Gulp! We're going up there?!

Thankfully it took six days for the elements to conspire against us. Today, on what was without doubt the toughest day of the ride, the CowFund cyclists were confronted with blustery headwinds as they departed Cooma for Perisher Valley.

True to form, CowFund’s morale officer, Dallas “Porka” McCulloch, chose the toughest day to jump on the bicycle and display his cycling skills. It should be noted also that the support crew were subject to some tough luck on day 6 when a set of car keys became mysteriously secured on the inside of the applicable car.

Nevertheless, progress would not be halted. The team were welcomed at Jindabyne by the Mayor of Snowy Mountains Shire, Cr Richard Wallace, and a contingent of well-wishers from the Jindabyne Uniting Church, led by Matthew and Wendy, affiliates of CowFund’s partner, Uniting Church Overseas Aid.

The CowFund team then got kitted up for their impending ascent to the summit of the highest peak of Australia - with all cross country skiing gear provided for by the generous and convivial team at Paddy Pallin, Jindabyne.

It must be said that the cycling team for Day 6 (Fiona Collins, Heidi Snell, Michael Murray, Nathan Fabian and Theresa Brungs) put in a huge effort on behalf of the rest of the CowFunders. Cooma is nestled at 800m above sea level. Perisher Valley is at about 1750m. To gain 950m in altitude in (largely) an afternoon’s riding takes a special effort. The fact that they were still riding as the sun dropped below the surrounding snowy peaks and the temperature plummeted, displayed their commitment to the CowFund cause.