CRAIG Alford and his team of mower men are seeing if the grass truly is greener on the other side of the country, and then mowing it, as they continue a record lawnmower ride around Australia.
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The team of eight rotarians from Western Australia cut into Tamworth on Thursday, four years into their journey, and they are only a third of the way there, expecting to mow back into Perth sometime in 2018 after covering 15,000km and rasising significant awareness and several hundred thousand dollars for charity, this stretch for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
This leg will be 5300km and will double the distance they have already mown, arriving in Darwin for the July 12, Beer Can Regatta.
On Thursday, they had a cameo mow from country music star Rex Dallas, who hithced a ride from Manilla, as the team attempt the massive Sydney to Darwin leg of their journey.
Alford said that despite travelling through the desert in 50 degree heat, through rain, hail and sleet it has all been worth it.
“What has really blown us away us is the great support we have received from local communities and Rotary clubs all over rural and regional Australia,” Alford said.
Alford and “The Beast”, his revved-up mag wheel-clad Hustler Z ride-on, have been on the road since the craziness began in 2012, according to logistics manager Kim Larsen.
Alford mowed his way from Perth to Kalgoorlie, before the team had a Forrest Gump-type moment.
“When we got there, we just thought why don’t we keep going,” Larsen said.
And just like Tom Hanks, they did keep running, crossing the Nullabor in summer to arrive in Adelaide, and from there Melbourne, and from there Sydney, and from there the team of eight have taken on their most audacious trip yet, a 5100km drive to Darwin for the Beer Can Regatta next month.
Over the four years the mower man and his team have raised upwards of $230,000 and will eventually have the record for the first trip around the country on a mower.
“It has been a crazy ride so far,” Larsen said.