Why do I want to ride 500kms?
I want to ride 500kms because it looks really fun. I originally wanted to do the whole Munda Biddi Trail in sections over lots of time, and when I talked to my parents about it, we came up with the idea to reduce the ride to 500km over the school holidays and use the opportunity to fundraise for a charity of my choice.
Why have I chosen Ocean Heroes?
I want to do this for Ocean Heroes because they’ve done so much for people with Autism. I’ve been with Ocean Heroes since I was eight and I have learnt to love surfing and even the cold water!
What does this ride represent to me?
Having Autism and other difficulties has meant that life has sometimes been one giant challenge with lots of obstacles, and I’ve needed to take big leaps of faith in my own abilities to get through each and every day, and tough times too.
I’ve even had some challenging moments when I have been put down by other kids without disabilities and I have just felt lonely and out of place.
I want to ride the 500kms to show myself and everyone else that Autism can be a strength. I hope to demonstrate that there is always ‘ability in disability and will use this as my motto when riding.
Why is riding important to me?
Riding is important to me because I’ve found it really hard to do for a long time. It wasn’t until the first Covid lockdown, when I was nine, that I learnt to ride at all.
Learning to ride has meant a lot of things for me, most importantly it meant long rides with my family and being out on the trails, enjoying the outdoors together. I love the breeze in my hair, the wind in my face, and the occasional midge in my mouth (Not! Haha).
My first long ride was 10km and it felt awesome, and we have been pushing the distance every ride since. When I ride and break a new personal record I feel lots of pride and confidence in myself.