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Follow the CFC team and event participants as they tackle physically challenging events to raise funds and awareness for Eagles Wings.
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Day 1. Challenge for Change
Riders woke up this morning to drizzling rain and very cold conditions. Nerves were on edge and excitement was evident. The navigators had practised their run out of Christchurch so the day started smoothly. There was quite a long, flat stretch
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Day Six: Strahan to Ouse
The day that had to happen.
It finally came around, the BIG day that everyone knew was coming. Many were hoping that they had somehow missed it, yet here it is, the ride from Strahan to the little town of Ouse. 213kms of back breaking riding. 213kms of massive hills, a total of 3000mts to be climbed. And did Tassie turn on brilliant summer weather, 213kms in 30 degree heat. Yes the day had arrived and everyone was packed and away early.
The big climb out of Queenstown provided some spectacular views. A pleasant distraction for our cyclist. This was early in the day and our riders could appreciate the vistas as they rounded each bend. This is Tasmania and whether you ride there is one view after another. From the vistas to the idyllic scenery. Yet as the day wore on the road got longer, the hills became higher, the legs became weary and the views were missed as each cyclist concentrated on the road ahead. Each stroke of the peddle, each grind of the wheel brought them closer to their destination and our home for the night.
Tonight we are sleeping in the hall of Ouse primary school. The parents of the school children have provided dinner which was waiting as each team rode in. A very welcome sight and a very fine spread. Both teams arrived very weary. Team Twenty Seven arrived after nine hours in the saddle. A gutsy effort by some very tired riders and team captain Andrew, an experienced rider was extremely proud of his team. He told them that as armature riders, some that have never experienced this style of riding, they performed extremely well. Even though they day had been tough and a lot of them were hurting, they stayed together as a team.
Team Twenty put in the gutsiest effort ever. They rode for twelve hours and arrived in Ouse just as the sun had gone down. The day had been long and the pain very real. The commitment and the effort these guys and girls put in was beyond amazing. Team captain Andy made the comment these riders are ordinary mums and dads (plus a few younger ones), social riders who have put in one of the biggest days in the history of Eagles Wings rides. AND every single one of them rode the whole way. No hoping in the support vehicle when the legs were ready to give in, they rode through the pain and made it to the end. Team captain Andy did a stellar job of encouraging the team to the end. To his credit, he fostered a team spirit that lead to each team member encouraging and supporting each other. The team rode into Ouse strongly, finding that second wind. Each team member thanked Andy for his leadership and said that this was the best day ever. Amazing, the best day ever was the one that produced the most pain. This is a day they will remember. This is the day that changed then as a cyclist. This is the day that brought them closer to the kids in Zambia. This is the day they conquered Tasmania.
Ouse school have been very hospitable. They invited us to give a presentation about Eagles Wings and we were able to explain to the school children how some children in Africa were not able to go to school and often had no food to eat. The school had a free dress day as a fund raiser and raised enough money to educate on child in Zambia for a whole year. Thank you Ouse Primary school.
If you think our riders are doing it tough for the children in southern Africa, then please donate to Eagles Wings. If you are reading this blog on the Challenge For Change website, please click on the donate Tab and donate on-line. If you are reading the blog on Facebook then please follow the links back to the Challenge For Change site to make your donation. Challenging events for changing lives.
It finally came around, the BIG day that everyone knew was coming. Many were hoping that they had somehow missed it, yet here it is, the ride from Strahan to the little town of Ouse. 213kms of back breaking riding. 213kms of massive hills, a total of 3000mts to be climbed. And did Tassie turn on brilliant summer weather, 213kms in 30 degree heat. Yes the day had arrived and everyone was packed and away early.
The big climb out of Queenstown provided some spectacular views. A pleasant distraction for our cyclist. This was early in the day and our riders could appreciate the vistas as they rounded each bend. This is Tasmania and whether you ride there is one view after another. From the vistas to the idyllic scenery. Yet as the day wore on the road got longer, the hills became higher, the legs became weary and the views were missed as each cyclist concentrated on the road ahead. Each stroke of the peddle, each grind of the wheel brought them closer to their destination and our home for the night.
Tonight we are sleeping in the hall of Ouse primary school. The parents of the school children have provided dinner which was waiting as each team rode in. A very welcome sight and a very fine spread. Both teams arrived very weary. Team Twenty Seven arrived after nine hours in the saddle. A gutsy effort by some very tired riders and team captain Andrew, an experienced rider was extremely proud of his team. He told them that as armature riders, some that have never experienced this style of riding, they performed extremely well. Even though they day had been tough and a lot of them were hurting, they stayed together as a team.
Team Twenty put in the gutsiest effort ever. They rode for twelve hours and arrived in Ouse just as the sun had gone down. The day had been long and the pain very real. The commitment and the effort these guys and girls put in was beyond amazing. Team captain Andy made the comment these riders are ordinary mums and dads (plus a few younger ones), social riders who have put in one of the biggest days in the history of Eagles Wings rides. AND every single one of them rode the whole way. No hoping in the support vehicle when the legs were ready to give in, they rode through the pain and made it to the end. Team captain Andy did a stellar job of encouraging the team to the end. To his credit, he fostered a team spirit that lead to each team member encouraging and supporting each other. The team rode into Ouse strongly, finding that second wind. Each team member thanked Andy for his leadership and said that this was the best day ever. Amazing, the best day ever was the one that produced the most pain. This is a day they will remember. This is the day that changed then as a cyclist. This is the day that brought them closer to the kids in Zambia. This is the day they conquered Tasmania.
Ouse school have been very hospitable. They invited us to give a presentation about Eagles Wings and we were able to explain to the school children how some children in Africa were not able to go to school and often had no food to eat. The school had a free dress day as a fund raiser and raised enough money to educate on child in Zambia for a whole year. Thank you Ouse Primary school.
If you think our riders are doing it tough for the children in southern Africa, then please donate to Eagles Wings. If you are reading this blog on the Challenge For Change website, please click on the donate Tab and donate on-line. If you are reading the blog on Facebook then please follow the links back to the Challenge For Change site to make your donation. Challenging events for changing lives.
Day Five; Wilmot to Strahan
A warm-up for the big day ahead.
A big day today. The largest ride so far and the second largest day on the trip. The big one is tomorrow. Today was 167kms and one very big, unrelenting hill.
We left early after staying overnight in the local school. As usual TeamTwenty Seven were the first to leave followed very soon after by Team Twenty. Both teams made it safely into Strahan, intact. No accidents, no slipped chains and only two punctures. Of course Team Twenty Seven where the first home and after a long day in the saddle, Team Twenty were only a couple of hours behind. Both teams looked good as the rode in formation into Strahan and down to our digs for the night. Twenty Seven captain made the comment that a few people in the team where suffering. Jodie corrected him by saying that they are not suffering. They may be in pain but they were not suffering. The children in southern Africa are suffering. Over devotions this morning Reid made a comment about a reoccurring theme of hope. The funds we raise, as well as bringing the plight of these vulnerable children to the people we meet along the ride, brings hope for a better future for these children. A hope that can be passed on down the generations to their own children in years to come.
We are camped overnight in community recreation hall. A rustic hall with one big open space. All in together, bikes, beds, snorers and non-snorers as we go to bed early for the big day ahead. A ride over the mountain range as we head back to Hobart.
A big day today. The largest ride so far and the second largest day on the trip. The big one is tomorrow. Today was 167kms and one very big, unrelenting hill.
We left early after staying overnight in the local school. As usual TeamTwenty Seven were the first to leave followed very soon after by Team Twenty. Both teams made it safely into Strahan, intact. No accidents, no slipped chains and only two punctures. Of course Team Twenty Seven where the first home and after a long day in the saddle, Team Twenty were only a couple of hours behind. Both teams looked good as the rode in formation into Strahan and down to our digs for the night. Twenty Seven captain made the comment that a few people in the team where suffering. Jodie corrected him by saying that they are not suffering. They may be in pain but they were not suffering. The children in southern Africa are suffering. Over devotions this morning Reid made a comment about a reoccurring theme of hope. The funds we raise, as well as bringing the plight of these vulnerable children to the people we meet along the ride, brings hope for a better future for these children. A hope that can be passed on down the generations to their own children in years to come.
We are camped overnight in community recreation hall. A rustic hall with one big open space. All in together, bikes, beds, snorers and non-snorers as we go to bed early for the big day ahead. A ride over the mountain range as we head back to Hobart.
Day 4: Meeting Annie
Today the cyclists enjoyed a lovely incline out of town, knowing that the remainder of the day was fairly flat. As we were unable to enter the school at Wilmot until 3:15pm, the cyclists took it easy, enjoyed each others' company, the teams engaged in a bit of friendly rivalry.
This morning's devotional message centred around the combination of faith and works, and it was encouraging for me to reflect upon the combination that is so evident in the participants on this journey - they are doing something remarkable out of faith for those less fortunate then themselves.
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Day Three: St Helens to Launceston
Our First Big Day
The Tassie Challenge, Challenge For Change, challenging events changing lives. Our first big in the field saw a challenge and the challenge was met. For our first time riders there was some trepidation at the beginning of the day. Yet, words of encouragement sent them off with a lot of hope and determination. Before we left for the day we looked at perseverance in the face of suffering. Our riders new that they would suffer through today yet waiting for them at the end of the road was a hot shower, a filling dinner and a warm bed. We were asked to imagine our friends in Zambia and to consider their perseverance in the face of suffering.
Both our teams excelled in today's ride. They both came in on time and intact. No hopping in cars for our riders. Every hill was overcome. So what was this big day. 164 km and climbed 2500mts. Team Twenty Seven averaged 24km/h and Team Twenty averaged 19.5km/h.
Challenging events changing lives. We are riding to change the lives of vulnerable children in Southern Africa. I thing the lives of some of our riders have changed today.
The Tassie Challenge, Challenge For Change, challenging events changing lives. Our first big in the field saw a challenge and the challenge was met. For our first time riders there was some trepidation at the beginning of the day. Yet, words of encouragement sent them off with a lot of hope and determination. Before we left for the day we looked at perseverance in the face of suffering. Our riders new that they would suffer through today yet waiting for them at the end of the road was a hot shower, a filling dinner and a warm bed. We were asked to imagine our friends in Zambia and to consider their perseverance in the face of suffering.
Both our teams excelled in today's ride. They both came in on time and intact. No hopping in cars for our riders. Every hill was overcome. So what was this big day. 164 km and climbed 2500mts. Team Twenty Seven averaged 24km/h and Team Twenty averaged 19.5km/h.
Challenging events changing lives. We are riding to change the lives of vulnerable children in Southern Africa. I thing the lives of some of our riders have changed today.
Day Two: Swansea to St Helens
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to St Helens
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Day One Photos
The photos from day one of the Challenge For Change, Tassie Challenge can now be seen on Facebook. Click here. If you see a photo of family or a friend, please leave a comment.
Day One: Hobart to Swansea
And now the fun begins.
A lot of first time riders have joined Challenge For Change this year. All were champing at the bit to be away and onto the road. Lots of stretching. Adjustments made to bikes. A few laps of the car park to warm up the muscles. And then they were off. Twenty nine riders hit the road and headed north leaving beautiful Hobart behind. Our riders are split between two teams. Our experienced riders are in Team Twenty Seven and will average 27kph. Team Twenty will average 20kph. Team Twenty Seven left first, eager to be on the road and were cheered on by the rest of the Challenge For Change crew. Ten minutes later Team Twenty were away, again with a big cheer.
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Pre-Ride: Brisbane to Hobart
Check out the pre-ride blog video here!
Hobart: Pre-ride.
The long ride to Hobart.
Some would think this day would never come. For others it came around too quickly. Hands up, who only packed their bag late last night? Months of planning. Months of training. The launch of Challenge for Change at the Solstice Challenge in June. The Mountain Challenge two weeks ago. Packing bags, checking gear, all have led to this day.
The launch of the Tassie Challenge was at 6:30am at Southbank in Brisbane. A sumptuous breakfast at the Point restaurant was enjoyed by the riders and their families and then at 8:00am on to the bus and off to the airport. Bikes packed carefully into boxes were loaded onto to two separate flights, along with the rest of the crew. So mid afternoon and here we are in Hobart
Two of our "Generals" arrived yesterday to get things ready for our "Road Warriors". Collecting vehicles, preparing our first nights accommodation, shuttle bus to the airport and all the last minute details that always crop up. Well done and thank you. I was lucky to go for a nice drive into the city to pick up one of our hire vehicles. Took in the scenery on the drive in and did not get lost on the way back. Thank you also to the hard working team that have spent months putting in the hard yards to get us to Hobart. We are staying tonight at the Citywide Baptist Church in Mornington. As I type, our cyclists and crew are relaxing in preparation for the start of the big ride that starts tomorrow. 1000kms riding around beautiful Tasmania and back to Hobart next week.
Letting go of the handlebars
So, here we are, five days out from The Tassie Challenge. I spend the majority of my time at the moment fluctuating between excitement, sheer terror, panic and rationality. The latter, sadly, doesn’t get much of a look-in.
There’s not much that I enjoy more than being out on my bike. After the ride in 2009 from Brisbane to Canberra, I would not have said that. I was ready to sell the bike, thankful for the life-changing, muscle-crunching, friendship-building adventure, but fairly sure I’d done the job. I was ready to commit to supporting Eagles Wings in a less outrageous way.
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It's all about the bike.....somewhat....
Okay, straight up, I am not a bike nerd. I really enjoy riding, but I know very little about bikes. I am embarrassed to say this. If you ride for long enough you will hear loads of bike jargon that seemingly everyone knows but you! Sometimes I try to bluff my way through while I think, “I have no idea what you are talking about.” Second to this, most people that ride with me are really disturbed at my bike’s condition. I don’t clean it. At times it gets confiscated and cleaned for me. This is something I need to work on. But I think it is important that you understand this.
So, when it came to the question of the bike that I’ll be using for this record attempt, I had to hand it over to the experts to assist in making this decision, whilst I only conveyed my big picture concerns of the balance between speed and comfort. Originally, I thought I would be able to take three different bikes for different conditions (hills, flats, off-road/road works), until Guinness World Records team stipulated the use of only one commercially available bike, with no modifications for the whole journey. Hence, this was one of the biggest decisions about the journey for me to make. If the bike is fast, but extremely uncomfortable, I will fail. If it is extremely slow and comfortable, I will fail. Either way, it would do my head in.
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AUSSIE CHALLENGE
CYCLING 400km PER DAY · 35 DAYS · 14,100km · FOR CHILDREN IN POVERTY
WE WERE ONLY SEVEN DAYS BACK FROM OUR 5500KM RIDE THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN AFRICA, BUT APPARENTLY SEVEN DAYS WAS ENOUGH TIME FOR ONE OF OUR CO-RIDERS (TIM) TO EMAIL ME THROUGH THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR RIDING AFRICA TOP TO BOTTOM FOR A 'SOLO UNASSISTED RIDE' (NO SUPPORT TEAMS OR VEHICLES) FROM CAIRO (EGYPT) TO CAPE TOWN (SOUTH AFRICA). HE WAS CURIOUS TO SEE HOW OUR RIDE COMPARED.
Becoming Launnies.....
Today we drove from Hobart to Launceston via the Nile, Perth, Lewisham and Cleveland, which left Graham and I wondering where on earth we were! We stopped at a lovely coffee shop in Campbelltown. Apparently it's not en route for cyclists but Graham seems to think that it's not too far out of the way for the support crew.....
At 10am we met Pastor Jeff McKinnon and the folks at City Baptist Church, who are kindly putting during the ride's Launceston stopover. Great people, great place, and we've roped Nigel in for a day's cycling between Launceston and Wilmot. Plenty of extreme sleeping options for Big A.
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Navigating changes
When Challenge for Change started planning The Tassie Challenge ten months ago, we were running fairly blindly. I spent hours talking to strangers from churches I'd found on Google, or to people that others had referred me to. This morning, Graham and I started a planning trip to find out exactly what we had planned, and what 27 cyclists and 18 support crew members have signed up for.
The trip started well. Looking out the plane window, we could only see a few hills, none of which had roads on them. Too easy? After (mostly) successfully navigating Hobart's one-way streets, we checked out our Hobart accommodation (see Facebook for photos), gave out some brochures to strangers and visited our proposed finishing point. The trip has already proven to be worthwhile, as we discovered that the aforementioned finishing point was at the top of a whopping great hill. Eager to keep the cyclists on side, we checked out alternative options. Cascade brewery, anyone?
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The Solstice Challenge: 9 Hours of Riding - one BIG effort!
The siren sounded. It was 7 minutes past 7am and around 70 cyclists began their epic challenge to see our far they could ride in 9 hours – to change the lives of Zambian children.
On the 11th of June Challenge for Change (CFC) kicked off their first official fundraiser for Eagles Wings, “The Solstice Challenge”. The CFC group had decided to hold an event that would challenge all participants, regardless of whether they were semi-professional speedsters or a part time cycling hack. The Holden Driving Centre was an ideal venue with a flat 1.6km circuit that allowed participants and supporters to view the competing cyclists. Cyclists had a choice to ride as individuals, pairs or teams of four.
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Introducing Challenge for Change
Things are about to get exciting as Challenge for Change begins in 2012.
Challenge for Change is an initiative of Eagles Wings Australia and our Mission Statement sums up our purpose and hopes. But as with everything in life there is a starting point, an idea, a thought or a dream, a sudden light bulb moment. Or there is a challenge that is overcome that creates something beautiful, something inspirational. Sometimes something that brings hope starts out as a hopeless situation. So it is with Eagles Wings’ new initiative, Challenge for Change.
...- $795,000
- Raised since 2008
- 9
- Countries cycled
- 479
- Participants
- 34,700
- Kilometres cycled