Hanging out in FNQ

We're here working in our 'office' in Cooktown, the last town on the east coast of Australia on Cape York.

In the past couple of days we've travelled through the World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest, along the most insane track I've ever been along - the Bloomfeld Track. I've never been on a track so steep, and my heart was pumping even just from driving it! We're here supporting a cycle challenge through Intrepid Challenges, for a great group of people from KPMG. These guys raised almost $200,000 for Djarrungun College, an awesome school for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids.

We spent and inspiring two days with the group at The Farm, a facility being developed by the College, with the assistance of the funds raised by KPMG. It was an amazing time and we were treated to cultural dancing by Aboriginal students from Cape York, the eastern Torres Strait islands, the western and the northern island groups - each with a distinct style and tradition. What was most inspiring was the pride in which these young people danced the dances handed down through their elders - and it's fantastic that the school is fostering and nurturing this cultural pride.

We're off on the Battlecamp Track now, which I hear is also pretty hairy...

PS Yesterday I spotted a 2 metre long taipan, and also some gorgeous blue Ulysses butterflies... nice!

Nice reminder.

Even when you love your job, there's moments of frustration and I admit to finding myself at the point of thinking, I wonder what it's like to have a quiet job and a normal life? Instead, we've got something which we created because we're passionate about the outdoors and discovering new places, and actually I'm pretty stoked that I can call this my 'job'!

We've got this trip happening in the Daintree next week, and I'm heading up to Cairns tomorrow, and it's just hit me that hey, I've always really wanted to go to the Daintree! and in the middle of all the frantic working and emailing and looking after the office and all that super hectic stuff I realised that THIS is why we do what we do.

We also had a great weekend just past, taking a group of American uni students down to the Coorong for an 'Aussie' orientation. It was freezing cold, but such a great, relaxing weekend! Gordy was our host, and is a passionate Ngarrindjeri man who loves sharing his culture and the culture of his people. One of the highlights was a basket weaving workshop with Aunty Ellen at Camp Coorong - literally everyone was hooked.

A 'herstory' of cycling?

1. In the 1890s, one-third of those in the market for a bicycle were women.

2. Cycling aided the shift from tight corsets and long dresses, to shorter skirts and bloomers - much more sensible to cycle in!

3. In 1894-5, Annie 'Londonderry' Kopchovsky is the first woman to ride around the world.

4. The first womens cycling world champion was crowned in 1958 (50 years ago).

5. Susan B. Anthony commented: “Let me tell you what I think of bicycling…I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride on a wheel. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance.”

6. The bicycle was considered by some to be a threat to the 'proper' social order. Women were travelling more freely and away from the surveillance of her husband!


7. Women cycled in the Olympics for the first time in 1984 (24 years ago).

8. The first mountain bike world championships were held in 1990, in Durango, Spain.

9. This year there are 37 professional women's road cycling teams registered with the UCI (cycling's world governing body).

10. Cycling group 'Women's Mountain Bike and Tea Society' (WOMBATS) was formed in 1984 to provide a supportive and nurturing environment for women who like riding off road, but weren't sure how/where/who with.

Just a short break.

Don't get me wrong, I love my bikes. No seriously, I love my bikes, I love riding, but for some reason, we are spending a little time apart. I think it's healthy for any good relationship, that you can spend some time apart and still love and respect each other as much as ever. And it's not that I'm NOT riding, it's just that there are other things, or should I say, another thing [singular] that's come between my two-wheeled friends and myself of late. And what could possibly come between a girl and her two-wheeled friend? Her four-legged friend, of course.

Lately, the first thing that I do when I get out of bed is, rather than pulling on my knicks and donning my helmet, I find myself slapping on my trackies and shoving a cap over my morning hair. Instead of water bottle, spare tube and pump, I pick up tennis ball, plastic bag and lead.

Please don't judge me, cycling comrades, for I am now the owner of (or rather, I am now owned by) a bouncing, licking, energetic and fur encrusted creature, otherwise known as Canis lupus familiaris.

His name is Toby. And with all the bounding, unstoppable energy of a kelpie, I find myself walking (or, running!) morning and night, and sometimes noon, to try and match the vigour this creature on the lead beside me.

Kind readers, I've just found a new training partner. He lives nearby, he's always ready to get out there and he doesn't judge me if I miss a session - needless to say, with his eager eyes and waggly tail, I hardly ever do. Although he knows he'd be faster than me if he had the chance, he holds back and keeps to my level, subtly pushing me that little bit more to keep up.

And you know, I think my bikes understand. They know that they'll have me for life, as Toby also must know... They know I'll always be girl+bike, even when I'm more girl+dog. They've loaned me out for a short space of time, knowing that they'll get me back more eager (and fitter!) than ever.

I'll just have to teach Toby to run alongside us.