On their bikes

By Casey Neill
A MOTHER and daughter team from The Basin will this year tackle the Great Victorian Bike Ride side by side.
Narelle and Caitlin Marriott are looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“We’re determined, and we’re going to have fun,” Ms Marriott said.
“I just reckon it’s a great opportunity for a mum and a daughter to go out and enjoy themselves and keep fit.”
There are less than 900 places left for cyclists keen to tackle the journey.
Up to 5000 riders will set out on the 546-kilometre Great Ocean Road trip from Portland on 28 November and arrive at Geelong’s Eastern Park on 6 December.
Ms Marriott’s sister Janine and niece Belinda, 11, signed up for the ride and invited her and Caitlin to join them.
“I didn’t hesitate,” Ms Marriott said.
The keen bushwalkers signed up with little riding experience.
“We’ve done bits here and there,” she said.
“Now that we have to prepare for the ride, we’re riding quite a lot.”
“We’ll need to prepare, otherwise we won’t make it.”
Ms Marriott was looking forward to the training.
“Caitlin and I go for rides together and we just really enjoy it. It’s good mother-daughter time,” she said.
She said having Caitlin alongside her would spur her on.
“It’ll push me, because she’s probably a lot fitter,” she said.
“She’ll be saying to me ‘come on mum, you can do it’.”
Caitlin, a Grade 5 student at Boronia Heights Primary School, was ‘a little bit worried’ about the challenge ahead, but was looking forward to it.
Her six-year-old brother Danny was raring to give the ride a go.
“So no doubt in six years’ time I’ll be doing it with Danny,” Ms Marriott said.
“We’re just going to have fun.”
Great Victorian Bike Ride entry fees are $750 for adults, $560 for children aged 13 to 17 and $260 for kids aged 6 to 12. An extra $100 applies to all fees after 31 July.
Kids five and under ride free.
More information is available by calling 1800 616 600 or visiting www.greatvic. com.au.