An 82-year-old grandfather and his 18-year-old grandson have completed a nearly 5,300-kilometre cycling journey across Australia to raise money and awareness for motor neurone disease (MND), a condition that has deeply affected their family.Bob Montgomery and Tom Malcolm crossed the finish line in Bowral, New South Wales, on Sunday after spending six weeks riding through Western Australia, the Northern Territory, regional Queensland and outback New South Wales, ABC news reported. On arrival, they werewelcomed by cheering family, friends and members of the local community.The pair began their journey in Broome on June 22 with the goal of raising $500,000 for MND research and awareness. Along the way, they faced long days on the road, strong headwinds and difficult riding conditions.However, they say the support they received from people across the country kept them going.For Mr Montgomery, the ride was more than a physical challenge. It was driven by a personal connection to the disease after one of his cousins died from MND. The journey was also his fifth charity distance ride in support of the cause.The idea for the ride came from Mr Montgomery, who planned it during his grandson’s university break. Tom Malcolm admitted it took some time before he agreed to take part. “It took many months to agree to,” he said. “I definitely admire Pappa in all that he’s done. He was the big catalyst for me coming on this ride,” he added.
Cycling with a purpose
Motor neurone disease is a rare and progressive neurological condition that damages the nerve cells controlling voluntary muscle movement. As the disease progresses, people gradually lose muscle strength and physical function, and life expectancy is shortened.Mr Montgomery said the hardships of cycling were nothing compared to what people living with MND experience every day. “We get the pain riding the harsh winds we ride into and all that stuff. At the end of the day, we can put our feet up and sit back and have a drink,” he said, as quoted by the report. “But for people with MND, there’s no end to what they have got. It’s just a dead end,” he added.The emotional connection to the cause kept both riders focused throughout the trip, even when the conditions became difficult.
Six weeks of long days
The grandfather and grandson covered an average of about 160 kilometres every day. They often spent up to 12 hours on their bicycles, starting as early as four o’clock in the morning in freezing temperatures.Their route took them along narrow single-lane highways where they shared the road with large road trains. They also dealt with mechanical problems during the journey.Mr Montgomery said the wind became one of the biggest challenges. “I would next time reverse the course. The wind was basically in our face the whole time and it would be pretty easy to give up and just put our bikes in the car,” he said.“Tom and I would talk to each other, and we knew we were getting the support from others as funds came in. That was very, very helpful,” Mr Montgomery added.The pair stayed in local hotels during the ride and found encouragement in the people they met across the country. Mr Montgomery said those interactions became some of his favourite memories.“It seems like a long dream going back to Broome. There are so many stories and so many people we met along the way who put their hands into their pockets to throw some cash in, which is fantastic,” he said, adding that spending time with people at each stop, including enjoying “a beer or two”, helped keep his spirits up.During the ride, both cyclists remembered people who have publicly raised awareness about MND. Mr Montgomery paid tribute to AFL great and MND campaigner Neale Daniher, who died shortly before they started their journey. He also mentioned former South Sydney Rabbitohs player Jai Arrow, who retired earlier this year after being diagnosed with MND.
Donations continue
Support for the ride came from across Australia as well as from overseas, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland and New Zealand.Mr Montgomery has now raised nearly $300,000 for MND through his five charity cycling events. His latest ride has raised about $65,000 so far.Liam O’Meara, chief executive of MND NSW, said the money would directly support people living with the disease across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.“We provide services, advisory, equipment provision, carer support and that money will go towards helping people right here, right now on the ground throughout NSW and the ACT,” he said.Mr Montgomery’s wife Jenny had called the cross-country journey ‘One last Ride’, suggesting it would be his final major cycling fundraiser.However, the 82-year-old said he has no plans to stop seeking new adventures. “It won’t be my last adventure. I always thought I would love to do the Kokoda Trail. That would be a great thing for my grandsons to do,” he says.
