Back on the road... I didn't have very far to travel today, so it was a slow start to the day. A final lazy deck breakfast/morning tea. I headed west a bit before lunch, weaving through back roads, avoiding the tolls. I went through lots of little towns on my drive through. There were a few things that made me giggle... Like Wilcot. It has about 5 shops, and one of them was and adult shop,out in the middle of no where!
I saw my first sign to Darwin today-only 3409 km to go!
I crossed the Great Dividing Range this afternoon. There was a break down on the west bound side, slowing us down a little, but the east bound lane had an over sized truck, going down a hill, with the traffic backed up about two kilometres. Again, in the middle of nowhere. I also crossed the Bridle Trail, not sure what that was exactly though...
I accidentally took myself through Ipswich, but I was in no rush, so it didn't matter. I thought I was heading out the other side, then I found the town centre! Whoops.
I stopped in Toowoomba to stock up on supplies. Mainly nuts, dried fruit and chewing gum, so I'm not so tempted to snack on lollies. It has a really nice feel to it, quiet with big trees along the streets.
I'm staying with some friends Kristy and Dale, in Oakey. Kristy also ride racehorses until she broke her back last year. My friend Des put us in touch when she had her accident, so I could help her out if she had any questions for someone who had already been through it. We had a few phone hook ups, but it's been great to finally meet her, and Dale, and spend some time with them. I love the name of their local saddlery, the Nag Shack!
I realised something interesting today. I'm not getting bored. I used to get bored driving in Melbourne all the time. I'd go for a twenty minute drive and want to call someone because I was sick of the traffic. Out here, I can go for hours, just happy to listen to my music, sing too loud and watch the countryside go by. It's starting to really look like Queensland now.
I noticed some Prickly Pear plants today. I've seen a few small ones coming up through NSW. Here's a handy tip for you boys and girls. If you are going to eat the fruit off a prickly pear, make sure you take off ALL the prickles! I had an experience in 2006 when I first tried it. The fruit itself tastes ok, its kind of nice. But Dad and I neglected to rub off all the prickles, which are really fine needles. I got some in my tongue and lips. I had this itchy, numb feeling for a few days til they worked their way out.
In a way, that trip in 2006 is the reason I;m here today. Mum and Dad had decided to take the family to QLD for a few months, so we could experience a different lifestyle. Also I think Dad thought it was time for us to meet Bill and Kathy, who he used to stay with, along with mums brother Ian, when they were rodeoing up north in Tasmania's off season. When they were young and carefree.
As a result of this trip, I decided to take a year off school, since the study load to get into veterinary science was too large to keep up while travelling for 5 months. And since I wasn't studying, I needed to start working.
I found an ad in the local paper for a stable hands job. I had never worked in the racing industry before, and to be honest, I had no interest in the industry at this stage. I think I recall thinking they were a snobby bunch too. Needless to say, since I fit in so well, they are not. I was pretty useless to start with, as Graeme has reminded me every now and then (don't worry, I always I remind him how good I turned out). I quickly lost the extra two or three kilos I was carrying, And quickly fell in love with the industry.
I left after a few months to travel with my family, but suddenly I was looking for racing where ever I could find it. I started going to the races (Thangool near Biloela was my first), and talking to trainers whenever I found them.
Over the next two years I worked in a couple of different stables, and did some time back at TAFE, but I always gravitated back to Graeme's stables. And I kept putting off college. I still had (and have) and interest in veterinary science, but I prefer the work. The physical work instead of the study.
I decided I wanted to ride, and set about doing that. The trainer I was working for when I first decided this let me ride for three days, til I had a horse bolt on me. I quit by the end of the week. Graeme let me ride, and if I could get myself up to scratch, I could have my apprenticeship. I (literally) worked my butt off. I worked six and a half days a week, taking advantage of every opportunity to learn.
I gradually hit milestones. My first jump out on States Cat was amazing. I remember that feeling like it was yesterday. The anticipation, then BOOM, all that raw power, exploding. That feeling itself was enough to get me hooked. Then I got to ride work at Mowbray on Pin of Hope. To see the track from that perspective, again, I was hooked. I wanted to see that again and again. A few weeks before my accident, I participated in an unofficial jump out at Longford. I was pretty useless- I missed the jump, but it was just one more taste of what I had to come.
I seem to have got distracted. The point was that I will be retracing some of my steps over the next few weeks. That was how it started.
Well, that's enough rambling for tonight.
Distance travelled: 170km
Time driving: 3 hours
Total distance travelled:2400km
No comments:
Post a Comment