Ten cyclists will make their way from Auckland to Warkworth today as they enter the third week of the 2014 Ride Out of the Blue cross country challenge to raise awareness for mental health issues.
Supported by Ray White Warkworth, the team of ten riders, who started their journey on Saturday 11 October in Bluff are stopping in towns, cities and communities along the way to discuss and raise awareness around mental health, depression and suicide.
Over their 22 day journey Ride out of the Blue will use nothing but pedal power and determination to travel the 2330 kilometers from Bluff to Cape Reinga. Now in its third year, Ride Out of the Blue participants will be encouraging discussion about mental health and suicide along the way, celebrating the simplicities of life, and attempting to raise over $50,000 for the Mental Health Foundation Mindfulness in Schools project – which aims to prevent the development of childhood mental distress by encouraging positive mental health practices for children from a primary school level.
Ken Bouge and the Ray White Warkworth office are supporting the 2014 campaign with Ken’s wife also driving one of the support vehicles across the North Island leg of their journey. Ken says “It is a community connection, although the funds are being raised for a national cause and not just for local use. We personally know two of the riders, who live within our immediate community and have served on other community organisations with me. They are passionate about the cause on a personal basis. I strongly believe in their cause as well – having seen the effects of suicide on families right across the country. Our support is for the ‘national’ community, not just our immediate one.”
Rider Sally Smith tells us that despite two punctures and two crashes in just two kilometres on day one that it was all plain sailing, on a beautiful first day where they completed 95 kilometers – a shorter course allowing the team members to get into a rhythm and find their feet. She tells us the are making great progress and have experienced some amazing hospitality along the way as they drop into various towns and communities. ” I am one of the two pensioners on this ride and a Blue rider from 2012. Suicide and depression have touched both our family and our friends and I wanted to do something positive about it…. I am totally committed to do anything I can to help reduce this country’s appalling suicide and depression rates!” Sally tells when asked why she chose to get involved.
The riders crossed to the North Island on Monday 20 October and are riding between Auckland and Warkworth today – being on track to complete their journey in early November.
Photo: The Ride Out of the Blue 2014 cycle team taken on Friday 10 October before departing from Bluff.
To find out more about Ride Out Of The Blue, and support the initiative, please visit their official website rideoutoftheblue.org
Read more about the participants here.