Riding for Rob

CYCLISTS Peter Kiel and Tavis Baker are set to ride six-hundred kilometres around the Learmonth area to raise awareness and funds for MND Victoria.

Setting off at 8am on Saturday, 31 August, their thoughts will be with their late friend, Rob Pitman who was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease at the beginning of this year.

Mr Kiel envisions people bringing their bikes to join in along the way, as they move through areas like Mount Blowhard, Ascot, Mount Misery and Ercildoune.

“A lot of people knew Rob through the bike riding community, so we’re hoping we’ll get all sorts out there to help us get through,” he said. “We’ll be suffering a little bit, but nowhere to the extent as someone who has MND.”

Rob began to show symptoms last November during a ride.

“He was a fairly strong-minded rider, fairly tough, but he fell away a few times, losing muscle strength,” Mr Kiel said.

In January, he was formally diagnosed with MND.

“By April, he was in one of those old person’s walkers with the seat at the front,” Mr Baker said. “He couldn’t even really walk. Then the last time we saw him after that was early June in Gandara and he couldn’t move at all.

“If he wanted one little finger moved up onto the arm of a chair, he couldn’t even do that, all within five months.”

Both veteran members of Eureka Cycling Club, the pair have been involved in long charity cycling events before, Mr Kiel travelling from Perth to Ballarat for Multiple Sclerosis and Mr Baker completing three 24-hour rides for the Royal Children’s Hospital.

“Everything we’d do, Rob would support,” Mr Baker said. “He’d ring you up and come out at 4am. One day he came out, went to work and then when work finished, he came back and rode the last hour.”

“He was a giver,” Mr Kiel said. “It’s a fundraiser for MND, but our thoughts are with Rob when we do this. Deep down, he’d be pleased.”

Head to mycause.com.au/page/206744/robs-team to show support for the ride and MND Victoria.

The duo have also organised a breakfast in Rob’s memory for MND, which will be held at the St Patrick’s College Pavilion this Saturday, 17 August from 8.30am to 11.30am.