Without going into the minutiae here, for a variety of reasons I’ve learned a thing or two about anxiety-related disorders and depression over the years. Which is why when I stumbled across the Zoo2Zoo ride listed in the current issue of Ride Cycling Review, I pretty much decided then and there to do it. Like all obsessed middle-aged cyclists, I’d heard of many charity rides. And even done a couple too. But never this one, which has actually been around since 2006 and, for the last few years, has raised money for the Black Dog Institute.
Zoo2Zoo is a classic point-to-point event, starting at Sydney’s famous Taronga Zoo and ending at Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo. All up the route is about 440km, with plenty of climbing, and we’ll be riding it in 3 days. Am I daunted? A little. Am I excited? Hell, yes. In fact, even though the ride is still more than 6 months away, I can’t wait.
I’ll provide updates from time to time right here on carbonaddiction.net. And once the actual ride begins in October, I’m sure I’ll be providing a running (or is that rolling?) commentary. I particularly fancy getting a happy snap of me on the Colnago with a giraffe…not sure if that’s allowed, though??!
If you’d like to make a donation, that would be bloody splendid. Just follow this link.
http://www.everydayhero.com.au/peter_maniaty
Fancy riding Zoo2Zoo yourself?
About the Black Dog Institute
The Black Dog Institute is an educational, research, clinical and community-oriented facility offering specialist expertise in mood disorders – a range of disorders that include depression and bipolar disorder. The Institute is attached to the Prince of Wales Hospital and affiliated with the University of New South Wales. The Institute was formally launched in February 2002. The Institute’s mission is to advance the understanding, diagnosis and management of the mood disorders by continuously raising clinical, research, education and training standards. In so doing, the Institute aims to improve the lives of those affected – and in turn – the lives of their families and friends.
Carbon Addiction 
I love the last sentence of this post. So few people think about how family and friends are affected by the mood disorder of a loved one. It’s true, and it multiplies the tragic effects exponentially. Thanks for pointing it out.
Good Luck Peter
My mates CJ and Al are doing their third Zoo2Zoo. They’re on the Canberra to Dubbo version so look out for them at the end.