A long day was had by all. We started early with breakfast and then a warm up, photos etc with many of the teams dressing for the occasion – Budget looking somewhat like Les Girls in their bright red wigs and the Cardno team trying to compete with Ric Eastman in their blonde wigs with ball top heads – very lovely!  Naturally, this Ride would not be the same if Graham Iddles didn’t thrill all of us with his, wait for it, this year’s fashion statement with the Mohawk cut and colouring not being outdone by anyone else – this year I am not sure if we should say it was all colours of the rainbow or resembling a most colourful parakeet.

Our Board directors, Geoff Rasmussen and Russell Gibbs were really welcomed and it was very impressive to know they would join in the fun and offer the riders great support both at the dinner and then at North Albany Senior High School for the Official Start this morning.

NASHS filled their gymnasium where the CEO of Youth Focus spoke, introducing our latest video, and advised students of the forthcoming opening of our office and our wish to work with the school to assist the chaplain, school psych and principal in supporting their young students. Our two riders who spoke to the assembled students here, Pete Young and Malcolm Doig did a great job addressing the issues of anger and violence with a story relating to their own youth and experiences.  

After the Mayor Milton Evans officially sent the 2010 Hawaiian Ride for Youth on its way with some of the students joining the riders for 10 klms, our next stop was Albany Snr High School where we were able to talk to the Leadership Group of students. Mark Callaghan gave a terrific speech to the students which had the element of a personal story and was very emotive.

We then got on the road to try and get to Denmark High School where we were to address their students together with the Denmark Agricultural College students.    The School’s P&C did a terrific job feeding our hungry lot and we were lucky to have James Sutherland, an 8 yr rider with Hawaiian Ride for Youth, team up with Mark Waite, a 1st year rider and one of the Youth Focus staff to address the students and teachers. This was only marred by the threat of storms, thunder and lightning which meant students were to be sent home early and we from our side were very worried about getting going so that we could arrive in Walpole before the storm hit.  We certainly accomplished that and many felt today was tough – the heat was unbelievable for Denmark and Walpole and they were all desperate for a cold shower, cold fruit and naturally the obligatory rolls and cake to finish off with.

The masseurs were ready and set up when the teams rode in and many of the sore bodies were grateful to have the 5 masseurs working out the knots and lumps in legs and backs as today sees many up and downs called hills which when I ride in my car and look back might not look like Austrian mountains, but if you are on a bike, ouch I am sure those legs would ache. However, every one arrived happy to be at Walpole and looking forward to a fun dinner at Top Deck Restaurant this evening – we are praying the thunder and lightning experienced a short time ago will keep going and not bother us tomorrow as we head for Pemberton.

We hope you are all tuning in to the Bunch on 94.5 and listening to our lovely Lyn Shepherd each morning as she gives an update from the riders perspective on the day and what is to be expected and what they experienced the day before, so tune in.

Many of us are being interviewed all the way up as we travel through various towns and ABC Radio Albany did an interview this morning with Jenny Allen, the local Albany radio interviewed our father and son team, the Carmody’s, James Sutherland is on Hot FM tomorrow morning and then on Thursday on Radio West, the local Albany Advertiser interviewed Barb deCorti, GWN are meeting us in Bunbury and ABC Radio is interviewing our legend, Peter Trench, so as you can see there is plenty of interest being generated by our PR and Media girl, Claire McGowan.