Trans national record

By Casey Neill
FERNTREE Gully’s Damian Richmond fought exhaustion, relentless head winds and self-doubt to finish a charity bike ride from Perth to Melbourne in record time.
The 40-year-old completed the 3500 kilometre journey in nine days, seven hours and 29 minutes, smashing the previous 11-day benchmark.
Mr Richmond left Perth on Saturday 18 October to raise cash for Ferntree Gully aid group HopeBuilders International.
“The journey was so much more than a bike ride,” he said.
“Day after day, you can’t explain the demoralisation that goes on.”
Road dust and hot wind claimed his voice on day six.
His hands and backside suffered and a hot spot developed on his foot.
“It’s like you’re standing on a hot coal,” he said.
Mr Richmond battled five days of 40 and 50km/h head winds.
On day five he could barely open his camper van door.
“I’d already mentally given up,” he said.
“I was almost pedalling on the spot it was that windy.”
Mr Richmond slept for two hours before battling the howling winds for another three.
“I just put my head down and backside up and said ‘I’m not going to quit’,” he said.
Finally, the winds eased.
“That was enough. I had a new attitude,” he said.
The next day he caught a tailwind and rode for 23 hours straight.
He crossed the Victorian border after riding 1200 km on four hours sleep.
“Just before Horsham I had a mental breakdown,” he said.
“I just couldn’t do it.”
Mr Richmond regrouped, and after six hours sleep was back on the bike with a slight breeze behind him.
“I felt fantastic, my legs were super strong,” he said.
At Ballan he found the energy to sprint uphill and reached Melbourne’s GPO at 7.30pm on Monday 27 October.
“That was just awesome, standing on the top of those steps,” he said.
Mr Richmond promised last year that he wouldn’t tackle another ride after he abandoned a Perth to Sydney record attempt.
“This time I’m not saying I won’t or I can’t. Who knows what tomorrow may bring,” he said.
Last November Mr Richmond raised $60,000 from Race Across Australia.
The cash enabled HopeBuilders to purchase land in Uganda to build homes for orphans.
This year he has raised $45,000.
Mr Richmond will now share his story at events and presentations for donations.
Donations or inquiries can be made my calling HopeBuilders’s Johann Poppenbeck on 0439 620 882.
More information is available from www.raceacrossaustralia.com or www.hopebuilders.org.au.