Incredible posting cycle

By John Yialeloglou
Volume 11, No. 38, March 8, 2006

Pedal power: Pte Michael Herman will ride 4500km to his new posting and his wife, Anna-Lisa, a RAAF reservist, will head up the support team. Photo by Bill Cuneen.

A MEDICAL technician from Holsworthy Barracks is planning a novel way of arriving at his next posting in WA – by pedalling across the Nullarbor.

Pte Michael Hernan, of IRR, will combine travel with fundraising for Legacy when he starts his 4500km journey on March 13. He has set a target of arriving in Perth no later than March 31, meaning a gruelling average of 250km a day over 18 days.

Pte Hernan said he had been training since November last year, which mainly consisted of a lot of road riding.

“I am also riding as much as I can in hot weather to help acclimatise for the Nullarbor Plain section,” he said.

“I’m increasing the kilometres every day to a planned peak of 800km a week just before I head off.”

The planned route will see him cycling from Bondi, down the east coast to Melbourne. From there he will pedal to Adelaide then across to Perth.

Pte Hernan said as he supported the work that Legacy did for the families of deceased service personnel, he contacted the charity late last year with a view to helping them.

“They are organising a vehicle and accommodation for me and I’d like to raise at least $4500 for them on the way, hopefully much more,” he said.

Recently married, Pte Hernan’s wife, Anna-Lisa, an emergency room nurse and RAAF Reserve Nursing Officer, will accompany him as one of the two-person support crew.

Riding to postings is becoming a tradition with Pte Hernan; he cycled the 2500km from his previous job in Townsville to IRR in 2003.

“I don’t have a car and when I looked at the distance I said that I could do that on my bicycle. Then a mate dared me to, so I did,” he said.

Pte Hernan began riding seriously a couple of years ago and regularly competes in 12- and 24-hour races.

If you would like more information on the ride or to make a donation you can contact Legacy on (08) 9367 5799.