Some politicians have a penchant for chartered choppers, while others opt for VIP flights.
For retiring Senator Janet Rice with 850km to travel, a bike will do just fine.
The departing Greens parliamentarian is making her way back to Melbourne from Canberra after a decade of service, one pedal stroke at a time.
Rice’s two-wheeled departure from parliament is a bookend to the fashion in which she arrived, riding from Melbourne to Canberra 10 years ago.
By biking back to Melbourne, she is hoping to raise awareness about the benefits of riding, while raising funds for people living in Tibet, Palestine and West Papua.
Taking off from the Parliament House lawns in Canberra on Tuesday 14 May with a group of 10 supporters, Rice ventured through Queanbeyan and Michelago, on to Cooma and then Orbost via Bombala.
Along the way, she’s tackled rolling hills, spotted soaring wedge-tailed eagles and charming farm animals, and enjoyed creek-side morning teas and picnics among towering eucalypts.
“I feel a great sense of gratitude that my 63-year-old body is up to such things,” Rice writes.
The now retired Greens Senator is currently journeying through Gippsland and inviting people to join her along the way. If you’re interested, you can fill out the form here.
She is due to arrive in Footscray, Melbourne, on the afternoon of Thursday 30 May, all going to plan.
You can follow her adventures on her blog here.
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