Father-daughter duo Jeremy and Iesha Humber are set for some serious bonding time on the road for a mammoth school holiday project.
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Mr Humber and 12-year-old Iesha will ride anticlockwise around Tasmania, set to clock more than 1400 kilometres within three weeks after New Year. Their mission is to raise $12,000 for the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute in their hometown Ballarat.
Neither has been to Tasmania before, but they have heard how beautiful the countryside is surrounding the mountainous roads they are about to tackle.
The pair booked their ferry trip, aboard the Spirit of Tasmania, last week and now say their project feels more real.
“We’re doing it for a sense of adventure,” Iesha said. “...I like to ride my bicycle. I love mountain bike riding, road and track racing, and going on cycle touring camping holidays.”
Iesha is the Ballarat-Sebastopol Cycling Club’s under-15 track champion.
Her father is also part of the club and, while most of their training has been with the club, they have added in a few longer rides to ensure they are ready. They have built a 21-day itinerary they feel they can manage, mostly with 50km legs but a few 100km stretches.
Mr Humber said it often took a lot to keep Iesha amused – she loved being active – and he was proud of the goal they had set together.
Each dollar they raise will serve as motivation on their journey when the weather or mountains get tough. And 100 per cent of each dollar they raise will be donated to FECRI’s cancer research.
Their adventure will start in Devonport, before heading to Cradle Mountain, down the West Coast to Hobart and up the East Coast back to Devonport.
They hope to trade advertising on their daily video diary and blog for accommodation as they go.
FECRI is a non-government funded cancer research institute in Ballarat, capturing international attention in unlocking the riddles of cancer to help form new effective treatment.
Mr Humber and Iesha’s ride will precede the Reach4Research Ballarat Cycle Classic. They hope to inspire others to get involved in the Classic’s mountain bike, road cycle, walk and new run and family pet walk events on February 18-19.
To follow Iesha and Mr Humber’s journey, or for information on the cycle classic, visit fecri.org.au
