Sharky's Oz 7-in-7: Karratha to Esperance - The Wrap Up
Overall Statistics for the 7in7
Distance: 2741.57 kilometres
Elevation: 17,431 metres climbed
Average: 24.3 km/h
Time: 112 hours and 36 minutes
Pedal revolutions: 32,460
Heart beats: 756,672 (Rocket's heart rate)
Overall statistics for Kate and Sharky's Smiddy Challenge and 7in7 combined
Distance: 4341.57 kilometres
Elevation: 27,000 metres climbed
Average: 25.5km/h
Time : 160 hours approximately
Time to leave Esperance
At the moment we are at Wave Rock, a famous tourist destination in Western Australia. We left Esperance yesterday (Monday October 3) after spending the morning packing up our gear and getting it to the storage facility. We really are grateful to our accommodation hosts in Mark and Kerry Quinlivan, who have a storage shed just outside of town, and have allowed us to store all of our camping equipment there for the next year. Mark and Kerry have also said that we have free accommodation for the two nights needed when we return in September 2012 for the fifth leg of the 7in7. Prior to leaving Esperance we had a media commitment with the local newspaper, the Esperance Express, who did a story on the group and will appear in this Wednesday's paper. By the time we had attended to all our business it was two o'clock before we were on the road, and 15 minutes down the road all were asleep bar the driver. Thankfully Kev was that driver and recognised the fact that there were three very tired riders that needed some brief downtime. For the first 200 kilometres we travelled back on the road that we had ridden the previous day, stopped in at the Bottlemart pub in Ravensthorpe and let the owners know we had safely reached our destination to Esperance. From Ravensthorpe we took a sharp right and drive another 200 kilometres to Hyden, which was our stop for the night before we continue onto Perth today.
Wave Rock
Back in 1986 I visited Wave Rock via a one day tourist bus from Perth. Back then you drove to the rock, jumped out of the bus, were given 30 minutes to take it in, then herded back on the bus and drove back to Perth. At that time there was nothing but the rock. Now there is a caravan park right next to it, a bunch of tacky tourist shops, toilet facilities, fencing surrounding the perimeter of the rock and park, and signs everywhere informing you of it's geological history. Oh and now you have to pay to see Wave Rock. Because we stayed at the local van park our entry was included in our stay, but regardless we would have paid it as it is such a wonderful and simply stunning and amazing sight that you would be crazy not to for the sake of an eight dollar entry fee. Rocket has put some photos of it up on our Facebook page so please check them out. The rock looks like a gigantic wave, standing some ten metres tall and 100 metres long. Mother Nature has taken about a billion years to form this for us and let me tell you it was worth the wait!
Tuesday October 4 Team 7in7 Tourist Day
The group was all awake by six-am after a reasonable night’s sleep. With just three beds for four people Rocket and I were once again forced to share a small cozy double bed. Three times throughout the night old Rocket would roll over and cross that forbidden invisible line, and a skin on skin touch would break our slumber, producing a shock so severe, that we would both jump instantly awake, and part like two opposing magnets. All three men were placed in the snoring and farting room, while Kate got the main lounge, dining, kitchen and combined bedroom to herself. At one point during the night Old Cap got up to go to the loo and left our bedroom door open when he returned to his bed. Kate, not long after, had to get up and close the door as the crescendo of the band was so loud that she could not sleep, even with her ear plugs in. I, of course was perfect. Anyway we all made it safely -albeit noisily- through the night and after a quick breakfast went out and played tourists for 90 minutes doing the walk in, on top and around Wave Rock. If you get a chance 'Google' Wave Rock WA and you will see what all the fuss is about. Once we finished up at Wave Rock we drove just 20km's down the road to see another rock formation famous for a huge cave and inside well preserved Aboriginal paintings, that are very old -possible even older than our Old Man Captain Kev. Mulka is the name of the cave and the legend of this cave is a scary one. So scary that if I were to tell you then you would no longer be able to function in society, so please if you need to know more, just Google Mulka WA, and whatever you do don't read it, but get someone you don't like to read it. If they read it, and it does not have any effect on them, then you know your friends -that you do not like- must be aliens... And now you know why you do not like them. True story!
Team 7in7 visit York
York is a famous historic old town where as much as is humanly possible has been done to preserve York as it once was when it was established in 1831. Most of the buildings have been faithfully restored and when you take a stroll down the main street of town it really is like taking a walk back in time. Sure you need to use your imagination a little but you do tend to get a feel for what the town must have looked like back then.
Reunited with friends
After our visit to York the day had enough light left in it for our return journey to Perth. We arrived at Carla and Davin's home around 5:30pm, entirely pleased with our tourist day together. It was great to see Carla and four month old Ethan again. After a quick hello and unpack of the 4WD Kate and I joined Carla and Ethan in a short walk to collect Davin from the bus station as he returned home from work. I was walking the dog Asha, who is a cheeky 13 year old Boxer that howls every time she hears a siren, which is often where Crala and Davin live. Anyway I had an ulterior reason for walking Asha, as last week when we stayed here Asha missed out on her walk the day we arrived and for some reason she took it out on me. I returned home after having lunch on that Sunday to find my toiletries bag had been removed from the third shelf, where I had placed it on a five shelf cubed bookcase, all the contents of the bag were removed, my toothbrush was in a hard plastic case, which she had somehow opened, she then proceeded to spew up on my toothbrush! We laughed about it then and were amazed at the dogs ingenuity to climb up the bookcase to retrieve the hidden jewel of a Sharky toothbrush. I was taking no chances this time and now Asha and I are best of friends as I took her for a walk. That night Carla delighted the group with a curry for dinner and even surprised her husband Davin when she served up papadums with the dish. Davin, who is 36 years of age and leads a sheltered life when it comes to exotic foods, has never had this simple Indian delight, then fumbled spent the night trying to say papadums with the correct pronunciation but failed miserably each time and provided the group with lots of laughs.
Our final day in Perth
Yesterday fellow Smiddy rider, Paul Dawson, from this year's Challenge event, contacted me and said he was in Perth and could we catch up. Well this morning our catch up was in the form of a run along the beautiful Swan River. The morning was glorious Spring weather, with barely a whisper of a breeze and a warming sunshine that had the temperature sitting at 14 degrees around 6:30am when we pushed off. The 7in7 team contemplated what this sort of weather would have been like had we been riding now. The group for this morning’s run, followed by a yummy breakfast at a lovely little cafe in South Perth, included Carla and Davin, Rocket and the Rabbit Warren, Paul Dawson and four month old Ethan, who enjoyed his time out with us in his cross country racing pram. Carla is amazingly fit for a young lady who has just had a kid. Rocket complained all the way during the short 30 minute run, something about sore and tired legs from a small ride he had done previously? He was told to harden up and follow Davin's lead, who is not a morning person, but managed a smile at six-am this morning with barely a grumble. Kate was her usual self and after just ten minutes was saying she was going into the dreaded hunger bonk and could go no further. Carla handed Ethan and the running pram to me and my respect level for this vibrant energetic and gorgeous adorable young lady went up tenfold as I found it was no easy task pushing one of these contraptions. Mr Dawson was his usual gentle self, happy to be around such good people, and I'm sure was quietly amused by the antics and humour that everyone applied on a morning that was so beautiful it naturally brought out the happiness in people. As for me, well I did my best to embarrass the entire group by wearing my quad and calf compression garments, bright blue Nike shoes, while adorned in a very short pair of shorts that showed off my cute butt cheeks. No-one came near us for the entire run. Throughout all this the old man Captain Kev was having a sleep in and quite oblivious to our mature outing. Thank you Paul for shouting the entire group breakfast and for being such a great friend.
The Hang Over finally
From day one of this event Kate and I spoke about how funny the movie called the 'Hang Over' was, and how cool it would be if we got to watch it as a group before we were all separated and back to our real lives. Besides Kate and me, no one else in our group has seen it. Well finally Wednesday afternoon, after the 4WD was returned, late lunch was out of the way, Ethan was fed, washing done and Kev went to the toilet for the fifth time today, we got to watch it around four-pm. Ron's expectations were high as it was all he had heard the entire trip. St. Eve was no-where to be seen, as you will remember, he did a runner ten days ago, and Kevvy, well Kev's take on movies is you don't watch movies and drink red wine at the same time. Which somehow was relevant to his discomfort at watching a movie about four men with a hangover. The movie was our final chance to have some good belly laughs, just as we've had these past three weeks, as a group. For me it brought back such fond memories of all the silly little things that happen on the road and that are only funny at the time because of the bond that has formed within the group. That bond includes all the awesome people we have met along the way, especially Davin and Carla, the Big Rig Rob, who rode that day and half with us from Perth, Heath and Lenny, St. Eve of course (even if he did a runner on us), Carla and Dav's parents, Marty Anderson, Mike Stubbing, Maria and Paul Smiddy, to name just a few. How lucky are we?
Final thoughts from Sharky
Tonight we will share a final dinner with Carla, Davin and Past Smiddy rider in Domenic Papalia and I just know the good times and laughs will continue. Tomorrow (Thursday October six) our flight back home leaves at 9:15am and we are all back in Brisbane by 3:30pm. Saying goodbye is always hard on these trips but the memories I have of all these beautiful human beings will sustain me until I am fortunate enough to spend time with them again. I alway wish that if I could bottle up all the positive energy and goodness that exudes from all these beautiful people that have come into my life, that we could use that energy to help out those less fortunate and there would be no illness or malice in the world. There is no harm in dreaming big right? Anyway my friends, thank you once again for following this incredible 7in7 journey. September 2012 I hope to have the same team on board in Rocket and Kate, and also a few new riders. I know St'Eve will not be back as he has committed himself to a year with his beautiful family. Steely does not get any say in the matter, he is on board and that is all I have to say about that. Kev, the silly old bugger, will see this through to the end, as deep down he is as stubborn as me in seeing things through to the end. May have to bury the old fella by the time we wrap this up in 2014 but as long as there is a bottle of Jacobs red beside him he will be content. And Kate, well if she does not come back I will never tell her another alien story ever again! I know she will not take that chance so see you girl in 2012. Davin and Carla have got me excited by hinting they may follow us next year in a camper van and ride alternative days, with Ethan being cared for on the road by the parent not riding. Ethan will then set the world record for being the youngest competitor on the 7in7 at 16 months of age!
Please after you you read my top 10 likes and dislikes from this year's 7in7 read Kate's Sharky's Oz 7 in 7 Glossary of terms below.
Sharky
Top ten things I will miss about this year's 7in7 journey
1. Number one will definitely be my 7in7 mates in the 'Pocket Rocket', that sneaky little 'Warren', St. Eve who did the runner in Perth, and of course old 'Captain Kev'.
2. The amazingly mature and sensible games that we played while actually on the bikes.
3. Definitely the Aliens, as there are none in Qld. Apparently due to crust of the earth in Qld being too hard for them to bury their ships underground...
4. The constantly changing scenery of this great big beautiful country of ours.
5. The cows, sheep, horses, rabbits, birds, kangaroo's and anything alive that would stop and look at us, then turn and run due to them knowing Ron is an Alien.
6. For sure the times we got to camp and witness the beauty of the stars in the clarity of the crystal clear nights.
7. Always will miss the belly laughs, the practical jokes, the world record attempts and the grade four behaviour of Rocket and Kate. I tried to be a good example but failed miserably
8. Will miss meeting all the great people that we meet along the way. Complete strangers who get caught up in what we are doing, friends who are so supportive like our most favourite West Australian family in Davin and Carla. And I am not just saying this because we are are staying with them a further two nights from today!
9. The journal readings each night are such a highlight for the group. Kate would get so excited after writing a journal that she wanted to read it as soon as it was written. But no, the rules of 7in7 state that any journal written must be read out 24 hours later, not an hour before but a few hours after the 24 hours is up is acceptable. We had to continually bring out the rule book for Kate on this trip to keep her in check.
10. Mostly I will miss that endless road, and it's mind clearing healing qualities that help clear my head for the next 11 months in the real world.
Top ten things I will definitely NOT miss about the 7in7
1. Number one, without any doubt, applying butt cream to my bike chamois in the morning and the constant application to my butt throughout the day.
2. Applying sunscreen and those 'baby wipes' wipe down instead of a shower.
3. Listening to Ron and Kev and especially Kate snoring throughout the long nights. I, of course, was perfect.
4. Rocket Ron's grade three childish immature games. I am ready to move up to grade five.
5. The noise pollution in my ears of that constant headwind.
6. Muesli bars, lollies and sports drinks, so over them after demolishing 60 bars, two kilos of protein powder and a further two kilos of sports drink. Kate, I believe, went through 140 Carman's bars as she did not drink any sports drinks!
7. I loved writing the journals but the late nights always kill me. Including the Challenge event I averaged just six hours sleep each night for the past 25 days of riding.
8. The constant soreness in my skinny arsed butt, not to mention my neck and shoulders from the constant jarring when on the rough road surfaces.
9. Flies became a real nuisance in the last ten days. Not to forget the mozzies, who were so determined -and ultimately extremely successful- in biting me even through my clothes.
10. After 14 days of cycling I noticed an increased burn in my legs on each and every climb that we came to. You know that burn that tells you it would be easier to let your mates go on ahead and you can just cruise at an easier burn free pace. In total over the 25 days of riding we climbed over 26,000 metres. Which is equivalent to climbing up and down mount Everest from sea levels three times!
Sharky's Oz 7 in 7 Glossary of terms by Kate
Aliens – Sharky has a long winded theory about this but basically exist to create havoc for the 7 in 7 ride. Are known to exist worldwide and are supposedly expanding across Australia. Sharky pretends it is “us” and “them” but research indicates that the “us” may actually be the “them” if you understand the meaning behind this concept. Recruiting in WA at the moment and target Smiling for Smiddy riders. For more information contact Rowan Foster or Mark Smoothy.
Alien domestiques – known to take several different forms including road signs, building in Albany, animal forms (especially magpies). Are very dangerous and should be avoided at all times. Suspect number one – St Eve.
Bleeding eyes – a rare condition that causes bleeding from one's eyes as soon as heart rate is increased (experienced severely by St Eve and mildly by Rob)
Bottom rain burn – condition experienced by Ron after a day of heavy rain and absence of application of chamois cream. Happened on Day 11 and continued to persist until completion of ride. Paw paw proved to provide minimal relief. Cucumber was attempted to be administered but unfortunately did not achieve any great results.
Candles – romantic addition to 7 in 7 journey. Favourite setting for camp dinners and created a delightful ambiance. Thanks to Kate. Note for future rides – candles on the shopping list!
Cheese – Try to remember it. Cheese was an integral ingredient in our food stops. The aliens deliberately made us leave it behind in Karratha. Note for future rides – check the fridge!
Chico Baby Off – Great game to play with friends and family when needing to pass the time. Winner is the one who is able to make the Chico Baby last the longest. (World record currently stands at 54 mins, 35 seconds)
Cucumber – A favourite of Ron and Sharky's. Ron uses cucumber essence as deodorant and finds it a refreshing way to start the day. Also a good remedy when placed in the back pocket of your cycling jersey to alleviate back pain.
Deluxe avocado, tomato and cheese saladas – Our favourite morning tea
Echinacea tablets – taken twice daily to keep our immunity up. Thanks to Maria for advising Kevvy to stop taking them as they are not recommended for asthmatics.
Electric shocks – Sharky uses this method to “break in” his 7 in 7 team to see who lasts the longest. Who is the toughest? We all survived except for Sharky when St Eve combated Sharky's attacks with his own revenge of ear lobe shocking. You should have heard Sharky squeal.
Five kilometre pee stops – Sharky's daily stop for wee.
Funny stories – the way that we think our funny stories are so funny – hysterical in fact – especially when we are telling them. Observed by Carla Martella as she laughed at us – not with us!
Furry bit of blood – road kill that Kate could not identify that looked like a furry bit of blood
Fussy eaters – Ron – no cucumber. Sharky – no cucumber, bacon, ham, pork, milk. Accommodated well and able to laugh at themselves. Very important if experiencing fussiness. Well done Mr and Mrs Fussy!!!
Gadabout – Someone who roams about in search of amusement or social activity. Otherwise known as Mark Sharky Smoothy.
Garden Gnome – Found at Davin and Carla's house. Long lost relative of Kevin Enchelmier and proud member of 7 in 7 team. Has expressed interest in attending future Smiddy events. Watch this space!
Headwind – 14 out of 17 days we experienced this on the 7 in 7 journey. Quite enjoyed it really... Not! See the stats – 40-50 knot headwinds all the way! (A very large majority of the way).
Kilometres to go song – Sharky's form of entertainment on the bike (or torture)
Lionize – Meaning to treat or regard someone/something as an object of great interest or importance. We lionize Big Russ Conway for his inspirational quotes and special definitions of the day.
Lunchtime wraps – Our favourite lunch
Our awesome supporters – Everyone who donated to us, supported us, sent us messages, read our journals. Thank you so so so much – words cannot express how thankful we are to you for your support.
Petal Rose – Sharky's nickname for Ron
“Rabbit” Warren – Kate's nickname
Run with Paul on Wednesday morning – silly activity that was completed by all 7 in 7 team members along with Davin and Carla and Paul Dawson in Perth. Followed up by a magic breakfast thanks very much to Paul. We loved it! The breakfast, not really the 6-7km run!
Road Kill Count – A dismal performance by the team this year. Apologies to Schindler and all Smiling for Smiddy riders near and far. Day two was exceptional, the rest were abysmal.
Sharky's bike shoes – If these items are not on his feet you have at least another 5 – 10 minutes to relax before you even need to look at starting to get ready. A very successful “getting ready” gauge.
St Eve – This is a nickname for our beloved Steve. To most this may seem obvious but we are aware of some cases where there has been some confusion (sorry Davin – we will be clearer in future journals).
Spiz stealer – Asha Martella-Stonell. Stole copious amounts of Ron's dietary supplement especially the chocolate flavour. Was energetic for days with no ill effects however Ron did experience a difficult final few days. Once again – involved in alien behaviour.
Sunset and sunrises – beautiful
Toothbrush bandit – Asha Martella-Stonell. Was a prime suspect in the sabotage of Sharky's toiletry bag. Was also implicated by aliens. The story continues...
Traffic Light song – Another of Sharky's entertaining games (that gets stuck in your head... forever)
Wave Sheriff – Ron Steel (has a badge to prove it). Director of waving organisation and known to all as an expert in his field. Tough, fair and effortless in his use of wave techniques. A man admired by all his deputies.
Wildflower – Ron's nickname for Sharky
World record – any record on 7 in 7 that is deemed to be a world record by Sharky.
Zinc – worn as sunscreen and protection. Not as a mask as part of our riding costume or uniform.
Thank you to everyone from the bottom of all of our hearts – we have had a fantastic time and loved everyone's support and sharing this amazing experience with you.
With warm wishes to your friends and family
Lots of love
From Kate
