Judy and Ian Bedford will celebrate their 54th wedding anniversary on this year’s Great Vic Bike Ride, and complete it together on their electric tandem bike.
The couple, in their mid 70s, will join the Great Vic ride for their 12th and 13th times respectively, and say their favourite parts of the event are taking in the scenery and reuniting with friends from previous rides.
They say they also appreciate the logistics behind the event, which sees Bicycle Network’s events team move the event village almost every day.
Ian rode his first Great Vic in 2010 after a friend suggested he sign up. He had suffered two heart attacks and saw the Great Vic as his cardiac therapy. Back then, he had never imagined riding such long distances and the idea of riding 100km seemed crazy.
After that first Great Vic, without telling his wife Judy, he bought a tandem bike so they could start riding together.
Judy was not much of a bike rider back then, but once the tandem entered their lives, says they never looked back. Judy has an arthritic knee, finds that bike riding is low-impact.
Riding together on the tandem was the best preparation for her knee surgery, and her post op rehabilitation, she says.
Nearly 14 years after having bought their first tandem, the couple has ridden 50,000 kilometres, including 16,000km on their new acquisition: a French electric tandem bike. They will ride it for the fourth time on this year’s Great Vic.
Ian says “having an e-bike made such a difference” says Ian. The couple now knows they will get into camp on time and won’t arrive exhausted.
This Great Vic celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and riders will be taken back where it all began in 1984, in northeast Victoria. They will enjoy the original 501km route from Wodonga to Healesville.
This year will be the final edition of the event as a rolling bike festival. The Great Vic is evolving to meet new challenges and opportunities and Bicycle Network has exciting plans to revamp it in 2025.
The Great Vic has provided lifelong memories for more than 200,000 riders, including 60,000 students, and given them the opportunity to ride through and experience the best of regional Victoria.
Bicycle Network is 100% committed to ensuring this year’s event will be the best regional Victorian adventure yet.
We hope that everyone will rally around our 40th anniversary; encourage friends and family to enter, and help celebrate the Great Victorian Bike Ride!
You can sign up for Great Vic 2024 here .
Photo credit to Mark Jesser/The Border Mail
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