Outback Odyssey - Nerves

I've been meaning to write this post for the last three weeks, and of course I've left it to the last minute. I'm sitting here in a tent waiting for the rain to come pouring down on us, if the lightning I saw before was any indication, catching up on my blogging. Nothing like getting back to nature!

Mr Carl and I are back to our outback adventures, taking on the mini Mawson three, starting tomorrow. I've been fairly nervous in the lead up to this, and I wanted to write a blog about what I was worried about. But to balance it out, I thought I ought to include all the things that made me want to come back!

Top 3 Outback Odyssey Nerves:

1. The weather.

Did I mention the lightning outside? After our last annual tour at Kangaroo Island where we almost got blown off the island, I've been a bit worried about the weather. Not to mention the last Hector Fletcher road race I did, where lightning was arcing off the fence next to the road. So weather concerns me. But at the end of the day, there's not a lot I can do about it, so I should probably stop worrying.

2. My body

For someone in their mid thirties, my body sometimes feels a decade or so older. I've had a lot of back issues, but I'm slowly understanding the cause of the problem and fixing it. That being said, bike touring is something that doesn't really seem to bother my back, or the rest of my body and I'm hoping this will hold true this time as well.

3. The weather

Ok, so I thought that I had more things that I was worried about, but it really was just those two. But I'm really worried about the weather! (I know, nothing I can do about it, which probably makes me worry more!)

Top 3 things that I'm looking forward too:

1. The people

I've met so many awesome people through Bike SA tours and I'm hoping to catch up with a  few of them on this ride. I'm also hoping to meet more awesome people, and I don't think I will be disappointed!

2. The scenery

The Flinders ranges are amazing, and there's no better way to see it than by bike! I've got my camera and I'm ready to shoot!

3. Riding Maretta

I've got a shiny new, tequilla green steed and she's ready to go! I may not feel quite as ready but I'm keen to give it a go and I know Maretta won't let me down. Five days of riding my bike, who could ask for more?

Ultimately, I love these tours because I know I don't have to worry and if anything goes wrong the Bike SA crew will look after me. I'm also lucky that I get to share it all with my best friend and partner (not Maretta), Mr Carl. So, here's to the start of an awesome holiday!