Video of the first day of the Perth to Albany ride.
We cycled 98 kilometres from Perth to York on the hottest October day in 13 years. Some areas of the journey we faced hills and temperatures up to 42 degrees.
You can still donate to Cancer Council WA by going to the secure donations page.
We’re finally on the road.
At nine o’clock this morning our team of seven cyclists and our trusty support crew said goodbye to friends and family as we left 98.5 Sonshine FM in Como to begin our ride for cancer. If you missed the details you can read all the details at my previous post, Cycling to fight cancer.
Today’s a big day with a ride up Greenmount Hill followed by several more challenging hills until we get to York this afternoon. It’s a tough road but I’m reminded that those who are facing cancer often travel a much harder road. I’m glad to be relatively healthy and happy to do what I can to help people facing some tough times.
If you haven’t had opportunity to donate so far, please click on the SPONSOR ME button in my sidebar or just follow this link.
As I try to balance cycling and radio boradcasting over the next week I’m not sure how much opportunity I’ll have to update you during the trip. I’m hoping it’ll be often but I really don’t know if that will happen.
Thanks for your support.
(I really need your help to get the word out about this. Please read and act on the ‘Help spread the word’ section of this post.)
It all begins tomorrow. I’ll be one of seven cyclists who will start riding from Perth to Albany, a distance of over 500 km. It’s all for a cause that touches most of our lives.
We don’t like to talk about cancer so we can start believing that we’re alone in facing its cold hand. The reality is that since I’ve started talking to others about it I’ve only encountered one person who hasn’t been personally affected by cancer.
Back in February my wife’s sister passed away at the age of 41 from cancer. It wasn’t the first time that our family had journeyed with loved ones facing cancer.
I believe that it’s time to give people who have been touched by the many forms of this terrible disease a chance to tell their story.
Each morning for a week I’ll be sharing cancer stories on my 98.5 Sonshine FM radio programme before hopping onto my bike just after midday to cycle to the next town.
Cycling to make a difference.
During the ride we’ll be raising money for Cancer Council Western Australia. I’ve spent some time checking out the services they provide and I can assure you that their work is absolutely vital.
Click here if you’d like to donate through a secure website. Your donation will make a big difference, no matter how big or small.
Help spread the word.
I need a huge favour. I’m begging you to share the link to this post through your blog or whatever other means you have available. To make it easy you can simply click the following links to share on Facebook or Twitter.
Here’s the itinerary:
Saturday 17th October 2009: Perth to York – 97km
Sunday 18th October 2009: Rest Day
Monday 19th October 2009: York to Pingelly – 87 km
Tuesday 20th October 2009: Pingelly to Wagin – 100 km
Wednesday 21st October 2009: Wagin to Katanning – 55 km
Thursday 22nd October 2009: Katanning to Cranbrook – 80 km
Friday 23rd October 2009: Cranbrook to Albany – 91 km
TOTAL: 510 km
If you’d like to donate towards a wonderful cause, just click this link.
Here’s a free tip. If you’re a wanted fugitive, try to resist the urge to update Facebook and be careful who you choose as a Facebook friend.
Maxi Sopo has learned the hard way that what you put online can have effects other than what you may intend. The bank fraud suspect boasted on Facebook that he was living the high life in Mexico. He’s now in a Mexico City Jail waiting extradition to the United States.
“He was making posts about how beautiful life is and how he was having a good time with his buddies,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Scoville, who helped find Sopo. “He was definitely not living the way we wanted him to be living, given the charges he was facing.” – CBS News
As well as his boasting, Sopo added a former Justice Department official to his list of friends. Probably not his smartest moment.
You’re unlikely to be a US fugitive but Sopo’s story got me thinking about the kinds of things that end up on blogs and social networking sites like Facebook. In this case it was ‘the law’ reading stuff that was never intended for them. I’m wondering if you ever consider that no matter what security and anonymity you think you have online, what you write or upload could very well be read by people that you’d least expect.
Much has been said about potential employers checking people out on Facebook but there are a lot of other people who could be seeing what you’re posting.
Think about the person you’d least want to know your private details. Now imagine that they have full access to everything you put online. Scary thought but it’s pretty close to the truth.
I’ve read blog posts by people complaining about someone else and I wonder if they have ever considered that the person they’re writing about could very well read their posts. I’ve seen several people change their blogs or simply drop out of blogging because someone they didn’t want to share personal stuff with has started reading and commenting.
I’ve seen some quite revealing photos on Facebook pages and wondered why people have no respect for their own decency and privacy.
If you wouldn’t like what you’re uploading to be splashed across television screens to be seen by thousands of people, don’t put it online where it can be seen by potentially millions.
I’ve been blogging for almost six years and I use Facebook quite a lot and I’m constantly asking myself whether I’m OK with the entire world reading what I have to say. I may not always get the balance right but I’m still aware that it’s not only friends that will read what I write.
Have you had your privacy compromised online? Do you consider who might read what you post? Does it concern you that once something is posted online it’s there forever, even if you delete it?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave your comments in the comments section of this post.
Time has gone so quickly and I’m now only a couple of days away from riding from Perth to Albany to raise money for Cancer Council WA. If you haven’t had a chance to donate yet you can head to my secure donations page right now or click the SPONSOR ME button in my sidebar.
If you’re in the Perth area and would like to farewell the group of seven cyclist who are taking part you can join us at Sonshine FM in Como from 8:30 this Saturday morning. It’d be great to have a bunch of people showing their support so please be part of the farewell if you can.
If this is the first you’ve heard of the ride you can fill in all the gaps by reading my previous post, Breaking the silence on cancer.