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Sergeant
hits the road for charity
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RAAF
Base Edinburgh’s Sergeant Chris Ryan raised $20,000
for Adelaide Hospital’s Trauma Unit on a charity bike
ride from Melbourne to Adelaide. Photo by LACW Simone Liebelt
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SERGEANT
Chris Ryan has taken part in a bike ride worth $20,000.
The cycling enthusiastic completed a 1000km bike trek from Adelaide
to Melbourne with 10 mates late last year and raised $20,000 for
the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
“The idea came about over a few beers one night – we obviously
had too many because it actually got off the ground,” SGT Ryan
said.
SGT Ryan, of the Air Force Management Services Agency, led his team
along the Great Ocean Road through south-eastern South Australia
and then home to Adelaide, but they almost didn’t get out of
Melbourne.
Two hours out of the city, two of the riders crashed and were nearly
hit by the support vehicle.
Bloodied yet unbowed the boys continued on to Port Campbell for
a stop over and a feed at the local pizza place.
When the crew found out the waitress was a masseuse, they managed
to talk her into giving them all a leg massage in the name of charity.
The team spent their nights in caravan parks and at the odd pub
and the days grinding the bitumen.
They received a hearty welcome function from the Buttercup people
in Mount Gambier and were cheered along the way by supportive locals
during the eight-day ride.
The riders made quick time over the last leg from Tailem Bend, coming
into Adelaide and found themselves ahead of schedule for the official
arrival.
They stopped at The Eagle on the Hill Hotel for a short break.
“The barman recognised us from our local radio interviews that
week and he started giving us free beers – this was not a good
idea as we still had a steep descent into the city to complete,”
SGT Ryan said.
The team completed the last stage of the trip riding into the city
to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
“At first I thought it was just a lot of people waiting for
buses, then they all started cheering and I realised it was family,
friends and hospital personnel – it was a great fanfare,”
SGT Ryan said.
“Despite the sore spots it was a great feeling to hand over
the cheque in the end to the hospital. It just goes to show what
a group of people can do for the community when you set your minds
to it.”
Despite a few scrapes and bruises the crew survived with talk of
another trip next year.
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