Update: Unfortunately, this ride was abandoned to some very sore knees due to an old injury.
On the 5th of October, 2019, I will be setting off on my second charity ride for FightMND! I will be departing from the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), at 07:30, to begin my 2000 km ride to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)! I intend to arrive by the afternoon of the 1st of November.
MND (or ‘The Beast’) stands for Motor Neurone Disease. It is also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. There is currently no cure. Life expectancy is, on average, 27 months. FightMND was set up to raise the awareness of the disease, but also to provide funding for research and clinical trials. To find out more what MND is, visit fightmnd.org.au/what-is-mnd.
Over the last few years, they’ve funded much needed research, to try and find a cure for the disease. They also provide care to patients by way of arranging access to equipment necessary to maintain independent lives and a level of dignity. MND research is a cause very close to my heart. Two of my high school teachers, and a friend’s father, died from this insidious bastard of a disease.
This year’s route will take me from the SCG, up over the Blue Mountains and out to central west New South Wales, before heading to Albury, south western Victoria, and along the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne. The last time I cycled to Melbourne, I stayed in motels. This time, I will be staying in the occasional hostel, camping ground, caravan park, and maybe through Couchsurfing and Warmshowers (like Couchsurfing, but for the cycle touring community). As a result, it will be a rather heavy loaded bicycle. 🙂 It will be my last multi-day bicycle ride, before I set off on my round the world bicycle trip at the beginning of 2021.
A new fundraising page has now been set up! A target of $3000 has been set. You can donate by following this link. I’ve also created a short URL (www.rtw.bike/donate), which automatically redirects to the fundraising page. If you’re an Aussie taxpayer, donations of $2, and over, are tax deductible.
Each day, at least three Australians are diagnosed with MND. And, each day, at least three Australians die from it. There is no cure. It is a Beast of a disease. Without your help, MND will keep on killing.
Fight MND (a trading name of the Cure for MND Foundation), is a not-for-profit charity, and was established in 2014. It is endorsed by the ATO (Australian Taxation Office) and holds full DGR (deductible gift recipient) status, and are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC: 62740350704). All donations, AUD $2 (and over), by Aussie taxpayers, are fully tax-deductible.
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