THE Far North's newest fundraising bike ride will take participants to places they may never have heard of, let alone visited.
Hosted by the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation, the R'n'R MTB Adventure is a five-day trip starting in Mareeba, travelling through Almaden, Mount Surprise, Einasleigh and finishing in Forsayth in April.
From there, riders can either make their own way back to the coast or as an optional extra, take the iconic Savannahlander train trip back.
Keen cyclists Dean Clapp and Anja von Keyserlingk say the idea came about with a group of friends who like discovering new ride adventures.
The pair, owners of Crocodile Express Daintree River Cruises, have previously ridden from Cairns to Broome on a tandem bicycle, unsupported.
“I guess we've become cyclists over time – we do the Cardiac Challenge and love that. We love that cycling takes us places we wouldn't otherwise see and it keeps us fitter and healthier than we would be otherwise,” Mr Clapp said.
“We just went for a ride one day with a group of friends – we knew roughly where we were going but it's just a great adventure out there,” Ms von Keyserlingk said.
“It's a great adventure – there's not much traffic, it's off-road and it takes you places you've never seen before. Some of those outback country towns could really do with the boost,” she said.
Foundation fundraising and marketing manager Glenys Duncombe said the new ride, being held at the end of April, was a great way to see stunning and diverse countryside while fundraising for improved health services.
“We know there is plenty of need for improved health services in the Far North and that's what we're aiming to do with this new adventure – improve facilities and improve health outcomes,” Ms Duncombe said.
“There are some medical conditions where if people live in a regional area, they have less chance of survival than if they live in a big city so we're trying to redress that imbalance,” she said.
For further information about the new ride visit www.rnrmtbadventure.org.au.
Photo: Dean Clapp and Anja von Keyserlink are excited about the new fundraising bike ride.
