Day 7 R4SK's and the conclusion to another great week

The Muppets and some cyclists come rolling in!

McLaren Vale to Adelaide (Ronald McDonald House) & our families.

Its been the best part of the year, and although I did manage to make it back to the house eventually.........no it did not take me this long to finish!

Somehow, I managed not to publish the last day and a half of excruciating pain for the 2013 RMHC SA Ride for Sick Kids!  partly because we managed to go on an of course excursion, and combined with dropping my chain on a climb and watching the rest of the peleton effortlessly ride off up through the Hills to Mt Lofty for a belated lunch rendezvous. 

I had the pleasure of taking an escape route down to a local North Adelaide school for our Laurel & Hardy performance.

Never before have i felt such adulation in laying my eyes on the Adelaide City skyline as we meandered our way down from Mt Lofty through the Adelaide hills to our final school visit and our final stop at the Adelaide Ronald McDonald House.

Even Ronald eagerly awaiting us at the House was a sight for sore eyes, and as we of burly steel attempted to ride in without the glistening of emotions welling in eyes, it was an emphatic finish to another enthralling Charity ride.

We had completed the task that had been severely gruelling, even to those that weren't packing additional pounds under our lycra.  From freezing morning temperatures with rain and fog to blistering hot weather reaching +40 degrees, to what felt like gale force crosswinds to our 'easy' ride to Robe!  What an experience and an absolutely fantastic group of people to spend a week with, including the adorable 'man child' Coldbeck.

The fundraising efforts of the entire team and that raised by the local McDonald's stores and Licensee's has netted over $200,000 for the Adelaide house!!! No amount of pain endured, could wipe away the smiles of personal achievement and a feeling of contributing to such a worthy cause.

When you roll into the House and see the families and children of the House, and then your own family and support, it is truly over whelming, as we realise that our journey has ended, and those at the house often have a struggle that continues for many years.

So as we close the chapter on this years ride, we open up another challenge for 2014, with a visit to the riverland and Mildura to Adelaide for some more adventure as the muppet train continues to build momentum and helps to deliver a positive outcome for the Adelaide RMHC.

I will attempt to update the official stats before the next ride and some pics, but for now, its time for Mr Lucas to stop eating all the pies and get himself ready for another R4SK's.

Thank you to each and every person that has contributed in any manner, big or small (and yes, i am referring to the man child!), along the way in delivering a stella event and helping raise funds to our charity.  Each one of you is quiet hero and we appreciate everything you do.

Thank you,

Mr Lucas