This morning we rode out of Wuxi (which means no tin as it was all mined a generation ago) to Lake Pai, China’s 3rd largest freshwater lake. We faced severe headwinds and rain but arrived at Mount Ling. This is a very famous area, and due to the fact it has never seen war throughout Chinese history, is perfect as the site of the Giant Budda. This Budda, China’s largest, is 88 meters high and made of copper!

We were met on site by a journalist of the Wuxi Daily, the leading newspaper for the 5 million person city of Wuxi. Wuxi Daily is running regular updates on the ride - appreciative of the three core goals of the ride: to build several Project Hope schools; promote strong relations between China and Australia; and support the Beijing Olympics.

After lunch we headed North in wind and rain crossing the giant Yangzi river. Supported by a strong tail wind the team averaged approx 40km per hour on high quality roads that wound there way amongst the rice paddies and fields of the Yangzi delta.  Things got really interesting when we passed through the small rural townships where traffic chaos rules. You just never know from which direction the carts, cars, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians (lots of them) will emerge!

We have just finished today’s ride safe and sound, however due to Typhoon Fung-wong the wind, rain and mud made dodging cars, trucks, bikes and people very interesting! Especially challenging as they “often” drive down the road the wrong way! We have cycled approximately 100kms today and are now in Wuxi.

This weekend the team and I travel over to Shanghai ready to start the Project Hope Charity Ride. We begin the ride Tuesday morning so have two days to acclimatise. We plan two easy rides, one each on Sunday and Monday, to get used to the heat (and traffic).

I would like to thank the many generous people and organisations who have contributed financially to the ride so far.

During the ride you can track the progress of the group thanks to the Global Tracking system provided by Tenzeng. You can also subscribe to the RSS feeds to receive our updates.

I look forward to sharing stories and perspectives of China and a little of what the team is up to over the coming weeks!

Mike McKay, Mark Goldblatt and Steve Lilley tested their riding strength in the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) heat tent, in preparation for the Project Hope ride. The conditions in the tent were approximately 34 degrees celsius, with a humidity level of over 80% - certainly gave them a ‘feel’ for what is to come on the eight day bike ride in China!

VIS athletes from sports such as marathon running, rowing, cycling and football have been using the heat tent for up to one hour, three to five times a week, to try and acclimatise to the hot and humid conditions they will face in Beijing.

It was great to ‘experience’ the griller …. I mean heat tent. VIS physiologist Kath, weighed us and our water bottles before and after the session and also monitored our perceived exertion and heart rate during the 45 minute sessions. From this we calculated our individual sweat rate per hour at the moderate intensity we pedalled at. We all noticed the stifling effect of humidity on our breathing, decreased cooling ability and the corresponding increase in heart rate after half and hour. It was a stark reminder of the need to constantly hydrate to the tune of about 1.5 litres and hour.

It was a very worthwhile exercise, to experience how oppressive the conditions will be for us and our Beijing Olympians. As we’ll be riding about 5 hours per day, I think the sessions have helped prepare me mentally for the heat as well as provide a much better understanding of the fluid requirements to successfully complete the 1200 km ride.   Mike McKay

You can read more about the VIS at www.vis.org.au

On Saturday night, Project Hope riders Michael Gannon, Andrew Buxton, Mike McKay and I attended the Prime Minister’s Olympic Dinner in Melbourne. We are all on the organising committee for the dinner. It was a fantastic evening raising over $1 million for our Beijing team.

As a five-time Olympian (and two time gold medallist), Mike was a guest speaker and shared his insights into what it takes to be an Olympian. Our Project Hope ride even received a mention, with the Chairman of the Olympic Dinner Organising Committee, Max Beck, expressing that he wished he could also participate!

Riders doing a practice run in the official Project Hope Olympic Charity Ride gear.