KITCHEN TRUCK GETS LOST AGAIN!

Once again the kitchen truck was very late getting to the campsite. What a mess!

Thankfully Tammy was prepared and cooked us all some pasta for dinner. We also had to help Warren polish off 3 bottles of a nice wine that could not be brought into our next stage because of the “dry laws” in Hopevalle.  Pasta, wine and lemmingtons for dessert! Not too shabby!

ANDREW KEEPS GOING!

I have to say that Andrew is just amazing! What a great guy! Awesome team player!

Every day he gets back tired, hot, covered in dust. And when we ask him about quitting, his answer is always the same: “I can’t quit. I have to finish for the team. We’re not quitters. Carlos and Pat are out because it was beyond their control. They had no choice. I can’t quit.”

The route between Kalpowar and Starcke was cruel. 82 km of pure dust! Andrew crashed his bike a few times. One of the times he crashed the bladder on his Camelback literally exploded.  The heat is pounding on everyone’s head.

And Andrew keeps going.

This Aussie is f*&#ing awesome!

THE NEW AUSTRALIAN MASCOT: TERMITES!

IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!

After Kalpowar we headed to Starcke. Our last campsite before the final day. We formed a convoy with Warren and Tina. On the way we were joined by another crew. We left early so we could get a good spot at the campsite. We knew it was going to be “bush camping”, but we were not prepared for what we found.  When we saw the “campsite” we literally felt like crying! It was just a huge open space with nothing around! Not a shady spot, not a spec of grass. All we could see was burned tree trunks sticking out of the ground.No water whatsoever! The race organizers had to get a water truck to bring water for drinking and washing .

First of all, we had to leave Kalpowar early, before the riders. All crew trucks needed to way ahead and out of the road before the riders could start.  All that because of the dust!  Even though the riders would be taking a different route, for the first few miles the road would be the same, and any movement on the road causes a lot of dust. The wall of dust is so thick anybody loses their vision after just a few feet. Completely whiteout! It’s incredible!

For the riders is even worst, because some of their route goes through Bull Dust. It’s a fine powdery dust that just floats up like a wall! The only rider that has a clear view is the first one. Everyone else rides in the dark.

Suzy and I filled up our camp showers so we could wash up later on. Warren used a tarp to make a “ladies room” around the trees (there were no bushes around). Just one more day to go!

UPDATE ON CARLOS AND PAT.

We have updates on the Carlos and Patrick.
They both were checked out by the doctor at the hospital in Cooktown and BOTH had open wounds that were getting the first signs of infection. They both had clean dressing applied and got started on antibiotic medication. They were also dehydrated, so some IV fluid was given as well.
Now the plan for them is to rest and try to recover from the heat and monitor the infection.

HERMAN GETS LOST.

When Herman left to Cooktown with the rest of the group, the plan was for him to drop them off, make sure everything was ok, and drive back and meet us at Kalpowar, our next campsite. He’s such a good friend for Andrew, that he just wanted to be here and support him.

On his way back from Cooktown he took a wrong turn, better yet, did not make a turn at all and ended up way there in the middle of nowhere! Now, this is the Outback! You can drive for hours and not find anything or anyone! We are the only ones here! Once in awhile you run into another race truck, probably lost also, or, if you’re lucky, a ranger. Then you have to literally throw yourself in front of his car to make him stop so you can ask for help! Or, if you see a farmhouse, you go there and ask for directions! That’s exactly what Herman did, and finally made it back at Kalpowar around 4:30 p.m., just in time for dinner!

DUST AND CROCODILES.

After Laura our destination was  Kalpowar. The road there was bad. Lots of dust everywhere. This whole trip has been plagged by dust, but these last stages are  the worst ever!

Andrew has been just amazing! Even though he’s utterly disapointed  and saddened that his teammates are not here, he’s pulling it off like a champ. Not that we expected anything less from him. With the support from  some of the other racers he’s been keeping a good pace and making great time every day.

Kalpowar is a great campsite! We even have our own faucet under a tree!  Add a hose and we have our own shower right there! Some of the European racers liked our “shower” so much that decided to borrow it! Eye candy for the girls!

At night we went with Warren, Tammy and Steve out looking for crocodiles by the river! There under a log we saw them! The red eyes, peeking from the water edge! Yikes!