The Taylor family, Jacki and Shaun and their children Zac, Alex and Molly, are preparing for the Great Victorian Bike Ride. 66564Picture: Donna Oates
By Emma Sun
THE Taylors are gearing up for one of the biggest bike riding challenges of their lives.
In November, the Pakenham family of five will be completing the nine-day Great Victorian Bike Ride from Swan Hill to Castlemaine, totalling an enormous 590 kilometres.
It will be the second and third time for two members of the family, but the other three have never participated in the ride before.
Mum Jacki, who will be riding for the first time, said her school teacher husband Shaun had ridden with the school one year and then again with their daughter Alex when she was in Year 6.
“Shaun and Alex had a lovely time,” Jacki said.
“Our son Zac is in Year 6 this year and (he and Shaun) were going to go by themselves so we thought we may as well do it as a family.”
Little Molly, who is nine this year, is also tagging along and will be riding a tagalong bike in case she gets tired during the ride.
“If she needs to have a rest, she can just sit there,” Jacki said.
“She’s a very social girl so she’ll love the social part of it I think.”
The bike ride is organised by Bicycle Victoria and the nine-day trip starts in Swan Hill with a loop ride before travelling along the Murray River for three days to Echuca.
After a rest day, the ride will continue through gold towns before arriving at Castlemaine.
The family booked a ‘Sleep Easy Package’, where people set up and pack their tents for them, which will allow them more time to explore.
“That makes it a bit easier, so we can take a bit more time to enjoy the scenery rather than worry about going back early to set up,” Jacki said.
To prepare themselves for the big one, the family has ridden a few times from Fountain Gate to Jells Park and back.
“We’ve only done half a dozen of those so we want to do those a bit more regularly,” Jacki said.
“The kids are fit – they all play sport so their fitness is not the worry. I think it’s the adults that have to work on their fitness.”
Jacki said she looked forward to the scenery and the atmosphere of the ride, and spending time with the family.
“For Shaun and Alex, it was like a little community going from town to town – I’m looking forward to that stuff and also meeting people along the way,” she said.
“I also love the challenge of it, how it’s outside your comfort zone a bit so you push yourself to do things you haven’t done before.”
She encourages everyone to give it a go.
“It’s been good fun just going out doing our little rides and riding together – it’s a really nice family activity,” she said.
“You don’t need much, just a bike and somewhere safe to ride. We’re looking forward to it.”
The Great Victorian Bike Ride also has shorter packages, with three-day and one-day rides available.
The ride will go from Saturday 26 November to Sunday 4 December. Enter before 29 July and receive $100 off.
For more information and entry fees, visit www.greatvic.com.au or call 1800 616 600.
