2017 Southwest Bike Trek
Written by Eric Maddock – Trek Organiser
The Children’s Leukaemia & Cancer Research Foundation’s 2017 Southwest Bike Trek started off in Mandurah on Monday 9 October and finished in Augusta on Saturday 16 October. Even with reduced numbers of riders taking part we still raised in excess of $23,400.
Our small number of riders had our ranks increased for a couple of days between Harvey and Busselton with a large group of riders from the Bunbury Over 40s Cycle Club, whom I would like to thank for their participation. I must also say a huge thanks to all the Lions and Rotary Clubs along the way who provided the much appreciated support for our riders of food and accommodation, as well as various monetary donations.
Others who assisted along the way were the ladies from the Binningup Seniors Club who provided not only a beautiful lunch but a monetary donation as well. The ladies from the Harvey Professional & Business Women’s Association also assisted with homemade biscuits for various tea breaks along the way and with providing our afternoon tea at the Harvey Shire offices in Harvey.
Further acknowledgements that need to be made are to our various support crew; Norma Cox, Wendy Sims and Ed Pereira for driving the lead and following vehicles and Kay Tonzig for acting as our first aid person. Without their support this ride would not have been possible. We were also assisted along the way by Jarrah Infusion at Pinjarra, Equinox Cafe at Busselton, and the Deck Chair Cafe in Augusta who provided the riders and support crew with the necessary cuppa and cake. And, of course, it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge, Annette, my wife for all the work she did assisting me with putting the whole thing together.
The ride was a great social event as well as fundraiser and we enjoyed lovely weather for the majority of the time. We only had about three hours of rain on the Tuesday but that’s life and no one was complaining anyway. So overall a good time was had by all.
Looking forward to next year when I hope we will have a full contingent of riders (25 to 30). Hopefully the riders from this year will spread the word so that we can do something amazing to raise further money for research to help kids fight leukaemia and cancer and have fun doing it.