Great Aussie Rickshaw Ride 22nd and 23rd August

It is Monday and a rest day for the support team. Nathan and Ross have
taken Khaleque and Hajrat to the Alps for their first visit to see
snow. Though on Saturday night we thought that we would all see snow
in our cabins, it was so cold. The air conditioner supposed to be
providing heat to the cabin that the fellows were housed in was
labouring hard. It gives a good imitation of a lawn mower and when it
cuts out like a lawn mower hitting a brick.
Sunday, however, was cold but not windy which made it pleasant. The
team made presentations in the morning at Good Shepherd Anglican and
in the evening at Belconnen Baptist. Considerable interest was shown
in the Rickshaw Ride and in the work of Symbiosis.
So far on the Rickshaw Ride I have not ridden a rickshaw even one
kilometre whether in anger or serenity. This seems contradictory and
ironic. The reason is that I have been living the life of a "roadie".
I now have a greater appreciation for the life of those people who
provide the backup to touring rock stars. In our case the star is two
rickshaws. They have to be tended to, housed properly, given the
prominent place etc. Sometimes we have to protect them from
"groupies", usually dedicated cyclists who are fascinated by the
exotic. But as a "roadie", I have estimated that the truck must have
been loaded and unloaded in the last 40 days (which is the time that
we have been on the road) at least 60 times. It is good that we have a
hydraulic lifter to raise and lower the rickshaw and other heavy
equipment in and out of the truck. Otherwise we may all be seeking
treatment for bad backs. The team knows what to do once we arrive at a
venue. In fact sometimes there seems to be a group of automatons
setting up. All go into automatic pilot and do what we have done many
times before.
I have been on the road for about 19days of the trip. Excluding my
own, I have slept in about 7 different beds. The members of the team
who have been on the road continuously (Ross, Bev, Val, Khaleque and
Hajrat) must have slept in about 19 different beds.
A short word about food. Val and Bev have done a terrific job of
feeding the "roadies". I thought that with rickshaw riding and not
much food I would loose a bit of weight and tone up. Not so. No
rickshaw riding and plenty of really good food. Thanks Val and Bev.
Tomorrow will be a busy day with four presentations to different
classes at an Anglican school in Canberra.