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LONG RIDE LEGENDS
CHRIS & GAIL
The first Long Ride was to Darwin in support of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, a great cause. However, a nice guy asked me at Longreach why are you doing this for the RFDS and not for prostate cancer? My reply was 'what is prostate cancer"? So as soon as I got back home, I looked into the PCFA and been supporting them ever since. As a man I did not know anything about my health, that all changed very quickly.
We introduced the concept of the Long Ride in 2004. Since then, we have run 14 successful Long Rides across Australia involving countless people. Riders on this event meet some extraordinary people who will be friends for life. The riders interact with each other to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others. We are so blessed to know such people.
Deb & Owen Ansell
We are so humbled and honored to be part of this life experience and to have been able to ride this Great Country with Great People for a Great Cause.
Our involvement with the Long Ride started in 2010 when our neighbour at the time said “I’m thinking of riding to Darwin with a prostate cancer charity”. Owen rode that one alone on his R1200GS and camped in a small tent, while Deb was recovering from her own bout of cancer. But he met so many great people, loved the Long Ride experience and was hooked. Since then, we have been involved in every ride, in one way or another, to this day raising funds and awareness of Prostate Cancer and Mens Health.
Although our involvement in recent Rides has changed due to health reasons, the Long Ride and its people in particular Chris and Gail Dunne will always hold a place in our hearts.
2010 - Darwin - Owen BMW R1200GS
2011 - Sydney - Owen and Deb BMW R1200GS
2013 - Cairns - Owen and Deb BMW R1200GS
2014 – Uluru - Owen and Deb BMW R1200GS
2016 - Margaret River - Owen BMW R1200GS to Nyngan and return (hit a roo, but made it home safely)
2017 - Tasmania - Owen and Deb BMW R1200GS
2019 - Darwin/ Broome - Owen BMW K1200LT, Deb Media Support
2021 - North Queensland – Owen BMW R1200GS led a small group around the state during Covid
2022 - Victor Harbour – Owen and Deb Media Support
2024 - Port Douglas – Owen and Deb Media Support
2025 - Esperance – Owen and Deb Media Planning.
Grant Smith
I have done 9 0f the 14 PCFA rides and loved every one of them. My favourite was probably the first one to Perth. We were only a small crew, around 33 riders, and I have made lifelong friends from this ride. The best bike riding, for me, was the Tassie run. The best Bike riding in Australia! all wrapped up in a little package. I’m so thankful that I was able to be a small part of your vision to do something special for men’s health through the PCFA. To my mates who I met on my first Long Ride, Mick Kimmorley, Trev Tull, Ray Summerville and Glen Birkett, who are also LR legends, and Marilyn S who we met on the Loop Ride, I thank you for your friendship. The one sadness for me was the loss of my riding mate Col Menzies to prostate cancer. Col was one of the best blokes you would ever meet with a wonderful, dry sense of humour and just some one you wanted to be around. We miss him. Again thank you Gail and Chris for your love and friendship. You have both had a big impact on my life. And a final thanks to my wife Judy. Only someone very special could encourage me on my little follies.
Steve O'Brien It started with a little thing. A tattered note pinned on the notice board in the Yarra Glen pub caught my eye were invited to join a fund-raising effort for the RFDS culminating with a Grand Finale in Darwin. That first ride with 330 bikes was the birth of the Long Ride Legend, the start of so many life-long friendships and the beginning of Chris and Gail’s legacy in the belief that everyone can make a difference. So to join this group of strangers for what turned out to be a continuous adventure of a lifetime. To be part of the evolution of where the Long Ride is today, raising awareness, working with the Prostate Cancer Foundation, raising funds for research and hopefully making a difference to someone’s life is a privilege that I’m truly grateful to have and share. And so many friendships – very special
TREVOR TULL In 2007 I rode to Darwin with the first Long Ride age 62. Little did I realise that I would go on every Long Ride that followed including the 2024 ride to Port Douglas age 78. I have been fortunate to ride and share accommodation with some great mates, Ray Summerville, Mike Kimmorley and Grant Smith. I do miss the Newcastle legend Ian Anderson better known as Ando or Pop. He was my inspiration and mentor to bike riding although he passed on all of his bad habits to me. Vale Pop R.I.P We are blessed to have people in Australia like Chris and Gail to inspire and encourage the rest of us to give to and support such a great charity like the PCFA. On a lighter note thanks to everyone (you know who you are) who helped me when my old Harley broke down, ran out of fuel or had parts flying off it.
MARK CURLEWIS A chance encounter with another motorcyclist at a bakery west of Rockhampton and a throwaway comment from said rider about trying the Long Ride, piqued my interest. A bit of research on the Long Ride unearthed a worthwhile cause that I could relate to– raising funds, and awareness for Prostate Cancer. My want to join in on this cause was driven by two factors, having recently lost my father to prostate cancer and the opportunity to ride my bike through this magnificent country of ours. The 2010 ride to Darwin being my first and the 2024 ride to Port Douglas the most recent. Many friends have been made over the time I have been associated with the Long Ride family, I have enjoyed every one of the 10 rides I have participated in so far. I’m looking forward to the Long Ride to Esperance in Oct
PETER SCHILLING I have ridden on 8 Long Rides and was really looking forward to riding once more to one of my favourite places in Australia: Esperance. Unfortunately, due to Sue's health I will not be able to participate in any more rides. I have had so much fun over the years and met some wonderful people. The photograph was taken somewhere on the Nullarbor Plains as we returned from Margaret River in 2016. Chris Osborn and I attended the ANZAC Day march in Robe on the return trip. One of the highlights of our many rides together.
BRIAN HARMSWORTH I've only missed one of the LR since 2010, which was the 2nd CV19 loop around Queensland, looking forward to Esperance and catch up with my interstate friends again.
LEIGH & SAM GESTHUIZEN Samantha Oakley and Leigh Gesthuizen 2016. Margaret River 2017 Tasmania 2019 Darwin 2023 Victor Harbour 2024 Port Douglas. Passionate about supporting men’s health and raising funds for the PFCA, we have travelled almost 38,000 km and raised more than $30,000 over 5 rides. Leigh’s father John was and continued to be our biggest supporter. Passing away 1 month after the Margaret river long ride from prostate cancer , he has opened our eyes to the value of a living an adventurous life with love, happiness and passion. Each ride brings its own challenges, be it physical, mental or emotional. The Long Ride cohort is a supportive and friendly group with a shared interest. The Long ride has opened our eyes to other personal challenges and both living and celebrating every moment of life
MICHAEL KIMMORLEY I first heard about the Long Ride in '07, when Trev Tull told me, but couldn't go as I was moving house at that time. When the '08 ride to Perth came up I jumped at it and have done 9 rides since. I missed Victor Harbour due to flooding. It has been both a pleasure and a privilege to be a small part of the Long Ride. I have met some wonderful people on the journey, seen a large chunk of Australia (and picked up bits of Trev's bikes on the way!) and hopefully made some small difference in raising funds and awareness for the PCFA . I'd like to thank Trev, Grant and Ray for putting up with me all that time, and Chris and Gail, Glen B, Marilyn S, and Pete and Linda McNab, amongst many others, for their company on the way!
RAY SUMMERVILLE After 10 long rides my circle of friends grew and diversified for the better. I can’t single out one ride as they all contributed something. 2 things that do stick out are 1 there are no bad rides some are better than others. 2 ride a bike with a LARGE FUEL TANK.
MARILYN STARRICK Since learning to ride in 2009, I had a real penchant for longer rides. A friend suggested I look at ‘The Long Ride’ - a weeklong ride which raised funds for The Prostate Cancer Foundation. Steve always encouraged me to challenge myself and so my love for the Long Ride commenced in 2011 with a ride on the Sydney Loop - Sydney to Sydney via Broken Hill, Adelaide and Victoria and back through the Alps to Sydney. There have been many more rides and friends and wonderful memories made. Just as one finished you looked forward to the next one in 18 months time. Raising funds and having fun is what it’s about, so there have been many baking days, selling cakes and biscuits at work, sausage sizzles and talking to men about their health; spreading the word for health checks with their doctors. I simply love the camaraderie with the ma
LONG RIDE LEGENDS
Kevin and Jillian
We were invited to go on the first Long Ride to Darwin as we knew Chris and Gail from Line Dancing, and YES the multi talented duo can do that as well, unfortunately we didn't have an appropriate ride for that trip. Our first trip with the Legends of The Long Ride was in 2014 to Uluru. Our 2nd was to Margaret River in WA so we decided to keep going and do a lap around OZ. When we got to do the Darwin Long Ride we decided to keep going and do another lap of OZ to see if it looked any different going the other way. Only missed one Long Ride due to a couple of weeks "vacation" in hospital. We even did the Covid (don't cross the border) loop around NSW. We were honored to be asked to "rattle the tin" at the GP on Phillip Island when the Prostate Cancer Foundation was the nominated charity. Got to say that the best things about joining The Long Ride are riding with other motorcycle enthusiasts, the amazing people you meet along the way and the fascinating places you visit. Don't just think about doing The Long Ride --- DO IT !
Andy Holman
Joined my first Longridge in May 2013 after getting my bike licence in October 2012, Had not even ridden outside my home state of Victoria when I participated it this ride. Some 8600Km return trip, encountering rain, Kms of unsealed roads due to road works, Kangaroos, Emus, Goats and long paddocking Cows, and more rain, a baptism of fire. I was hooked and have been part of the Longride ever since. The satisfaction of raising awareness of Men’s Health getting people to look after themselves for themselves and their families is just an amazing feeling. The first ride was on a Hyosung GV650, which had more breakdowns than I can remember, including a cracked radiator in Bourke that saw the ritual of putting a teaspoon of white pepper into the radiator each morning to seal the leak until it could be replaced in Townsville. Once I came off restrictions it was replaced with my Honda CTX700 which has done every ride since and is still going strong with 160,000 Km on the clock. Took over the role as the Victorian Delegate from Steve O’Brien in 2019, then Covid struck postponing rides until 2022, finally we got to Victor Harbour. 2024 delivered a major blow when I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer, which was classified as aggressive, saw the Port Douglass ride in doubt for me. Luckily surgery went well and my Doctor was happy for me to travel as a passenger by car. The support from those on the ride was amazing and to be able to share my journey was also very humbling, once again talking to people and sharing life’s issues shows that we are not alone. Can’t wait for October to once again be back on the road, this time on the bike and even more determined to raise awareness, because if I hadn’t been aware it would have been a very dark future. So everybody, please take care of yourselves and look after your mates
PETER WOOLLEY
I was surprised when Chris asked me to write a few words for The Long Ride Legends. More of a surprise when you consider I tried to scupper the very first Long Ride. Chris and I can’t decide whether it was 2005 or 2006 but we were in Kilcunda pub on a crowded Saturday night having been to MotoGP for the day.
We were with Gary Anderson, a true Long Ride Legend, having been on most of the rides, my son Joel, and a few other biker mates. After dinner and a few drinks Chris, recently retired from the RAAF, said: “I’m going to organise a ride!”. “You beauty, where are we going” I replied.
“I’m going to organise a ride where people come from all over Australia and meet up at various places and eventually all join up together and we’ll ride into Darwin”.
Having recently ridden some of the best biking roads in Australia to get to the MotoGP, I’m ashamed to say my response was “Piss off Chris! No-one wants to ride to Darwin. The roads are too straight, it’s too hot, and there’s nothing along the way.”
Thankfully, based on Chris’s vision and Chris and Gails extraordinary organisational skills, persistence, and endurance, there has now been 11 Long Rides, three of which were to Darwin, and $3m dollars raised for prostate cancer research and nurses, as well as thousands and thousands of contacts with everyday Australians all across Australia raising awareness of prostate cancer.
My first LR was 2019 to Darwin & Broome when I was living in Sale, Vic, followed by The Big Wet (Victor Harbour) in 2022 and Port Douglas in 2024. If you’ve never been on a Long Ride do yourself a favour and get going. It is a wonderful experience for a worthy cause, and you’ll meet lots of characters along the way. So many characters. Regretfully I can’t join the Esperance ride due to my own health issues but I expect the ride to be a great success like every previous ride. Even The Big Wet. Photo at the Black Stump