4X4 Tyre....Check!

G'day folks

Training has started in earnest.......OK, that's the first lie! Training hasn't started at all but I'm so close I can taste the sweat dripping through my well tended beard into the corners of my mouth!

I did, however, take possession of a big ugly 4x4 tyre this week! I tried it out with some cheap rope and my concrete driveway yesterday and yep, it's going to hurt. Today I've been trying to sort out some sort of harness to pull the thing with, which is a task in itself! I didn't realise how difficult it would be to find something suitable that I could use to pull the tyre and then the cart, once it gets built. I went to the op-shop yesterday and got me a nice lady's leather belt with metal rings on each end. I think it could work, but for a very short period of time. If not, it makes a lovely accessory. As for real harnesses, you can get something semi-suitable for pretty much everything to do with OH&S and dogs, but that's about it in Australia.

So, as they say in the classics, persistence really does pay! After retreating to cyberspace USA for inspiration, (you can seriously get ANYTHING you can think of in that country) I finally found a harness that looks perfect for the job. It has wide shoulder harnesses for comfort and the attachment is at the base of the spine where it can take 750lb which is a whole lot more than I can take....perfect! Anything in Australia that came even close to it was about $250. For this one, $US30 + $US30 postage. I could have gone with this Sarah Palin Special, but I didn't like the colour...or it's reason for existing, check out the diagram!! Awesome!

A mate of mine from school (circa 1991) told me about a device called a SPOT Connect. With this I will be able to send short notes from along the trek and you will be able to follow my progress. I wouldn't sit there and watch, more like check every few days. I dare say watching paint dry would be more entertaining!

And lastly, I MAY have found me a support crew. Details need to be ironed out but if they are able to get on board, I'll be showering them in compliments, not just for doing a big thing for Camp Quality, but so they won't bugger off and leave me (or us Seb Terry) if they get bored!

So, this afternoon, all things going well, it's tyre time on Newport Beach! I'll let you know how it goes.

Psyched!