Sounds fantastic Peter! Have a great time!

Actually, there's a couple from Coffs BUG that are currently riding
Darwin to Broome under their own steam! Wonder if you'll run into them.

Bike North Century Challenge sounds interesting Malcom! Will have to
keep tabs on it. Maybe we can come down for it next year (if we don't do
something major earlier on...)

Hope your cough gets better. I did the bronchitis over Easter thing a
few years back. Not good.

We will be in Sydney the weekend that Chris is, for Ali's State Age
netball - Sat, Sun, Mon at Blacktown. The Saturday night is already
spoken for - I'm taking Cait to SYTYCD tour at the Entertainment Centre
(and leaving Marc and Zoe to have quality time together - however they
may appreciate some excuse not to go back to Grandma's). The Sunday
night is technically free. The Monday night we'll have one tired
netballer and we'll have to be getting organised, as next day Marc and I
dump the kids and ride off into the sunset (so to speak.) [And, yep,
I hope he's primed to carry me up the hills. It's payback for having me
as ballast for the yee-ha downhills.]

If anyone is after a challenge, and a weekend away, there's the Coffs
BUG 100 mile ride coming up on the 16th August. Brooms Head to Coffs
(through Maclean and Grafton, and the back way to Coffs.
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/90207 People usually camp at
Brooms Head the night before, though after doing that the first year we
opted for a holiday unit the second time. There's usually a bit of a
group from the BUG doing support crewing.

The first part is really pretty flat, so it's not a difficult 160km! Not
sure yet how we'll do it. Cait has expressed an interest in doing it,
but hasn't done much in the way of riding. I suppose I could give up my
stoker seat for her (after all, Marc and I have done it twice already on
the Santana) although that could be a big mistake!! I wouldn't mind
giving it a go myself though.... Our other alternative (to getting the
kids sorted) is doing a big first and leaving them at home overnight by
themselves. Cait is 16 now, after all. All a big 'dunno' at the moment.

We managed to get out for a ride last weekend - did the "Big Block" from
Coffs, up Bruxner and out to Bucca Road, out to Nana Glen, across to
Coramba (coffee break) then back down to Coffs - all up around 60
something km. We've put touring tyres on the Santana (Marc not around to
check on the specs) in preparation for the dirt between Wollombi and
Wisemans, and, wow! - it was a much more comfy ride for me on the back.
Slower maybe, but much better on my bum!

Tracey





--- In sydneytandems@yahoogroups.com, Peter Howell <peter@...> wrote:
>
> Just to make you all jealous - after the great off road journey up the
> Mawson Trail a few weeks ago, I'm off next Wednesday to support
Alltrails
> Darwin to Broome followed by Perth to Adelaide. Two of us on support
> responsible for one vehicle, so we should both get a couple of
thousand k
> in. Sheila is going to join me in Broome for the in between bit and
shall do
> a bit of 4WDing.It's not that I don't love Melbourne winters!!
> Cheers, Peter
>
> On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 6:11 PM, Malcolm Wade wademj@...wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Must admit; other than to and from work, nothing much happening
here.
> >
> > Roger and I with daughters as stokers and the boys on their half
bikes did
> > the Bike North Century Challenge at the end of April (we did the
60km
> > event,
> > but that did include nearly 1000m of climbing). See route on bikely
> > (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/283964). Must admit; I was
stuffed
> > at
> > the end. My excuse; bronchitis over Easter the cough from which I
still
> > can't shake properly. My Dr thought she'd found a case of whooping
cough
> > and was most disappointed when the tests came back negative!
> >
> > Other than that; short course swimming carnivals are in full swing
so at
> > least the kids are staying fit.
> >
> > Enjoy your trip with Marc; I know some if not all of the route
you're
> > taking. It's nice countryside and potentially quiet and mostly road
safe.
> > There's a few good hills in there for you to make Marc work out.
> >
> > Must be time for Sydney Tandem get together somewhere; maybe a
Sydney based
> > dinner somewhere?
> >
> > Regards,
> > Malcolm
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Peter Howell
> Mobile - 0427200533
> Web - www.pegasustandems.com.
>