DAVE ALLEY - THE MAN BEHIND THE BIKE

Dave Alley is proudly holding the Australian flag, every part of his body is sore, ears are sun burnt, eyes tired and teary. The journey was something unimaginable –Cycling 14251kms in 37 days, 20 hours and 45 minutes, averaging over 370kms a day. Policemen and father of three Dave Alley rode into Redcliffe and the history books after becoming the fastest man ever to ride around Australia, smashing the record by over 3 Days.

When Alley set off on his journey he must have thought this was moment was a world away. There were days when Dave had to battle vicious head winds, 40 degree heat, freezing cold mornings and other elements such as traffic, sickness and aching muscles.

‘Every day presented challenges and obstacles to not only myself, but the entire support team. Alley said.  However, we all shared such a determination and commitment to finishing this ride that not completing it was never an option.’

‘There were many times in the past 24 months where we could easily have given up, but we stayed solid’ said Alley’s manager and good friend Dave Lees, who rode in the support vehicle encouraging Dave the whole trip.

So what inspires an ordinary Australian to go to such extraordinary lengths? Dave’s determination and inspiration for the ride started after the difficult birth of his twins, who were born 3 months premature.

‘Seeing them battle hard for every breath taught me how precious life is. This inspired me to strive to achieve something out of the ordinary, whilst also giving back to the community.’ This was where the seed was planted for Dave to achieve something extraordinary.

Dave was always fit having competed in triathlons but riding over 370kms a day for close to 38 days straight was a different proposition. He spent 18 months training for this ride and had a team of people behind him to assist with his every need, including a nutritionist, masseur, coach, mechanic and manager. One of Alley’s closest support staff was long time friend and Manager - Dave Lees.

‘As manager of the Race Around Australia project, my role was to oversee all organisational, logistical, strategic and promotional aspects of the event. During the actual race, I led the support crew, ensuring Dave was coping with this extraordinary world record attempt and maintained the role of keeping the public up to date on how Dave and the crew were travelling’ said a proud manager.
Dave encountered some extraordinary events including the Flight CR1 road bike being run over by the support car, riding past a guy who was walking around Australia in a Star Wars storm trooper suit, the support car breaking down numerous times and being surprised by visits from family and friends on his journey.

An interesting fact included Dave’s road bike – the Flight CR1 Road Bike being ridden 14251kms without a service or a flat tire for the entire time around Australia, which is quite unbelievable.
So what next for Dave? ‘I am already considering what the future holds for me. There are several ideas floating around in my head…. there will be something.’ At this stage he is happy spending time with family and friends.

‘The last few weeks have involved a fair degree of rest and catching up with all the numerous family, friends and supporters who have followed us the whole way. Recovery has also been paramount, with some light cycling, stretching and swimming all on the agenda.’ said Alley who battled a sore knee and back from sitting on the bike for 15 plus hours a day.

Away from the bike Dave loves his sports and values a full and busy lifestyle although ‘nothing is better than spending time with my kids’ said a proud world record holder.

He also has some advice for anyone who thinks they can’t set out to achieve what they want in life.’ By staying fully focused on the original plan, battling through ongoing hardships, mental demons and whatever ever else can be thrown in your way, ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things.’

Dave has achieved extraordinary things and has currently raised in excess of $15,000 for the Royal Flying Doctors Service and continues to accept donations for this amazing cause, one which is responsible for saving the lives of thousands of Australians each and every year.

You can donate and leave a personal message by visiting his homepage at www.racearoundaus.com.au

Click for further information regarding the Flight CR1 bike.

Interesting facts from the 14251km race:

- The Flight CR1 bike road so well, it did not need a service the entire race.
- The Landrover support vehicle had two punctured tyres on the trip, the Flight bike had none!
- The Landrover accidently ran over the Flight bike but amazingly nothing was damaged.
- Dave has only slept around 10 hours over the last 3 epic days of cycling.
- Road trains are very scary when you’re trying to sleep on the side of the road!!!
- For the first seven hours on the Nullabor, Dave struggled to stay on the bike, with his speed dropping to as low as 9km/hr at times. A vicious headwind almost meant that it would have been faster and safer to jump off the bike and walk.

Post Race Interviews and Media coverage

- Interview courtesy of ABC radio’s Spencer Howson: http://bit.ly/nC8xnV

- Channel 7: http://au.prime7.yahoo.com/n1/video/-/watch/27011272/world-record-cyclist/

 

Day 38 - DAVE SMASHES WORLD RECORD BY 3 DAYS

Listen to the interview with world record breaker Dave Alley after smashing the record early this morning. Interview courtesy of ABC radio’s Spencer Howson: http://bit.ly/nC8xnV

Man or Machine? Dave rode for 38 days straight and early this morning completed his 14251km attempt to break the record for the fastest person ever to ride around Australia (previously 41 days and five minutes). Dave arrived into Redcliffe to a hero’s welcome smashing the record by a massive 3 days. He would like to thank everybody for their support and well wishes on his journey to raise valuable funds, promotion and exposure to an iconic Australian organisation - The Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Dave is an inspiration and his effort is worthy of being recognised as one of the greatest achievements in Australian Cycling. What an incredible achievement!!

Interesting fact - Dave has nearly ridden over 14250kms without a flat tyre and didn’t need a service on the Flight CR1 Road Bike.

You still have time to enter our Dave Alley Facebook page. All you have to do is ‘like’ our Facebook page and enter the competition.

Day 37 - INCREDIBLE 24 HOURS POISED TO SMASH WORLD RECORD

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

At 8:04am this morning (Wed 19th Oct), Dave completed a marathon 437km stretch from Swansea to just north of Woolgoolga. This was punctuated by a short sleep break (3 of the scariest 3 hours "sleep" one could imagine on the side of the Pacific Highway with trucks screaming by every few seconds!) at Kempsey from 10:30pm-1:30am. This effort has now left us with a goal of reaching the finish point before 8:04am tomorrow morning (Thur 20th Oct), thus achieving this incredible feat in under 38 days, more than 3 days off the current record.

It is continued to be stressed to Dave and the crew that we are not yet there, we still have over 300km to go, and we must remain focused on the job at hand. We must continue to manage fatigue and remain alert as there is a lot of excitement building.......

I will now keep you posted with regular updates both here and on the "David Alley Race Around Australia" page. Stay tuned.

Day 36-ALLEY KING OF THE PRINCESS HIGHWAY AS RECORD LOOMS

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

We entered day 36 (Monday 17th October) with our new daily target - to reach the outskirts of Newcastle at some stage during the next 24 hour period, doesn't matter what time, we are just going to get to there despite whatever hurdles would be thrown at us today. We knew it would be a variety of obstacles today again - the huge Mt Ousley climb north of Wollongong, Sydney traffic (potentially in afternoon peak hour) and the winding, dark Old Pacific Highway north of Hornsby.

The end result was that at 3:06am on Tuesday morning we came to Swansea, on the southern outskirts of Newcastle. Obviously this meant another huge day, punctuated by a one hour break at Blakehurst, a very well deserved one after the ongoing climb since leaving Ulladulla the previous morning. The break actually came at a great time, meaning that we didn't pass through Sydney until from about 7pm, with peak hour finished. It was smooth sailing, actually the easiest of all the capital cities to navigate through.

A worrying moment (not for Dave or us) just near Cowan, where Andrew and I (who were in the rover behind Dave at the time) came across a car parked in the middle of the Old Pacific Highway just around a bend. Dave had to swerve to miss it. We stopped to see a woman inside, and our first thoughts as to her condition were not good. After banging on the windows and roof, she finally awoke (phew!!) as we weren't short of an emergency break in! The woman claimed she was so tired she had to stop where she did and fell asleep instantly. Now that's new meaning to "stop, revive, survive". But not an advertisement for stopping in the middle of the road - thankfully it was only us coming towards her - not a truck.

From here, Dave peddled onwards down the Kariong Hill to Gosford and then through to Wyong. Friends Robyn and Marni Young took the time to visit him roadside at about 1am, with a lovely banana cake in tow! The support of everyone continues to inspire us all.

So we pulled into Swansea with Dave completing another 365km for the day. Somehow Dave managed to achieve this, despite the challenging conditions, yet again. Amazing stuff.

Less than 1000km to go...........

Day 35 - RUGGED TERRAIN ENSURES LONG BUT FRUITFUL DAY

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Today (Sunday 16th Oct) proved to be the "hilliest" day we are yet to encounter. We set off this morning with another target - Ulladulla. It didn't matter what time we were going to reach our destination, but we were going to get there. At 2:47am this morning (Monday) we did just that, meaning we were a further 369km closer to the finish line. It was a brutal day (not for Dave's sickness, which he had now overcome) but by the constant climbing which was endured, hour after hour after hour. It's quite incredible that Dave's matchstick legs and frame managed to keep going for so long in such terrain. Not that Dave would have cared, but the scenery today was again stunning, with towns such as Eden, Bega, Narooma and Ulladulla all with their own unique aspects of beauty.

The support we continue to receive is amazing. Thanks to Charts, we were able to pass the message onto Federal Liberal Leader Mr Tony Abbott, who responded with a message of support and only a prior commitment prohibited him cycling with Dave for a few kilometres. ABC presenter, Tim Gavel also gave Race Around Australia a lengthy acknowledgement right on full-time of the Rugby world cup semi-final versus NZ, stating that we had the game blaring out to Dave through our PA system on the front of the rover as we passed through the NSW south coast. This came almost immediately after full time, even prior to them crossing to Aussie coach Robbie Deans. Thanks again Tim for your continued support. We continued to receive many more roadside donations and well-wishes, as well as emails and text messages from far and wide. I even know of an ex-pat in Spain following Dave's movements on a daily basis. All of this really is such a terrific boost to Dave.

Today we move into Nowra and then to the NSW capital............

Day 34 - STOMACH CRAMPS BRUSHED ASIDE

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

The day (Saturday 15th Oct) started somewhat later than normal, at 7:32am from the carpark of the Pakenham library. We rejoined the traffic flow and immediately were greeted by a very healthy tailwind, which Dave appreciated for about 6 hours, meaning an average speed of almost 29km/hr was maintained during this period. Dave was also boosted by a roaside visit from our good mate Dallas Young and family just before Sale. From here we pushed onto Bairnsdale, where Dave decided on a 45 minute sleep, with the aim of re-charging the batteries with a view of getting to Cann River tonight, meaning a much later finish than normal. It meant that this sleep in Bairnsdale may be enough to maintain him for the extra hours.

From Bairnsdale it was a day of "two halves". The weather had closed in, we were now pushing into a headwind and Dave started to mention stomach cramps. We reached Lakes Entrance where an emergency stop was the first of several as the cramps were becoming more intense. The next 2 hours was a crawl as Dave was forced to pull over to the side of the road fairly frequently as diarrhea had set in. Obviously not a pleasant experience, as it was also raining and cold, but Cann River was the goal and this was never let sight of, so onwards he pushed, albeit quite agonisingly.

From Orbost the going got better again, as I believe the bug may have passed through his system. Still as white as a ghost, but feeling better and marching forward to Cann River no matter what, where we pulled into a rest area just on 2am. This truly was another gutsy effort (in the true meaning of the word!) - a 395km day was quite inspiring stuff to all of us, especially given his condition and the discomfort he was feeling.

Race Around Australia fact : The two escort vehicles following Dave both have orange flashing safety lights attached. We estimate they rotate twice per second. This equates to 120 rotations per minute, 7200 per hour. An average day for us would mean they are operational for 16 hours. This equates to 115, 200 rotations per day. After 34 days, this would be 3,916,8000 revolutions! (for one vehicle!) Therefore for both vehicles combined, this would be 7,8333,600 revolutions!

Day 33 - WE MANAGED MELBOURNE - EVEN ON A FRIDAY NIGHT

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

A day of contrasting scenery, conditions and just about everything else imaginable ended just after midnight in the carpark of the Pakenham library, where we ceased cycling activity with a further 375km in the account. We were really pleased to have achieved our goal we set off with after leaving Salt Creek, that was to make it through Melbourne. We did it, but not without a variety of challenges! Poor roads with crater-like potholes, impatient motorists, freeway cycling, Friday night city negotiation were to name but a few. Possibly the "highlight" was us just missing the tiny road leading us to Hoddle Street (where we should have gone) near the Monash Freeway. We ended up entering the Freeway, but luckily were able to pull up before too late. Some frantic calls to Dave on the PA system at the front of the landrover also meant that he was able to stop before it was too late. Also fortunately for us, there was a dirt embankment joining the start of the freeway to the side road, meaning that we could attempt a climb over the top.

Alas in almost the middle of Melbourne the two vehicles were engaged into 4WD mode to attempt the climb. Charts got over safely in the rover, but the issue was going to be the cruiser, as it had the camper trailer behind.

(Gaz had previously gone ahead to Pakenham with the caravan). A few attempts were made with no luck, as the back of the trailer wedged into the ground as the vehicle attempted to climb over the rise. The last option was to try and weigh the draw bar down, equalising the weight between the vehicle and trailer. So now we were on a dirt embankment between the Monash Freeway and Hoddle Street, with motorist after motorist screaming by with D.Lees perched on the drawbar with the cruiser in 4WD mode near the top of a dirt embankment. Obviously I am not suffering from any weight deprivation issues as we managed to traverse to the other side and eventually back on our way. Special stuff indeed. From there down Punt Road and onto Dandenong Road, where half of the world's traffic lights must exist and almost every 1992 Commodore and Falcon. Sorry boys that we couldn't quite keep up to pace. Our speedo closes off at 160.

Today also saw the return of Ali, whom we collected from the servo at the Dandenong Rd / Chapel St intersection. It's great to have her back.

So another great day for Dave and the team, with many more donations to our great cause, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and wishes of support along the way. Some media commitments today with Channel 7 and radio station 3AW continued to pass the message along about Dave's amazing achievement. Onwards we go............

Race Around Australia fact : After 33 days into Race Around Australia, we have spent a grand total of $38 on campsites. This has been due to the generosity of so many wonderful people and the fact that the majority of our overnight stops have been in rest areas, gravel pits on the side of the road, or basically just anywhere we can find some space to pull over.

Day 32 - ALLY STORMS INTO VICTORIA ON BACK OF 396KM DAY

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Some favourable winds, decent road surfaces, little traffic plus Dave's unrelenting drive saw him achieve a massive 396km day (Thur 13th Oct), bringing us to the tiny village of Yambuk, now just over 300km from Melbourne. Most pleasingly, Dave pulled up with no soreness and doesn't appear to be too fatigued. His weight is also stable at around 64kg and his USG levels are good, indicating he is well hydrated.

The major town we passed through today was Mount Gambier, no time to stop there but the scenery just out of town towards the Victorian border was once again stunning.

Tomorrow will be a tough day, with some decisions to be made about whether to try and work our way through Melbourne in potential peak hour chaos, or re-schedule the day to pull up short, rest and then attack it in the early hours of the following morning when potentailly less traffic will make it a lot easier. We shall continue to monitor as we go through the day.

Race Around Australia fact: Despite Dave having lost 8kg since the start of this trip, he has now stabilised at 64kg. Despite such a low body weight, he eats 4 times as much as the rest of the crew. This indicates the extraordinary amounts of calories he burns each and every day.

Today his diet was:
3xwhite bread toast with butter and vegemite
4xweet bix with honey and full cream milk
200ml orange juice
250ml coffee, 1 sugar, full cream milk
1xcentrum
1xfish oil
2.2litres gatorade
2.7litres water
0.8litres cordial
4xmuesli bars
3xbananas
3xraisin bread
3xham,tomato,lettuce,bettroot,cheese,avocado sandwich
10xmonte carlo biscuits
200ml coffee, sugar, full cream milk
1xpicnic bar
210grams carrot cake
190grams lollies
150grams shapes biscuits
1xmagnum ice cream
4xsports/energy bars
600ml coca cola
6xsausages
250gram mixed vegies
300gram potato
190gram fruit
200gram custard
60gram milo
50gram sustagen
375ml lemonade

For more info, updates and photos, visit Dave on facebook at :
David Alley "Race Around Australia"

Day 31 - ADELAIDE HILLS CONQUERED

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

It loomed as another significant and potentially challenging day today (Wed 12th Oct), with Adelaide and the surrounding hills district looming. Firstly there would be the large volume of traffic to contend with on the northern outskirts of the city, and then the "Adelaide Hills", where Dave (in particular his quads) were sure to receive a huge test. Today also marked one month since we left Crockatt Park, Woody Point, well over 11,000km ago.

The end result was that Dave passed with flying colours, not only brushing aside these obstacles, but then pushing on some 220km south east of Adelaide to the tiny village of Salt Creek, meaning 371km in total was achieved for the day - a great result.

Today we also picked up (again!) Andrew and the ("infamous?") Landrover -again! All appears to be well - for now atleast! Another ex-school mate - Dayman Steptoe came out to visit us in the hills with his camera and flash, taking some teriffic shots as we climbed, descended and wound our way through the hills. Once again the scenery was magnificent; Gumeracha, Tungkillo, Birdwood and Palmer just some of the unique villages we passed through on our way to Murray Bridge. From here it was onto Tailem Bend and finally to the tiny village of Salt Creek. If all goes to plan, tomorrow we will move into Victoria.........

Race Around Australia fact : Dave has cycled through only 25 minutes of rain so far after Day 31, although it did rain through the night on a single occasion in WA when he was not cycling.

Day 30 - FLINDERS RANGES AND BEYOND

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

We have received many donations: online, roadside, cash and cheque.
Please help support our chosen cause, the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
The online facility allows you to leave a personalised message for Dave, which I ensure he is made aware of every day. It really acts as a great spur for him, as well as helping thousands of Aussies in rural, regional and remote Australia.

Have you donated yet?
Please do so and leave a personal message for Dave at:
www.everydayhero.com.au/racearoundaus

Day 30 (Tuesday 11th Oct) brought us a further 359km to just north of Snowtown. It was another "par" day for Dave, with each day like this edging us closer to the right result at the finish line. Today also saw him bring up 11,000km in total since we left Woody Point over 4 weeks ago.

We started to come against a large volume of traffic again, something we had not seen since Perth, and before that Townsville. We had almost forgotten what a traffic light was for, seeing one today in Port Augusta for the first time in what seemed an eternity. We passed by the beautiful Flinders Ranges, and now are positioned just 150km from the city of churches (Adelaide) which we should pass through at about noon tomorrow, where we will also re-join Andrew and a once again "rejuvenated" landrover.

We re-assessed some targets again tonight, with our next aim being Melbourne by mid-Saturday. We continue to chip away....................

Race Around Australia fact : After 30 days and 11,128km of cycling, Dave is yet to puncture a tyre. Go Continental.

Day 29 - STEADY DAY REGAINS CONFIDENCE

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Message from the team Hopefully from now until the finish, we will have more frequent service, allowing updates to be more regular. Internet/phone service has been extremely infrequent to date. I am endeavouring to also respond to as many emails as I can, eventually I aim to get to all of them. I have been blown away by the number that we are receiving on a daily basis. It is simply stunning.
Thankyou for your patience and ongoing support.
I let Dave know about this and it certainly is a terrific boost to him!

Check out the WA news bulletin from 5 days ago: www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150346942983724

Today (Monday 10/10) saw an easing of the treacherous conditions from the previous days work, which we have now put out of our minds and is a thing of the past. By the time we finished, a further 354km was achieved leaving us about 45km west of Kimber, between Ceduna and Port Augusta in SA. Once we reached Ceduna this morning, this saw the end of the Nullabor stretch, a brutal and tough period which tested everyone's resolve and mental strength, let alone Dave's physical stamina.

Unfortunately further problems with the Landrover have left us one vehicle down, with Andrew going onto Port Augusta to try and have some gear issues sorted. The cruiser towed the rover into Penong at 4am this morning, where Andrew then waited for us, before once again putting his mechanical expertise into play to have it up and running again. This however is only a temporary fix, so hopefully within the next 36 hours we will have the confidence to get the rover home to Brisbane.

Dave certainly pulled up on better spirits tonight, feeling relatively fresh for a further onslaught tomorrow. We are now just 506km from Adelaide, which we hope to reach late morning of Wednesday.

We still are about 400km ahead of world record pace, but the Nullabor section shaved some of our advantage away. We realise that with capital cities, hills and large volumes of traffic to come between now and the finish, we have a massive battle ahead to achieve this world record.

Last night I spoke about the need for everyone to find an additional 10% to the 120% they are already giving, to sacrifice 30 minutes sleep of the 4 hours or less we are getting and generally to find whatever it takes to say that we have given it everything we have. We want to return to Brisbane with absolutely nothing physically or mentally left to give, no regrets and no "what ifs".

Day 28 - NIGHTMARE ON NULLABOR

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Today (Sun 9th Oct) we endured the toughest moments we have so far experienced on this challenge. For the first seven hours, Dave struggled to stay on the bike, with his speed dropping to as low as 9km/hr at times. A vicious headwind almost meant that it would have been faster and safer to jump off the bike and walk. This really was a genuine battle, with Dave later conceding to me that there was a time where he wanted to get off and just cry. It was crazy watching him jagging across the road, almost unable to control his bike with the second and third trailers of road trains also swaying quite close to him in the unpredictable gusts of wind.

By early afternoon, we would have been happy to “jag” a 225km day, but the determination and resolve of Dave can never be underestimated, and he somehow found more reserves of inner strength to turn what could have been an absolute disastrous day into a somewhat respectable one, earning 322km. by the close at 11:01pm. By late afternoon the winds calmed and Dave made the most of this, as well as his own mental strength, to fight back.

We have lost some ground over the past 2 days, but the substantial kilometres gained in the early days and weeks still mean that we are some 400km ahead of world record pace.

Day 26 - SHOULDER SORENESS FAILS TO DENT PROGRESS

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

We continued our progress today along the Nullabor, including cycling over Australia's straightest stretch of road (146.6km), with absolutely no bends in this section whatsoever. We also passed over two Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) emergency landing strips (located on the road itself). The Nullabor Plain is probably looking its best in about 20 years, due to the recent rain events. We also had word today of some other crazy folks in these parts, including a guy in a storm trooper outfit raising funds for MS research. It's good to know that there are some other "cases" out there as well!

Some right shoulder soreness started to plague Dave today, possibly from the constant bending over on the tri-bars or possibly reaching around in an unnatural motion to collect food from his back pocket. However, this only seemed to fuel his hunger for kilometres, as he still achieved 388 of these for the day, another remarkable effort given his sore and tired state. When we eventually came to our overnight stopping area, just east of Cocklebiddy Roadhouse, Dave was as fatigued as I have ever seen him, so much so that he almost fell asleep whilst walking from the bike into the van. Nic was able to administer a thorough shoulder treatment, which will hopefully see him wake feeling a little better in the morning.

Day 25 - WE HIT THE NULLABOR

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Another solid day of cycling saw Dave yield 377km, bringing him through the sea-side town of Esperance, north to Norseman and then a major milestone was reached as we then turned east onto the Eyre Highway (Nullabor Plain).

Some further problems today with the Landrover failed to have any impact on Dave's cycling. This time a shot wheel bearing saw some of us on the side of the road about 20km north of Esperance working as quickly as possible to alleviate the problem. Charts was able to stay with Dave in the cruiser whilst this problem was addressed, meaning once again a vehicle problem costed us no lost riding time whatsoever.

Day 24 - 400KM DAY MAINTAINS POSITIVE POSITION

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

From last night's stop west of Albany, today we moved through some more beautiful and varied terrain on the southern tip of WA, eventually coming to our resting stop 5km short of the tiny town of Mungilup. We encountered more hilly terrain throughout the course of the day, but the great thing about cycling up a hill is that eventually you must come down. The 15km/hr speeds can be countered by those approaching 60km/hr. (As much as Dave can and would love to go faster, he is on a 60km/hr speed limit after a fall in our January trial!). The end result was a 400km day for Dave, another outstanding result considering the undulating terrain. In fact, an outstanding result considering any conditions.

After catching up for an interview with an old school friend, Justin Holmes, and now GWN Channel 7 Albany reporter early this morning, we moved through some smaller locations such as Manypeaks, Wellstead (where the friendly store owner donated to the RFDS), Jerramungup, Fitzgerald and Ravensthorpe. Wheat belt country, mixed with mallee country were features.

Today we took the opportunity to perform a basic service and oil change on all three vehicles. After almost 9000km of travel time, obviously this is a necessity for the diesel vehicles which are our support.

Today I discussed more targets with Dave and the team, a crucial ongoing aspect in order to break this huge challenge down into smaller, achievable yet challenging goals. We have targeted Adelaide by the "close of business" (cycling time) next Tuesday 11th September. This equates to 385km a day until this point, a real challenge but one I believe Dave can accommodate. The winds on the Nullabor will hold the key to the success or otherwise of reaching this next goal.

Tomorrow we move onto Esperance, then head north for just over 203km where we will then meet the western end of the Nullabor Plain, which we hope to begin tackling sometime late in the day. Like I previously mentioned, the winds will hold the key. "Westerly" being the key word. Next job now to check the BOM website...............

Day 23 - THE GREAT SOUTH WEST

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

We have just arrived 7kms past Denmark, where we weren't required to produce our visas and Princess Mary must have forgotten her appointment with me. However, this didn't stop Dave punching out another 390km today as we travelled through the beautiful deep south of WA. Atleast I am told it was beautiful, unfortunately most of my time was spent (as it has been for the last 23 days) looking at Dave's bottom through the windscreen of the Landrover.

It was another fine effort, as most of the day was spent climbing hills on sometimes difficult road surfaces. The temperature sat in the early 20's and there was little or no wind, so this certainly worked in Dave's favour. Despite the cool weather, he must still keep a more regular intake of fluid as his USG reading this morning was high.

Today we passed through a number of amazing places, including Bunbury, Donnybrook, Bridgetown, Manjimup, Warpole and Denmark. At Warpole we had a brief glimpse of our 3rd ocean, The Southern Ocean. This followed on from the Pacific and Indian.

Tomorrow we are due to find Albany early in the morning before a north turn to Esperance. Our progress is still smooth and the cooler weather has certainly eased the difficult toll on all of us. Dave continues his relentless march forward, knowing we are making steady progress, but also clearly aware that much more is still to be done.

Day 22 - PERTH SAFELY NEGOTIATED

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

None of us really slept due to the driving rain, cold temperatures and the fact that being parked just metres off Highway One in a heavy roadtrain area isn't conducive to sleeping.

To everyone's credit, we rallied quickly in atrocious conditions this morning to have the main man in the cleats and moving southbound by 6:04am, just 35 minutes after we arose from our flooded overnight rest area.

I was genuinely concerned about what today would bring (or more to the point not bring) as we were heading into the continued southerly winds and then onto Perth, where we would need to be fully focused in order to pass through safely and with some haste.

After the first two hours yielded just 39km, matters weren't looking overly promising. However, how things can quickly change! Daylight brought the winds to a virtual standstill and moved the clouds away, presenting us with a clear sky and temperatures in the early 20's!

Dave picked up the pace quite appreciably and in no time we were on the out-skirts of Perth. It was still a nervous time as we were about to be confronted with the challenges of navigating through a capital city - should sound simple, but with the pressure on, it brought some nervous moments.
Everything was looking good and then - FLAT!! Just 20km from the city the Landrover (where I was preparing for navigation) blew the rear right tyre. (Not even the bike has had a flat yet!) This left Nic in the Landcruiser with Dave and not a precise idea of where to go. Thankfully, Charts and Andrew were on the scene and between the three of us we manged a sub-five minute change. At the risk of sounding boastful, this was a tidy effort considering the location and pressure of the situation. We were back to Dave and still yet to hit the inner suburbs when we caught him - so no time was lost and Dave was actually oblivious to what had just occurred.

We then navigated our way through Perth, a really pleasing milestone proving that our navigation sytems, the PA system attached to the front of the Landrover and our communication processes were up to scratch. This was peace of mind, with the challenges of of three more capital cities and the Gold Coast yet to come.

We finished the day at 10:17pm, 391km from our starting point and just 78km north of Bunbury. A great day, given the multitude of challenges thrown at Dave and the team.

Day 21 - DAY DECISION VINDICATED

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

We finished today at 10:14pm, meaning we have now fully completed the transitioning process back to day-time cycling. Once again, "today" was a slightly shorter "day", cycling for 12 hours, but doing so after only a 4 hour break, which really equated to 2 and a half hours sleeping time.

Today we passed through the beautiful coastal town of Geraldton, where it was a real lift for Dave and the team to see the Indian Ocean. Although there was no time to stop for an actual sample, just the sight of it brought some positivity for us.

The level of hospitality on display for us was again evident in bucket-loads, with free food, water, friendly honks from other motorists and cash donations to the RFDS all abundant.

We ceased cycling for the night on the Brand Hwy at 10:14pm in the pouring rain, the first sign of precipitation we have seen for the entire trip. We hastily placed some makeshift tarps around our sleeping quarters to try and minimise the chances of us getting wet during the night, but I don't like our chances! Atleast our cyclist is warm and dry in the caravan.

The freezing temperatures are now a far cry from just over a week ago, where we endured temperatures on the warmer side of 40 degrees. Our decision to cycle during the day and rest at night has been immediately vindicated with this rapid change in the weather.

Day 20 - TRANSITION BACK TO DAY CYCLING BEGINS

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

As the heat from the daytime sun was now dissipating somewhat and the nights were becoming relatively cold, we have made the decision to transition back to "day" cycling. This wasn't just a snap decision based on today's conditions, but rather a detailed examination into many meteorological events forecoast for the coming days. As a result, only 9 hours of riding was planned for this "day", followed by a short 4 hour break then back into daylight riding.

191km was cycled "today", but it needs to be remembered this only accounted for less than 9 hours of actual "real time" as this transitioning process commenced. We continued down the North West Coastal Hwy to our roadside stop at 6am, near Hutt River.

Day 19 - HALFWAY REACHED TO OUTBACK LASERSHOW AND FIREWORKS!

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Check out the Channel 7 news feature from Karratha on Thursday:

http://au.gwn7.yahoo.com/w1/news/a/-/local/10374074/a-long-ride-for-a-good-cause-video/

As there was some doubt as to whether the Landcruiser would have enough fuel to reach the next roadhouse by the time we passed through, Leesy decided to drive the 110km "down the road" in order to be certain of receiving this necessay commodity. A return trip of about 70km saw him meet up again with Dave and the rest of the crew.

Today was going to prove a significant day for a number of reasons, firstly a major milestone was reached near Milinya Roadhouse as Dave pushed past 7100km and therefore the halfway mark of this epic journey. Some of the locals organised some fireworks and a laserlight show to mark the moment. A really great gesture from some exceptionally generous Aussies.

Night riding again proved a winner, as the winds that were present during the day had disappeared, and this coupled with cool temperatures allowed for hours of comfortable conditions. We travelled past Carnarvon, continuing down the North West Coastal Hwy to our final destination point for the day at Overlanders Roadhouse, pulling in here at 2:19pm on Saturday. It was a lengthy 19 hour session, but an outstanding one for Dave and the crew, with 438km being punched out in reasonably favourable conditions. We are hoping to get some AFL Grand final updates, but the remoteness of our location is proving an obstacle!

We are keeping a plethora of statistics during this journey, in order to both plan future needs for Dave on this trip and as historical interest. One of the truly amazing stats is that Dave is yet to suffer a puncture, after 7300 km of cycling since we commenced in Woody Point almost 3 weeks ago!

We will rest here for 5 hours, before moving onto Geraldton, and if all goes to script, Perth within two days.

Day 18 - A 'PAR' DAY BOOSTS CONFIDENCE

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

We left our roadside stop at 7pm on Thursday feeling a little deflated after the struggles of our previous sojourn into the teeth of a mighty southerly. Matters weren't helped early on as we arose to similar conditions which confronted us just a few hours earlier. This enabled only a moderate start, with Dave working hard in the first three hours to maintain 20km/hr. However, a combination of the neutralisation of the wind and some gutsy, dogged cycling eventually laid the platform for what would turn into a successful day, with 357km being cycled. Given earlier prevailing conditions, this was a result the entire crew was immensely pleased about.

Once again today, we travelled through vast, barren landscape, punctuated by the stunning Sturt Desert Pea and as red-as you-can-possibly-see West Australian soil. We were openly conversing with road train drivers throughout the day on our two-ways, a habit which certainly enhances safety for all concerned and the development of a great rapport with this fantastic group of men and women. We were even pulled over by two drivers who spared some cash for our wonderful cause. Besides this, the only "place" of any note we saw throughout the day was Nanutarra Roadhouse, with a black kelpie appearing to be the only occupant present at the time we passed by. We eventually pulled up 110km north of Minilya Roadhouse at 12:17pm on Friday, with the demons of yesterday now a memory.

Day 17 - SNAILS PACE INTO VICIOUS HEADWIND

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After a midnight departure from our South Hedland caravan park, we endured 13 hours of painstakingly slow progress, with Dave battling hard into an extremely strong, consistent headwind throughout the morning. It was so draining in fact, that we decided it best to pull up early (after 13 hours) as the energy being expended was simply not worth it for the progress being made. A look on the BOM website indicated some chance of  more favourable conditions later in the day, so it was felt the best utilisation of this time off the bike would be for Dave to receive an extended treatment from our travelling musculoskeletal therapist, Nic and then try and get some solid sleep before taking our chances again later on. In total, 252km was achieved, by far our least productive day to date.

Possibly the highlight of today was some inspiring Channel 7 coverage, with local Karratha journalist interviewing Dave from his vehicle. I should be able to provide the link in an upcoming blog.

Day 16 - INNACCURATE WEATHER FORCAST WORKS IN OUR FAVOUR

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

We went to bed yesterday afternoon fully expecting that last night and today, and atleast the next three following would be extremely tough due to the forecasted headwinds. So it was somewhat to our pleasant surprise that we experienced winds from the north east, allowing Dave to make a great start to the day, with his first three hours netting 96km. (average 32km/hr). Although the winds switched around somewhat over the next few hours, they weren't strong enough to have a significant impact one way or the other. Also in our favour were the relatively cooler temperatures. Although they were still in the early 30's, the comfort level was far greater than some days gone by.

As a result, Dave managed a staggering 455km today, which ultimately spanned just short of 20 hours. We had planned to stop 80km north of our final destination, and the crew even had set up camp, cooked a meal and had Dave's ice bath running. But 375km obviously wasn't enough for Dave, so with another burst of wind at his back, he decided to push onto South Hedland (Port Hedland), where we arrived at 5:12pm today. (Wednesday 28th September).

We are now about to try and get a few hours sleep, before being up and prepared and on the bike again by 30 minutes after midnight. Hopefully Dave pulls up well from this epic day and has not "overcooked" himself today. We will know soon enough............

Day 15 - HELLO AND GOODBYE BROOME

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

A long day but another exceptional one for Dave, racking up 398km. He was "gooone" at Broome, 160km ago, and I really thought that would be it for the day, but 25 minutes sleep brought him back to life, where he cycled on into a crunching headwind for a further 6 and a half hours, finishing at 1:44pm on Tuesday 27/9. We cycled into and out of Broome, like we did in Darwin. These are the only two places where we will do this.

5853km in total down, average of 390km a day. Absolutely no complacency, as we are due to hit strong headwinds for atleast the next four days, so we need every km of this advantage now as it's guaranteed to get only tougher.

Day 14 - ANOTHER GRINDING DAY SEES FURTHER SOLID PROGRESS

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Today was really a carbon copy of the last few - limited, broken sleep during the heat of the day followed by Dave fighting hard during the cooler overnight and early morning period to consolidate earlier gains made. After commencing quite late at 7:50pm, today took us further along the barren Great Northern Highway through Fitzroy Crossing and then 158km further west, where we pulled up at "Boab Rest Area" just before midday on Monday 26/9. A total of 377km for the day is another excellent result, ensuring that the km's "in the bank" continues to grow.

We feel we are having a "win" on a couple of fronts - Dave's weight issue seems to have stabilised as we ensure he is taking more food on board - greater quantities of carbs more frequently. He now appears steady at 66kg. Also, we have devised what seems to be a more effective driving roster, allowing crew members more meaningful rest periods and more frequent vehicle and driver rotations. Despite no more additional sleep, most of us did report feeling marginally fresher today. I also believe that our body clocks are adjusting to the rigorous routine necessary to have a good shot at this world record.

From here we are onto Broome - in and out of this portside town, and then the long, long stretch down the west coast of WA begins in earnest.

Day 13 - THE LONG, HOT BATTLE CONTINUES

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Finally, we come back into service, albeit it will be briefly, where I can catch up with everyone on our travels.......

Our “day” commenced at 6:34pm from the junction of the Great Northern / Victoria Highways. Even at the time of departure the temperature was still hovering around 37 degrees, although this was a marked difference from a few hours earlier, where it really was difficult to sleep again. Once again, Dave cycled through the night, with the only real town of note on our journey today being Halls Creek, which we passed through at just after 7am this morning. Our new schedule really is proving to be of great benefit to Dave, as he is able to take advantage of cooler overnight conditions and less traffic. It clearly is taking a far lesser toll on his body, although some concern is that his body weight has dropped fractionally further to 66kg. A couple of short roadside sleeps enabled him to re-charge some weary muscles and punch on to our finishing point about 70km south west of Halls Creek, where we arrived at 12:03pm Sunday 25th September. Here we are again at a roadside stop encountering 40 degree temperatures, meaning that we are likely to go mainly sleepless again. Driver fatigue is becoming a real concern, and it something we are devising a range of strategies to counteract in the days ahead. The “big picture” remains that Dave is still cycling extremely well, and is now over 400km ahead of schedule, a real testament to his focus, determination, physical capability and remarkable mental strength.

We are in a good position, but a long, long way to go where we must be prepared for the inevitable ups and downs which are yet to come. This is only Day 13, and we know that there are still weeks to go until this battle is decided on way or the other………..

Day 12 - INTO WESTERN AUSTRALIA

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

With our “days” now commencing in the late afternoon / evening, it will mean even greater attention to driver fatigue/safety and the need for regular roster changes as we battle wandering stock, overnight roadtrain haulage and of course the inevitable roos, pigs and emus. The main reason for the change however is to allow Dave to ride through the relative cool of the evening, so it will be interesting to see the success (or otherwise) of this new strategy in the coming days.

As I mentioned “today” started with a 6:30pm departure from Victoria River Roadhouse. The path of travel continued along the Victoria Highway through Timber Creek , where we were warned that there could be some problems due to a large funeral that occurred during the day. We were advised that for our safety we should travel through town as a convoy (with Dave cycling between the three support vehicles). During a brief stop just prior to going through town to discuss this, Gaz accidentally “ran over” Dave’s bike, not seeing that it was inadvertently left in front of the vehicle. As you could imagine, we all “rushed” in to see what had happened, with us absolutely certain that the number one bike had cycled its last kilometre. By way of some miracle, there was no damage done whatsoever, and in fact, Dave seemed to pick up the pace for some time after this incident! It really was quite incredible and led me to again reminding the team that someone must take hold of the bike when Dave jumps off at any point. Also, we travelled carefully through town, where there were no signs of trouble due to our arrival. Two massive “let offs” in the space of 20 minutes.

From Timber Creek we passed over the Western Australia border. A quarantine check at the NT/WA border posed no problems, although we did have to dispense of some honey prior to this. So as to not waste anything, Andrew decided that we weren’t going to give anything over to any quarantine inspector, so he therefore took it upon himself to devour half a jar of the remaining honey. He managed this in a 15 minute honey-eating frenzy!  As a result, no honey handover from the Race Around Australia crew at the border!

From here we moved into Kununurra, where we took the opportunity to re-stock some supplies. Our stopping point for this day would come 45km later, on the junction of the Victoria Highway and Great Northern Highway, at a very dusty, hot roadside stop, where once again none of the crew really gained anymore than an hours sleep during the 6 hour “rest”. We are fortunate though to have an air conditioned van and ice bath for Dave, meaning he can gain some valuable recovery time during this hottest part of the day.

Day 11 - NEW SCHEDULE NEEDED

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Due to the oppressive conditions during the middle part of the day, it was decided today that we needed to alter Dave’s cycling schedule. In order to preserve his energy as much as possible, it was determined that he needed to be cycling through the night and morning period, therefore avoiding the 40 degree temperatures that each afternoon was bringing.

Due to the fact that today was going to be the first “day” of this new schedule, it meant that it was always going to be a huge day as we transitioned into this new routine. As a result, today’s cycling was going to be as following – 6:30am to 11:30pm, break until 5:30pm and then cycling through though the night until 11:00am the following morning. This “28 hour day” took us an incredible 506 km back through Katherine and then onto the Victoria Highway to Victoria Park, a roadhouse stop where some of us claimed we had witnessed the most incredible scenery we had ever viewed in Australia. The actual break itself (in the middle of the day) was quite tough for the crew, as  it meant trying to sleep outside in 40 temps, which led to the thought that driver fatigue would eventually become even more of an issue. Thankfully Dave can rest during these times in the airconditioned caravan, meaning he should be as “fresh” as possible for his continued journey the next day.

Day 10 - MOST NORTHERLY POINT REACHED

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Heat, humidity, flies, snakes - we saw it all today (Wed 21/9) as we continued on our way northbound through Katherine, along the Stuart Highway. Temperatures of 39 degrees again took its toll, but this was just the air temperature. 47 degrees was being nudged at Dave's level on the bike. The relentless heat off the black road cannot be underestimated.

Regardless, Dave produced yet another sterling performance of incredible physical and mental proportions, finishing the day in Darwin and covering 392km by 1:37am. Given the prevailing conditions, it could be argued this was his best and gutsiest day yet.

This result means we have reached our initial target of Darwin by the end of 10 days. It also puts Dave over 200km ahead of schedule. Incredibly, no caravan sites were available in Darwin after 7pm, so Gaz did well to find us a "spare block" in town!

Today is also a significant day as we lose Ali, "Dishy" as she will fly back to Brisbane for pre-committed university matters. Dishy is simply superb, her work has been impecable and unwavering. Thankfully we will see her return to us in Adelaide. We will certainly miss the Dish but I am equally sure that Catto will stand up to the test of covering her multitude of roles.

It's also great to confirm that Andrew will remain with us for the duration of the trip. His presence to date has been inspiring, and after many hours of my "arm twisting" I am delighted he can continue. I don't know how we could possibly do this with 2 crew members down, as we are working atleast 20 hour days as it is.

Tomorrow we head out of Darwin, doubling back to Katherine, "chucking a right" and moving towards Western Australia.

Day 9 - GUTSY BATTLE TO BEGIN FIGHT BACK

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Today was going to be a defining moment to gauge how well Dave could recover from a difficult previous day. He was cycling by 6:34am, somewhat later than planned. Once again today we have scheduled 5 hours of cycling before a 3 hour break in the middle of the day. Our target was Dunmarra, just south of the famous Daly Waters on the Stuart Highway by 11:45am. To his credit and absolute determination, Dave cycled beautifully during the cooler morning conditions, in the knowledge that a break and sleep were looming to protect him from the hottest part of the day. He reached the destination 10 minutes ahead of schedule, where he immediately utilised the ice bath, before heading straight to the caravan for 2 hours sleep.
The true "Aussie spirit" was on display again, where the park owner donated a side of beef to the crew, $50 to the RFDS and a really welcoming and encouraging attitude towards us all. We were also delighted and surprised by the presence of a swimming pool, which we certainly took full toll of on our arrival.

Feeling revitalised, Dave awoke at 3pm and was on the saddle 30 minutes later for a 10 hour session north to the final roadside destination, some 30km north of Mataranka and less than 400km from Darwin, which we hope to reach tomorrow. This was a terrific day, with 388km cycled in oppressive conditions, a real testament to Dave's fighting powers.

Once again, we are parked on the side of the highway, no doubt having to contend with the road trains which will make us aware of their presence during the little sleep we may enjoy before a 5:25am rise, just 2 hours from now.

Onwards to Darwin tomorrow - if successful we will have achieved our goal of reaching this destination by the end of day 10 - and therefore placing us about 200km ahead of world record schedule............can Dave do it?........

Day 8 - FORCED TO DIG DEEP

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Soaring temperatures, a strong headwind and increasing humidity added up to a tough day on the bike today for Dave. Having said this, he still managed a 315km day, one which most people can only dream about, but one which is "under par" in terms of the minimum average required for this world record tilt. In our favour was the many km we have previously had "over par" on each of the preceeding 7 days, meaning we are still considerably ahead of schedule

Due to the previous days high temperatures, and forecast of hot days ahead in the Northern Territory, we decided today to have a break for 3 hours between 12-3pm, and then cycle later into the night, to take advantage of the cooler conditions. How this would work in reality we were not too sure, as it meant protecting Dave from the harshest part of the day, but could he then sleep during this time off? Hopefully the airconditioned caravan would assist. Then of course there would be less sleeping time ahead that night as we would ride well into the night. How would this impact on the following few days? With several hot days forecast, we decided to trial this new format for a few days at least.

Day 8 saw us travel from Frewana rest area, 45km north of the Barkley Homestead to another roadside stopping area 45km south of Elliott. An important juncture was met early afternoon, with us reaching the Stuart Highway just north of Tennant Creek at the "Threeways". This is also a significant landmark as the John Flynn Memorial (founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service) is here. This was the spot where we had an afternoon break of 3 hours. An icebath and sleep for Dave ensured a better 2nd half of the day, after he really battled during the first period. Dave's weight has dropped 3kg to 67.2kg in the past two days as the heat and humidity takes its toll.

The whole team was given a great boost at 10:30pm, when 20 campers at "Banka Banka" (everyone at the campsite) came out roadside and formed two lines for Dave to cycle through. They donated a combined $180 to the RFDS. This is just a tiny isolated campsite north of Threeways. This came about after Ali was talking to a camper there who then decided to gather some support, both morally and financially. This was just another example of the awe-inspiring road side support we have gained during the first part of this journey.

We were asleep by 2:30am after a really tough, sapping day of cycling, with the hope that Dave can re-group tomorrow.

Day 7 - INTO THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

The two "missing" crew members (Lees and Charter) did indeed make it back to the rest of the team from Townsville with a ready-to-go-again Land Rover just in time for Dave's departure point this morning, 120km west of Mt Isa. We were pleased to catch up after we were challenged by roos, pigs and cattle overnight. We organised a surprise for Dave, flying our mate Andrew Abrahams up from Brisbane to join us for a few days until we reach Darwin. The vehicle belongs to Andrew and we are so fortunate as he was able to organise a friend of his, who happens to be a Land Rover mechanic to sort the issue in Townsville. We "planted" Andrew up the road ahead of Dave, and here he was uni-cycling up the Barkly Highway with a trenchcoat and floppy white hat on, so as to be unrecognisable to Dave.
The shock Dave received when he realised who it was was priceless! He told me later in the day that he thought he was hallucinating when he first saw Andrew. But this really did provide a pleasant surprise and a great psychological boost, not only for Dave, but the rest of the team.

Today we crossed our first border, from QLD into the Northern Territory. It proved a challenging day, with the temperature recorded at 39.5degrees just after 1pm. Dave's USG levels indicated some dehydration, so it is critical that fluid intake is adjusted accordingly to counter such conditions. A few more rest stops were taken through the day, fortunately Gaz located some shady rest areas along the Barkly Highway which provided some respite.

Despite some fatigue, Dave battled on manfully throughout the day, and as I complete this blog from the Barkly Homestead at 11:03pm, he has registered 346km for the day, with the aim of cycling an further 55km to the next rest stop, meaning 401km will be the final total, assuming all goes to plan for the next couple of hours or so. It will be a very long day, but one he should be very proud of given the oppressive conditions and a degree of soreness.

**I complete this blog before the end of the day's cycling as there is likely to be no service at our overnight stop. (D.Lees, Sunday 18th September, 11:09pm)

Day 6 - WELCOME TO ROADTRAINS!

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

After departing Julia Creek Caravan Park, the crew continued to head in a westerly direction through a number of small rural QLD towns. It was a real "spur" to see people come out to the roadside to give Dave and the team a cheer. We continued to receive donations for our cause, the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Temperatures started to warm somewhat today, and this is obviously accentuated from the black of the road surface. Dave travelled steadily through Cloncurry and then onto Mount Isa, where he encountered his only real undulating surface of the day. After 367km of cycling for the day, the team pulled up at a large "space" at an unknown farmers front gate, some 120km west of "The Isa". Today many roadtrains were encountered, which will obviously present their challenges over the next few weeks.

Leesy and Charts experienced an "adventure" too detailed to mention here, but were able to drive the repaired Landrover (with our new crew member and vehicle owner) Andrew Abrahams the "catch up" 1070km, travelling overnight in an effort to re-join the crew by the start of day 7.

Day 5 - MOVING INTO RURAL QUEENSLAND

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

After four magnificent days, Dave enjoyed a sleep-in, commencing cycling today at 7am. Today's route was west, west and then a bit more west. Once again, easterly winds were present enabling some riding relief. This, in combination with the flat terrain and generally good road surface enabled speeds touching 50km/hr at times, especially just west of the small village of Richmond. 369km was reached for the day at Julia Creek at 8:14pm, and it was decided that this was enough for the day - another day above "par". This has given Nic some time to provide Dave with a solid musculoskeletal treatment and for all to have a good nights sleep in the luxury of a caravan park.

Charts and I have returned to Townsville with the landrover as the repairs couldn't be done in Charters Towers. The guys at Tony Ireland Holden in Charters Towers today were simply superb in helping us to coordinate repairs. Also thanks to the legendary Andrew Abrahams who has come to the fore again, whose vast array of contacts and generosity have ensured that a mechanic has been summonsed to commence work early in the morning to sort the issue. We are confident of being back on the road by mid afternoon where we will then embark on a 1000 km journey to reach Dave and the rest of the crew ASAP - hopefully 2-3am ish Sunday morning. I think another approach to Red Bull is in order for sponsorship.

The rest of the crew are doing an amazing job keeping everything "normal" with Dave - Gaz, Reg, Nic and Ali are obviously going above and beyond with driving duties and covering a lot of extra duties to cover for Charts and myself. My constant telephone conversations with all crew members indicate that spirits are still very high and we are working exceptionally hard to overcome the multitude of challenges that are been thrown at us, which is really no different to ever since the concept of Race Around Australia was born some 18 months ago.

On to Mount Isa and beyond tomorrow.

Day 4 - WESTWARD BOUND

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Today (15th September) was looming as a significant psychological day for Dave as it likely meant that he would reach the Flinders Highway just south of Townsville, therefore leaving the Bruce Highway and its large traffic volume behind. We initially targeted this point as a destination to reach by the end of day 4, so achieving this by noon certainly exceeded expectations. From this point Dave traversed in a south west direction for some time before reaching Charters Towers. A short break and a trusty ice bucket for his feet ensured he was somewhat refreshed for the evening stint. From here he moved along to the tiny village of Pentland, where we actually stayed on the ten day trial conducted in April. The final resting spot for day 4 was a truckstop, some 20km east of Torrens Creek. In total, Dave managed another inspiring day of cycling, with a total of 417km achieved. This means we are almost 200km "above par" at this given point in time.

On another note, Charts and myself are actually holed up in Charters Towers, after a frustrating day dealing with the radiator resevoir on the Landrover Defender. After getting some basic repair work carried out in Townsville to stop a minor leak, the mechanic failed to replace the cap on the resevoir (arrrghhhh!), which we noticed some 38km later after realising the temperature gauge climbing. Hours were spent on the side of the highway, where a good mate of ours Andrew Abrahams was able to ask a friend of his, Bill Baille from Townsville to bring a replacement cap to us. What two amazing men! All appeared well to just west of Charters Towers, where the gauge again rose and we lost some water from the resevoir, so we made a decision to return to town in order to find a mechanic first thing next day.

The only thing that matters of course though is that Dave is cycling very well and the other two support vehicles and crew members are with him and have all supplies needed to help him forge ahead on day 5.

Day 3 - FINE PROGRESS UP THE BRUCE HIGHWAY

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

Another cold morning greeted the team upon commencement this morning, but to our advantage, the southerly winds from the previous day remained Dave's companion. There was some speculation about how he would "pull up" this morning, given his massive 439km effort yesterday. Thankfully, no soreness or stiffness was evident and he reported in as fresh and raring to forge ahead. Today's journey took us through Sarina and then onto Mackay, where we were greeted in town by Channel 7 who, due to a scheduled short rest break, were able to conduct an interview with Dave.

Onto Proserpine where Dave's cousin, John Eakin was able to come out and wish him well. Again today we received several road-side donations, which certainly help to keep spirits high for all of the crew.

The most fortunate part of the day came during a short break just north of Bowen, where D.Lees' laptop survived atleast 20 seconds on the landrovers bonnet at 30km/hour! After returning to the vehicle, I failed to locate the computer inside, only to look at the bonnet of the then moving vehicle to spot it! Thankfully the very calm stopping powers of Charts averted one "rendered useless" machine! Hopefully some sort of good omen.

The day's cycling ceased at a rest area in Gathungra, some 398km from our morning departure point. It was another day where Dave has excelled, completing well over our "par" daily distance of 350km required to create a new world record. Our overnight destination is 45km north of Bowen, with Townsville beckoning tomorrow before we point the front of the bike westwards..........

Day 2 - A PB ACHIEVED

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

After a bitterly cold night (by QLD standards), Dave pushed off at 5:57am to continue northbound on the Bruce Highway. Upon my morning weather research through the trusty BOM website, we were excited by the prospect of moderate southerly winds and a top forecast temperature of 24 degrees. Indeed the expected conditions came to fruition, allowing Dave to produce a new personal "PB" of a mighty 439km for the day, the highest distance he has ever recorded in a single day of cycling, including training and previous trials. A truly wonderful effort, and more impressive as he maintained good form throughout his 17 hour, 13 minute day. This brought us to a free camp, 170km north of Rockhampton, 130km south of Sarina at 11:10pm. It was a terrific day, but we must also be aware of not "overcooking" too early. We await to see how Dave responds in the morning..............

Day 1 - OFF TO A FLYER!

UPDATES FROM: racearoundaustralia.com.au

The months of planning and preparation are finally over as Race Around Australia commenced today from Crockatt Park, Woody Point. At 8:04am cyclist Dave Alley, supported by his travelling crew, commenced  their epic world record attempt.
We were overwhelmed by support from family, friends, sponsors, local council, Redcliffe Rotary Club and PCYC and a strong media contingent. Donations continued to grow, including a one-off total of $5000! We were inspired with well-wishers on the side of the road and people who travelled well over 100km to present us with donations and offer words of support.
Dave set a cracking pace, reaching Gin Gin by the close of the day, with 351km travelled at a highly impressive average of 29km/hr. To put this in perspective, only 12 hours of riding time were completed today due to our launch. To create a new world record, this distance needs to be covered over 15 hours of cycling per day, so the feat on the opening day is indeed one which inspires confidence.
Well done Dave, the team and all of those terrific supporters!