July E-scapade - We're preparing an awesome Ride for you!

Wake up Victoria!

Entries are open and we have six people registered as Riders! There are two from NSW, two from WA and two from Qld ... So come on Victorians, let's get a score on the board! I have a 2008 Great Escapade T-shirt for the first 100 people to register as Riders - so enter today!

Check out my planning trip photos!

Here is a quick run down of my Planning Trip photos for you to have a look at:

There are some awesome views of Wollemi National Park from Pearsons Lookout, between Portland and Oberon. Breathtaking!

I've taken some shots of Lake Lyell and the Route between Lithgow and Oberon. There are also a few shots of Cassilis (from the passenger window of a moving car)!

The Grape Escapade will see you following the Hunter River all the way from Lake Glenbawn (near Scone), through Denman (where the Goulburn flows in), Singleton (where you can rest and visit the vineyards) and along a river bank bike path in Maitland.

Check out the Oberon - Tarana Rail Side Trail that the Oberon Council is inviting us to ride on when we head out of Oberon on Monday 31 March 2008.

Route Profiles - available in August

I was hoping to have the Route Profiles and Google Earth Flyover ready for you this month. So our Route Operations Team drove along the Route with their GPS and digital maps in early July. Last weekend, Kevin's hard drive crashed (oh dear!), so when it comes back from the computer doctor, I'll put the Route information on the web for you! Sign up to receive an email update on the Route pages.

There are amazing places to visit

The Councils along the Great Escapade Route are very excited about the Ride coming to town. We met with all nine Councils and they are raring to go! We have had our film crew on the road, capturing some of the amazing places and Colourful Characters along the Route for you to see. This footage will be included on the 2008 Great Escapade Preparation DVD, sent out when you register for the Ride.

If you have a friend who would like to see the Virtual Ride Guide, tell them to request a copy of a Past Great Escapade Preparation DVD and we'll pop one in the post.

I've been able to confirm some of the Campsites along the Route and have put some shots up for you to see. Imagine when we turn these places into a tent city for the night! Watch the Ride Campsite Movie to see it all happen!

Our Team is building up

We have received over 80 Volunteer Applications - which is just fantastic (and is currently about 13 Volunteers for each Registered Rider)! There are people from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, WA, Tassie and New Zealand. We'll start allocating Volunteers to Teams in October, so make sure you tell your friends and family about the option to join the Ride as a Volunteer, we don't want them to miss out! Have you seen Volunteering - The Movie? It gives a snapshot of the fun and games of volunteering, although, we've taken out the shots of John in his purple wig ...

Prepare yourself

There's a load of information about Bikes and Riding for you to have a look at. Find out about Bikes and Bits, Health Matters, People to Ride with, Skilling Up and Where to Ride. You can also use the "Find a" to search for your local Bike Shops. John comes into the office once a week to jump on the phone and update the Bike Shop contact details.

Pass it on

Please pass this email on to your friends and family - so they can sign up to receive the monthly E-scapade too! If they sign up to receive the August E-scapade you can both go in the draw for a Great Escapade Jersey.