past and sometimes
stopping and putting in the odd $4 - $5 in the bucket for us. They
know about us because ABC has been following our progress as we move
along the route.
We decided
to spend a night at Mataranka before heading for Daly Waters and
found ourselves being given the chance to fundraise . The locals had
a stage set up for a group to perform for the children, they very
kindly passed a
bucket around for people to put a donation into
for the Wheelchair Sports Worldwide Foundation. Thank you to all
those people in Mataranka. We made Daly Waters by lunch time and
took our first rest day of the challenge.
We are beginning to get
help and support from the local Lions Clubs en-route, we have had
offers ranging from help with the food bill and reduced fuel costs
to a barbecue evening meal.
The route, since leaving Darwin
nine days ago, has been uphill all the way, with some very steep
gradients and like I said before the weather has been hot and humid.
I am at present 121/2 miles outside of Elliot, having had my
best
day on Friday when I managed to clock up 70 miles in 4 hours and 57
minutes, today was another story with a strong head wind to contend
with I managed 68 miles in 6 hours and 5 minutes. The Varna is
holding up really
well with the hills and mileage I am doing, my
main problem has been a slight touch of tendonitis in the arms. Ian
has been giving me regular physiotherapy and stretching and this has
relieved the pain.
We hope to reach Tennant Creek within the next
two days and this is halfway between Darwin and Alice Springs so you
could say we will be 1/4 of the way across, so our schedule in on
track.
