I completed 91.53 Kms (according to my little odo) in the "Gong" ride in 5 hours and 48 mins inn 32 degree heat... (alongside Wayne but Sam zoomed ahead and completed in just over 2 hours!!!)

I would like to thank EVERYONE who has already provided via there own personal stories or humorous encouragement, and or financial commitment to supporting a GREAT Cause...

and to people who said there is NO WAY I would never get there....

 I am now reminding all those who said the would sponsor me only if I made it...

 It's time to pay up as Sam and Wayne are kicking my pant's on the fundraising.

 I am just over half way to my goal... lets see if i can get a bit better than that - Huh... Huh????

Many of you know Sam whom I lived with for a number of years in Newtown / St Peters / Erskinville and later in Blacktown, who is a lifelong friend. Some of you don't.

At 18, I was selected to travel overseas with a group I was involved in to Ireland, and the UK to discuss ways to better the lives of kids who for many reasons didn't or couldn't live with their parents. Sam was supportive and encouraged me to take opportunity for my own reasons... but her own story was that she had cared for her own Mum as a kid for her whole life - eventually being unable to live with her due to her Mum's hospitalisation.

Sam and I when we lived together would often spend time with her Mum, whose name is Marcia at the MS Lidcombe hospice, or at nursing homes or at the RSL for lunch and having a stab at the old one arm bandits. Marcia was a vibrant woman with amazing sense of humour, and her daughter gets this from her. 

I will never forget when I had to stand by half a world away in Ireland as I got the heartbreaking phone call that told me Sam lost her Mum that morning who had finally and courageously fallen to her illness... to Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Sam was 21, and had never known her Mum not sick.

It's hard and you sometimes feel a world away when someone significant to a good mate dies... Even when you may sit in the same room, but I was literally a world away, and I've never forgotten the feeling of not being there for her.

Hearing Sam's passion and reason to get involved in this years MS Gong ride was a real kick in the pants... I didn't want to watch helpless from the sidelines and throw some cash her way to absolve myself and be left feeling like I was a world away again, as I was with her at the time and... I admit as I've felt with other friends recently who have had parents pass.

So I figure... As I didn't get my tush to Jubilee for the Bunnies awesome win against St Merge because of car trouble... 

And as I think its Poetic that the departure point is St Peters as Marcia was a avid St George supporter (I know she would be laughing at the irony see below)... And as I am the most unfit... Lazy... Won't even walk to the shops... Beer-swigging... Armchair sports-person and Crazy Souths Supporter.

I am about to embark on a totally crazy mission and ride it with Sam in memory of her Mum and we are dragging Wayne for good measure as Wayne's childhood mate of 32 years Justin has become sick to this illness as well only being diagnosed in the last 18 months at 34 years old.

I am committing to be in the 2011 Gong Ride - Yep I'm gunna do the WHOLE 90 kms in order to raise funds for people affected by MS...  And I'm going to make every person who laughs at my attempt cough up their hard earned to support the cause. Even tho I'm giving myself about as much chance of making it as Souths beating the Premier's at home... Oh wait.

 *Grins*

(I'm also gunna plant a Souths flag at the Harp for missing the Game last weekend! (as I'll still be celebrating *that* win in 90 days)!

So start coughing up people and follow my blogging for more laughs on my journey to get fit and get on the Journey from the heart of South Sydney to the 'Gong...  

 And if you want to follow Sam or Wayne laughing at me... you can sponsor them too on

 http://register.gongride.org.au/2011-Sydney-to-Gong-Ride/sam222

http://register.gongride.org.au/2011-Sydney-to-Gong-Ride/waynestewart

And on a final serious note....

MS is the most common disease of the central nervous system and affects more than 20,000 Australians.

Did you know?

* The average age of diagnosis of MS is just 30 years

* MS affects three times as many women as men

MS Australia aims to minimise the impact of multiple sclerosis on all individuals affected by the disease, as well as their families, carers and the community, by offering a wide range of services, equipment and support. MS Australia's goal is to assist everyone affected by MS to live life to their fullest potential and secure the care and support they need, until we ultimately find a cure.

Please DONATE by clicking on the button to the right and help MS Australia support all people affected by multiple sclerosis.