Dozens of motorcycle riders will endure long hours in the saddle in the days ahead as they ride north from the ACT to Queensland on the Long Ride to raise funds for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
The ride has been held every two years since 2007 and involves riders from all around the country, with the various groups - hundreds in all, most travelling thousands of kilometres - converging on Port Douglas for a get-together on June 1.
One plucky rider is even doing it the most difficult way and risking multiple numb extremities by riding a tiny, underpowered Honda postie bike all the way up from Hobart.
Andrea Lanagan, a nurse who specialises in caring for prostate cancer patients in the ACT region and will be aboard her own BMW 1200cc adventure bike for the Long Ride, said that every dollar raised from the ride will be directed to funding more research and support services.
"The idea is to raise funds, have fun and build camaraderie; it doesn't matter what sort of bike you ride, or whether you plan to camp out along the way or do the hotel thing," she said.
"We won't all ride in a pack like a bunch of bikies; we usually just ride in pairs a kilometre or so apart and then get together when we reach our stopover points.
"Every person on the ride has had their lives touched by prostate cancer; they may have lost a loved one or had a diagnosis themselves.
"So this is an important shared connection and we are all donating to take part and where we stop off in towns along the way in NSW and Queensland, we are collecting donations for the cause, too."
Bryan Doherty, who has retired from the RAAF, will be joining the ride again on his comfy three-wheeled Can-Am Spider.
"I get some ribbing from the others that I'm doing it in the most comfortable way on the Spider but that's fine by me," he said.
He had a major scare from a prostate cancer diagnosis some years ago.
"I went to a support group meeting and after discussing with the other blokes there, I decided to get a second opinion.
"Fortunately, that second test gave me the all clear. But it's not a thing you forget so I'm hugely supportive of awareness-raising events like this.
"If each rider can encourage just one man to have a prostate exam, then the ride is a success."
The foundation has warned that men are facing a tidal wave of risk when it comes to developing the disease with new data showing prostate cancer rates estimated to increase by an alarming 43 per cent between now and 2040.
More than 24,000 Australian men are likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer every year and more than 3500 Australia-wide are expected to die.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, ahead of breast cancer, with 630,000 men facing double the risk as their peers, due to family history.
The founders of the Long Ride, Chris and Gail Dunne, were both awarded an OAM for their work to establish and support the event.
The Canberra riders will join the NSW contingent in Dubbo on Sunday night before travelling further north.
