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James Tranter

Simpson Desert Bike Challenge 2024

Simpson Desert Bike Challenge 2024

Help keep the Flying Doctor flying! I’m raising funds so the Royal Flying Doctor Service can respond at a moment’s notice for people living, working, and travelling in remote, rural and regional areas in Australia.


Last year alone, the RFDS reached more than 330,000 Australians with 24-hour emergency retrieval and primary health care. That’s one person every two minutes!


The Flying Doctor is always on call to help and save lives, and that’s why I’m asking you to chip in to and help the RFDS to provide the finest care to the furthest corner.


Go on. Please donate now towards my fundraiser, and let’s see how high our tally can fly.

Stellar start to my race training

Saturday, 25 May. I had clocked many kilometres on the bike in the earlier part of the year. General training was well on track, and I was looking to escalate my efforts. Cue the Sunday Creek Classic. Hey, this is a very challenging, scenic, and fun ride. Because training was going so well, I decided I had time to see for myself what all the fuss of a broken collarbone was. Cyclists rave about them. I'd never done it. What was I missing? Now, to wait for another rocky, steep descent, with a muddy trough at the end with large wheel ruts. I just need to...slide...and twist and lean a little...CRACK! Ah, yes! There we go. The doctor at the hospital said I did a really good job. I felt very proud.

Special thanks to my sisters and dad for picking me up from Nambour Hospital and driving my car home, the bloke who drove me back to the starting/finishing line along the rough, dirt tracks (we had no choice), the ambulance officers and hospital staff, the bloke who took care of my bike and delivered it to my house, the unnamed helpers who packed my swag and awning.

Putting things back in their rightful place

Thursday and Friday, 30-31 May

In the days following Sudden Impact, my main collarbone segment decided it would like to see the sun, so it began reaching for the skin on the top of my shoulder. One look at it by the orthopaedic doctor and they said "hmm, that needs urgent surgery". Five days in and I checked into the Transit Lounge at QEII Hospital at 7 am and consequently onto the emergency operation queue. About 5:30 pm I was wheeled to the operating preparation section of the hospital. After discussing what would happen with the anaesthetist I was told that my operation was deferred until later that evening. An hour later and it needed to be cancelled for the evening. I had fasted from about 10 pm the previous night. I was so hungry. I ravaged a couple of meals and some side-items. Fortunately I didn't need to wait long the next morning for my ORIF (Open Reduction and Internal Fixation) operation to be performed. Due to the potentially painful transfer from hospital bed to operating bed (because they "slide" you), I walked from one to the other.

Cue a couple of hours later and "Oh, that wasn't bad. I didn't feel a thing." No complications, no adverse reactions to the general anaesthetic (my first experience), and covered in luminous pink-purple antiseptic. A post-operation check, getting dressed, instruction of physio exercises, greeting my wonderful sisters, and I'm on my way home...for lunch!

I've wanted to learn knitting for a long time

Friday, 12 July -- My 6 week orthopaedic review: more x-rays which showed a thin fracture line but the bones knitting nicely. I get the "all clear" to ride outside, but "you need to be careful...". "Yeah, yeah, blah blah blah".

Since two weeks after surgery I've been exclusively riding my indoor trainer. I’ve been very patient and learning to appreciate it, but I've been itching to ride outside.

Testing my restored collarbone on the BVRT E2E Challenge

Saturday, 3 August -- Doing the 161km Brisbane Valley Rail Trail End to End Challenge was as much about giving my restored collarbone and rehabilitating shoulder muscles a good workout over somewhat rough terrain as it was about continuing to rebuild and test my endurance and fuelling. Apart from some temporary discomfort after riding over unexpected bumps or bunny-hopping the bike over expected obstacles, my new collarbone arrangement handled the terrain with very little complaint.

As it happened, the most challenging part of...the challenge...was dealing with the cold. A 6 am ride start from Wulkuraka and the temperature didn't exceed 3 degrees until about 7:30! I don't normally wear gloves when riding and it slipped my mind to think about wearing gloves, even for just the first couple of hours. I couldn't feel all my fingers until about 8:30. That made gear changes sometimes sluggish and proved very fiddly for accessing food and stowing wrappers in my jersey pockets.

It was a great day, was well-organised, and the volunteers were very friendly, helpful, and supportive. I was very pleased with my 6hr 15min total "race" time, which included only 12-13 minutes in stoppages.

Photo: My gravel bike leaning against the wooden finishing arch at Yarraman.

No blood donations for six months!

Over a month ago I learned that I am ineligible to donate blood, plasma, etc, for six months after my surgery. That means that I won't be able to donate until the end of November. I'm devastated. The blood bank officer mentioned some malarkey about my body needing to recover after a major operation, the chance of infection, blah, blah, blah. But I'm ready!

Please help me reach my goal

Raised

$861

My Goal

$1,000

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My impact

So far, my fundraising could help…

Provide a full range of life saving medication such as sedatives, pain relief and antibiotics so the Flying Doctor can be ready for 26 emergency situations.

Send 13 life saving-medical chest to remote communities

Provide one on one counselling to 8 outback Australians during a difficult time

Purchase 5 pieces of equipment that could include ventilators, defibrillators and infusion pumps which are used on board flights

Thank you to my supporters

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$316.50

Amanda

May it be only your race record that you break. :)

$107.61

Sir James The Clown

Stop clowning around and get on with it!

$102

Libby Schmidt

Mad. Completely mad.

$100

Ann Amos

Lets hope for a stellar recovery and you can get back to your preparation for the SDBC and make it to the start line. Wishing you all the best. Ann and Steve

$100

Rodney W

Bon voyage et bon vélo!

$50

Jon Douglas

Keep the collar bone intact!

$50

Anonymous

$34.48

Anonymous

Good Luck

My Team Members