Who We Are - The Long Ride™
You may know how ride a motorcycle, but do you really know the feeling of traveling for days with a group of other motorcycle riders? The whole atmosphere is different. When a motorcycle pulls into a new town, eyes turn toward it (you've seen it). But, when a group of motorcycle riders thunder into town, all attention within a half-mile focuses on the riders. People are inspired by the freedom represented in these riders. The locals come from all over just to look at the bikes and chat with you, not strangers for long. You can be one of them.
All you have to do is choose to make this real and join the Long Ride™. Live this dream. Many people never understand 'rider' culture, and all you have to do is choose to join the Long Ride™ and help our men help themselves. Each night we stay in a different town; each day we see different sights in magnificent locations, meet new people and most important of all make new friends. This is the real thing, life on the road, without the dangers that follow a solo rider. Anyone can ride a bike, but this is a chance to make a difference in your life and in others.
Chris introduced the concept of the Long Ride™ as he was nearing compulsory retirement from the RAAF at age 55 in 2004. Since then he has run four successful Long Rides across Australia involving countless people. The Long Ride™ is a ride you should try to do even if just for yourself if not for others. You will meet some extraordinary people who will be friends for life. You will also interact with people across Australia who readily welcome you into their communities.
Long Ride™ Background
The first Long Ride™ was introduced in 2007 in support of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Australia. This event raised $50,000.00 and had approximately 300 riders involved at any one stage. On the ride into Darwin there was over 330 riders involved thundering into Darwin in a very emotional and historic ride after 8 days traveling across Australia. The Long Ride™ 2008 travelled to Perth, WA, in support of Prostate Cancer and over the length of the event, approximately 270 riders were involved throughout the ride which managed to raise $20,000.00 for a core of 33 riders (core riders who rode all the way).
In 2010, the Long Ride™ has become the biggest event of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. This time there were 277 registered riders with an estimated 60 additional riders riding all the way to Darwin. With approx.' 347 riders in the Long Ride™ 2010, we have raised over $209,000.00 and still counting at this time. As the Long Ride regrouped at Coolalinga for the entry into Darwin, there were over 450 motorcycles lined up to ride into history. The men and ladies who rode on this ride were once again the best, they are the Long Ride™. The Long Ride™ 2011 raised over $180,000 and the number of registered riders was 237 people from across Australia with an additional 67 riders who did not register until nearly the end.
The people who came on those rides, in my view, were the greatest people I have met. Friendly, funny, always ready to help another, nothing was too hard and above all everybody had a sense of humour. From the first meeting once strangers were now firm friends and long after the event last April, they all remain firm friends. Since the Long Ride™ began in 2007, there has been approximately 1500 people registered for the ride. I could mention one or many of these people but to do so would not give due recognition to others I have not mentioned, but let me say that all the people on the Long Ride™ who I have had the honour of riding with are the greatest. These are people who make a difference throughout their respective communities and who make the Long Ride™ the success it is. Many riders also conduct their own fund raising events prior to the start of the Long Ride™ and many individually raise over $5000.00 worth of donations each. Every night is a social event where new riders are readily welcomed into the whole group; no one is left on their own. To be able to ride with such wonderful people to me is special.
The memories of those four long Rides will always remain with me. To listen to riders say at the end of the ride, that “Australia is a beautiful place” and that they would “do the ride all over again, but next time we'll bring our loved one” was very emotional and special. To see such camaraderie throughout the ride, and especially at the end, is an amazing sight and feeling and one that we do not want to forget. To see Australia in such an adventurous manner with like-minded people is a one off - don't miss the chance - we grabbed the chance and had the time of our lives. I said last time that if you never go you'll never know and how true that is.
Some statistics for the Long Ride™ 2007/08/10/11 are that collectively we rode some 3.5million Klms, 7 bookings for speeding, no motorcycle broke down, only three people filled their petrol tanks with diesel, we wore out something like $2.8 mil dollars’ worth of tyres, there were two dogs on the ride, there were 5 side cars, 25 trailers, 4 sets of family with father mother, daughter or son, one chap travelled all the way from England to ride, a lady and two gents came from the US of A, 3 people from Hong Kong, two bikes had a puncture, one road accident due to a kangaroo, 4 off road bikes bit the dust, and the oldest rider was 72 years old and rode longer and faster than many half his age. Grahame and son Toby (12yrs old) rode a 1954 panther side car from Sydney to Sydney over 4200Ks – the best bonding ever for a father and son – we are all proud of both of them. Above all, is the friendships that were forged, the meeting of new people all the time, spreading the word about Prostate Cancer and helping our men and the sheer exhilaration of riding across this great nation.