^{Date Published: 11 Nov 2010 5:04pm
Author:Steve Moore}

The day started well for Red Team after a good nights sleep in a very nice hotel in Darwin. We packed up the gear, phoned the local Ford dealer and were able to get the car booked in to fix the Satellite Tracking. We then transported the team to Hidden Valley Ford Dealer where we met up with the Blue Team and rode into the Remembrance Service in Darwin Escorted by 2 NT Fire vehicles.

The service was very moving, done in full military style with all armed services represented. After the Service a guy came up to chat and he is the President of the local Prostate Association. There was also a cheque presentation from the Fire Fighters Association of NT Firies to Ted Whitten for the appeal.

Leaving the service we headed to the Tap Bar where we were met by the Manager and the local HostPlus manager. They were extremely hospitable and took us on a tour of the Crocasyraus a display of Crocs and reptiles indigenous to the Top End.

Back to the serious business of riding and we were back on the road to Katherine, leaving just after one pm. The temperature was hovering around 40^oC with extremely high humidity. Out through the suburbs and into lush vegetation away from Darwin. This must be the Surfers Paradise of Ant Mounds, they are up 2-3 metres tall. As the riders headed South clouds started to build on the horizon, the temperature dropped a few degrees and riding became a little more pleasant. After the experience of the other day the riders kept an eye out for any flashes in the sky.

Spirits are high in the red team, a number of contributing factors, good nights sleep, team ride into the service or the hospitality of the Tap Bar, some or all of the above. Riding the final stages the temperature made riding very pleasant and the lightning show in the distance was amazing. Louey and Axe finished their ride in the rain and the two old blokes took off in torrential rain, luckily it didn’t hang around for that long.

One of the advantages of riding at bike speeds are the sights and sound you wouldn’t normally hear. As we were riding along you would pass a group of frogs croaking away. A few hundred metres up the road past another group of frogs but obviously from a different “tribe” as their sounds were different to the previous group. We hit Katherine about 11.00 and into our accommodation for a well earned rest before heading off on our next stage.

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