GREENHAM family members are preparing for another challenging fundraising bike ride this year with a course closer to home than the previous 10 rides.
The usual 500km route from Mount Gambier to Melbourne over the March long weekend will still be “cross-border”, but local, a week later and only 300km.
Ride coordinator Michael Greenham said he was looking forward to again supporting Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) – the respected, international medical aid organisation – this time on some quieter regional roads with less traffic.
“It is probably a case of quitting while we are ahead,” he said.
“We have had a few close shaves on the Princes Highway over the years, despite our small number of riders and correct cycling road use.
“On a couple of occasions we have had objects thrown at us from passing cars and dangerously had overtaking vehicles almost brush our elbows.”
This year, Mr Greenham expects around 12 cyclists from Dartmoor, Casterton, Portland, Naracoorte and Mount Gambier to join his family on all or sections of the Cycling Across Borders Ride on March 17 and 18.
The route will be 160km from Dartmoor to Coonawarra via Penola and Bool Lagoon on the Saturday and 140km back via Mount Gambier and Kalangadoo on the Sunday.
“It is always a challenge to cover those distances, especially if the winds are not favourable, but that’s nothing like the crisis challenge facing the people MSF Australia field workers deal with around the world,” Mr Greenham said.
In addition to the annual Australian fundraising ride started in 2007, the Greenham family has completed other cycle-tours to raise awareness of MSF Australia, nationally from Bairnsdale to Beechworth and Devenport to Dover and internationally from Rotterdam to Rome, Ankara to Athens and Lisbon to Lyon.
“We like the cycling … and the alliteration,” Mr Greenham said.
“There are still 20 letters in the alphabet to go, so to tick some more off we might have to call this ride Casterton to Coonawarra and later in the year we plan to ride from Hamburg to Helsinki in northern Europe.
“I do not know if I have the time or legs to finish the set and sadly there is continuous work awaiting MSF around the globe.
“So if people are moved to donate and live the motto of the organisation ‘aid without agenda, compassion without prejudice, action without silence’, now is the time.”
Visit www.cyclingacrossborders.wordpress.com for more information about the ride.
