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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people knew Rob through the bike riding community, so we\u2019re hoping we\u2019ll get all sorts out there to help us get through,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ll be suffering a little bit, but nowhere to the extent as someone who has MND.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rob began to show symptoms last November during a ride.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was a fairly strong-minded rider, fairly tough, but he fell away a few times, losing muscle strength,\u201d Mr Kiel said.<\/p>\n
In January, he was formally diagnosed with MND.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy April, he was in one of those old person\u2019s walkers with the seat at the front,\u201d Mr Baker said. \u201cHe couldn\u2019t even really walk. Then the last time we saw him after that was early June in Gandara and he couldn\u2019t move at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he wanted one little finger moved up onto the arm of a chair, he couldn\u2019t even do that, all within five months.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything we\u2019d do, Rob would support,\u201d Mr Baker said. \u201cHe\u2019d 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was a giver,\u201d Mr Kiel said. \u201cIt\u2019s a fundraiser for MND, but our thoughts are with Rob when we do this. Deep down, he\u2019d be pleased.\u201d<\/p>\n