New Logo!

Cath Levett designed the Great COFE for CF a logo!
It has the Rose for CF (Cystic Fibrosis sometimes called Sixtyfive Roses) and my bicycle wheel! How did Cath know that is what it looked like? She is in London, I am in Tasmania!
Special thanks also goes to Kathryn Whitfield for making it happen!

Onya Cath!

Tullah Challenge

In preparation for the Great COFE for CF I entered the Tullah Challenge this weekend! Was loads of fun, but hard work. Needless to say I coughed the whole way!

More photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/vanpraag/TullahChallenge


No, I was not first, I was close to last in most events: Kayaking (5km), Riding (30km) and running (7.5km). 

Necklace from Kenya on eBay Auction

The eBay Charity Auction is on! Do you think people would bid on it for The Great COFE for CF? Here is the necklace modeled by Amanda and Georgia. Surely it will do well, such lovely models and such worthy cause, and the necklace is made by the most wonderful people - read blog entry below!



eBay Auction here:
http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=50447680&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=110052540015&lk=URL

Gift from Kenya

I received a beautiful necklace in the mail this week! It came from Joyce from Kenya! It was made by "ill women trying to make a living for their families". They are looking for a way to sell these items to generate money for these women. If anyone can help email me!

What Joyce suggested I do is auction it off to help with the funding I need. I think that eBay would be good as it would also link to The Great COFE website and could be good for promotion as well! Will give this a go soon! Sounds like a great plan to us. 

A huge thank you!

Wow, how cool, all the way from San Francisco in the USA I received an anonymous well wish and a Smile card from http://www.helpothers.org . What a great wish! And with it was a contribution of US$10 to help me along the way! Whoever you are, it was a wonderful letter to get in my mailbox in Tasmania! Thank you kindly! 

The first press interview!

You may not understand the interview, it was done in dutch for the dutch SBS radio program!
May there be many more to come!

To actually listen to it <click here> !

The current bikes

Here are my two bikes. The old Canondale I bought when I worked in the USA, and the good ole Trek. The Trek I call the Trektor as it is heavy and solid, I usually take it on social rides in the country, and also did all my bike touring with it (like the Tasmania Trail). The Canondale is a fancy, lighter bike. It is ideal for racing in and out of town and is a lot lighter to carry up the single trail steep slippery bits I go up on to get back home. Of course I also use the Canondale for event rides like the Tullah Challenge.

For the Great COFE for CF I hope to get a bike manufacturer to sponsor me and get a bike that will give me no trouble for the first 4000kms! Chances are I will carry gear with me, kind of depends on whether we really get enough funds for a support vehicle! We have a driver thanks to Tiina's pledge!

Come Canondale, sponsor me!

But don't expect me to repeat any of this! I made it to 41 with only one broken collar, a few minor breaks in toes and hands, and a few cuts and bruises... and that is enough thank you! 

The Great COFE diary begins!

It is a long time to go yet, but this will be the spot where you can follow the online progress of the ride.

The ride is 4000kms long, from Paris to Istanbul (see http://cofe.pledgepage.org). That means that during August and September next year I will cycle 50-100kms per day for 70 days. Looking forward to it!

Today I filled in the paper work to register myself as a non-profit body in Tasmania, with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading. It requires a police record! So that was applied for at the same time.

I don't expect too many entries on this blog till closer to July 2007! So keep your eye on http://cofe.pledgepage.org and perhaps consider signing up for the newsletter which will outline progress once a month or so...