Riding for a cause

Youth Focus is a unique independent not for profit organisation that supports vulnerable young people in Western Australia by offering a range of mental health services.  We operate with a team of highly trained and skilled psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists to provide a range of early intervention and prevention services free of charge, aimed at supporting young people and their families to overcome the issues associated with suicide, depression and self harm.

We will be raising money for Youth Focus. If you would like to donate, please visit http://www.everydayhero.com.au/search/heroes?search_type=keywords&terms=euro_trek

Much ado about Europe

Much ado about Europe

In recent months, my friend Johann has been transformed into a kind of airy spirit; a bicycle-centaur.  He is one of those guys you see in lycra, bent over the handlebars, cycling home on the bike path by the Freeway.  He has sold his car, sold his TV, sold other things and meanwhile constructed the bike from parts mail-ordered from the US.  He wants to downscale the things he owns to the bike and whatever fits in two panniers.

‘He seems to be quite interested in riding his bike,’ is how his girlfriend Jemma puts it.  She adds: ‘In all parts of Europe.’

We are waiting for Johann to get home from work. He is a tad late. He is cycling. I haven’t seen him for weeks. 

The (short-term?) endgame of all this cycling is Europe.  From June to October he and two mates will be cycling somewhere to the west of Istanbul, east of the Atlantic, south of the German latitudes and above the Mediterranean.

But otherwise the route they will take is pretty much up in the air. 

After flying to Istanbul, they may bus it down to Gallipoli and start from there. A month out, though, and not even that is for sure; which is the point; they have planned and saved and researched and gone on preparatory long-weekend bike missions about South-West WA to be self-sufficient as they can be.   Whatever happens, happens.