IT HAS taken good mates, Kieran “Nitro” Nugent and Craig “Skillo” Skillen, around 12 months to plan the 2014 Postie Challenge.
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Skillo reckons they will raise around twenty grand for Cystic Fibrosis and Nitro said it will be a “pretty steady trip”.
Listening to their casual banter you would assume the journey they are about to embark on is going to be a leisurely Sunday ride.
This is until they reveal their destination and mode of transport.
On May 15, these likeable characters will be a part of a much larger group who are grabbing their swags and a humble ‘postie’ bike to make a 3000 kilometre round trip from Singleton to Cameron Corner.
Cameron Corner is located 140 km west of Tibooburra, at the junction of the New South Wales, South Australian and Queensland borders.
When you Google this remote location it only lists two attractions – celebrating New Years Eve three times in one night and Tri State Golf.
At this unique location you can play nine holes in three states through South Australia, into National Park in New South Wales through the dog fence and back into Queensland.
And you guessed when they get there that is exactly what they are planning on doing.
“Yeah, most of us want play golf there because there are three holes in each different state,” explained Skillo.
Despite the casual demeanour of the pair organising this charity fundraiser has been a logistical nightmare considering the terrain, the remote location they will be travelling through and that fact the bikes can only reach a maximum speed of about 60km per hour.
“I sat down with heaps of maps and worked out a route, and then I made the trip myself and had to make some modifications after I found out where we could re-fuel and stay the night,” Nitro said.
“Skillo did one trip too.”
However, just to make sure the riders would not run out of fuel or water along the way Nitro travelled the route twice.
When asked why they were travelling all the way to Cameron Corner on this particular style of bike when all the riders have perfectly good road bikes in their garages.
Skillo replied: “Why not?”
“Not a lot of people have been there and the postie bikes mean everyone is on level peg.”
He said it has cost each rider around $1100 to purchase and fit out their own bike.
“My brother-in-law works for Pickles Auction so I purchased six at my first auction and 11 at my second,” he laughed.
“Everyone had to fit an extra fuel tank to their bike too.”
If all goes to plan it will take the 34 riders nine days to make the round trip and they will stay overnight at nine locations, the most northern being Noccundra in Queensland.
“We will have to ride eight hours a day to keep to this schedule,” Nitro said.
“The biggest challenge will be the 1500km stretch of dirt road between Cobar and Brewarrina.”
The boys have also managed to secure quite a bit of sponsorship and many of the donations they have received from local businesses are going to be raffled at a family fun day planned for when the convoy returns to Singleton on May 24.
The day is being organised by local councillor and businesses owner, Ruth Rogers whose two beautiful grandchildren suffer from Cystic Fibrosis.
Every year Ruth plans an event to coincide with 65 Roses Challenge for Cystic Fibrosis to raise money and awareness.
She said having a family fun day to welcome back the riders made sense as for a number of years Kieran has been a big supporter of the Cystic Fibrosis Australia.
Every year for the past ten he has taken part in the Great Escape Car Rally to raise funds for the charity.
The family fun day will start on 11am and there will be plenty of entertainment for the kids.
“There will jumping castles face painting, spray on tattoos, popcorn and a side show alley set up,” Ruth said.
“Entry will be a gold coin donation and we will be cooking a barbecue lunch.”
A signed Newcastle Jets Jersey donated to the boys will also be auctioned at the annual Birdcutter Ball at the Gresford Pub on May 31.