 Almost a decade into our new millennium and what a great start it has been. Its lead up began with myself spending Christmas and New years in Germany, my first holiday in a long time, but some would argue that my job is a holiday.
Then I came back to the long days and warm sunshine of the Australian summer, which was a nice way to begin any year and I'm sure the riders of the Tour Down Under felt the same.
The Tour Down Under was in its 11 year, 2nd year with Pro Tour status attracting all the big name riders and was to become the début of Lance Armstrong’s comeback.
The busy weeks only got busier as the Tour began. The one week long event attracted hundreds of thousands of spectators and although we only looked after a few hundred people we were kept very busy.
A day in the life of the tour began with an early breakfast in the Adelaide parklands. Then a ride along the official race route to catch the start of the race. Then in the bus to chace the riders to one of the Sprints and a King of the Mountain, before getting to the finish line to watch them battle it out.
After the presentations we would head back into Adelaide were the warm weather and the race buzz brought the people out into the cafes and restaurants. Then it all finished on the Sunday with a spectacular city loop race, with Armstrong a major feature. The buzz has died down again in the city, but continues in the office as we prepare ourselves for all our 2009 rides. Hope to see some of you again and look forward to seeing many new faces.
The ROC winter session has come to an end! The last trip ran from Alice Springs to my hometown of Adelaide. Coming down through the eerie downunder town of Coober Pedy, along the famous Oodnadatta Track which follows the Old Ghan's train path to the awe-inspiring Flinders Ranges. Here we got off the road and onto the Mawson Trail, one of Australia's finest cycle paths. Through gorges, hills and crags it weaves and not a car insight. The steep descents, creek crossing and abundant wildlife are all you need to watch out for. As well as taking your eyes off the stunning views and actually look where you are riding. The Mawson trails took us into the ancient Wilpena Pound and back out, then back in the bus to the Clare Valley wine region where we rejoined the path along the Riesling trail. Great wine, delicious food, amazing views and brilliant company, what better way to end a trip.So that is it from me for now, but if you too would like to experience the Mawson Trail and can't wait till the end of next year, we are running a ROC the Mawson in March 2009.
 The last Gibb River Rd trip for the year is over and its been a hot one as it always is at this time of the year. But this comes with a few perks, warm nights, longer days, the odd thunderstorm and rain, and hours spent in the cool waters of the Kimberly gorges. As is often said up here, another gorgeous gorge.
The minimum temperature was a chilly 18 degrees one morning which had several of us in jumpers. We also had a full evening and half a night of rain, which cooled things down a little and forced us into close quarters under the kitchen tarponal, which with the help of an open esky quickly turned into party.Twenty four hours later the clouds were gone and we were on the limestone ridge up from our camp watching the sunset onto the Bungle Bungle Range. As I do little to no riding myself my highlights are often these Sun Downers, celebrating another stunning day in the bush.
 Having just finished the Katherine Gorges and Kakadu trip from Alice Springs to Darwin I’m glad that this trip’s itinerary is packed with stunning swimming spots, as it has started to get pretty warm up here.
Leaving the flattened Alice Springs, which had been hit by 160 km winds two days previously, we took off up the Stuart Highway. Stretching away from the wide open plains of the desert with their cold nights and made our way into the steamy tropics where at the end of most rides we were welcomed with some of natures most beautiful swimming pools. A real incentive as the thermometer rose into the 30’s.
Taking a day off riding half way along, we beat the heat by going for a walk over the Nitmiluk National Park escarpment country and swim in the Katherine River in the morning. Then followed this with a twogorge canoe trip up the river.
Amazing sunsets are as much a part of the top end as the plunge pools. This photo is the perfect example taken from the Yellow Waters Billabong Cruise in Kakadu. The sun setting over the wetlands through a cloud of rising smoke while a huge salt water crocodile swims into view. As the ad says, you’ll never know if you you never never go.
Another beautiful trip across the desert from Perth through the gold mining town of Kalgoolie to Yulura, the township that sits next to the stunning Uluru and the Olgas. A great trip in every regard; great company, warm days, cool nights, great roads for riding and for driving too and lots of wildlife. We saw almost as many live Kangaroo’s as flattened ones around the one pub ghost town of the northern gold fields. Amazingly rain has been through only a week ago, a whole inch. Meaning the last trip of the season in six weeks time will me a flowering green mass! (In desert standards that is) Perhaps it was the rain, but I have not see so many camels in one trip before. Herds of 30 and 40, with a handful of baby camels in tow, with legs longer than body. These funny looking creatures always put a smile on your face, especially when they attempt to run. Described by one of the passengers as a horse put together by a committee. Now I have one day here in Yulara with views of the famous rock formations on top of every sand dune then it continues along the Western Mac’s Ranges to Alice Springs. 
Wow! What a great ride it is going to be! Next year we will have a seven day cycling trip from Broome to Exmouth, then another 7 day trip from Exmouth to Perth. I have been exploring this section extensively since last year and well before that.
Having now arrived in Perth after having driven through this amazing country again I am excited about what is to come. The Pilbra is an area so far from any large towns that it is largely unexplored. When you get off the highway on well maintained dirt roads the scenery is spectacular. Long ragged ranges with pronounced crisp white gums standing tall amongst the dark red rock. The landscape looks like a dot painting, speckled with spinifix clumps, dispersed amongst them are shrubs and bushes, some flowering in bright colours like the cookwood.
The country isn’t flat and monotonous like it often is along the highway, it is undulating providing great views and a carpet of red rocks and sand as if the sun is always setting.
The ranges of Karajini National Park are bigger still, the abandoned mining town of Wittenoom has an eerie feel, the waters within the magnificent steep gorges is blue as if they have flown from a glacier and cold enough to believe it too.
Further west is the warm coral filled waters of Ningaloo Reef, a coastal landscape of dunes and domed termite mounds. Then further south before Perth is the quaint seaside town of Kalbarri, where great riding and long gorge walks are plentiful. Now its time for a brief repose, a fresh clean and set up before another trip across the Great Victorian Desert to Uluru. 
Another great Gibb River Road trip again. This one going up to the Mitchell falls, El Questro Station and a few other gorgeous gorges that we don’t look at on our Bungle Bungle Gibb River Rd trip. Spectacular riding, especially up on the plateau where the rain fall is twice as high as down on the Gibb River Rd and the tracks are lined with lush Livistonia Eastonnia Palms. The Plateau definitely shows a different side to the Kimberly, as I believe the Bungle Bungles do too. Both are definite highlights of each trip. This last trip went without a hitch, not even a flat! Which is a rarity when you see what the roads are like out there. Great to ride as you can hug the smooth hard edges, but shocking to drive. One can not complain too much, as this is one of two reasons why this place is still only lightly visited by tourists, the other is that it is Australia’s most remote wildness thousands of kilometers from the nearest city. On a trip south through the Pilbra and along the coast back to Perth now, which will be a ride next year. 
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