Day 4 – Back to back 175km as we head from Bordertown (SA) to Horsham (VIC)

We have just finished a hearty dinner with the locals at the Horsham RSL club where I sat with a lovely local couple for dinner. The young lady’s Mum has breast cancer and just about to embark on chemo and I must say its good to see she is a positive kid with a good heart who will be there at her Mum’s side over the next few weeks.

I wrote yesterday about inspirational Renae…well for my efforts in helping her home yesterday, I was awarded the “focus” white jersey. Each night 6 riders are awarded special jerseys for focus, attitude, inspiration, awareness, doer and guts. I was humbled by this as I was by far and away inspired by Renae’s efforts to get through the pain barriers and make it. It was my turn tonight to award the white jersey to another TDC’er and it went to one of our fearless lead drivers who always gets well ahead of our pelotons each morning and scours the roads for problem areas, traffic, semi trailers…you get the gist. He is also tireless in helping riders at the various stops during the day. The support crew in general with TDC are amazing and they are all unbelievably dedicated to the cause.

The road has been long today, another flat track of 175km and my backside is now feeling it. The highlights today were without doubt the school visits of which we did 3 today. Bordertown this morning, Frances at morning tea and Garoke for lunch. The kids are absolutely beautiful…innocent, curious, excited and engaged. I did the presentation at Frances where the kids were a treat. Once we had talked to them about being fit, healthy and happy and a few games, they responded with one of their songs they had written for us. They are doing the “Tour de Frances” next week on their bikes and raising money for us. Their song was so cute…so much so we all insisted on them doing it a second time….maybe it will also go to number 1 in the community. Lunch at Garoke was also very rewarding, playing AFL with the kids at lunch (decided my riding legs needed to do some running around) and the kids beat the riders convincingly.

Every day on Tour is experiential and you don’t know what to expect – they are huge days though, everyone of them….a lot of cycling kms on top of the school visits, presentations, lunches and community dinners. Everyday starts around 5am and ends about the time I knock out this blog but it adds up….somehow we work through the fatigue. Its amazing how we adapt…every day throws new surprises, challenges and treats…but TDC is all about the kids. My backside just felt a whole lot better just reflecting on that. 230km tomorrow so another HUGE day so I’d better get some recovery sleep!

Chris, Tim, Dave and I with our special jerseys alongside some kids first thing this morning for Sunrise breakfast (Commbank is on tomorrow so watch out for us with Beretta)