NEVER shy of a challenge, Geraldton supermarket store operations manager Stuart Bain last year decided to ride from Geraldton to Kalbarri, via Binnu, wearing a watermelon helmet for some of the time, to raise money for cancer research.
One of the supermarket's fruit and vegetable suppliers said he would make a donation if Mr Bain filmed himself on his ride wearing a watermelon helmet, singing Harry Styles' song 'Watermelon Sugar High' - quite the challenge considering he doesn't even really like cycling, with or without a sticky helmet.
"Regardless of how much I don't enjoy getting on a bike - it's that mild discomfort for a bigger cause," Mr Bain said.
The bigger cause was funding cancer researchers at Perth's Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research.
His epic ride was part of last year's MACA Cancer 200 Ride for Research.
The usual annual Perth to Mandurah and back ride was different last year because of COVID-19.
Instead riders covered 200 kilometres wherever they chose and Mr Bain thought Geraldton to Kalbarri would be a great ride - he didn't quite calculate it would be 240km and hot.
After 160km in 34-degree heat on day one Mr Bain said, "I couldn't even bend down to take my shoes off".
Thankfully his support man was there - a friend with a passion for the cause, whose mum was battling cancer.
Doing the ride alone Mr Bain found "you had a lot more time in your head to think about why you're doing it" as he has seen many co-workers and customers affected by cancer.
"Some get through, and unfortunately some aren't quite as lucky," he said.
"As long as that's happening it's more motivation to ride."
Additional encouragement came from his social media followers.
"In the middle of nowhere cars were pulling over on the side of the road and handing money over," Mr Bain said.
"When this was happening it really showed me how important this cause is.
"When it felt like it was getting too much, it kept me going."
This year Mr Bain is riding again, hopefully with the 1500 people who have registered, and he has some extra motivation this year - his mum was recently diagnosed with a brain tumour.
"My mum had a 4.5cm brain tumour that they thought was cancerous but after removing it, very recently, it looks like she was lucky," Mr Bain said.
"It has still motivated me to ride as that "scare" was enough to ensure that I keep doing this."
This will be Mr Bain's fourth ride, and after last year's tough solo effort he's really looking forward to the camaraderie once again.
"Everyone's there for the same goal and as a group you're making a big difference," he said.
"If anyone's on the fence, if I can do it, they can do it."
The MACA Cancer 200 is scheduled for October 16-17.
- More information: go to cancer200.org.au
