PERSONAL hardships of a 4200 kilometre, month-long, bike ride pale in comparison to the challenges some global communities face each day, one Hunter man says.
Lochinvar's Graham Webber is taking part in this year's Ride for Compassion, which sees a team of riders cycle from Perth, across the Nullarbor, through central NSW, to wet their tyres at the Nobbys Beach finish line.
The aim of the ride is to raise $1million for Newcastle-based charity Compassion Australia, which supports and sponsors children living through a global food crisis.
"We suffer a bit on the bike, it's a bit hard on the legs and a bit hard on the backside. But at night we have somewhere nice to sleep, a decent roof over our head and decent meals throughout the day," Mr Webber said.
"The people we are helping may not have anything over their head and may not eat anything for a day or more.
"A donation of just $50 will feed a family for one month in a lot of the countries. That's not much in terms of what Australians can afford but can you imagine the difference that must make to that family.
"It's just mind-blowing really. The amount of difference we can actually make from Australia."
As well as money, the ride set out with a goal of having 150 children sponsored through Compassion. According to the Ride for Compassion website, the team had raised around $650,000 and sponsored 157 children as of Monday afternoon.
Mr Webber and his wife Pauline, who is part of the ride's support crew, have been sponsoring Compassion children for almost 40 years.
"If you sponsor a child they become part of your family," Mr Webber said.
"You write letters to them, they write letters to you. You let them know how your life is going and they let you know how their life is going.
"Sponsorship changes not only their life but when a Compassion child is sponsored it can help the whole community."
Riders are setting up camp each night in church halls, recreation centres and occasionally being billeted into homes - with local church communities providing dinners.
Having kicked off the ride on September 17, the Compassion cyclists were just east of the border between WA and SA Monday afternoon.
Mr Webber, 62 years old, said he has ridden more than 950,000 kilometres in the last 40 years and said he would make the most of the leisurely 30km/h ride across the Nullarbor.
"I did go across the Nullarbor back in 1979 but it was in the middle of the night on a bus. So I certainly will be seeing a bit more on this trip."
The ride will hit Newcastle on October 19, going straight past the Webber's front doorstep as they make their home stretch along the New England Highway.
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