After riding from Leura to Port Douglas in 2013 and raising almost $30,000 along the way for motor neurone disease (MND), Bob Montgomery is ready for his next challenge - Perth.
The 4,200 km cycling journey will start on September 7 and take about 35 days, says the 71-year-old former state squash representative.
This Friday (August 7), he will be rattling the tin at his first official fundraiser for Perth at the Leura Golf Club. He hopes to ultimately give $75,000 to MND?NSW.
MND is a death sentence, and its incidence among Australians has risen by more than 250 per cent in the past three decades. The disease attacks the nerve cells that control the muscles that allow us to move, speak, breathe and swallow. Those nerve cells degenerate and die.
Scientists are working hard to find a cure and MND NSW spokeswoman, Mrs Kym Nielsen, said the money will make a big difference to research and member comfort.
"This is the second pretty huge challenge Bob has taken on for us. We're thrilled Bob has done this for us and the effort he is going to," she said.
Mrs Nielsen said the organisation only received 18 per cent of its annual funding through the state government and, as well as paying millions for members' equipment such as special chairs, they recently donated $300,000 to vital research.
Mr Montgomery started his campaign because his cousin Judith Ward from Wagga suffered from the debilitating disease.
"Every time I got a bit of pain [on my Port Douglas ride] I would think of Judith and her suffering 24/7," he said.
Although his cousin passed away this year, he has met many other sufferers of the disease which will inspire him on this leg of his journey.
The cardboard management consultant is taking time off to complete the ride and putting in 600km of riding weekly - including trips to Sydney and to Jenolan Caves -to be physically prepared.
He is still looking for a third person to help his wife Jenny and another friend man the support vehicle. They will all share the driving from Perth back home to Leura.
"Our friend Steve Grant said he won't do it again, he said he saw enough of my backside on the way to Queensland to last a lifetime," he told the Gazette laughing.
Mr Montgomery said he had been riding for so long "you get to know truck sounds and know how close they are ... but there's always that crazy person who texts or falls asleep at the wheel".
As a member of Sunrise Upper Mountains Rotary Club he will be giving speeches to other Rotary clubs along the way.
Tickets to the Leura Golf Club fundraiser, which will feature trombone player, Ed Wilson, are $25. The 21-piece Terry Rae Swing Band will also be playing and there will be a silent auction.
Book on 4782 5011 or to Bob on 0424 151 191.
