Race Report.

We are entering day 4 of the Red centre challenge, I am under strict instructions not to hurt myself & wreck our Holiday, so far so good, 4 stages down no blood. If you do fall out here, you will bleed, this is a geologists playground. Yesterday's stage was an 80km race in 28deg dry heat with plenty of rock, on the upside it did have some very special vantage points seen only by MTB riders. I got round in just under 5 hours, Annie's bike is about to be stripped for spare parts.

We have had our first Russel Coight point awarded for the trip, Stage 2 all 200 riders are to be escorted by police for 5km through town, Annie drops me off at start then races out to where patrol car drops off & the fun begins. As we leave the chiffly resort one thing becomes clear, Chief Inspector Overzealous in highway patrol 1 thinks he can get the yellow Jersey, all the school children that were to line the streets were just leaving there class rooms, they missed us. Now a dual suspension MTB on knobby tyres is no match for a 550HP patrol car, needless to say a portion of the pelaton was left at a red light back on the Stuart hwy.

I manage to hold the lead group, I turn the final corner still in contact with officer Overzealous & the lead riders I see Annie in the distance cammera in hand, snapping the flashing lights, the young fit lead riders (5 national champions & 1 world champion among them), I position myself to the inside for an action shot........... the "lens cap"?

And there we go, 4 Coight points to Annie. I am sure I will even up the ledger soon enough, I just hope it does not involve a plastic canoe & a saltwater crock.

Cheers