The good, the bad and the ugly… my overview of A2B4C number 3!

Leg 1.  I would call my crew on this leg “The Perfectionists”.  It was nice to get out of the flooded areas of New South Wales and into some crystal clear waters of QLD.  My favourite days on this leg were the two day paddles near Frazer Island and then from Hervey Bay to Bundaberg.  Paddling with sharks, dugongs, whales, turtles, crocodiles and so on is just a buzz.  The best town that I stayed at would of been Point Elliot, Bundaberg.  The hardest day of this leg was probably the shortest when I cycled on the horrid Bruce Highway from Gin Gin to Seventeen Seventy.

Leg 2.  I have to call this crew “The Entertainer’s”.  Starting at Longreach and finishing at Broome, it was going to be a long 21 days.  We laughed our way across two states and one territory, staying in some very dusty places.  My favourite day was the hardest in this leg and that was paddling with 40,000 croc’s across Lake Argyle and into the upper Ord River.  My fondest memories during this leg was swimming in Edith Falls and lounging in the thermal springs at Mataranka.

Leg 3a.  These guys are remembered as “The Surprise Package”.  One thing I loved about this leg from Broome to Kalgoorlie was the way the support crew worked together.  We saw really remote areas of Australia with long stretches of isolated coastline and vast sandy areas at the back of the Great Sandy Desert.  My favourite day was paddling along 80 mile beach with my son Tim and Billy Wall in the support boat.  This part of our country is extremely special.

Leg 3b.  This crew was the “TLC’s”.  With the first two girls on tour we all received some TLC and some extremely tasty food.  We experienced the long straights of the bottom of WA and SA.  The landscape changed every day and the land was very healthy from recent storms.  We were all blown away at the head of the bite in SA with the whales nursing their young so close to the land.  I couldn’t believe how great the pastured areas of SA were between Nundaroo and Adelaide with the greenest rolling hills and yellow canola fields.

Leg 4a.  This crew would have to be called “The Doer’s”.  They didn’t take no as an answer and just pushed on regardless.  My favourite day was paddling up the Yarra River to Melbourne on such a beautiful morning.  The hardest day was going from one side of Tassie to the other after such a busy schedule in and around Melbourne.  One of the nicest towns on tour was at Warrnambool in Victoria. The most rewarding experience on this leg was seeing my crew enjoy the emotional journey.

Leg4b.  This crew – “Never a Dull Moment”.  I have enjoyed the boys company on the last leg and also the company when some of them have joined me running and cycling short distances.  A small run through the state forests, and paddling into Narooma are memorable.  Some of the hardest days cycling have been on this leg with huge head winds which are just punishing.  Most mind blowing day on tour was with Tony and Ang at the Royal Willows Hotel in Pambula and raising over $18,000!

Parting words from the 3B Support Crew

Craig has been re-united with his family today after not seeing them for 69 days since he left Sydney on 29 May. While he spends some quality time catching up with Lisa and the kids, the blog today comes from Petah Handley-Garben and Katrina Mitchell from the 3B Support Crew…

Part 1 – from Petah
There are not enough words to describe my journey with Craig and the crew across the Nullarbor and into Adelaide. We have all shared some very special times. There are a couple that stand out for me.

We couldn’t get reception to watch Random Acts (we were at a truck stop in Mundrabilla, that only gets channel 9 when it is not raining-it was raining), so we watched a snippet on you tube the next day. Watching beautiful Jessica call out on the home videos ‘I love you Daddy’- it is clear where Craig draws his inspiration from. There was not a dry eye amongst us. I have three children of my own and it really put into perspective what Craig is trying to do. He can’t cure cancer himself, but he can help raise money for research to maybe one day save the heartache that he and his family have been through.

Craig and I have had a couple of heart to hearts while doing the dishes. I asked one day if the hurt of losing Jessica ever went away, and his reply was never. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain of losing a child-but at times you can see it on Craig’s face.

So for all of you that have donated-a big thank you, and for those of you that haven’t – now is the time!!!

The man’s a machine-never ever, ever a complaint! (I can tell you all now, we are going to suffer at training!) It’s been an absolutely amazing journey that I feel honoured to have been a part of.

Roger and out (my new CB talk)
Petah

Part 2 – from Katrina (KT)
(hello-hello) my new nick name earned from a talking crow which I saw at a roadhouse in Balladonia-of course no one believes me!

When Craig asked me to write this blog, I felt such immense pressure. Not because he’s such a great writer himself, but because this is my one opportunity to personally express how I have been motivated by Craig as a person. Even more importantly how I can reach out to people and to further motivate them to get involved, make a difference, and achieve Craig’s goal of $1 million for childhood cancer.

There are special people in this world and Craig and Lisa fall into that category. I don’t know if it is because of the sad journey they travelled with their beautiful Jessica. All I know is that I feel blessed to be a part of their lives and they enrich mine just through their presence.

I have travelled on the third leg of this epic journey around Australia, joining him in Kalgoorlie, and experiencing the adventure across the Nullarbor into Adelaide, where we sit right now. It is day 69 and he is as strong as ever. He has been away from his wife and four other children for over 2 months. Remember, that’s no dad for those kids, no husband and no income. All because Craig doesn’t want any other family to suffer the same fate as his. This isn’t about him, it’s about anyone who could be hit with the dreadful blow, this nasty disease, that just doesn’t let up!

We wake early in the morning, some mornings are very early. No complaints from any of the crew, we are all focussed and dedicated to see this through. More importantly, Craig throws down some breakfast, puts on his gear and cycles off into the dark, without a question of thought or procrastination.

There’s a lot of time to think about things on those long lonely roads – doing anything from 100km to 250kms a day. It absolutely blows my mind. Imagine, it’s like riding from Avalon on Sydney’s Northern Beaches to Kiama on the NSW South Coast and back again! He gets off the bike, eats an enormous amount of food to refuel and sits down to write the blog on his website of carry out media obligations.

When you look into a child’s eyes, deeply, how could anyone deny them the right to live a healthy, happy life. This is what drive’s Craig! All children should have that right.

We all dream of doing something good, we all want to make this world a better place, to share our lives and love. To reach out and connect with someone, and to make a difference.

This is your opportunity. If everyone who read this blog could urge their friends, their relatives to donate, just even $10, it’s a coffee and a muffin. All with the hope that it could make some change, it could make a difference, you could make a difference…….

Call the radio stations, the tv networks and the newspapers. We need to get the word out there. There is an amazing man, doing amazing things, and we can all be a part of it.

He will not stop until he reaches his goal. I only wish there were more people like Craig Goozee.

A special thank you to all of those that have donated, both big and small. Every little bit counts.

Katrina Mitchell (KT)

Click here to make a donation today or call 1800 682 536

From cow pastures to Adelaide traffic!

 

Riding into Adelaide

 

Morning traffic in Adelaide