I’m currently at Perth Airport on my way home, having presented at the Oxfam Trailwalker info day yesterday. This is part of my role as national ambassador for the Oxfam 100 km Trailwalker events. It’s always nice to inspire others to take on challenges like this, and to provide advice that might help individuals get to the start line and ulimately to the finish line.

Later this week I’ll be in the Southern Highlands, so I’ve decided to do my weekly time trial tomorrow instead. It will be 3 km this time, and my time to beat will be 10:56. Last time I only improved by three seconds. I’ll be disappointed if this week results in a similarly small improvement.

On This Day

Jun 30, 2012

Distance today = 50.21 km; Total distance = 8575.01 km; Location = Homer, Minnesota – 44 01.160′ N, 91 32.438′ W; Start time = 0830 Finish time = 1640

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/194372807

If every hot and humid day was as good as today, I certainly wouldn’t be complaining. I felt pretty good, even though I was sweating like the “proverbial” (Watto, help me here!) all day long.

I did have the Mississippi to keep me company, and that makes the day easier. I was also joined by Tesla from the local Winona newspaper (and Joe the photographer), who ran a few kilometres while she interviewed me. Things like this help break up the day. Similarly, Mike from the Wabasha newspaper helped break yesterday up nicely.

So I’ve now completed half a year of my trip as of today. If I manage a similar second half to 2012, I’ll cover around 17,000 km for the calendar year; way more than my previous annual best.

I finished in the village of Homer – and celebrated with donuts and Duff beer!!!!!

Jun 30, 2013

(I didn’t have internet access on this day and there was, consequently, no blog post for the day. So I have inserted the post from teh day before – June 29, 2013).

Distance today = 50.42 km; Total distance = 22,307.17 km; Location = Balladonia, WA (40 km east of) – 32 26.902’ S, 124 00.007′ E; Start time = 0753, Finish time = 1602

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/334701681

Carmel has invented a great way to prevent the crows from eating my food drops – she builds a circular wall of rocks, puts the food and drink in it, then finds a bigger rock to put on top as a roof. It works beautifully.

It was another day of perfect weather. There was not a cloud in the sky, and I mean not the faintest hint of a cloud, anywhere at any time, the whole day. I’m feeling very lucky at the moment.

I reached the beginning of the second longest stretch of straight road in the world. I now have only 140 km before I get to the next curve.

Our good friends, Guen and Jeff and Annie and Michael, arrived this afternoon. The girls will be heading off tomorrow, to take the car back to Julie in Perth. The guys will now be travelling with us with the caravan until Adelaide.

It should be a great odyssey, and we really appreciate what they’re doing for us. Stay tuned for some interesting tales over the coming weeks. We are currently enjoying our first time together in six months, snuggled around a camp fire.