Toby Sullivan and Ben Myers were among the 100-strong group of riders who competed the Zoo2Zoo ride on the weekend but the Sydneysiders had to overcome more challenges than most.
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Beecroft rider Toby is blind and in order to take part in rides, he uses a tandem bike with a partner. His clubmate Ben, based in North Epping, hadn’t done the Zoo2Zoo before so he was only too happy to join Toby.
Aside from the challenges a visually-impaired person and his support rider have, the chain slipped on their bike countless times during the three-day, 437-kilometre ride. Aided by fellow members of the North Epping Steamrollers and the work of the Zoo2Zoo support crew, they were able to keep going and finished.
Toby lost his sight in a car accident in 1986, when he was three years old but said he had never let it stop him from doing what he wanted.
“I got into riding through a next door neighbour. He said I should come and ride with them,” he said. “We looked at how I could ride and decided on a tandem bike so we went and bought one.”