We Made It!

We made it to Canberra! 1500km done and dusted and here we are! After just over 100km from Goulburn to Canberra, there were many relieved people to see Parliament House!

Racing against what looked like a strong storm blowing in, cyclists did eight laps around Parliament House, one for each MDG. They were cheered on by very proud support crew, family and friends who had met us there to celebrate the end of an amazing journey. Our party on the lawns of Parliament House was rained out and our cyclists then had to ride the final 15km to the church where we were staying for one last night camping on church floors together.

After celebrating our arrival and speaking out for the precious children in Zambia - and all over the world - one last time together at church in Canberra last night, we enjoyed a celebration meal at Maccas before heading back to 'home' to crash.

Everyone is off on their own separate ways this morning, heading back to Brisbane or Sydney...or wherever home may be. But there's one thing for sure - no one is going to forget this journey any time soon, if ever! What a life changing and inspiring journey it has been. Full of pain and triumph, laughter and tears - BTC 09 team, you made it!

Thank you to every cyclist who was willing to face pain for those who face greater pain every day of their lives. From 69 year old Tommy Crawford to young 15 year old Michael Zipf - You are all an inspiration to many.

Thank you to our support crew - drivers, navigators, media team, cooks, cleaners, shoppers - who without, BTC wouldn't happen. Your selfless and tireless work to help us speak out for those suffering in poverty has not gone unseen or unappreciated.

Thank you to the children in Zambia and all over the world, who fight to survive in extreme poverty every day. You are the real inspiration. We do this for you so that in time, you can change your generation, your nation and the world.

Lastly, thank you to God, who brought us all together, gave us safety on the journey and allowed us to be his hands, reaching out to those children He loves so much. God, because your heart breaks for the children, keep breaking ours too so we never give up the fight for these precious, innocent ones.

BTC 09 - Breaking the Cycle of Poverty for Orphans and Vulnerable Children - over and out!

Getting Close to Canberra

What a massive effort from everyone on Day 14! Cyclists travelled 191km, crossing some tough, steep hills on the Great Dividing Range again. They approached the hills with a little apprehension, partially because of the size of the mountains they heard they had to cross and partially because Rob's accident was not far from their minds. But cross them they did - both teams in excellent time. At one stage Team 20 was only 1km behind Team 27 - so they were pretty pleased with themselves! Support crew had to travel 300km around the long way because steep, winding, unsealed roads were not recommended for caravans and trucks.

In the morning (very early this time, with a departure time of 6:30am), we were again asked to make a difference after BTC by sacrificing. The sacrifice will be different for all of us, but each of us can sacrifice something in our lives - whether it be our time, material possessions, money, lifestyle - to make a difference in the lives of suffering children all over the world. We pray that you too, as you read this and hopefully are challenged, will join us on this journey to change our little corner of the world!

The voices of Maree Barnes and Ina Stacey, two of our BTC kitchen crew, have woken the team up one final time this morning with calls of, "Porridge! Come and get it while it's hot!" and Maree is now trying to auction off the last of the yoghurt. I'm sure the team will miss their delicious hot breakfasts!

Both cycling teams are travelling together today into Canberra, where we will arrive at Parliament House and do eight laps around Parliament House, one for each MDG. If you are a local here in Canberra and would like to meet us there and cheer us on, we expect cyclists to arrive at 1:00.

Nervous Cyclists!

Please continue to pray for the BTC team. There are some very nervous cyclists around tonight! There's a lot of bike checks being done and extra stretching in preparation for the 191km tomorrow.

On a side note, everyone has had a very realxing, enjoyable day. Some of the guys even managed to get to the Bathurst races.

The Great Dividing Range...Take 2

The team crossed the Great Dividing Range again today as they faced the second most difficult day (based on profiles) in BTC. There were some extremely steep climbs from Mudgee to Bathurst, but most of the riders were positive about the challenge that lay ahead of them.

There were a few extra stops along the way today: 35km out of Mudgee, Andrew Hellinga stopped on the roadside for an interview with a radio station in Bathurst. He did an excellent job promoting BTC and telling listeners to check out our website. Around 30km out of Bathurst, Rob Alleway came off his bike going downhill around a tight bend in the road. The frame of his bike was dented and both tyres punctured, but we praise God that Rob walked away, a little dazed at first, but with no serious injuries. He has a few cuts and scratches and will be a little sore for a couple of days, but considering his speed and where he hit (only just missing a guardrail), we are all thankful he is ok!

As we all traveled from Mudgee to Bathurst we were again challenged to make a difference in our lives. Today, the challenge was to live simply, so others can simply live. We in the West know little of poverty but live with excess everyday: So much so, that perhaps we don’t see it any more. Do we really need more money, clothes, toys or a bigger house? When does ‘enough’ become ‘excess’? Could we do with a little less – and be content with that – so that others in the world might have enough to survive? The challenge is huge for all of us.

Here’s what some of your BTC team thought of Day 12:

Rob Alleway – Do I trust my tyres? Thankful to be alive!

Pete Crowley – I need a pace maker after Rob’s accident! (Rob said he wasn’t worried until he saw the look on Pete’s face!)

Jay Trevaskis – If today was Day 4, we would have never made it!

Andrew Gibson (photo on right) – Ready to smell high octane fuel rather than road kill!

Ben Dunstan – Epic day! Brutal.

Matt DeWitte – All riders did an exceptional job.

Graham Hedges – What a breeze! (Did he take a wrong turn somewhere?!)

Joayn Hedges – Loved it.

Jodi Barrow – I may be a little crazy (we know!), but I couldn’t stop smiling up the hills.

Chris Petersen (photo on left) – If hills were one sided (downhill), life would be bliss.

Natasha Johnson – Difficult, but enjoyable. I loved riding with the girls. Boys smell.

Michael Zipf – It was hard. Lovely hill after lunch again.

Helen Anderton – Fantastic! Brilliant! Hard to surpass. Great day.

Teagen Keith – Most intense day of my life. Realised the risks the cyclists take.

Anthony McInnes – Good views.

Please pray for the entire team as they rest tomorrow. Saturday sees them facing the hardest day of BTC: 191km, mostly up, from Bathurst to Goulburn! It’s so difficult, our caravaners and truckies have to go a different route!

FREEZING!

The cyclists faced some extremely difficult conditions today, riding 108km with a freezing cold headwind most of the day. The locals are talking rumours of snow and the pastor where we are staying in Bathurst said there was sleet in Bathurst in the morning. So the leg and arm warmers and wind jackets are out this morning and cyclists are working out how many layers they can comfortably ride in!

We've ridden for the eight Millennium Development Goals now and so have begun to focus on how we personally can continue to make a difference after BTC. The first way we were challenged to make a difference is by empathising. Each of us has been through various forms and degrees of suffering in our own lives and so before we headed off again in the morning, Reid challenged us to make a difference by empathising with the poor through our shared experiences and suffering, through increasing our knowledge of their suffering and through praying that God would open our hearts to see and be broken by injustice in the world.

With these things continually on their minds, our team pressed on. The only time the cyclists got into support vehicles was during scheduled stops, where their supportive support crew had a turn in the wind while cyclists huddled in support vehicles to thaw out!

Here's more from our team:

Andrew Gibson - Today was the hardest day so far and was not enjoyable at all! There was a stage where I was ready to get off my bike...but I didn't. I pushed through the barrier, thanks to Team 20's encouragement and my desire to see poverty history.

Teagen Keith - When I signed up for BTC support team, I had no idea what I was getting myself in for! But the last eleven days have, without a doubt, changed my life and has opened my heart for the poor and those who suffer from poverty every single day. I want to make a difference, like BTC has, and will continue to.

Matt DeWitte - It was a good day today. Very windy! All the cyclists did a fantastic job under the circumstances.

Kate Dillon - It feels like such a long time since we left home but it's great to have memories that I know will last for a long time. It's also good to see how my perspective has changed. Now when I go home, I'll feel more empowered to tell other people. Andy + ants = HILLARIOUS!

Happy 21st(?) birthday to Joayn Hedges (photo on right), who rode in style with balloons attached to her helmet and bike. You go girl!

Please pray for the team today as they ride up some pretty tough terrain. They cross the Great Dividing Range again, into Bathurst for a well deserved rest day tomorrow.

Keeping us on the Road

James 2:15-17 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

There are enough resources and finances in the world today to end poverty – not just half it as the MDGs are aiming for. Yet poverty continues to keep billions of people in suffering around the world and the gap between the rich and the poor continues to increase. In general, our world is saying to these children and their families, “Go. I wish you well; keep warm and well fed.”

With partnerships for global development, the MDG we rode for yesterday, we can do more than wish the poor well. We can empower them. We can encourage them. We can share our resources and wealth with them as God instructs us to. There is strength in unity and partnerships!

With that in mind, the team travelled 125km from Gunnedah to Coolah. There were a few decent hills to climb and the road was not all smooth, easy riding with many a pothole to avoid! The Livingstone Christian College crew stopped on the country roadside for a live cross via Skype to their school's chapel (where Miss Johnson was told she looked funny!). Mentally, yesterday was tough for some as the road was long and straight and the scenery, while beautiful, didn’t change too often.

But there are certain things that keep the team on the road, pressing on to Canberra:

James Smith (Media) – It’s awesome to be able to help the kids that are less fortunate than myself by doing something I enjoy.

Reid Anderton (Cyclist) – It’s very important that everyone works together for the benefit of the poor. No excuses!

Pete Crowley (Cyclist) – Giving up as little as two weeks of my time to raise awareness about abject poverty in Africa and to help raise money for the children in Zambia is the least I can do.

Lesley Hughes (Navigator) – We are so rich because we have food in the fridge and a roof over our heads, so it’s time for us to give more to the poor.

Jay Trevaskis (Cyclist) – I am here to help raise money to allow children who would otherwise have no future to have an opportunity to gain an education they don’t have access to and to inspire others.

Happy 21st birthday to Ben Dunstan (the handsome one on the left) for yesterday. Not everyone gets to celebrate their 21st by cycling 125km to Coolah!

Well, the hall here at Coolah is buzzing with activity again this morning. It is freezing cold but the support crew are busy cleaning up after breakfast and others are outside packing the truck. Cyclists are packing up their beds for another day and stretching in preparation for what’s to come. Bikes are being moved outside and drivers are doing final checks on their cars before moving them out onto the road. Mudgee here we come!

ONE Team

Day 9 - Tamworth to Gunnedah and a nice, easy 76km to conquer. So, for something different, we joined Team 20 and Team 27 together for the day and rode together as one, big BTC team (which we really are anyway!). This meant that the whole group got to enjoy the antics of Big A (Andrew Hellinga) who amused us today by lying on an ants nest for 1 minute. Everyone forgot aching muscles for a moment as their sides ached from laughing so much!

Today we were riding to ensure environmental sustainability. Approximately 1 billion people in our world today do not have access to clean drinking water. Imagine the health issues this creates for whole communities of people, while we can buy a bottle of water - perhaps unnecessarily - from any corner store.

The crew looked amazing, all riding together and supporting each other (even if we did hold up a little bit of traffic here and there!). The team atmosphere is growing strong and positive and everyone is helping each other get through each day. From our kitchen staff, to support vehicles, to media to cyclists - we are definately ONE team.

ONE is a word that has come up a few times along the journey. How can any of us make a difference to global poverty? We believe it starts with ONE. One individual, joining with other individuals, can get a fair bit of attention and influence change. 45 individuals have joined together for BTC and together are influencing change both here and in Zambia. Who knows what difference just ONE child will make in Zambia? After realising their God-given potential through receiving an education in the school you and we have helped build through BTC, perhaps ONE of these children will go on to be a leader and bring change to the entire nation of Zambia!

We got some amazing footage today thanks to Greg - our mad mountain bike rider from BTC 08 - who lent us his headcam. So make sure you check out the blog in the coming days. Meanwhile, pray for Brie Keith who has the huge task of sorting through hundreds of photos and loads of video footage to find the best from our media blitz today!

Here's today from the some of the team's perspective:

Lee Zipf (Driver) - Today was nice and easy. We coasted in as a full team. It was great to see the team ride together.

Andrew Gibson (Cyclist) - It was a nice and relaxed ride today. I really enjoyed being with the whole team. Massive group, good times.

Brie Keith (Media) - Got to Gunnedah nice and easy today. It's been great to be a part of this brilliant cause.

Michael Zipf (Cyclist) - Watch Day 9 blog. You'll get the picture of our day pretty quickly.

Fiona Crawford (Cyclist) - It was great to ride today for our planet because without environmental health stability, we don't survive. Most people don't realise.

Dave Crawford - When all of us who have wealth realise what we have done, then and only then will we make the changes necessary for our environment. Our ability to create such amazing technology and have anything we could want or desire has actually created much of the waste problems and environmental destruction in underdeveloped countries.

Sleepy Blog

Our longest day yet – over 150km from Bingara to Tamworth and then a well deserved rest break today!

Day 7 we were traveling to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other illnesses. Can you believe we live in a world where, in the middle of an African village, the chief of the tribe can pull out his mobile phone and make calls to anywhere in the world: But 5, 500 people die from AIDS – everyday? Of the 1.2 million orphans in Zambia, where Eagles Wings is, 750, 000 of these are the result of AIDS. We don’t think this is ok!

So with much fatigue, aching muscles and 17 sore rear ends, the cyclists and support crew rolled into Tamworth. We’ve seen a few tears and are learning how far we can push each other when we are tired and under pressure. But the team is working so well together and helping each other through some pretty hard days.

Needless to say, we all enjoyed some downtime today. We all participated in church services at Tamworth Baptist and St Peter’s Anglican where we shared about poverty and some very brave individuals shared their personal journey on BTC. For many of the team, what started out as a personal and physical challenge has become something of even greater significance: a discovery of the extreme and unnecessary suffering of millions of children around the world and how they – and other ordinary people like them – can make a difference.

Because it’s still technically a rest day, this blog is ending here so I can sleep too! But not without a plea for you to help us raise more funds to be able to do more for these children in Zambia! Please help us reach our target and change the lives of these precious children in Zambia – so they in turn can change their nation! Let’s not leave the world in the same state it’s in!

Goodnight!

Students Cycling with their Teacher!

Read about students from Covenant Christian School who have been riding along with their teacher, Jay Trevaskis, during the first week of Break the Cycle:

Mr Trevaskis, a teacher from our school is participating in this ride. In support, Year 6 plan to keep a rider pedaling an exercise bike from 8:55 until 2:55 each day in the last week of Term 3. In turn, Mr Trevaskis will keep us up to date on his progress through twitter. 'Cycle on the spot support crew' participants will take turns to ride the exercise bike throughout the day and also be expected to take an active role in class discussion. Each session will be set at 10 minutes to allow each child to contribute each day.The Year 6 "Cycle on the spot 'Break the Cycle' support crew" is primarily a way to support Mr Trevaskis but also a fundraising opportunity as well as seeking an opportunity to raise awareness of the Millennium Development Goals. All proceeds will help fund 'Break the Cycle'.

Tim Groves(Year 6)

Tenterfield - Ashford - Bingara

We’ve been from Tenterfield to Ashford and from Ashford to Bingara, where all the team are now heading off to bed. This BTC thing is exhausting!

Our Day 5 stop was Ashford: and although the population was small (570) and internet access limited, our welcome was wholehearted! Willie and Jennie from the Anglican Church opened up their paddock and hearts to us, serving us a campfire dinner by the bonfire, including damper. A few brave team members slept out under the stars, enjoying the cold night and the company of rather large spiders. The rest of us headed to the church hall.

Day 6 has brought us to Bingara and our first team-cooked meal. The churches along the way have been so generous and their hospitality amazing as they feed and accommodate us. Between our hosts and our support crew, our cyclists are well looked after. So mums - don’t worry!

The roads still have the occasional rise, and aching muscles (& bottoms!) from six days on the road make each hill a challenge to climb. But the issues of poverty keep our cyclists on the road. Natasha Johnson even writes the day’s MDG on her arm each morning to remind herself why she is riding.

Here’s what some of the BTC team have to say:

Helen Anderton (Navigator) – The cyclists are doing brilliantly. They should all be proud of themselves as individuals. I continue to cheer them on. I hope people at home are supporting them through prayer also.

Anthony McInnes (Cyclist 27km) – The beauty of this cause is that I know that Eagles Wings will get the money. I know Reid will go over to Zambia himself and do the work.

Matt DeWitte (Driver) – You get to see some amazing countryside travelling at 20km/hr!

Graham Hedges (Cyclist 20km) – As a team, after lunch, we seem to power on. It’s great.

Ben Dunstan (Cyclist 27km) – The roadkill is putrid.

Rob Alleway (Cyclist 27km) – After travelling 710km, all I’m doing is trying to keep things comfortable!

Special shout-out to Ethan Barrow, Jodi’s son, whose birthday it is today. Happy birthday, Ethan!

Thanks for your encouragement and prayers. We have a couple of cyclists out with injured muscles and most everyone is exhausted – so please keep praying!