! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Gravel!Rush!!Campaign!!Newsletter ! !#!!6! Seven!weeks!to!go.! ! WTF?! ! Yeah,!some!how!Christmas!turned!to!New!Year!that! turned!to!first!day!of!school!that!quickly!became!last! day!!of!!school!!and!!now!!it’s!!Easter!!and!!then!!it’ll!!be! ANZAC!Day!and!then!moments!later!you,!me!and!400! of!our!closest!new!friends!will!be!mashing!pedals!and!celebrating!our!remarkable! community!event.! ! I’m!jumping!put!of!my!skin!with!excitement!and!I!hope!you’re!feeling!it!too.!If! you’re!a!soloist!you’re!probably!wondering!whether!you!have!enough!miles!in!the! legs.!If!you’re!a!duo,!you’re!probably!wondering!whether!your!partner!has!enough! miles!!in!!their!!legs.!!If!!you’re!!the!!Rawring!!Forties,!!you’re!!probably!!wondering! whether!you’ve!packed!enough!beer.! ! Whatever!your!team!composition,!your!relative!fitness,!your!fund-raising!goals!or! your!logistical!preparations;!you’re!in!for!one!hell!of!a!life!defining!adventure.!It! ticks!!all!!the!!boxes;!!iconic!!stock!!route,!!insane!!idea,!!great!!company,!!glorious! weather!and!helping!others.!Oh,!and!there’s!cycling.!Lot!and!lots!of!cycling.!As! much!cycling!as!you!want,!as!far!as!you!want!and!as!fast!or!slow*!as!you!want! (*beware!the!twilight!curfew).! ! Giddy-up,!!you’re!!in! for!!!!!an!!!!!incredible! journey.! ! There!!!!!is!!!!!still!!!!!a! couple!of!Stray!Cats! looking!!!to!!!pimp!!!a! ride.!!!If!!!your!!!team! could!do!with!a!little! bolstering,!drop!me! a!!!!!line!!!!!and!!!!!see! whether!!there’s!!not! another!!set!!of!!legs! available!!!to!!!smash! through!!!!the!!!!daily! target!!and!!get!!you! into!!!!camp!!!!before! the!twilight!curfew.! ! ! ! ! ! www.karunjie.net.au ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Raising!(Hell)!Funds! ! Was!there!a!bloody!dry!eye!in!the!house!when!we!watched! Ryan!and!Toni!being!greeted!by!the!Chicago!Police!on!the! news!the!other!day?!A!pipe!band,!police!motorcade!escort,! media!!scrum.!!The!!Seppos!!certainly!!know!!to!!make!!you! feel!welcome.!It’s!reassuring!to!know!that!not!only!is!Ryan! receiving!the!best!treatment!available!in!the!World,!he’s! receiving!!!a!!!wealth!!!of!!!support!!!and!!!love!!!from!!!family,! friends,!colleagues!and!communities!across!the!World.! ! The!!!eleventh!!!hour!!!decision!!!by!!!the!!!West!!!Australian!!!Government!!!to!!!donate! $400,000!to!compliment!the!$250,000!already!raised!through!public!donations! was!!!both!!!gracious!!!and!!!timely.!!!It!!!all!!!came!!!about!!!through!!!stoic!!!media!!!and! community!advocacy!and!dogged!determination,!in!particular!Howard!Sattler!of! 6PR!and!WA!Police!Union!President,!Russell!Armstrong.! ! That’s!insanely!good!news!but!don’t!take!your!foot!off!the!fund-raising!gas!!It’s!still! shy!!of!!the!!full!!target!!amount!!to!!secure!!Ryan’s!!full!!six-month!!treatment!!at!!the! Rehabilitation!!Institute!!of!!Chicago.!!This!!place!!has!!state!!of!!the!!art!!equipment! housed!in!a!purpose!built!facility!and!staffed!by!World!experts!in!their!fields.!Hard! as!it!is!to!swallow;!the!Yanks!are!actually!the!best!in!the!World!with!this!stuff!(we! kick!their!arse!in!just!about!every!other!theatre!of!human!endeavour)!so!cheers!to! them!and!thanks!for!looking!after!our!mate.! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! www.karunjie.net.au ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Mega!Heroes!Page! ! Principal!Sponsor! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Diamond!Sponsors! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Pearl!Sponsors! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! www.karunjie.net.au ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Pearl!Sponsors! ! EC!!&!!M!!is!!a!!leading!!multi-discipline! resource!!and!!construction!!company! with!!!!extensive!!!!experience!!!!in!!!!the! design,! construction! and! commissioning!!!!!of!!!!!major!!!!!projects! throughout!Australia!and!Overseas.! ! Mate,!!I’m!!building!!a!!house!!at!!the!!moment!!and!!reach!!for!!the!!ventilating!!brown! paper!bag!at!the!thought!of!timing!the!painter!so!he!doesn’t!piss!off!the!the!floor! laying!guys,!having!the!electrician!connect!to!mains!but!not!mucking!up!the!work! of!the!plumbers!and!where!the!hell!are!the!roof!fitters!and!why!haven’t!they!fixed! the!freaking!valleys?! ! EC!&!M!have!got!some!seriously!dialled!project!management!practices!and!they! can!build!stuff,!or!help!build!stuff!(big,!technically!scarey!stuff)!in!remote!locations! around!Australia.!They’ve!got!their!teeth!into!a!Vanadium!mine!in!Windimurra,!a! gold!mine!expansion!in!Chirano,!another!gold!mine!at!Bonikro!and!pilot!mines!in! Ammtec!!and!!Antso…………they’re!!into!!Minerals!!and!!Processing,!!Oil!!and!!Gas,! Material!Handling!and!Power!Generation.! ! And!now!they’re!into!The!Gibb!Challenge!as!Pearl!Level!Sponsors………….now!if! they!!!!could!!!!just!!!!help!!!!me!!!!sort!!!!the!!!!tiler!!!!and!!!!that!!!!crew!!!!painting!!!!my! house……………Special!!thanks!!to!!Sandra!!Foster!!of!!the!!Cadence!!Cowboys!!for! brokering!the!deal!and!getting!their!people!to!speak!to!my!people.!(I!don’t!actually! have!any!people!but!you!knew!that!already)! ! ! ! ! ! You!!!!!already!!!!!know!!!!!that!!!!!Pindan!!!!!Labour! Solutions!is!our!major!sponsor.!Their!financial! and!!!!!corporate!!!!!contribution!!!!!was!!!!!already! MASSIVE!but!this!takes!it!through!the!roof!!! ! Pindan!Labour!Solutions!have!!!surrendered!their!sponsorship!team!entitlement! within!!our!!dusty!!peloton!!so!!that!!even!!more!!money!!can!!be!!raised!!for!!Ryan’s! treatment!in!the!U.S!of!A.! ! We’ve!packaged!the!coveted!Number!One!team!registration!(up!to!six!participants)! and!included!the!hire!4WD,!loan!of!a!custom!trailer!and!camping!equipment!and!a! framed!event!riding!jersey.! ! Place!your!bid!on!eBay!!Search;!The!Gibb!Challenge! ! www.karunjie.net.au ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Where!the!bloody!hell!are!we…………?! ! Our!location!profile!this!month!is!Ellenbrae!Station,!our!third!rest!stop!in!this! amazing!!journey.!!It’ll!!be!!another!!big!!day!!in!!the!!saddle!!with!!143!!kilometres!!of! jarring!Kimberley!superhighway!to!get!us!there,!but!the!grind’s!always!worthwhile! when!you’re!in!the!East!Kimberley!–!God’s!Country.! ! We!have!enjoyed!exclusive!use!of!this!glorious!patch!of!East!Kimberley!each!year! of!the!event!and!it’s!fair!to!say,!we’ve!pushed!the!boundaries!of!habitation!with!our! dusty!!peloton.!!Ringers!!has!!a!!communal!!area!!with!!a!!hot!!shower!!and!!toilet,! Bushman’s’!has!another!two!hot!showers!and!a!small!toilet!block.!Due!to!the!sheer! size!of!our!cycling!circus,!you!might!want!to!pack!a!camp!shower!or!invest!in!one!of! Jimmey’s!Thunder!Boxes.!!!http://www.2daloo.com/! ! For!a!genuine!Kimberley!camping!experience,! bang!!the!!decadence!!of!!flowing!!hot!!water!!and! opt!for!the!refreshing!water!hole!a!short!stroll! from!!!!!Ringers!!!!!to!!!!!soak!!!!!the!!!!!day’s!!!!!aches! away………….This!!is!!East!!Kimberley!!camping! and!hospitality!at!its!understated!magnificence;! a!few!new!dusty!friends,!spirited!banter!and!a! post!card!location.! ! The!driveway!leading!into!Ellenbrae!is!a!magic! ride!and!a!great!chance!to!get!the!kids!out!of!the! car!and!have!them!join!you!for!the!modest!5!kilometre!toddle!into!camp.!It’s!a! great!way!to!introduce!them!to!this!remarkable!community!event!and!a!chance!for! the!little!ones!to!tear!your!legs!off.! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! www.karunjie.net.au ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Muster!News! ! ! The!!other!!highlight!!of!!the!!Argyle!!Diamonds!!Ord! Valley!!!Muster,!!!is!!!the!!!internationally!!!acclaimed! Airnorth! Kimberley! Moon! Experience! on! Saturday,!!June!!2.!!This!!unique!!event!!at!!the!!Jim! Hughes!Amphitheatre!under!the!Kimberley!moon! and!!twinkling!!stars!!by!!the!!banks!!of!!the!!majestic! Ord!!!River!!!will!!!feature!!!some!!!of!!!the!!!greatest! Australian!music!legends.! ! Taking!!to!!the!!stage!!this!!year!!will!!be! and! some!of!the!regions!finest!local!artists.! ,! ,!!plus! ! This!!!outstanding!!!line-up!!!of!!!Aussie!!!greats!!!is! guaranteed!to!give!the!people!of!Kununurra!and! their!!visitors!!a!!rocking!!good!!time!!at!!the!!Jim! Hughes!!!!Amphitheatre,!!!!under!!!!the!!!!Kimberley! moon.! ! Tickets!!can!!be!!purchased!!through!!Ticketmaster! and!!the!!Kununurra!!Visitor’s!!Centre.!!Check!!out! the!!Kimberley Moon Experience!!page!!for!!more! details!!!!on!!!!this! year’s!!!!!amazing! line-up.! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! www.karunjie.net.au ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! The!Good!Oil! ! I!don’t!think!I’ve!gobbed!off!enough!about!the!most!precious!gift!this!campaign?!If! there’s!something!I’m!passionate!about!(besides!my!gorgeous!girls!and!beautiful! wife,!the!Kimberley,!carbon!fibre!&!Buffy!the!Vampire!Slayer)!it’s!the………………….! Australian!!Red!!Cross!!Blood!!Service.! ! There!is!always!the!need!for!blood!products;!road!trauma,!natural!disasters,!house! fires!and!illness.!You!can!help.!Just!one!donation!has!the!potential!to!save!three! lives.!That’s!bloody!heroic.!Donate!NOW!and!you!can!still!have!your!own!red!blood! cell!count!back!to!normal!levels!before!your!super-human!assault!on!The!Gibb!and! you!!won’t!!have!!to!!eat!!any!!tainted!!beef!!(Yeah!!Alberto!!–! Tramposo!!!española).………potentially!!!three!!!lives!!!saved! even!!before!!you’ve!!turned!!a!!pedal!!stroke!!and!!you’re!!a! bloody!legend.! ! One!in!three!people!will!require!a!blood!product!during! their!life.!Only!one-in-thirty!donate.!That’s!bullshi’!mate.! Get!in!there!and!give!it!up.!!It!could!be!your!life!you!save…….or!someone!you!love.! ! Call!your!nearest!Blood!Donor!Centre!on!13!14!95!for!an!appointment.!It’s!painless,! convenient,!!you’re!!making!!a!!real!!difference!!and!!they!!give!!you!!cake!!………..and! M&M’s!and!Cracker!Barrel!Cheese!and!incy!wincy!Mars!Bars!and!a!fruit!!juice.! ! ! ! (B)rumour!Mill! ! This!ain’t!no!(B)rumour,!it’s!good!enough!to!take!to!the!bank.! The!!Ryan!!Marron!!Foundation!!were!!recently!!successful!!in! their!!application!!for!!an!!ABN.!!It’s!!the!!first!!and!!most!!crucial! step!towards!gaining!‘deductible!gift!recipient’!status!with!the! Australian!Tax!Office.! ! Once!that’s!ticked!off,!your! valued!!and!!generous!!contributions!!will!!have! income!!tax!!deductibility!!!!Way!!cool…….help!!a! mate……and!get!a!tax!refund!from!the!treasury! goons!at!the!ATO.! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! www.karunjie.net.au ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! The!Gibb!Challenge!for!Virgins! ! “Do!you!know!anyone!that’s!got!a!spare!trailer?”! I!know!more!people!with!an!extra!bum!than!I!know!with!a!spare!trailer.!It’s!a!fair! call!that!any!idle!trailer!sitting!about!in!the!Kimberley!has!got!a!team’s!mark!upon! it!and!it’s!already!destined!for!the!corrugated!superhighway!in!May.!You!never! know!your!luck!though;!you!might!try!a!hire!company!or!a!community!group!or! even!!a!!government!!agency!!–!!just!!don’t!!humbug!!the!!Broome!!Cop!!Shop,!!they’ve! already!been!raped!and!pillaged.! ! ! “Can!I!swap!team!mates?”! Hell!Yeah.!If!one!of!your!crew!tears!a!heartstring!or!goes!all!sooky!at!the!thought!of! 770! kilometres! of! speed! bump! sized! corrugations,! just! go! to! https//registernow.com.au/gibbchallenge!!!!and!!!!edit!!!!your!!!!team’s!!!!registration! details.!!There’s!!a!!chance!!you!!won’t!!get!!the!!right!!jersey!!size!!‘cause!!I’ve!!ordered! those!already!but!you!never!know!your!luck……?! ! ! “Can!I!add!another!team!member?”! Absolutely.!!just!!go!!to!!https//registernow.com.au/gibbchallenge!!and!!edit!!your! team’s!!registration!!details.!!There’s!!a!!chance!!you!!won’t!!get!!the!!right!!jersey!!size! ‘cause!I’ve!ordered!those!already!but!you!never!know!your!luck……?! ! ! “Are!you!going!to!have!an!information!night?”! Hey,!now!there’s!a!great!idea………let’s!do!that!Mike.!Have!a!read!of!what’s!planned! at!Avanti!Plus!Cannington!in!the!Mmmm…mmmm….mmmaaaaaaaates!Rates……..section! of!this!newsletter.!Dundee!and!I!thought!we!might!look!at!something!similar!at! Broome!!Cycles!!too!!–!!or!!you!!Broome!!Mob!!can!!just!!come!!and!!join!!one!!of!!the! Monday,!Wednesday!or!Friday!rides!and!I’ll!tell!you!all!about!it!–!when!I’m!not! coughing!up!a!lung!trying!to!stay!on!Pete’s!wheel!!! ! ! “What!tyres!are!you!guys!running!with?”! I’m!a!disciple!to!Continental’s!Travel!Contact!–!a!high!pressure,!low!volume!tyre! with!ridiculously!little!rolling!resistance!and!a!minimalist!tread!pattern.!Great!for! sealed!roads!and!the!hard!packed!Gibb!–!treacherous!off!road!or!when!The!Gibb! offers!!up!!tracks!!of!!loose!!gravel.!!Then!!I’m!!reaching!!for!!my!!set!!of!!Hutchinson’s! Piranha…..and!some!bandages!to!stop!the!bleeding.! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! www.karunjie.net.au ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Mmmm…mmmm….mmmaaaaaaaates!Rates……..! ! PERTH!!MOB.!!My!!good!!mates!!Mike!!and!!Sarah!!own!!and!!manage!!Avanti!!Plus! Cannington,!!the!!greatest!!local!!bike!!shop!!(LBS)!!in!!Perth……Dundee’s!!Broome! Cycles!got!my!vote!for!the!greatest!local!bike!shop!for!anywhere!outside!The!Big! Smoke.! ! Mike’s!!come!!up!!with!!a!!corker!!of!!an!!idea;!!The!!Gibb!!Challenge!!Information! Evening:!Tuesday!the!24th!April,!2012.!It’s!as!much!for!Gibb!Virgins!as!anyone!else! who!!wants!!to!!swan!!about!!hundreds!!of!!square!!metres!!of!!bicycle!!retail!!heaven,! listening!!to!!dudes!!gobbing!!off!!about!!some!!incredible!!community!!event!!in!!the! Kimberley…..and!!then!!crashing!!through!!a!!truckload!!of!!pizzas!!and!!a!!couple!!of! frothy!ones!to!round!out!the!evening.!Hey,!it’s!a!catered!event!sure!to!pull!the! crowd,!!so!!make!!sure!!you!!R.S.V.P!!on!!9451!!2222.!!It’d!!be!!a!!shame!!to!!run!!out!!of! pizzas………or!beers.! ! I’ll!yap!on!a!bit!about!some!the!logistical!hurdles!you’re!probably!coming!to!terms! with,!Mike’s!taking!the!floor!with!equipment!and!nutrition!and!there!will!be!a!very! special!!presentation!!from!!Brad!!Marron,!!Ryan’s!!brother.!!There’s!!a!!bucketful!!of! experience!!on!!the!!floor!!so!!come!!along!!and!!dig!!about!!in!!the!!gooey!!bits!!of!!our! brains…….seriously,!there’s!some!great!insight!being!offered.! ! Time:! 1845!hours!(6:45pm)!to!2100!hours!(9:00pm)! Date:! Tuesday!24th!April,!2012! Address:!!!!!Avanti!Plus!Cannington,!Albany!Highway,!Cannington.! Cost:! $0,!nada,!zilch,!nothing.! Includes:!!!!Pizza,!light!refreshments,!fellowship!and!stacks!of!retail!bling.! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! www.karunjie.net.au ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Bloody!Heroic!Vollies! ! Volunteer!!!!support!!!!personnel!!!!have!!!!always!!!!been!!!!an! invaluable!ingredient!in!our!event.!They’ve!kept!our!times,! provided!!!medical!!!support,!!!ensured!!!our!!!safe!!!passage,! prepared!gourmet!meals,!super!heated!shower!water,!set! our!!!!camp!!!!and!!!!even!!!!fixed!!!!our!!!!bikes!!!!through!!!!the! night……freakin’!!amazing!!effort.!!We’ve!!been!!enormously! fortunate!to!have!had!some!great!people!join!us!in!the!past! and!I’m!super!keen!to!secure!their!services!again;!or!maybe! yours!this!year.! ! If!!you’re!!looking!!for!!a!!life!!defining!!weeklong!!adventure!!in!!the!!extraordinary! beauty!of!the!Kimberley,!assisting!community!minded!people!in!their!endeavours! to!raise!money!for!heroic!charities,!The!Gibb!Challenge!wants!YOU!! ! Thank!you!to!those!gracious!souls!who!have!already!put!up!their!hand!to!assist.! There’s!some!familiar!faces!as!well!as!new.! ! Your!contribution!of!time!and!effort!will!greatly! assist!!the!!event!!through!!a!!variety!!of!!roles!!that! include;!!!catering,!!!time!!!keeping,!!!marshalling,! media!!!!liaison,!!!!promotions,!!!!communications,! medical!!support,!!mechanical!!repairs,!!transport! or!!camp!!ground!!management.!!See?!!No!!riding! required.! ! I’ll!!!even!!!pay!!!for!!!your!!!meals,!!!camping!!!and! wilderness!park!fees.!I’ll!chuck!in!a!hat!and!a!cap,! a!!couple!!of!!shirts,!!a!!celebration!!luncheon!!at! Emma!!!Gorge,!!!my!!!eternal!!!gratification!!!and!!!a! certificate!!of!!appreciation!!…………………honestly,! it’s!the!least!I!could!do.!You!guys!rock!!! ! Bloody! Heroic! Volunteer! registrations! are! open! now! @! http://www.thegibbchallenge.com.au/volunteers.html!!!Click!!!on!!!the!!!link!!!to!!!go! through!to!Register!Now.! ! The!!response!!has!!been!!utterly!!insane!!–!!volunteer!!assistance!!offered!!from!!New! South!!!!Wales,!!!!Victoria!!!!and!!!!South!!!!Australia!!!!!Naturally!!!!there’s!!!!plenty!!!!of! Sandgropers!throwing!their!hands!up!but!I!am!stunned!by!the!level!of!assistance! being!offered!from!around!Australia…….room!for!maybe!one!or!two!more!Bloody! Heroic!Volunteers.! ! ! ! ! www.karunjie.net.au!