Mal Nash, Jake Thomas, Kevin Garrett and Andy Bayliss pose undrneath Evonne Goolagong's giant tennis racquet for Nick McLoughlin's picture at Barellan today.Leave 7am 82km
BRUCE Jeffrey might be on his last charity bike ride and intends to make the most of the epic 20-day 2010 Barossa Valley to Tamworth Mountain Bike Challenge.
The 52-year-old Tamworth Regional Council employee has ridden every kilometre of the 1024km so far in what will be between 1700km to 1800km.
It hasn't sapped any of his good humour either, he's one of the more buoyant personalities amongst the 23 riders and seven support crew.
"I told Baz (Barry Walton) this would probably be my last," Bruce said this week.
"I've done five or six so far and you can only go around asking the same people for so much sponsorship. I tried to get a few new young people involved but it is hard for them to do something like this too."
Bruce is a water operator for the TRC and ensures the drinking water is treated for the city's population.
Married to Jennifer he has two daughters, Carly, 22, and Rachel, 20.
Born and bred in Tamworth he joined the charity bike ride a few years back while working for Bath Stewart and Associates (surveyors).
"One of the other employees, Mike Barwick, said he wanted to do some bike riding," Bruce recalled.
"Then we saw the ad in the NDL for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service charity ride. So we decided to do that but unfortunately Mike passed away. But I went on the ride doing it on his bike."
He's still riding Mike's bike, making it even more important for him to complete the full 1700-1800km.
He also "enjoys the social part of the trip"
"The competitiveness in the riding is good too," he said.
"Originally it was even more competitive.
"One of the original riders, Tony Keogh, used to always say, let's make the last 3km into a sprint. You also never know what to expect with each ride and there are so many different personalities."
Today's 82km stage had something of an abbreviated start after Inverell schoolteacher Bob Freeman snapped a bolt on his seat.
It followed a quick word of warning from ride captain Rick Lavers,who said the road from Griffith to Yenda was narrow, unmarked in places and with plenty of traffic.
Keith Lockhart also warned the riders about tiger snakes.
"We're coming into tiger snake country now, especially from West Wyalong," Keith said.
"They're an aggressive snake too. I've seen them stand up and bite a car. So watch out for those little legs Baz," he said nodding to Barry Walton's metrognome appendages.
Out on the road and Bob Freeman's day went downhill, puncturing after passing through Yenda.
"I was riding beside Jack (Gillard)," Bob said of the "puncture king".
"He looked down and said"it'sa puncture - and it's not me."
After replacing the tube bob goes a few hundred metres before the replacement goes flat.
Another replacement tube won't pump up and then another bursts with a howitzer bang just as it reaches 60psi, sending some green slime over an attending Brian Birchall.
"I'm not having a good day am I," he said.
He then rides at 25 to 30kmph alone to catch the rest of the riders up in Barellan, home of former tennis star Evonne Gollagong, and then completing the 34km to Ardlethan.
Sign-posted as a population of 500 Ardlethan it is known as the Home of the Kelpie but is hot and quiet with not a kelpie in sight.
Some quick re-organisation by Barry Walton and he has the whole 31 staying together at the London Hotel Motel.
A hot shower never felt so good.
Today we head to West Wyalong.
BRUCE Jeffrey might be on his last charity bike ride and intends to make the most of the epic 20-day 2010 Barossa Valley to Tamworth Mountain Bike Challenge.
The 52-year-old Tamworth Regional Council employee has ridden every kilometre of the 1024km so far in what will be between 1700km to 1800km.
It hasn't sapped any of his good humour either, he's one of the more buoyant personalities amongst the 23 riders and seven support crew.
"I told Baz (Barry Walton) this would probably be my last," Bruce said this week.
"I've done five or six so far and you can only go around asking the same people for so much sponsorship. I tried to get a few new young people involved but it is hard for them to do something like this too."
Bruce is a water operator for the TRC and ensures the drinking water is treated for the city's population.
Married to Jennifer he has two daughters, Carly, 22, and Rachel, 20.
Born and bred in Tamworth he joined the charity bike ride a few years back while working for Bath Stewart and Associates (surveyors).
"One of the other employees, Mike Barwick, said he wanted to do some bike riding," Bruce recalled.
"Then we saw the ad in the NDL for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service charity ride. So we decided to do that but unfortunately Mike passed away. But I went on the ride doing it on his bike."
He's still riding Mike's bike, making it even more important for him to complete the full 1700-1800km.
He also "enjoys the social part of the trip"
"The competitiveness in the riding is good too," he said.
"Originally it was even more competitive.
"One of the original riders, Tony Keogh, used to always say, let's make the last 3km into a sprint. You also never know what to expect with each ride and there are so many different personalities."
Today's 82km stage had something of an abbreviated start after Inverell schoolteacher Bob Freeman snapped a bolt on his seat.
It followed a quick word of warning from ride captain Rick Lavers,who said the road from Griffith to Yenda was narrow, unmarked in places and with plenty of traffic.
Keith Lockhart also warned the riders about tiger snakes.
"We're coming into tiger snake country now, especially from West Wyalong," Keith said.
"They're an aggressive snake too. I've seen them stand up and bite a car. So watch out for those little legs Baz," he said nodding to Barry Walton's metrognome appendages.
Out on the road and Bob Freeman's day went downhill, puncturing after passing through Yenda.
"I was riding beside Jack (Gillard)," Bob said of the "puncture king".
"He looked down and said"it'sa puncture - and it's not me."
After replacing the tube bob goes a few hundred metres before the replacement goes flat.
Another replacement tube won't pump up and then another bursts with a howitzer bang just as it reaches 60psi, sending some green slime over an attending Brian Birchall.
"I'm not having a good day am I," he said.
He then rides at 25 to 30kmph alone to catch the rest of the riders up in Barellan, home of former tennis star Evonne Gollagong, and then completing the 34km to Ardlethan.
Sign-posted as a population of 500 Ardlethan it is known as the Home of the Kelpie but is hot and quiet with not a kelpie in sight.
Some quick re-organisation by Barry Walton and he has the whole 31 staying together at the London Hotel Motel.
A hot shower never felt so good.
Today we head to West Wyalong.
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