Dave Cornthwaite - Boardfree: The Story of an Incredible Skateboard Journey across Australia

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In 2006, David Cornthwaite stepped onto his trusty longboard, Elsa, and began the ride of his life.

Some said he was crazy, that he would burn alive under the unforgiving Australian sun or be reduced to a red smear on the ground by a gargantuan road-train; many others cheered him on and threw money at him as they drove by. In skating from Perth to Brisbane a distance of 5823km Dave, 'The Mad Pom', unwittingly became a celebrity, and in the process earned thousands for charity and had himself a spectacular adventure. It's not as though he was entirely unexperienced, mind; he had just skated from John O'Groats to Lands End by way of a warm up.

This is the story of the blisters and the blood, the beyond-limits endurance, the heartache and conflict, the beautiful and terrifying sights, and the miles of lonely road that led Dave and the BoardFree team to success on the far side of Australia.

Dave's efforts, which helped improve the lives of thousands of children who benefitted from BoardFree's charitable donations and inspired others to take up their own boarding challenges, earned him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, twice over. And he learned a little bit more about what it means to really live, too.

"Your journey is truly inspiring.
I will never complain about my legs being tired again"
Tony Hawk

BoardFree

The Story of an Incredible Skateboard
Journey across Australia

Dave Cornthwaite

Contents

For Pauline, Peter and Andy Cornthwaite, whose unwavering support made the difficult times just that little bit easier. And for Kate, who despite everything stuck by me to the bitter end.

A Letter

4 August 2006

Hilarious man,

You have no idea what you are getting yourself into. And neither do any of the people spurring you on in this message board. My recommendation is bring a lot of hard core sunscreen bro youll bloody need it. Ill be amazed if you make it through one full day without collapsing from exposure to the sun let alone get across the country. Half the Brits that turn up on on Bondi beach keel over after a day in the sun. To think that you can brave one of the harshest environments on the planet for the length of time you are planning with that pastey skin of yours is just laughable.

To give you an idea of what you are in for...

In the day time think Death Valley, Think Sahara. At night think snakes, goannas, poisonous spiders and scorpions crawling into your shoes and sleeping bag for warmth. And thats without mentioning speed crazed truckies driving by in giant articulated road trains full of cattle tossing up massive clouds of choking bull dust in their wake and thats just if it doesnt hit you. You will know what I mean when you see how one of those trucks can reduce a 7 foot red Kangaroo to a 30 foot long red smear in about a tenth of a second. They have a stopping distance of a half kilometre once they are up to speed and you dont wanna get in the way of one.

You had better get some all terrain wheels for that board too cos the road across the Nullarbor (which means no trees hence no shade by the way) isnt some rural English back road where the biggest obstacle is a cow pat. Those hard urathane wheels wont cut it unless you want to be the first person to carry a skateboard across Australia.

Oh and by the way it is dead flat and straight for hundreds and hundreds of kilometres so I hope you have been working out hard on your pushing leg.

My mates and I are taking bets on what day you will end up in hospital from dehydration, sunstroke or third degree sunburn. I am finding it hard to get someone to take anything beyond day 4 in the pool. Right now you probably think I am a wanker but in reality I am trying to save your life.

Good luck mate

Youll need it.

Steve Furness

Thats the thing about Australians. They can shatter your hopes and dreams in an instant, but are still friendly enough to call you mate once theyre done. I stared at the screen for a little while, double-checking everything just in case Id missed the general gist of Mr Furnesss argument. Then, deciding that yep, this chap wasnt too keen on my little Australian plan, I took a sip of water and realised just how much I was shaking.

You see, this wasnt the first message of its kind that Id received in the past year. I thought Id got used to receiving them, but I hadnt. I probably never would. And perhaps it was time to accept that. But I was still trembling nevertheless and no matter what I told myself the reason was plain and simple. Because it hurt. I had dreamed a dream and I was pursuing it with plenty of gusto, but I didnt need obstacles like this. Little snipes from strangers. Verbal batterings from people around the world. I was trying to do something good, for Gods sake, it wasnt like Id set up a website declaring war on babies. But still they came, these messages, and this one cut deep. Id never been to Australia before, and Steve Furness obviously had because hed called me mate, but thats not the point. The point is, Id never been to Oz, he had, and he was telling me that with all his knowledge of that vast, red, empty country, he wouldnt do what I was about to attempt. Which was, in short, a journey across Australia, on a skateboard. I shut my computer down, pondering the situation. Was this guy for real? Did he know something I didnt? Was he trying to save my life? Or, as hed laid the option open to me, was he just a wanker? I picked up my board, Elsa, and decided that yes, he was a wanker. And no, he wasnt going to stop me. And that in his own little way hed just made me more determined, which was a dangerous way to dissuade me from doing anything in the first place.

And then I went for a skate, because I was in training. And in nine days I was flying to Perth, Western Australia, because that was where my journey was starting. And Id booked my tickets already, so even though Steve Furness had just scared the crap out of me I had to go. It was too late now. There was no backing out. So thanks for everything Steve, see you on the other side.

That Morning: Part One

Mid-April 2005