Ride to the Edge | EVENTS

Two best mates prepare to ride around Australia to raise awareness for depression.

Sydney, New South Wales – Monday, August 29, 2016 – Best mates Taber Batten and Damien Gabriel announce plans to travel around Australia by motorcycle.

Ride to the Edge of Australia with the boys as they embark on an epic journey to raise awareness for depression by supporting beyondblue. It is an adventure these two mates have wanted to take for years and with a worthy cause to spur them on, they have finally made their dream a reality.

Kicking off in Sydney on 18 October 2016 with their first major stop at the MotoGP in Melbourne, the boys will circumnavigate the entire continent. They will visit every state and capital along the way and cover over 17,000 km in 8 weeks. In this time, the boys will have to work together to overcome the combined challenges that long distance motorcycle travel and the harsh Australia climate can present; extreme weather conditions, rider fatigue, mechanical break downs, etc.

The journey will be documented on www.ridetotheedge.com where supporters will be able to track the boys’ progress live, view uploaded video diaries and photos, read journal articles, and make donations. The official Ride to the Edge Facebook page is already live and gathering followers.

Taber and Damien’s goal is to match kilometres ridden to dollars raised for each rider – a combined goal of $34,000 for an organisation that provides necessary support to those suffering with depression. Taber knows all too well that the struggle is real; having gone through his own experience with depression last year, he is grateful for the support he received from family, friends and professionals. He sees this ride as an opportunity not only to raise much needed funds for beyondblue, but also to spread awareness across Australia about the support that is available to those in need. Taber says that “prevention is nine tenths of the cure” and hopes this journey will encourage people suffering in silence with depression to open a dialogue with someone who can help.

As Damo says, “I believe in the services that beyondblue provide – I want to support both friends and strangers that have dealt with depression.” What better way to demonstrate this than through a ride with a mate, pushing the boundaries of Australia, where anyone can follow the expedition online and show their support by donating to the cause.

At the end of each day Taber and Damien will be uploading recorded media to Facebook and www.ridetotheedge.com to share their experiences. When pulling up in towns and camp sites, they will be spreading the word about their cause and campaigning hard in a bid to achieve their fund raising goal.

The pair expects to arrives back in Sydney in mid December.