By JOYCE MARSH, WOODENBONG CORRESPONDENT
A GLEN Innes Rotary Club project saw 50 cyclists and 15 support crew head off on the four-day ‘Tenterfield to Murwillumbah Bike Ride’ to raise funds for Australian Rotary Health for Mental Health Research in rural areas.
Cyclists came from as far away as St George, Bowen, Bundaberg, Coffs Harbour, Alstonville, Glen Innes and Taree, all of whom were very generous souls and happy to support the community group along the way and to experience country hospitality and the bush.
The event started at Tenterfield showground where the local Rotary club catered for dinner and breakfast before heading for a stopover at Liston Lavender Farm, then morning tea with Liston Progress Association, lunch at Koreelah and on to Woodenbong showground where afternoon tea was presented by the Woodenbong Community Coffee Group and the local Riding Club.
The evening meal was catered for by the Rotary support crew that travelled with them.
A representative of the organisation, Rose Price said it was an important event
“So far, this year’s ride has been incredibly rewarding with 50 entrants from a humble beginning event of 13 riders,” she said.
“The cyclists loved the picturesque scenery and challenging hills taking into account that from Liston to Woodenbong the accumulation of rise and fall of the hills tallied 952 metres ascending and 1454 metres descending.”
After leaving Woodenbong the schedule was a downhill run to Kyogle with stops to include Grevillia Hall Committee for morning tea and Kyogle Rotary Club to cater for lunch.
The next day, via Wadeville where the Rural Fire Service were to cater morning tea, saw the riders arrive in Uki where the School P&C provided lunch.
The final leg saw the riders arrive in Murwillumbah on Friday 6 May at the Civic Centre where they celebrate the conclusion and the start of the Rotary District Conference.
