Three women on a mission plan to ride their eBikes along the NSW Coast from the Victorian border to the Queensland border and visit ocean pools on the way in a quest to raise money for three deserving charities.
Linda Cash, Meg Main and Jeanette Mouatt will ride 1,838 kilometres, from Genoa on the Victoria/NSW border, starting on February 4, and plan to arrive at Tweed Heads on the Queensland border somewhere between four and five weeks later.
The trio, who live in Uki, Bray Park and Kingscliff, will be visiting as many ocean pools as they can along the way to swim and reflect.
The women want to raise awareness for three charities – the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the Uki Refugee Project and Myeloma Australia, while at the same time promoting the benefits of exercise, fun and friendship.
They also hope to raise awareness as to how riding an eBike has allowed each of them to ride further and longer – a reference to both distance and age – and to promote cycling in general as a great sport for all.
The riders
Linda Cash AKA A Girl and her eBike, had her life changed dramatically when COVID hit. ‘I had a job in international tourism, so I decided to turn that lemon into lemonade. With my first JobKeeper payment, I bought ‘Sparky’ and riding is now part of my passion for life and making a difference.’ Starting the blog A Girl and her eBike has kept Linda busy over the past two years, sharing her love of nature and a sustainable lifestyle.
‘I have travelled over 12,000km on Sparky in that time. With a family history of breast cancer, and having many inspirational friends who’ve navigated the breast cancer journey, my charity of choice to support is the National Breast Cancer Foundation, providing Breast Cancer Research in Australia.
Meg Main is the oldest of the riders at 73. Meg has many interests but only two abiding passions – riding her bicycle and Human Rights. Meg’s eBike Arty (short for Artichoke Green – a reference to its beautiful colouring) came into her life in late 2020.
‘My charity of choice is the Uki Refugee Project – borne out of a small group of concerned citizens in the Tweed Shire distressed at Australia’s treatment of those seeking refuge in Australia.
‘The Uki Refugee Project is a member of Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia and have applied to sponsor two people in danger in Afghanistan to safety in Australia.’
Jeanette Mouatt decided to rekindle her love of bike riding just over three years ago upon retirement, but found in her late 60s that the hills were a little too challenging on her regular road bike.
Jeanette met Linda and Meg through their shared love of Dragon Boating. Both were keen cyclists and, with some encouragement, she purchased her CUBE eBike (CUB-E). This opened new horizons for exploring the beautiful Tweed Valley and beyond. ‘I also love swimming – especially in ocean rock pools. My grandfather swam every day in the Bondi Ocean Pool, dragging me along during school holidays.
‘In 2021 I lost my brother Keith to Multiple Myeloma and my lifelong friend Heather to Breast Cancer.’
All money raised goes to the charities
This ride is fully self-funded by the riders – any monies raised during the Ocean Pool Odyssey will go directly to the charities they are promoting.
Linda will be sharing the Ocean Pool Odyssey on her social channels, ‘A Girl and her eBike’. You can show your support by following along on Facebook and Instagram.
You can donate to the charities via the ride’s Go Fund Me page.
Any monies raised during our Ocean Pool Odyssey will be divided equally between the three charities. If you wish to support a particular charity, please make a notation on your GoFundMe donation, and they will ensure your donation is handled accordingly.
Keep on cycling, Ladies!
And all the way it is not going to rain. Rain on a pushbike on a highway is purgatory and dangerous.
Could I say it is unlikely these women will make the distance in the time stipulated. An e-bike is where the rider sits up in the wind so air pressure will accumulate in muscle tiredness the faster they go. Therefore they will have to travel at a slow speed. And that air pressure on the body will fatigue the muscles so much the muscles will not recover the next day. That then could force them to have a rest day. That doubles the time on the road.
They plan to travel about 50 kilometres a day. That is 50 kilometres in about 36 consecutive days, so the tiredness will build because the bike’s riding style is not streamlined. They need road bikes. And then put a rest day in between each day on the road for a 10-week trip.
Hi Emily
Are you willing to bet $100 that they won’t make it. The winnings paid to their charities. Let me know if you are keen.
Cheers
Maz
Well done Ms “Doom and Gloom”. You are missing the point of the ride….fun and for charity…. If it takes longer, so be it. I am no bike rider, but I certainly congratulate the girls on getting up and having a go and having some fun. They have my full support. Judging by their comments, they wouldn’t even be riding bikes if it was not for e-bikes. Enjoy the ride girls.
Emily, the ladies do not appear to be complete newbies when it comes to cycling and riding an e-bike, so I’m sure weather conditions and highway have been considered and the ladies ready for it. E-bikes are peddle assisted, doing 50kms per day on a e-bike is not as exhausting as doing 50 kms per day on a road bike.
Hi Emily. You don’t know my sister-in-law.! She is one of the most determined people I know. She rode 100kms in one day to visit her parents at the locked down Qld border not long ago. She rides everyday hail, rain or shine, up and down hills, and mountains…. nothing deters her. Her e-bike and her are a great team. She recently rode all the northern Victorian rail trails, one after another, day after day.
This will be her biggest challenge but I am confident that Linda and her buddies will achieve their aim.