Day three of our 9 Regions Run coincidentally was my 60th birthday.

We started the day with breakfast in the mess at Leinster Village - a wonderful place and I still miss it after working there for 9 months in 2005.

The plan had been to ride out through Wiluna then to Meekatharra and on to Newman. When I learned that the road included 125km of rough dirt I decided to go the long way via Mt Magnet - apparently 145km further.

Well, we started late after that breakfast and of course I had to take Sandra on a guided tour, first of the village and town, then out to my old gate at the former 11 mile well project, the airport, Percys mine entrance and so on. It was good to reminisce about old times and show my wife the places I had talked about over the years.

Finally we left on what I expected to be a 750km ride for the day. The leg to Sandstone went OK and we stopped briefly in the town for a photo before leaving for Mt Magnet.

Sandstone to Magnet is only 154km but as I approached 100km out I came over really fatigued. I felt a bit sick and felt like collapsing off the bike. I touched it out for a while until the opportunity arose to stop at a lookout over some breakaway country. We stopped there for at least half an hour as I tried to regain some strength, sitting looking at the view, eating some trail mix Sandra had packed and even adjusting the headlight to give me something to wake me up.

Once I had recovered a little we set off once more for Mt Magnet. I arrived there in reasonable condition, with the fatigue still noticeable but not as severe as before.

Again we stopped for some time, fuelled up, did some shopping and then rolled out onto the highway again past a sign that told me Newman was 618 km away. That was not good news! I thought it was about 450 - itself a huge task in my current state. I must admit I panicked a little, riding at night doesn't really worry me but 2 nights in a row and in my fatigued state didn't sound like a good idea. I resolved to ride 200km to Meekatharra and reassess the situation.

I didn't even manage the 200km without having another fatigue induced stopover which of course took some more precious time and worried me more. on toward Meekatharra we rode and arrived there about 4.00pm. I fuelled the bike but then decided to start at 4pm with 415km to go was taking things too far. I didn't want it to be my last birthday!

So we pulled in to the Auski Motel in Meekatharra, where I had stayed before and fortunately they had a room for us.

After checking in we met two teachers new to the town and also staying at the Auski who came around with a bottle of champagne and invited us to walk to the lookout with them for a glass at sunset. It turned out a great way to see the sun go down on my 60th year and we followed by all sharing a birthday dinner back at the motel.