I would like to take you back to December 1973, its a Thursday night around 7:30 pm, I change the TV channel to BBC 1 as the show that everyone watched and is responsible for making Britain Great is about to start – yes its Top of the Pops. I’m six years old and the song that changed history is about to be televised, played by a Brummie rock band, a song that is synonymous with the most wonderful time of the year and to set the scene for Day 1 of 1000ks 4 Kids – I give you SLADE
Before the go through the first day I will outline last nights events. Team CSA are a finely tuned cycling machine, can’t play range golf but we can cycle, to team build we all head back to Cabin 12 where a few cheeky pints are consumed, AFL is on the TV and discussions are happening. As the night draws to a close I’m sharing a room with Dishy but I have to admit at 2 AM I thought I was sleeping next to Darth Vader, bloody hell he goes from Darth Vader to a rhino ransacking the joint. That brings me onto another one of my team mates.
I thought he was a cockney but he’s a Skippy who does not shut up, I recon he has been sponsored by some cod liver oil manufacture. He must be as his jaw needs lubrication as the bloody thing doesn’t stop, seriously I think he breaths throught his backside as he doesn’t even stop to draw breath. The only time he didn’t talk since I have met him was when he was hitting a golf ball.
Today’s plan as the Legends cycle from Helensvale to Murwillimbah.
- Get up at 5 in the AM!
- Breakfast done by 06:15
- Start rolling at 06:30.
- Flats out of BRIZVEGAS
- Inclines to Bochow Park in the Numinbah Valley – lunch.
- Hill climbs to the NSW boarder.
- Downhill to Dungay –Primary School visit
- Roll into Murwillimbah.
The elevation map of the route where yellow is GOOD and red is cheeky INCLINES.
How did the Legends fair on Day 1 of 1000ks for Kids – pretty damn well my global audience, pretty damn well. Here’s how it panned out. I got up at 5 AM but Team CSA were all ready at it in the single toilet off loading unwanted payloads, every one got ready, then it happens every one stops as it needs to be done, like some kind of ritual, synchronized application of ozzie butt cream begins, no one talked about it it just happened – a sight to behold. The necessities out of the way then down to packing and dragging your hold all to the Arc without looking like you are transporting a dead body. Into the entertainment centre where the table tennis table is being used to support the masses of Vegimite jars (not sure of the collective noun so I will carry on) I have a couple of freshly made pancakes washed down with some breakfast juice then have a go at a bacon & egg butty. Sorted and I make my way to the starting line to start the 1000ks 4 Kids.
We set off and navigated the morning traffic and the Constipation is cooking with gas and we hit the flats and it just happened. I’m minding my own business at the back of the Constipation with only a few Yellow Jerseys and Fairy King, they’re banging on about it and the British bulldog in me had had enough. Blah, blah, blah Steve Smith
Editorial Censorship: Steve ‘bloody 211’ Smith.
Respect is due but when it interferes with your cycling and you miss a gear, descend into a Death Dive (yes another one) taking all my experience to gracefully land on the grass verge with only a small amount of claret split – you have to ask questions. I pick myself up, dust myself off and chase back to the Constipation and continue, we roll into the Bochow Park where I admit this is truly God’s Own Country the vista was breathtaking. Fueled we head out to Murwillimbah but some plonker, well mother nature, has put a sneaky 10% incline in our way which was character building right after lunch but we got through it crossing the board into NSW and a brilliant decent where the view were great, remembering to break front and back so my pads don’t overheat and pop my tires – keeping it real.
We make a detour to Dungay Primary School and this is where I get it now about what Camp Quality does. We are rolling through sugar beat fields with a head wind and with 500m to go you can hear kids cheering and clapping, we turn into a grass gate to the school and the kids are clapping us in, we dismount and they run up to us high fiving and introducing themselves, it was emotional and mind blowing at the same time. The kids showed us to the BBQ and we refuel and sit back and watch the puppet show. I get it now I really do its was amazing to see and to experience the primary school kids just having fun but being educated about Cancer at the same time. Laughter is the best medicine, the kids loved it, my first puppet show and it was brilliant and a rural school of 84 kids donated $300. They clapped us out of the School, something I will not forget and we headed to the Hotel – DAY 1 of 1000ks 4 Kids was done, nine to go.
Finally, Day 1 for your visual pleasure.
Badger & Batbottom 