Newsletter #8 ANZAC ODYSSEY 1 DEBRIEF
Hey team,
Well I’m pleased to say that aside from a few hiccups along the way, the inaugural Anzac Day Odyssey was a success.
After spending the week chewing my nails down and stressing over the finer details, I finally got on the road toward Big Desert and instantly felt my stress levels lower. You can spend days and weeks ruminating on what could go wrong, or what have you missed, but once the truck was packed, and I was on the road, whatever I forgot, whatever was missing, I would have to sort it out when I got there. And sometimes that’s the best way. You must bite the bullet and go!
9 bikes made it to the start line with 2 support vehicles and 5 support crew.
After what I felt was a thorough brief, we all set off, 9 riders of differing abilities all committed to crossing one of the toughest deserts in the country. And believe me, I know.
I’ll be honest, there was a few hiccups here and there. Despite putting together what I felt was a pretty solid game plan, things didn’t all go as I had hoped, and some back tracking and zigzagging was done. But that’s ok, I actually welcomed the problems, because I knew the support riders had communicated well and we had planned meet up spots along the way. So, despite a mild confusion, all roads led to the same destination.
The riders did have to wait a little longer than anticipated for lunch however, the afternoon riding continued through the desert another 50 km north of our lunch camp, and we finally made it to the dune I had pinned for camp. And there it was, that look on people’s faces when I take them somewhere epic. I could see it in all of the riders and support staff. Together, we looked out over the vast rolling dunes of big desert as the sun started to hang low in the sky. There wasn’t a cloud to be seen, a dusty haze of smoke from all the back burning blanketed the horizon. The suns glow burnt golden and warm.
“That it!! That’s it! I’m retiring!” The team laughed as I grinned from ear to ear.
“I’ll never be able to beat this, I’m going to quit while I’m ahead!”
Not long later, we watched the truck roll in fully laden with food, Swags and beer. As some gathered wood for a camp fire, others watched on eagerly as the crew of the truck pressured down and made their first run at the soft windswept sand.
Bogged! We sighed in dismay as it rolled back down.
“Take more air out!” went the call over the two-way.
Again, she roared up the hill, again she was bogged.
“More air!! Take more air out!”
I was silently praying that it would make it. This truck is going to be our home for 30 days after all. And if it couldn’t get up this dune, what hope did we have in the abyss?
10PSI, and the truck crawled up the track like a Perentie lizard. We all cheered again as now we could make camp and grab a beer as the sun started its final decent.
The spirits were high, the BBQ came out, ice boxes full of salad and meat trays, cold beer, the fire was roaring. There wasn’t a hint of wind. No insects, the conditions were perfect.
Some got to bed early, some stayed by the fire late into the night. I remember looking up into the moonless night sky and seeing the milky way high overhead. I felt like I was sitting under a Christmas tree. You tin ass Brundin
The next morning the camp started to rouse early; I could hear someone stacking the fire as the first glow of dawn started to peer beyond the horizon.
The billy cans came out and hot coffee was shared around the fire. We all stood at the crest of the dune looking east over the desert we had just ridden through. A team of men and women, all from different walks of life, from different corners of the state and country, all come together on this sacred Australian occasion to honour those who had served and sacrificed so that we could enjoy riding our bikes across the free sand.
It was a beautiful place to be. I recited The Last Post and we all stood in respectful silence. Looking out over the dunes, each with their own thoughts. For many minutes, we stood, quiet, humbled awed by the beauty around us.
Later that day we rode back into Rainbow exhausted, dusted and exhilarated all in the one breath. No injuries, no issues that we didn’t have a plan for. The team all shook hands and embraced. The camaraderie and mate ship felt amongst all, united by the shared bond of struggle, of achievement through adversity.
There were so many lessons to learn, such value to be taken away from the setbacks. Little lessons like: don’t let Benji near an open flame, or put him in charge of the kitchen box.
But those smiles, those priceless memories. Those months of planning make it all worth it. And now I can’t wait to do it all again next year.
Collectively we rode 240km over the two days. The truck, in deep sand used 60 litres of fuel 25 litres per 100, good stats to know. The bikes used 130litres of 98 Octane over the course, an average of 14.4 litres per bike, or 16.6 km per litre of fuel, or 6.02 litres per 100km. Also, good to know.
The odyssey was not only a success for the clients that participated, but also a great field-testing exercise for the Ten later in the year. Guys were testing navigation gear, their sleeping tents and mattress selection. Everyone used the occasion as a training exercise for the big dance. And I can’t wait to sink my teeth into that one!
Hope you all enjoyed the read.
See you all out in the dunes.
BB