Sydney To Surfers Bike Ride – My 1,000 Km Charity Ride

Why I’m Riding My Pushbike 1,000 Km (621 miles) on March 24, 2007

Heh! This is old news – from 2007! Check out my latest charity bike ride here – it’s bigger and I may not survive!

Updated: February 14, 2007

One of my goals for 2007 is to ride from Sydney to the Gold Coast (home). A distance of about 1,000 km (621 miles).

If you’re in the US, that’s the same as riding from the New York Stock Exchange to Indianapolis (in a straight line).

To do it I’ve joined a Charity Ride called the “Sydney To Surfers Cycle Tour”.

Riding 150 km A Day For 7 Days – Sydney To Surfers

bren-cycle-747911The ride starts on March 24 and goes to the 30th. I’ll be riding about 150 km per day. That’s me to the left during a 180 km bike ride a few years back.

The main beneficiary for the ride is Fr. Chris Riley’s “Youth Off The Streets” – a widely known and respected charity here in Australia that helps homeless youth.

The ride is organised by the Rotary Club of Engadine and last year they raised the brilliant amount of $111,000. Sensational.

Why I Am Doing This – And Why “Youth Off The Streets”

familyI have 3 great kids. They’re really nice people – a beautiful 15 yo daughter (Laura) and 2 boys – Jack (14) and Harry (12). That’s them to the right with my wife Mel.

They get a heap of support from my wife and I, as well as a very supportive community of teachers, sport and Scout leaders, friends and many more.

And because of all that support they get the chance to learn vital life skills, gain a solid education and have a caring environment where they can grow as people with us (family, friends and leaders) to help them when they stumble.

Not everybody has that. And that can make life tough. Very tough.

Children Struggle To Gain Life Skills Without Support

I’ve seen a ton of children over the years struggle because they lack strong role models. In this day and age where something like 50% of kids grown up in a single parent family the incidence of kids not being able to deal with life’s issues has grown enormously.

Research indicates very strongly that the absence of a strong role model in a child’s life very negativity impacts upon them. In a FLY Study, of the 13,000 kids cited for a juvenile offence surveyed:

  • 91% do not have positive adult role models in their lives,
  • 83% do not have basic life skills to resist peer pressure and make healthy choices, and
  • 78% have experimented with marijuana.

Support, Education & Living Skills

A lot of the time the only thing these kids need is a chance. An opportunity like the one that Father Riley’s organisation provides – support, education and the opportunity to learn some living skills.

So if I can play a small role in that by being one of the 100 or so doing this ride, and raise some much needed funds to help others, then that’s a pretty easy thing for me to do.

Although I will end up with a sore behind from sitting on the bike for that long!

Here’s who has helped sponsor me

Thanks a bunch to those who have helped so far:

Have a good day.

Cheers,